BoxRec

For me, it was Ali-Holmes; I was convinced Ali would win.

I remember feeling like a chump after going on and on about how certain I was that Chris Arreola was gonna beat Bermane Stiverne back when that happened.

I kept referring to it as a "Slam dunk" for Arreola

I also figured Wladimir was gonna flatten Tyson Fury in a one sided fight when that fight was announced, which would've made it fun to watch. So I was wrong on 2 different levels on that one

Most the internet was wrong on pacquiao v de la hoya

I’m sure there are quite a few.
However Fenech-Nelson 2 jumps to mind.
I thought after the first one which Fenech was robbed, he’d triumph.
Wasn’t to be. It was all Azumah.

Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez vs Salvador Sanchez. When Sanchez whupped Bazooka, I couldn't believe what I had seen. A masterful performance by Sanchez.

The other fight that I was very and completely wrong was when Diego Corrales fought the great Floyd Mayweather, Jr. What a masterpiece by Pretty Boy Floyd. He surely gave Chico a whupping.

I remember being certain Cliff Ettienne would beat Fres Oquendo. Certain Hagler-Duran wouldn't go the distance. Same for Tyson-Bonecrusher Smith. ODLH beating Pacman was a no brainer as mentioned here.

Guessing Tyson-Douglas is too obvious for everyone. Not including that, probably Hagler-Leonard.

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 17:47 Most the internet was wrong on pacquiao v de la hoya

I doubt many of us saw the Andy Ruiz KO over Anthony Joshua coming either. I certainly didn't.

Tony1244 wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 19:15 I remember being certain Cliff Ettienne would beat Fres Oquendo. Certain Hagler-Duran wouldn't go the distance. Same for Tyson-Bonecrusher Smith. ODLH beating Pacman was a no brainer as mentioned here.

I kept flip flopping between Tyson and Bonecrusher, but the two things I knew for sure were that whoever won would have to get off the deck more than once to do it and that this would be the greatest battle of punchers in the history of boxing. (9 years old and just watched Rocky 2 for the first time).

The irony is that this probably made me fall in love with the sport even more because it showed me how unpredictable and complex it can be.

This is a funny memory from when I was a young Boxing fan. Wladimir Klitschko was the next big thing at Heavyweight. I had seen him defeat Ray Mercer and Jameel McCline, and look quite dominant doing so. My buddy was hanging out watching the fights with me, and I was talking up this guy Klitschko, and how good he was.

His opponent that night was Corrie Sanders

That fight was an eye opener for a lot of people. I thought Klitschko was going to be the next great heavyweight going into that fight. Wasn't meant to be. That fight was brutal.

On a smaller scale to some of the big upsets but one I was convinced of was Haye vs Bellew. I just couldn't see Bellew winning.

Hopkins Pavlik
Calzaghe Lacy

witherspoon wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 01:14

Tony1244 wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 19:15 I remember being certain Cliff Ettienne would beat Fres Oquendo. Certain Hagler-Duran wouldn't go the distance. Same for Tyson-Bonecrusher Smith. ODLH beating Pacman was a no brainer as mentioned here.

I kept flip flopping between Tyson and Bonecrusher, but the two things I knew for sure were that whoever won would have to get off the deck more than once to do it and that this would be the greatest battle of punchers in the history of boxing. (9 years old and just watched Rocky 2 for the first time).

The irony is that this probably made me fall in love with the sport even more because it showed me how unpredictable and complex it can be.

That match taught us boxing fans a sobering lesson: if a guy is deadnset on going the distance he can usually do just that by creating a stinker of a match. I've done a tiny bit of sparring and realized you can survive against someone far better than you by holding/moving/essentially killing time in the ring.

Tony1244 wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 10:20

witherspoon wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 01:14

Tony1244 wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 19:15 I remember being certain Cliff Ettienne would beat Fres Oquendo. Certain Hagler-Duran wouldn't go the distance. Same for Tyson-Bonecrusher Smith. ODLH beating Pacman was a no brainer as mentioned here.

I kept flip flopping between Tyson and Bonecrusher, but the two things I knew for sure were that whoever won would have to get off the deck more than once to do it and that this would be the greatest battle of punchers in the history of boxing. (9 years old and just watched Rocky 2 for the first time).

The irony is that this probably made me fall in love with the sport even more because it showed me how unpredictable and complex it can be.

That match taught us boxing fans a sobering lesson: if a guy is deadnset on going the distance he can usually do just that by creating a stinker of a match. I've done a tiny bit of sparring and realized you can survive against someone far better than you by holding/moving/essentially killing time in the ring.

Very true. It was amazing how some journeyman types are able to do just that and make somewhat of a career out of it. Not gonna get rich, but can make a few bucks, travel a bit , have a few laughs, occasionally beat some young supposed up and comer etc.

