The Thrilla In Manilla tops my list. I find it very hard to watch especially knowing how close they were to death. And Fraziers Skull/Forehead looked liked a Totally damaged Boxing glove I love watching Benn V mcCllelan despite the tragedy
the only fight ive ever found hard to watch was the floyd mayweather-arturo gatti fight. gatti took a bad beating for far too long and it was sad to see that happen to him. mayweather, on the other hand was brilliant, the best ive seen him.
I meant great competitive fights that had plenty of action both sides. not one sided schoolings massacres
Why is that? I reckon it's close to the best fight (not the most skillful or brilliant) that I've ever seen and I have a hard time seeing how anyone could dislike it although I have seen a few on classic here also say they don't rate it. I know it's your opinion and there is no right and wrong with this but I'm genuinely curious why you don't like watching it.
Griffith-Paret III for obvious reasons. Great, great fight for which one had to pay the ultimate price.
I like a good scrap as much as anyone. Two of my very favorite fights are Barrera vs Morales I and Duran vs Leonard I. But even during Barrera vs Morales I, there's a point where I'm thinking to myself "these great warriors are giving too much". Boxing is a brutal sport. It's one of the few that is not only life-threatening in an immediate sense, but there's a component of gradual deterioration as well. Then again, the sports best moments often depict the all-time great spirits rallying some inhuman mental strength within themselves and overcoming grueling circumstances. How are we to find out who's best unless we let these fighters give their all? But here comes the difference for me -- Gatti-Ward was never about who was best. This was not a case of two fighters with huge followings who clashed when they were matched. This was a case of two fighters with porous defense and incredible toughness who would showcase their determination in the face of a bludgeoning. They gathered a crowd that tuned in for the bloodlust. There was a kind of sadistic element to it. Especially when they were asked to do it again for big money. It's the darker side of boxing, the side that enjoys seeing Chavez punish an outclassed Haugen, the side that has smiling eyes instead of solemn ones when viewing Ali vs Frazier III, the side I'd rather have nothing to do with. I mean, I can see Frazier vs Ali was about pride. And Barrera vs Morales was about two of the best in the weightclass squaring off, plus the difference in roots and personalities. But Ward and Gatti actually liked eachother. They did it twice more, providing spectacle for money, sacrificing some of their health in the process. Who won was not the point. The sport of boxing was not the point. It was about bleeding flesh and grimacing faces. I have too much respect for boxers and what they sacrifice to condone it.
i totally agree. sloppy and ****. they showed the skills of a couple of hobos fighting over a sandwich and frankly, if i showed that to anyone not a boxing fan they wouldn't believe they were professional fighters.
gatti ward 1 is my favourite fight of all time but this post is tremendous and i very much understand your point. well said
Not necessarily a great fight, but I can't watch Foreman-Alex Stewart. Foreman got his sinus busted and his face swells up like a pumpkin. Every punch late in the fight you can actually hear the sloshing inside his face. Sickening. Shows how tough a sumbitch Foreman really was. But I can't watch it.