30-year-old Kelley lived and fought out of Flushing, Queens, New York. The 25 Greatest Super Fights Boxings biggest bouts that lived up to the hype BY ALLEN KIM and richard o'brien SCROLL DOWN TO EXPLORE What ingredients make up a super fight? In 2012, Floyd Mayweather Jr., the number 1 best pound-for-pound fighter in the world went up against battle tested and great Puerto Rican fighter Miguel Cotto. The Barrera vs. Morales trilogy is one of boxing's most renowned fight trilogies, involving two of Mexico's most decorated fighters. He floored Ali with a massive right hook that ended up stealing the fight. Many thought he had no chance because of Mayweathers exceptional skills and defence. The fight exemplified the brutality of boxing in ways that were both artistic and possibly vile. Sports, FOX Sports, ESPN StarSports, Tokyo Times, and many other leading authorities, Evolve MMA aims to deliver the best martial arts instruction available anywhere on the planet. Argentinas Sergio Martinez was the unknown fighter coming to America to try and make his mark, and boy did he ever. Morales was a huge underdog and many thought that not only would he lose the fight, but it would physically damage him forever. This was arguably the biggest super fight ever made at the time. Any and all content on the website (desktop and mobile), including sports odds, are proprietary and may not be copied or disseminated without the express written consent of Pinnacle. Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez 4 (Dec. 8, 2012): The best chapter of quite possibly the greatest rivalry of the modern era ended in climactic fashion when Marquez, with his nose busted open, knocked Pacquiao out cold to end Round 6. But the real winners were the fans who saw the fight of the Year and one of the best fights of the last 20 years. .mb-0 { Legendary trainer Emmanuel Stewart (who was ringside reporting on the bout), Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto, April 16, 2011, MGM Grand Theater, Mashantucket, Connecticut, At the time both Ortiz and Berto were widely regarded as two of the finest, In a fight that catapulted Anthony Joshua into boxing super-stardom, Wembley Stadium, 29, In front of a record crowd of 90,000 in London, 'AJ' scrambled off the canvas to halt the, in 11 pulsating rounds and prolong his flawless professional record. Haye took the attacking initiative first and frustrated Chisoras efforts, provoking Chisora to land a vicious left hook after the bell had already rang for the end of the third round. The fight was very controversial as in Margaritos next fight against Shane Mosley, he was caught with plaster of paris in his gloves before he entered the ring. } All Rights Reserved. What Is Destructive Therapy And What Are Its Benefits? This was a classic fight between a native Mexican warrior and a Mexican American warrior. @media only screen and (max-width: 767px) { Morales went on to win the fight by split decision, which led to two more fights between the two. Lets have a look at the top 10 iconic games. It was a classic fight, as Mayweather put out a lot more offense than usual. Ali got off to a solid start after, but Frazier found his range as the fight progressed, chopping Ali down with powerful blows. position: absolute; 1. Collectively, the Pinnacle team and external contributors produce the educational content within Betting Resources. Maidana won the fight, but Morales won the event and the hearts of all. Micky Ward vs Arturo Gatti 1 (May 18, 2002): Putting Gatti and Ward in the ring together was a recipe for an epic action battle. However, Maidana is a proven warrior and got back up to survive. The fight was dubbed the Valentines Day Massacre, as. Antillon was gunning for his first world title and applied relentless pressure throughout the fight, but Soto had the wits and skills to stand and trade punches at times and box when necessary. Vazquez was eventually victorious via split decision, a result fiercely disputed by Marquez. He was undefeated but he suffered a huge setback when he was knocked out the 1st round against the also undefeated and power punching Colombian Bredeis Prescott in September 2008. In front of a record crowd of 90,000 in London, 'AJ' scrambled off the canvas to halt the ageing Wladimir Klitschko in 11 pulsating rounds and prolong his flawless professional record. Please know your limits and gamble responsibly. Pacquiao had only recently become a household name after classic wars with Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez. top: 0; The fight took place at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut and like so many great fights, contained pulsating viewing. The fight was dubbed the Valentines Day Massacre, as Robinson viciously beat LaMotta during the later rounds. For many corporate warriors,, Regardless of background, almost anyone can safely train in martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu. It was a very close fight but Kessler was given the benefit of the doubt and prevailed, while Froch lost his world title but was still able to remain in the tournament to fight his next opponent. Regardless of the criticism, the fight grossed over $600 million and the