The Greatest Win in Boxing History

The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Roberto Duran W15 Sugar Ray Leonard (I) (1980)
3
14%
Joe Frazier W15 Muhammad Ali (I) (1971)
6
27%
Salvador Sanchez WTKO8 Wilfredo Gomez (1981)
0
No votes
Marvelous Marvin Hagler WTKO3 Tommy Hearns (1985)
0
No votes
Joe Louis WKO1 Max Schmeling (II) (1938)
1
5%
Aaron Pryor WTKO14 Alexis Arguello (I) (1982)
0
No votes
Julio Cesar Chavez WTKO12 Meldrick Taylor (I) (1990)
0
No votes
Buster Douglas WKO10 Mike Tyson (1990)
3
14%
Muhammad Ali WKO8 George Foreman (1974)
6
27%
Juan Manuel Marquez WKO6 Manny Pacquiao (IV) (2012)
1
5%
Terence Crawford W12 Canelo Alvarez (2025)
1
5%
Harry Greb W15 Gene Tunney (I) (1923)
1
5%
 
Total votes: 22

Ambling Alp II
Super Middleweight
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by Ambling Alp II »

Big enough to make a movie about it! :TU:

Always thought Walcott's finally winning the title win over Charles was special. The guy just never gave up.
Marciano-Walcott worth mentioning just for being a great fight.
gilgamesh
Cruiserweight
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by gilgamesh »

Ambling Alp II wrote: 21 Feb 2026, 19:26 Big enough to make a movie about it! :TU:

Always thought Walcott's finally winning the title win over Charles was special. The guy just never gave up.
Marciano-Walcott worth mentioning just for being a great fight.
Walcott's manager was a mob connected guy who made sure Walcott got as many shots as he needed to finally make it happen. Most of the Boxing world scoffed at Walcott getting a 3rd shot at Charles the same way we'd all scoff at Fury getting a 3rd shot at Usyk now.

That being said I think Walcott's victory over Charles was legitimate, and I'm not saying it wasn't, but he probably wasn't the guy who was most deserving of a shot at the time he got it, but it was a favor that was owed to his manager.

The Politics of Boxing are something else.
gilgamesh
Cruiserweight
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by gilgamesh »

Expug wrote: 21 Feb 2026, 18:46 Jimmy Braddock beating Max Baer was pretty big also.
Especially when you add in that Braddock got a percentage of every fight that Joe Louis ever fought after winning the title from him.

There probably aren't many guys throughout boxing history who had 1 fight pay them for years and years after the fact the way this one did Braddock.
cfang
Middleweight
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Joined: 23 Jan 2014, 16:50

Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by cfang »

Ali vs foreman for me. After foreman destroyed both Frazier and Norton it took a lot of nerve for Ali to take him on. Then to beat him the way he did and in a fight of global interest. That’s the one for me.

A few others like Louis koing schmeling and Duran beating Leonard.
elmersalsa
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by elmersalsa »

cfang wrote: 22 Feb 2026, 10:48 Ali vs foreman for me. After foreman destroyed both Frazier and Norton it took a lot of nerve for Ali to take him on. Then to beat him the way he did and in a fight of global interest. That’s the one for me.

A few others like Louis koing schmeling and Duran beating Leonard.
Great choice. Muhammad Ali beating the great George Foreman was one of the all-time best wins.
yancey
Heavyweight
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by yancey »

Greatest win in boxing history?

Joe Frazier FOTC 3/8/71.

No doubt about it.

The FOTC was the one moment in boxing when the whole world was watching.

And the better man won. :TU:
elmersalsa
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by elmersalsa »

yancey wrote: 17 Mar 2026, 21:43 Greatest win in boxing history?

Joe Frazier FOTC 3/8/71.

No doubt about it.

The FOTC was the one moment in boxing when the whole world was watching.

And the better man won. :TU:
Yes, he did! And in extraordinary fashion. To me, the greatest win in boxing history.
elmersalsa
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by elmersalsa »

Welcome back, Yancey. It has been a while that I don't see you in boxrec.
BroughtonRulesRefuge
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by BroughtonRulesRefuge »

keithmoonhangover wrote: 20 Feb 2026, 11:27 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
- Now there you Moonies go mangling history yet again.

