what fighter boxed way above their level

Zahir Raheem against Erik Morales

 

The obvious answer is Douglas' upset of Tyson.

 

sam egginton
as alreagy over achieved

 

I suppose you could put Randy Turpin and Lloyd Honeyghan in that bracket even though they had solid careers regardless.

 

Griffin against Jones until the DQ.

 

Dave Tiberi ... against James Toney.

 

This was the one I originally thought of.

Another less obscure one I always remember is featherweight Genaro Rios against Wilfredo Vasquez (and usually confuse Rios with Roque Cassiani). I remember thinking Rios was robbed. Afterwards he got a couple more title shots but was KOd by Norwood and Cermeno

 

Baldomir vs Judah

He later beat Gatti but he was a corpse at that point

 

Does Mayorga count? He could fight but beating Forrest was crazy

 

Nm he beat Forrest x2 so he is out since you asked for a boxer putting it all together for 1 fight only

 

I dunno Griffin did officially beat Toney and was giving DM problems until DM caught him. Griffin was a damn good fighter.

I see this as more of a case of RJJ under performing in the first fight. He'd not fought anyone elite in over 2 years since Toney beating guys like Pazienza, Thorton, Sosa, Brannon and an old McCallum. He simply wasn't sharp for Griffin 1 having had his edge blunted by facing vastly over matched opposition for so long. But in the rematch he again reached the level we'd seen against Toney and blew Griffin away.

 

In the Heavyweight Division, some seem to have hit their peaks in one particular fight. I would suggest the following: Corbett over Sullivan (other than a brave but LOSING effort against Jeffries), Fitzsimmons over Corbett, Hart over Johnson (if you believe the official result), Willard over Johnson, Tunney over Dempsey 1, Braddock over Baer, Schmeling over Louis 1 (did Schmeling ever really reach that level again?), L. Spinks over Ali 1, Douglas over Tyson, Moorer over Holyfield 1, Morrison over Foreman, Rahman over Lewis 1.

 

McDermott Vs Fury

 

Sandor Martin recently beating Mikey Garcia