Heavyweight bouts are the brightest events in the world of boxing, attracting the attention of millions of fans of this male sport. However, these are true titan battles. Let us tell you about the most exciting wins and losses of the last few decades.
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Max Baer-James Braddock. June 13, 1935. New York City.
This is not an easy time for the United States or the world. The great depression shook the world, so much so that it is still remembered to this day when a new crisis looms.
James worked like a squirrel on a wheel, working on the docks and struggling to feed his family. Then, miraculously, he managed to secure the right to face the reigning champion, Bair. He thought the upcoming game was fun entertainment. But it was not. Desperation and the test of the crisis had hardened Braddock. Also, hard physical labor is worth something.
Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling. June 22, 1938.
Once again, New York, United States. This story can also be classified as a fairy tale, which however happened in reality. The same can be said for the characters.
Joe comes from a poor African-American family. As a child, he was forced to fight for a place in the sun. For him, boxing was an opportunity for a social lift. Max Schmeling is the complete antipodal, the negative pole. “True Aryan”, a favorite of Hitler.
The athletes already knew each other: in 1936, Schmeling knocked out Luis at the famous Berlin Olympics.
However, in 1938, the score had changed. Louis became the reigning world champion and Schmeling became a title contender.
Joe had learned his lesson in Berlin and proved his worth. After that, Schmeling faced the full power of the American, after a series of knockdowns, followed by a knockout.
Joe Louis retained his championship belt. Schmeling was embarrassed, and the match itself was voted the match of the decade by The Ring Magazine.
Rocky Marciano-Jersey Joe Walcott. September 23, 1952.
Rocky is the only heavyweight boxer to “retire” as the reigning champion. Not a single loss!
And the way he won the championship title was this.
The champion at the time was a thirty-eight year old Jersey, Joe Walcott. He had seventy fights, while Marciano had forty-two.
The contender for the title knew how to counteract his experience and technique with youth and strong punch.
And in the thirteenth round, during another exchange near the ropes, Rocky hit his opponent with a short right hook to the jaw. Walcott collapsed, hanging from the ropes. He couldn’t get back up much after the referee counted ten.
Muhammad Ali versus George Foreman. October 30, 1974.
It is the famous “The ruble in the jungle”. Since then, the name of this match has become a household name. It seemed that everything was in Foreman’s favor. Fortune itself favored Foreman, who was younger, taller, and heavier. In addition, they had a more considerable arm span and better hitting power. But this did not help the defending champion. Clever Ali outplayed Foreman. The eighth round was the decisive one. The exhausted foreman lost his ability to defend himself. He missed a series of five smashing punches. He finished with a left hook and a straight right to the head.
He was never able to get to the ten count, earning Ali the title of boxer of the year.
Quezon City, Philippines. Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier. October 1, 1975.
Like the fight between Ali and Foreman described above, it was decided to hold this fight outside of the United States. The choice fell on Quezon City, Philippines. The opponents had already met each other and had the opportunity to become well acquainted with each other’s techniques. And they were both at their best. During the break before the final three minutes, Frazier’s trainer decided to stop the fight. He assessed the status of his student and made a decision. Ali asked his coach to throw in the towel. Ali scored a moment late and the TKO win, though luck might have turned on the other side. This fight is believed to be the tensest in boxing history.
Larry Holmes and Norton. June 9, 1978. Las Vegas.
The encounter was part of Ken’s defense of his WBC title. He won the title without a fight. His owner, Leon Spinks, refused to defend the title for the rematch with Muhammad Ali. In boxing history, the fight is one of the toughest in terms of the number of blows missed by both opponents. The fight was a close duel of strength and power. He defined the character of the fight throughout the fifteen round distance.
Holmes won by split decision with a near unprecedented score: 143-142 in favor of Holmes twice and 143-142 in popularity of Norton.
Atlantic City, United States. Mike Tyson-Michael Spinks. June 27, 1988.
Late 80’s. Mike Tyson is in his prime. Iron Mike had collected belts in almost every significant version by then. All that was left was The Ring magazine belt. And then the full game! And the owner of the prestigious award was the undefeated Michael Spinks. Mike had outdone himself. In that fight, after the bell, he immediately rushed to attack. In the first minute, his trademark “left uppercut, left hook to the body” combination brought his opponent to her knees. That was how Spinks got the first knockdown from him in his long boxing life.
Then there were two more hooks to the head from Tyson, after which his opponent was unable to get back on his feet. Spinks decided to end his professional career just a month after this loss.
Las Vegas, United States. Mike Tyson – Evander Holyfield. November 9, 1996.
By 1996, Tyson was not at his best. Behind him were the imprisonment, the loss of all the titles and his physical condition.
But the same year, he was given the WBA and WBC belts. But he got rid of the last one because he refused to fight the mandatory challenger. The meeting between Tyson and Holyfield was planned even before the “walk” of the former and was postponed for various reasons.
Overall, Holyfield had a chance to prepare well. Consequently, Tyson has never been able to land Holyfield even one hard hit. Tyson was desperately losing the fight on points. In his position, he could only count on one knockout. That was precisely what he was looking for. And so, at the end of the tenth round, a series of punches from Holyfield knocked Iron Mike out, though he managed to stay on his feet. And at the beginning of the next game, the referee stopped the fight. Tyson’s opponent won via technical knockout. That was how Holyfield won the championship belt.
Sports analysts at the time were of the opinion that it was not only due to technique and tactics, but also to psychological stability: he was the first of Tyson’s opponents who was not afraid of him.
He underscores the point that in boxing, it’s not just physical fitness that matters, but also morale and the will to win.
