Fighters whose best performances were in a loss

[Jasonkinsley]

Throwing this out there. We often talk about great victories, but what fighters made their greatest performance in a fight in which, for whatever reason, they came up on the losing end.

I’ll offer two to start it off — Meldrick Taylor in his first first with Chavezand Ken Norton in his loss to Ali. What do you all think?

[DrDuke]

Both Klitschkos? Against Lewis and Joshua respectively. Maybe not their best performances in the sense of succeeding in their game, but the most competetive and thus very entertaining.

[gilgamesh]

Rocky Juarez lost the first fight with Marco Antonio Barrera, but gave a good enough effort that he got himself a rematch which he lost thoroughly.

Still though I think it's fair to say that his performance in that 1st fight against Barrera is probably as good as he ever looked. Certainly as good as I ever saw him, and I saw quite a bit of Juarez.

[gilgamesh]

You could argue that Maidana's performance in the 1st Mayweather fight was his best. If you wanted to say the Broner fight was better that's fair, but I'd say his performance in the 1st Mayweather fight has to be AT LEAST one of his 3 best performances along with the Broner and Victor Ortiz fights respectively.

[DrDuke]

By the way, Frampton, who has scored a TKO over Jackson few minutes ago, had a very good performance in Santa Cruz rematch. I had even him winning that bout.

[APerno]

Rosario's performance against Camacho.

[tiny_acres]

Rosario's performance against Camacho.

Good call

[scartissue]

I was going to say Edwin Rosario against Chavez. Those bombs he was dropping on Julio's jaw were unbelievable. Even more amazing was Chavez handling them. Also, Jerry Quarry in his first fight with Frazier and Henry Cooper in his first fight with Ali.

[APerno]

Cooper vs. Clay I - that's a good call; the fourth round hook may have been the very apex of 'Enri's career.

[APerno]

This doesn't answer the OP's question directly but three of Tommy Hearns' best fights were two loses and a draw. I suppose his actual best performance was the win over Duran. Personally I always felt (although it wasn't exciting) that Hearns' best night was when he out jabbed Hill.

[Abradolf Lincler]

Iran Barkley looked as good or better than I've ever seen him against Duran.

[HyacinthusTurnipseed]

Lower level than some of the names mentioned here but the first name that popped into my mind was Derek Chisora - in the "loss" to Helenius (if that counts) and the loss to Vitali.

Also, George Groves in the first Froch fight.

[DrDuke]

Oh, how everyone forgot about Arguello vs Pryor 1.

[sweetsci]

Golota vs. Bowe, until the DQs.

[APerno]

Oh, how everyone forgot about Arguello vs Pryor 1.

[adislav123]

Klitschko vs. Joshua

[gilgamesh]

I was going to say Edwin Rosario against Chavez. Those bombs he was dropping on Julio's jaw were unbelievable. Even more amazing was Chavez handling them. Also, Jerry Quarry in his first fight with Frazier and Henry Cooper in his first fight with Ali.

Camacho would probably be the better call. Rosario was definitely game, and gave his best against Chavez, but he took a severe ass kicking there. He gave Camacho hell, and gave him such a fright that he altered Camacho's fighting style from that fight onward.

[Perseus]

Sam Soliman vs Winky Wright

[elmersalsa]

Meldrick Taylor performance against the great Julio Cesar Chavez is one of the all time best.

Also, the great Muhammad Ali's performance against Smokin'Joe is tops. He fought his ass off.

[DrDuke]

Also, the great Muhammad Ali's performance against Smokin'Joe is tops. He fought his ass off.

And also vice versa, Frazier was giving everything that had remained of him in Manila.

[Quantrax]

Herol Graham / Julian Jackson

[wouter]

Herol Graham / Julian Jackson

Hmmmm.... that fight only lasted 4 rounds.

[Ambling Alp II]

Maybe Mercer against Lewis. Great fight and Mercer easily could have got the decision.

[Flump]

Tim Witherspoon and Carl Williams vs Larry Holmes

[Bodyshot3]

Eubank Senior against Calzaghe.

Was never-ever a Eubank fan; he defeated my idol Benn and a very large part of his career was then spent dealing with 'gimmes' and often making properly heavy-weather of these winnable/cynical fights with the notable exception of meeting Mike Watson, Benn again and the quite handy Henry Wharton.

But very late in the day it's actually Eubank who is prepared to make SMW and get in with a prime Calzaghe who has good hands and can still hit hard at this juncture, has great speed and who Collins had side-stepped.

And Eubank gets cracked early and dropped with a right peach but finds a way to drag himelf back into the fight and gives Calzaghe 12 proper, hard and difficult championship rounds

Eubank was class that night and Calzaghe still rates him well above most of his other opponents.