What was the most impressive performance in boxing history?

[Goodnight, Irene]

Is Foreman's first win over Frazier any more impressive than Pacquiao's maiden victory against Barrera?

I still think it's indicative of a lack of historical knowledge for anyone to point to one fight & declare it a sure thing.

[elmersalsa]

Well, I think we discussed this before about a year or two years ago. But to me, the greatest performance that I have ever seen in 30 years watching boxing was when the great Pernell Whitaker totally dominated the great Julio Cesar Chavez. Chavez at the time was considered the #1 fighter pound per pound in the world, was undefeated with 87 victories and also he was in his prime. Too bad it was a questionable and stinking draw.

Other great performances in my lifetime:
1. Duran vs DeJesus III
2. Holyfield vs Tyson I
3. Tyson vs Spinks
4. Tyson vs Berbick
5. Tyson vs Marvis Frazier
6. Hagler vs Mugabi
7. Buster Douglas vs Tyson
8. Chavez vs Chapo Rosario
9. Sanchez vs Gomez
10. Hearns vs Duran...At 154lbs, not too many fighters would have beaten Hearns that night. Hearns was awesome.

Other great perfomances BEFORE I WAS BORN OR BEFORE I STARTED WATCHING BOXING:
1. Duran vs Buchanan
2. Ali vs Cleveland Williams
3. Louis vs Schmeling II
4. Williams vs Beau Jack
5. Monzon vs Napoles
6. Napoles vs Cokes I

[Ezzard]

people listing Tyson - Spinks are not really seeing the fight for what it was.

just keeping it to ones I've seen.

Duran-Leonard I
Ali-Foreman
Frazier-Ali I
Holyfield-Tyson
Moore-Durelle
Duran-Barkley
Leonard-Hearns I
Honeyghan-Curry
Sanchez-Nelson
Sanchez-Gomez
Fenech-Nelson I
Holyfield-Bowe II
Marciano-Walcott I
Hearns-Leonard II
Barerra-Hamed
Foreman-Moorer

[dajuggernaut]

I said Tyson-Spinks because Spinks was such a dominant force going into that fight. Undefeated Olympic Gold Medalist and was seen as the only guy at the time that could give Tyson a run for his money. Tyson just tore him apart. He beat him so bad that Spinks never fought again.

[Goodnight, Irene]

"Beat him so bad!?"

Spinks quit. He was clear-headed & petrified. Observe his eyes as Cappucino counts over him on the second knockdown. No two ways about it.

I'm not trying to denigrate either man --- Spinks was a great champion (at least, at Light-Heavy), & Tyson makes my top ten all-timers list --- but that fight was so far removed from, "the most impressive performance in boxing history" it's laughable.

[observer1]

"Beat him so bad!?"

Spinks quit. He was clear-headed & petrified. Observe his eyes as Cappucino counts over him on the second knockdown. No two ways about it.

I'm not trying to denigrate either man --- Spinks was a great champion (at least, at Light-Heavy), & Tyson makes my top ten all-timers list --- but that fight was so far removed from, "the most impressive performance in boxing history" it's laughable.

Alot of fighters have gone in petrified. It's naturaly for boxers to go in hesistant, and Spinks was more than hesitant, even so, a KO in Round 1 to Unify the HW champoionship is remarkable for someone of his Spinks Calibre.

[Jaywheel]

Can't believe no one mentionned that one:

Shannon Briggs overcoming asthma to become WBO HW champ. :P

[Ezzard]

Spinks was there for a pay day. He knew he wouldn't last at HW for long. He secured the fight with Tyson (for minimum risk) and had one foot on the golf course or wherever sensible retired boxers go.

Tyson did it as best as anyone could, but this was never a live fight. Tyson blowing out Berbick was far more impressive.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Can't believe no one mentionned that one:

Shannon Briggs overcoming asthma to become WBO HW champ. :P

You forgot to add Briggs' immortal line, "No disrespect to Muhammad Ali or Ray Robinson, but they didn't win the title suffering asthma..."

What a raging loser Briggs always was...

[Ezzard]

Reminds me of the episode of Curb Your Enthusiam where Larry takes a Survivor of the nazi death camps to a dinner to meet another Survivor. Turns out this other guy is a Survivor from the Survivor TV show.

The old Jewish guy is, shall we say, a little offended. He starts recounting stories of the terrible conditions and atrocities. This young brash guy from the Survivor show tells him. That's nothing this place we were at didn't even have a gym...

[Goodnight, Irene]

Reminds me of the episode of Curb Your Enthusiam where Larry takes a Survivor of the nazi death camps to a dinner to meet another Survivor. Turns out this other guy is a Survivor from the Survivor TV show.

The old Jewish guy is, shall we say, a little offended. He starts recounting stories of the terrible conditions and atrocities. This young brash guy from the Survivor show tells him. That's nothing this place we were at didn't even have a gym...

