Brooklyn's Finest: Who are the best fighters from New York's biggest borough?

Teofimo Lopez will bid to extend his reign as WBO light-welterweight champion at The Ring 6 this weekend as he faces Shakur Stevenson in New York City.

The Brooklyn native will make the short trip to Manhattan where he faces his rival at Madison Square Garden in a blockbuster, live on DAZN Pay-Per-View.

No stranger to big occasions, Lopez will surely call on local pride to back his latest bid - but he is far from the only boy in the borough to make major waves.

Ahead of his latest test, DAZN News looks back on some of the biggest fighters to come out of Brooklyn, ranging from heavyweight legends to lower-class kings.

Mike Tyson

'The Baddest Man on the Planet' was more than just another heavyweight - he became the poster boy for a new generation of fighters across the late twentieth century.

Tyson remains the youngest man to win a heavyweight world title, at just 20, and reigned as undisputed champion in his early prime before a prison sentence in 1992.

Following his release, 'Iron Mike' regained his crown, though he was seldom far from controversy. He retired after a loss to Jake Paul in 2024, with a 50-7 (2) pro record.

Riddick Bowe

Bursting onto the scene at Seoul 1988 with a super-heavyweight silver medal, 'Big Daddy' was one of the biggest American draws in the ring for much of the next decade.

His Brooklyn bullishness served him well, guiding him to two reigns as heavyweight champion, complete with a victory over the previously unbeaten Evander Holyfield.

A rematch defeat to the star was his only pro reverse. Three late fights between 2004 and 2008 stretched his final record to 43-1 (1), confirming his hall-of-famer status.

Zab Judah

Away from the top-end glamour divisions, the two-weight world champion was one of the most reliable fighters at the turn of the century, with success over the noughties.

A fourth-round knockout over Jan Bergman secured him the IBF light-welterweight title in 2000, before adding the WBO strap against DeMarcus Corley three years later.

Judah locked off the division with an undisputed triumph over Cory Spinks in 2005, and took the IBF strap again in 2011. He retired in 2019 with a 44-10 (2) record.

Shannon Briggs

One of the true heavyweight knockout artists of his career, 'The Cannon' knew how to end a fight, and end it in style, endearing himself to a strong local fanbase.

Getty Images

His victory for the lineal title over George Foreman in 1997 established his credentials, though his WBC challenge against Lennox Lewis would fall flat just months later.

Nevertheless, Briggs remained a key contender, and finally claimed the WBO heavyweight belt in 2006 over Siarhei Liakhovich. He quit in 2016 with a 60-6-1 (1) record.

Mark Breland

A double-gold winner at the 1982 World Championships and then Los Angeles 1984 in welterweight, the Brooklyn favourite made a strong transition to the pro pathway.

Working with a relentless rate, Breland became world champion inside three years when he took the vacant WBA strap against Harold Volbrecht in Atlantic City.

A late loss to Marlon Starling six months later ended his reign, but he regathered it in 1989 against Seung-Soon Lee, ultimately retiring with a 35-3-1 record in 1997.

Sign up to DAZN Ultimate Tier to get PPV's included in your subscription 

Subscribe to DAZN's new Ultimate Tier to get a minimum of 12 PPV events included per year, including Lopez vs. Stevenson, and Barrois vs Garcia, on top of another 185 fight nights. Plus Serie A football, watch on multiple devices, and many more extra benefits.

Sign up for £22.99 in the UK / $44.99 in the U.S. More details here .