BoxRec

This is from an old fight magazine called Boxing Scene, Sept. 1991; the ‘fifty’ years would have constituted 1941-1991

1. Walcott v. Marciano I (1952)
2. Ali v. Frazier III (1975)
3. Ali v. Frazier I (1971)
4. Holmes v. Norton (1978)
5. Marciano v. Charles I (1954)
6. Paterson v. Johansson III (1961)
7. Marciano v. Moore (1955)
8. Ali v. Shavers (1977)
9. Ali v. Spinks I (1978)
10. Holmes v. Shavers II (1979)

I would have found room for Foreman v. Lyle and maybe Louis v. Conn I; I would have taken off Ali v. Spinks I (big upset yes, lots of fun yes, but not a great fight); not sure what else . . .?

Since 1991 I would have added

Douglas v. Tyson
Tyson v. Holyfield I
Bowe v. Holyfield I
And maybe Foreman v. Holyfield

And absolutely nothing since the mid ‘90s

APerno wrote:This is from an old fight magazine called Boxing Scene, Sept. 1991; the ‘fifty’ years would have constituted 1941-1991

1. Walcott v. Marciano I (1952)
2. Ali v. Frazier III (1975)
3. Ali v. Frazier I (1971)
4. Holmes v. Norton (1978)
5. Marciano v. Charles I (1954)
6. Paterson v. Johansson III (1961)
7. Marciano v. Moore (1955)
8. Ali v. Shavers (1977)
9. Ali v. Spinks I (1978)
10. Holmes v. Shavers II (1979)

I would have found room for Foreman v. Lyle and maybe Louis v. Conn I; I would have taken off Ali v. Spinks I (big upset yes, lots of fun yes, but not a great fight); not sure what else . . .?

Since 1991 I would have added

Douglas v. Tyson
Tyson v. Holyfield I
Bowe v. Holyfield I
And maybe Foreman v. Holyfield

And absolutely nothing since the mid ‘90s

I like your pre 1991 list. Havnt seen a couple of them though, shame,shame, shame. I'd put Ali foreman because of the drama.

Douglas Tyson. I find it so frustrating. Even more so is Tyson Holyfield 1. They never get going, so much clinching. I'd put Lewis klitschko in there.

Foreman Lyle wasn't for the title. Great brawl though

I personally love Marciano v Walcott 1, the rocks toughness and determination are things to behold. There isn't anyone like that in the heavy divisions now.

Holmes vs Shavers 2.


If its already up there I apologize. I'm multi-tasking.

APerno wrote:This is from an old fight magazine called Boxing Scene, Sept. 1991; the ‘fifty’ years would have constituted 1941-1991

1. Walcott v. Marciano I (1952)
2. Ali v. Frazier III (1975)
3. Ali v. Frazier I (1971)
4. Holmes v. Norton (1978)
5. Marciano v. Charles I (1954)
6. Paterson v. Johansson III (1961)
7. Marciano v. Moore (1955)
8. Ali v. Shavers (1977)
9. Ali v. Spinks I (1978)
10. Holmes v. Shavers II (1979)

I would have found room for Foreman v. Lyle and maybe Louis v. Conn I; I would have taken off Ali v. Spinks I (big upset yes, lots of fun yes, but not a great fight); not sure what else . . .?

Since 1991 I would have added

Douglas v. Tyson
Tyson v. Holyfield I
Bowe v. Holyfield I
And maybe Foreman v. Holyfield

And absolutely nothing since the mid ‘90s

Tyson vs Douglas was on February 11, 1990

Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.

Ali/Spinks was absolutely a great fight, it had sadness to it but that was a 15 round action packed fight. Holmes/Shavers 2 had an incredibly thrilling moment, other than that it was entirely one sided.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.

Ali/Spinks was absolutely a great fight, it had sadness to it but that was a 15 round action packed fight. Holmes/Shavers 2 had an incredibly thrilling moment, other than that it was entirely one sided.

Just watched Holmes Witherspoon again last night. Great performance by Tim.

Tomasino wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.

Ali/Spinks was absolutely a great fight, it had sadness to it but that was a 15 round action packed fight. Holmes/Shavers 2 had an incredibly thrilling moment, other than that it was entirely one sided.

Just watched Holmes Witherspoon again last night. Great performance by Tim.

Indeed, and you can make a case for Holyfield/Bowe 1 atop the list. Unless 91 is the cutoff.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

Tomasino wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.

Ali/Spinks was absolutely a great fight, it had sadness to it but that was a 15 round action packed fight. Holmes/Shavers 2 had an incredibly thrilling moment, other than that it was entirely one sided.

Just watched Holmes Witherspoon again last night. Great performance by Tim.

Indeed, and you can make a case for Holyfield/Bowe 1 atop the list. Unless 91 is the cutoff.

Defintely one of the greatest battles of all time. I really enjoyed Holy vs Big George too. Foreman took some great combos in that one. He really was a beast of a man. Evander said he was the hardest man and biggest puncher he fought.

Rexob wrote:

APerno wrote:This is from an old fight magazine called Boxing Scene, Sept. 1991; the ‘fifty’ years would have constituted 1941-1991

1. Walcott v. Marciano I (1952)
2. Ali v. Frazier III (1975)
3. Ali v. Frazier I (1971)
4. Holmes v. Norton (1978)
5. Marciano v. Charles I (1954)
6. Paterson v. Johansson III (1961)
7. Marciano v. Moore (1955)
8. Ali v. Shavers (1977)
9. Ali v. Spinks I (1978)
10. Holmes v. Shavers II (1979)

I would have found room for Foreman v. Lyle and maybe Louis v. Conn I; I would have taken off Ali v. Spinks I (big upset yes, lots of fun yes, but not a great fight); not sure what else . . .?

