What have been the most important fights in boxing?

Ditto...

William Shatner looked like he put a quarter of his savings on Tyson. If he could have helped him up, he would have.

 

Yes, paradigm-shift fights are my favorites.

Foreman's clubbing of Moorer was extraordinary. At the time, the oldest man to win the heavy crown was 37-year-old Arnold Raymond Cream, a very respectable achievement by a persevering man who had actually retired several times before, and one that had stood for over 40 years.

A gymnast is old at 16, a soccer player at 33 and a boxer, at the time, was ancient at 40. Many very great fighters proved this dictum time and again. Dempsey was hopelessly slow against Tunney, Louis fell to Marciano, Ali was a ghost against Holmes.

But this smiling, burger-chomping, avuncular presence comes along and blows away all previous convention with one right hand. A beautiful moment that made graying men all over the world perk up and believe they were not dead yet.

Foreman actually came back about 6 years prior and, during that time, his example had inspired other over-the-hill fighters to come back, with varying degrees of success. But not even the wily Holmes came close to actually winning any of his two eventual title attempts.

Foreman himself of course was being beaten nearly to a pulp by Moorer, but his retained unique punching power and improved mentality came through. So, mind over matter, yes, plus one huge right hand.

 

Van Klaveren was a decent fighter....but he never fought for a world title ....

 

Leonard-Hearns I
Lewis-Holyfield I & II
Tyson-Spinks
Ali-Frazier I
Ali-Foreman
Johnson-Willard
Louis-Schmelling II
Louis-Braddock

 

Eh heh

 

It happened on Sept 21 1985, 30 years to the date of Rocky Marciano's last fight, TKO 9, of World Light Heavyweight Champion Archie Moore. Marciano left boxing, 49-0, 43 KO's, Holmes did not surpass that record as he planned to. Michael Spinks was the Light Heavyweight Champion going into that fight,

 

....hmmm FOTC, Dempsey v Willard, Louis Schmelling 2, maybe Ali v Foreman too. Fights that would have made the list Mayweather v Pac in their primes.