Postwar Era 1945-1965

Louis won the title from James Braddock in 1937 and held it until 1949, making 25 successful defenses, 21 by knockout. His one rou...

Will o the Wisp from Hartford won his first 62 bouts and took the world featherweight title in 1942 at age 20. Ring lore says he o...

Born Walker Smith Jr, Robinson went 85-0 as an amateur and ran a 91 fight unbeaten streak as a pro. He won the welterweight title ...

LaMotta fought Sugar Ray Robinson six times, winning a close decision over Robinson in Detroit in 1943, one of the few men ever to...

The Old Mongoose waited 17 years for a world title shot and finally took the light heavyweight crown in 1952, defending it into hi...

The Brockton Blockbuster won the title with a legendary one punch knockout of Jersey Joe Walcott in 1952 and defended it six times...

Patterson, an Olympic gold medalist in 1952 trained by Cus, won the vacant title from Archie Moore in 1956 at 21 years old. Ingema...

Liston destroyed Floyd Patterson in one round in 1962 and again in 1963, one of the most feared punchers the division has known. H...

Johansson won European fame by refusing to fight in the 1952 Olympic final, then built a knockout run in the pros. In June 1959 he...

Middleweight champion Tony Zale and challenger Rocky Graziano traded bombs at Yankee Stadium in September 1946 in one of the great...

In Chicago on February 14 1951, Sugar Ray Robinson finally took the middleweight crown from Jake LaMotta in their sixth meeting. H...

Champion Jersey Joe Walcott, 37 years old and cagey, dropped Rocky Marciano in round one and led on the cards through 12. In the 1...

After Ingemar Johansson knocked him out in 1959 and Patterson returned the favor in 1960, the rubber match in Miami Beach settled ...

Charles beat Jersey Joe Walcott in 1949 for the vacant NBA heavyweight title and outpointed a comeback Joe Louis in 1950 to secure...

Walcott fought through years of poverty and losses before finally getting his chances late in his career. After defeats to Joe Lou...

Basilio won the welterweight title from Tony DeMarco in 1955 and moved up to face Sugar Ray Robinson at Yankee Stadium in 1957, ta...

Jofre won the world bantamweight championship in 1960 and unified recognition in 1962, dominating the division with heavy punching...