*muhamad ali
*mike tyson
*manny pacquaio
*floyd mayweather
*roy jones jr.
*thomas hearns
*sugar ray leonard
*bernard hopkins
*oscar de lahoya
*jack dempsey
A few that didn't seem to get much attention:
Alexis Arguello - His come from behind victory over Olivares, the two incredible wars with Escelera, the exciting battles with the likes of Boom Boom Mancini, Bazooka Limon, Bobby Chacon, Ruben Castillo, Andy Ganigan, & the final wars with Aaron Pryor; one of the most exciting of all time, as well as one of the best.
Marvellous Marvin Hagler: the war with Hearns alone should get him here - probably the most exciting 3 rounds of all time; but also had some great battles with the likes of Sibson, Hamsho, Roldan & Mugabi.
Kostya Tszyu: Explosive fighter, with one of the deadliest rights of all time, Tszyu was in some wildly exciting fights - Judah, Hurtado, Rodriguez, & Lopez probably the most exciting, but some other performances were pretty excellent.
& finally, & probably most unpopularly, Joe Calzaghe.
An in-form, focused Calzaghe is one of the most exciting fighters out there, with punches coming from all angles, & an absolutely incredible pace.
His battles with the likes of Byron Mitchell, Charles Brewer & Omar Sheika were wildly exciting stuff, & he's put in some other great performances as well./QUOTE]
I don't share your enthusiasum, my friend.
I just think Joe is a just above average boxer who stayed out of the limelight until Jeff Lacy, and given Jeff Lacy's last performance, we shouldn't see it as such an achievement what Joe to Lacy.
Joe has to step up and fight quality opposition. He needs to fly over to the States and kick it there. There was a good documentary on here (I'm in the UK) called No Average Joe, and there was some dude from the US talking about how Joe has dodged everyone - Hopkins, Tarver, Jones. It kinda rung a bell with me.
I hate to see people fail, but I also hate to see people milking the press. Nine years as world champ ain't that good if you only fought two good blokes in the last nine years (Lacy and Eubank).
Just my two cents.
Ian
A few that didn't seem to get much attention:
Alexis Arguello - His come from behind victory over Olivares, the two incredible wars with Escelera, the exciting battles with the likes of Boom Boom Mancini, Bazooka Limon, Bobby Chacon, Ruben Castillo, Andy Ganigan, & the final wars with Aaron Pryor; one of the most exciting of all time, as well as one of the best.
Marvellous Marvin Hagler: the war with Hearns alone should get him here - probably the most exciting 3 rounds of all time; but also had some great battles with the likes of Sibson, Hamsho, Roldan & Mugabi.
Kostya Tszyu: Explosive fighter, with one of the deadliest rights of all time, Tszyu was in some wildly exciting fights - Judah, Hurtado, Rodriguez, & Lopez probably the most exciting, but some other performances were pretty excellent.
& finally, & probably most unpopularly, Joe Calzaghe.
An in-form, focused Calzaghe is one of the most exciting fighters out there, with punches coming from all angles, & an absolutely incredible pace.
His battles with the likes of Byron Mitchell, Charles Brewer & Omar Sheika were wildly exciting stuff, & he's put in some other great performances as well.
It was not an exile, it was a banning...and how about...Liston I or II, how about Ernire "What's my name" Terrel...or the interesting fight with Henry Cooper
the terrell fight was average. the cooper fight was interesting.
neither liston fight was especially exciting (how could the rematch be?). if i saw the fight live it'd be different due to the magnitude but it's not an especially good action fight.
I like each fighter for different reasons. Hard to make a list.
1.) Tyson
2,) Robinson
3.) Hearns
4.) Haggler
5.) Leonard
6.) Ali
7.) Marciano
8.) Meldrick Taylor (God forbid someone thinks Jermain)
9.) Pryor
10.) Frazier
that was his only title defense in his 1st reign that was entertaining to me, from start to finish.
the others before his exile, and even quite a few after them, you would get to see some amazing things, but you had to sit through a boring fight to get to those things.
It was not an exile, it was a banning...and how about...Liston I or II, how about Ernire "What's my name" Terrel...or the interesting fight with Henry Cooper
His career before the 3 years banning, he was dynamite...his Cleveland Williams fight was a sight to see....his hitting % that night needed to be close to 80% ridiculous!!
that was his only title defense in his 1st reign that was entertaining to me, from start to finish.
the others before his exile, and even quite a few after them, you would get to see some amazing things, but you had to sit through a boring fight to get to those things.
create your lists.. what cha got?
Just exciting?
Well, in no particular order...
Stanley Ketchel
Hank Armstrong
Rocky Graziano
Jack Dempsey
Jimmy Wilde
Battling Siki
Mickey Walker
Harry Greb
Pancho Villa
Battling Nelson
Ad Wolgast
Joe Louis
Ted "Kid" Lewis
Ray Robinson
Beau Jack
Carmen Basilio
Kid Gavilan
Max Baer
Ruben Carter
Roberto Duran
Aaron Pryor
Ruben Olivares
Ray Leonard
Thomas Hearns
Marvin Hagler
...oh good grief, there are too many for me to list.
Ali was only exciting to me later in his career when he was more hittable, and against certain styles such as Frazier in 2 of their 3 fights, Foreman, Spinks I, and Shavers.
most of his fights are dull to me, especially in his first reign as champ, barring the williams fight.
in order to get to the brilliant things he did, you have to sit through a whole lot of stink in watching his fights before seeing them.
He was a million times more entertaining a personality than he was a fighter.
His career before the 3 years banning, he was dynamite...his Cleveland Williams fight was a sight to see....his hitting % that night needed to be close to 80% ridiculous!!
Ali was only exciting to me later in his career when he was more hittable, and against certain styles such as Frazier in 2 of their 3 fights, Foreman, Spinks I, and Shavers.
most of his fights are dull to me, especially in his first reign as champ, barring the williams fight.
in order to get to the brilliant things he did, you have to sit through a whole lot of stink in watching his fights before seeing them.
He was a million times more entertaining a personality than he was a fighter.
This is interesting....defining "Exciting" as KO or speedy or flashy...how are you defining it....
If we going for KO:
1. Marciano
2. Foreman
3. Wilfredo Gomez/Olivarez
4. Shavers
5. Hearns
6. Marvin Johnson/Saad Muhammad
7. Vladdy
8. Bob Foster
9. Frazier
10. Graziano/JCC
Flash Defence Speed:
1. Cassius Marcelus Clay
2. SRR
3. Henry Armstron
4. Sweet Pea
5. Wil O Whisp
6. Meldrik Taylor
7. Wilfred Benitez
8. Aaron Pryor
9. Nico Loche
10. PBF/RJJ
In no particular order:
1. Ray Robinson
2. Carmen Basilio
3. Jake LaMotta
4. Arturo Gatti
5. Muhammad Ali
6. Mike Tyson
7. Nigel Benn
8. Ray Mancini
9. Ray Leonard
10. Jack Dempsey
As a Brit, you don't find Hamed more exciting than Benn? Or how about the antics of Chris Eubank in the ring?
hamed was a bit of a showoff who thought he was alot etter than he was!
eubank was different and very interesting to watch but benn was amazing
if he got hurt you knew his opponent was about to get KO'd! he had wars with everyone
Ali was very exciting as was morrison frazier tyson dempsey holyfield(funny how he used to be considered boring) foreman hearns both sugar rays i could go on!