It can happen to the best

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Noel857, Aug 25, 2026 at 8:41 AM.

  1. Noel857

    Noel857 I Am Duran

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    Found this in an old edition of Boxing News.A top 10 of former champions who lost in the first round
    I : Jack Dempsey v Fireman Jim Flynn
    2 : Floyd Patterson v Sonny Liston
    3 : Sonny Liston v Muhammad Ali
    4 : Ken Norton v Gerry Cooney
    5 : John Henry Lewis v Joe Louis
    6 : Michael Spinks v Mike Tyson
    7 : Tony Zale v Jimmy Clark
    8 : Randy Turpin v Tiberio Mitri
    9 : Carl Olsen v Jose Torres
    10 : Emile Griffith v Ruben Carter
    One by me - Roy Jones Jnr v Danny Green
    Can you mention any others?
     
    Noel857, Aug 25, 2026 at 8:41 AM
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  2. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Walcott to Marciano
    Schmeling to Louis
    Hatton to Pac
     
    Gazelle Punch, Aug 25, 2026 at 8:45 AM
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  3. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis "The David Haye of Loma's Gay" -Edgar Allan Poe Full Member

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    Young Corbett III by Jimmy McLarnin
    Archie Moore by Leonard Morrow
    Max Schmeling by Joe Louis
     
    Ioakeim Tzortzakis, Aug 25, 2026 at 8:46 AM
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  4. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Not necessarily in the first round but both Roberto Duran and Eusebio Pedroza were stopped in less than 2 rounds.
     
    Flo_Raiden, Aug 25, 2026 at 9:06 AM
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  5. Noel857

    Noel857 I Am Duran

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    Good picks with Walcott and Schmelling but wasn`t Hatton stopped in the second round?
     
    Noel857, Aug 25, 2026 at 9:06 AM
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  6. Andre2000

    Andre2000 Active Member Full Member

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    Witherspoon vs Bonecrusher Smith

    Weaver vs Dokes

    Norton vs Shavers and Cooney
     
    Andre2000, Aug 25, 2026 at 2:47 PM
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  7. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Not the best but these fighters were very established champions at one point.

    Chad Dawson lost to Adonis Stevenson in the 1st round.

    Abner Mares lost to Jhonny Gonzalez in the 1st round.

    Edwin Rosario lost to Akinobu Hiranaka in the 1st round.
     
    Dynamicpuncher, Aug 25, 2026 at 3:04 PM
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  8. Jakub79

    Jakub79 Active Member Full Member

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    Montell Griffin vs Roy Jones 2.
     
    Jakub79, Aug 25, 2026 at 4:05 PM
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  9. Andre2000

    Andre2000 Active Member Full Member

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    It’s actually amazing how many of these first round KOs begin to unpack on you when you start having a good think about it.

    Intuitively you might think there wouldn’t be so many but as the excellent posts thus far have proven, they’re not exactly in short supply.
     
    Andre2000, Aug 25, 2026 at 4:16 PM
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  10. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    "Neon" Leon Spinks vs. Gerrie Coetzee
    Gerrie Coetzee vs. Frank Bruno
    Max Schmeling vs. Gipsy Daniels
    Michael Moorer vs. David Tua
    John Ruiz vs. David Tua
    Tony Tubbs vs. Lionel Butler & Jimmy Ellis
    Bermane Stiverne vs. Deontay Wilder
    Sergei Liakhovich vs. Deontay Wilder
    Arturo Frias vs. "Boom Boom" Mancini
    Gene Hatcher vs. Lloyd Honeyghan
    Sumbu Kalambay vs. Michael Nunn
    Carlos Quintana vs. Paul Williams
    Mike Weaver vs. Bonecrusher Smith
    Pinklon Thomas vs. Tommy Morrison
    Michael Dokes vs. Riddick Bowe
    Bruce Seldon vs. Riddick Bowe & Mike Tyson
    "Buster" Douglas vs. Lou Savarese
    Tommy Morrison vs. Michael Bentt
    Carlos De Leon vs. Corrie Sanders
    Alfred "Ice" Cole vs. Corrie Sanders
    Badou Jack vs. Derek Edwards
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2026 at 4:59 PM
    Dubblechin, Aug 25, 2026 at 4:23 PM
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  11. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Iran Barkley getting stopped by Nigel Benn
    Wilfredo Vazquez getting stopped by Israel Contreras
    Kaokor Galaxy getting stopped by Luisito Espinosa
     
    Flo_Raiden, Aug 25, 2026 at 4:25 PM
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  12. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Benn-Barkley ... how could I forget. Nice one.
     
    Dubblechin, Aug 25, 2026 at 4:46 PM
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  13. Boxing GOAT

    Boxing GOAT Active Member Full Member

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    Dempsey’s loss to Flynn was long considered to be a dive. In the rematch Dempsey knocked out Flynn in first round.
     
    Boxing GOAT, Aug 25, 2026 at 5:42 PM
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