Ranking the Most Anticipated Rematches in Boxing History

When Marcos Maidana faced Floyd Mayweather last May, he gave the pound-for-pound king the toughest fight Mayweather has had in over a decade. Mayweather came away with a majority decision, with one judge scoring the fight 114-114 each. 

Without better options on the table, a rematch between the two made sense. Maidana has made no secret about the fact that he believes he won and a certain percentage of fans agree with him. 

The rematch has always been a critical part of boxing. In the history of the sport, the best chapters tend to be about multiple-fight rivalries between the greats. 

Narrowing down the 10 most anticipated rematches in the history of the sport was daunting. But the fights on this list would be hard to beat for fan interest heading in.

10. Willie Pep-Sandy Saddler III

Willie Pep's name appears in any conversation about the greatest defensive fighters of all time. Sandy Saddler was one of the roughest. The contrast in styles between these two made for one of the best rivalries in boxing history. 

They were also two of the top featherweights of all time, and the 126-pound title figured prominently in their four-fight series. Saddler captured the belt from Pep when he shocked him with a Round 4 KO in 1948. 

Pep won the belt back in their return bout in 1949, via Round 15 unanimous decision. So it was one win each heading into their 1951 rubber match. 

Pep got off to a strong start and led on all the cards after the first seven rounds, but a separated shoulder forced him to quit in his corner prior to Round 8. 

Their fourth meeting in 1951 was highly anticipated, as well. In one of the dirtiest fights of all time, Pep again had to quit when ahead on the cards. This time he was stopped in Round 9 with a blinding cut to his eye.

9. Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield II

The first fight between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield in 1992 remains the greatest heavyweight title fight since Larry Holmes and Ken Norton in 1978. Although Bowe captured the belt with a clear decision, every single round was a close, hard-fought war. 

So the rematch a year later in 1993 was a must-see event. Holyfield won the belt back with a majority decision. It was another classic, but although it was closer on the cards, I rate it a bit behind the first one. 

This fight was also memorable for one of the more bizarre episodes in boxing history, when an attention-seeking whack job parachuted into the ring during Round 7, forcing a long delay in the action. 

Bowe won the third fight in 1995 by Round 8 TKO.

8. Jose Luis Castillo-Diego Corrales II

The first fight between Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales in May 2005 is arguably the greatest fight of this century. Round 10 is in the running for the greatest round of all time. 

Corrales started that round with his eyes already swelling shut. Within the first minute of the round, Castillo had dropped him twice, and he has lost another point for spitting out his mouthpiece. 

Facing a 10-7 round and falling impossibly far behind on the cards, Corrales rallied furiously to stun Castillo and then knock him out on his feet against the ropes, forcing a stoppage. 

So when the rematch came five months later, the entire boxing world was watching eagerly. This time, though, Castillo won by Round 4 KO. 

The win over Castillo seems to have taken a lot out of Corrales. His loss in the rematch was the first of three straight to end his great career.

7. Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti III

Everybody knew Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti were going to put on a terrific fight when they faced off in May 2002. They exceeded expectations, putting on The Ring's Fight of the Year. Round 9 of that fight rivals Round 10 of Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I for Round of the Century. 

Ward won that first fight by majority decision. Six months later, in November, they faced off again. It was another classic, with Gatti evening the score. 

When they met for the rubber match in June 2003, it was the most eagerly anticipated fight of the year, even without a belt at stake. Gatti won again, and once more the two came together to win The Ring's Fight of the Year honors. 

By the time their terrific three-fight series was over, the two had developed so much mutual respect for each other that a friendship followed. 

6. Sugar Ray Robinson-Carmen Basilio II

By 1957, Sugar Ray Robinson had been fighting as a professional for nearly two decades. Although he was the reigning middleweight champion, he had begun to show signs of vulnerability. 

He was still the pound-for-pound king, but he was starting to look like a mortal. 

So it wasn't a complete shock when he dropped his belt to "The Upstate Onion Farmer," Carmen Basilio, in Yankee Stadium. Basilio was a rugged brawler of a fighter and the younger man. The bout was selected by The Ring as 1957's Fight of the Year. 

Fans expected more of the same when the two met for a rematch in 1958. They also knew they might be watching a legend's last stand.

In another classic fight, Robinson shut Basilio's eye en route to winning the middleweight belt for a record fifth time. Once again it was The Ring's Fight of the Year.

5. Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran II

In June 1980, Sugar Ray Leonard lost the first fight of his career to Roberto Duran in Montreal. It was an action-packed brawl as the flashy Leonard chose to go toe-to-toe with the ferocious "Hands of Steel."

For Duran, it was probably the greatest moment in a legendary career. During the 1970s, he had established himself as arguably the greatest lightweight to ever live. Moving to welterweight, he promptly beat the top young boxing star in the sport. 