likes of Beyonce and Jay-Z, Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mariah Carey, and a host of other famous faces were in attendance at the sold-out event. With the victory, Leonard reclaimed the Ring and WBC welterweight belts. Muhammad Ali became the worlds heavyweight champion for the second time when these two met in Zaire. Vargas survived a pair of devastating first-round knockdowns to score one of his own against Trinidad in Round 4 before "Tito" finally closed the show in emphatic fashion. Its difficult to think of a fight of fight that was surrounded by more hype and anticipation than 2015s Floyd Mayweather Jr versus Manny Pacquiao. Learn more - Top Rated Plus - opens in a new window or tab. Following this unexpected result, Khan made changes to his camp and re-emerged as a better fighter under the tutelage of legendary trainer Freddie Roach. The Mayweather vs. Pacquaio super fight was one of the most anticipated fights in boxing history. Taking place in front of a sell-out crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the worlds two best middleweights fought tooth and nail to claim a victory. The Craziest Ring Entrances In Boxing History. The fight was a masterclass of heavyweight boxing with ferocious punches being landed and the momentum of the bout swinging backwards and forwards between the two goliaths. Gosset (11-46-2, 3 KO) and Quing (9-5-2, 1 KO) were contending a second fight after their 2006 contest had concluded in a technical draw due to headbutts. Try to watch them all to up your boxing IQ and appreciation for the sport. Tate only needed 11 seconds to knock out Gonya with the only punch thrown during the fight. Mexican-American brawler and undefeated Brandon Rios went up against Venezuelas powerful punching and speedy boxer Miguel Acosta. The first fight between the two was a wild brawl with both fighters, This fight earned its spot on our list due to its historic relevance. Betting Resources - Empowering your betting, UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane and Shevchenko vs. Grasso, NBA Predictions: This weeks biggest NBA matches, NHL Predictions: This week's biggest NHL matches, Super Bowl coin toss: Everything you need to know, Poisson Distribution: Predict the score in soccer betting, Artur Beterbiev vs. Anthony Yarde betting preview, Tyson Fury vs. Derek Chisora 3 betting preview, Dmitry Bivol vs. Gilberto Ramrez betting preview, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin 3 betting preview. Diego Corrales vs Jose Luis Castillo 1 (May 7, 2005): The granddaddy of them all from the standpoint of action, drama and an unforgettable swerve finish. The action was exhilarating, with Taylor getting the better of the exchanges for most of the contest, shocking the crowd. A two-time Golden Gloves winner, Kelley was a former WBC Featherweight champion and widely recognised as the toughest test of Hameds career. Tszyu, like Frazier did against Ali, had no petrol left in the tank with a round to go. A veritable "Rocky" movie come to life, this welterweight war was only made possible by the chip on Bradley's shoulder after scoring a controversial split-decision win over Manny Pacquiao in their title bout. It became the third fight to earn more than $1million at the gate and for 15 years held the number one spot for the biggest attendance. Numerous big fights have been booked to end the year. At the time both Ortiz and Berto were widely regarded as two of the finest fledgeling fighters in the world and kept an absorbing pace from the first bell to the last. The entertaining showdown earned both men the Rings Round of the Year award. It was a good year for gaming, as there were many incredible and now iconic titles released in 2013. } -- Campbell, 8. There would in future be two more fights between the pair that again produced almost merciless displays of courage and courageousness resulting in a bond that became forged between the two men for the remainder of their careers. Heres another fight that made our list for mostly historic reasons. The 10 Biggest Boxing Matches of All Time - The Grueling Truth The 10 Biggest Boxing Matches of All Time TGT Tips! Tweet@PinnacleSportsto let us know which fight you think deserves a mention. img.article-list-image { Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! With the unified light-heavyweight championship on the line, boxing fans were desperate to secure seats at the sold out Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The womens division has grown exponentially in the past few decades and, Managing healthy work-life boundaries is a challenge for all of us. Argentinas Marcos Maidana. Pacquiao was yet a huge megastar, and Marquez was little known compared to countryman Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera. Margarito committed one of the most evil acts in boxing, getting caught before a fight with Shane Mosley with plaster-loaded handwraps. A claim backed up at the time by lead HBO commentator Larry Merchant who upon Hamed dispatching of Kelley quoted "What we just saw was the Hagler-Hearns of featherweight fighting.". The first fight, on February 19, 2000, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas saw El Terrible Morales edge The baby-faced assassin Barrera by split decision, with scores of 115-112, 114-113 and 113-114 and was later voted Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year for 2000. That would have made him the first man to defeat the legendary Chavez. 