36 Athletic Records That Have Stood the Test of Time

Athletes are some of the world’s most amazing individuals. They exceed physical and mental limits and perform the most unbreakable athletic records in human history.

Everyone knows the saying “records are meant to be broken,” but is this always true?

Luckily, this article explores the facts and numbers behind a comprehensive list of athletic records yet to be surpassed across multiple sports disciplines that you need to know in 2023.

Highlights of the Article

• Usain Bolt is the Fastest Man Alive, reaching 44.72km/h in the 60-80m
• Cy Young’s 511 career wins could be among the most unbreakable Baseball records.
• The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only undefeated team in the NFL.
• Wayne Gretzky is Hockey’s GOAT, holding multiple unsurpassable scoring records.
• Steffi Graf is the only player yet to win the Tennis Golden Slam.
• Wilt Chamberlain is the only NBA player to score 100 points in a game.
• Michael Phelps’s 23 gold and 28 total medals are Olympic swimming records.
• Team USA dominated the 1904 Olympics with 239 medals won.
• AC Milan FC was undefeated from 1991-1993.
• No other boxer has won world titles in 8 different weight classes other than Manny Pacquiao.

Untouchable Olympic World Feats

The Olympics are the pinnacle of sports for most athletes. Sports fans worldwide consider Olympians heroes in their home countries, especially when they win a gold medal.

Many disciplines have thrived throughout the century-long history of the Olympics. Let’s explore those athletes who carved their names in Olympic stone with their unbreakable records.

1. Ian Millar owns the record for most Olympic appearances, with 10 outings.

(Fox Sports, BBC)

Ian Millar, a Canadian equestrian, has competed in a record ten Olympics, from Munich in 1972 to London in 2012.

Millar is dubbed “Captain Canada” due to his longevity and athletic feats. Ian has achieved the following:

OLYMPIC GAMES

• Silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics for the Team Jumping event

PAN AMERICAN GAMES

• Gold medal in the X Pan-Am Games for the Individual Jumping event
• Gold medal in the X Pan-Am Games for the Team Jumping event
• Gold medal in the XIII Pan-Am Games for the Individual Jumping event
• Gold medal in the XVII Pan-Am Games for the Team Jumping event
• Silver medal in the VIII Pan-Am Games for the Team Jumping event
• Silver medal in the IX Pan-Am Games for the Team Jumping event
• Silver medal in the XI Pan-Am Games for the Team Jumping event
• Silver medal in the XV Pan-Am Games for the Team Jumping event
• Bronze medal in the VIII Pan-Am Games for the Individual Jumping event
• Bronze medal in the XIII Pan-Am Games for the Team Jumping event

The only thing that kept him from competing in his eleventh Olympics in Rio (2016) was an injury to his horse that required surgery.

2. Michael Phelps is the Olympics’ most decorated athlete, holding the All-Time record of 23 gold medals.

(Olympic)

Michael Phelps is a legend when it comes to swimming. He first entered the Sydney Olympics at age 15. 

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Baltimore Bullet won gold in all eight events and set seven world records. His gold medal tally might never get surpassed, with the closest being eight golds.

Due to his athletic records, his untainted drug tests, and his influence in the athletic community, Phelps is universally deemed one of the greatest athletes to ever live.

Helpful Articles

Check out this article on the Swimming Industry Statistics to discover how much Phelps has inspired the Competitive Swimming world.

3. Usain Bolt is the fastest man alive, being the only person to win the Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles in three straight events in 2008, 2012, and 2016.

(Olympics)

Dubbed “Lightning Bolt,” most of the world considers Usain the greatest sprinter of all time, amassing 8 Olympic gold medals and 11 AIIF World Championship gold medals.

Usain owns the record for the fastest time in 100 meters, clocking an unreal 9.58 seconds, making him the fastest person ever, reaching inhuman speeds of 44.72km/h in the 60-80m.

4. The 2016 gold medalist Simone Biles holds the gymnastics world records for most World Championships gold and total medals. 

