Before we move on to the rankings, some fighters deserve an honorable mention.

Honorable Mention

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather is the most successful boxer of all time, he is the highest-paid boxer of all time, and has had an incredible undefeated career. He is also a former unified Lightweight champion. He held the unified  WBC and vacant The Ring lightweight titles and defended them 3 times. 

Joe Gans

Joe Gans is regarded by many as one of the best at lightweight. He competed between 1893 and 1909 which is over 100 years ago when the sport and the weight divisions were very different. He isn’t in my rankings but deserves an honorable mention.

Top 10 Lightweight Boxers All-Time

10. Oscar De La Hoya

Oscar De La Hoya is one of the best boxers of the modern era, and he deserves to be on the list of greatest welterweight boxers of all time as well. 

De La Hoya competed between 1992 and 2008, and won 11 major world titles in 6 different weight classes, becoming the lineal champion in three. At Lightweight, De La Hoya held the WBO and IBF lightweight titles, and he defended the WBO title 6 times. 

De La Hoya retired with a record of 39 wins and 6 losses. 

9. Lou Ambers

Luigi Giuseppe d’Ambrosio or as he is better known Lou Ambers is a former American lightweight boxing champion. 

He competed between 1932 and 1941 and became a two-time unified NBA, NYSAC, and The Ring lightweight champion. 

Ambers retired with a record of 91 wins, 8 losses and 1 draw. 

8. Alexis Argüello

Alexis Argüello was a Nicaraguan professional boxer who later became a politician as well. 

He competed from 1968 to 1995 and won world titles in three different weight classes. He is the former unified WBC and The Ring lightweight champion, and he defended these titles 4 times. 

Alexis Argüello retired with a record of 77 wins and 8 losses. 

7. Benny Leonard

Benny Leonard is regarded by many as the best lightweight boxer of all time.

He competed between 1911 and 1932 and was the unified NYSAC and NBA lightweight, a title he held for almost 8 years. 

Benny Leonard retires with an unofficial record of 185 wins, 22 losses, 9 draws, and three no contests.  

6. Carlos Ortiz

Carlos Ortiz makes it in our list at number 6. 

The Puerto Rican boxer competed between 1955 and 1972 and is easily one of the best to do it at lightweight. He is a two-division champion and reigned as the unified NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring lightweight champion. He also held the unified  WBA, WBC, and The Ring lightweight titles. 

Ortiz retired with a record of 61 wins, 7 losses, 1 draw, and 1 no-contest. 

5. Ike Williams

Ike Williams is an American Boxer, and one of the best lightweights to ever step into the ring. 

He competed between 1940 and 1955 and won multiple titles at lightweight. Williams held the unified NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring lightweight titles and defended them 5 times. 

Ike Williams retired with a record of 128 wins, 24 losses, and 4 draws. 

4. Tony Canzoneri

Tony Canzoneri is a former American boxer, who competed between 1925 and 1939. 

Throughout his career, Canzoneri won multiple world titles in three different weight classes, however, his best work came at lightweight, where is a two-time former unified lightweight champion. He won the world lightweight title and held the unified  NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring lightweight titles. 

Tony Canzoneri retired with a record of 141 wins, 24 losses, and 10 draws. 

3. Pernell Whitaker

Pernell Whitaker is also one of the best to do it and makes it on my list at number 3. 

His professional career started in 1984, and he went on to win world titles in 4 different weight classes. He was the unified  WBA, WBC, and IBF lightweight champion, and also held the Ring lightweight championship. 

Whitaker retired in 2001 with a record of 40 wins, 4 losses, 1 draw, and 1 no contest.

2. Julio César Chávez

Julio César Chávez is a former Mexican boxer, who is regarded by many as one of the best. Though most of his success came at light-welterweight, and super-featherweight he is also a former unified lightweight champion. 

He was active from 1980 to 2005 and won multiple titles in three different weight classes. He is the former unifier WBA, WBC, and the Ring lightweight champion. 

Julio César Chávez retired with a record of 107 wins and 6 losses. 

1. Roberto Durán

At the top of the list, we have the legendary Panamanian boxer, Roberto Durán, he isn’t just the best at lightweight, but one of the best pound-for-pound boxers of all time. 

Between 1968 and 2001, Durán won world titles in four different divisions. He was the unified WBA and The Ring lightweight champion and defended the titles 12 times. He also won the WBO lightweight championship. Durán also had an impressive career at middleweight. 

Roberto Durán retired with a professional record of 103 wins and 16 losses. 

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Related Links:

• Top 10 Welterweight Boxers of All Time Rankings
• Top 10 Middleweight Boxers of All Time Rankings