Your Fights of the Year

[JAB5239]

Yeah, I’m inclined to agree. Doesn’t it pretty much have a reputation as the greatest fight in Cruiserweight history?

It does. But the cruiserweight division has never been highly regarded and that may have played a part in it.

[Flickergrab98]

It does. But the cruiserweight division has never been highly regarded and that may have played a part in it.

I hope one day the Cruiserweight division has a sort of golden age where it has a huge pool of high-profile talent and becomes the star attraction of boxing.

[Tatabanya]

There was another great from that year. Holyfield vs. Qawi 1. What do you think? Should that one have gotten fight of the year?

Yes, I forgot it was in 1986. Great war, involving one of my youth's boxing heroes in Qawi.

[QueensburyRules]

I hope one day the Cruiserweight division has a sort of golden age where it has a huge pool of high-profile talent and becomes the star attraction of boxing.

- -It did before key cruisers like Usyk moved to heavy. Ali trophy did huge business. But of course it's the traditional heavywt division that everyone who understands the history of boxing knows.

[markusmod]

I personally think Holy-Qawi 1 was a better fight than Hagler-Mugabi.

Chavez-LaPorte was another good one that could have been considered in '86.

I agree with Jab on this one.

[GhostofDempsey]

I thought Pacquiao vs. Morales II, Cotto and Margarito in 2006/2009/2010 should have been FOTY winners. I thought Toney vs Barkley should have won for 1993.

[Flickergrab98]

Let’s talk about the years 1977 and 1978. The 1977 fight of the year went to Jimmy Young vs George Foreman. Now, I don’t know much about this fight other than the unusual it lead to George Foreman becoming convinced that he must retire. However, I’ve never heard it talked about as an amazing fight. One fight from that year I HAVE heard described as a must-watch is Mathew Saad Muhammad vs Marvin Johnson 1. But I’ve yet to see that one either. Still, I think it would have been nice to see Ring’s FOY awarded to a fight that was not in the Heavyweight division.

Then there’s 1978, which saw FOY being handed out to Leon Spinks vs Muhammad Ali 1. Now, I understand that this was considered a MASSIVE upset at the time. But can anyone tell me, is it still an amazing fight to watch all these later when we all know the outcome? I don’t know, but there’s one fight from that year that I actually have seen and I do think makes a worthy FOY candidate. That would be Larry Holmes vs Ken Norton.

Tell me, what do you think of these? Did Ring magazine the right choices or did the fights I suggested deserve it more? Or are there even more deserving fights from those years which I wasn’t aware of?

[QueensburyRules]

Let’s talk about the years 1977 and 1978. The 1977 fight of the year went to Jimmy Young vs George Foreman. Now, I don’t know much about this fight other than the unusual it lead to George Foreman becoming convinced that he must retire. However, I’ve never heard it talked about as an amazing fight. One fight from that year I HAVE heard described as a must-watch is Mathew Saad Muhammad vs Marvin Johnson 1. But I’ve yet to see that one either. Still, I think it would have been nice to see Ring’s FOY awarded to a fight that was not in the Heavyweight division.

Then there’s 1978, which saw FOY being handed out to Leon Spinks vs Muhammad Ali 1. Now, I understand that this was considered a MASSIVE upset at the time. But can anyone tell me, is it still an amazing fight to watch all these later when we all know the outcome? I don’t know, but there’s one fight from that year that I actually have seen and I do think makes a worthy FOY candidate. That would be Larry Holmes vs Ken Norton.

Tell me, what do you think of these? Did Ring magazine the right choices or did the fights I suggested deserve it more? Or are there even more deserving fights from those years which I wasn’t aware of?

- -Young ran around like a chicken in track shoes and still got beat up for his troubles. George with the slugger's curse in that they ain't allowed to take decisions whereas it's ok for boxers to score occasional KOs.

Spinks vs Ali nonstop thanks to Leon who largely couldn't dent a marshmallow, but just the concept of a Neon Leon whooping the panty hose off Ali staggered boxing.

Shame is we never saw Leon vs Young. Leon forces Jimmy into nonstop action.

[Flickergrab98]

Let’s talk about 1980. Fight of the year in 1980 was Mathew Saad Muhammad vs Yaqui Lopez 2. But that was also the same year the first two Leonard vs Duran fights took place.
I haven’t seen Muhammad vs Lopez, but I’ve heard it’s a classic that should be witnessed. Still, would you guys say it topped Leonard vs Duran 1, which is frequently considered an all time great battle?
My theory is that the bizarre and controversial ending of the second fight overshadowed the first fight so much that it left people with a sour taste in their mouths. So they decided to pick a different fight altogether. Again, I still say this as someone who hasn’t seen Muhammad vs Lopez.

[JAB5239]

Let’s talk about the years 1977 and 1978. The 1977 fight of the year went to Jimmy Young vs George Foreman. Now, I don’t know much about this fight other than the unusual it lead to George Foreman becoming convinced that he must retire. However, I’ve never heard it talked about as an amazing fight. One fight from that year I HAVE heard described as a must-watch is Mathew Saad Muhammad vs Marvin Johnson 1. But I’ve yet to see that one either. Still, I think it would have been nice to see Ring’s FOY awarded to a fight that was not in the Heavyweight division.

Then there’s 1978, which saw FOY being handed out to Leon Spinks vs Muhammad Ali 1. Now, I understand that this was considered a MASSIVE upset at the time. But can anyone tell me, is it still an amazing fight to watch all these later when we all know the outcome? I don’t know, but there’s one fight from that year that I actually have seen and I do think makes a worthy FOY candidate. That would be Larry Holmes vs Ken Norton.

Tell me, what do you think of these? Did Ring magazine the right choices or did the fights I suggested deserve it more? Or are there even more deserving fights from those years which I wasn’t aware of?

It should have Been Holmes-Norton. Still a top 5 all time heavyweight fight till this day.