Which fights are most memorable to you since you've watched boxing?

Now, there have been many fights you've watched in all your years as a fan of boxing, but only a few may really mean something to you personally. This could be one of many reasons. One could be a fighter you grew up to admire and respect and you truly wanted to see him succeed and become a champion. Maybe that fighter didn't win a World title, but won a fight of real significance to himself that meant something to you. Maybe it was a fight that went 12-15 rounds, with each round containing non-stop, back-and-forth action. Maybe one fighter caused such an upset it caused you to react in such a manner. Perhaps a sensational knockout that still gives you goosebumps, or a come-from-behind victory you never expected that stunned you completely.

The list could be endless for many of you, but it would be interesting to find out a few fights that meant the most to you.

opcorn:

 

Ward/Burton is the fight that really got me into boxing

 

Bowe/Golota II

 

Tyson-Douglas

 

Duran/Barkley... The last hurrah for "Hands Of Stone"

Douglas/Tyson for the shock of it... I watched it the week after ... Hearing that Tyson had lost was shocking, hearing that he had lost to a 40-1 dog was utterly baffling

Bowe/Golota I ... a really entertaining brawl with a chaotic insane ending, a big black eye for the sport

Holyfield/Tyson I ... It's become hip to act like this wasn't all that shocking, but that's bullshit... I was hollering for Holyfield

Holyfield/Tyson II ... An even bigger black eye that really hurt the game and made it a source of snarky humor for ESPN anchors

Whitaker/Chavez... Hugely important fight at the time and a horrible travesty

Brown/Norris... I thought Terry was a spot-picking, dirty cunt who only fought old welterweights... This was satisfying

Barrera/Morales I ... The most personal grudge match and a vicious fight, completely enthralling from the first second to the last... Barerra got jobbed, he won it clearly to me

Rahman/Lewis ... Completely shocking result

Hopkins/Trinidad... I knew Bernard would win and I knew all that "WAR" stuff was just talk... He gave a beautiful display in an electric atmosphere where 99% of the people were rooting for the other fellow

Sanders/pussy ... I don't think I've laughed more watching a fight, except maybe Brewster/pussy I

Barrera/Hamed ... Barrera follows almost a Sal Sanchez playbook and reveals Hamed as a huge hitter with speed and enormously exploitable holes in his game

Garcia/Khan ... Get him, Danny!!!!

Marquez/Pacquiao IV ... I expected another tight fight thanks to JMM's new "strength training" (evidenced by fight #3) but Either one of them knocked cold would be surprising, especially Pacquiao

Bradley/Provodnikov ... Hard to recall a fight where a guy who looked to be gone so many times actually wound up winning (and fairly at that)... Very dramatic bout, though it probably has less value on replay

 

Duran/Barkley was an awesome fight, the staredown at the final bell was badass.

 

cdogg did you watch Barkley/Hearns 1 live? That must have been shocking.

 

Brother clogg must've started watching boxing when he was 7.

The first really big fight I watched live was Barrera-Morales I. DLH-Mosley was a few months later and I think that's probably still the fight thats most memorable to me. I taped it on VHS and watched it over and over.

 

Hamed-Kelly - The fight that made me a hardcore fan

Morales-Barrera 1 - I just knew it would be a great fight, everybody did, it still surpassed everyone's expectations

Williams-Potter - The greatest turnaround in boxing history. BAR NONE.

Lewis-Holyfield 1 - Big Lewis fan, my favourite ever fighter. This was a massive event for me, and the robbery made me very sad

 

Nice Topic...

REED's Got a SHITLOAD of them, which he'll Split Up in Different Posts...

Muhammad Ali...

Ali vs. Frazier III ("Thrilla in Manila") - This was THE 1st Fight REED Maintained Any Recollection Of...REED was 4 @ the Time & Can Remember Watching it on Closed Circuit Television, in a 10-15,000 Seat Auditorium, Which was Filled to Capacity...REED Stood in the Aisle Most of the Time, Firing Pint Sized Combinations in Frazier's Direction:fightme:...

