Most overhyped fights (as in ‘like, really?’)

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Saintpat, Jul 12, 2026.


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  1. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Sometimes a fight is overhyped in a head-scratching manner. In fact, if you weren’t around at the time you’d scratch you head at why it was considered a big deal.

    Figured we could explore this topic. I hope our cognoscenti will provide more than just two names and actually explore how and why it was hyped and why that was just way too much.

    I will start us off.

    Gerry Cooney vs John ‘Dino’ Denis: I am not making this up — this was, in 1979, hyped as a big deal. Denis was not, really, Gerry’s best opponent to this point (Eddie ‘Animal’ Lopez or even, arguably, Tom Prater had better credentials) but a few factors went into this being considered a fairly major fight:

    1) It was Cooney’s debut at Madison Square Garden (the big arena — he had fought at the Felt Forum).

    2) Denis had a pretty 35-2-1 record

    3) Dino was Italian-born, so it played well into the Irish-Italian rivalry and fan bases, was out of New England (having fought often in Rhode Island and some in Massachusetts) — kind of close enough to kindle the New York-Boston rivalry vibes — and had also fought several times in New York, so had ‘proven’ himself to some degree to the NY locals.

    But really, his record looks pretty much like a Peter McNeely type. Very protected. On his way up he beat some carefully selected names (or maybe semi-names) in Scott LeDoux, Jose King Roman and Terry Daniels who weren’t exactly all that — along with a variety of opponents who may as well have been named Dusty Trunks, Kenny Breathe and Chip Panzee.

    He stepped up twice, getting destroyed in three rounds by George Foreman and losing by decision to Leroy. Jones in his next fight. Then he went on a 3-year, 7-fight rebuilding project against nobodies before fighting Cooney.

    It wasn’t surprising that Cooney busted him up and stopped Dino in three.

    What was surprising is that the result was hyped as if Gerry had beaten a bona fide contender. The NY press (and, to a slightly lesser degree, boxing magazines) gave it major coverage and literally proclaimed that Cooney had established himself as a major heavyweight title threat … because he beat Dino Denis.

    I’m sure I will think of others, but let’s see what you guys come up with.
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2026
    Saintpat, Jul 12, 2026
    Saintpat, Jul 12, 2026
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  2. Turnip mk3

    Turnip mk3 Active Member Full Member

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    Bruno v Bugner. The hype was real hot. All this Aussie Joe crap with the press and Frank plays the British hero. Joe as expected took the money and ran .A big fight in Britain made out nothing much.
     
    Turnip mk3, Jul 12, 2026
    Turnip mk3, Jul 12, 2026
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  3. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

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    They say in all of the black, Hispanic and Asian communities, really, there's nothing which captures the imagination or intrigue of the public more than the heated rivalry between the Italians and the Irish. I believe it was Larry Holmes himself who, when asked about the racialized language around Ali and Frazier in the first bout that what was really important was which fighter would be Italian and which fighter would be Irish, were both fighters Caucasian. He further stated that he did assume Ali would be black Irish and Frazier some kind of Italian type. And that THAT would've been exciting.
     
    Boxed Ears, Jul 12, 2026
    Boxed Ears, Jul 12, 2026
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  4. greynotsoold

    greynotsoold Boxing Addict

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    Ali and Frazier both fought Quarry twice so they are equally Irish. But I never heard rocky Graziano say that either of them was Italian. So it was 2 Irish guys- honorary Irish at that- fighting. No wonder there has never been much interest in the Ali v Frazier fights.
     
    greynotsoold, Jul 12, 2026
    greynotsoold, Jul 12, 2026
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  5. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Personally, I believe Holmes vs Cooney was overhyped.
    For all the wrong reasons....
    Don King played the race card, feeding off of America's racial animus.
    Today, Most blame King for the racial hard feelings created during the build up of the fight.
    But King was simply a opertunis .
    He knew what most Americans wanted to see, played on that deep seated racism, and delivered one of the biggest fights in history.
    Made a ton of money in the process...
     
