The Upset of The Decade?

No. Because Hagler was still regarded as undisputedly the best at 160 lbs while Larry was busy cherry picking late into his reign by avoiding Pinklon Thomas and not rematching Witherspoon.

 

I would say Honeyghan vs Curry or Barkley vs Hearns were the biggest upsets that I can recall from the 80's.

 

Leonard was a 3-1 underdog but Spinks was 6-1. He was widely seen as a cherry-pick on Holmes's road to 50-0 and retirement. A lot of people felt that bulking up to 200lbs had been a tactical error which would do more harm than good - adding something to his strength but detracting from the speed and mobility which he would need to have a chance of winning.

 

Not really it was common knowledge Larry was on the slide.
Ray coming out of years of retirement and snatching a decision from a dominant champion was a real upset.I certainly didn't expect it!

 

Agreed you can also add Kirkland Laing vs Roberto Duran to the list.

Laing was 2-2 in his last 4 fights and had lost to a fighter recently with a 9-7 record.

I don't think anyone on the planet at that time expected Laing to beat Duran.

Laing was considered such an underdog they didn't have betting odds.

 

According to Ring Magazine, these were the fights voted as the biggest upsets of each year in the 80s:

• 1980 – Yatsune Uehara KO 6 Samuel Serrano
• 1981 – Roger Stafford W 10 Pipino Cuevas
• 1982 – Kirkland Laing W 10 Roberto Duran
• 1983 – Gerrie Coetzee KO 10 Michael Dokes
• 1984 – Gene Hatcher TKO 11 Johnny Bumphus
• 1985 – Michael Spinks W 15 Larry Holmes
• 1986 – Lloyd Honeygan RTD 6 Donald Curry
• 1987 – Sugar Ray Leonard W 12 Marvellous Marvin Hagler
• 1988 – Iran Barkley TKO 3 Thomas Hearns
• 1989 – Rene Jacquot W 12 Donald Curry

Of these, I'd probably argue that Duran vs Laing was the biggest upset (and strangely isn't discussed that much on this forum).

 

Neither Spinks or Leonards victorious could come close to the shock of Honeyghan-Curry or Barkley-Hearns

Laing -Duran was a bigger shock too

 

Just saw this.That nailed it

 

Loved Kirkland Laing, guys UK around the era of boxing on Sportsnight would remember him, losing twice to Colin Jones the very good welter from Wales when well ahead on points but lost by KO 9th both fights. Lot of fights he would totally outclass the opponent just good jab movement, counter punching and elusive. lots of fighters didn't want to fight him, nightmare on a good night.

Poor trainer, loved weed, would go missing for long periods, like he did after beating Duran, I watched the fight on you tube some years ago I had Laing winning but the way boxing is I was amazed he wasn't jobbed on the cards, thankfully.

Finally years later remember reading about his thoughts on the Duran fight, was asked what was the key main reason he beat Duran?
He replied, 'I trained properly, in all the fights I ever had Duran was the only opponent I was ever scared of.'

 

Bookmakers didn't even take bets on this one. The first fight that came to mind.

 

I was always underwhelmed by Hagler he was a great boxer but not what this forum tricked me into believing he was as a teenager! Spinks vs Holmes 2 was what I expected of H vs L with Holmes (Hagler) trying to overpower Micheal (Leonard) from the get go, Larry came out and threw Spinks around like a pit bull with a rope toy (Spinks didn’t fold) but that’s sort of how I pictured Hagler vs Leonard, a 160lber monster mauling and being robbed by the Leonard who’d be playing fencer and feather duster, Leonard actually looked more muscular then Marvin it wasn’t like say Fullmer vs Robinson were Fullmer was just this tank of a human being that Robinson bounced off every time it got physical.

 

Two 1976 Gold Medalist fighting for the first time at a new weight against a top 3 fighter all-time in the division. I have to say Leonard was the bigger upset do to his inactivity. One win in five years coming back from a knockdown to beat journyman Kevin Howard.