boxer vs pugilist

boxer and pugilist both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
boxer	Yes	No	No	No
pugilist	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, boxer and pugilist are synonyms defined as:

boxer (noun)	pugilist (noun)
a breed of stocky medium-sized short-haired dog with a brindled coat and square-jawed muzzle developed in Germany	someone who fights with his fists for sport
someone who fights with his fists for sport
a workman employed to pack things into containers