What's the greatest win in Boxing history?

My point is that Ray fought the wrong fight because he was not yet an elite fighter. He was insulted into fighting that fight. The fact he could turn it around and fight a different style and outclass Duran is significant. I cannot see how that win by Duran is the best ever.. No way. It is not like I enjoy this topic, but I believe in my heart that Ray was not prime and that he was still green. The fact he fought that fight, and turned it around so well. That was the accomplishment. Even with Benitez, he fought him on the inside, but he won that.. That was not Benitez style. Ray could do that with Benitez, who could then out box Duran easily enough. Ray might have thought he could beat Benitez like that and then beat Duran that way also. This topic to me is getting old but at the same time beating Ray at this point was not the best win ever by anyone. Beating Ray in 1982 would have been one of the best wins ever. I think Ray beating Hagler in 1987 was better than Duran beating Ray in 1980.. I think Hearns knocking out Duran was better than Duran over Ray. Those were more unheard of events. Benitez gets almost no credit for beating Duran.

 

If it weren't for Louis, we'd all be speaking German

 

If "greatest" means legacy enhancement, I would say Leonard vs Duran 1. Greb vs Tunney, Ross vs Armstrong, and Foreman vs Ali are also up there.

 

I see your point, and I agree somewhat, but when you do that it seems your taking credit from Duran. I could say Hearns because of his lack of experience at the time, and not knowing how to hold was the reason he lost to Leonard . And that diminishes what Leonard accomplished. Or Ali because of the forced lay off and rust is the reason he lost to Frazier. It's all true, but it comes off as diminishing what the winner accomplished. It opens up a whole different can of worms TBH.

 

Don't buy this at all. He was never hurt nor even dazzed. He simply took it, and had that look like, hmmm, that was hard, okay, I'm good, back to work. The proof of this is how he looked in the next 10 second after taking it, and then he took huge shots directly after, and didn't even blink. Didn't even blink. Hearns was getting walked through that night, broken hand or no broken hand.

 

Schemling vs Louis I.

 

I don't see this. Hagler was hit and immediately backed out of it and had a flinching look on his left side. Then Hearns knew he hurt him and started to swing, and to Hagler's credit he took it well. He sort of shook his legs out a little and resumed. Had Hagler been hit with another right hand like that, it would have been a different story. But Hearns fought a stupid fight, but it was a great fight.

 

I am taking credit from Duran perhaps, but I do not want to give someone credit when it is unwarranted either. Ray was not experienced when Duran fought him not in the whole game of mental and physical, and yes Hearns a year later when he fought Benitez was more experienced and probably would have survived the fight better than in 1981. Hearns in 1981 was not peak yet or prime, and neither was Ray for Duran. I agree.

 

It provides evidence that Ray learned about winning fights outside the ring. He overdid it with Hearns-where the prefight stuff didn't work with too mjuch. I remember when Hearns in the rematch suggested Ray was on steroids, Ray was bent out of shape. Ray did that pointing at the chin thing and was trying to intimidate, and Hearns makes one comment and Ray is bent out of shape. I just think Hearns was mentally stronger than Ray in many ways. He fought the whole decade against all sorts of contenders. The fact is Ray learned from Duran to win fights outside the ring, and that gives him and edge in the fight.

 

You don't want to give Duran credit full stop. You are for all intents and purposes a hater who tries his best to camouflage it - without much success.

 

Per the actual thread topic it is Ali - Foreman for me.

 

Leonard over Hagler shouldn't. Super close fight with a clearly faded Hagler and Ray had every possible advantage. Hagler gave those away for extra $, and in the opinion of a decent majority of fans and experts Hagler still won that fight.