Fighting is a human tradition that dates back to the oldest human societies. Even before civilizations rose, men engaged in combat. Striking and grappling arts (most notably wrestling and boxing) can be traced back to the pre-historic era. As far back as Ancient Greece, wrestling and boxing matches have been held and enjoyed. And their popularity remains to this day.
Nowadays, boxing remains one of the most popular sports, and certainly the top combat sport. Though it is worth noting that mixed martial arts is growing in popularity, it still has not eclipsed boxing as the world’s favorite martial art. If you don’t believe us, check out the best online gambling sites that cover both disciplines. You will find that boxing gets a lot more clicks than MMA.
Regardless, both disciplines are incredibly popular, and have produced some of the toughest fighters in world history. In this article, we would like to take a look at a few of the best of the best, and decide exactly who was the toughest.
Joe Frazier - Boxing
There is no denying that Joe Frazier was one of the greatest fighters of all time. He reigned as the undisputed king of heavyweight boxing in the early 1970s, he won the gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics, and was the first boxer to defeat Muhammad Ali himself.
During his lifetime, Joe Frazier went head-to-head with some of the most notorious fighters. His fight against Muhammad Ali is the stuff of legends. Billed as the “Fight of the Century” in 1971, the match went on for 15 rounds, and Joe Frazier won by unanimous decision.
While he lost the title to George Foreman, Frazier is still remembered as one of the greatest fighters and the toughest boxers of all time. Often touted as the greatest of all time by fans, and even some experts.
Raiden Tameemon - Sumo
For this next fighter, we need to travel back in time, and all the way to Japan. Sumo remains Japan’s most popular sport today. And no name in sumo is as legendary as Raiden Tameemon. Raiden began wrestling in 1789, and soon racked up a huge following, as well as an impressive record.
Though he never attained a rank of yokozuna, Raiden remains one of the most successful rikishi in the realm of sumo wrestling history. He still holds the record for the best top division win ratio in sumo wrestling, even today, almost 200 years after his passing.
Lenny McLean – Pugilism
The so-called King of Cobbles takes up the last spot on our list. Lenny McLean was a tough-as-nails pugilist, fighting in unlicensed matches in East London. He garnered a reputation as a pugilist in the late 1960s, and fought throughout the 70s and 80s. If his autobiography is to be believed, the Guv’nor fought in over 2000 unlicensed boxing matches.
Apart from his pugilist career, McLean also worked as a bodyguard and enforcer for some of England’s most notorious criminals, and as security manager for some of London’s most famous night clubs. Where most will know Lenny from, though, is his appearance in Guy Ritchie’s 1998 film, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Sadly, Mclean passed away before the film hit the cinemas.
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