Top 10 Most Important fights in Boxing History! You decide.

[DrewWoodside]

Alright, I tried to do a top 3 fights thread, but it became clear that it's impossible to only mention 3 fights regarding historical significance. I'm not going to attempt to just name all of them myself so I'll start it off and as people add opinions and fights I'll adjust the main post to reflect the general consensus of the Top 10.

1. Muhammad Ali -vs-Joe Frazier 1. This fight became so intertwined with current politics at the time that it became far more important than a mere sporting event. In addition, the fight actually lived up to the hype.

2. Joe Louis -vs- Max Schmeling 2. Once again this fight came to represent more than two pugs in a ring. It was the United States -vs- the ****s.

3. Jim Corbett -vs- John Sullivan. A passing of the torch from the bare-knuckle era to Queensbury rules.

4. Tom Molineaux -vs Tom Cribb. British boxing supremacy is legitimately challenged by a black American. Also, central to the beginning of one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.

5. Ray Mancini -vs- Du Ku Kim. Kim's death in the ring was largely attributed to additional punishment received in championship rounds. Rounds in championship fights are changed from 15 to 12.

6. Marvin Hagler -vs- Tommy Hearns. This fight didn't serve to have any non-boxing historical relevance but it ultimately became the battle that all great fights would be compared to.

7. George Foreman -vs- Michael Moorer. Although time and time again it has been proven that youth does not always prevail. I think this fight did the most in terms of proving a fighter cannot be written off simply due to their age.

8. Larry Holmes -vs- Gerry Cooney. Racial tensions soared as Cooney(dubbed the Great White Hype) attempted to become the first White Heavyweight Champion in 22 years. Both fighters lives were threatened by extremists and once again, boxing managed to capture the world's attention.

9. Mike Tyson -vs- Buster Douglas. Signified end of the Tyson era which was huge in bringing boxing into pop culture in the late 80's and early 90s. Also, arguably the biggest upset in boxing history.

10. Jack Johnson -vs- Jim Jeffries. Representative of racial tensions at the time this bout allowed Johnson proper recognition as the first black heavyweight champion of the world. He had already technically earned that title from Tommy Burns but had not yet truly received full credit.

Honorable Mentions:

- Salvador Sanchez vs Wilfredo Gomez. A fight central to the beginning of the rivalry between Mexico & Puerto Rico. Sanchez's victory, avenged Gomez's defeat of Mexican Champion Carlos Zarate. Thus beginning the back and forth competition between the two countries that exists today.

- Floyd Mayweather Jr. -vs- Oscar De La Hoya. Made documentary style build ups a fixture for big fights. Also, dubbed the fight to save boxing was one of the highest grossing non heavyweight bouts.

- Arturo Gatti -vs- Mickey Ward. The fight that started one of the bloodiest and greatest trilogies in boxing history. It set the standard for what a trilogy should be.

- Muhammad Ali -vs- George Foreman. This did not make the top 10 only because it's significance is so similar to Ali/Frazier.

- Sugar Ray Robinson -vs- Jake Lamotta VI. What would a list of important fights be without mention of the GOAT? Dubbed "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" Robinson KO'd Lamotta in their 6th and final fight earning Robinson the undisputed middleweight title.

- Arturo Gatti -vs- Joey Gamache. Resulted in a cap on the maximum amount of weight a fighter can gain after weigh in.

Please add any fights you think should be listed or adjustments in order.

[KittenFlaps]

All great entries. Cant really argue with the placement either.

The mancini fight was responsible for several changes, not just the change from 15 to 12 rounds.

"The WBC, which was not the fight's sanctioning organization, announced during its annual convention of 1982 that many rules concerning fighters' medical care before fights needed to be changed. One of the most significant was the WBC's reduction of title fights from fifteen rounds to twelve. The WBA and the IBF followed the WBC in 1987. When the WBO was formed in 1988, it immediately began operating with 12-round world championship bouts.[6]

Additionally, on the recommendation of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the number of ring ropes was increased from five to six to prevent fighters from falling through the ropes and out of the ring.

In the years after Kim's death new medical procedures were introduced to fighters' pre-fight checkups, such as electrocardiograms, brain tests, and lung tests. As one boxing leader put it, "A fighter's check-ups before fights used to consist of blood pressure and heartbeat checks before 1982. Not anymore."


Other important fights (or just incredibly notable):

Tyson v. Douglas on the grounds that it could be considered the end of the Tyson era which was huge in bringing boxing into pop culture in the late 80's and early 90s.

Gatti v. Gemache on the grounds that it resulted in a cap on the maximum amount of weight a fighter can gain after weigh in. I think only in Jersey though.

