What are the best overlooked wins of the 1980s?

The Laciar Roman bouts, comfortably fought on as high a level as many much more lauded trilogies/rivalries.

 

Chang over Chitalada

Chavez over Rosario never seems to get the kudos it deserves on this forum

Benitez over Hope may seem blase, but it was not, Maurice was class, but he was out of his depth here, Wilfred was that good.

Which leads me to Tommy over Benitez.

Starling over Breland and Brown are always underplayed, both were borderline brilliant wins.

Nunn over Kalambay/Roldan/Tate. Michael may of turned out to be second to a few, but in that run, he would of given Hagler a match.

 

Ramirez SD Whitaker

 

What? You saying Ramirez deserved the nod?:scaredas:

If you are suggesting Whitaker won, in a sarcastic twist, it is hardly overlooked, but:

80s boxing for dummies 1A: Whitaker was screwed in France

 

Ramirez-Rosario II essentially ended any idea (and it was a big idea at the time) that Rosario was the second coming of Duran.

It's discussed, but not as much as you'd think considering how really big it was at the time: McGuigan-Pedroza. It must have been an enormous thing on the other side of the pond, because even here in the states, it was aired a bit later in the day on a Saturday than fights normally were, and Mcguigan's victory even made World News Tonight, lauding how he was a calming, uniting influence in Ireland/Northern Ireland. This win was huge, with it he became a true world figure.

 

:dealvery good call

 

Marvin Johnson's victory over Leslie Stewart for the vacant WBA Light heavyweight title was not only riveting (the first round was sensational), but it marked the first time a fighter won the LHW title for the third time.

 

Davey Moore vs. Charlie Weir

Moore was supposed to bring his Championship to South Africa, and hand it over to
the Knock-out artist 'The Silver Assassin'.
Most predicted Charlie Weir by Knock-out within 5 Rounds.

Greg Haugen vs. Jimmy Paul

Jimmy Paul was a technically gifted fighter, while Greg Haugen was a toughman
brawler.
This should have been a 'walk-in-the-park' for Jimmy.

 

Except that Haugen wasn't really the brawler we'd been led to believe. He was a "cutie" in the parlance.

I also think part of the problem with Paul in that fight (besides Haugen's spirited, savvy effort) was that he'd been in so many long, draining fights in so little time leading up to that match. He'd gone 15 with Arroyo, took 14 rounds to dispose of Blake, then had to reach down for that something extra against Perez and Darryl Tyson. He should have taken a little time off to regroup and refresh, but I guess Haugen was in fact seen as that "time off." Oops.

 

Sumbu Kalambay beating a prime Mike McCallum :good

 

Brian Mitchell over Tony Lopez in Sacramento.

For a champ who never got to fight at home, fighting Tony in his hometown in front of a riotous packed house just underscored how exceptional Mitchell was.

 

Donald Curry - Milt McCrory. This win gets written off a bit, but McCrory had already lasted 24 rounds with huge punching Colin Jones. Curry was so sharp that night. Only elite ATG welters beat him that night.

Greg Page - Gerrie Coetzee
Wilfredo Gomez - Juan Laporte
McGuigan - Juan Laporte
Benitez - Duran


Quick KO's are easily dismissed: Lockridge-Mayweather, Laporte - Lockridge

 

If I maybe mention one fight in 1991. Thomas Hearns vs. Virgil Hill. Hearns beat an undefeated guy 30 pounds above his first weight class title and Virgil had 10 title defenses. and he did not get the credit he should have. And this was after Tommy won the 175 title 4 years before over Dennis Andries. Hearns had some great wins but many of them were discounted because of his losses to Ray and Marvin. But he had greater wins than Marvin Hagler ever did. Easily. Cuevas,Benitez,Duran,Hill ect ect.