ESPN Whose #1 (Greatest Fights)

JAHamilton77 · Post by **JAHamilton77** » 29 Aug 2006, 12:52

This was the topic on Whose #1 on ESPN this morning. I dont know if it was new or old or if anyone has done a thread on it before. I did enter the names into the search engine and it didnt kick back any results.

Remember this is ESPNs opinion not mine.

1. Jack Dempsey vs Luis Firpo
2. Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier III
3. Archie Moore v Yvon Durelle (I guess the 1st fight)
4. Marvin Hagler v Thomas Hearns
5. Joe Louis v Billy Conn I
6. Tony Zale v Rocky Graziano II
7. Tony Zale v Rocky Graziano I
8. Joe Frazier v Muhammad Ali I
9. Alexis Arguello v Aaron Pryor I
10. Carmen Basilio v Tony DeMarco (didnt specify, but I think the 2nd fight)
11. George Foreman v Ronnie Lyle
12. Larry Holmes v Ken Norton
13. Rocky Marciano v Jersey Joe Walcott I
14. Sugar Ray Leonard v Thomas Hearns
15. Evander Holyfield v Ridick Bowe I
16. Willie Pep v Sandy Saddler II
17. Joe Louis v Max Schmelling (they didnt specify but my guess is 2)
18. Muhammad Ali v George Foreman
19. Sugar Ray Robinson v Jake LaMotta VI
20. Jack Dempsey v Gene Tunney II

Thoughts and opinions??? Remember play nice

pundit · Post by **pundit** » 29 Aug 2006, 13:07

JAHamilton77 wrote:This was the topic on Whose #1 on ESPN this morning. I dont know if it was new or old or if anyone has done a thread on it before. I did enter the names into the search engine and it didnt kick back any results.

Remember this is ESPNs opinion not mine.

1. Jack Dempsey vs Luis Firpo
2. Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier III
3. Archie Moore v Yvon Durelle (I guess the 1st fight)
4. Marvin Hagler v Thomas Hearns
5. Joe Louis v Billy Conn I
6. Tony Zale v Rocky Graziano II
7. Tony Zale v Rocky Graziano I
8. Joe Frazier v Muhammad Ali I
9. Alexis Arguello v Aaron Pryor I
10. Carmen Basilio v Tony DeMarco (didnt specify, but I think the 2nd fight)
11. George Foreman v Ronnie Lyle
12. Larry Holmes v Ken Norton
13. Rocky Marciano v Jersey Joe Walcott I
14. Sugar Ray Leonard v Thomas Hearns
15. Evander Holyfield v Ridick Bowe I
16. Willie Pep v Sandy Saddler II
17. Joe Louis v Max Schmelling (they didnt specify but my guess is 2)
18. Muhammad Ali v George Foreman
19. Sugar Ray Robinson v Jake LaMotta VI
20. Jack Dempsey v Gene Tunney II

Thoughts and opinions??? Remember play nice

Dempsey Firpo was entertaining but great? to me the fight doesn't even belong on to that list.

Leonard Duran I is a fight I'd like on that list. And of course Johnson-Jeffries.

JAHamilton77 · Post by **JAHamilton77** » 29 Aug 2006, 14:22

I did think that was an odd pick for #1..... Strange for ESPN because they usually pick flashier more well known choices (fights in this case) to top their lists.

generic screen name · Post by **generic screen name** » 29 Aug 2006, 14:23

I saw this before and I'm kinda iffy on Foreman/Ali, Schmeling/Louis, and Robinson/LaMotta VI being there. Robinson/LaMotta VI it was a complete asskicking. Schmeling/Louis was memorable but not one of the most exciting fights ever. I'm surprised they didn't put Douglas/Tyson in the mix.

There was plenty of good hispanic fights that were awesome and totally got ignored.

In my opinion great fights have to have some elements to them:

1. Significance - unifying a division, being two of the best in a division/pound for pound, a world championship of sorts,
2. Storyline - something a little extra to add to an already good fight like controversial endings (Chavez/Taylor), love/hate rivalries (Ali/Frazier), etc.
3. Excitement - see saw battles, (Foreman/Lyle) incredible changes in momentum (Corrales/Castillo), heart of both fighters (Leonard/Hearns)

Seamus · Post by **Seamus** » 29 Aug 2006, 14:58

Not very objective since 11 out of 20 are heavyweight bouts.

generic screen name · Post by **generic screen name** » 29 Aug 2006, 15:03

Seamus wrote:Not very objective since 11 out of 20 are heavyweight bouts.