(Guinness World Records, USA Today)

Simone Biles carved her name in Gymnastics history with her 2016 Rio Olympics performance, winning four golds and one bronze medal.

Outside the Olympics, she has dominated the gymnastics world, winning 19 World Championship gold medals and world records.

Biles is considered the greatest gymnast in history and one of the greatest female athletes ever.

Helpful Articles

If you’re interested in reading all about the greatest athletic feats and performances in the female sports world, check out our article on sports’ greatest women athletes in history.

5. Team USA’s 239 medals at the 1904 Olympics are among the most unbreakable Olympic records.

(Fox Sports)

In the 1904 St. Louis Summer Olympics, Team USA won 78 gold, 82 silver, and 79 bronze medals.

In contrast, at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, the Soviet Union won a staggering 195 medals, primarily due to many countries boycotting the event.

The Games of the III Olympiad featured 16 sports, circling 95 events in 18 disciplines, with 526 representatives from the US competing in the event.

Essential Professional Baseball Records

Baseball, also known as America’s Pastime, is one of the most popular sports in the US.

While the sport has been playing second fiddle to football in TV viewership, it’s still going strong. Likewise, most of us are looking forward to spring opening day and the World Series.

6. Pete Rose has hit 4,256 baseball pitches, the most out of any athlete in MLB history. 

(ESPN, Baseball1)

Outside the field, Pete Rose might not have the best reputation. Nevertheless, his career was spectacular.

He owns the record for most hits with 4,256 in 3,562 games over 24 seasons. Moreover, he recorded an astonishing 160 Home Runs in those games.

Sadly, Rose’s reputation is forever tainted, being involved in one of the biggest sports corruption scandals ever, when he admitted to gambling on his team throughout his career.

Side Note

Sports and gambling are intertwined. Sadly, this means the crooked acts behind wagers also influenced sports.

Discover statistics behind the dark world of sports in our article and learn how deep corruption has seeped into the industry.

7. Ty Cobb holds the best career batting average record, with an elite 0.366.

(ESPN, Baseball Reference)

Ty Cobb’s career spanned an enduring 24 years — over 3,000 games. He kept a BA of 0.366, the highest in pro-baseball history. No active player is currently in the top 50 regarding career BA.

Recalling the previous statistics, Cobb trails Rose’s Batting Hits records, coming in second with 4,191.

8. Only one athlete has reached over 500 career wins in MLB history, with Cy Young at 511.

(ESPN, Bleacher Report)

Young’s 511 wins came from a whopping 906 games over 22 years. The No. 2 on the list, Walter Johnson, has almost 100 wins less — 417, to be exact.

In addition, Only one active player has made the top 50, Justin Verlander, with 251 wins. Now, that’s a record that will probably stick around for a while.

Quick Tip

Justin Verlander is one of the highest-earning baseball athletes of the modern age. Read on what makes Verlander, along with other top Baseball players, bankable players worth paying millions with this article.

8. Oh Sadaharu holds the record for most home runs in professional baseball with an incredible 868.

(Britannica)

Japan’s Oh Sadaharu managed 868 home runs across 22 seasons in the Japanese League. Regarding MLB records, Barry Bonds has the most home runs with 762.

Side Note

• Baseball still remains one of America’s most loved sports activities.
• Despite viewership trends going the way of cord-cutting and streaming, Baseball leagues still rack up US viewers nationwide.
• As long as these athletes keep giving the fans record-breaking top-tier performances, fans in the US and worldwide will keep watching the game.
• More so, there is a lesson to learn from this section as a Baseball fan: Learn how to bet correctly on the sport.

Crucial American Football Records

In the US, American Football is king. Year after year, the Super Bowl is the most-watched sports event in the country, averaging over 120 million viewers since 2015.

American Football is also one of the world’s largest revenue-generating industries. The sport ranks 2nd in income, with the NFL alone making $17 Billion annually.

Read our top football records below to learn more about this popular sport!