Ali vs. Spinks I - First Time REED Saw Ali LOSE a Fight...REED Literally CRIED himself to Sleep that Night...What Sucked was, REED lived in St. Louis, Missouri @ the Time, which is where the Spinks' are Also From...After Spinks Beat Ali EVERY Dipshit on the Playground SWORE Spinks was their Cousin, Uncle, Family Friend, etc..:shit:...

Ali vs. Holmes - By this Time, REED was 9 & a Fairly ASTUTE Boxing Fan Who SHOULD'VE Known Better, but this was ALI..."The GREATEST"...REED had Watched ALOT of Larry Holmes by this Point, RESPECTED his Talent, but Found him SOLID, yet Unspectacular, Primarily...No WOW Factor...Ali TALKED the Talk, Whipped his Body into what LOOKED like Fighting Shape & REED was Sold...It was During this Fight REED Realized Ali, the Man who had BIRTHED his Boxing Fandom, was FINISHED...



REED:mj:

 

Sugar Ray Leonard...

Leonard vs Duran II - Their 1st Bout was REED's Initial Experience w/Roberto Duran...REED had Neer Seen a Fighter Soooo NASTY, MEAN (Almost ANIMALISTIC), In your Face, Didn't Give a Fuck & to Top it Off he CLEARLY Beat Sugar Ray, the 1st Time...REED Didn't Think Leonard Could BEAT a Guy like That...Watching Leonard OUTBOX Duran, CLOWN him & Make him QUIT was Shocking & Very Rewarding for a Hardcore Sugar Ray Lover...

Leonard vs Hearns I - REED was Openly Rooting for Sugar Ray but Simply COULD NOT Make a Case for him BEATING the Tall, Lanky, Murderous Punching Hitman Hearns...REED Kept Those Thoughts to HIMSELF However & Put Up a Good Front Otherwise...Not Only Did Leonard Beat Hearns, he STOPPED him...WOW!!!...

Leonard vs. Hagler - To Say REED was "Scared" for Sugar Ray is an Understatement...REED Thought Hagler Might PERMANENTLY BLIND Leonard (Who was Coming Off Retina Surgery) or Possibly KILL Him...MANY Respected Boxing Scribes Media Sorts had the Same Fear....For Whatever Reason, Hagler Chose NOT to Fight w/the Ferocity he Did vs. Hearns & it COST him...


REED:mj:

 

Oddly the fight that hooked me on boxing, Duane Bobick-Teofilo Stevenson in the 1972 Olympics. I was just rooting for the American to win. But Stevenson's brutality in the 3rd round, something you'd never see in the Olympics today, just hooked me. I watched anything and everything that had to do with boxing after seing that fight.

 

Collins vs Eubank really gripped Ireland. It was pre boom-town Ireland, and was hosted in a showjumping arena in a small town in the arsehole of nowhere, Millstreet in Co. Cork, you could not have been more removed from Las Vegas than you were with this shit. It was the Irish equivalent of Jack Dempsey bankrupting Shelby, Montana. Collins taking Eubanks undefeated record was almost of secondary importance.

 

My Mum (R.I.P), was born and raised in Millstreet, Co Cork. I want to ask my uncles and cousins if any of them were at that fight.

I only found out last month that my Dad was at Loftus Road, Shepherd's Bush in 1985 the night Barry McGuigan beat Eusebio Pedroza to claim the WBA World featherweight title :bears:

 

Lewis-Tyson. I remember the build-up to the fight. Myself and my mates were constantly talking about it weeks before it happened. I went to my mate's house to watch it. There were loads of us there. I was rooting for Lewis and a couple of other guys were too, the rest thought Tyson would beat Lewis. That was a special fight for me because it made me fall in love with boxing. The build up, the two fighters and what it meant (despite that it should of happened years before). What it meant to Lewis. You just knew that Tyson wasn't quite right mentally, especially from his antics in the build-up to it. I was fixated. Glued to the screen. The way Lewis ended the fight was brilliant and the respect between them both after was a joy to see.

