The Greatest Win in Boxing History

[elmersalsa]

Which is the greatest win in boxing history?

[elmersalsa]

Honorary mentions:
Bob Fitzsimmons WKO14 Gentleman James J. Corbett (1897)

Jack Johnson WKO15 James J. Jeffries (1910)

Sugar Ray Leonard WTKO14 Tommy Hearns (I) (1981)

Sugar Ray Leonard W12 Marvelous Marvin Hagler (1987)

Gene Tunney W10 Jack Dempsey (I) (1926)

[keithmoonhangover]

Leonard-Hagler is #1 for me and it's not on the main list. One fight in five years, first time at the weight, beat a guy who'd dominated the division for six years

[keithmoonhangover]

Johnson-Jeffries wasn't a great win, Jim was coming off a nine year layoff.
Frazier-Ali was a fantastic win, but Ali wasn't the same after the ban.

[gilgamesh]

I'd give it to Joe Frazier for beating Ali in 1971 because I think Muhammad Ali is one of the all time greatest fighters period, and the gap between him and Frazier as far as legacy is pretty large, but the gap between them that night, didn't exist at all.

[elmersalsa]

I think that the Smokin' Joe Frazier that fought Muhammad Ali in the Fight of the Century in '71 was the greatest win by a boxer. He really fought his ass off. A well deserved win. Maybe or perhaps for me, the greatest win of all-time.

[keithmoonhangover]

I'd give it to Joe Frazier for beating Ali in 1971 because I think Muhammad Ali is one of the all time greatest fighters period, and the gap between him and Frazier as far as legacy is pretty large, but the gap between them that night, didn't exist at all.

You don't think the three year gap made it easier for Frazier?

[gilgamesh]

I'd give it to Joe Frazier for beating Ali in 1971 because I think Muhammad Ali is one of the all time greatest fighters period, and the gap between him and Frazier as far as legacy is pretty large, but the gap between them that night, didn't exist at all.

You don't think the three year gap made it easier for Frazier?

Ali was still the best Heavyweight of the decade in the 1970's was he not? He had just TKO'd the #1 contender, and won another bout via a 15th round TKO a few short months prior to fighting Frazier.

Whether we saw Rusty Ali, Peak Frazier or a combination of the 2. I give Frazier the benefit of the doubt that he was facing an Ali that was as prepared as he could've been, and considering all that Ali had already achieved and would continue to achieve in the decade, being the 1st man to defeat him is about as big as it gets.

[keithmoonhangover]

I'd give it to Joe Frazier for beating Ali in 1971 because I think Muhammad Ali is one of the all time greatest fighters period, and the gap between him and Frazier as far as legacy is pretty large, but the gap between them that night, didn't exist at all.

You don't think the three year gap made it easier for Frazier?

Ali was still the best Heavyweight of the decade in the 1970's was he not? He had just TKO'd the #1 contender, and won another bout via a 15th round TKO a few short months prior to fighting Frazier.

Whether we saw Rusty Ali, Peak Frazier or a combination of the 2. I give Frazier the benefit of the doubt that he was facing an Ali that was as prepared as he could've been, and considering all that Ali had already achieved and would continue to achieve in the decade, being the 1st man to defeat him is about as big as it gets.

It's a massive achievement no question, but it would have been MUCH better if Ali hadn't had three years out. He might have still been the best of the 70's, but he would have been better without the layoff.

[keithmoonhangover]

Which is the greatest win in boxing history?

What was your reasoning behind LaMotta's win over SRR not getting a mention?

[gilgamesh]

You don't think the three year gap made it easier for Frazier?

Ali was still the best Heavyweight of the decade in the 1970's was he not? He had just TKO'd the #1 contender, and won another bout via a 15th round TKO a few short months prior to fighting Frazier.

Whether we saw Rusty Ali, Peak Frazier or a combination of the 2. I give Frazier the benefit of the doubt that he was facing an Ali that was as prepared as he could've been, and considering all that Ali had already achieved and would continue to achieve in the decade, being the 1st man to defeat him is about as big as it gets.

It's a massive achievement no question, but it would have been MUCH better if Ali hadn't had three years out. He might have still been the best of the 70's, but he would have been better without the layoff.

It could've also meant that his body would've been used up by 1975 instead of 1978. We'll never know for sure what effect the layoff had on Ali or the fight with Frazier, but beating Ali when he's still the undefeated Champion is as big a win as any Heavyweight ever recorded.

[keithmoonhangover]

Ali was still the best Heavyweight of the decade in the 1970's was he not? He had just TKO'd the #1 contender, and won another bout via a 15th round TKO a few short months prior to fighting Frazier.

Whether we saw Rusty Ali, Peak Frazier or a combination of the 2. I give Frazier the benefit of the doubt that he was facing an Ali that was as prepared as he could've been, and considering all that Ali had already achieved and would continue to achieve in the decade, being the 1st man to defeat him is about as big as it gets.

