Which were the most entertaining boxer to watch every decade?

[Onetimeonly]

He wasn't in any great fights. Isn't that something you look for. What made him more exciting than Aaron Pryor or Tommy hearns?

I get both of you.

First, Tyson did bring a lot of excitement, Everybody, and I mean everybody, wanted to see his fights in order to see a highlight reel knockout.

Secondly, precisely because of that, there were tons of fighters who people wanted to see fight each other, because with Tyson, there was no uncertainty, specially when he was considered unbeatable in the era by most, including me. So people were not salivating for Tyson-Tubbs or even Douglas-Tyson for months the way we did for Leonard-Hearns, Gomez-Pintor, Pryor-Arguello, Hagler-Duran, Mancini-Chacon, Hearns-Duran, Hagler-Hearns, Holmes-Cooney, and so on and so on. With these boxers you were guaranteed a FIGHT, and there were the arguments of , man "Camacho will kick Mancini's butt...no way! Mancini is too hard punching for Macho!" that went on for months by people until the bouts took place. In Tyson's case the only argument was whether he'd win in the first or the second, minus the Spinks bout in which many, myself included, thought Spinks had a chance...

So, was Tyson exciting? Yes, his ko's were exciting to watch. Were Tyson's fights exciting in the 80s at least? None of them rank among the 10, 20 or even 50 most exciting bouts of the era lists...that there says it all.

Tyson wouldn't have a top 1000 fight of the 80s. In his defense he only fought top level for about 4 years or so in the decade. He was the biggest star and obviously exciting but does anyone really prefer a blowout to a war for excitement? I definitely do not. Give me Pryor/arguello over Tyson's entire career for exciting.

[AntonioMartin]

Gatti wasn't unathletic...he was always well trained..

I don't know who's attributing that quote to me, but I certainly didn't say that. I don't recall bringing up Gatti in this discussion.

That happened to me with a photo of a naked lady...I hadn't posted it, I was barely quoting the person who did..but the administrators "credited" me!

[Counter-puncher]

He wasn't in any great fights. Isn't that something you look for. What made him more exciting than Aaron Pryor or Tommy hearns?

1 rd of a tyson fight was more entertaining, than some boxers 12 rd wars.

Style/power

You’re a fuxking imbecile

[candyslim]

I wouldn't know where to start on this topic. So many exciting fighters in so many different ways. I'm butting out of this one.

[Onetimeonly]

1 rd of a tyson fight was more entertaining, than some boxers 12 rd wars.

Style/power

You’re a fuxking imbecile

Which is really insane on the concept of exciting. Like an insane Bron dunk in a 40 point blowout than a buzzer beater.

[Counter-puncher]

Jip: "And this dude says to me he says what about actual 12 round wars bro, where fighters like punch each other in the face 80 times a round for like 36 whole minutes of action bro, and i said yeah bro but do they even throw a right hook to the body/ right uppercut to the head tho bro?"

[Onetimeonly]

Jip: "And this dude says to me he says what about actual 12 round wars bro, where fighters like punch each other in the face 80 times a round for like 36 whole minutes of action bro, and i said yeah bro but do they even throw a right hook to the body/ right uppercut to the head tho bro?"

When he watched mab vs Morales 1, he thought that was pretty good but I wish it would have been a first Rd ko.

[Counter-puncher]

I'm actually surprised he hasn't used that classic line that fights between dudes the size of 11th grade girls can't be exciting

[Counter-puncher]

Relatively minor fighter and not really no1 answer, but Tyson Marquez was in two genuine FOTY fights (Concepcion and Segura) and another two very good ones indeed (Viloria and Estrada) to name four off the top of my head.

I bet you’d struggle to find many fighters at all with four fights that good. You won’t find any 2010-2019 with two as good as his FOTY fights IMO

this was a good call that deserved more acknowledgement, even though I say so myself

[RonnyJ]

20 Naoya Inoue
10 Manny Pacquiao
00 Felix Trinidad
90 Gerald McClellan
80 Mike Tyson
70 Roberto Duran
60 Muhammad Ali
50 Rocky Marciano
40 Sugar Ray Robinson

Ever=Mike Tyson

I kind of stopped watched non UK boxing through the 90s and the 00s (in the aftermath of comet Tyson) and came back for Pacquiao, but yeah, great list.