Duran reacted by doing what Duran always did after a big win: eating, drinking, dancing and carousing for weeks on end. In short order he was close to 200 pounds. 

Leonard shrewdly signed him back up for a return match a mere five months later, this time in New Orleans. Duran got himself back into fighting shape.

This time Leonard played the roll of boxer and used movement to frustrate Duran. Duran was actually fighting on pretty even terms, regardless. But Leonard's taunting angered Duran to the point where he famously quit after Round 8.

4. Sugar Ray Robinson-Jake LaMotta VI

When he became a night-club performer later in life, Jake LaMotta would often quip: "I fought Sugar Ray so often, I almost got diabetes." Theirs was one of the great rivalries in the history of the sport. 

But the first five of their bouts happened between 1942 and 1945, when both men were being blocked out of the title picture. By the time they fought for the sixth time on Valentine's Day 1951, both men were finally world champions. 

LaMotta was the reigning middleweight champion, and Robinson, who held the welterweight crown, was stepping up to challenge him for his belt. The winner could look forward to a shot at light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim. 

This fight has gone down in history as the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre," as Robinson captured the 160-pound belt by Round 13 TKO after brutally pummeling LaMotta against the ropes. But up to Round 12, it was actually a close, back-and-forth battle, just as their previous five bouts had been.

3. Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier III

When Muhammad Ali faced Joe Frazier in 1971, it was perhaps the single most anticipated fight in boxing history. It was perhaps the most anticipated sporting event in history. 

Ali had returned to action the year before after a three-year forced layoff due to refusing to be drafted during the Vietnam War. Frazier had emerged in his absence as the dominant force in the heavyweight division. 

Both men were undefeated world champions when they faced off for the first time. Frazier's hustling, pressure style carried the night. He cemented his victory with a terrific left hook in Round 15 that sent Ali tumbling to the canvas. 

Frazier dropped the title in 1973 to George Foreman in stunning fashion, getting knocked down six times before the fight was stopped in Round 2. Ali beat Frazier by decision in a rematch in 1974, but by that point, Foreman looked like an untouchable monster. 

Then, Ali shocked the world by capturing the title from Foreman with a Round 8 KO. Suddenly, a rubber match between Frazier and Ali seemed almost as big as their first fight. 

The third fight took place in 1975 in the Philippines. Dubbed "The Thrilla in Manila," it is my choice for the greatest prizefight of all time.

Ali had to be convinced by Angelo Dundee to keep fighting in the late rounds. But Frazier's eyes had both swollen shut by Round 14, and Ali inflicted such a terrible beating on him during those three minutes that Frazier's trainer, Eddie Futch, forced him to retire on his stool prior to the final round. 

2. Jack Dempsey-Gene Tunney II

Jack Dempsey was one of the most popular champions in the history of the heavyweight division. "The Manassa Mauler" was the perfect sports icon for the roaring 1920s and the decade's most popular star aside from perhaps Babe Ruth.

Dempsey's two-fisted, whirlwind style made his defenses against challengers such as Georges Carpentier and Luis Firpo record-breaking events. So when Dempsey dropped the belt by decision to the brilliantly technical Gene Tunney in 1926, fans weren't exactly ready for a changing of the guard.

Dempsey rebounded by knocking out future champion Jack Sharkey and then signed for a rematch with Tunney in 1927. Over 100,000 fans crowded into Chicago's Soldier Field for the historic event.

Once again, Tunney took early control with his lateral movement and jab. Then, in Round 7, Dempsey caught up with the big punch he had been looking for, dropping, Tunney to the canvas.

The fight was fought under a new rule regarding knockdowns that required a fighter to retire to a neutral corner while the downed fighter was given a 10-count to recover. Dempsey spent seconds looming over Tunney as the referee instructed him to retreat and delayed the count.

The result was the famous "Long Count" which saw Dempsey remain on a knee for 14 seconds. In my opinion, Tunney could have risen sooner if the ref's official count had required it, but a controversy has hung over the fight to this day.

On his feet, Tunney took back over the fight and once more won a wide decision.

1. Joe Louis-Max Schmeling II

In 1936, rising phenom Joe Louis suffered the first loss of his career when the crafty veteran Max Schmeling exposed a flaw in his jab and consistently countered over the top of it before knocking Louis out in Round 12.

But Louis was one of the great natural talents in the history of the sport and was trained by an all-time great in Jack Blackburn. Louis fixed his hole and was the world champion by 1938, anxious to avenge his sole loss. 

His fight with Schmeling transcended the sporting world more than any event in history. With World War II looming, Schmeling had been forced into the role of representing Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. 

And Louis found himself suddenly a national hero. On a trip to visit Franklin Roosevelt at the White House, FDR told the young champion, "Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat Germany."

In this highly anticipated rematch, Louis jumped all over Schmeling, knocking him out in Round 1.