Expug wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 10:35

Tony1244 wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 10:20

witherspoon wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 01:14


I kept flip flopping between Tyson and Bonecrusher, but the two things I knew for sure were that whoever won would have to get off the deck more than once to do it and that this would be the greatest battle of punchers in the history of boxing. (9 years old and just watched Rocky 2 for the first time).

The irony is that this probably made me fall in love with the sport even more because it showed me how unpredictable and complex it can be.

That match taught us boxing fans a sobering lesson: if a guy is deadnset on going the distance he can usually do just that by creating a stinker of a match. I've done a tiny bit of sparring and realized you can survive against someone far better than you by holding/moving/essentially killing time in the ring.

Very true. It was amazing how some journeyman types are able to do just that and make somewhat of a career out of it. Not gonna get rich, but can make a few bucks, travel a bit , have a few laughs, occasionally beat some young supposed up and comer etc.

Marion Wilson.

Yep. Wilson comes to mind.
Scrap iron Johnson too. What a chin Wilson had.

Expug wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 10:35

Tony1244 wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 10:20

witherspoon wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 01:14


I kept flip flopping between Tyson and Bonecrusher, but the two things I knew for sure were that whoever won would have to get off the deck more than once to do it and that this would be the greatest battle of punchers in the history of boxing. (9 years old and just watched Rocky 2 for the first time).

The irony is that this probably made me fall in love with the sport even more because it showed me how unpredictable and complex it can be.

That match taught us boxing fans a sobering lesson: if a guy is deadnset on going the distance he can usually do just that by creating a stinker of a match. I've done a tiny bit of sparring and realized you can survive against someone far better than you by holding/moving/essentially killing time in the ring.

Very true. It was amazing how some journeyman types are able to do just that and make somewhat of a career out of it. Not gonna get rich, but can make a few bucks, travel a bit , have a few laughs, occasionally beat some young supposed up and comer etc.

What I find frustrating, looking back, is that Bonecrusher was on a hot streak (even if you take into account Witherspoon's questionable mental state), he had a genuine chance to give Tyson a serious test if he took the same approach as he did against Witherspoon and Weaver.

I'm sure he would have lost still but he would have given himself at least a slim chance of victory instead of a good chance of going 12 which it seems is what he settled for.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 23:25

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 17:47 Most the internet was wrong on pacquiao v de la hoya

I doubt many of us saw the Andy Ruiz KO over Anthony Joshua coming either. I certainly didn't.

Thats a good one
I remember one poster predicting that on ttr and he was spot on. He was the only person i remember calling it correctly

The interwebs would break under the volume of typing needed to list all the fights I picked wrongly. But for starters:

Hagler K02 Leonard
Berbick over Tyson
Tyson over Holyfield (both times!)
Curry over McCallum
Pedroza over McGuigan

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025, 15:13

gilgamesh wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 23:25

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑10 Aug 2025, 17:47 Most the internet was wrong on pacquiao v de la hoya

I doubt many of us saw the Andy Ruiz KO over Anthony Joshua coming either. I certainly didn't.

Thats a good one
I remember one poster predicting that on ttr and he was spot on. He was the only person i remember calling it correctly

- Supposedly AJ in his touted American Debut was so rattled by opponent withdrawal/replacement ducks out that he got KOed in sparring. Also Andy is very physically talented but just don't give a flyingfuk. Still, that was the upset of upsets.

I and 500 other healthy males in the day could've beat Ali going into the Holmes fight. As expected, he was miserable, and like Jeffries/Johnson, claiming the Lineal Title is the reason boxing has such a bad reputation. No other sport is so idiotically managed and officiated.

I'm mostly interested in the heavyweights so:
Tyson-Douglas
Ali-Spinks 1
Lewis-McCall
Lewis-Rahman

I assumed AJ would flatten Ruiz but on the day of the fight I rewatched Ruiz/Parker and predicted on here that Ruiz would spring an upset.

But onto my embarrassing picks, which are plentiful.

I thought Holyfield would knock Bowe out in the third fight based purely on their bodies at the weigh in. Have never based a prediction on the scales since.

All-time worst call: I not only thought Moorer would defeat Tua, I thought he would give him a serious beating in the process.

SteveO wrote: ↑12 Aug 2025, 14:15 I'm mostly interested in the heavyweights so:
Tyson-Douglas
Ali-Spinks 1
Lewis-McCall
Lewis-Rahman

It was totally reasonable to expect the losers of those fights to win. That being said, the fiercely pro Lewis magazine Boxing Monthly did sound the alarm bell about McCall. They said despite the record he was Lennie's most dangerous opponent to date and that if Lewis was lackadaisical like he had been versus Bruno, Jackson et al he could lose. Bang on the money!

It's always easier in hindsight