10. In the 1972 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins went 17-0, the only team in league history to have the “Perfect Season.”

(Pro Football HOF, Champs Or Chumps)

The Miami Dolphins are one of only four teams in the NFL to go undefeated for a regular season, alongside the Chicago Bears (1934 and 1942) and the New England Patriots (2007).

But the Dolphins took this record to another level when they went 3–0 in the playoffs, being the only team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl after going undefeated in the regular season.

Miami’s record is nearly impossible to match. Six NFL teams have gone 16-0 or 15-1 in the regular season, but none won the Super Bowl, netting the Dolphins the NFL’s only “Perfect Season.”

11. The late Derrick Thomas holds the title for the most sacks in a single NFL game.

(Bolavip, Sports Illustrated)

In Football, a sack happens when the defense tackles the QB behind the line of scrims before he passes. It is one of the most exciting defensive plays in the game and one of the toughest.

In a match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks in November 1990, Thomas achieved one of the NFL’s greatest records, seven sacks in a game, against Dave Krieg.

12. Tom Brady is the most accomplished athlete in NFL history, being the only player to pass for 102,614 total yards.

(USA Today)

No American Football would be complete without Tom Brady.

Many consider Brady the Football GOAT, as he is among the most decorated athletes in Football, as shown below:

• First player to win NFL championships in three different decades
• Most Super Bowl rings: 7
  • 5-Time Super Bowl MVP
• Three-time NFL MVP (2007, 2010, 2017)
• Highest winning percentage for a QB (100 started games): 0.754 (286 wins)
  • Most career regular-season wins: 251
  • Most career playoff wins: 35
• Completion percentage: 64.3%
  • Most passing attempts: 12,050
  • Most passing completions: 7,753
• Most regular season touchdowns: 581
• Most conference title games: 14
• 2009 Comeback Player of the Year

The only player to even touch and surpass his passing records is Drew Brees, with 6 Completion Percentage titles, all over 70%, making Brees the NFL’s highest-paid, for a reason.

Mr. “Tom Terrific” recently retired on February 2023, ending an illustrious 23-year NFL career as the rightful GOAT of American Football, with unsurpassable All-Time records.

Timeless Hockey Records

Hockey is one of the most underrated sports activities, primarily popular in the northern (icy-cold) regions.

The sport mixes ice skating with net scoring, alongside a bit of physical combat, as players get rough and have regulated punch-outs occasionally.

It’s an overlooked sport due to needing a well-maintained icy arena. However, the game highlights how much physical conditions and athletics are required to compete.

Below are some of Hockey’s greatest records to stand the test of time.

13. Wayne Gretzky holds multiple hockey scoring records, including most goals and assists.

(NHL)

The great Wayne Gretzky is a legend in Ice Hockey and the sports industry.

In his 1,487 games, with a career spanning 20 years, The Great One netted the NHL All-Time records of 1,963 assists and 894 goals for a total of 2,857 points.

To put that into perspective, the No. 2 ranked player, Jaromir Jagr, has only 1,921 points, almost 1,000 less than Gretzky. 

14. Henri Richard’s 11 Stanley Cups is one of Hockey’s most unbreakable feats.

(NHL)

Henri Richard played center for the Montréal Canadiens. Throughout his career, he won 11 Stanley Cups, including five cups in a row between 1956–60, a record that might never be broken.

Side Note

Despite the gear and pads that the players wear, Hockey is still one of the most physically dangerous sports ever.

Hockey ranked 9th in the list of sports with the number of injuries reported in the Emergency Departments from 2012-2021.

15. The most goals scored in a season is 92, by none other than Wayne Gretzky.

(NHL, Sportsnet)

Who else but Wayne Gretzky can hold this record? In the ’81-’82 season, Gretzky scored a mind-blowing 92 goals. The Great One also holds the No. 2 spot with 87 goals during the ‘83-’84 season.

Fun Fact

In 1988, the Edmonton Oilers shocked the Hockey world when they traded Gretzky to their rival LA Kings.

