The greatest Mexican boxers of all time

• Mexico has produced some of the best professional boxers over the years
• If there’s a name that can’t miss in any list of the greatest Mexican boxers then it’s Julio Cesar Chavez
• The Sinaloa native conquered three divisions and was recognized as the best boxer in the 1990s

Mexico has produced some of the best professional boxers over the years, but who are the greatest Mexican boxers?

To start with, boxing in Mexico isn’t just a sport. It’s a religion and lifestyle that unifies both young and old people fighting for a better future. For you to be a star in the country and beyond, you must have guts, courage and a warrior’s spirit. It’s about sacrificing yourself to receive two punches while preparing to reply with a perfect one.

Here, we give credit to those who have gone through the Mexican culture and emerged to represent the country on the big stage. In no particular order, here are the greatest Mexican boxers of all time:

1. Julio Cesar Chavez

Julio Cesar Chavez. Photo/ FanSided.

If there’s a name that can’t miss in any list of the greatest Mexican boxers then it’s Julio Cesar Chavez. The Sinaloa native conquered three divisions and was recognized as the best boxer in the 1990s. He boasts a pro boxing record of 107-6-2, 85 KOs. Julio Cesar won his first 90 fights before going suffering his first loss against Frankie Randall.

The Hall of Famer coined, who was the first Mexican to dominate in three different weight classes, fought 37 championship fights. In his last pr fight, he lost to the far less talented Grover Wiley. The loss was painful such that his son, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., avenged it by knocking out Wiley two years later.

Julio Cesar holds the attendance record for a boxing fight, with 132,274 fans attending his fight against two-weight world champion Greg Haugen at the vast Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

2. Ruben “Puas” Olivares

Ruben Olivares holds a special in Mexico’s boxing history. The 77-year-old was the first Mexican double world champion and is considered by many to be the greatest bantamweight champion of all time.

Olivares very popular among boxing fans who loved him for his amazing performances inside the ropes. He won the hearts of many and went unbeaten in 62 fights. He did eventually suffer defeat but retired as one of the greatest Mexican boxers of all time. The veteran was one of the first boxers to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

3. Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez

Canelo Alvarez. Photo/ Sporting News.

Saul Alvarez, 33, is the only one on our list of the greatest Mexican boxers that’s still fighting professionally. Canelo has managed to be a standout among his peers and has lost just twice since turning pro. His first defeat came in 2013 against Floyd Mayweather Jr and he would go unbeaten in the next 15 fights before losing to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.

Canelo has won four categories and is the only Mexican with an undisputed championship. With his fights attraction the attention of many, Canelo has earned millions of dollars throughout his career and is one of the richest boxers in the world with a massive $275 net worth.

4. Salvador Sanchez 

Salvador Sanchez showed signs of becoming one of the finest boxers from a very young age. He started his professional career at the age of 16 and went on to fight 46 times before a fatal car accident robbed the boxing world one of the youngest yet talented fighters.

Sanchez was just 23 when he passed away but many of his contemporaries and boxing writers believe that he would have gone down in history as the greatest fighter in the featherweight division. The Mexican was named as The Fighter of the Year in 1981 alongside Sugar Ray Leonard before his sudden death the following year. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.

Salvador Sanchez. Photo/ ProBox TV.

5. Carlos Zarate 

Carlos Zarate was a menace who made life difficult for his opponents in the ring. Zarate is one of the hardest hitters in boxing and this can be shown by his knockout rate. The Mexican won 63 of his 66 fights from 1970 to 1988 via knockout. While at the peak of his career, he held the WBC bantamweight title and fought against some of boxing’s finest such as Wilfredo Gomez, Alfonso Zamora, Jeff Fenech and Lupe Pintor.