Fights between two "elite" fighters where both of them put on A+ performances?

Larry Holmes - Ken Norton
Holyfield - Qawi
Hearns - Leonard (I)
Chavez - Taylor (I)

Many more.

 

Good thread, but there can only be one true answer IMO:

Duran v Leonard I


Truly the peak of boxing as an art form.

Had either man been fighting a mere mortal top quality welterweight, on that performance they would have had a dominant stoppage win.

But luckily for us, two of history's best clashed when both were in rampant form.

Duran won, and in my eyes secured the greatest win by any fighter ever, all things considered.

Leonard lost, but revealed the true brilliance of his abilities. People think of Leonard as a dancer, a boxer, a gritty and skilled boxer-puncher, but watch this fight - he was a sensational back-to-the-wall brawler as well, by virtue of his chin, handspeed and skills. He'd give any welterweight brawler one hell of a scrap, and probably beat them too.

Unluckily for him, he was up against the best brawling infighter the sport has ever known IMO.


My favourite fight ever. A+ doesn't do either man justice.

 

Meldrick-Chavez 1

 

Corrales/Castillo was a great performance on how to fight on the inside by both fighters.

 

Both men underperformed greatly in Leonard-Hearns I. That fight doesn't fit the description at all. It was one of the most underwhelming performances of Ray's career, and nowhere near the most impressive of Tommy's. He did well in patches but his weaknesses were highlighted and he boxed better in other fights. He was not A+ IMO.

 

I disagree with those of youpicking Chavez Taylor. Taylor's performance was ballsy and fun to watch but not A+. Deciding to slug with a fighter like chavez in the last round ofa fight where all you have to do is survive is about as big a mistake as anyone can make. WIth such a big mistake you can't rate the performance a+

 

How the hell is Juan Diaz not elite?
When JMM moves up I can guarantee you he will rule LW.

Also does anyone else think Diaz should move to Super Featherweight??
Im sure he could His punches would have more effect there.

 

No. Apparently Diaz has trouble making 135, despite looking flabby around the midsection. Dude has some weird genes.

 

i agree most with duran-leonard 1 and holmes-norton 1 (surprised that isn't mentioned more). To be fair, though neither were at their primes, to performances by Frazier and Ali in Manilla were A+. As were Saddler-Pep 2, Robinson-Gavilan 1+2, Sanchez-Nelson (I know he was green but still great), and Monzon-Valdes

 

berto last fight was a hell of a fight cotto and margarito was a good one

 

As a LW he is elite? As if he fights in other weighclasses
No he is not elite at LW,

he is a very good fighter. Needs to sharpen up that D and his PP is just not there for the style he has

 

He lost in his biggest fights. He's not QUITE elite....yet.

 

Other suggestions:

Toney-McCallum I (in light of the fact that McCallum was essentially a past-prime natural lmw, he has to be given an A+ for his performance, he would've beaten any other mw of the past 20 years that night except Jones or Hopkins, and Toney was unquestionably A+ that night, absolutely brilliant)

Barrera-Morales I (need I explain really?)

Sanchez-Nelson (Nelson was green, but it's still arguably one of his very best performances. Sanchez should perhaps have made easier work of it, but his grit, his tactical switch, his finish, these justify an A+ for me)

Arguello-Pryor I (Arguello would have beaten just about any other lww ever that night IMO)

 

I don't class Margarito, Berto and Juan Diaz as elite fighters.
Barrera-Morales 1 and Leonard-Duran 1 are my 2 favourites I guess.

 

Mccallum was nowhere in his prime for that fight.

McCallum/JAckson That was prime for prime