Best Boxing Match Ever?

[Tituscrow]

In light of the imminent heavyweight clash at the weekend, and even though the days of Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Hagler, Duran et al seem a world away, I was wondering which fight sticks in the memory for you (if you are a boxing fan, obviously).

I'm leaning towards the Benn/Eubank encounters of the late 80's. Feel free to 'school' me and point me towards any other all time great bouts.

[powderfinger]

Balboa vs. Creed

[MJ5150]

Mike Tyson's early fights where he was knocking out fools in 10-30 seconds. I have his greatest hits VCR tape, sure wish I could have bought that instead of coughing up the $79-99 per fight back in the day to watch those fights on PPV.

-Mike

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by powderfinger

Balboa vs. Creed

Very good. But which one?

[steamthief]

Ali-Frazier II.

[powderfinger]

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

Very good. But which one?

I kind of liked their 1st fight. When Balboa went the distance. Apollo put up a great fight, and of course won my decision. But it was a moral victory for Balboa, because he was pretty much just a bum.

I think my least favorite Creed fight was when he fought Draggo. Ended badly.

[powderfinger]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Mike Tyson's early fights where he was knocking out fools in 10-30 seconds. I have his greatest hits VCR tape, sure wish I could have bought that instead of coughing up the $79-99 per fight back in the day to watch those fights on PPV.

-Mike

I remember watching all of those as a kid/teenager. I loved Tyson fights. I remember staying up with my dad the night Tyson fought Buster Douglas. It came on HBO, I remember, and Tyson lost (admist controvery) to Douglas. That was one of my favorites, just bc Tyson showed himself to be a mere mortal.

My all time fave was when Lennox Lewis battered, and bloodied Tyson back in 2002. I watched that one with a group of friends. We had a pizza and beer party that night, and everyone was going nuts. While Douglas merely showed Tyson was mortal, Lews was the first guy to ever make Tyson look like his b*****. And in 2002, Tyson was not a popular guy. He was very arrogant and this point, and all bat sh** crazy talking about eating people's kids.

Oh, and does anyone remember 1995. When Tyson got out of prison and fought that bum, Peter "Hurricane" McNeely. At the press conference, I remember McNeely saying, "Im Peter McNelly from Boston Mass.. and come Sat. Ima whoop up on Tyson's a**". Tyson sat there chuckling. All I could think was, "Tyson is gonna kill this dude". And he did.

[Tituscrow]

Originally Posted by powderfinger

I remember watching all of those as a kid/teenager. I loved Tyson fights. I remember staying up with my dad the night Tyson fought Buster Douglas. It came on HBO, I remember, and Tyson lost (admist controvery) to Douglas. That was one of my favorites, just bc Tyson showed himself to be a mere mortal.

My all time fave was when Lennox Lewis battered, and bloodied Tyson back in 2002. I watched that one with a group of friends. We had a pizza and beer party that night, and everyone was going nuts. While Douglas merely showed Tyson was mortal, Lews was the first guy to ever make Tyson look like his b*****. And in 2002, Tyson was not a popular guy. He was very arrogant and this point, and all bat sh** crazy talking about eating people's kids.

Oh, and does anyone remember 1995. When Tyson got out of prison and fought that bum, Peter "Hurricane" McNeely. At the press conference, I remember McNeely saying, "Im Peter McNelly from Boston Mass.. and come Sat. Ima whoop up on Tyson's a**". Tyson sat there chuckling. All I could think was, "Tyson is gonna kill this dude". And he did.

That's a great post, pretty much a carbon copy of my memories of Tyson at his best and worst.

And let's not forget the fight he was so desperate he took a chunk out of Holyfields ear. Still can't decide which hurt more...the punches or the bite!

Yeah, Lennox doing a number on him is right up there.

I think Steve Collins vs Nigel Benn was pretty tasty too?

Naseem Hameds early fights?

Oh, anyone remember some nutter parachuting into the ring just before Bowe vs Holyfield?

[powderfinger]

Yep, I remember Holyfield vs. Tyson. I watched it on PPV in college. Like 20 people went to this dude's house and we all payed 5 bucks or so. Beer, pizza, sodas, wings.... man, it was all good til that biting part. That pissed me off, bc yeah... we wanted to see a fight, but also because Tyson was such a b***** and couldn't take his beating like a man. I guess he learned when Lewis beat his senseless.

Remember after the Lewis fight, how Tyson challenged him to a rematch and said he would beat him. I was like... whatever Mike... you're done buddy. He did come back like a year later or so and had a fight on Showtime against some nobody.

One fight I can recall is when Tommy Morrison beat George Foreman. ANd it was cool bc Morrison had just been on Rocky V.

[Gaius46]

The Thrilla in Manila - Ali - Frazier III in 1975.

[basstotheface]

Holyfield v Tyson 1
Foreman v Frasier
Douglas v Tyson
Pacquiao v Marques 2008
Draggo v Rocky
Frazier v Ali 1
Joe Louis v Schmelling 1
Joe Louis v Marciano
Joe Louis v Schmelling 2

[Mazatleco17]

Blah blah heavyweights blah blah, How about Morales vs Barrera I or Ward vs Gatti or Rafael Marquez vs Israel Vazquez

[Jeff K]

This one wasn't pretty, but it was one of the most entertaining slugfests I've ever seen by two powerful punchers. George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle in 1976. Ron Lyle was an ex-con who spent 7 1/2 years in prison where he learned to box. These guys knocked the crap out of each other before one finally couldn't get back up. Just when you thought one of them was finished, they'd pop up and gain the upper hand. What a fight...

Oh yeah: 8 oz. gloves...

[Funky Ghost]

Hands down, no contest, Thomas the "Hit Man" Hearns -vrs- "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler.


For me, honorable mention goes to Earnie Shavers -vrs- Roy "Tiger" Williams.

[Turock]

Originally Posted by Funky Ghost

Hands down, no contest, Thomas the "Hit Man" Hearns -vrs- "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler.

Yep, that's the one. I was just about to post that.

[Eric Perry]

De La Hoya vs. Trinidad.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by steamthief

Ali-Frazier II.

No doubt.

[FilterFunk]

Originally Posted by Jeff K

This one wasn't pretty, but it was one of the most entertaining slugfests I've ever seen by two powerful punchers. George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle in 1976. Ron Lyle was an ex-con who spent 7 1/2 years in prison where he learned to box. These guys knocked the crap out of each other before one finally couldn't get back up. Just when you thought one of them was finished, they'd pop up and gain the upper hand. What a fight...

Oh yeah: 8 oz. gloves...

I remember that one...WOW!!! But the best I've ever seen is Ali-Frazier III - an incredible war of attrition.

[Tupac]

I was born in the wrong generation. It seems like everything cool happened between 70-90 -__-

Does anyone have Youtube links to these fights?

[lunarpollen]

Fred Rogers vs. Julia Child