Your Fights of the Year

[Flickergrab98]

Has there ever been a fight that was awarded Ring Magazine’s fight of the year that you disagreed with? What fight did you feel deserve that distinction, but wasn’t given it? I’d like you guys to remember that this is all subjective and that there’s no definitive way to determine which fight deserves it more.

With that out of the way, I’ll start this thread off by talking about two fights that I feel weren’t awarded properly.

To start this off, I recently saw the rematch between Sugar Ray Robinson and Carmen Basilio - the 1958 fight of the year. While this is no doubt an entertaining scrap, do you know what other fight also happened that year? Archie Moore vs. Yvon Durelle 1
This fight is to this day is remembered as one of the greatest comebacks in a fight, one of the biggest must matches for any fight fan, and as the finest hour of the old mongoose. I simply can’t understand why this was denied a fight of the year.

The second pair of fights I wanted to discuss is the 2004 fight of the year, Erik Morales vs Marco Antonio Barrera 3, and the fight I feel should have won: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez 1
These two are more even my eyes than the first two I mentioned, but I feel Pacquiao-Marquez edges out the other one. It’s actually kind of similar to Moore-Durelle in that one of them suffers several knockdowns in the first round and then starts making a comeback in the middle rounds. Only this time, the other guy fights back hard enough in the late rounds to make this fight end in a controversial draw. A very exciting, even fight with constantly shifting momentum.

[Willie Pep 229]

Has there ever been a fight that was awarded Ring Magazine’s fight of the year that you disagreed with? What fight did you feel deserve that distinction, but wasn’t given it? I’d like you guys to remember that this is all subjective and that there’s no definitive way to determine which fight deserves it more.

With that out of the way, I’ll start this thread off by talking about two fights that I feel weren’t awarded properly.

To start this off, I recently saw the rematch between Sugar Ray Robinson and Carmen Basilio - the 1958 fight of the year. While this is no doubt an entertaining scrap, do you know what other fight also happened that year? Archie Moore vs. Yvon Durelle 1
This fight is to this day is remembered as one of the greatest comebacks in a fight, one of the biggest must matches for any fight fan, and as the finest hour of the old mongoose. I simply can’t understand why this was denied a fight of the year.

The second pair of fights I wanted to discuss is the 2004 fight of the year, Erik Morales vs Marco Antonio Barrera 3, and the fight I feel should have won: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez 1
These two are more even my eyes than the first two I mentioned, but I feel Pacquiao-Marquez edges out the other one. It’s actually kind of similar to Moore-Durelle in that one of them suffers several knockdowns in the first round and then starts making a comeback in the middle rounds. Only this time, the other guy fights back hard enough in the late rounds to make this fight end in a controversial draw. A very exciting, even fight with constantly shifting momentum.

Just the other side of the argument . . .

RE Moore-Durelle: the problem was it wan't Archie's finest "hour" - it was a pretty dismal performance and a lopsided event until the comeback. Which was quite dramatic no doubt but also suffered wth what looked to be partly assisted by a fatigued Durelle.

Very dramatic event I suspect but neither fighter looked particularly great.

Lots of grit, toughness, drama, courage, and excitement, but not necessarily great fighting.

It is an interesting question . . . Does drama alone.make a fight great? Does a series of KDs automatically make a fight great? Was the Fury-Wilder fight a great fight or merely an exciting one? Or are they one in the same?

Not saying so one way or the other . . . but I think maybe the definition 'fight of the year' lies in the eye of the beholder.

At least I can see why they might pass over the Moore-Durelle fight. It's not a scrap I would watch multiple times.

Thsnks for the link to the list, I need to give it a look-see, and see if I got any disagreements.

P.S. I take that back that thanks, you didn't post a link to The Ring's fight off the year list. I need to go find one.

[Willie Pep 229]

The Ring's 'fight if the year' listed

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ring_magazine_Fight_of_the_Year

[Willie Pep 229]

Not sure I know boxing well enough to be able to juxtapose great fights against any one year's choice.

