My greatest fights of all time

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 27 Oct 2003, 11:01

In no order:

Larry Holmes-Earnie Shavers II
Bobby Chacon-Cornelius Boza-Edwards
Greg Haugen-Vinnie Pazienza
Rocky Graziano-Tony Zale
Jack Dempsey-Luis Firpo
Muhammad Ali-George Foreman
Archie Moore-Yvon Durelle
Willie Pep-Sandy Saddler
Joe Louis-Billy Conn
Rocky Marciano-Jersey Joe Walcott
George Foreman-Ron Lyle
Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello
Roberto Duran-Sugar Ray Leonard
Sugar Ray Leonard-Tommy Hearns
Wilfredo Gomez-Lupe Pintor
Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns
Salvador Sanchez-Azumah Nelson
Riddick Bowe-Andrew Golota II
Larry Holmes-Ken Norton
Matthew Saad Muhammad-Marvin Johnson I & II
Dick Tiger-Frankie DePaula
Carmen Basilio-Tony DeMarco II
Sugar Ray Robinson-Jake LaMotta VI
Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier III
Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor
Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti
Bobby Chacon-Bazooka Limon IV
Arnold Taylor-Romeo Anaya
Alexis Arguello-Alfredo Escalera
Gene Tunney-Jack Dempsey II
Joe Louis-Max Schmeling II
Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera
Nigel Benn-Gerald McClellan
Rodrigo Valdez-Bennie Briscoe
Julio Cesar Chavez-Edwin Rosario
Victor Galindez-Richie Kates
Evander Holyfield-Dwight Qawi
Matthew Saad Muhammad-Yaqui Lopez

Here are my ten greatest fights ever:

1. Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello
2. Archie Moore-Yvon Durelle
3. Sugar Ray Leonard-Tommy Hearns
4. Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier III
5. Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns
6. Joe Louis-Billy Conn
7. Larry Holmes-Ken Norton
8. Matthew Saad Muhammad-Marvin Johnson II
9. Carmen Basilio-Tony DeMarco II
10. Riddick Bowe-Andrew Golota II

I would love to read your opinions on the greatest fights of all time.

tolstoy · Post by **tolstoy** » 27 Oct 2003, 12:39

terap wrote:Off the top of my head--

Joe Walcott-Kid Lavigne I and II

Jeffries-Fitzsimmons II

Gans-Joe Walcott

Ketchel-Philadelphia Jack O'Brien I

Harry Greb-Mickey Walker

Sonny Liston-Cleveland Williams I

Sammy Mandell-Rocky Kansas

Zale-Graziano I and II

Louis-Conn I

Marciano-Walcott I

Dempsey-Firpo

Ketchel- Joe Thomas

Joe Jeanette-Sam McVey --over 40 knockdowns

Battling Nelson-Ad Wolgast

Willie Ritchie--Mexican Joe Rivers

Jimmy McLarnin--Louis Kid Kaplan

Tunney-Carpentier

Loughran-Carpentier

Robinson-Fullmer I

Gans-Erne I

Langford-Joe Walcott

Harold Johnson--Ezzard Charles

Terry McGovern-George Dixon

Abe Atell-George Dixon I II

Abe Atell-Bat Nelson

Abe Attell-Harlem Tommy Murphy

Gans-Langford

Paret-Griffith II

Paret-Charley Scott I

Robinson-Artie Levine

just a drop in the bucket

Just off the top off my head and not having the time to go through these fights, I don't think any of them even get as far as 1960. Am I right, Terap?

That being the case, you have just written off almost 45 years of professional boxing. Not one fight in the last 45 years has ever been good enough to warrant inclusion in your top fights list?

Take a look at yourself, man...

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 27 Oct 2003, 12:49

Terap is obsessed with pre-WW2 boxing.

He is of the opinion that boxers have made little or no progress since then.

If he's right, the Human Race would be turning into apes.

Although I would imagine that Terap's intelligence level would double if this were the case.

The reason that the current era does not produe as many great fighters as yesteryear is because the sport is not as popular with the mainstream.

Todays very top fighters could compete in any era, but there is no strength in depth today.

Broncano · Post by **Broncano** » 27 Oct 2003, 14:14

knockout artist wrote: If he's right, the Human Race would be turning into apes.

I don't know about the Human Race, but the Boxers of the Past Forum sure has.

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 27 Oct 2003, 15:17

terap wrote:The mental midgets show up.

As mental midget Tolstoy posted---he is IGNORANT of earlier eras of boxing.

And his only reaction to a posting of many of the greatest fights in boxing history is to sneer at them because he is ignorant OF THEM.

This site is hopeless

as long as the mental midgets use it as a toilet to brag about their IGNORANCE.

Is someone holding a gun to your head to keep posting here?
If "this site is hopeless", maybe you should get lost!...