Mayweather Jr-Hatton. This was another special fight for me. I was a fan of Hatton and I really thought he would beat Floyd. That was down to me having only really seen glimpses of Floyd prior to the fight. I should have paid more attention to who Floyd was and what a special talent he was. My mate kept saying to me that Hatton wasn't going to win. Well, I should have listened. That was the fight that made me stand up and realize just how good Floyd was. The occasion itself was amazing. The build-up of course was special too. I hosted the fight at my house. Loads of people turned up but only a few of us were really interested in the fight. Floyd ended the fight in spectacular fashion. I was amazed.

Two fights that will live long in my memory.

 

:bears:

Seriously Jimbles, Loftus Road is a cracking venue for boxing, they should hold another big fight there. Chunky-Ginger should have taken place there.

 

Pacquiao-Hatton. I knew of Pacquiao before the fight. I had seen him fight before and I knew he was talented, but I still picked Hatton to beat him. I also lost money on this fight too. This was a knockout I will never forget. I was just stunned after Pac landed that shot that put Hatton down. I'll never forget it. If people ask me which knockout stands out most to me...that's the one.

 

I would love that!!

 

Bradley-Provodnikov. I just LOVE this fight. Bradley gained my respect after this fight and I am now a fan of his. I also like Provodnikov but Bradley showed a different side that night. Provo landed bomb after bomb yet Bradley was willing to trade with him. Bradley showed a chin and heart of a champion too.

 

Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whittaker

Whittaker vs. Comeaux - Sweet Pea's the 1st Guy REED & His Ol' Man Discovered TOGETHER...In the Cases of Ali & Sugar Ray, REED was Merely Following his Father's Lead, Since he'd Obviously Seen them Fight 1st...w/Whittaker, Father & Son Viewed him for the 1st Time TOGETHER ('84 Olympic Trials) & Jumped On the Bandwagon TOGETHER, Hand in Hand...

The Comeaux Fight is ONLY Significant Because it was Pernell Whittaker's Pro Debut & Several Other of the '84 Olympians Debuted the Same Night, on the Same Televised Card...For REED, it's Significant Because he Moved from St. Louis to Dallas, Texas, 2 Months After this Bout & Never EVER Watched a Live Bout w/his Ol' Man Again:Wah:...

*REED Just BoxRec'd Comeaux's Record...Dude was 9-0, 5 KO's in Whittaker's Debut::...There's NOfuckingCHANCE a Highly Touted Olympian, Even an Olympic Gold Medalist, DEBUTS Against a Guy w/a Record like that Again...INSANE that Whittaker Did*

Whittaker vs. Haugen - REED Didn't Watch Boxing Quite as Much, Upon Moving to Dallas & Didn't See Another of Sweet Pea's Pro Fights UNTIL This 1...REED had Heard Whittaker LOST to Jose Luis Ramirez, but Didn't Know How Bad of a ROBBERY it was...REED Had Seen Haugen Beat the Likes of Jimmy Paul, Freddy Roach, Charlie Brown, Edwin Curet, Vinny Paz & Others...Haugen was a TOUGH Little Dude & REED was a Bit Concerned on HOW Pernell Would Fare...Haugen was BETTER than Ramirez, in REED's Opinion...Turned Out to Be 1 of THE Best Performances of Whittaker's Career & to REED, it VALIDATED the Opinions Him & His Ol' Man had Voiced...

Whittaker-Chavez - REED had a Summer Job in a Warehouse, Which had No Fewer than 100 Co-Workers who were Mexican...Quite Naturally, they ALL Thought Chavez Would Win...Their Sheer BELIEF in Chavez was Soooooooo STRONG, it Made REED 2nd Guess Himself....Almost...

REED Relied on his EYE'S & Saw Enough in Pernell STYLISTICALLY, to Favor Him by a Close Decision...REED hadd Seen a Handful of Chavez Bouts, Most Notably, his 1st Fight w/Uncle Roger, the Rosario Fight & the Meldrick Taylor Fight...REED Knew Sweet Pea Could Replicate the Blueprint Taylor Used in Beating Chavez for Several Rounds, While Tasting FEWER Shots...When REED Expressed this to his Co-Workers, No Fewer than 20 or So Approached him to WAGER...Couldn't Afford to Bet ALL of them, but REED Recalls Putting @ Least a COUPLE Hundred on the Line, Which Would've Ate Up a LARGE % of the Paycheck, Back in those Days...