The trade would make Hockey big in California, leading to the Staples Center evolving its Hockey arena to cater to more fans, which jacked up hockey ticket fees.

16. Canada holds the most hockey records regarding wins in the Olympics for both men and women.

(Olympic.ca)

Canada, the birthplace of hockey, holds the record for most wins for women and men.

The men’s team has won nine gold medals since 1920, the most recent being in 2014. Women’s hockey was introduced in 1998; Canada has since won the last four competitions.

Astonishing Basketball Records

Sports fans worldwide love Basketball. How could they not? The fast-paced, high-scoring game is so entertaining to watch and play.

The sport is filled with the most athletic players and feats: from the high-flyers, empathic dunkers, beautiful passes, awe-inspiring long-ranged shots, and mind-blowing plays.

Take a look at some fun and interesting statistics about the game that you might not have heard before.

17. Michael Jordan has a perfect 6/6 record in the NBA Finals.

(Bleacher Report, StatMuse, Sports Nostalgia HQ)

No one in Basketball is more revered as the greatest in any generation as much as Michael Jordan. “His Airness” is one of the greatest 2-way guards in basketball ever.

Jordan is one of the greatest post-season performers ever, reaching the playoffs 13 times, with a 6 out of 6 Finals appearance, averaging 33.6 PPG, 6 RPG, and 6 APG.

However, MJ’s competitiveness has also got him in hot waters. Jordan is known to be a serial gambler, reportedly losing $165,000 in an Atlantic City casino in one night.

18. Wilt Chamberlain holds the All-Time Basketball record for most points in an NBA game.

(NBC Sports)

Wilt Chamberlain is as famous as the game itself. He holds one of the greatest basketball records — 100 points in an NBA game in 1962.

Moreover, Chamberlain averaged over 50 points per game that season. He also holds the record for most 50-point games — 118, to be exact.

Helpful Articles

Read this article to discover more crucial basketball records and statistics to get you up to speed with the ever-evolving game so you can join the latest baller conversations on social media.

19. Scott Skiles once recorded 30 assists in an NBA game, the most dimes recorded in league history.

(NBC Sports, Sportskeeda, StatMuse)

Scott Skiles managed the feat on December 30, 1990, with his team — Orlando Magic — versus the Denver Nuggets, with the final score being 155–116.  

The closest anyone got to this record was Kevin Porter, with 29. Still, no player in recent history has gotten even close to that.

No active player past 2020 has made more than 21 assists.

20. At the 2012 Olympics, Team USA set multiple Olympic basketball records with their 156–73 win against Nigeria.

(ESPN)

The 2012 Olympics saw multiple records being broken in a single game.

The Redeem Team set the scoring record and the most considerable win margin. Other records include the most 3-pointers scored (29) and attempted (46), as well as field goal percentage (71.1).

21. LeBron James has scored a monumental 38,652 points in the NBA, the most points in the league.

(Olympics)

During the 2022-2023 season, King James became the NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer in his 1,410th game when he reached his 38,390th point.

This record is notable because it is James’ 20th year in the NBA. Yet he has not shown any signs of slowing down, averaging 28.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 6.8 APG in the recent season.

In perspective, the only active players near LeBron’s record are Kevin Durant with 26,892 pts. and James Harden with 24,693 pts, both in their 15th and 14th seasons, respectively.

This achievement is only one of many talking points raised by basketball experts during MJ vs. LeBron arguments.

22. At 37 years and 234 days old, Kobe Bryant is the oldest NBA player to score 60 points in a game.

(Sportskeeda)

At the end of the 2015-16 NBA season, the Black Mamba, who played for the LA Lakers for 20 years, announced his retirement.

In his final game on April 13, 2016, he recorded a ridiculous 60-point effort against the Utah Jazz, sealing a tight victory for the struggling Lakers.

Kobe shot 44%, including six 3-points and ten free throws. Amazingly, Bryant had been struggling with career-ending injuries in the latter part of his career, making this record such a feat.