Good point especially since the majority of good fights are among the lighter weights.

mattyp151 · Post by **mattyp151** » 29 Aug 2006, 15:07

Granted they weren't exactly displays of pugilistic ability, but to not mention Ward/Gatti in any measure is terrible. Everyone knows how exciting those fights were. Yes, I understand it was a prototypical journeyman against a fight who hurt himself outside the ring more than inside, but it still made for fantastic boxing.

I was also surprised not to see Carbajal/Gonzalez up there. Round 5 was honestly one of the four best rounds of boxing I've ever seen in my life.

Ward/Gatti I round 9
Corrales/Castillo I round 10
Hagler/Hearns round 1
Carbajal/Gonzalez I round 5

hebrew_hammer · Post by **hebrew_hammer** » 29 Aug 2006, 15:36

Agreed... no doubt Corrales-Castillo I should be up there... especially over Rumble in the Jungle... sure, it was a huge upset, but the fight itself was not overly entertaining IMO. Heck, if it was just being judged on significance / upset, then Foreman-Moorer should be there (even though I don't think it should).

mattyp151 · Post by **mattyp151** » 29 Aug 2006, 15:44

Recent fight between Sithchatchawal and Monshipour was pretty much a copy of round 10 Corrales/Castillo....but for the entire fight.

mattyp151 · Post by **mattyp151** » 29 Aug 2006, 16:21

Decagon wrote:
Mattyp151 wrote:Recent fight between Sithchatchawal and Monshipour was pretty much a copy of round 10 Corrales/Castillo....but for the entire fight.
Don't be silly. It was a great fight, but you're going overboard. It was as good a fight as Corrales-Castillo I, but not too much better.

It was a complete battle, very very good fight. Being as good of a fight as COrrales/Castillo is big. Somsak looked to be dead to rights finished in the 9th, and had a fantastic flurry in the tenth to can it.

AndreWardFan2006 · Post by **AndreWardFan2006** » 29 Aug 2006, 16:35

The Thrilla in Manilla was the greatest fight of all-time in my book. I also consider Aaron Pryor - Alexis Arguello I to be the second best.

mattyp151 · Post by **mattyp151** » 29 Aug 2006, 17:03

Decagon wrote:
Mattyp151 wrote:
Decagon wrote:Don't be silly. It was a great fight, but you're going overboard. It was as good a fight as Corrales-Castillo I, but not too much better.
It was a complete battle, very very good fight. Being as good of a fight as COrrales/Castillo is big. Somsak looked to be dead to rights finished in the 9th, and had a fantastic flurry in the tenth to can it.
I'm watching the 9th round right now (I turned it on as I made that last post). Sithchatchawal's out, but Monshipour simply doesn't have enough in the tank to put him away. For a little while, Monshipour's doing the right thing, using his jab, but then he's just out of it, himself, and the two look like little kids in a fistfight.

Monshipour has NO LEGS going into the 10th. Sithchatchawal wins the fight simply because he does what Monshipour didn't in the 9th - use his jab. For Monshipour, ever punch is a power punch, and it usually misses. He does get Sithchatchawal in trouble, but Sithchatchawal goes back to the basics, body punching. Finally, Monshipour is simply gone. Sithchatchawal lands power shot after power shot, and each one hits the target. He even falls down landing one, and the referee lets him continue - illegally - without wiping off Sitchatchawal's gloves. Finally, the ref calls it a TKO, the French commentator shouting, "non! Non! Non!"

I could just see Ringsider being really pissed off that the lefty won. I bet he was shouting, "non! Non! Non!"

See, the fight even had it's own shenanigans....like the mouthpiece issue with Corrales (which he learned from Freitas, who is a habitual spitter)

ESPN Whose #1 (Greatest Fights)

ESPN Whose #1 (Greatest Fights)

Re: ESPN Whose #1 (Greatest Fights)