The lineage
Boxing’s history, from bare-knuckle to undisputed
Long-form articles charting boxing’s evolution from the 1700s London prize ring to the modern four-belt era.
The Bare-Knuckle Era
Boxing's prehistory — from the 1700s London prize ring to the last great bare-knuckle champion John L. Sullivan.
1860s–1900sThe Marquess of Queensberry Rules
The 1867 code that created modern boxing — gloves, 3-minute rounds, 10-second counts, no wrestling.
1919–1929The Golden Age (1920s)
Jack Dempsey, Tex Rickard, and the first million-dollar gate transform boxing into mass entertainment.
1937–1949The Joe Louis Era
The Brown Bomber's 11-year reign — and the global politics of his rematch with Max Schmeling.
1971–1975Ali, Frazier, Foreman: The Heavyweight Trinity
The decade of the most famous heavyweight rivalries in history — 1971 to 1975.
1979–1989The Four Kings (1980s)
Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Durán, Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns reshape welterweight and middleweight.
1985–1997The Tyson Era
From the youngest heavyweight champion in history to the post-prison comeback, Mike Tyson defined the 80s and 90s.
2005–2017The Mayweather / Pacquiao Era
The two pound-for-pound elites of the 2000s and 2010s — and the long-delayed fight that finally happened.
2017–presentThe Four-Belt Undisputed Era
Since 2017, fighters have undisputed-unified all four major titles at light-heavyweight, super-middle, welter, super-light, super-bantam, bantam, light-fly, and heavyweight.