Side Note

Scoring is not the only legacy that Kobe has left for the Basketball world. His personal life and career remain among Sports’ most interesting cases.

Unveil the life and times behind one of Basketball’s most enigmatic yet beloved historical figures with this article.

Unbelievable Tennis Records

Tennis is one of the world’s most exciting individual and team sports, inciting competitive play from both male and female categories.

The sport broke the stigma between Male vs. Female Sports arguments, as both genders have a claim in the competition with their respective performances throughout Tennis History.

Read below for some of the best and most incredible tennis records ever. 

23. The Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer rivalry holds multiple Tennis Grand Slam records.

(ATP Tour)

Nadal and Federer are true legends and rivals of the game, with 20 Grand Slams each, tied at No. 1.

Between 2005-2008, Federer and Nadal dominated the Tennis scene, winning 11 consecutive Grand Slams and all French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open titles.

Below are the highlights of the rivalry:

• Both have won Olympic gold medals in Mens’ Doubles — Federer in 2008 and Nadal in 2016.
  • Nadal won a Singles’ medal in 2008. 
• From Wimbledon in 2003 to the French Open in 2011, the rivals won 26 of 32 Grand Slam titles.
• Nine Federer-Nadal Grand Slam Finals, the most between any two players.
• From the French Open 2005 up to the US Open 2007, the rivals won 11 consecutive Grand Slam Titles, the only No. 1 and No. 2 ranked to achieve the feat.
• Nadal and Federer’s Grand Slam titles are the same, with 20 each, the most in Tennis history.
  • Novak closely trails with 18 Grand Slam titles to his name.

24. Novak Djokovic holds multiple ATP tennis records, including the most weeks at No. 1. 

(ATP Tour)

Novak Djokovic, the current world No. 1, holds the record for most weeks at the No. 1 spot with 318 (at the time of writing).

Moreover, he shares the record for most year-end finishes at No. 1 with Pete Sampras (6 in total). He’s also won the Australian Open nine times without losing a final.

His recent win in the 2022 ATP Finals matched him with Nadal’s record. The 2020 ATP drew an average of 439,000 viewers on ESPN and 1.3 million on Australia’s Nine Network.

Side Note

With his unbreakable records and achievements to date, The Djoker is unsurprisingly one of the highest-earning Tennis players ever, with around $9,934,582 prize winnings from the ATP.

25. Martina Navratilova holds multiple tennis world records, including 31 Doubles Grand Slams and 10 Mixed Doubles Grand Slams.

(WTA Tennis)

Martina Navratilova was a force to be reckoned with in the ‘70s-’80s. Her accomplishments include 18 singles Grand Slams, 31 doubles, and 10 mixed doubles. 

She holds the record for most wins in singles and doubles (166 and 177, respectively) over 84 events.

26. Stefanie Graf holds many women’s tennis records, including ranking No. 1 for 377 consecutive weeks, and is the only tennis player to win the Golden Slam.

(Tennis Fame) 

Stefani Graf is one of the most prominent stars of women’s tennis.

She ranked No. 1 for 377 consecutive weeks — a record for both women and men — and also ranked No. 1 or No. 2 for ten years in a row, another record in itself.

The cherry on top, Graf won the Golden Slam — all four Grand Slams plus the Olympic Gold in the same year.

Side Note

Tennis is among the few sports where male and female athletes have a closer wage gap and competition level.

Female tennis players make around $283,635, while males usually earn $335,946.

Golf Records You Need to Know

Golf is one of history’s oldest sports. Traditionally played in the UK, with over 883,000 active golfers, along with the US, the game slowly but surely gained popularity worldwide. 

So, without further ado, here are some of the most exciting Golf records ever.

27. Jack Nicklaus has achieved the most major Golf titles (18), including six at the Masters.

(Athlon Sports)

Jack Nicklaus holds multiple records, including most Major titles, most wins at the Masters (six), five PGA Championships (tied for No. 1), and four US Opens (tied for No. 1). 

