Fight of the Year List: 1950 to Current Year

[Flickergrab98]

1973 FOTY has been changed from Foreman vs Frazier to Ali vs Norton 2. I really didn’t want my choice for replacement to be as obvious as this, but the only other recommendation I’ve seen for fights from that year is Arnold Taylor vs Romeo Anaya. To say nothing of the camera quality on that one, the biggest problem is that the footage available is clearly just a 14 minute highlight compilation, not the full fight. If I gave Giambra vs Fernandez so much grief for missing a few rounds from its footage, then I obviously can’t let this slide.
So it’s Ali vs Norton 2, for now

[Slugfester]

Mike Ayala vs lil' Red Lopez was one of the best fights I ever saw.

[Willie Pep 229]

Mike Ayala vs lil' Red Lopez was one of the best fights I ever saw.

It is the best fight ever.

Even in the middle rounds things got confused and the referee almost stopped the fight, but Lopez (who would have won) wouldn't let him and insisted on fighting.

Had that been SRL or Money, or just about most fighters, they would have thrown their arms in the air and declared victory and we have had yet another controversial stoppage.

But instead Little Red would have no part of a crap victory and the fight went on to the 15th.

Best fight I ever saw too.

[Flickergrab98]

The replacement for Brown-Charnely 2 came down to either Fullmer-Paret or Patterson-Johansson 3. And while in some ways Fullmer & Paret outdid the other fight in terms of ferocity, Patterson vs. Johansson was a much more even fight compared to Fullmer bullying a welterweight for 10 rounds. Add to that the sheer number of knockdowns and its status as follow up to the last year’s best fight. Lastly, Fullmer-Paret also suffers from the problem of having some rounds missing from the footage available.
As nice as it would be to give Fullmer this one after I replaced his victory over Basilio in ‘59 with Paret’s 10 round scrap with Gaspar Ortega, I just have to go with Patterson-Johansson 3 on this one.

[Flickergrab98]

Let’s bump this thread. Anyone think there were better fights than Ali vs. Jones in 63?

[QueensburyRules]

Let’s bump this thread. Anyone think there were better fights than Ali vs. Jones in 63?

- - 100% sure there must be a half dozen, but I ain't gonna bother finding them.

[GhostofDempsey]

Not sure how Leonard/Hagler made the cut. A fight that wasn't all that great and ended in controversy. I thought Tyson/Biggs was a more compelling match up. Briggs was an Olympic gold medalist, defeated Lennox Lewis in the Olympics, and was 6'5" and undefeated. He was a hot prospect and Tyson overcame the size difference and chopped him down.

[QueensburyRules]

- - 100% sure there must be a half dozen, but I ain't gonna bother finding them.

- - D1ck Tiger fought a straight trilogy with Gene Fulmer starting Oct 62 culminating with Gene's mgr asking for the stoppage in August 63.

Who ever did such a thing against such a rugged opponent over a 10 month period? Easy FOY for me.

**** Tiger vs. Gene Fullmer (3rd meeting) - BoxRec

[Flickergrab98]

Which matchup from this year are you placing bets on winning FOTY 2023?

[QueensburyRules]

Which matchup from this year are you placing bets on winning FOTY 2023?

- - Francis neck and neck with Inoue for Fighter of the year with Inoue a slam dunk for his sublime dismantling of stinker Fulton in Fight of the Year.