25 Mar. Come fight night, Cotto put on a tremendous performance in which he managed to hit Mayweather more times than he has ever been hit in his whole career. Froch roared back in the latter stages and after a hotly contested 12 rounds, Kessler was awarded the victory by unanimous decision. However, Chavez showcased the incredible heart he was famous for, scoring an epic knockout during the final round of their title bout with only two seconds left in the contest. It was an entertaining bout that ended in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. -- Campbell, 2. However, Chavez showcased the incredible heart he was famous for, scoring an, Firpo made boxing history, becoming the first Latino, That made Dempsey mad, and he went on to knockdown Firpo seven times during the same round. In a ruthless encounter that had everything a fight fan could ever want continuous and full-bodied infighting, numerous changes of energy and firepower, bravery to defy belief, vicious punishment, and a conclusion as good as any ever seen this fight really is one for the ages. Learning how to fight is just the tip, One thing that makes boxing a unique sport is the many sanctioning organizations that govern the sport. That would have been enough to end the fight these days, but boxing was a different sport in the early 20, Leonard scored a second knockdown during the 13. round, forcing the referee to stop the contest. Wilder kept things interesting with a knockdown in the ninth round, and it looked like he had secured the victory in the 12th round when he sent Fury to the canvas with a hard shot. No sport asks as much of its participants as boxing, even among other combat sports. 1:25 pm ET, Paul faces crossroads choice on where he goes next, Jack earns world title in third division with TKO, Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury fight preview, prediction, Paul faces tough choice on where he goes next, Davis, Garcia set for April showdown on Showtime PPV, Lara earns featherweight title with TKO of Wood, Joshua set for return in April; Jones to face Pettis, Taylor vs. Serrano 2 set for May in Dublin, Seven burning questions for the NFL combine. However, as the fight wore on, like all Mexican warriors, Rios withstood the punishment and kept on backing Acosta up onto the ropes. Top 30 Best Motivational Quotes to Reach Your Goals, Why Do People Bully? The once great Mexican warrior was way past his prime and was moving up in weight to face the hardest puncher in the 140lb light welterweight division. } } Tete was defending his WBO World bantamweight title against Gonya, but the fight didnt last long. Brandon Rios then became the new WBA Lightweight Champion of the World. Marquez emerged victorious after their first showdown, but Vazquez got some payback during the rematch, winning via split decision. Both fighters traded knock downs in the first round and went on to trade powerful punches throughout the entire fight. The hotly anticipated rematch between the top-two pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev, was one of several incredible bouts in 2017. Ali miraculously got back to his feet, but that wasnt enough to avoid his first loss as a professional fighter. He is also referred to as the oldest man ever to win the heavyweight title. Marciano's final fight against Archie Moore attracted Irish Micky Ward and Arturo Thunder Gatti took place in Connecticut in 2002, the ninth round of their bout is widely considered one of the finest rounds in living memory. This was one of the most anticipated fights in the 20th century, and it was even billed as The Fight of the Century. Both men were undefeated when they squared off against each other for the WBA, WBC, and Ring heavyweight titles. The 11th and 12th rounds produced some of the most scintillating action you can witness, with both rounds swinging in favour of the, Vazquez would just not stop punching and came within seconds of stopping Marquez, sending him to the canvas with a bombardment of punches. Many, including Walcott, thought Marciano was overhyped and overrated. The match-up featured the classic rivalry between Puerto Rico vs Mexico. Dempsey recovered from the second knockdown and put Firpo away during the second round, retaining his world title. And his trainer, Johnny Lewis, waved the contest off, with his man exhausted on his stool. The fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. became the highest-grossing fight in the history of boxing. For a long time, the classic 2007 bout between Oscar de la Hoya and Floyd Mayweather which established the latter as a boxing superstar stood alone with 2.5 million buys. As soon as the bell rung, Maidana was his usual self, throwing hard power punches and hunting Morales down. Vasquez and Marquez shared a ring four times, and they were all quite entertaining. Oscar De La Hoya's passing-of-the-torch bout with Pacquiao in December 2008 was the key step in the Filipino's development into a true pound-for-pound sensation. