Seven all-time Philly boxing greats to know

What comes to mind when you think of Philadelphia boxing? The iconic movies Rocky and Creed probably are at the top of your list. But there are other important names in Philly's lore. The city’s boxing history runs deep, and Philly fighters are just different. Here are seven names to know:

1. “Smokin’” Joe Frazier

Frazier beat Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title in their first meeting, “The Fight of the Century,” though Ali won both rematches. Known for his left hook, Frazier, a 1964 Olympic gold medalist, had a 32-4 record with 27 KOs.

2. Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins

Hopkins was the first to unify all four title belts in the four-belt era by defeating Keith Holmes, Felix Trinidad, and Oscar De La Hoya. He finished with a 55-8-2 record with 32 knockouts and 20 straight middleweight title defenses.

3. Meldrick Taylor

Taylor held the IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight titles, but he may be more well-known for the belt he didn’t win — the WBC light welterweight title. As an amateur, he won gold in the featherweight division at the 1984 Olympics.

4. Jaron “Boots” Ennis

Ennis is the current IBF welterweight champ with a 32-0 record and 29 knockouts. In terms of a current Philadelphia fighter you should be rooting for — Ennis is the man. His fight at the Wells Fargo Center drew more than 14,000 fans.

5. Danny Garcia

Garcia has a 37-3 record with 21 KOs. He became the WBC world super lightweight champ in 2012 and a unified champ four months later. He was the WBC welterweight champ before losing to Errol Spence Jr. in 2020.

6. “Cool Boy” Stephen Fulton

Another current fighter to keep your eye on is Fulton. He has a 21-1 record with eight knockouts. He’s trying to rebound off his first loss — to Naoya Inoue — on Saturday as he competes against Carlos Castro.

7. Tim Witherspoon

Witherspoon was a two-time world heavyweight champion with a 55-13-1 record and 38 KOs. His bloodline still runs through Philly. His son, Tim Witherspoon Jr., has a boxing gym nearby called Witherspoon Boxing & Fitness.