My 100 favourite fights

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Jel, Feb 22, 2021.



  1. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    A little over three years ago I started a thread with the ambition of coming up with a list of the best 100 fights available on film:
    https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/the-greatest-fights-in-history-on-film.599652/page-5

    Along the way I realised that it was basically impossible due to its subjective nature and it would likely be about what wasn't there as much as what was...
    so I started my own personal list to come up with 100 fights - not an "objective" greatest list but a more personal list of 100 favourites.

    Today I finally finished that list and here it is:

    Jel's 100 favourite fights

    1. Aaron Pryor v Alexis Arguello 1 (1982)
    2. Bobby Chacon v Rafael Limon 4 (1982)
    3. Bobby Chacon v Cornelius Boza-Edwards 2 (1983)
    4. Matthew Saad Muhammad v Yaqui Lopez 2 (1980)
    5. Archie Moore v Yvonne Durelle 1 (1958)
    6. Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier 3 (1975)
    7. Wilfredo Gomez v Lupe Pintor (1982)
    8. Salvador Sanchez v Azumah Nelson (1982)
    9. Carmen Basilio v Tony DeMarco 2 (1955)
    10. Roberto Duran v Iran Barkley (1989)
    11. Felix Trinidad v Fernando Vargas (2000)
    12. Alexis Arguello v Alfredo Escalera 2 (1979)
    13. Chartchai Chionoi v Effren Torres 1 (1968)
    14. Diego Corrales v Jose Luis Castillo 1 (2005)
    15. Marco Antonio Barrera v Kennedy McKinney (1996)
    16. Erik Morales v Marco Antonio Barrera 1 (2000)
    17. James Toney v Mike McCallum 1 (1991)
    18. Roberto Duran v Sugar Ray Leonard 1 (1980)
    19. Sugar Ray Leonard v Thomas Hearns 1 (1981)
    20. Israel Vasquez v Rafael Marquez 3 (2008)
    21. Jung Koo Chang v Katsuo Tokashiki (1984)
    22. Arturo Gatti v Wilson Rodriguez (1996)
    23. Matthew Franklin v Marvin Johnson 2 (1979)
    24. Victor Galindez v Richie Kates 1 (1976)
    25. Fighting Harada v Eder Jofre 1 (1965)
    26. Michael Carbajal v Humberto Gonzalez 1 (1993)
    27. Arturo Gatti v Gabriel Ruelas (1997)
    28. Matthew Franklin v Marvin Johnson 1 (1977)
    29. Rocky Marciano v Jersey Joe Walcott 1 (1952)
    30. Joe Frazier v Muhammad Ali 1 (1971)
    31. Cornelius Boza-Edwards v Rafael Limon (1981)
    32. Fidel Bassa v Dave McCauley 1 (1987)
    33. Tony Lopez v Rocky Lockridge 1 (1988)
    34. Mando Ramos v Sugar Ramos (1970)
    35. Juan Manuel Marquez v Juan Diaz 1 (2009)
    36. Erik Morales v Manny Pacquiao 1 (2005)
    37. Larry Holmes v Ken Norton (1978)
    38. Marvin Hagler v Thomas Hearns (1985)
    39. Saman Sorjaturong v Humberto Gonzalez (1995)
    40. Kennedy McKinney v Welcome Ncita 1 (1992)
    41. Sun Kil Moon v Nana Konadu 1 (1990)
    42. Jeff Harding v Dennis Andries 1 (1989)
    43. Mickey Ward v Arturo Gatti 1 (2002)
    44. Ivan Robinson v Arturo Gatti 1 (1998)
    45. Julio Cesar Gonzalez v Julian Letterlough (2001)
    46. Israel Vasquez v Rafael Marquez 2 (2007)
    47. Oscar Larios v Israel Vaquez 2 (2002)
    48. Israel Vasquez v Johnny Gonzalez (2004)
    49. Riddick Bowe v Evander Holyfield 1 (1992)
    50. Chris Eubank v Nigel Benn 1 (1990)
    51. Jamie Moore v Matthew Macklin (2006)
    52. Evander Holyfield v Mike Tyson 1 (1996)
    53. Salvador Sanchez v Wilfedo Gomez (1981)
    54. Naseem Hamed v Kevin Kelley (1997)
    55. Kennedy McKinney v Junior Jones (1997)
    56. Antonio Avelar v Wilfredo Vasquez (1985)
    57. Miguel Cotto v Ricardo Torres (2005)
    58. Rafael Marquez v Israel Vasquez 1 (2007)
    59. Vicente Saldivar v Howard Winstone 2 (1967)
    60. Ruben Olivares v Kasuyoshi Kanazawa 2 (1971)
    61. Kevin Kelley v Troy Dorsey (1992)
    62. Alejandro Gonzalez v Kevin Kelley (1995)
    63. Vince Pettway v Simon Brown (1995)
    64. Julio Cesar Chavez v Meldrick Taylor 1 (1990)
    65. James Buster Douglas v Mike Tyson (1990)
    66. George Foreman v Ron Lyle (1976)
    67. Gerald McCellan v Julian Jackson 1 (1993)
    68. Alexis Arguello v Alfredo Escalera 1 (1978)
    69. Cornelius Boza-Edwards v Bobby Chacon 1 (1981)
    70. Rafael Limon v Rolando Navarette (1982)
    71. John Duddy v Yori Boy Campas (2006)
    72. Barry McGuigan v Steve Cruz (1986)
    73. Mickey Ward v Emmanuel Augustus Burton (2001)
    74. Frankie Liles v Tim Littles 2 (1996)
    75. Antonio Margarito v Miguel Cotto 1 (2008)
    76. Felix Triniad v Yori Boy Campas (1994)
    77. Soo Hwan Hong v Hector Carrasquilla (1977)
    78. Felix Trinidad v Ricardo Mayorga (2004)
    79. Larry Holmes v Mike Weaver 1 (1979)
    80. Erik Morales v In Jin Chi (2001)
    81. Jose Becerra v Alphonse Hallimi 2 (1960)
    82. Julio Cesar Chavez v Juan LaPorte (1986)
    83. Sean O'Grady v Hilmer Kenty (1981)
    84. Kelvin Seabrooks v Thierry Jacob (1987)
    85. Mark Kaylor v Errol Christie (1985)
    86. Robbie Sims v Iran Barkley (1984)
    87. Francisco Vargas v Orlando Salido (2016)
    88. Jose Luis Ramirez v Edwin Rosario 2 (1984)
    89. Marco Antonio Barrera v Erik Morales 3 (2004)
    90. Ernesto Marcel v Alexis Arguello (1974)
    91. Rodrigo Valdez v Bennie Briscoe 2 (1974)
    92. Lee Roy Murphy v Chisanda Mutti (1985)
    93. Matthew Franklin v Ritchie Kates (1977)
    94. Cornelius Boza-Edwards v Roberto Elizondo (1982)
    95. Alexis Arguello v Ray Mancini (1981)
    96. Danny Lopez v Mike Ayala (1979)
    97. Michael Gomez v Alex Arthur (2003)
    98. Paul Banke v Daniel Zaragoza 2 (1990)
    99. Frankie Randall v Julio Cesar Chavez 1 (1994)
    100. James Toney v Prince Charles Williams (1994)

