What is the dirtiest fight in boxing history?

Mysterious Billy Smith was DQ’d 13 times in his career (while also winning and losing the world welterweight title twice0.

In 1897, he won a fight over Johnny Gorman by DQ in Connecticut. I figure there was likely some retaliation involved given Mysterious Billy’s notoriety for illegal tactics, so perhaps this one would be a candidate.

Apart from that speculative nomination, Saddler vs. Pep III and IV were both roughhousing affairs with both flaunting the rules. In the third fight, there was wrestling, pushing, shoving, eye-gouging, tripping and more.

 

Apparently Tony Galento beat Lou Nova by trying to gogue out his eye for several rounds. The ref did not do anything. Thats pretty bad.

 

Didn’t Mysterious Billy Smith bite Barbados Demon Walcott on the forehead multiple times? Benn vs McCellans rabbit punching was atrocious, my least favourite fight, I watched it knowing what happened prior, every shot to the back of the head made me wince. Kostya vs Hatton was set in the 1890s. Fenech vs Nelson featured a rugby tackle lol.

 

Giardello v Fullmer should be in the mix

 

Yeah, Billy Smith's 13 DQ's will be tough to top. He's the clear answer to this thread, imo.

 

Yeah that’s up there with Ty Cobb stealing home 54 times. Record that will never be broken.

 

Doc Kearns’ great quote on Mysterious Billy as related by AJ Liebling:

‘He was always doing something mysterious. Like he would step on your foot and when you looked down he would bite you on the ear.’

 

The first fight between Fritzie Zivic and Bummy Davis was said to be horrendous.

 

Stopped in to post the same thing ^^^^^
Bummy Davis was know to go after the Ref as well,
Read up on how he died , it explains everything
He's a legend. And Has one of the best Ist round KO's in boxing history as a 6 to 1 dog

 

Tripping is an unusual one for sure LOL.

Riddick Bowe & his manager Rock Newman tag-teaming Elijah Tillery completely out of the ring was fun.

 

If I'm not mistaken the OP is asking for a particular fight not a pattern of fights. For example, Catterall vs Taylor, Golota vs Bowe , Tyson ripping Holyfield's ear off..

 

Daisuke Naito-Daiki Kameda
Riddick Bowe-Andrew Golota
Sandy Saddler-Willie Pep 4
Bernard Hopkins-Antuwn Echols 2

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Max Baer fought quite dirty in his fight against Max Schmelling