The 5 Greatest Wins in the History of Boxing?

Couldn't disagree with you more.

Joe Frazier was an established champion whereas Ali had just comeback from a three year lay off. He was supposed to have won that fight on paper, and he did. Not a absolutely grand win like you depict it to be.

Roberto Duran did beat Leonard, but it was an extremely close fight. Leonard fought the wrong fight, and that is why Duran won. Not an absolutely mega huge victory either.

Duran vs Barkley :good
Leonard vs Hagler :good
Ali vs Foreman :good
Buster Douglas vs Tyson :good


I give preferance to fighst where the huge underdog pulled out the victory. That to me is a "great win".

 

Jack Johnson vs. Tommy Burns- 1st Black Heavyweight allowed to fight for the world title. The fight with Jeffries would not have taken place if this fight did not occur.

Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries- Imagine being hated by the nearly the entire audience. Imagine being thought of as someone unfitting to be in the same ring simply because of the color of your skin. Imagine being black at a time when lynching was still occurring, and still taking this fight. Imagine the social significance of what was happening. Then imagine winning to spite it all.

Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling II- The biggest war in history was going on. Hitler was hoping to use the fight to showcase Nazi ideals. Louis obliterates his former conquerer. Would place this fight as #1, but feel as though Louis would not been in this place had Johnson not succeeded before.

Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali- In terms of hype, atmosphere, and celebrity; I don't know if it will ever be matched.

Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman- Ali would not be a legend without this one.

 

To be really significant, the beaten opponent must have no signs of slipping otherwise it's not so impressive. The opponent must be seen as next to impossible to beat, young, sharp, indomitable, and with previous performance destroying his prey. Such was the case with Thomas Hearns going into the Hagler fight. it looked like there was no stopping him. Many in the press and the fans alike believed he would render Hagler unconscious by the 8th round.

 

Definitely a fair point. I'll also add that the greatest win in history surely cannot be found vs a fighter who is moving up in weight. Unless the heavier fighter is pretty ordinary, to say the least. Fighters moving up however, now we are talking some great wins. Leonard - Duran, Hagler - Leonard, Spinks - Holmes etc.

 

Yes, for sure. No doubt at all.

Very definitely a great win, but i wouldn't rate it anywhere near a pinnacle list of victories. Certainly not comparable to Duran over Leonard. Very opposite wins. Duran was the one moving up and the underdog, while Hearns was moving up and Hagler was the favourite. Tommy was in lethal form tho, and had total confidence so it's a great win. Just not a Duran-Leonard for instance.

 

In terms of Legacy & Importance to the Fighters career @ the time.
(I'm going to keep it 80's/90's) My Fav 5. (IMO, in no order)
These are the fight's i'll take to the grave, with the most importance 2 me.

1. Salvador Sanchez Vs. Wilfredo Gomez
This is "Chava's" sig victory, and one of the greatest fights I ever seen.
(2 of the best warriors going at eachother with everything they had
& let's not forget about the rivalry of Mexico Vs. Puerto Rico two of the best either
has ever produced going at it for PRIDE & RESPECT)

2. Julio Ceasar Chavez Vs. Meldrick Taylor
The Fight that turned just an unbeaten fighter into a Legend over night.
(I'll never forget how unreal that moment felt when the fight ended)

3. Marvin Hagler Vs. Thomas Hearns
"The Fight" still the best 3 rounds in boxing history, 8 mins of ADRENALINE.
(This fight still gives me goose bumps when I watch it, Tommy's grin & Hagler's confidence from the start was something that I'll never forget, WBC championship wrapped across his chest)

4. Mike Tyson Vs. Michael Spinks
This was Mike's masterpiece, who knew it was also his last true hurrah.
(His Boxing Style, Life & everything that made Tyson was on the downgrade the moment he stepped out of the ring that night, Tyson had peaked)

5. Michael Carbajal Vs. Humberto Gonzalez I
When Flyweights attack... now ask anyone who seen this battle if lil' guys can punch? Groundbreaking fight for the small's of boxing. They had the entire boxing world watching them and they gave everything that night
(In their Trilogy, they became the first Million dollar gate that south in weight)

 

In my 5 on page 3, i tried to pick 5 different types of great wins. I dont think they might be the very best 5 wins ever, but i rushed it a little bit though. The point im making is, that i tried to vary the criteria of 'a great win' for each. There's so many different aspects of the word 'greatness', really annoying when people try to pin it down to just 1 and then use that to make their picks.

 

Leonard beating Duran is the better victory as it was the better man putting an inferior but still great fighter in his place. The way it is meant to be.

Leonard underperforming and messing up the first time was just a great example of how to mess up.

 

No

 

Two that I don't think have been mentioned yet.

1. Sandy Saddler- Willie Pep 1: Pep may not have been quite what he was, but he was still about as dominant champion as you had when he faced Saddler for the first time, and was a prohibitive favorite against a guy who had done a pretty good job of making mincemeat of the featherweight division. But Saddler not only won...but he did so by obliterating his opponent inside four rounds. Pretty damned impressive.

2. Lennox Lewis- Hasim Rahman II: No, Rahman wasn't great..but he certainly wasn't bad, and he'd just starched Lewis six months prior to this fight, and won a running battle of verbal one-upmanship and a brawl on national tv leading up to the contest. A lot of people thought Lewis was done...so the fact that he dominated, and scored a one-punch kayo of his own, makes this a damned good win.

 

Duran beating Leonard above 135 is impossible, 135 was his weight, he had no right beating Leonard higher up. It should just be forgotten.

 

And Robinson's wins over Fulmer, Lamotta, Turpin, Olson dont count either then? Thanks for the info!