Mayweather vs. Pacquaio and Some of the Most Highly Anticipated Matchups Ever
Boxing is one of the few sports that doesn't have a season. Despite the advantage of consistently showcasing professional talent boxing lacks the week to week anticipation. Then there are those fights that get people talking about the sport again.
Each generation has produced a must see fight between two great champions. I've put together a list of some of the most intriguing match-ups in the history of boxing.
Also enjoy some of the video and pre-fight trailers that got us all excited....
'Battle Of The Titans' Manny Pacquaio Versus Floyd Mayweather Jr.
1 of 9Some consider this match-up to be the fight of the century. Floyd Mayweather Jr. 41-0 and Manny Pacquaio 52-3-2 for the last two years have been the main topics of boxing.
Both these fighters have been considered the pound for pound king. Before Floyd Mayweather retired in 2007 he was the undisputed king. During his retirement Manny Pacquaio rose to stardom and claimed the title, he also has been named fighter of the decade.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. came out of retirement in 2009 to fight Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd won a unanimous decision, by winning every round convincingly. He also won a unanimous decision Sugar Shane Mosely on May 1, 2010 after Manny Pacquaio backed out of their fight negotiations refusing to take Olympic style drug testing.
On November 13, 2010 Manny Pacquaio's annihilated Antonio Margarito for 12 rounds, and won a unanimous decision his second of the year. Boxing fans are screaming for the Mayweather Vs. Pacquaio match-up. Neither fighter has been challenged in the ring in the last two years and most insiders feel this would be the only fight worthy of crowning the true pound for pound king.
'The Sound Of Fury': Mike Tyson Versus Evander Holyfield II
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Tyson and Holyfield fought for the second time on June 28, 1997. A year before that Evander Holyfield shocked the world with a TKO victory of Mike Tyson.
The highly anticipated rematch was dubbed 'The Sound of Fury', and was held at the Las Vegas MGM Arena. It was the biggest event in recent years, drawing even more attention than the first bout and grossing $100 million. Tyson received $30 million and Holyfield $35 million—the highest paid professional boxing purses ever until 2007.
The fight was purchased by 1.99 million households, setting a pay-per-view buy rate record that stood for nearly 10 years.
The fight was stopped at the end of the third round, with Tyson being disqualified for biting Holyfield on the ear.
Brawl In Montreal And Revenge In New Orleans: Sugar Ray Leonard Vs Roberto Duran
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'Duran's Rage Flows at the Thought of Sugar Ray', read the headline of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. The article was describing the utter dislike Duran had for Sugar Ray Leonard. Roberto said, he runs, he is a clown criticizing Sugar Ray's boxing style. Duran was the classic brawler and carried the nickname hands of stone.
Although Leonard was considered the inexperienced fighter he didn't allow Duran to bully him through the media. He once said, "Roberto Duran is quoted saying he is going to knock me out in 12 or 13 rounds, but I'd kind of like to do it a little earlier. I'd like to do it in 10".
This fight was considered the biggest non heavyweight fight since Sugar Ray Robinson.
On June 20, 1980 Sugar Ray Leonard (27-0) was the current World Welterweight Champion and Roberto Duran (71-1) the Undisputed World Lightweight Champion, were set to fight.
Roberto Duran won a unanimous decision.
Sugar Ray Leonard avenged his loss 5 months later. Sugar Ray relied on his foot speed and fast hands, and started tauting Duran by the middle of the 8th round Roberto had enough. He turned around and put his hands up and quit.
"I made him quit," Leonard said. "To make a man quit, to make Roberto Duran quit, was better than knocking him out."
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'The St. Valentine's Day Massacre' Sugar Ray Robinson Versus Jake LaMotta
4 of 9The first time Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake Lamotta met in the ring was in 1942. Robinson won a unanimous decision. Lamotta beat Robinson in their rematch and handed him his first loss of his career.
The fighters would meet four more times after that, on February 14,1951 they fought each other for the sixth and final time. The first 10 rounds Sugar Ray put on a boxing exhibition.
Then in the final three rounds, Robinson unleashed a series of power punches to the head and body of LaMotta. In the 13th round the referee stopped the bout because of the amount of punishment Jake was receiving.
The fight was later named the St. Valentines Day Massacre.
'The World Awaits': Floyd Mayweather Versus Oscar De La Hoya
5 of 9This fight was considered one of the most anticipated events in sports history. Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. met in the ring May 5, 2007. The promotional title of the fight was "The World Awaits", with 2.4 million pay per view buys, the fight toped the record of 1.99 million. A estimated $120 million in revenue was generated by the PPV, which set another record.
