Art Garfunkel made a surprise appearance at Madison Square Garden on May 29, joining Charlie Puth on stage for a duet of “The Boxer.” Garfunkel told the audience that Puth was “my student,” crediting the younger singer with a debt to the catalog he created with Paul Simon, as reported by Billboard.
The moment was a reminder that boxing has long held a place in popular songwriting, far beyond the entrance music that plays before a title fight. Folk, reggae, soul, rock and hip-hop songwriters have used the ring as a backdrop for stories about ambition, violence, race and survival. The following ten songs focus on boxing or a specific fighter.
1. “The Boxer”, Simon and Garfunkel (1969)
Paul Simon wrote “The Boxer” and released it as a Simon and Garfunkel single in March 1969, before it appeared on the 1970 album. The lyrics move between a first-person description of poverty in Modern York and a third-person portrait of a warrior who bears the marks of every blow. Simon said the song was largely autobiographical and written when he felt he was being unfairly criticized. It reached the top ten of the Billboard Heated 100 and remains one of the duo’s signature recordings.
2. “Black Superman (Muhammad Ali)”, Johnny Wakelin and the Kinshasa Band (1974)
English songwriter Johnny Wakelin built this reggae-style tribute around Muhammad Ali’s victory over George Foreman in Kinshasa in 1974, a fight known as the Rumble in the Jungle. The single reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart and number 21 on the Billboard Heated 100. Wakelin returned to Ali two years later with “In Zaire”, another tale of the same struggle, which became a top five UK hit.
3. “Hurricane”, Bob Dylan (1976)
Co-written by Bob Dylan and Jacques Levy and released on the 1976 album, “Hurricane” is about the case of middleweight contender Rubén Carter, who was convicted of murdering three people in a Modern Jersey bar in 1966. Dylan’s lyrics argue that Carter was framed and denied a fair trial. Carter’s conviction was overturned by a federal judge in 1985.
4. “Gonna Fly Now” (Theme from “Rocky”), Bill Conti (1976)
Composed for the original by Bill Conti, “Gonna Fly Now” became a hit in its own right, reaching number one on the Billboard Heated 100 in 1977. The brass instrumental, associated with the image of Sylvester Stallone training to run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is one of the most recognizable pieces of music associated with sports.
5. “The Greatest Love of All”, George Benson (1977)
Written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed, “The Greatest Love of All” was the subject of a 1977 biopic in which Muhammad Ali played himself. George Benson’s original reached No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 24 on the Billboard Heated 100. Whitney Houston’s 1986 version later made it a standard.
6. “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar (1980)
Written by Eddie Schwartz and recorded by Pat Benatar in 1980, “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” is a song about relationships built entirely around boxing imagery, from fighting to exchanging punches. It reached number 9 on the Billboard Heated 100, her first top ten single in the United States, and remains a staple of her catalog. It’s more about the boxing metaphor than the sport itself.
7. “Eye of the Tiger”, Survivor (1982)
Sylvester Stallone ordered “Eye of the Tiger” after he was unable to license Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” The 1982 recording of Survivor topped the Billboard Heated 100 charts for six weeks and won a Grammy Award. It remains shorthand for training montages and underdog comebacks far beyond boxing.
8. “Boom Boom Mancini”, Warren Zevon (1987)
Warren Zevon, whose father worked as a boxer, wrote “Boom Boom Mancini” for his 1987 album. The song traces the career of lightweight champion Ray Mancini, including his first-round knockout of Arturo Frias and his 1982 title defense against Duk Koo Kim, who died from injuries sustained in the fight. Zevon’s text sharply criticizes those who blamed Mancini for the tragedy.
9. “Mama Said She’d Knock You Out”, LL Frigid J (1990)
LL Frigid J said the title came from his grandmother, who urged him to respond to criticism. The title track from his 1990 album marks a return to his career in the language of the ring, and the music video, shot in stark black and white, takes place in a boxing gym. He won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance.
10. “Killer”, Bruce Springsteen (2005)
One of the darkest entries in Bruce Springsteen’s catalog, “The Hitter” appears on his 2005 acoustic album and dates back to the mid-1990s Ghost of Tom Joad period. Sung in the first person, it tells the story of an aging warrior who returns to his mother’s house delayed at night and recounts a brutal life spent hurting other men. There is no redemption in the story, only exhaustion.
Former IBF welterweight world champion, Kell Brookhas previously called for a domestic dust-up with Conor Benn. Now, ‘Special K’ has predicted how Benn will fare in his first world title challenge, against WBC titleholder, Ryan Garcia.