Ray was in private training for a year for Marv where top fighters were fed consecutively with the Big Payouts withheld until the fight was completed. Nobody but a few insiders knew, and what Ray did vs Marv was mostly run with a few classic Ray popcorn flurries that my 2 yr old youngest son replicated on his 3 yr old brother one day to keep him from entering a favorite bakery. Nothing landed as I picked him up so we could enter and the event was immediately forgotten. As typical of boxing, a crooked official played a role with minimally credentialed Mexican Judge, Jose Juan Guerra gave Ray a lopsided win in an otherwise close split decision.

https://boxrec.com/en/judge/400971?offset=250

Ray lost a lotta fans that night like me when he retired rather than face up to the Boos echoing thru Ceasars. Marv held open his Rematch offer for a year when he finally retired in disgust.

Next day Ray announces his comeback that was largely hit and miss with fans. Roberto and Marv were true boxing fan heroes. Ray was for the light in the loafers who only see flash... :TU:
keithmoonhangover
Cruiserweight
Posts: 16751
Joined: 16 Sep 2010, 10:42

Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by keithmoonhangover »

BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:21
keithmoonhangover wrote: 20 Feb 2026, 11:27 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
- Now there you Moonies go mangling history yet again.

Ray was in private training for a year for Marv where top fighters were fed consecutively with the Big Payouts withheld until the fight was completed. Nobody but a few insiders knew, and what Ray did vs Marv was mostly run with a few classic Ray popcorn flurries that my 2 yr old youngest son replicated on his 3 yr old brother one day to keep him from entering a favorite bakery. Nothing landed as I picked him up so we could enter and the event was immediately forgotten. As typical of boxing, a crooked official played a role with minimally credentialed Mexican Judge, Jose Juan Guerra gave Ray a lopsided win in an otherwise close split decision.

https://boxrec.com/en/judge/400971?offset=250

Ray lost a lotta fans that night like me when he retired rather than face up to the Boos echoing thru Ceasars. Marv held open his Rematch offer for a year when he finally retired in disgust.

Next day Ray announces his comeback that was largely hit and miss with fans. Roberto and Marv were true boxing fan heroes. Ray was for the light in the loafers who only see flash... :TU:
I love how you sprinkle a little bit of fiction into your post and pass it off as real. Well done. :clap:
BroughtonRulesRefuge
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Heavyweight
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by BroughtonRulesRefuge »

keithmoonhangover wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:28
BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:21
keithmoonhangover wrote: 20 Feb 2026, 11:27 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
- Now there you Moonies go mangling history yet again.

Ray was in private training for a year for Marv where top fighters were fed consecutively with the Big Payouts withheld until the fight was completed. Nobody but a few insiders knew, and what Ray did vs Marv was mostly run with a few classic Ray popcorn flurries that my 2 yr old youngest son replicated on his 3 yr old brother one day to keep him from entering a favorite bakery. Nothing landed as I picked him up so we could enter and the event was immediately forgotten. As typical of boxing, a crooked official played a role with minimally credentialed Mexican Judge, Jose Juan Guerra gave Ray a lopsided win in an otherwise close split decision.

https://boxrec.com/en/judge/400971?offset=250

Ray lost a lotta fans that night like me when he retired rather than face up to the Boos echoing thru Ceasars. Marv held open his Rematch offer for a year when he finally retired in disgust.

Next day Ray announces his comeback that was largely hit and miss with fans. Roberto and Marv were true boxing fan heroes. Ray was for the light in the loafers who only see flash... :TU:
I love how you sprinkle a little bit of fiction into your post and pass it off as real. Well done. :clap:
- Indeed, in time you'll grow up and find out how things really work, but of course recondite holdouts will always remain to stain their history of the world 101, hence the current state of international affairs... :TU:
keithmoonhangover
Cruiserweight
Posts: 16751
Joined: 16 Sep 2010, 10:42

Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by keithmoonhangover »

BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:55
keithmoonhangover wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:28
BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:21

- Now there you Moonies go mangling history yet again.

Ray was in private training for a year for Marv where top fighters were fed consecutively with the Big Payouts withheld until the fight was completed. Nobody but a few insiders knew, and what Ray did vs Marv was mostly run with a few classic Ray popcorn flurries that my 2 yr old youngest son replicated on his 3 yr old brother one day to keep him from entering a favorite bakery. Nothing landed as I picked him up so we could enter and the event was immediately forgotten. As typical of boxing, a crooked official played a role with minimally credentialed Mexican Judge, Jose Juan Guerra gave Ray a lopsided win in an otherwise close split decision.

https://boxrec.com/en/judge/400971?offset=250

Ray lost a lotta fans that night like me when he retired rather than face up to the Boos echoing thru Ceasars. Marv held open his Rematch offer for a year when he finally retired in disgust.