The long-anticipated super fight against six-division champion and current WBC Super Welterweight title holder Oscar De La Hoya required Mayweather to move up in weight from 147 pounds to 154.
This fight was so big that HBO created the four episode series 24/7 which was a documentary on each fighter's training camp, and personal life. Floyd Mayweather Jr. charismatic personality made the show a hit. Today 24/7 is still the featured show used to promote HBO's pay per view fights.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. won a 12 round split decision, but punch stats show the fight wasn't really that close.
'The Rumble In The Jungle': Ali Versus Foreman!
6 of 9In 1974 Muhammad Ali and George Foreman were the two best heavy weights in the world. Ali was the most popular of the two, but foreman was considered the most dangerous.
George foreman was 40-0 with 37 knockouts. Foreman already knocked out Joe Frazier in the second round, and the fight before Ali he sent Ken Norton to the canvas in two rounds.
The only person who thought Ali had a chance was maybe him and his trainer. Days before their bout Foreman was injures during sparring which postponed the fight for over a month.
Both fighters remained in Zaire until Foreman healed, and Ali used that time to taunt and play mind games with George Foreman, and win over the fans.
The fight was viewed in the United States via satellite, and in the 20th May Stadium there were 60,000 fight fans.
Muhammad Ali won by knocking Foreman out in the 8th round and shocked the world.
'The Fight Of The Century' And 'The Thrilla In Manila'
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In 1971 Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met for the first time in a boxing ring at the historical Madison Square Garden. The fight was titled, 'The Fight of the Century' featuring two undefeated fighters. Joe Frazier left the ring victorious by handing Ali his first loss of his career. In 1974 Ali avenged the loss with a 12 round unanimous decision.
On October 1, 1975, Ali fought Joe Frazier for the third time most consider this fight the most anticipated match-up in the history of boxing. The fight was promoted as the Thrilla in Manila, Muhammad Ali harassed, threatened, insulted Frazier constantly before there final clash in the ring.
The fight lasted 14 rounds in temperatures close to 100 degrees. By the fourteenth round both fighters were exhausted and battered. The fight was stopped at the fifteenth round when Joe Frazier would not answer the final bell.
'The Fight Of The Century' Jack Johnson Versus James Jeffries
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Jack Johnson was the first black man to become World Heavy Weight Champion. In 1908 he defeated Tommy Burns after harassing him through the media for two years for a title shot. Many white Americans didn't like the fact that a black man was Heavy weight champion so much so that, Jack London called for a “Great White Hope”.
After defeating a series of fighters James Jeffries the former undefeated heavyweight champion came out of retirement and said, "I feel obligated to the sporting public at least to make an effort to reclaim the heavyweight championship for the white race. . . . I should step into the ring again and demonstrate that a white man is king of them all." Jeffries previously retired undefeated 21-0 and 14 knock outs.
James Jeffries refused to fight Johnson years before that because he felt a World Championship fight was off limits for a black man. To avenge white America he met Jack Johnson in front of 20,000 people in downtown Reno, Nevada, on July 4, 1910.
In the 15th round James Jeffries’ corner throw in the towel to prevent him from being knocked out. Jack Johnson gave Jeffries' his first and only loss. Jeffries made no excuses and said even on his best day he would not have beaten Jack Johnson.
The Rematch: Joe Louis Vs. Max Schmeling
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The rematch between Louis and Schmeling is one of the most famous boxing matches of all time. After Schmeling defeated Joe Louis in 1936 he became a national hero in Germany. Schmeling's victory over an African American was touted by Nazi officials as proof of their doctrine of Ayran superiority.
A few weeks before their rematch, Louis visited the White House, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt told him, "Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat Germany." Louis said he knew he had to get Schmeling good. He wasn't fighting for just himself he was fighting for the whole country.
On the night of June 22, 1938, Louis and Schmeling met for the second time in the boxing ring. The fight was held in Yankee Stadium before a crowd of 70,043. Millions of people all over the world, listened by radio. Radio announcers reporting on the fight in English, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
The fight lasted two minutes and four seconds Louis battered Schmeling with a series of flurries, forcing Schmeling against the ropes and giving him a paralyzing body blow. Schmeling was knocked down three times, and only managed to throw two punches in the entire bout. On the third knockdown, Schmeling's trainer threw in the towel and referee Arthur Donovan stopped the fight.
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