Most artistic, cinematic and symbolic fight you have watched?

For me it was at school, that time the one kid did a sort of a bolo punch as a wind-up, stretched back and threw the biggest haymaker possible at another kid, who ate it flush on the chin, did an actual pirouette and fell flat on his face. They had to dump water in a shoe on his face to revive him iirc. My boxing viewing peaked kinda early.

 

Two good ones for me.

The second Joe Louis and Schmeling was America vs Nazi Germany more so than just two men, it's probably where Stallone got the idea for Rocky IV.

Joe Louis vs Rocky Marciano. To me this feels like the greatest 'passing of the torch' moment in history. The declining Joe Louis with experience and skill vs the young, awkward, and powerful Marciano. It's a great fight and I love it even more knowing that Marciano cried in the locker room after the fight because he had to beat up a legend. (This fight would also make a great movie)

 

Fight of the Century 1971
Louis - Scmelling II 1938

 

FOTC - will never have a HW fight poised where two genuine ATGs put up their undefeated records against each other in such a manner again.

Ali defying the odds, naysayers, doubters and even some amongst his own camp and punching Big George's head off all night in Kinshasa - turn off the volume, watch it round by round and the way the fight plays out, all the symbolism of a people shouting Ali Bomaye, the destruction of Norton and Frazier, George denting the punching bag and then Ali coming in to train after George in fhe run up to the fight - the whole thing played out like a Hollywood screenplay.

Honourable mentions for St Valentine's Day Massacre, Tokyo Douglas, Brawl in Montreal

 

Alì-Liston, all those legends watching him in ringside, with Alì shakin Robinson hands, him having such an high heartbeat while examined by the doctor b4 the fight, him playing mind games with Sonny. Truly a priceless and irrepleaceable fight with such a magnitude and high stakes involved.

 

Ali v Holmes. A cinematic tragedy that, it can be argued, diminished the greatness of both men...Almost Shakespearian.

Benn v the GMan, a tragedy of another type, Holywood Karma of the kind a baying mob want to see but would wish on no other in their more reflective moments.

Manilla. A fight that fits the Shakespearian image of 'sitting on the grass and talking of dead Kings'. Fighting for the championship of each other right enough. Again, this can be framed as a tragedy, but in all it's barbaric beauty, isn't this what we walking, talking, thinking animals truly want. A spectacle for the ages.

 

Leonard-Hearns I was like a play in five acts.

Act I: Hearns in command. Leonard can’t touch him in the early rounds. He’s been implored by Dundee to box Hearns and it’s going nowhere as he tries to avoid Thomas’ lethal fists.

Act II: A sudden turn. Ray gets through and does some damage and goes hog-wild, punctuated by a body shot that nearly bent Hearns in half.

Act III: The Hit Man becomes the Bicycle Man. Thomas boxes from the distance like a fencer and keeps an ineffectively aggressive Leonard at bay, swelling up his eye.

Act IV: ‘You’re blowing it, son.’ Dundee lights a fire under Leonard and he pounces with visceral killer instinct, hurting Hearns and battering him. But oh so little time left to pull it out.

Act V: The finish. Leonard summons another big barrage and ends what I maintain is the greatest welterweight title fight ever.

Two all-timers at their heights. A game of adjustments, and adjustments to adjustments, 4D chess by two grandmasters.

 

That fight was a complete joke. Tyson was in no condition whatsoever to be in the ring. He was out of gas before the end of the first round. The odds should have been 50-1.

 

The Rumble in the Jungle

 

Old Foreman vs Moorer is always a good one for me. It shows that even a very old and slow guy can still have a 'puncher's chance'.

 

Tyson vs Spinks. If ever there was an expected coronation of someone taking the crown this was it and Tyson didn't disappoint.

 

Amazing post, I agree. Another thing worth mentioning is Ali, hero and inspiration to both men, had front row seats to that play.

 

Rigondeaux Vs Casimero