Of Course, the Rest is History...Whittaker Beat Chavez EASIER than REED Could've Ever Imagined...Whittaker-Chavez was the 1st Fight Watching Party REED Hosted, as an ADULT...



REED:mj:

 

And a guy who was 20-1 in his 5th fight! Sweet Pea = :bears:

 

It's REMARKABLE, when Juxtaposed w/the Career Arc of Today's Elite Ammy Fighters...

Even if a Dude is 9-0, 5 KO's Against FEMALE Opponents EXCLUSIVELY, he's Not Gonna Be the PRO DEBUT of a Highly Touted Olympian:laugh11:...Not Only Did Whittaker Fight a 9-0, 5 KO's Guy, he Beat the Living Shit Out of the Dude & STOPPED him in Less than a Round...

Facing a 20-1 Cat in Just his 5th Fight is Equally ABSURD, from a Matchmaking Perspective...Fought John Montes in his 8th Fight, who was 29-3, 20+ KO's & a LEGITIMATE World Class Gatekeeper Type...

Whittaker's Career Arc is COMICAL, Really...



REED::

 

Vargas-Trinidad : The build up was great, the fight was great too.

Corrales-Castillo I : One of the best comebacks I've witnessed. The fight was just brutal.

Holyfield-Tyson I : Everybody that watched the fight with me was convinced Tyson would destroy Holyfield, we were all very surprised by the result of the fight.

 

Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello I. It's still one of the greatest fights I've ever seen. Pryor surprising everyone by boxing successfully and Arguello showing he still had plenty left in the tank. And the finish was just epic.

Hagler-Hearns. I just remember sitting there in awe. i was just amazed and wondering how in the blue hell did Hagler walk through that firestorm. Marvin getting busted up, desperate and closing the show. Still one of my favorite nights of boxing.

Tyson-Marvis Fraizier. It was just a holy shit moment. Winning the title just seemed like a formality after that.

Marlon Starling-Lloyd Honeyghan. It was just a masterclass. Marlon beat the fight out of Honeyghan that night.

Pacquiao-Barrera I. I thought it was a bridge too far at the time for Manny but a star was born that night.

Corrales-Castillo I. It was a war and I shouted myself hoarse that night. Chico bent the rules to survive but that finish was incredible.

Mosley-Margarito. Shane seemed used up and Margarito was the monster that looked to end his career. Shane had his last great performance and slayed the monster.

 

Yeah, Pryor--Arguello I is the greatest fight I've ever seen, must've been unbelievable to watch live.

 

It Was...

REED was Pulling for Arguello that Night...Alexis was Known for Starting SLOWLY, but he Fought an UPHILL Battle All Night Looooooooooong, vs. Pryor...Watching it Live, You Kept Waiting & WAITING for Arguello to Eventually Turn the Tide & Take Over for Good, but it Never Came...He FLIRTED w/Doing this Many Times, but Pryor REFUSED to Relinquish Complete Control of the Fight...

VERY Dramatic Fight to Watch Live, from the Perspective of an Arguello Fan...Shockingly BRUTAL Finish As Well...



REED:mj:

 

One of my absolute all time favorite "schoolings". Moochie made Honeyghan look like a helpless amateur. It made my day. I hated Honeyghan ever since the Bumphus fight.

 

That fight epitomizes why great bouts can be re-watched dozens of times. All the nuances, minor momentum changes, the brutality, the craftsmanship, and amazing hearts tested to their very limits.

 

Nah, I didn't see that one as it happened... I remember hearing about it right after

Even Duran/Barkley, I was just a kid of 11 ('89, right?) so even though I understood that I was watching a great moment from a fighter everybody thought was washed up, I think I would have appreciated it a lot more if I were in my 30s when it happened...