Recommend close fights to watch?

Pavlik vs Taylor 2 is a good very close fight

The Hopkins vs Taylor fights were very close and sometimes still debated to this day

 

I'll throw out some older fights that will expose you to some fairly recent greats and a few different styles. There are a ton, but start with these:

Erik Morales/Marco Antonio Barrera 1 and 2 -- close and extremely entertaining.
Oscar de la Hoya/Felix Trinidad -- still debated to this day.
Larry Holmes/Michael Spinks 1 and 2, especially 2.
Arturo Gatti/Micky Ward 1 -- an absolute war. Fight of the Year 2002.
Miguel Cotto/Shane Mosely -- thrilling fight, very close.


Mayweather/Jose Luis Castillo 1 -- possibly Floyd's only loss. Judge for yourself.

 

De La Hoya vs Mosley 1 & 2 see what you think.

 

Winky Wright - Fernando Vargas
Pernell Whitaker - Buddy Mcgirt
Lennox Lewis - Ray Mercer
Riddick Bowe- Evander Holyfield 2
All fun fights with close/controversial scorecards. Maybe a little older than you're asking for but just some of the very best close fights i've scored.

 

I will never forget this fight. So many amazing moments.

I was a big Holyfield fan back in those days and had no idea which way the decision would go.

 

Calzaghe/Hopkins

 

I'm going way beyond the 5-10 year range.

Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe 2: excellent, crazy fight.

James Toney-Mike McCallum 1-2: extremely skilled technical fight, the first one was more exciting, the 2nd one closer IMO

Oscar De La Hoya-Ike Quartey: slow for much of the fight, but it had a great finish.

Larry Holmes-Tim Witherspoon: Good fight was a classic 9th round

Muhammad Ali-Earnie Shavers: Ali was old but sure had a great chin

Edwin Rosario-Jose Luis Ramirez 1: the 2nd fight was better, but this fight was decent and had a controversial decision

Sugar Ray Leonard-Marvin Hagler: Still debated to this day. I actually scored it 114-114

Roberto Duran-Iran Barkley: I thought Duran was a close but clear winner, but some others disagree. Great fight.

Sergio Martinez-Paul Williams 1: Very good fight, controversial decision, one judge was drunk apparently and had it 119-110.

Lennox Lewis-Ray Mercer: Another good close fight, Mercer had a great chin, Lewis showed a better chin than he's remembered for having.

Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera 1: a masterpiece of violence

Andrew Golota-John Ruiz- sloppy and ugly, but somewhat entertaining in a train-wreck sort of way and for the hilarious Norman Stone

Evander Holyfield-John Ruiz 1- everyone remembers this trilogy as being horrible, but the first fight was actually halfway decent

 

For the past few years, check out Marquez-Barrera. It's become a bit lost in the mix with all the great fights between Barrera, Morales, Marquez, and Pacquiao, but it's an absolutely fantastic, brilliant fight. Great, controversial 7th round (I think), and the ruling there could have made the difference in the fight (with competent judges. The actual 3 had it far too wide).

 

DLH-Trinidad
DLH-Whitaker
DLH-Mosley 1 & 2
DLH Quartey

 

Jermaine Taylor-Winky Wright

Cory Spinks-Zab Judah 1

Julio Cesar Chavez-Juan Laporte

 

Watch Cotto Vs Clottey and truthfully tell me that Cotto won that. I don't think ul be able to

 

Rahman - Corrie Sanders

Last 2 rounds were pretty onesides, but before that it was lyle-foreman all over again.

 

Micky Ward-Emanuel Burton Augustus: great fight, the official scoring was way too one-sided for the New Englander (the fight was in New Hampshire). Burton did WAY better than the official scores said.

Chad Dawson-Glen Johnson 1: the 2nd fight was dull, the 1st fight was exciting. Some people thought Dawson won clearly but I don't agree.

David Tua-Ike Ibeabuchi- close fight with all kinds of leather thrown. Their workrates were insane.

Ivan Robinson-Arturo Gatti 1: very close fight, great action. It's equal to or better than Gatti-Ward 1 IMO. Although none of the rounds are quite like Gatti-Ward round 9, the fight is more consistent all the way through in its action.

Robert Quiroga-Kid Akeem Anifowoshe- tragedy occurred for both guys later on, but this was a terrific fight. Hometown decision IMO.

 

Froch vs Direll was always one of question marks as was Floys vs Castillo but neither were particularly epic.