The most shocked you have been by a fight or result?

1. Pacquiao lying dormant, face down against Marquez. An absolute barn burner that left 5 mates and myself speechless. I 100% expected Pac to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher - a beautiful (and horrific) KO.
2. How accurately I predicted the Fury vs. Wilder 1 fight. I went to a sports bar with my mates here in NZ and 5/7 of them picked Wilder to stop Fury. I was the only one to pick Fury to win but be robbed on the cards. I put $500 on a draw and it paid around $25. Winning just over 5k I was ****ing thrilled, but for 3 days after the fight, I'd wished that I'd gone with my gut and put more on it.
3. A measured Tarver icing Roy Jones in a matter of 2 rounds - My favourite fighter at the time (Jones Jr) and my old man's least preferred fighter. He handshake bet that Roy would be stopped. I laughed about it at the time. He still gives me **** about it to this day.
4. Shane Cameron knocked out Monte Barrett with a one-punch KO. A fighter that I respected massively growing up, I thought he was going to lose a boring decision, like the Tua/Barrett fights (Tua was well past it). It was Shane's last hurrah.
5. Tua plodding to a wide UD loss to Lewis. NZ in general expected so much more from Tyson 2.0, but he just didn't have the motivation to capitalise on his naturally gifted talents.

 

I know exactly what you’re saying Ferg.

Even for those of us who might reason a brief and disastrous fight for Marciano vs say, Liston and/or Foreman, it would still be shocking to see Rocky go out like that - even if it was to forecast - that simply never happened or came close to happening during Marciano’s actual career. I don’t know that I would necessarily take too much pleasure in seeing it.

Similarly, even though one might’ve calculated that Duran was going to encounter more than he could handle vs Hearns - to see Duran flattened like that - that was literally jaw dropping.

Again, even though RD had been dropped before - no one had ever come close to doing what Hearns did - and another case of no one else ever doing same again after the fact.

I reckon the people who forecast Foreman to destroy Ali still would’ve been shocked even if it had panned out as they guessed. Even Ali said you might be shocked that I KO’d George but you would’ve been more shocked if he KO’d me - and even if somewhat ironical, I think that sentiment rings very true.

As far as other shocks go, I’ll nominate the extent to which inactive, past prime, weight rising Ray Leonard recaptured his old form for the Hagler fight.

Even if one believes Hags won, Leonard’s performance and the context in which it was embedded, was amazing in its own right.

Even if Hags had managed to clearly outfight Ray over the long haul, or even KO’d Ray in the very late rounds - Leonard’s form for at least the first 1/2 to 3/4 stage of the fight was shocking, shockingly good and shockingly unexpected - still praiseworthy in its own right.

 

Meldrick Taylor vs Chavez shocked me the most. A robbery without a gun

 

De LA Hoya-Trinidad, De LA Hoya-Mosley 2, Tapia-Ayala II.

 

Similar to me. I didn’t have sky but my mate fitted sky dishes and had sky. He taped it for me. On the way to the pub he gives me the tape and I said to him “I hope it’s good”. He says “ you’ll be SHOCKED”. I went thanks a lot Yupik just told me the result. But as I watched it I was indeed shocked.

 

Well said pal.
The Tyson ko Larry still stand s out for me.

 

Duane Thomas-John Mugabi. I thought Mugabi would rule the division after the performance he put up against Hagler
SRL-Norris. Just because SRL always won even after retirements. Michael Bentt-Tommy Morrison. It was supposed to be a gimme for Morrison and he got knocked out in the first round. Hearns-Duran. I thought Hearns would win but I thought Duran coming off the Hagler performance would not get destroyed like that. Hearns-Barkley. Hearns was giving him a beating especially to the body and then all of a sudden Barkley landed the knockout out of no where. Even though Hearns got back up he was done. Barkley-Duran. The size advantage I thought was to much to overcome

 

Not mentioned yet...Derrick Jefferson knocking out Maurice Harris while on the verge of being stopped and Maskaev knocking Rahman out of the ring in the next fight.

 

Michael Spinks getting the decision over Holmes.

 

I thought Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker was pretty shocking.I’d say it was appalling if I’m being brutally honest.

 

Honestly when Floyd got the nod over Pacquiao. That woulda been soul crushing for him. BUT he does have the better footwork of the two, forget that running bs, that's just an excuse!!!

 

Holyfield vs Tyson 1 ... Tyson was a huge favorite and many were truly scared that he might literally kill Evander .. Evander looked horrible against Czyz and pretty much shot for years .. People underrate and forget how strong Tyson looked against Bruno 2 and Sheldon ... it was a huge fight that shocked me !

Foreman flattening Moorer was another .. wow.

 

Probably been mentioned and I overlooked it, but Nunn KO1 Kalumbay stunned me.

I had told people this is going to be a great chess match, who super-skilled guys looking for cracked in each others’ armor, a real scientific masterpiece about to take place.

And BAM, it was over.

Boxing sometimes reminds us, no matter how much we think we know there’s always a twist around the corner.

 

Five of my most shocking moments all revolve around Roberto Duran .
Montreal:
Not knowing much about Duran prior to the fight, I really didn't think he'd be much of a challenge for Leonard, my assumption was he was mainly a brawler and thought he'd be an easy mark for the bigger, stronger, and faster Leonard. Boy was I wrong!
New Orleans: I'd of thought a meteor would land in the middle of the ring and kill him before Duran would simply............ Quit?
Hagler:
I thought Duran would be massacred . By this time I was a big fan of his, and studied him extensively. But I thought Hagler would crush him. He did so well I thought he'd have a decent chance against.....
Hearns:
Never thought this could happen, though I thought Hearns would win, never thought Duran could be put down face 1st in a fight, especially after his fight against Hagler. Hearns Is the only fighter to actually ko him in my opinion.
Barkley:
Actually feared for Duran's safety against him, Barkley looked like a Lt.heavy compared to a chubby Jr.Middle Duran.
But of course he puts on his last great performance, and showed the difference of genius level skills compared to merely good, though merely good had all the physical advantages of height, reach, weight, and physical strength.
And if any fans want to see what genius skill level can do to merely good or very good, watch this fight the next time you think Joe Louis or especially Ali wouldn't have a chance against a Wilder or Fury.
There's levels in boxing, Barkley vs Duran is definitive proof of this. Having physical advantages doesn't guarantee a win. Especially when the opponent is considering an ATG.