Who are the greatest left-handed boxers of all time? Manny Pacquiao, Marvin Hagler, and Pernell Whitaker lead the list. All three fought from the southpaw stance, with the right foot forward and the left hand as the power hand.
A left-handed boxer is called a southpaw. Below are the 15 best in boxing history, with the titles each one won. Not every southpaw is left-handed outside the ring, and we cover that after the list.
From top left, clockwise: Victor Ortiz, Vasyl Lomachenko, Pernell Whitaker, Marvin Hagler, and Manny Pacquiao
The 15 best left-handed boxers
- Manny Pacquiao - The only boxer to win world titles in eight weight divisions, from flyweight to light middleweight. He returned to the ring in July 2025 at age 46 and fought WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a draw.
- Marvin Hagler - Undisputed middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987, with 12 successful title defenses. His wins over Thomas Hearns and John Mugabi are among the division's most famous fights.
- Pernell Whitaker - "Sweet Pea" won Olympic gold in 1984 and world titles in four weight divisions. He was the undisputed lightweight champion and one of the best defensive boxers in history.
- Vasyl Lomachenko - Olympic gold medalist in 2008 and 2012 and a world champion in three weight classes. He retired in June 2025 at age 37.
- Victor Ortiz - Won the WBC welterweight title from Andre Berto in 2011 in a fight with four knockdowns, two for each man.
- Guillermo Rigondeaux - Olympic gold medalist for Cuba in 2000 and 2004, then a unified super bantamweight world champion as a professional.
- Erislandy Lara - A Cuban amateur world champion who held the WBA light middleweight title and later won a WBA title at middleweight.
- Oleksandr Usyk - Olympic gold medalist in 2012 and undisputed cruiserweight champion in 2018. He became undisputed heavyweight champion by beating Tyson Fury in 2024.
- Michael Moorer - The first southpaw to win a heavyweight world title, beating Evander Holyfield in 1994. He had earlier held the WBO light heavyweight title.
- Joe Calzaghe - Retired undefeated at 46-0 after 21 defenses of his WBO super middleweight title. He finished his career with wins over Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.
- Winky Wright - Became undisputed light middleweight champion by beating Shane Mosley in 2004. He was known for a high guard and a strong right jab.
- Antonio Tarver - Knocked out Roy Jones Jr. in the second round in 2004 and held light heavyweight world titles.
- Cory Spinks - Became undisputed welterweight champion by beating Ricardo Mayorga in 2003. He later won a world title at light middleweight.
- Chad Dawson - Held light heavyweight world titles and beat Bernard Hopkins in 2012.
- Zab Judah - Won world titles at light welterweight and became undisputed welterweight champion by stopping Cory Spinks in 2005.
Is every southpaw boxer left-handed?
No. Southpaw describes the stance, not the hand a boxer writes with. Some right-handed boxers choose to fight southpaw so that their stronger hand is the lead hand, which gives them a harder jab and lead hook.
Three fighters on this list are widely described as natural right-handers who fight southpaw: Marvin Hagler, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Oleksandr Usyk. Hagler could also fight from the orthodox stance and opened his 1987 fight with Sugar Ray Leonard that way.
The reverse also happens. Some left-handers are trained to fight orthodox, with the left hand in front. Stance tells you which hand a boxer leads with, and you need other evidence, such as the hand they write with, to know their handedness.
Why left-handed boxers are hard to fight
The main reason is rarity. About 10% of people are left-handed, as our left-handed statistics page explains. Most boxers spend nearly all their training rounds against orthodox opponents, so the angles of a southpaw are unfamiliar to them. The southpaw, meanwhile, faces orthodox opponents all the time.
The matchup also changes the geometry of the fight:
- Lead feet clash. The orthodox boxer's left foot and the southpaw's right foot are both in front, and whoever gets the lead foot outside has the better angle.
- The power hand has a straight path. The southpaw's straight left travels down the line an orthodox boxer is used to defending against a jab.
- Jabs collide. The two lead hands are on the same side, so the normal jab is easier to block and harder to land.
Researchers see the same pattern in other one-on-one sports. Left-handers are overrepresented in fencing and in the cage, as our list of the best left-handed MMA fighters shows. WWE star John Cena is left-handed too. If you're training as a southpaw yourself, tools like FitnessCalcs can help you dial in the nutrition and conditioning side of your fight prep.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best left-handed boxer of all time?
Manny Pacquiao is the most common answer. He is the only boxer to win world titles in eight weight divisions. Marvin Hagler and Pernell Whitaker are the other two usually named.
What is a left-handed boxer called?
A southpaw. A southpaw stands with the right foot and right hand forward and throws the power punch with the left hand. The standard right-handed stance is called orthodox.
Is Manny Pacquiao left-handed?
Pacquiao fights southpaw, and his left hand is his power hand. His left produced many of his best-known knockouts, including the one-punch finish of Ricky Hatton in 2009.
Who was the first left-handed heavyweight champion?
Michael Moorer. He beat Evander Holyfield in April 1994 to become the first southpaw to win a heavyweight world title.
Are all southpaw boxers left-handed?
No. Marvin Hagler, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Oleksandr Usyk are widely described as natural right-handers who chose the southpaw stance. Southpaw describes how a boxer stands, not which hand they write with.
Do left-handed boxers have an advantage?
Yes, a modest one. Orthodox boxers rarely train against southpaws, so the angles are unfamiliar, while southpaws face orthodox opponents constantly. The advantage shrinks at the top level, where fighters prepare with southpaw sparring partners.
Is Rocky Balboa left-handed?
The character fights southpaw in the films. Sylvester Stallone, who plays him, signs autographs with his right hand, as our page on famous left-handed actors shows.