Benn and Brook were linked to a bout in May 2023, when the pair were pulled apart in a ringside confrontation in Dublinbut the fight never materialised, partly due to the fact that Benn had relinquished his BBBofC license following his infamous failed drugs test.
Instead, Benn twice fought stateside as a super-welterweight and then twice boxed fierce rival Chris Eubank J as a middleweight, before announcing plans to return to the welterweight division and challenge for world honours.
On his way back down to 147lbs, Benn entered the ring against Regis Prograis earlier this year in a 150lb catchweight contest and underwhelmed, but still he has landed his title shot, with a fight against Garcia now formally confirmed.
Speaking on the Fight Your Corner PodcastKell Brook looked ahead to the fight and admitted that whilst he gives Benn ‘a good chance’, he feels as though the power of Garcia means that a win for the Californian is more likely.
“I give him [Benn] a good chance, but I do lean towards Garcia winning the fight, I do. In his last fight he boxed well but in the fight before, he didn’t box so good. I just think that he will rise to the occasion, they are champions and I think that we are going to see the best of both of ‘em.
“I just think that Garcia has got that get-out-of-jail card. When I boxed Shawn Porter, I went to Vegas to finish some sparring off and I was some sparring with some good kids. I put it onto this kid and had a really good spar, I was punching hard.
“We had something to eat after and I said, who is the biggest puncher you’ve been to, don’t forget I’m a lot older than Garcia, and he said, ‘I have never been hit as hard as by Ryan Garcia,’. That punch power that he has got, that snap [is impressive].”
Garcia-Benn takes place on Saturday, September 12, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with undefeated cruiserweight Jai Opetaia expected to appear on the undercard.
Tyson Fury has raised serious concerns over his proposed showdown with Anthony Joshua.
After over a decade of build-up, Fury and Joshua finally look set to meet later this year, provided that both men can first come through their respective warm-up bouts this weekend.
Fury takes on Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, before Joshua then meets Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia 24 hours laterseemingly paving the way for the all-British showdown at the end of 2026.
‘The Gypsy King’ still doesn’t seem convinced that it will happen though, as he shared his doubts whilst speaking to IFL TV.
“Until that fight happens and we’re walking to the ring, I’m not convinced it does. 100% [I’m doubtful].
I can never see that stiff sitting on a table with me ever. What the f**k is he going to say? I can never see him at a press conference with me, it would be a bombardment. I can never see him taking that.
“He wouldn’t even get in the ring [after the Makhmudov fight]. He s**t himself and sat on a stool outside and didn’t even want to get up and build the fight and make the fight happen when Turki said to us both ‘come on boys let’s do it get in the ring and make it happen.’
“He didn’t want to do it, so how is he going to come face to face with me at a press conference? I think he’s a bottle job, a flapper, a chinless wonder as well.”
Despite Fury’s fears, all signs still point towards the fight taking place later this year, though there still remains a debate over where it will be held.
Dmitry Bivol looked as if he was ready to move on from a trilogy fight with Artur Beterbiev, but it now seems as though the unified light-heavyweight world champion is ready to run it back with his rival, thus opening the door for two Brits to compete for one of his belts.
Bivol claimed the undisputed light-heavyweight crown in February 2025 when he avenged his defeat to Beterbiev with a majority-decision win, but he soon relinquished the WBC marble – which was then handed to David Benavidez.
After 15 months of inactivity, Bivol returned to action in May to fulfil his IBF mandatory and shake off some ring rust against Germany’s Michael Eifertbut it was then believed that Bivol would proceed with his WBO mandatory and next face Liverpool’s Callum Smith, much to the frustration of Beterbiev.
Yet, in an interview with Ring MagazineBivol’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has revealed that the 35-year-old is instead keen for a third fight with the Russian-Canadian. Therefore, he expects Bivol to vacate the WBO world title in order to make it happen, with Smith likely to rematch Joshua Buatsi for the vacant belt.
“I think it’s unlikely he will defend against Smith. I think Smith will fight Joshua Buatsi for the vacant title. But Dmitry is ready to make the Beterbiev fight.”
Smith decisioned Buatsi on the Beterbiev-Bivol II undercard in a Fight of the Year contender and Smith is yet to fight since, whilst Buatsi was seen as fortunate by some to get the decision when he returned and fought Zach Parker in November.
Smith and Buatsi could be set to top the bill of the second ‘Matchroom vs Queensberry’ event, which will likely take place in November.
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