Remember it well, it sent soft drink flying all over my freshly-cleaned carpet D

"...-45 degrees..." LOL

[UpWithEvil]

Aaron Pryor's first win over Alexis Arguello was a pretty amazing performance. Arguello would have killed any other light-welter in the world that night. Sure, Pryor was probably stoned to the gills on Panama's Magic Juice, but it was a very impressive performance to watch.

[My2Sense]

Is Foreman's first win over Frazier any more impressive than Pacquiao's maiden victory against Barrera?

Yes.

[Goodnight, Irene]

It's a devil's advocate question, rather than a literal inquiry, M2S.

[generic screen name]

My top five

Frazier/Ali I - I remember a part where Joe took a mean combination from Ali. But he didn't care! The knockdown in the 14th sealed any notion that Ali was going to win.

Leonard/Benitez- Leonard had to work hard just to get combinations going against Benitez. Leonard worked really hard to win every round too!

Hearns/Duran - Nothing that Duran tried work. Hearns length and speed flustered Duran.

Bowe/Holyfield I - really great performance by both men. Must've been the most highly skilled ( atleast offensively) heavyweight bout I have ever witnessed. I still remember the crunching uppercut that Bowe throws in the 10th!

Chavez/Rosario - Infighting 101. Rosario looked like he got hit by a Mac truck by the end of the fight!

[giacomino]

Totally underrated just because it hasn't been mentioned here: 1982's Wilfredo Gomez vs Lupe Pintor. If there ever was a better example of two great fighters refusing to lose, I haven't seen it. Great skill and action from the time the bell sounded in Round 1 until Gomez's used his force of will to make Pintor capitulate late in the 14th round. The great thing about this fight was it may have been the finest moment for both the winner and loser. That's something you don't see much of

[Grimm]

My top five

Frazier/Ali I - I remember a part where Joe took a mean combination from Ali. But he didn't care! The knockdown in the 14th sealed any notion that Ali was going to win.

Leonard/Benitez- Leonard had to work hard just to get combinations going against Benitez. Leonard worked really hard to win every round too!

Hearns/Duran - Nothing that Duran tried work. Hearns length and speed flustered Duran.

Bowe/Holyfield I - really great performance by both men. Must've been the most highly skilled ( atleast offensively) heavyweight bout I have ever witnessed. I still remember the crunching uppercut that Bowe throws in the 10th!

Chavez/Rosario - Infighting 101. Rosario looked like he got hit by a Mac truck by the end of the fight!

Heres one I forgot all about this was a great fight, don't see infighting like this these days.

[Poncey]

Robinson v Maxim. No question.

[pete]

Reminds me of the episode of Curb Your Enthusiam where Larry takes a Survivor of the nazi death camps to a dinner to meet another Survivor. Turns out this other guy is a Survivor from the Survivor TV show.

The old Jewish guy is, shall we say, a little offended. He starts recounting stories of the terrible conditions and atrocities. This young brash guy from the Survivor show tells him. That's nothing this place we were at didn't even have a gym...

Hey Larry,we survived!

[slakka]

Easily-EASILY!!
17yrs old Wilfred Benitez delivering a boxing lesson deluxe to one of the greatest champions in the history of the div Antonio Kid Pamblee Cervantes. Benitez was in freekin peach fuzz!

This achievement a Mozart level mind snapper and unmentioned in this post.

[slakka]

Easily-EASILY!!
17yrs old Wilfred Benitez delivering a boxing lesson deluxe to one of the greatest champions in the history of the div Antonio Kid Pamblee Cervantes. Benitez was in freekin peach fuzz!

This achievement was a Mozart level mind snapper and unmentioned in this post.

[theone]

Easily-EASILY!!
17yrs old Wilfred Benitez delivering a boxing lesson deluxe to one of the greatest champions in the history of the div Antonio Kid Pamblee Cervantes. Benitez was in freekin peach fuzz!

This achievement was a Mozart level mind snapper and unmentioned in this post.

Good pick.

[slakka]

4.Teen-Ager Wins Boxing Crown
The Hartford Courant (1923-1984). Hartford, Conn.: Mar 7, 1976. p. 12C (1 page) Abstract Page map Article image - PDF (22 K)

7.Benitez, 17, Wins Ring Title
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Mar 7, 1976. p. D10 (1 page) Citation Page map Article image - PDF (9 K)


Just got a few teeny weeny little blerbs back in the day, sooo wrong!!

[Jaclem]

..hey pete...you did more than survive...you prevailed....won...and continued a long history of remarkable acheivements!

[Rusty Phlanges]

im a huge tyson fan myself, and the way spinks was trying to hide in his corner was hillarious. but i enjoyed the holyfield wars wit bowe, of course any marvin haglar brawls, and that one diego corrales fight. i also enjoyed watching gollatta implode and punch riddick bowes dick off in 2 fights that he was winning. hillarious.