what is the biggest upset in boxing history?

Israel over Egypt.
The odds-makers had Egypt winning in 6-months.

Israel took them out in 6-days 8)

 

Sources:


http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...2023249_1_tyson-trevor-berbick-buster-douglas
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...01203499_1_tyson-soup-and-salad-days-in-tokyo
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1990-05-01/sports/9005015314_1_tyson-adilson-rodrigues-tillman
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1990-03-13/sports/9003133008_1_tyson-punch-bright
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/bc0321pb.html

 

Wasn't Dempsey Willard an upset at the time, what with everyone thinking Jack could get killed in the ring, Willard himself wishing to be absolved of blame should the Mauler get seriously hurt

 

Dempsey was the under dog, and there were fears for his safety, but a fair few wiser heads saw the upset coming.

 

Jack Dempsey,

I think you are 'correcto mundo' on that one.

Jack Dempsey over Jess Willard was 'the upset'.
If you read all the newsapaper accounts before 'the fight'.
All the 'so-called boxing scribes' said that this fight was
the 'Mismatch of the Century'.

 

I'm a Yank with Irish and Cymru blood in me that has a soft spot for all Cymru fighters(except Machinarelli).I used to be a Calzaghe fan and paid attention to that fight only because of Calzaghe as I had never heard of Lacy(and neither had any of my friends)before that fight.Truth be told,Lacy was a product of media hype,who,upon reviewing his pre and post Calzaghe resume,never did anything special or convincing to warrant being considered as anything special.

 

If you place this fight into it's context, it is definitely up there with the biggest upsets.

Cassius Clay vs Sonny Liston 1

Hopkins vs Pavlik was a pretty big upset, imo.


But Tyson vs Douglas has to the biggest upset.

 

Yoko Gushiken vs Pedro Flores II

Check the records.
The re-match in Japan.
Gushiken 23-0-0 (15 KO's)
Flores 16-7-0 (4 KO's)

Yoko 'The Fierce Eagle' Gushiken was a 50-1 favorite on the 'Japanese Betting Boards'
The odds were also 250-1 that Gushiken would lose by a 'knock-out.

Pedro Flores stopped Gushiken in the 12th round.
A $100 bet that Flores would win by Knock-out would have netted you $25,000.

 

My grandfather, a German citizen, said that the Nazi's actually gave Max a better shot than the Americans did. Had they not, they would have pretended within their own borders that the fight wasn't even occurring.

Douglas was a bigger underdog. Americans, Germans, Japanese, it didn't matter, he wasn't gonna escape the 3rd round, tops.

 

Like said before due to fan ignorance.

 

Each country has there own group of 'upsets'.

On the Yoko Gushiken-Pedro Flores II (re-match)
3/8/81
Okinawa, Japan
Gushiken was only 25-years old.
WBA Light Flyweight Champion (108 lbs.)
23-0-0 (15 KO's)
Won the title in October 1976.
Had made (14) title defenses, with (10) by 'knockout'.
All of his fights were in his 'home country' Japan.
He dominated every bout he was in.

Upon entering the bout (re-match) with Pedro Flores, he was a solid 50-1 favorite.
He was in the 'best shape' of his life. All the so-called 'Japanese' boxing experts
stated that he looked so 'awesome' in training, that he could probably defeat
(118 lb.) Banatamweight Champion 'Lupe Pintor'.

The whole 'Orient' was backing him, as this was to be his 'last fight'.

 

Pardon me, I meant legitimate excuses.

 

An 'upset' has to include the 'low pedigree' of the fighter you are facing.

Though the Tyson-Douglass fight is considered the 'greatest upset',
Buster Douglass was a still a 'pretty good fighter' entering the ring.