I did notice one fight I didn't think was.much of a fight, Louis-Baer 1935. I thought it was a one sided affair. But just off the top of my head I can't ID the other great fights from that year.

I have never seen Louis-Pastor II - but I also never had anyone point it out as a great fight either.

Maybe 1939 was just a slow year or maybe we need to check out Louis-Paster II.

[QueensburyRules]

Has there ever been a fight that was awarded Ring Magazine’s fight of the year that you disagreed with? What fight did you feel deserve that distinction, but wasn’t given it? I’d like you guys to remember that this is all subjective and that there’s no definitive way to determine which fight deserves it more.

With that out of the way, I’ll start this thread off by talking about two fights that I feel weren’t awarded properly.

To start this off, I recently saw the rematch between Sugar Ray Robinson and Carmen Basilio - the 1958 fight of the year. While this is no doubt an entertaining scrap, do you know what other fight also happened that year? Archie Moore vs. Yvon Durelle 1
This fight is to this day is remembered as one of the greatest comebacks in a fight, one of the biggest must matches for any fight fan, and as the finest hour of the old mongoose. I simply can’t understand why this was denied a fight of the year.

The second pair of fights I wanted to discuss is the 2004 fight of the year, Erik Morales vs Marco Antonio Barrera 3, and the fight I feel should have won: Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez 1
These two are more even my eyes than the first two I mentioned, but I feel Pacquiao-Marquez edges out the other one. It’s actually kind of similar to Moore-Durelle in that one of them suffers several knockdowns in the first round and then starts making a comeback in the middle rounds. Only this time, the other guy fights back hard enough in the late rounds to make this fight end in a controversial draw. A very exciting, even fight with constantly shifting momentum.

- -Main controversy of Manny/BALCO Juan I is a judge admitting he scored the first round wrong that would've given Manny the win instead of the draw. 2nd, he ducked a career purse with the immediate rematch that tells us immediately who he thinks won.

First Barrera/Morales fight tip top give and take fight with a dramatic late round KD that should've sealed for Marco. He won the rest of the trilogy handily by boxing. Morales never learned to box which is terrible for young Munguia to have chosen as his trainer.

BTW, Carmen in 3 FOY!

[Flickergrab98]

- -Main controversy of Manny/BALCO Juan I is a judge admitting he scored the first round wrong that would've given Manny the win instead of the draw. 2nd, he ducked a career purse with the immediate rematch that tells us immediately who he thinks won.

First Barrera/Morales fight tip top give and take fight with a dramatic late round KD that should've sealed for Marco. He won the rest of the trilogy handily by boxing. Morales never learned to box which is terrible for young Munguia to have chosen as his trainer.

BTW, Carmen in 3 FOY!

Didn’t the judge who scored the first round incorrectly end up being the one who scored the fight for Pacquiao?

[Tatabanya]

1986.

Hagler vs Mugabi should have been FOTY, not Cruz vs McGuigan.

[QueensburyRules]

Didn’t the judge who scored the first round incorrectly end up being the one who scored the fight for Pacquiao?

- -Could easily check for yourself but for why?

https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/J...o_(1st_meeting)

[Flickergrab98]

1986.

Hagler vs Mugabi should have been FOTY, not Cruz vs McGuigan.

It’s been a while since the only time I watched Hagler vs Mugabi. I also haven’t seen Cruz vs. McGuigan. I’ll probably watch that fight and then the highlights of Hagler-Mugabi sometime soon?

[Tatabanya]

It’s been a while since the only time I watched Hagler vs Mugabi. I also haven’t seen Cruz vs. McGuigan. I’ll probably watch that fight and then the highlights of Hagler-Mugabi sometime soon?

Hagler vs Mugabi must be watched in its entirety. It's a masterclass in bravery AND technique, from both participants.