Controversial fights between the matador and bull

The recent Beterbiev vs Bivol just took place and it’s been having mixed reactions due to the results. It was a quintessential display of the matador (Bivol) and the bull (Beterbiev).

What are some other fights involving the boxer fighting on the back foot and the come forward aggressor that ended with a controversial decision? Doesn’t have to be particularly exciting but just close and competitive enough that it garnered a controversial result that most disagreed with.

Sugar Ray Leonard vs Marvin Hagler is a well known example.

 

Last night's fight reminded me so much of Oscar vs Tito although I think Bivol vs Beterbiev was a way better fight. Oscar like Bivol won a lot of the early rounds with his boxing ability and Tito like Beterbiev came storming back in the championship rounds.

I thought Oscar beat Tito and I scored the fight last night for Bivol 115-113. Neither fights were robberies. Just good, competitive fights all come down to what folks like. I typically lean towards boxers over bangers and thought both Oscar and Bivol won more rounds. I get why others prefer the guys that bring the fight but too me, you have to be effective with aggression and Beterbiev really wasn't until late in the fight just like Tito.

 

Well, Ali-Frazier II and Hagler-Leonard are obvious ones.

 

Hatton-Collazo
Hopkins-Calzaghe

 

I seem to recall Hector Camacho vs Ray Mancini being a very tight fight that could have gone either way. Lots of people felt that Mancini did enough to win.

 

Dirrell vs Froch
Castillo vs Mayweather 1

 

Algieri vs Provodnikov?

 

Gilberto Roman vs Santos Laciar 1 had a pretty debatable result where the fight was scored a draw but you could make a make a case for Roman winning. He boxed really well in that fight.

 

Chavez-Whitaker

 

Ellis - Patterson is the fight that comes to mind here.

 

Miguel de Oliveira vs Koichi Wajima, both fights

 

Spinks/Mayorga I would say exemplifies this stylistic matchup

 

Norton-Young was hellishly hard to score, tho Kenny rocked James with a nice uppercut.

 

Whitaker vs. Ramirez I. A lot has been said about what a poor decision this was (look at its page on Boxrec, for instance), but I've also seen people here support the verdict, noting that Whitaker did a lot more olé-ing than fighting.

 

Paulie Malinaggi vs Juan Diaz