What was the biggest fight in the history of boxing?

I was born in 76 too and the first fight I saw was Hagler v Minter in 1980 with my dad, found out how famous Ali wa from the vid champions forever, Ali v Frazier was massive, so was the rumble in the jungle, Ali`s fame will never be matched by any other boxer ever.

 

Pac vs Mayweather. Also most disappointing.

 

What are the worldwide numbers for Pacquiao--Mayweather? I don't think one billion is a realistic estimate.

 

A pretty decent introduction to the sport.

1976 ?
I always imagined you were around my age, or at least my generation !

Yes, there can really be no other choice here, although, as you point out, not everyone agrees.

Two unbeaten heavyweight champions near the top of their game.

My list. I discarded a couple and added a couple.

I was fortunate to be around to watch seven of the ten on my list as they happened.


1. Fight of the Century, Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali, March 8, 1971

The zeitgeist, the battleground that was America at the end of her most tumultuous decade since the Civil War, the banishment and exile controversy, the celebs at ringside, the intense layman interest.

It really was the FOTC, and for me, of ALL TIME.



2. The Second fight, Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling, June 22, 1938

The quest for proof of racial superiority (though not seen that way by Max), runs up against the quest for revenge.

A massive sporting and political spectacle on the eve of the world's most significant and most devastating war.



3. The Rumble in the Jungle, George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali, October 30, 1974.

The wrecking machine who had downed Smokin' Joe SIX Times in two rounds vs the most colourful boxer who ever put on gloves.

Could age's speed and skills overcome the devastating youthful power ? (32 was considered old back then).


4. The Fight of the Century, Jack Johnson vs. James J. Jeffries, 4 July 1910

The Great White Hope of much of America, attempting to turn back the clock, personally and socially, and regain the prize lost to the very controversial iconoclastic upstart, the feared Jack Johnson.


5. Sugar Ray Leonard vs Roberto Duran (1) in Montreal November 25, 1980

Two ATGs, both unbeaten at welter weight, a veteran moving up to challenge a rising star, one known for speed and finesse, one for relentless pressure, Sugar v Stone.

For the first time in my lifetime, maybe ever, a non-heavyweight fight was the biggest event for a half decade on either side of it.

And finally, it was the first (and IMO, the best) of the nine fights the Fab Four provided through the eighties.



6. Thrilla in Manila, Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier lll, 1 October 1975


Did these two ageing top ten ATGs have anything left for their rubber match ?

Turns out they both did, and they left everything they still had in that ring in the Philippines.

They both had more fights later , but that was the last great performance either man ever turned in.
And it was the final bout between any two of the three great HWs of the 70s.


7. The Burns-Johnson Fight, Tommy Burns vs. Jack Johnson, 26 Dec 1908

Historically a big deal...the first black world heavyweight champion, and even if it was a tad one-sided,
it had important political and social ramifications outside of the Sweet Science


8. Once and For All, Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks, June 27, 1988

Important and much anticipated bout...could Michael pull off another upset over another rising ATG.

This fight re-united the belts and mended the ten-year long splintering of the heavyweight tile.
And it established , if any doubted, that Iron Mike was 'the man' of the HW division and the sport.


9. Lennox Lewis v Evander Holyfield 1 & 2. March 13 and Nov 13, 1999.

I'm combining these two as the 2nd was the continuation of the 1st, and a correction of the biggest travesty in HW scoring in my lifetime. It featured another two ATG HWs, and settled once more, for a while, the question of who was the top man in the division.



10. The Battle for Greatness, Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao, May 2, 2015


This one could have ranked higher if I had taken place in its proper year, 2009 or even 2010. One of the fighters was a little past best and the other, a bit more past best. And even though a lot of skill was on display, the fight did not live up to fan expectations.

Still, this fight has to be on the list.

We had two ATGs, one who was the best p4p fighter of the first decade of the century, and the other, the best p4p fighter of the second decade. These two guys both entered the century as champions and by the end of the second decade, one was still a champion and the other had recently retired as an undefeated champion.



My three cents worth.

But I might have to bump one of the above if a certain fight between two certain heavyweights gets salvaged this year and lives up to its potential.

 

Thanks for the correction Mark. After seeing your response I did some research and actually most sports fans in Ireland mistakenly thought at the time that Cooney played for the Boston Celtics.

 

Trinidad-De La Hoya and Hagler-Hearns were huge too in their era. I remember wanting to get on a time machine to see who won Trinidad-De La Hoya lol

 

Larry Bird at forward and Gerry Cooney at center? My Celtics would still be leading the Lakers in titles....Abdul Jabbar wouldnt be able to do anything against Gerry Cooney in 1982!

 

You make an important distinction, two separate lists for 'mostly eagerly anticipated fight of all time' and 'with hindsight most historically significant fight of all time' would almost certainly share at most half of the same fights.

 

as a fellow member of the 76 master race I've always thought that Leonard- Hagler was the most eagerly anticipated fight of my conscious lifetime [e.g. far bigger than any of Mike or Floyd or Manny's], but it was with hindsight a damp squib to the extent that it's barely remembered.

 

So far, I say Ali vs Frazier for significance and interest from people generally not interested in boxing.
It was also a great fight, which helps it be remembered more.

 

Exactly, Holmes vs Ali could have been another Zaire had Ali pulled of some miracle.

Im sure if Manny had Ko'd Floyd or it been a Gatti vs Ward type fight, it would have been rated way higher. Prefight importance and hype + fight living up to it creates this perfect combination.

Tko6 or Floyd vs Canelo are otger examples of fights growing into more than what they were considered to be prefight.

The flipside is if the other fighter falls of afterwards like Hagler vs Mugabi or Hopkins vs Pavlik then so does the importance in hindsight compared to the prefight hype.

 

Paulie Malignaggi vs Juan Diaz II.

 

Pac vs May was never going to be as big as Ali's biggest fights.

Ali is the GOAT and also had so many adoring fans.

 

Dempsey Carpentier in 1921 was another 'fight of the century'. It was the first million dollar gate, grossing $1,789,238, it was the first world title fight broadcast on radio.

 

Boxing was bigger then as well. The whole workd stopped to watch the heavyweight fight.