what was a fighter's most courageous win...

I always thought Meldrick Taylor's loss in Chavez-Taylor 1 was amazingly courageous. (It wasn't a smart thing, but definitely courageous in my mind.)

 

At that moment I was nuts -- I think I was 15 and probably had the same virtual whitewash Harold Lederman had. (I think subsequent scoring I've done has given a few more rounds to Chavez, though I always have Taylor ahead.) I thought it was a terrible call.

I don't think it should have been stopped, but I am biased.

The things that have made it easier -- Taylor didn't really have a good response to Steele's question (eye contact and more movement on his nodding), Duva was apparently on the ring apron (though there were just a few seconds to go at that point), and I've read about just the physical toll from that fight for Meldrick.

I can't help but wonder "what if" though I have a feeling that eventually their histories play out similiarly.

 

Hard to pick one, but in 1937 Barney Ross ,who was a jr.Welterweight, broke his right hand in an early round fighting the bolo punching middleweight Ceferino Garcia, but carried on pain and all. Ceferino Garcia, who beat some great middleweights always claimed that Barney Ross was the toughest fighter he ever fought. One hand and all...
P.S. One year later the fading Barney Ross took a hellacious beating from Henry Armstrong for 15 rounds and refused to throw in the towel....There was never any
other fighter more courageous than Barney Ross. Guadalcanal affirmed that ...

 

To me the loss defines the fighter, shows his character.

I loved Holyfield's loss to Bowe because he showed unbelievable heart, incredible guts.

 

To me it is a tie between Douglas-Tyson, Tyson-Holyfield 1, Holyfield-bowe, and benn-mccllelan, duran-barkely.
-Tyson came in under prepared and fought like a mother ****er despite getting beat through and through. Both men fought like a mother ****er. Douglas got dropped by Tyson and got up and put a world of hurt on him.
-Tyson holyfield, well tyson was getting beaten down pretty bad in the 11th and didn't quit, it was a courageous loss imo.
-holyfield bowe, holyfield took a big beating and didn't quit.
-Benn got laid out and fought like hell, he was probably the best fighter around at that time, he'd have beat just about any fighter that night who went toe to toe. Gerald Mccellelan was no joke, he ****ed up julius jackson like he was nothing and jackson was a big big time puncher. It showed he'd beat about anyone he fought.
-Duran got whooped all night long and koed barkley, impressive win.

 

Sometimes a fighter will be Blessed/Cursed with very courageous Cornermen !
Davey Moore vs Duran spring to mind...Davey much too Brave for his own good...

A number of fighters have won, others persevered to the final bell with Broken Jaws...

Danny Williams once had his arm come out of its socket and it hung Painful and useless at his side....and he pulled out a Bomb to win the fight.

 

I'm a fan of classic old school championship distance boxing, but that was insane. After seeing that, I thought of giving Liston EVERY benefit of a doubt regarding his claim of a separated shoulder in ceding his title, then compared it to Danny Williams TKO 6 Mark Potter and concluded:

L-i-s-t-o-n = P-u-s-s-y

 

Jimmy Braddock’s loss to Joe Louis.

He knew that he was set up for life if he lost, but he still almost got himself killed trying to pull out the win.

 

Spinks victory over Qawi deserves a mention, when you think of the turmoil Michael must of being going through.

Rosario took his beating by Chavez with courage, as did (and I know some are not going to like this) Camacho.

 

Hindsight shows he was set up for life, but going in, he had to figure he had merely, potentially an excellent deal, not the 'lottery win' it turned out to be.

 

Fair observation, but it is still a decent example.

 

What's the backstory on Spinks-Qawi?