[WhoreUs]

trinidad-hopkins



continuance of the disgusting era in the middleweight division called hopkins' reign.

[DrewWoodside]

All great entries. Cant really argue with the placement either.

The mancini fight was responsible for several changes, not just the change from 15 to 12 rounds.

"The WBC, which was not the fight's sanctioning organization, announced during its annual convention of 1982 that many rules concerning fighters' medical care before fights needed to be changed. One of the most significant was the WBC's reduction of title fights from fifteen rounds to twelve. The WBA and the IBF followed the WBC in 1987. When the WBO was formed in 1988, it immediately began operating with 12-round world championship bouts.[6]

Additionally, on the recommendation of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the number of ring ropes was increased from five to six to prevent fighters from falling through the ropes and out of the ring.

In the years after Kim's death new medical procedures were introduced to fighters' pre-fight checkups, such as electrocardiograms, brain tests, and lung tests. As one boxing leader put it, "A fighter's check-ups before fights used to consist of blood pressure and heartbeat checks before 1982. Not anymore."


Other important fights (or just incredibly notable):

Tyson v. Douglas on the grounds that it could be considered the end of the Tyson era which was huge in bringing boxing into pop culture in the late 80's and early 90s.

Gatti v. Gemache on the grounds that it resulted in a cap on the maximum amount of weight a fighter can gain after weigh in. I think only in Jersey though.

You know i was definitely thinking of putting the douglas fight in there.. I still kind of view it as the biggest upset in boxing history.. I didn't realize the Gatti Gamache was how that rule came into effect. Gatti Ward 1 for the 10th fight? I imagine there's definitely a more important fight than that though. Updating the main post now.

[DrewWoodside]

All great entries. Cant really argue with the placement either.

The mancini fight was responsible for several changes, not just the change from 15 to 12 rounds.

"The WBC, which was not the fight's sanctioning organization, announced during its annual convention of 1982 that many rules concerning fighters' medical care before fights needed to be changed. One of the most significant was the WBC's reduction of title fights from fifteen rounds to twelve. The WBA and the IBF followed the WBC in 1987. When the WBO was formed in 1988, it immediately began operating with 12-round world championship bouts.[6]

Additionally, on the recommendation of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the number of ring ropes was increased from five to six to prevent fighters from falling through the ropes and out of the ring.

In the years after Kim's death new medical procedures were introduced to fighters' pre-fight checkups, such as electrocardiograms, brain tests, and lung tests. As one boxing leader put it, "A fighter's check-ups before fights used to consist of blood pressure and heartbeat checks before 1982. Not anymore."


Other important fights (or just incredibly notable):

Tyson v. Douglas on the grounds that it could be considered the end of the Tyson era which was huge in bringing boxing into pop culture in the late 80's and early 90s.

Gatti v. Gemache on the grounds that it resulted in a cap on the maximum amount of weight a fighter can gain after weigh in. I think only in Jersey though.

Is that Gatti fight also responsible for when the weigh in occurrs?

[DrewWoodside]

trinidad-hopkins



continuance of the disgusting era in the middleweight division called hopkins' reign.

I don't know pink.. I think that's a good way to jab at hop's reign but i'm not sure it cracks the top 10.

[KittenFlaps]

I was totally considering putting Gatti - Ward in there, but honestly it stands stronger as a trilogy than as a single fight. Still...it's probably one of my all time top 3 favorite fights.


Oh. And the Roy Jones Jr. Olympic fight aginst Park Si-Hun. That has to be considered even though it was an olympic fight. Completely insane upset, caused an entire revamp of the olympic scoring system.

[KittenFlaps]

Is that Gatti fight also responsible for when the weigh in occurrs?

I think so but cant find a source. Here's the wiki for it.

"Gatti's first fight of 2000 proved to be controversial. Faced with former world champion Joey Gamache, Gatti won by a knockout in round two. A subsequent lawsuit by Gamache's handlers claimed Gatti had gained 19 pounds since the weigh-in the day before and thus had a large advantage over Gamache.[8] In the wake of the fight boxing regulators pushed for a new law limiting the amount of weight a competitor can gain between the weigh-in and time of the fight. Gatti was also accused by Gamache's handlers of not having actually made the contracted weight of 141 pounds. After Gatti-Gamache, some boxing commissions started weighing boxers a second time."

[STILL_DETOX]

mike tyson-trevor berbick
holyfield-tyson 2
roy jones-john ruiz

[WhoreUs]

I don't know pink.. I think that's a good way to jab at hop's reign but i'm not sure it cracks the top 10.

top 10 for me.

i thought tito was gonna unify 160 and 168 and fight roy at 175.