Biggest Ever World Title "Upset" ?

LightCruiser · Post by **LightCruiser** » 09 Jun 2005, 13:39

In Britain the press are comparing Hattons remarkable championship win over Kosta Tzsyu to some of the best ever world championship upsets in the ring.

They also mention Lloyd Honeyghan defeating Don Curry and Randolph Turpin defeating Sugar Ray Robinson

What was the BIGGEST world title upset ? My bet would be Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson in 1990.

Ring Magazine has a list of their own but it only goes back to 1980
and includes non title fights:

http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/R ... f_the_Year

Chopping Right · Post by **Chopping Right** » 09 Jun 2005, 14:31

I don't think Hatton's win ranks as an upset of Tyson v Douglas proportions. Hatton was an unbeaten, young challenger who had looked pretty good up until that point, he was just untested at the top level.

BrocktonBlockbuster49 · Post by **BrocktonBlockbuster49** » 09 Jun 2005, 16:04

Yeah Buster douglas knocking out mike tyson IS the biggest upset of all time by far.

Others to be mentioned:

George foreman KO 10 Michael Moorer- moorer was at his peak, coming off a win over holyfield who had beat george. George was 45 and had just been nearly shut out by tommy morrison. It was georges last hurrah and he was losing badly on points.

Hasim Rahman Ko 5 Lennox
Max Schemlling KO 12 Joe Louis
ALi KO 8 George Foreman
Sugar ray leonard 12s Marvin Hagler- Definetley up their, leonard basically hadnt fought in 5 years, and he was stepping up a wieght to face an indestructable champion who hadnt lost in forever.

Jersey Joe Walcott KO 7 Ezzard Charles- Ezzard has already beat him twice, outboxing him both times.

enrique · Post by **enrique** » 09 Jun 2005, 20:58

And the Cinderella Man beating Baer.....

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 10 Jun 2005, 13:36

...corbett over sullivan was a huge upset.....fight was sent by telegraph to various locations and then a guy read the messages. a lot of people thought the message was in error...and one poor guy who read it damn near got hanged!!!.....police dispersed an angry crowd.

up until tyson/douglas baer braddock was considered to be the biggest upset in heavyweight championship history.

i can't think of an in the lower divisions ....but the turpin over sugar ray...as already listed here....is the biggest i can recall.

zojo · Post by **zojo** » 10 Jun 2005, 21:18

Biggest Ever World Title "Upset" ?

I am sure many true contenders were upset that Pete Radenmacher got a title fight with Floyd Patterson. Does that count?

BrocktonBlockbuster49 · Post by **BrocktonBlockbuster49** » 11 Jun 2005, 00:04

Not talking about that kind of upset ZOJO.

BY the way in that radamacher fight, he was the only heavyweight or maye only fighter perhaps to get a world title fight in his FIRST FIGHT LOL. And the funny thing is in the 2nd he DROPPED PATTERSON and nearly won the title with a record of 0-0. However, he managed to go down 7 times himself and was eventually knocked out.

hawaiianpunch · Post by **hawaiianpunch** » 11 Jun 2005, 03:58

Douglas over Tyson by far!
I think Rahman over Lennox was a bigger upset than Hatton over Tszyu.
What about:
Holyfield TKO Tyson.
Tarver KO Jones Jr.
Barkley KO Hearns.
Toney KO Nunn.
Molinares KO Starling.

kingpawn · Post by **kingpawn** » 13 Jun 2005, 22:06

Molinares-Starling was later declared "no contest" because the punch that KO'd Starling was delivered after the bell. Real close, though. Question of whether Molinares began the punch as the bell sounded or a split second after.

Starling over Honeyghan was a mild upset. Honeyghan had beaten Curry who had previously beaten Starling. And Honeyghan was on a nice run at the time of the Starling fight.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 14 Jun 2005, 00:57

Reality check

Mcbride beating Tyson was a bigger upset than Hatton over Tzsyu

Mcbride was 7-1
Hatton was 4-1
Douglas was 50-1

those are the official odds from Vegas, some places had Hatton at 3-1, Mcbride at 6-1, and Douglas at 40-1

I follow these things, even Tarver beating Jones was bigger than Hatton over Tszyu, Hatton's win was not much of an upset according to the bookmakers and poachers.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 14 Jun 2005, 04:45

Wasn't saddler's first win over Pep a huge upset?

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 14 Jun 2005, 14:01

...the odds on pep over saddler in their first fight dropped from heavily being in willie's favor to much closer as the time of the fight approached....so much so that the boxing commision called in both fighters and warned them to do their best..that they would be closely watched...as a gambling coup looked in the making.

i have never seen any film or tape of saddler's kayo in the fourth, (i don't think any exists) but some boxing folks who saw the fight thought it looked a bit peculiar. i have no idea if it was or not....

whatever...as by fight time the odds had shifted so dramatically it really doesn't count as an upset.....maybe a "surprise"...is the better word.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 14 Jun 2005, 15:42

Not the biggest (which is Tyson vs Douglas) but Ali vs Spinks is worth a mention.

Steve Robinson vs John Davidson WBO title fight.

Julio Cesar Chavez vs Frankie Randall.

lamphey · Post by **lamphey** » 14 Jun 2005, 16:19

At the time, Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay over Sonny Liston was a big upset. I forget the odds but Clay was something like 7-1 to win.

Even for the rematch Liston was still favoured by the bookies.

I'd put the first Mosely/Forrest fight as a bigger upset than Hatton/Tszyu.

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 19 Sep 2005, 20:35

Here's a few other Cinderella moments to ponder I suppose. Pulled this thread out of mothballs for a re-observance of great upsets in boxing.

Would Joe Jeanettes various upsets of Jack Johnson be appropriate here? So little seems to be known about those matchups. I've always been intrigued to learn more.

Interesting comment on Fearless Floyds open minded offering of offering an amateur the chance to step up to the plate. Sort of like the mythical Apollo Creeds offer to take on a club fighter.

How do you think the best of amateurs would do against the current "Champions"?

Should such an idea be repeated? Should Ruiz let the worlds best Amateur take a crack at his belt? Or would that be too risky for him?

theone · Post by **theone** » 19 Sep 2005, 21:14

what about Iran Barkley beating Tommy Hearns?
Or Hearns beating virgil Hill?

I know they werent the biggest upsets but were good ones in thier own right.

dnahar32 · Post by **dnahar32** » 19 Sep 2005, 21:19

At the lower weights, I would go with the following as big upsets:

Harold Dade W15 Manuel Ortiz (Ortiz was a longtime bantamweight champ, Dade was a fringe contender out of Chicago; the odds were 12-1; Ortiz won a rematch months later)

I couldn't find odds, and America didn't even recognize him anymore as champion, but Panama Al Brown losing to Baltazar Sangchili was a huge upset as well.