    Flash24, Jul 12, 2026
    Flash24, Jul 12, 2026
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  6. Bronze Tiger

    Bronze Tiger Boxing Addict Full Member

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    All of the Jake Paul fights …his entire career
     
    Bronze Tiger, Jul 12, 2026
    Bronze Tiger, Jul 12, 2026
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  7. Bronze Tiger

    Bronze Tiger Boxing Addict Full Member

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    If I’m being brutally honest….WOMEN’S BOXING
     
    Bronze Tiger, Jul 12, 2026
    Bronze Tiger, Jul 12, 2026
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  8. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Meh... as Don said, Black plus White equals Green. Nothing new under the sun as far as ethnic rivalries. I've heard it from my black, brown, yellow, red and white friends. You and I can not care (or case so much) but others do. We are a base species.
     
    Seamus, Jul 12, 2026
    Seamus, Jul 12, 2026
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  9. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

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    the brits were always looking for any reason to get excited. they just couldnt compete with us
     
    Mark Dunham, Jul 12, 2026
    Mark Dunham, Jul 12, 2026
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  10. Mark Dunham

    Mark Dunham Well-Known Member Full Member

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    We have a winner!
     
    Mark Dunham, Jul 12, 2026
    Mark Dunham, Jul 12, 2026
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  11. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Tyson v Lewis….anyone who was in the know on the sport knew Tyson was losing. The casuals were excited though.

    Lewis v Grant…Lewis must have an excellent pr team. Waste of time,

    these are in my life time I wasn’t arriving for Cooney v Holmes
     
    Gazelle Punch, Jul 12, 2026
    Gazelle Punch, Jul 12, 2026
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  12. Boxed Ears

    Boxed Ears this my daddy's account (RIP daddy) Full Member

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    I admit, having grown up in Poland, I don't necessarily understand how these things work. There was too much sameness that shielded me from the machinations you're discussing. But I am continuing to learn, despite it being early in the process.
     
    Boxed Ears, Jul 12, 2026
    Boxed Ears, Jul 12, 2026
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  13. TNSNO1878

    TNSNO1878 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I'm going bold here, but if we are talking about overhyped fights, I would throw Hagler vs. Hearns in there. It was an incredible 1st round between two of the greatest P4P fighters of all time, but it fizzled rapidly, and then Hearns was spent by the 3rd. It was over before it properly started; I've never been sold on how high it ranks.

    I also think that once you delve into the first round, there weren't that many big, clean shots landed, especially by Hearns; even as a standalone round I don't think it has the same captivating elements of round 10 of Corrales vs Castillo, for instance, there was no jeopardy apart from when Hagler was mildly hurt for a few seconds. It's not even in my top 2 fights between the Four Kings, I would much rather watch Duran vs Leonard 1 and Hearns vs Leonard 1.
     
    TNSNO1878, Jul 12, 2026
    TNSNO1878, Jul 12, 2026
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  14. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Not sure if qualify s but Mayweather Vs Manny PAC?
     
    Fergy, Jul 12, 2026
    Fergy, Jul 12, 2026
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  15. Fireman Fred

    Fireman Fred Active Member Full Member

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    Bobby Chacon-Ruben Olivares II

    Olivares took Chacon´s undefeated record in their 1st fight. Superb performance.

    Chacon rebounded with 7 straight kos including a thrilling 9th round win over undefeated future World champion Danny Lopez (who would ko Olivares+Hafey) and win the world title and make one defense.

    Olivares would get shocklingly koed by dangerous Art Hafey in 5 in his next fight, get off the floor to beat Hafey in return. Win the featherweight title, box superbly in his 1st defense against Arguello (relatively unknown at the time) before being koed violently in the 13th.

    So the rematch was primed, Chacon was pre-fight favourite to reverse his only loss, the Gate for the fight was a California record for the time.

    What happened? Chacon struggling with weight, had nothing. Destroyed in 2 humiliating rounds.
    This content is protected
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2026
    Fireman Fred, Jul 13, 2026
    Fireman Fred, Jul 13, 2026
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