Oh, and one more thing...

A--LI
A--LI
A--LI

Did that make you vomit again???

good...hope it raised your blood pressure too...

Dave1armedTua · Post by **Dave1armedTua** » 27 Oct 2003, 16:49

And you, think it's your toilet. So what?

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 27 Oct 2003, 20:39

Charti chinoi vs efren Torres 1 ...one of my favourites
Chacon vs Olivares 1
Olivares vs Arguello
Saad Muhammad vs Kates
Galindez vs Kates 1

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 28 Oct 2003, 11:05

terap wrote:Sweet Scientist thinks this site is his toilet.

This is absolutely, positively UNTRUE!!!

But some of your posts do remind me of toilets and the things that float in them.

tolstoy · Post by **tolstoy** » 28 Oct 2003, 11:41

terap wrote:The mental midgets show up.

As mental midget Tolstoy posted---he is IGNORANT of earlier eras of boxing.

And his only reaction to a posting of many of the greatest fights in boxing history is to sneer at them because he is ignorant OF THEM.

This site is hopeless

as long as the mental midgets use it as a toilet to brag about their IGNORANCE.

Semi-literate Terap...

Please explain in what manner I sneered at your choice of fights. You will be unable to. It's not the fights that I sneer at but at your myopia and fundamental inability to appreciate any fight not filmed in monochrome.

To reiterate, you have dismissed the great boxing events of the past 40 years and more. This tells the world that you are no fan of boxing. You are merely a shill for those who would peddle black and white boxing tapes.

I hope, one day, someone comes along and repairs your time machine.

Irishlad69 · Post by **Irishlad69** » 28 Oct 2003, 18:22

Tolstoy, with all due respect the topic of the subject 'my greatest fights'. In this instance everyone is entitled to their own opinion,and choice of fights.

Sweet Scientist · Post by **Sweet Scientist** » 28 Oct 2003, 19:11

Irishlad69 wrote:Tolstoy, with all due respect the topic of the subject 'my greatest fights'. In this instance everyone is entitled to their own opinion,and choice of fights.

Yes, Irishlad69, AND the key word here is "opinion"...

Tolstoy's "opinions" are being trashed here by Terap...

Terap believes HIS "opinions" to be FACT!
Terap also believes he can personally INSULT everyone who disagrees with him...

Irishlad69 · Post by **Irishlad69** » 28 Oct 2003, 19:35

I just wish some of you guys could get along better. I would hate this place to go the way of some sites.

tolstoy · Post by **tolstoy** » 29 Oct 2003, 05:16

Irishlad69 wrote:I just wish some of you guys could get along better. I would hate this place to go the way of some sites.

An admirable sentiment, Irish Lad. On closer examination, however, you will see that Terap is the miscreant here.

His "greatest fights" all took place pre-1960. He has ignored the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the current decade. The "Rumble in the Jungle", the Ali-Frazier wars, Hagler-Hearns, Benn-McLellan etc have all been blatantly ignored.

The man is in a time warp...

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 29 Oct 2003, 07:47

Great point IRISHLAD, I first visited this site a couple of years ago under the name of Fatcity and there was none of the agro there is now.
I just want to discuss boxing and boxers in a freindly atmosphere and not be insulted for disagreeing with some one elses point of view.
We should be able to discuss and disagree without resorting to personal attacks and insults. However this seems to be beyond some people whom Im begining to think are on this site to pick arguments and score personal points rather than seriously discuss the history of boxing in an open and non-hostile atmosphere.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 29 Oct 2003, 07:58

Ezra Sellers vs Alex Stewart and Ezra Sellers vs Carl Thompson are both amazing fights... multiple knockdowns... both fighters on verg of ko.... often at same time!.
Leroy Murphy vs Chisandaer Mutti.... great fight, ends with a classic double knockdown!...
Simon Ranamie vs Pat Mullins2 another classic with multiple knockdowns!!!...

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 29 Oct 2003, 08:28

silkov wrote:Great point IRISHLAD, I first visited this site a couple of years ago under the name of Fatcity and there was none of the agro there is now.
I just want to discuss boxing and boxers in a freindly atmosphere and not be insulted for disagreeing with some one elses point of view.
We should be able to discuss and disagree without resorting to personal attacks and insults. However this seems to be beyond some people whom Im begining to think are on this site to pick arguments and score personal points rather than seriously discuss the history of boxing in an open and non-hostile atmosphere.

Here, here. I posted what I thought would be an interesting slice of history by Steve Farhood (Four Boxing Myths) and found myself dragged into a ridiculous slanging match. Anyone can talk trash, of course. They normally do so to cover up the fact they know nothing about boxing. But when some of the guys talking trash do know their boxing, it's disappointing. The game is in a terrible state today and I feel we need to shine the game as it was in the light it deserves. But anyone coming on this forum, can't get back to the alphabet boys and their intercontinental titles quick enough. That's the ultimate tragedy of the atmosphere on here.

