Tattoos are something that defines the personalities of athletes. We have seen many MMA fighters, wrestlers, footballers and basketball players covered in tattoos, each with a different meaning and significance. In the boxing world, there have been many boxers who express their personalities through tattoos. For some boxers, their iconic tattoos have helped them stand out even more. However, some of them even faced ridicule because of the ink. But those tattoos are now considered iconic.
10) Antonio Margarito
The former Mexican-American boxer Antonio Margarito was one of the most popular fighters at one time due to his exciting style, which was loved by the fans. He was once involved in a big controversy as his hand wraps were found to be tampered with before the fight against Shane Mosley. Apart from that, Margarito was known for his creative Japanese tattoos on both shoulders. Both tattoos symbolize different things.
9) Shane Mosley
Shane Mosley was an incredible boxer who held multiple world championships, like the IBF lightweight title, WBA & WBC Welterweight titles and The Ring Magazine light middleweight titles. Mosley made headlines when he got a Polynesian tribal tattoo on the left side of his upper body. The tattoo design marked a major change for Mosley. Floyd Mayweather infamously commented that Mosley must have been going through some personal issues to get such a tattoo so late in his career.
8) Chico Corrales
Diego Corrales is an incredible fighter who has been a multiple-time champion in two weight classes. Corrales has fought top fighters such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Joel Casamayor, Acelino Freitas and Jose Luis Castillo. During his fight with Castillo, “Chico” overcame multiple knockdowns and a badly swollen eye to stop his opponent in the 10th round. This fight is still considered one of the top action boxing fights. He tattooed a black panther on his chest and became well known for this ink.
7) Kermit Cintron
Kermit Cintron was an amazing fighter who held the IBF Welterweight title from 2006 to 2008. He had an aggressive fighting style and faced several top fighters, including Canelo Alvarez, Sergio Martinez and Antonio Margarito. Cintron gained much attention for his back tattoo, which depicts a Pitbull representing Puerto Rico. His fans liked the designs, while some people criticized Kermit’s portrayal of the pitbull, as he was knocked out multiple times.
6) Michael Katsidis
The former WBO interim champion, Michael Katsidis, was well known for his crowd-pleasing and aggressive pressure fighting style. But apart from this, Katsidis was also known for his Vergina Sun back tattoo. The Vergina Sun is considered a symbol of Macedonia. The Royal Solar symbol was discovered on the tomb of Philip II of Macedonia. “The Great Rocky” always fought to make his ancestors proud.
5) Luis Collazo
Luis Collazo is a former WBA welterweight champion who has faced several notable fighters like Shane Mosley, Amir Khan, Ricky Hatton and Andre Berto during his career. Collazo gained popularity for his tattoos, especially the one of the Virgin Mary on his chest. He once revealed that the tattoo took 12 hours to complete and was extremely painful. Collazo has Jesus and a magician’s depiction surrounding the Virgin Mary. He also has several tattoos on his back, which symbolize how people say things behind his back that they would never say to his face.
4) Brandon Rios
Brandon Rios was a fantastic boxer known for his aggressive pressure-fighting style and formidable punching power. He held the WBA lightweight title in 2011. “Bam Bam” had a fierce rivalry with Mike Alvarado, winning two bouts by knockouts and losing one by a close decision. Rios was known for the War Eagle tattoo on his chest. He got this tattoo to honor his Mexican and native American heritage.
3) Mikkel Kessler
Kessler is a former WBA and WBC Super Middleweight champion who has fought many great fighters, including Joe Calzaghe, Andre Ward and Carl Froch. Kessler has an attractive tattoo on his forearm. He also has a tattoo of the Nordic Warriors on his torso. Mikkel believes that the mythological figures provide extra strength to his dominant punching arm, which is why he chose the right side for his arm sleeve. His torso represents the ancient Viking trolls who roamed the earth.
2) Johnny Tapia
Johnny was a great boxer who held multiple World Championships in three weight classes, including the unified IBF and WBO super flyweight titles between 1994 and 1998. Tapia didn’t have a normal childhood, as his father was murdered while his mother was pregnant with him. When he was eight years old, his mother was murdered as well. At the age of nine, he turned to boxing. Tapia was arrested several times during his career and dealt with substance abuse. That’s what made his Mi Vida Loca, or “My Crazy Life” tattoo so appropriate.
1) Mike Tyson
The legendary boxer Mike Tyson has some very iconic tattoos. While Tyson was serving time in prison, he got tattoos of tennis champion Arthur Ashe and Chinese leader Mao Zedong on his arms. Tyson admired Ashe’s ability to handle tense situations peacefully and Mao’s authority. “Iron Mike” soon added a portrait of South American revolutionary Che Guevara to his torso to symbolize his hatred of society. His face tattoo is probably his most controversial tattoo. Tyson believes he has many of the same warrior qualities as the Maori people. However, some people in New Zealand, the Maori’s native land, were angry. Others saw it as a proud tribute to the culture.
Also Read: Most Bizarre tattoos in the history of UFC
