BoxRec

What are your candidates for the The Top-Five Rivalries of All-Time? I'm trying to get an idea. I do not have a list of my own. (Please, try not to make them all heavies either, unless that is in fact your list.)

Frazier-Ali has to be #1.

Graziano Zale might make the list. Holyfield Bowe? Norton Ali? Some candidates.....I think we got robbed of the Nelson Sanchez possibility. Robinson-Lamotta?

Purely to get the ball rolling and in no particular order.

Barrera - Morales.
Saddle - Pep.
Graziano - Zale
Robinson - LaMotta
Griffith - Paret.
Griffith - Rodriguez.
Williams - Jack.

Greb Tunney
Leonard Duran

I'm making a prediction for the future.....Valero Pacquio

Joe Calzaghe and his hands?

Just kidding.

Ward-Gatti based on pure heart and excitement.

Bobby Chacon vs. Rafael Limon

Moore - Johnsom.
Carbajal - Gonzalez
Saldivar - Winstone.
Lewis - Britton.

I'd suggest that a great rivalry has to have at least 3 meetings of the participants - none of these two-fight stands, folks. ;)

I think this one also deserves a "B" list, i.e. great rivalries between guys who were somewhat less than all-time greats, for instance:

Pazienza/Haugen
Gatti/Ward

KOJOE90 wrote:Moore - Johnsom.
Carbajal - Gonzalez
Saldivar - Winstone.
Lewis - Britton.

Great call on Carbajal/Gonzalez.

Louis - Schmeling has to be up there if not for anything other than the policitcal ramifications.

Ali - Frazier for sure

Robinson - LaMotta

Leonard - Duran

Graziano - Zale

Carbajal - Gonzalez

From Asia:

Kingpetch - Harada
Chionoi - McGowan / Torres

Probably not top 5 but,

Duran - De Jesus
Greb - Tunney

Their was a similar thread awile back that had you list you're favorite triligies. I listed Patterson/Johansen on that thread and I will list it again here.

Robinson-LaMotta....any rivalry that goes 6 fights has to be noted...excluding Smith/Strickland.

J-C wrote:Probably not top 5 but,

Duran - De Jesus
Greb - Tunney

Great call on Duran-De Jesus... you beat me to it. I think another one that definitely has to be there is Charles - Walcott.

And what elements made for a classic rivalry?

Mattyp151 wrote:Robinson-LaMotta....any rivalry that goes 6 fights has to be noted...excluding Smith/Strickland.

Robinson also had great rivalries with Carmen Basilio (although this was "only" two fights) and Gene Fulmer.

the 3-way rivalry of Eubank-Watson-Benn

Some lesser talked about ones
Billy Graham - Kid Gavilan
Billy Graham - Joey Giardello
Ketchel - Papke
Wolgast - Nelson
Terry Mcgovern - Young Corbett
Armstrong - Zivic

You know one we forgot that is very contemporary and really represented a deep dislike and actually may stand the test of time is Jones-Tarver. Tarver dedicated himself to become the perfect "Jones Defeater" to the exclusion of just about everything else.

May have had more "bad intent" than any of the others. Tarver's obsession was beyond eccentric.

big bill wilson-buddy scott

Jimmy McLarnin v Barney Ross
Jimmy McLarnin v Billy Petrolle
Azumah Nelson v Jesse James Leija
Sam Langford v Joe Jeanette