Since 1991 I would have added

Douglas v. Tyson
Tyson v. Holyfield I
Bowe v. Holyfield I
And maybe Foreman v. Holyfield

And absolutely nothing since the mid ‘90s

Tyson vs Douglas was on February 11, 1990

You are correct - it hard to believe they would leave that off the list and put on Ali- Spinks.

Ali/spinks was a better fight. Tyson/Douglas was a dramatic ass whipping. If you're listing events it is right up at the top. Fights? no

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.
.

My favourite heavyweight fight

Counter-puncher wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.
.

My favourite heavyweight fight

Who do you have winning it CP?

I only half-tried to score it the first time I watched it, and I think then my card would give Larry a draw, since then I don't think I have tried.

I don't often score fights properly, most of the time I will have a memory such as '10 clear rounds and 2 swing rounds, I could live with scores 115-113 either way. I always try and distinguish between clear rounds and rounds where I could at least see a case either way. Leads to a lot of fence-sitting

From memory I had Holmes and spoon 5 clear(ish) rounds each.

1. Ali-Frazier III
2. Ali-Foreman
3. Holmes-Norton
4. Marciano-Walcott I
5. Frazier-Ali I
6. Marciano-Charles I
7. Douglas-Tyson
8. Patterson-Johannson III
9. Marciano-Moore
10. Holmes-Shavers

Honorable Mention - Louis-Walcott II, Ellis-Quarry, Ellis-Patterson, Marciano-Charles II, Ali-Shavers, Thomas-Witherspoon, Holmes-Cooney, Spinks-Holmes II, Holyfield-Foreman
If you like "Chess Matches" - The Walcott-Charles fights, Ali-Norton III, Holmes-Witherspoon.

Ambling Alp II wrote:1. Ali-Frazier III
2. Ali-Foreman
3. Holmes-Norton
4. Marciano-Walcott I
5. Frazier-Ali I
6. Marciano-Charles I
7. Douglas-Tyson
8. Patterson-Johannson III
9. Marciano-Moore
10. Holmes-Shavers

Honorable Mention - Louis-Walcott II, Ellis-Quarry, Ellis-Patterson, Marciano-Charles II, Ali-Shavers, Thomas-Witherspoon, Holmes-Cooney, Spinks-Holmes II
If you like "Chess Matches" - The Walcott-Charles fights, Ali-Norton III, Holmes-Witherspoon.

I'd have Frazier/Ali top them all - which amazingly would give Ali the heavyweight hat trick(!), though no fights possessed higher drama and greater significance than him & Frazier I, Foreman and Frazier III.

Has anyone mentioned Holmes/Mike Weaver yet!?

Pinklon Thomas/Weaver was a good rumble too, as was Weaver/Coetzee.

Weaver/Coetzee was a brawl. I wouldn't have Ali/Foreman on my personal list. Another fight where I feel the event & performance outweighs the fight.

It does divide opinion. But Ali looks on fire and the whole stadium seems to be fighting with him. Love Ali in big fight mood. Thrills me every time.

1. Ali vs Frazier I
2. Louis vs Conn I
3. Marciano vs Walcott I
4. Ali vs Frazier III
5. Tyson vs Douglas
6. Ali vs Foreman
7. Holmes vs Norton
8. Ali vs Norton III
9. Marciano vs Charles I
10. Holyfield vs Foreman

Look how many fights The Greatest was involved as the best fights of the 1941-51 era!

elmersalsa wrote:1. Ali vs Frazier I
2. Louis vs Conn I
3. Marciano vs Walcott I
4. Ali vs Frazier III
5. Tyson vs Douglas
6. Ali vs Foreman
7. Holmes vs Norton
8. Ali vs Norton III
9. Marciano vs Charles I
10. Holyfield vs Foreman

Look how many fights The Greatest was involved as the best fights of the 1941-51 era!

I can only see one, Louis vs Conn

Tuan_Jim wrote:It does divide opinion. But Ali looks on fire and the whole stadium seems to be fighting with him. Love Ali in big fight mood. Thrills me every time.

I don't think I could ever watch it again. ESPN showed it as the only classic fight for a decade. Definitely not a bad fight, but more Holyfield/Tyson than it was FOTY for me.

Counter-puncher wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.
.

My favourite heavyweight fight

I watched this today for the first time. The bombing in round 9, my god.

Frazier vs quarry 1 was a dandy.

The LAST FIFTY (50) YEARS for me was 1966 - 2016... Some people may not have been conscious for the last 25 of those years.

Some of the better Heavyweight Fights I remember -- I'm probably forgetting a few: 1. Ibeabuchi-Tua... 2. Holmes-Witherspoon... 3. Liakhovich-Brewster... 4. Lewis-Mercer... 5. Holmes vs Weaver... 6. Ortiz-Jennings... 7. Douglas-Tyson... 8. Joshua-Whyte... 9. Klitschko-Lewis... 10. Povetkin-Takam

lazboy wrote:

Counter-puncher wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Holmes/Witherspoon was better than many of these listed.
.

My favourite heavyweight fight

I watched this today for the first time. The bombing in round 9, my god.

Indeed, some of the best back and forth ever between heavyweights