He also finished in the top two 37 times, a record-setting 56 times in the top five, and 73 times in the top ten. With his multiple tourney winnings, Jack ranks 4th in the list of highest-earning golfers.

28. Hale Irwin was 45 when he won the US Golf Open in 1990.

(USGA)

In 1990, Hale Irwin won the Open at 45 years (and 15 days), his third win at the US Open after the ones in 1974 and 1979.

In contrast, the youngest champion to win the Open was John J. McDermott back in 1911. McDermott was aged 19 years, 10 months, and 14 days.

29. Tiger Woods holds multiple golf course records for most wins at a single course. 

(PGA Tour)

There has yet to be another golfer more synonymous with Golf than Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods.

Tiger earned the record for most wins at a single course — eight. He has done that at three different courses: Firestone CC, Bay Hill Club & Lounge, and Torrey Pines GC.

Another notable record is the viewership rating from Woods’ victory at Augusta in 1997. His win garnered 44 million TV viewers, which is still the most-watched round of golf ever.

Amazing Soccer Records

No other sport in the world is more popular than Football/Soccer. With over 4 billion fans worldwide, Football’s influence in the sporting world is undeniable.

Fun Fact

A testament to Soccer’s popularity is that it is the most wagered-on sport worldwide due to its 5%-10% Return-of-Investment (ROI) rate.

The sport requires extreme physical and mental prowess from its athletes, which results in some of the most athletic feats and unforgettable performances globally from all leagues.

30. Pelé has scored 1,284 career goals, the most to be documented in professional Football history.

(Interesting Football, RSSSF, Guinness, The Soccer Park)

Scoring a Soccer goal is hard, as shown by the average low scoring. A fixture lasts 90 minutes, averaging 2.6 points a game. This fact is why goals always feel epic and important at every moment.

This statistic is why Pelé’s scoring record is among the most celebrated yet disputed records in Football history.

Edson Arantes “Pelé” do Nascimento is arguably the greatest Football athlete ever. He netted around 1,284 goals in his entire career from 1,375 matches, one of the hardest feats in sports.

31. Oleg Salenko owns the record for most goals in a single World Cup game at five nets.

(Sporting News, Olympics, FIFA)

Football fans and players know how hard it is to score a goal, but what about on the biggest stage in any Football player’s career, watched by thousands live and billions on screens?

The World Cup is Football’s greatest stage for any player to perform. The pressure of carrying an entire nation on your back is immense, let alone playing one of the most challenging sports.

Fun Fact

The quadrennial World Cup garners an average of 3.1 million live attendance per event.

Russia’s Oleg Salenko did just that. The forward netted five goals in a group-stage match against Cameroon in the 1994 World Cup, winning him a Golden Boot

In perspective, only 6 players have made 4 goals in a World Cup match, none of which are from 1990 to the present, with Salenko being the latest and most accomplished to do so.

32. Edwin van der Sar refused to let opposing teams score for a total of 1,311 minutes, the longest in professional Football history.

(Four For Two, Guinness)

No person in Football history has hated getting scored on more than Manchester United’s legendary Goalie, evidenced by an almost impossible record he set during 2008-2009.

From November 8, 2008, to March 4, 2009, Manchester United had a clean sheet thanks to van der Sar, maintaining the Man U fort for 14 games without conceding a single goal.

The clean sheet record amounted to 1,311 minutes of gameplay or around 22 hours. The Dutch goalie has 134 clean sheets in his career, of which 92 are from Man Utd.

Helpful Articles

Despite van der Sar’s all-time record, it did not translate well for him regarding salary, as he made just $21 million throughout his career.

Check out this article for statistics on which players have earned the most and what it takes to become Soccer’s highest-paid athletes.

33. AC Milan FC becomes “The Invincibles” after a nearly 2-year undefeated run from 1991-1993.

(International Champions Cup, Bleacher Report)

If there was a record to amaze any person, whether a sports fan or not, it is being undefeated. Everyone knows winning a game is hard, making undefeated streaks awesome.