Tyson was a phenomena in the 80s and to follow and then eclipse Leonard, Hearns, Hagler and Duran - he had to be.

No 1 for me would be Ali, but I'd accept Tyson. Their quinntessentially human stories are ones of almost biblical proportions.

Certainly epic.

Good post!

[RonnyJ]

Update

top 5 most entertaining, 1-5, from left to right


2020 - Naoya Inoue/Vergil Ortiz Jr/Tank/Canelo/Ryan Garcia

2010 - Pac/GGG/Erik Morales/Serguy Kovalev/Anthony Joshua

2000 - Felix Trinidad/Pac/Arthur Abraham/Edwin Valero/Rafael Marquez

1990 - Gerald McClellan/Prince/Mike Tyson/Roy Jones Jr/Oscar de la Hoya

1980 - Mike Tyson/Marvin Hagler/Sugar R. L./Thomas Hearns/ Julio C. C.

1970 - Roberto Duran/George Foreman/Muhammad Ali/Joe Frazier/C. M.

1960 - Muhammad Ali/C. M./Sonny Liston/Joe Frazier/Sugar R. R.

1950 - Rocky Marciano/Sugar R. R./Archie Moore/Carmen Basilio/Sonny Liston

1940 - Sugar R. R./Marcel Cerdan/Ezzard Charles/Rocky Graciano/Joe Louis


Ever: Mike Tyson/Manny Pacquiao/Sugar R. R./Marvin Hagler/Naoya Inoue

[RonnyJ]

Why are you even asking the question jip, if you are going to argue with every answer different to yours.

I’m going to answer but not for your sake Jip. It’s a difficult question....I watch old fights from time to time and go through different phases. For example, At one time I loved sugar ray Leonard and thought less of Hagler. I still love Leonard but Hagler is now a great watch. He’d be up there with the most aggressive fighter I have watched.

Joe Frazier might be my favorite for the 70s. His left hook still gives me an erection.

Ray Mercer always comes to mind first as an entertaining fighter of the 90s but there’s better fighters and fights, etc.

Anyway it’s all subjective isn’t it. Can’t say I find Roy Jones a pleasing watch contrary to many. Duran for me was an acquired taste but I’ve come around. I like Tyson Fury, even before he became a “puncher”. I don’t mind seeing people swing and miss but in no way am I saying I’d sit through Wlad Fury again. Anyway my point is...actually I’ve completely forgotten. Canelo! Canelo! Bomb squaaaaadddd!!!

i argue, but i respect everybodys oppinion and it is not like i accept the fact that different people like different styles. one might say the 1 rd destruction from tua over ruiz was the most entertaining thing they have ever seen and other might say, it happened to fast in order to be a classic enertaining fight. i like both, 1 rd destructions and 12 rd wars. sometimes 1 rd is more entertaining than 12. sometimes 1 classic KO/TKO is more entertaining than a whole fight. quality>quantity!

put it this way to make it very clear. Sergio Martinez KO over Paul Williams was more entertaining than Floyd Mayweathers whole career. I realy mean it!

you correct, its subjective.

[Onetimeonly]

No, you don't respect shit. That's fine, but you don't know shit either.

[Tony1244]

Foreman was fascinating in the 1970s.

His fights against Norton and Frazier, especially the first one, he looked stellar.

In the same decade, he was arguably buckled by Jerry Judge and at times looked ridiculously amateurish against guys like Luis Peres and Peralta. He swung so hard and missed by so much his entire body did a 360 on at least 2 occasions.

[Onetimeonly]

Perhaps saad can make the top 10!

[Tony1244]

Saad was in some severe wars. I admit I'm far more likely to watch Foreman. Part of it is HW and power and part of it is I'm more familiar with his personality.

[Syntax Error]

Saad is all-time for me, but he could be nominated for two decades.

Nigel Benn is another one of my personal favourites; again, he also straddles two decades.

Naseem Hamed is my pick for the 90s; everything about that guy was exciting; one fighter I missed when he retired, because he probably still had a lot left, although I applaud his decision to get out on his own terms.