The Best Fighters You Watched Live?

Curtis Cokes & Donald Curry. (Doubt if Terry Daniels would qualify)

 

I was fortunate enough to watch Bernard Hopkins, a true master of his craft by this point, shut out a game William Joppy. B-Hop beat him pillar to post and by the end of that fight...Joppy’s face had swelled up so bad that he looked like ET.

I was also in attendance to see Hopkins adjust, then take over the Oscar De La Hoya fight...becoming the first to KO Oscar. DLH, over his head at 160 against the best middleweight of his generation, demonstrated to me what an outstanding pro he was by keeping it nearly even through those first few rounds. Even in defeat, my opinion of him rose considerably. Not a great fight, but it was certainly a pleasure to watch these two great fighters share the ring that night.

Then, I was at the Garden two weeks later for Tito’s comeback fight against Mayorga (who though not a great fighter...was always fun to watch). Although past his prime by that point, it was just absolutely thrilling to watch Trinidad patiently stalk his prey. Picking his shots so carefully...then eventually unloading on Mayorga with dynamite in both fists.

Finally, in what is without a doubt my favorite fight I’ve had the pleasure to see live...I was at the MGM grand garden arena again to see Morales-Pacquiao I. Hands down the most evenly matched fight I’ve seen live and it was fought at such a high, high level. It was magnetic. You knew right then and there that you were watching greatness unfold before your eyes.

 

Julio Cesar Chavez, Barrera, Morales, Chiquita Gonzalez, Carbajal, Zaragoza, Roger Mayweather.

 

Pernell Whitaker vs Paez in his prime Reno Convention center

 

Smokin' Joe Frazier vs Jimmy Ellis in Melbourne 1975. I was 9 years old and my old man took me and my little brother along to the old Junction Oval.

[url]https://i.imgur.com/jXB07TZ.jpg[/url]

 

Hagler
Buchanan
Frampton
Mikey Garcia
Santa Cruz
Bruno
McGuigan
Magri
Green
Minter
Mittee
Kevin Finnegan
Sibson
Boza Edwards
Coetzee
Antuofermo
Mattioli
Young
Berbick
Spencer
Leotis Martin
Laing
Colin Jones
Hope
Tillis
Biggs
Honeyghan
Duke Mckenzie
Clinton Mckenzie
Drayton
Blocker
Watson
Kaylor
Cowdell
Mason
Gardner

Ali, sadly only in an exhibition.
Are some that I remember.

 

Griffith
Perkins
Foster
Monzon
Buchanan
Duran
Arguello
Pryor
Conteh
Galindez
Pedroza
McGuigan
Calzaghe
Tyson

 

The best fighter I saw live and in person was Pernell Whitaker when he beat Buddy McGirt at MSG. 2 others I got to see in person were Carl Frampton decisioning Leo Santa Cruz at the Barclays and Kevin Kelley winning in the old Felt Forum at MSG (unfortunately I forgot the opponent). I also got to see Chava Sanchez hammering Bazooka Gomez (Felt Forum), Marvin Hagler beating Duran (Lamour East) and Tommy beating Wilfred Benitez (Palladium) on closed circuit tv. I know those weren't in person, but the atmosphere was electric in all 3 nevertheless.

 

Kostya Tyszu, Hatton, Calzaghe, Lacy, Markus Beyer, Kessler, Chad Dawson, Woodhall, Malinga, Haye, Wlad, Bellew, Ricky Burns, Enzo Mac, Kell Brook, Kevin Mitchell, Nathan Cleverly, A Mere Con.

 

Willie The Worm Monroe
Joltin Jeff Chandler
Bad Bennie briscoe
Eugene Cyclone Hart
Bobby Boogaloo Watts

Oh and some dude named Marvelous Marvin Hagler

 

Roy Jones, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Ricardo Lopez, JCC Senior, James Toney, Julian Jackson, Tito Trinidad, Terry Norris, Gerald McClellan, Azumah Nelson, Kostya Tszyu, Ricky Hatton, Prince Charles Williams, Bernard Hopkins, Ike Quartey, Simon Brown, Vincent Pettway, Lennox Lewis, Tony Tucker, Riddick Bowe, Michael Moorer, Frank Bruno, Buster Douglas, Ray Mercer, Oliver McCall, Henry Akinwande, Kevin Kelly, Kelly Pavlik, Jermain Taylor, Ricardo Mayorga, Frankie Randall, Keith Holmes, Quincy Taylor, and, of course..... Smokin' Bert Cooper!

 

I was at the Frampton ./Santa Cruz fight great night C.Finished up in Jimmy's Bar, he went to the fight too!

 

Cheers!! I remember when you wrote that. He's an institution.

 

This is a great thread! Cheers