Boxing in the 1970s was world champion when Ali returned. Former world champions Jimmy Ellis and Floyd Patterson as well as George Foreman, Oscar Bonavena, Jerry Quarry, Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks, Ken Norton, as well as Larry Holmes, Ron Stander, Chuck Wepner, Jose King Roman, Light Heavyweight champ Foster, John Tate, Jimmy Young, Ron Lyle, Joe Bugner, Scott LeDoux and many others added intrigue to the division. Don King surged as a leading boxing promoter, and champions Duran, Monzon and Ali had historic rivalries with Esteban De Jesús, Rodrigo Valdez and Frazier, respectively. Boxing in the 1970s During the 1970s, boxing was characterized by
Quintuple champion Quintuple champion In different sports an athlete who wins five crowns, titles, medals, belts, or other distinctions is called a Quintuple Champion. In boxing, a quintuple champion is a boxer who has won world titles in at least five different weight classes. The first man in boxing to earn this distinction was Thomas Hearns on November 4, 1988. Hearns won first the Welterweight (147 lbs) title, later annexed the Super Welterweight (154 lbs) belt. Rather than win the next closest division in weight, the Middleweight (160 lbs), he moved up to three divisions to earn the Light Heavyweight (175 lbs)