Next day Ray announces his comeback that was largely hit and miss with fans. Roberto and Marv were true boxing fan heroes. Ray was for the light in the loafers who only see flash... :TU:
I love how you sprinkle a little bit of fiction into your post and pass it off as real. Well done. :clap:
- Indeed, in time you'll grow up and find out how things really work, but of course recondite holdouts will always remain to stain their history of the world 101, hence the current state of international affairs... :TU:
Indeed, in time you might also grow up and be able to differentiate between facts and the voices in your head.
yancey
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 2827
Joined: 16 Dec 2007, 18:26

Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by yancey »

BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:21
keithmoonhangover wrote: 20 Feb 2026, 11:27 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
- Now there you Moonies go mangling history yet again.

Ray was in private training for a year for Marv where top fighters were fed consecutively with the Big Payouts withheld until the fight was completed. Nobody but a few insiders knew, and what Ray did vs Marv was mostly run with a few classic Ray popcorn flurries that my 2 yr old youngest son replicated on his 3 yr old brother one day to keep him from entering a favorite bakery. Nothing landed as I picked him up so we could enter and the event was immediately forgotten. As typical of boxing, a crooked official played a role with minimally credentialed Mexican Judge, Jose Juan Guerra gave Ray a lopsided win in an otherwise close split decision.

https://boxrec.com/en/judge/400971?offset=250

Ray lost a lotta fans that night like me when he retired rather than face up to the Boos echoing thru Ceasars. Marv held open his Rematch offer for a year when he finally retired in disgust.

Next day Ray announces his comeback that was largely hit and miss with fans. Roberto and Marv were true boxing fan heroes. Ray was for the light in the loafers who only see flash... :TU:
^

Agree with this point of view. but.....

I do think that Hagler should have been more aggressive in the fight.

He should have forced Leonard to fight that night.

That would have taken the outcome out of the hands of judges who were overly impressed with flash.
BroughtonRulesRefuge
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 2762
Joined: 16 Dec 2008, 06:55

Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by BroughtonRulesRefuge »

yancey wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 14:54
BroughtonRulesRefuge wrote: 18 Mar 2026, 12:21
keithmoonhangover wrote: 20 Feb 2026, 11:27 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
- Now there you Moonies go mangling history yet again.

Ray was in private training for a year for Marv where top fighters were fed consecutively with the Big Payouts withheld until the fight was completed. Nobody but a few insiders knew, and what Ray did vs Marv was mostly run with a few classic Ray popcorn flurries that my 2 yr old youngest son replicated on his 3 yr old brother one day to keep him from entering a favorite bakery. Nothing landed as I picked him up so we could enter and the event was immediately forgotten. As typical of boxing, a crooked official played a role with minimally credentialed Mexican Judge, Jose Juan Guerra gave Ray a lopsided win in an otherwise close split decision.

https://boxrec.com/en/judge/400971?offset=250

Ray lost a lotta fans that night like me when he retired rather than face up to the Boos echoing thru Ceasars. Marv held open his Rematch offer for a year when he finally retired in disgust.

Next day Ray announces his comeback that was largely hit and miss with fans. Roberto and Marv were true boxing fan heroes. Ray was for the light in the loafers who only see flash... :TU:
^

Agree with this point of view. but.....

I do think that Hagler should have been more aggressive in the fight.

He should have forced Leonard to fight that night.

That would have taken the outcome out of the hands of judges who were overly impressed with flash.
- Indeed, prob being Marv's ego wanted to be known as an elite boxer, not the slugger he became after losing decisions. He had previously been embarrassed by Duran's epic encounter where he had to turn up the heat to eek a hard fought decision.

I was a fan of both, but Leonard's comeback and the way he jacked Marv around over the rematch removed me from his fan club. My only regret was not meeting Marv in a spontaneous encounter. Sadly the Corona took him when he was in excellent health and enjoyment over his movie career in Italy and accolades wherever he traveled...R.I.P... :TU:
yancey
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Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by yancey »

elmersalsa wrote: 17 Mar 2026, 23:32 Welcome back, Yancey. It has been a while that I don't see you in boxrec.
:TU:
Cent0089
Super Middleweight
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Joined: 03 May 2013, 13:02

Re: The Greatest Win in Boxing History

Post by Cent0089 »

Tough one. Im going with Douglas vs Tyson :box: :box: :box:
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