Legendary British promoter Barry Hearn has praised Azumah Nelson as the smartest boxer he has ever seen in the ring—an impressive compliment for one of Africa’s all-time boxing greats.

In a recent interview reflecting on the greatest attributes he has seen in boxing, Hearn praised Nelson’s unmatched ability to read fights and adjust in real time.

"I’m tempted to say Evander Holyfield, but I'm going to leave that out, and I'm going to say Azumah Nelson," Hearn admitted when discussing boxing IQ.

Barry Hearn, Founder of Matchroom Sport, also shared his top picks for standout boxing qualities over the years.

He named Larry Holmes as having the best jab in boxing history.

For defense, he picked Chris Eubank Sr., noting that Eubank also had one of the toughest chins he had ever seen.

🥊 Promoter Barry Hearn 🇬🇧 has picked the legendary Azumah Nelson 🇬🇭 as the boxer with the highest ring intelligence he has ever witnessed.#JoySports pic.twitter.com/Mhn1f9hrmf— #JoySports (@JoySportsGH) May 4, 2025

When it came to footwork, Hearn admitted it was a harder category to judge.

"So, many fighters had great footwork," he said, before ultimately choosing Sugar Ray Leonard for his dazzling movement and balance.

When asked about the most charismatic boxer outside the ring, Hearn didn’t hesitate—his choice was Muhammad Ali.

Azumah Nelson, often hailed as Africa’s greatest boxer, was a world champion in two weight classes.

He held the WBC featherweight and super featherweight titles during the 1980s and 1990s.

Known as “The Professor” for his exceptional ring intelligence, Nelson is a Hall of Famer and a national hero in Ghana.