What was the most anticipated non-title fight in boxing history?

Well, it probably isn't the most anticipated, and I hate to say something so recent, but De La Hoya-Pacquiao was anticipated and that wasn't for any kind of title even the nonsense ABC titles.

 

the first fight that come to mind about a intensely anticipated non-title match is the rematch of arturo gatti and micky ward.

 

Ali-Frazier II is up there

 

Tyson/McNeeley?

 

Zarate-Zamora is a contender (by the knowledgable fight crowd).

 

Hopefully others can tell more about this, but i'm guessing Holyfield-Bowe III was pretty widely anticipated. What can you say about this one, MDWC? The Golota rematch must have been pretty big as well, especially within NY..

 

That was the first fight that popped into my head.

But Ali-Frazier II is probably the winner here.

A shout out should also go to Apostoli-Steele II.

 

yeah 2 undefeated ko artists who were world champs, but the fight was non title

 

Zarate/Zamora, may of technically been a non title fight, but we all know it was not.

Ali/FrazierII is an obvious answer and probably right.

Dempsey/Sharkey is probably its closest rival.

Marciano/Louis was a big fight.

Ali's comeback bouts against Quarry and Bonavena were big, and indeed all his bouts between FrazierI and Foreman were events.

Outside the heavies the Grebb/Tunney series caught the public imagination, and by accounts I have read Siki/Norfolk was a huge fight.

 

Yeah, I can agree with that.

 

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I always thought Zarate was champ?????? Guess I was wrong.

Bowe-Holyfield 3?

 

And for me. Also the second Ali-Norton.

 

Quoted from Wikipedia: Interest in Tyson's first comeback fight since his incarceration was high enough that it grossed more than US$96 million worldwide, including a United States record $63 million for PPV television. The fight was purchased by 1.52 million homes, setting both PPV viewership and revenue records for that time.