Boxers who came out of long layoffs and still fought top guy's?

Nobody wants to give credit in slew of recent events that allowed certain fighters passes but Floyd toying JMM who was rated #2 p4p after a nearly 2 year layoff has to be up there.

JMM went on to get robbed against Manny Pacquiao in a third fight and then preceded to knock Manny tf out into the next dimension in the fourth. I think it warrants a very good victory.

 

Wladamir Klitschko at 41 fought Joshua after being out of the ring for 1 1/2 years and fought on even terms with the much younger fighter before being stopped in the 11th round. Incredible performance considering the circumstances.

 

Vanes, Stiverne, Peterson

 

Vitali Klitschko came out of retirement, beat up Sam Peter and then had an epic final fight vs. current WBA champion Manuel Charr.

 

Louis fighting one of the best p4p boxers of all time in Ezzard Charles. Jeffries against Johnson, Willard against Dempsey, Dempsey against Tunney.... I'm just going to stop now because I'll be here for hours and that goes for the heavyweight division alone

 

David Haye when he came off a 5 year lay off to fight Mark De Mori

Floyd Mayweather came off a 2 year lay off and fought Conrad McGregor

 

George Saint Pierre came out of a long layoff and beat up the middleweight champ Bisping.

The man is a Goat.

 

Didn’t Ali fight quarry for his first come back fight?

 

Ali came back from three and a half years out and fought Jerry Quarry (ranked #1 by Ring magazine and #3 by the WBA), Oscar Bonavena (ranked #1 by the WBA) and went 15 rounds with Joe Frazier (the champ) in a span of a little more than four months.

 

Sugar Ray Leonard was out of the ring for three years and came back against Marvin Hagler.

 

Yeah, that is a good one

 

Larry Holmes vs Tyson after 2 years.
Didn't end that well however

 

Joichiro Tatsuyoshi ended a 4 year break to take on Saen Sor Ploenchit (44-1)