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 29 Oct 2003, 09:14

Yeah, lets get back to talking about great fights

What about Fidel Bassa - Dave McCauley I & II

Irish lad must have seen those.

Irishlad69 · Post by **Irishlad69** » 29 Oct 2003, 10:06

Now yer' talking! Although the second bassa-mcauley fight was a little dissapointing. Mcauley was a facinating fighter, as he was an unnasuming part time fighter/chef who managed to get himself into the flyweight fight of the decade in the nineties against blanco, and perhaps the greatest flyweight fight of alltime against bassa. My list is; pryor-arguello, gomez-pintor, hagler-hearns, mcauley-bassa 1, barrera-morales 1, chavez-taylor 1, mcguigan-laporte [although a little one-sided], benn-barkley, and spinks-muhammad.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 29 Oct 2003, 10:16

Irishlad69 wrote:Now yer' talking! Although the second bassa-mcauley fight was a little dissapointing. Mcauley was a facinating fighter, as he was an unnasuming part time fighter/chef who managed to get himself into the flyweight fight of the decade in the nineties against blanco, and perhaps the greatest flyweight fight of alltime against bassa. My list is; pryor-arguello, gomez-pintor, hagler-hearns, mcauley-bassa 1, barrera-morales 1, chavez-taylor 1, mcguigan-laporte [although a little one-sided], benn-barkley, and spinks-muhammad.

Good list, Irish lad. I omitted the first Bassa-McAuley classic from my list inadvertently. Interestingly, in the rematch, Dave says that Bassa targetted his left arm immediately in the fight. He says Bassa banged in big rights to the left shoulder and the top of the left arm, and succeeded in giving Dave a dead arm. Thus McAuley's cracking left hook was essentially taken away.
McGuigan-Laporte was another bruiser. Barry admitted in his autobiography that Laporte's big right hand in the ninth of their 1985 thriller in Belfast, was the hardest he'd ever been hit. But apart from that, and another crunching right in the fifth, it was all McGuigan.

Irishlad69 · Post by **Irishlad69** » 29 Oct 2003, 12:02

Thanks bennie! I ould have included the benn-mclellan fight, but with its overwhelming air of violence, and especially the tragic aftermath, its one of those fights you feel slightly ashamed to enjoy.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 29 Oct 2003, 12:08

Irishlad69 wrote:Thanks bennie! I ould have included the benn-mclellan fight, but with its overwhelming air of violence, and especially the tragic aftermath, its one of those fights you feel slightly ashamed to enjoy.

Yes, and the refereeing in the first round leaves a sour taste in the mouth as well. He essentially held McClellan off Benn.

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 29 Oct 2003, 12:58

I dont know whether it was a great fight but it was certainly explosive:

Michael Moorer - Bert Cooper

A sort of poor mans Foreman - Lyle.

Another very good HW fight was Holyfield - Dokes.

Am I scraping the barrel a bit?

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 29 Oct 2003, 13:14

knockout artist wrote:I dont know whether it was a great fight but it was certainly explosive:

Michael Moorer - Bert Cooper

A sort of poor mans Foreman - Lyle.

Another very good HW fight was Holyfield - Dokes.

Am I scraping the barrel a bit?

No, that was Dokes's last great fight. A fight that also goes overlooked is Earnie Shavers against Roy 'Tiger' Williams in the 70's. Shavers was out on his feet in the last round, but a standing eight count (when it should really have been stopped) gave him a breather and he came back in the same round to stop Williams.
Williams, incidentally, was a man who gave Muhammad Ali plenty of trouble in sparring.

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 29 Oct 2003, 13:36

I knew Shavers beat Williams, but I never knew it was so dramatic, I will have to get hold of a tape.

Another dramatic finish was Weaver - Tate. Mike Weaver, trailing on all scorecards, KO's, the late John Tate with a right hand 2-15 of round 15.

There are plenty of great fights in the modern era that, for some reason, are overlooked. Why?

Even the small hall have great fights. What about Gary Logan - Hussein Osman? A terrific fight that was.

Jim Watt - Charlie Nash - Great Atmosphere.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 29 Oct 2003, 15:31

Probably the best fight I ve seen 'live' is Eubank vs Watson 2....... an unbelievable fight and the punch that Eubank floored Watson with was just frightening to behold. Obviously the fight was ultimately tragic and it makes you feel guilty to even talk about it in a way, although Watsons recovery has been incredible. I ve never watched the fight since due to what happened at the end but I remmember seeing the back of Watsons head hit the ropes when he was floored and I m sure that was what caused his injury.