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Evolve Daily guarantees 100% privacy. Nicknamed Raging Bull, Jake La Motta brought hell with him every time he stepped into the ring. Pinnacles Betting Resources is one of the most comprehensive collections of expert betting advice anywhere online. left: 0; The contest commenced with both fighters throwing aggressive combinations. The make-up of the 20 fights with the most reported views has changed considerably in the last decade. .w-100 { Just when it looked like Barrera was in trouble, he fired back with ferocious punches of his own, sending the arena into a frenzy. Diego Chico Corrales vs. Jos Luis Castillo was held in Las Vegas on May 7, 2005. width: 100%; Mayweather tops the bill. , Female Muay Thai fighters and kickboxers have proven to the world they can be just as entertaining to watch as their male counterparts. Gatti took control early on in the slugfest, but Ward turned things around in the eighth round with some heavy shots that almost put Gatti away. His comeback match after 10 years shocked the entire boxing fraternity. Jack Dempsey's purse was $770,000 while Gene Tunney was paid $200,000. A bloodied Pacquiao never stopped battling, but Morales' best qualities allowed him to win the fight by unanimous decision. Fortunately for the Gatti, the bell rang just in time to save him. section: | slug: ranking-the-10-best-boxing-matches-since-2000-which-epic-brawl-tops-our-list | sport: boxing | route: article_single.us | Ward landed a crushing left hook to the body, sending a wincing Gatti to the canvas. This article will explore some of the best boxing matches that have ever taken place. The heavyweights have always been among boxing's biggest stars and Rocky Marciano was huge in the 1950s. We have a team of editors and writers at Pinnacle, as well as a collection of external contributors, ranging from university lecturers and renowned authors, to ex-traders and esteemed sports experts. On June 4, 2005, Ricky Hitman Hatton propelled himself towards global stardom becoming the WBA light-welterweight champion of the world defeating the ever-formidable Kostya Tszyu, then the world's No 2-ranked pound-for-pound boxer. Marquez, who felt he was robbed on the scorecards in all three of their fights leading in, secured lasting retribution with the manner in which he emerged victorious. A classic Round 5 was only the start of things heating up before the "Round of the Century" in Round 9. That is true of any fight, but the most exceptional boxing matches take things to another level. left: -15px; This was one of the most anticipated fights in the 20. century, and it was even billed as The Fight of the Century. Both men were undefeated when they squared off against each other for the WBA, WBC, and Ring heavyweight titles. Almost everyone in the arena, including Deontay Wilder, thought that the fight was over - but Fury miraculously rose from the ground in one of the most iconic sporting moments of the decade and continued to fight his way to a draw. This is a fight that likely only real hardcore boxing fans have seen, and it was a battle not for the faint-hearted. It has authentic World Champions in Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts, Boxing, Wrestling, and No-Gi Grappling. Cotto would get his revenge in their 2011 rematch and it was the last fight of Margaritos career due to a badly damaged eye. The brash, cocky and unorthodox trash talker had promised to take America by storm and did just that in an electrifying back and forth encounter with Kelley. margin-bottom: 0; After two epic battles in 2007, Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez continued their rivalry in 2008 with another extraordinary clash over twelve pulsating rounds at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Acosta had no choice but to fight back but no matter how hard he fought, he couldnt recover from several previous knock downs and eventually, got knocked out. Narrowing a list of almost 100 legitimate contenders to just 10 was a difficult undertaking and valid lists can be made while excluding almost any of our choices. } He even hurt Marquez in the 1st round, but Marquez has proven time and time again that he can cope under pressure. It was a war right up until the final bell and both fighters received a much deserved ovation from the fans. The contest commenced with both fighters throwing aggressive combinations. The loss also led to one of the greatest rivalries in boxing history as Ali made it his life mission to avenge it. 9 Reasons for Bullying, Sergey Kovalev VS Andre Ward Fight Analysis, Top 10 Tips to Improve Your Boxing Footwork, 9 Tips on How to Land Your Boxing Combinations, Andre Ward Demonstrates How to Tame a Pressure Fighter, Floyd Mayweather Jr Teaches 3 Smart Boxing Techniques, Sergey Kovalevs Training Regime Revealed by S&C Coach, Top 5 Best Mike Tyson Exercises Strength and Defense Workout. Corrales, who lost the rematch by TKO after Castillo missed weight, never won another fight and died two years to the day of this classic bout after crashing his motorcycle. /*-->