10 Legendary Fighters Out of New York

Boxing and New York have always had a strong connection. From the famous gyms to important fights at Madison Square Garden, the Polo Grounds, and Yankee Stadium, the state of New York, particularly New York City, has always had boxing as part of its heartbeat. None of this would be possible without the boxers. Over the decades, many New Yorkers, or transplants to NYC, have excelled in the ring.

Here is a quick list of 10 boxing legends (many more could have been included) whose abilities and drawing power have kept the Empire State relevant throughout past and present eras in boxing.

Jake LaMotta

Jake LaMotta boxed professionally between 1941 and 1954, during which time he contested 106 bouts. Born in Manhattan in 1922, LaMotta was known as “The Bronx Bull” during his career. Fighting in a loaded middleweight division during that era, LaMotta was the world champion at 160 pounds between June 1949 and February 1951.

LaMotta fought rival Sugar Ray Robinson six times and famously said: “I fought Sugar Ray so many times, it’s a wonder I don’t have diabetes.” Portions of LaMotta’s life and career are covered in the 1980 Martin Scorsese biopic Raging Bull. Robert De Niro plays the boxer in the film.

Mark Breland

Brooklyn-born Breland is regarded as one of the finest amateur boxers ever to represent the USA in international competition. Boxing in the welterweight division, Breland brought home the gold medal from both the 1982 World Championships and 1984 Olympic Games.

Breland’s professional campaign ran from 1984 until 1997. Breland won the WBA welterweight world title twice during his years in the pro ranks. Breland is still involved in boxing today, passing on his knowledge in training both amateur and professional boxers.

Iran Barkley

Iran “The Blade” Barkley competed in professional boxing between 1982 and 1999. During his campaign, he captured world titles in the middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight divisions.

Barkley never backed away from a challenge and faced a host of big-name fighters during his career, including Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Michael Nunn, and Nigel Benn. Barkley currently resides in The Bronx and has been known to train boxers at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn.

Amanda Serrano

The only current active boxer on this list, Serrano was born in Puerto Rico but has resided in Brooklyn since she was a child. A superstar in women’s boxing, Serrano, known as “The Real Deal,” has won world titles in a remarkable seven weight classes.

Perhaps her best weight class is in the featherweight division, where she is the undisputed champion, but Serrano goes where the championship fights are. She has won titles from super flyweight all the way up to light welterweight.

Amanda’s fight with Katie Taylor in 2022 was the first time a women’s fight had topped the card at the world-famous arena. The Garden was sold out, and the fight lived up to expectations, being named the 2022 Fight of the Year by Sports Illustrated.

Riddick Bowe

Born in Brooklyn in 1967, Bowe turned professional after winning a silver medal in the super heavyweight division at the 1988 Olympics. Bowe boxed as a pro between 1989 and 2008, although he stopped boxing against serious competition in 1996.

Bowe became the undisputed heavyweight champion in 1992, and his trilogy with Evander Holyfield made for epic viewing. At the end of his career, Bowe’s ledger stood at 43 wins with only one defeat.

Zab Judah

Zab Judah was a professional from 1996 until 2019. The Brooklyn-born pugilist was known as “Super” during his ring career and won world titles at both 140 and 147 pounds. His 2005 victory over Cory Spinks, avenging a defeat the previous year, saw Judah crowned undisputed welterweight champion.

Throughout his career, Judah, a speedy southpaw, faced plenty of good and great opponents. He gloved up against, among others, Micky Ward, Junior Witter, Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Miguel Cotto and Amir Khan.

Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson was born in Brooklyn, and for a long while, he boxed out of Catskill, New York, while under the tutelage of Cus D’Amato. Tyson became the youngest-ever heavyweight champion in November 1986 when he beat Trevor Berbick, aged 20. He would also be crowned undisputed heavyweight champion in 1987.

As well as success, Tyson had his fair share of controversial and negative moments in the boxing ring. Mike Tyson‘s fights were always highly anticipated; even casual fans knew when “Iron Mike” was fighting. Tyson retired from boxing in 2005, amassing a record of 50 wins and 6 defeats. Forty-four of his wins came by knockout.

Gene Tunney

 Reaching back into boxing history here, Gene Tunney was born in Greenwich Village, New York, in 1897 and boxed professionally from 1915 until 1928. Tunney boxed as a light heavyweight and a heavyweight; his light heavyweight rivalry with Harry Greb spawned five fights – Tunney won three, lost one, and drew one against the great Greb.

At heavyweight, Tunney was the world champion from 1926 to 1928 – this period included two wins over Jack Dempsey. Tunney was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1928 when he hung his gloves up. Tunney enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during the first World War. Due to this, he was known as “The Fighting Marine” for most of his ring career.

Although some records are hard to verify, Tunney’s final record in boxing is listed as 82 wins, one defeat, four draws, and one no-contest.

Benny Leonard

Benny Leonard is regarded by boxing historians as a top ten all-time pound-for-pound fighter. Born in 1896 in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Leonard would be known as “The Ghetto Wizard” during his 21-year career (1911-1932). It is thought that Leonard had 219 bouts during his years as a boxer.

Leonard boxed in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. He held the lightweight world title for eight years between 1917 and 1925. After winning the lightweight world title in May 1917, Leonard fought a staggering 86 times before retiring the title undefeated. His almost eight-year reign as the lightweight world champion is still the longest in the history of that weight division.

After he stopped boxing, Leonard worked as a referee, mainly in New York and Philadelphia. Leonard suffered a massive heart attack during a refereeing assignment at St. Nicholas Arena in New York in April 1947. He died in the ring at only 51 years old, despite the efforts of the ringside doctor to revive him.

Sugar Ray Robinson

Sugar Ray was born in Georgia but moved with his family to Harlem when he was 12 in 1933. After success in the New York Golden Gloves as an amateur, Robinson turned professional in 1940. His pro career lasted until 1965. At various points during those 25 years, Robinson held the world title at welterweight and middleweight. Between 1943 and 1951, Robinson went on a 91-fight unbeaten run – an astonishing achievement.

Some footage of Prime Robinson is available, and it shows him to be a beautifully balanced fighter with power in both hands. He is seen to be as effective on the attack as he was boxing off the back foot.

Sugar Ray Robinson is often ranked the number one pound-for-pound boxer of all time by the historians who compile those lists. It’s fitting that the best boxer of all time – in the minds of many experts – just happened to learn how to box in New York.

Colin Morrison

A boxing fan since his teenage years, Morrison began writing about the sport in July 2016. He appreciates all styles of boxing and has nothing but respect for those who get in the ring for our entertainment. Morrison is from Scotland and can be found on Twitter @Morrie1981.

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