    All of these (except Dorsey-Kelley currently) are available on YouTube in their full form.

    Like all such things, this is not definitive or final and will undergo some changes over time but I'm happy that it reflects what I like about the sport and the fights I've enjoyed watching the most over the years.
     
  2. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Great work, Jel.

    It's almost as good as mine!
     
  3. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Well, he's not a man of as many tastes as you George.
     
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  4. TBooze

    TBooze Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Excellent work.
     
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  5. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Jesus Christ. People sure love lists around here. LOL.
     
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  6. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yes, we do.
     
  7. KernowWarrior

    KernowWarrior Bob Fitzsimmons much bigger brother. Full Member

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    I do not see any bout with Audley Harrison in it, i am sure it was a mere over sight that will be corrected at later juncture;)
     
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  8. fistfighter

    fistfighter 44-3-1 (42KO's) Full Member

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  9. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    Great - that's three years of work down the toilet.
     
  10. Toney F*** U

    Toney F*** U Boxing junkie Full Member

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    This is a really great list! Making list threads is hard because you always wanna go back and change it lol
     
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  11. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    Thanks! I spent a lot of time watching and rewatching fights to refine it and I can't honestly say the order won't change dramatically (particularly after the first 25-30 fights) but it has the fights I like the most, which is the important thing.
     
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  12. KernowWarrior

    KernowWarrior Bob Fitzsimmons much bigger brother. Full Member

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    Sometimes we all overlook the greatest, most brave and exciting fighters like Audley, their awesomeness is like a beacon to which we all look to remember pugilistic perfection.
    I too would have forgotten to add Audley to such a list, a guilt i will carry for the rest of my days on this earth.:p
     
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  13. Clinton

    Clinton Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Great job, Jel
     
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  14. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    Thanks Clinton!
     
    Clinton likes this.