what is the biggest upset in boxing history?

Mikey 3-Bean,

On Pedro Flores.
The guy wasn't even rated in the Top 20 when he faced Yoko Gushiken the first time
on 10/12/80.
He was a substitute on 5-days notive. Going into the first bout, he
was 16-6-0 (4 KO's).
He had won his last 6-bouts, but only (1) by knock-out.
His last (5) fights were all decision wins.
Before his 6-bout/2-year winning streak, the guy went 2-6-0 with (3) knock-out losses.
He was considered a soft-touch with absolutely 'no-punch',.
He was offered the fight just to make Gushiken look good.

In the first fight, Gushiken dropped Pedro Flores in the 2nd round and pummeled him on-and-off
for the next 9 rounds, trying to knock him out.
Gushiken was an aggressive-type fighter, with a southpaw style.
He used his stamina and late-fight strength to overwhelm his opponents.
He kind of ran out-of-gas in the 12th round, and Flores swarmed all over him for the last
4 rounds.
He was in no danger of losing, he was just flat out exhausted.
The fight scoring was;
9-4-2 (Gushiken)
4-4-7 (Even) * Scored by a Mexican judge.
7-4-4 (Gushiken)

To get an idea of the fight, after (7) rounds, the scoring was;
7-0-0 (Gushiken)
4-0-3 (Gushiken)
7-0-0 (Gushiken)
With a 10-8 score in Round 2.

After the fight, Yoko Gushiken said that he got too excited after flooring Flores, and tried for a
knock-out to impress the boxing fans.
He did praise Flores for being alot tougher than he expected,
and may give Pedro a re-match to quiet any boxing critics.

 

Turpin over Robinson rates a mention

I think Douglas over Tyson is number one though based on odds but more so the emphatic fashion in which Buster beat Mike

 

On the Gushiken-Flores II (re-match).

3/8/81 (5 months after the first fight)
Yoko Gushiken was a 50-1 favorite.
All of the OBPF boxing press had voted for Gushiken to win. (37 writers)
Not one predicted Pedro Flores would win.

Pedro Flores, who was not even ranked in the Top 20 for the first fight, was
now rated #10.
Yoko Gushiken started off fast, and again abandoned his counter-punch tactics, by going for the knock-out.
Gushiken controlled the first 5-rounds, and had Flores reeling.

 

Baer braddock is a good one

 

I have heard the 42-1 and 45-1 odds are urban myths....and no one has been able to find such a record.

 

Hindsight is awesome.

Still the biggest upset in history of the sport because NOBODY was saying otherwise before it happened.

 

38/1* Mirage hotel.

The only bets Vegas was doing as usual for a Tyson bout in that time (post Spinks) was the under/over. But one client asked to put a $1 Million on Tyson, and because of his loyalty the Hotel agreed and I think he got 1/50. By default this created a book for the fight and thus Douglas was priced at 38/1.

*All prices British fraction odds, I am dim, I do not get the American system.

 

Sullivan/Corbett was a big upset at the time.

I think as mention Schmeling/LouisI was considered the biggest upset of the first half of the 20th century, edging Braddock/Baer.

Of course since then Ali/ListonI, Ali/SpinksI and Douglas/Tyson have compared to anything of that time.

Outside the Heavies:

Monzon/BenvenutiI was a big upset at the time.

Bam Bam Hines/Hilton and Duran/Moore deserve mentions.

Napoles/Stacey, Mosley/ForrestI and Honeyghan/Curry were big upsets.

Barrera/JonesI, McGuigan/Cruz, Norris/SantanaI and II, Gonzales/Pascua and Romero/Salazar are some more modern examples.

 

When determining 'the greatest upset' other factors should added than just the
boxers.
Fight Location, fight purse, mental condition of fighter, and general atmosphere.

When Tyson fought Douglass, there was no balance in the Tyson camp, more of general confusion.
He was ripe for an upset/
On the other hand, Buster Douglass had just lost his mother. He had an emotional drive that you cannot measure.

 

It's true. The only place to offer odds on a Douglas win was the Mirage apparently. Here's what the oddsmaker says in this article (http://www.gamblingonlinemagazine.com/general-interest.php?articleID=323):