Especially for Soccer, in one of the most competitive top-tier leagues during one of the most crucial eras of the sport, such a record will be forever carved into any diehard’s brain.

Such is the case for AC Milan’s undefeated run, dominating Serie A from 1991-1993, not losing for 58 straight fixtures, a record which still stands to this day as the greatest streak in Football.

Side Note

AC Milan is one-half of Football’s most followed derbies of all time, dubbed the “Derby della Madonnina,” pitting them against their cross-town rivals, Inter Milan.

During Milan’s undefeated run, they beat their rivals to become Serie A champions.

Remarkable Records in Combat Sports

Combat sports like Boxing, Wrestling, Grappling, and MMA are the most physically dangerous of all other fields since they involve inflicting various types of damage to opponents.

These activities require fighters to be in peak physical and mental shape, especially since each fight can end their well-being, as studies show that 90% of boxers suffer from brain injuries.

Combat athletes have shown the world that they have the hearts of warriors by shedding their blood, sweat, and tears on the mats and rings, as shown in the records below.

34. Manny Pacquiao is the record-holder for the most World Titles in different weight classes, winning 12 titles, from Flyweight to Welterweight.

(Bleacher Report, World Boxing News, ESPN)

The Philippines’s living hero is dubbed “PacMan” for a reason: conquering and devouring everything in his path toward becoming one of the greatest athletes ever.

Manny Pacquiao holds some of boxing’s greatest records. Among the most prestigious is his legendary 12 major World titles in 8 weight classes, a record which still stands in 2023.

Despite having losses on his record, it doesn’t affect his legacy in the eyes of pure boxing fans, recognizing Manny’s desire to entertain the fans and give them boxing bouts to remember.

35. Len Wickwar carries a professional boxing record that might never be surpassed, with 473 total bouts.

(Bleacher Report, Boxing Historian, Round By Round Boxing)

Fighting in a single professional boxing battle is difficult enough for most people; doing it over 400 times is incredible, which is what Len Wickwar became during his 19-year career.

The English orthodox boxer holds a distinctive record of having the most bouts recorded in professional boxing history, as shown below:

• Total Bouts: 473
• Total Rounds: 4,020
• W/L/D Record: 342–86–43
• KOs: 94 (20%)
• Dates Active: October 23, 1928 – February 6, 1947

To put this in perspective, Roberto Duran, one of the most successful boxers ever, had a career spanning five decades, with only 119 bouts (103 wins).

Side Note

Wondering what records your favorite Heavyweight fighters set and surpassed?

Check out this article and discover the most notable feats and performances of Boxing’s best heavy hitters.

The record seems impossible to get close to in this modern era with how boxing fights are booked and the industry’s push towards protecting the fighters and prolonging their well-being.

36. Jorge Masvidal sends Ben Askren to the shadow realm with a 5-second flying knee knockout, the fastest finish in UFC history.

(Fight, UFC)

UFC 239 gave the fight world one of Combat sports’ greatest knockouts in history when Street Jesus baptized Ben Askren within 5 seconds with a devastating flying knee.

Recorded as UFC’s fastest finish, it surpassed a 6-second KO set by Duane Ludwig in 2006. Around 1.14 million UFC fans tuned in to see Jorge sleep the trash-talking Askren.

Masvidal’s spectacular flying knee was followed up with two “super necessary” punches to the already out-cold Askren, giving fans an iconic MMA moment.

The Final Score

Sports athletes are amazing for endless reasons. They inspire the world to reach their peak physical and mental forms and perform at levels achieved by the greatest of the greats.

Whichever sport you follow, the records above show that although “records are meant to be broken,” it will take the most exceptional and most dedicated individuals to do so.

Most athletes and teams try to achieve these feats each year and fail. But the ones that do get to have their names written in history.

Only time will tell whether these records stand the test of time or become surpassed to further elevate the sports industry to new heights.