1980s which was the best year in boxing, fight-wise, this decade

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by AntonioMartin1, Mar 25, 2023.


Which one was it?

  1. 1980

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  2. 1981

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  3. 1982

    6 vote(s)
    66.7%

  4. 1983

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  5. 1984

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  6. 1985

    2 vote(s)
    22.2%

  7. 1986

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  8. 1987

    1 vote(s)
    11.1%

  9. 1988

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%

  10. 1989

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. AntonioMartin1

    AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

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    Was?
     
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 25, 2023
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 25, 2023
    #1
  2. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    1980 was very good but 1981 was clearly better… and then 1982 was better still.
     
    Jel, Mar 26, 2023
    Jel, Mar 26, 2023
    #2
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  3. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    1987. A few highlights of the year.

    21 year old Mike Tyson makes 4 title defences as he unifies the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles belts.

    Evander Holyfield, the man seen as the biggest future threat to Tyson, makes 4 title defences as he continues to clean up the Cruiserweight division.

    Sugar Ray Leonard returns from retirement to beat Marvin Hagler and end his 7 year middleweight reign, in the biggest fight of the year.

    Thomas Hearns goes up to light heavyweight and stops Dennis Andries and then back to middleweight to KO Juan Roldan to become the first boxer ever to win world titles in 4 divisions.

    Julio Cesar Cesar in arguably his finest career performance, becomes the biggest name in boxing below middleweight by beating the feared Edwin Rosario in a much anticipated lightweight showdown.
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2023
    Ken Ashcroft, Mar 26, 2023
    Ken Ashcroft, Mar 26, 2023
    #3
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  4. AntonioMartin1

    AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

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    I like 1982
    January:
    Wilfred Benitez w15 Roberto Duran, a bit of a dud but was it huge in terms of importance? certainly
    April:
    By now everyone was talking about Hagler-Hearns and about Holmes-Cooney. Strangely I did not know who Hagler was but I read the papers by now at 9 and a half and was disappointed to find out it wasnt going on at least this year.
    May:
    Ray Mancini ko1 Arturo Frias, a bit of a small fight but was it a war in terms of violence? certainly!
    June:
    Larry Holmes ko13 Gerry Cooney
    July:
    Salvador Sanchez ko15 Azumah Nelson
    August:
    Dwight Muhammad Qawi ko6 Matthew Saad Muhammad II
    September:
    Juan Laporte ko10 Mario Miranda
    October:
    Eusebio Pedroza d15 Bernard Taylor
    November:
    Aaron Pryor ko14 Alexis Arguello
    December:
    Wilfredo Gomez ko14 Lupe Pintor
    Thomas Hearns w15 Wilfred Benitez, again, a bit of a dud too but was it huge in terms of importance? certainly!
    Bobby Chacon w15 Rafael Limon 4!

    Notice that in that list, I didnt mention the controversies, the retirement of Ray Leonard due to retinal problems and the deaths of Salvador Sanchez and Duk Koo Kim, which also contributed to 1982 being a huge year for boxing, but in a negative way.
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2023
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 26, 2023
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 26, 2023
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  5. James Page

    James Page Active Member banned Full Member

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    Holmes vs Cooney, 1983 I believe.
     
    James Page, Mar 27, 2023
    James Page, Mar 27, 2023
    #5
  6. AntonioMartin1

    AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

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    1986 was good too
    Remarkable fights:
    McGuigan KO14 Cabrera
    Hagler Ko11 Mugabi
    Camacho w12 Rosario
    Cruz w15 McGuigan
    Chavez w 12 Lockridge
    McCallum ko2 Jackson
    Rosario ko2 Bramble
    Camacho w12 Boza Edwards a mostly boring fight but still remarkable in that it was a big fight at this time
    Honeyghan ko7 Curry
    Thomas ko3 Mugabi
    Haugen w15 Paul
    Tyson ko2 Berbick
    Chavez w12 Laporte
     
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 28, 2023
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 28, 2023
    #6
  7. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    No, it was June 11, 1982.
     
    Jel, Mar 28, 2023
    Jel, Mar 28, 2023
    #7
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  8. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    I went for 1982 based on the quality of the fights:
    Sanchez-Nelson, Pryor-Arguello, Gomez-Pintor and Chacon-Limon 4 were four of the 10 best fights I’ve ever seen. They were top quality matchups too - with hindsight Sanchez-Nelson was between two all-time great featherweights, Pryor-Arguello was one of the best that could have been made at that time as was Gomez-Pintor. Chacon-Limon was a notch or two below the aforementioned matchups but had the rivalry element to it.

    The biggest matchup/event of the year was undoubtedly Holmes-Cooney, which was an excellent fight in its own right as well, though not on the same level in terms of the actual action as the other fights I’ve highlighted.

    1981 runs it close though. Leonard-Hearns was the event of the year and was arguably bigger than Holmes-Cooney (but was clearly a better matchup and greater fight).

    The best pure action fight of 1981, though, was Boza v Limon (the junior lightweight division was on fire in both 1981 and 1982). Pryor-Johnson was cracking as well and there were a couple of top quality lightweight title fights as well in O’Grady-Kenty and Arguello-Mancini.

    There are more top fights I could mention for both years, but those are the ones that stand out for me.
     
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2023
    Jel, Mar 28, 2023
    Jel, Mar 28, 2023
    #8
  9. AntonioMartin1

    AntonioMartin1 Jeanette Full Member

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    Don't forget: Sanchez-Gomez for 81, a huge event and a hell of a fight I see often on you tube, even if my man lost!
     
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 28, 2023
    AntonioMartin1, Mar 28, 2023
    #9
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  10. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    Yes, I did forget that! Outstanding matchup.
     
    Jel, Mar 28, 2023
    Jel, Mar 28, 2023
    #10