Highlights
- Muhammad Ali's legacy as the greatest heavyweight boxer sparks ongoing debates about his true status in the sport. His boxing prowess and way with words made him a true legend.
- Mike Tyson's reputation as one of the most feared boxers and his knockout power contribute to debates about whether he is the greatest heavyweight of all time.
- Floyd Mayweather's undefeated record and five-division world championship status make him a subject of debate as to whether he is the greatest boxer of all time. Many question the quality of his opponents throughout his career.
We all know what it's like to have a heated sports debate, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland? Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic? Well, today we're looking at the top 10 athletes from around the world that cause the most fan arguments online, according to the fans themselves.
How are we doing that, we hear you ask, well thanks to Ranker, which is a free-to-use site that allows users to rank between many things including; people, objects, or even countries, we can see who they have voted for as the most debated athletes in the world. So, without further ado, let's take a look at who you, the fans, voted for as the athlete that sparks the most arguments. Let's dive in!
10 Muhammad Ali
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Arguably one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time kicks off our list, but why? Well for that very reason, the arguments caused by the name Muhammad Ali are debates about whether the famous former heavyweight champion is truly the greatest to lace the gloves. The late athlete had an amazing boxing career that spanned across 61 professional fights, with 56 wins and five defeats including 37 knockout victories. Known not only for his tremendous boxing ability, but also his way with words and his inspirational speeches, he built his legacy as "the people's champion."
9 Mike Tyson
We continue with former heavyweight boxing champions, with another of one of the true greats in "Iron" Mike Tyson. Tyson is one of the most feared boxers in recent memory, even in his earliest years as a professional. In 1986, he became the youngest ever heavyweight champion at just 20 years of age. He gained a reputation of having one of the deadliest knockout blows in boxing, ending his career with 50 victories and six defeats, including a whopping 44 knockout victories. The debates? Is Mike Tyson the greatest heavyweight of all time? Who would win in a fight between Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali? A question we unfortunately will never know the answer to.
8 Floyd Mayweather Jr
The final boxing athlete on this list and who else would it be other than "Money" himself. Arguably the most talked about boxer of all time and one of the greatest athletes of all time, it comes to no surprise that Floyd Mayweather is on this list. While Mayweather still competes in exhibition fights, his professional record stands perfectly at 50 victories and zero defeats, including 27 knockout victories. People often argue whether the five-division world champion is the true GOAT of boxing, or whether he perfectly picked his opponents at the right times. Many try to downplay Mayweather's illustrious career, but there's no denying that what he achieved in the sport is truly remarkable.
7 Cristiano Ronaldo
Switching sports to football now, we have arguably the most famous athlete on the planet in Cristiano Ronaldo. Part of one of sport's all-time biggest debates, the Messi vs Ronaldo debate, Ronaldo shared the stage for 15 years. Football's all-time leading goalscorer, multiple time Champions League and Ballon d'Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo has cemented himself among football's elite. Ronaldo became the most followed person on Instagram with an outstanding 604 million followers, and many believed his influence helped grow the Saudi Pro League. The Portuguese legend joined Saudi Arabia, and we have seen a massive growth of the country's football league as a result, with many of football's elite players following in his footsteps this summer. Ronaldo is known for his elite sporting mentality and work ethic, being known as an insanely hard worker to get to where he is today. Playing for clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid, Ronaldo has been in the topic of "greatest" for nearly a decade. The now 38-year-old continues to build on his already legendary legacy.
6 Colin Kaepernick
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is on this list for a slightly different reason from the rest. While others on this list are names associated with "the greatest in their respective sports," Kaepernick's career went in a different direction. After six years in the NFL, Kaepernick decided to stand for what he believed in, he kneeled during the national anthem. "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of colour," stated Kaepernick. Following this, he departed the NFL and became a civil rights activist. Many believe the reason for his departure and why he wasn't re-signed is down to the political statements made on-field by the former player.
5 Tom Brady
Staying in the NFL with perhaps its greatest name, Tom Brady. No player, or even team, has won more Super Bowl rings than the legendary Tom Brady, that is a tremendous feat. New England Patriots' six Super Bowl wins isn't enough to top Brady's seven as the most decorated NFL player of all time. His longevity also needs to be truly admired, as he didn't decide it was time to retire until the age of 45, but even at that age, Brady was still on top. The quarterback is without a doubt the first name in everyone's mind when you mention the NFL, the sport's biggest ever star.
4 Kobe Bryant
Staying in the USA, but moving over to the NBA, Kobe Bryant is one of the sport's biggest legends. Five-time NBA World Champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP, two-time scoring champion, and an NBA Hall of Famer, Kobe Bryant no doubt gained legendary status. Known for having an elite mentality and being a massive inspiration to millions around the world, he was legendary both on and off the court.
3 Michael Jordan
The second NBA star on our list, we not only have one of sport's biggest names, but fashion too. Michael Jordan was the face of the NBA for decades, but also quickly became the face of Nike too. The iconic "Jordan" logo is one of the most recognisable brand images in history, and is part of one of the most successful shoe campaigns ever. Widely regarded as the undisputed GOAT of the NBA, until other names came to the table, Jordan enjoyed an outstanding career. He was a massive celebrity, even appearing in the movie "Space Jam". He had a perfect 6-0 record in NBA finals making him a six-time NBA Champion. He drew more eyes to the sport than any other player, he won every major award there was to be won in the NBA, and his jersey number was even retired for a club he never played for. That is a truly great legacy, and one that left a mark on the NBA that will remain forever.
2 Lionel Messi
The second half of football's biggest debate, the Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. Arguably football's greatest ever player, Messi has done it all. 721 club career goals, 344 assists, World Cup winner, four-time Champions League winner, 10-time La Liga champion, 7-time Ballon d'Or winner, simply the most decorated footballer in history. Messi's name is surrounded by arguments and debates. Messi or Ronaldo? Messi or Diego Maradona? Would Messi be able to do it in England? Is Messi now the greatest to step on the pitch? Questions surround the legend, but it hasn't stopped him from consistently being a great. He holds the record for the most goals in a calendar year (91), which is a staggering number when you consider Erling Haaland's unbelievable record-breaking debut campaign last season, he netted 52 times, only just getting over half of Messi's total. The Argentine's World Cup win in 2022 was said to have put an end to the Messi vs Ronaldo argument, but it still hasn't stopped fans from returning to football's greatest debate.
1 LeBron James
We have reached number one on our list, and that spot goes to NBA star LeBron James. James has had an exceptional career, one great enough to put his name among Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan in NBA's GOAT debate. LeBron James is the only one of the three legends still actively playing after he confirmed he will play his 21st NBA season. James joined the conversation with Michael Jordan when he became the NBA's all-time leading points scorer, an absolutely incredible achievement. He's a three-time NBA Champion, four-time NBA MVP, and a three-time NBA finals MVP. The comparison is hard to make between Jordan and James because of the eras they both played in, some argue it was a lot harder to win the NBA championship now compared to Jordan's time as well as James having to play through many evolutions of the sport. LeBron is an incredibly versatile player and his influence on the teams he played for showed after the team's performances after James' departure. It's a conversation that will continue for many years.
So that's our list of athletes that spark the most fan arguments, according to you, the fans. It definitely shows that fans love to voice their opinions on who they believe is the greatest of their sports.