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Max Holloway famously proclaimed during his Calvin Kattar fight that he was the best boxer in the UFC. After the display of his pugilistic prowess against Justin Gaethje, many are enamored by the skills Holloway has in his hands following the buzzer-beater KO to win the BMF title.
But where does Holloway rank among the all-time great boxing talents in UFC history? Some can posit that Dustin Poirier is an even better boxer than Holloway as he has bested him twice in the octagon. While other MMA skills were utilized in their bouts, it seemed like 'The Diamond' got the better of Max Holloway in the boxing department during their two clashes.
This list delves into some of the most skilled practitioners of Western boxing to get locked into the Ultimate Fighting Championship cage.
#5. Anderson Silva - Former UFC middleweight champion
Silva has scored some superhuman KO's with his hands in the UFC but also has succeeded specifically under Boxing rules as well.
'The Spider' defeated former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez jr on points under Queensberry Rules. While he last lost to Jake Paul via decision when taking part in the sweet science, Silva's multi-faceted punching abilities over the years are not to be denied.
#4. Francis Ngannou - Former UFC heavyweight champion
Though Francis Ngannou last tasted defeat to Anthony Joshua via second-round KO, 'The Predator' is still right up there in the heavyweight boxing hierarchy. Ngannou left the UFC relinquishing their heavyweight hardware to pursue a Tyson Fury fight which he secured last year.
Ngannou would drop 'The Gypsy King' and though he fell short via split decision, many onlookers thought the debutant had done enough to earn a win over the near-consensus best heavyweight in boxing today. Currently 0-2 in the sweet science against generational talents, Ngannou is still ranked in the WBC top twenty-five and it remains to be seen what his next step in boxing will be.
#3. James Toney - UFC 118 competitor
Though his ill-fated lone UFC effort saw him get submitted by multi-division titleholder Randy Couture, Toney has one of the best boxing pedigrees of anyone who has ever stepped into the UFC.
'Lights Out' held world titles at middleweight, super middleweight, and cruiserweight. He also briefly held heavyweight gold before a failed rug test stripped that accolade from his record. All in all, James Toney fought in fifteen world title bouts across four different weight categories.
#2. Israel Adesanya - Former two-time UFC middleweight champion
The former title holder at 185 pounds, Israel Adesanya has a 5-1 record in the sport of gloved boxing. He also has several title accolades in the world of kickboxing as evidenced by his Glory successes before joining the UFC.
Adesnya also has some notable finishes inside the cage as he finished current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira to reclaim the UFC middleweight strap last year.
#1. Holly Holm - former UFC bantamweight champion
Max Holloway won on Saturday and Holly Holm fell short against Kayla Harrison at UFC 300. Holm is one of the most accomplished sweets science practitioners to step into the octagon. The former queen of 135 pounds in the UFC was also an established champion with the sweet science before redirecting her focus to the cage.
Holm largely competed at either light welterweight or welterweight though she garnered championship accolades across three weight categories in her boxing run. Under Queensberry rules, 'The Preacher's daughter was able to defend her belt 18 times and was also Ring Magazine's Fighter of the Year on two occasions.