It's a massive achievement no question, but it would have been MUCH better if Ali hadn't had three years out. He might have still been the best of the 70's, but he would have been better without the layoff.

It could've also meant that his body would've been used up by 1975 instead of 1978. We'll never know for sure what effect the layoff had on Ali or the fight with Frazier, but beating Ali when he's still the undefeated Champion is as big a win as any Heavyweight ever recorded.

Big, not the biggest IMO. Leonard's comeback win is unmatched for my money.

[gilgamesh]

It's a massive achievement no question, but it would have been MUCH better if Ali hadn't had three years out. He might have still been the best of the 70's, but he would have been better without the layoff.

It could've also meant that his body would've been used up by 1975 instead of 1978. We'll never know for sure what effect the layoff had on Ali or the fight with Frazier, but beating Ali when he's still the undefeated Champion is as big a win as any Heavyweight ever recorded.

Big, not the biggest IMO. Leonard's comeback win is unmatched for my money.

There's not another win in Boxing history quite like Leonard's win over Hagler I'd agree with that.

For me though I think his win over Hearns is bigger because people don't debate the decision on that one. The Hagler fight, while I do think if anybody deserved the nod it was Leonard was not exactly a conclusive victory.

[elmersalsa]

Which is the greatest win in boxing history?

What was your reasoning behind LaMotta's win over SRR not getting a mention?

Sugar Ray Robinson already beat Jake LaMotta the first time around. Then, beat him 4 more times.

LaMotta was a middleweight.
Robinson a welterweight.
No world title was at stake.
It wasn't a box office fight, like Louis-Schmeling or Dempsey-Tunney for a few examples.

[gilgamesh]

While I do agree that Lamotta beating Robinson was huge, all of elmer's points right there ^ are perfectly reasonable.

[bwu]

There was a lot more riding on the line in Louis-Schmeling than the heavyweight championship of the world. I can't imagine the pressure that Louis was under and he couldn't have had a greater performance.

[Seamus]

Greb over Tunney from that bunch

Other alltime bests that deserve a mention

Saddler KO 4 Pep
Robinson KO 5 Fullmer
Armstrong W15 Ross
McLarnin KO1 Corbett
Holyfield KO4 Qawi

[keithmoonhangover]

Which is the greatest win in boxing history?

What was your reasoning behind LaMotta's win over SRR not getting a mention?

Sugar Ray Robinson already beat Jake LaMotta the first time around. Then, beat him 4 more times.

LaMotta was a middleweight.
Robinson a welterweight.
No world title was at stake.
It wasn't a box office fight, like Louis-Schmeling or Dempsey-Tunney for a few examples.

LaMotta was a middleweight
Robinson was the best boxer in the history of the sport
A title doesn't make it a great win, the win does
A great win is a great win, no matter how big the box office is - or Chavez-Haugen would be a great win

[Ambling Alp II]

Since there is no criteria listed, we are going to have widely ranging opinions.

Agree that Leonard-Hagler is massive oversight, but not surprised t wasn't listed.
And if we are to include Duran-Leonard I, we have to have Leonard-Duran II.
Leonard-Hearns I was huge.

Louis-Schmeling II was gigantic, though it was first round KO
Johnson-Burns -Ist black hw champion
Dempsey's fights with - Willard, Firpo and Tunney
Clay-Liston
Foreman-Frazier I
Ali-Frazier III

[gilgamesh]

I honestly don't think you can quantify something like this. Many people would have different answers to that question, and in their own way, they're all right.

Who was the best Football Team to ever win a Superbowl? What was the Greatest single win in the history of the NFL? Can people answer a question like that any easier? And Football doesn't have near the history of Boxing.

[goose 5]

I like Saddler over Pep in 1948 because of Pep's greatness, even taking into consideration Pep's plane crash. Also, Saddler destroyed him.

[Seamus]

A greatest win ever needs to be measured by how decisive a victory it was over how highly rated a fighter was at the time. And for that reason Sandy Saddler's 5th round KO of 134-1-1 Willie Pep is probably the greatest ever.

[elmersalsa]

Greb over Tunney from that bunch

Other alltime bests that deserve a mention

Saddler KO 4 Pep
Robinson KO 5 Fullmer
Armstrong W15 Ross
McLarnin KO1 Corbett
Holyfield KO4 Qawi

Henry Armstrong win over the great Barney Ross was monumental. He won his second of three world titles. He jumped from Featherweight to welterweight to take Ross' crown in 1938.

[Expug]

I like Saddler over Pep in 1948 because of Pep's greatness, even taking into consideration Pep's plane crash. Also, Saddler destroyed him.

Good call. I was gonna post this one also.
Sandy , who I think was the best featherweight of all time walked through him

[Expug]

Jimmy Braddock beating Max Baer was pretty big also.