Rank the best ROUNDS in boxing history

Here were the nominations and winners:

Greatest complete 15 rounds of all time available on film
(as voted for by members of ESB)

Round 1.
Nominations:
Hagler-Hearns, Pryor-Arguello I, Frazier-Quarry I, Patterson-Johannson III, Moore vs. Durelle I, Benny Paret v Gaspar Ortega I, Fighting Harada v Bernardo Carraballo, Curtis Parker-Philip Morefield

Winner: Hagler-Hearns

Round 2.
Nominations:
Hamed-Kelley, Terry Norris-Troy Waters, Rosario-Randall II, Mando Ramos-Sugar Ramos, Charles Brewer-Antwun Echols, Chacon-Boza Edwards II, Ramirez-Rosario II

Winner: Norris-Waters

Round 3.
Nominations:
Duran-DeJesus II, Gomez-Pintor, Benn-Gent, Jose Napoles v Billy Backus I, Mando Ramos-Sugar Ramos, Juan Manuel Marquez-Michael Katsidis, Pacquiao vs Márquez II

Winner: Napoles-Backus I

Round 4.
Nominations:
Foreman-Lyle, Antuofermo-Cyclone Hart, Chang-Tokashiki, Art Jimmerson-Lenny LaPaglia, Jose Stable v Charley Scott, Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz I, Miguel Berchelt-Francisco Vargas I

Winner: George Foreman-Ron Lyle

Round 5.
Nominations:
Avelar-Vasquez, Israel Vasquez v Rafael Marquez II, Art Jimmerson-Lenny LaPaglia, Barrera-Morales I, Sithchatawal-Monshipour, Carlos Ortiz v Battling Torres, Jofre-Medel, Gatti-Ward I, Frank Fletcher-James Green, Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko

Winner: Antonio Avelar-Wilfredo Vazquez

Round 6.
Nominations:
Marciano-Moore, Barrera-McKinney, Hagler vs. Mugabi, Rossman-Quarry III, Victor Ortiz-Andre Berto, Leonard-Hearns I

Winner: Marvin Hagler-John Mugabi

Round 7.
Nominations:
Yaegashi-Pornaswan, Dave Boy Green-Andy Price, Gatti-Ward III, Holyfield vs. Foreman, Mando Ramos-Sugar Ramos, Basilio-Marco II, Roberto Duran-Iran Barkley

Winner: Roberto Duran-Iran Barkley

Round 8.
Nominations:
Saad Muhammad-Lopez II, Saad Muhammad-Lopez I, Seabrooks-Jacob, Alejandro Gonzalez-Kevin Kelley, Giardello-Turner, Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz I, Roberto Duran-Iran Barkley

Winner: Matthew Saad Muhammad-Yaqui Lopez II

Round 9.
Nominations:
Ward-Gatti I, Jofre-Medel I, Holmes-Witherspoon, Mando Ramos-Sugar Ramos, Gomez-Pintor, Salido-Lopez II, Chacon-Boza Edwards I, Zaragoza-Jacob, Corrales-Castillo

Winner: Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti I

Round 10.
Nominations:
Holyfield-Bowie I, Charley Scott v Gaspar Ortega I, Patterson-Chuvalo, Chavez-Taylor I, Barrera-McKinney, Dick Tiger-Henry Hank, Tony DeMarco-Virgil Akins I

Winner: Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor I

Round 11.
Nominations:
Eubank-Watson II, Robinson-LaMotta VI, Holmes-Weaver I, Chavez-Randall I, Barrera-Morales III, O’Grady-Kenty, Roberto Duran-Iran Barkley, Naoya Inoue-Nonito Donaire

Winner: Ray Robinson-Jake LaMotta VI

Round 12.
Nominations:
De la Hoya-Quartey, Morales-Barrera III, Ali-Frazier III, Gomez-Pintor, Vazquez-Marquez, John Duddy-Yori Boy Campas, Frank Fletcher-Clint Jackson

Winner: Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier III

Round 13.
Nominations:
Duran-Leonard I, Pryor-Arguello I, Chandler-Canizales, Holmes-Norton, Olivares-Kanazawa II, Chacon-Limon IV, Betulio Gonzales-Guty Espadas, Buster Drayton-Matthew Hilton

Winner: Ruben Olivares-Kazuyoshi Kanazawa II

Round 14.
Nominations:
Saad Muhammad-Conteh I, McGuigan-Cruz, Chacon-Limon IV, Boza Edwards-Limon, Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier III, Larry Holmes-Ken Norton

Winner: Bobby Chacon-Rafael Limon IV

Round 15.
Nominations:
Chacon-Limon IV, Larry Holmes-Ken Norton, Boza Edwards-Limon, Betulio Gonzales-Guty Espadas, Buster Drayton-Matthew Hilton

Winner: Larry Holmes-Ken Norton

 

Favourite rounds ever (with honourable mentions)

Round 1: Juan Meza-Jaime Garza (Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello 1)
Round 2: don't really have a strong favourite
Round 3: Wilfredo Gomez-Lupe Pintor
Round 4: George Foreman-Ron Lyle (Jung Koo Chang-Katsuo Tokashiki)
Round 5: William Lee-John LoCicero (Antonio Avelar-Wilfredo Vasquez)
Round 6: Marco Antonio Barrera-Kennedy McKinney (Marvin Hagler-John Mugabi)
Round 7: Carmen Basilio-Tony DeMarco 2
Round 8: Matthew Saad Muhammad-Yaqui Lopez 2 (Kelvin Seabrooks-Thierry Jacob)
Round 9: Mickey Ward-Arturo Gatti 1 (Larry Holmes-Tim Witherspoon)
Round 10: Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo (Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor 1)
Round 11: Roberto Duran-Iran Barkley (Larry Holmes-Mike Weaver; Lee Roy Jones-Chisanda Mutti)
Round 12: Wilfredo Gomez-Lupe Pintor
Round 13: Ruben Olivares-Kazuyoshi Kanazawa 2
Round 14: Bobby Chacon-Rafael Limon 4
Round 15: Larry Holmes-Ken Norton (Bobby Chacon-Rafael Limon 4)

 

That was one enjoyable series that we did. I was looking forward to the next edition every 3 days.

 

The judges were swayed by a late burst from Holmes that briefly rocked Norton after he had dominated the first 2 minutes of the round. It's often cited as perhaps the premier example of judges "forgetting" what happened earlier in a round.

Personally, I've always felt that Norton deserved the round, but also that Holmes should've been ahead 8-6 going into that round. So IMO, the judges screwed up on two counts.

 

Agreed, after rewatching a few times, cant see how you can give that round to holmes

 

I just rewatched it - you're right, Norton should have won the final round on the cards.

It's still a great round though. But I just rewatched Holmes-Weaver round 11 and that is a tremendous round, just as good in my opinion.

 

Holmes-Weaver might've been the best HW fight ever IMO. It was also Weaver's best career performance IMO, despite it ending up a loss for him.

 

What it lacked in stature as an event it made up for in terms of pure action. Definitely one of my all-time favourite heavyweight fights.