If you could attend any 1 fight in boxing history

[Gooch1034]

Friend asked me this recently and it took me a long time to decide. He kept reminding me he wasn't asking what I thought was the best fight in boxing history but what I thought would be the best to witness first hand without knowing the results before hand. Not a simple choice even for a fairly casual boxing fan that I am.


I am 36 so I watched many of the best fights on HBO when they happened in the 80s and 90s so I immediately knew I would want to attend a fight in the 70s since I completely missed out. Talked for over an hour with my friend and finally decided on......

1974 The Rumble in the Jungle: Ali vs Foreman-Wouldn't want to go to Zaire really but I think I would have loved seeing that fight. Seeing it happen live but not knowing what was really happening until it happened must have been unreal! Still cant imagine why anyone would think it was a good idea to rope-a-dope a 25 yr old George Foreman. Ali being smart, stupid and crazy all at the same time won him the fight and the belt again.

 

[HammerDown]

Without a doubt one of Tyson's fights when he peaked. He was a ferocious killer. He'd have murdered Ali.

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson

 

[Gooch1034]

Without a doubt one of Tyson's fights when he peaked. He was a ferocious killer. He'd have murdered Ali.

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson

My favorite fighter of all time easy! I wouldn't be able to begin to pick which fight of Mikes I would want to see first hand. I still wont watch the Douglas fight. I cried when my brother told me Tyson go KOed. I think I was around 10 yr old.

 

[HammerDown]

My favorite fighter of all time easy! I wouldn't be able to begin to pick which fight of Mikes I would want to see first hand. I still wont watch the Douglas fight. I cried when my brother told me Tyson go KOed. I think I was around 10 yr old.

My brother-in-law happened to be in Vegas back when Tyson was crushing everyone and ended up going to the fight. He said he was ill-prepared with how shockingly violent Tyson was.

 

[Gooch1034]

My brother-in-law happened to be in Vegas back when Tyson was crushing everyone and ended up going to the fight. He said he was ill-prepared with how shockingly violent Tyson was.

That fight was in Japan but all the rest were basically in Vegas. One of my favorites is when he kicked Trevor Berbicks ass all over the ring. Not only because he won the belt but because Berbick looked like he got hit in the face with an anvil and had no idea what happened while Mike calmly walks back to his corner and waits out the count. He followed rules back then. lol

 

[Gooch1034]

Wasn't even close to the violence he threw in many other fight. Nobody put more into their punches. NOBODY!!!


Shit, now I am going to be stuck in the annual Tyson KO highlights until the sun come up.

 

[jonvi]

I tend to agree that Tyson in his prime had much more power than Ali. But I do wonder if Ali could have out smarted him. Those early Tyson years, the guy never had to go into many rounds. Ali would have made him go deep.

Reference which fight I like best....Tyson was so overpowering.....not many of his fights were interesting beyond how much better Tyson was over everyone at that time. Not like the 60's and 70's when boxing ruled and there were some great heavy weights getting in the ring together. Shit there was great boxing at many levels.

I liked the Ali/Frazier fights and would pick thrilla in manila as my pick as greatest fight.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I tend to agree that Tyson in his prime had much more power than Ali. But I do wonder if Ali could have out smarted him. Those early Tyson years, the guy never had to go into many rounds. Ali would have made him go deep.

Reference which fight I like best....Tyson was so overpowering.....not many of his fights were interesting beyond how much better Tyson was over everyone at that time. Not like the 60's and 70's when boxing ruled and there were some great heavy weights getting in the ring together. Shit there was great boxing at many levels.

I liked the Ali/Frazier fights and would pick thrilla in manila as my pick as greatest fight.

Ali fighting Tyson would have been vastly different to Ali fighting Foreman in his prime. Foreman had zero stamina and no footwork or head movement, he simply got by off of raw talent and punching power alone. That's why Ali referred to him as a "Mummy". Tyson was a much more complete fighter in his prime compared to Foreman in his. I doubt Ali would be able to rope-a-dope Tyson without getting knocked out.

After Foreman's comeback, he wasn't as dangerous as he was in his prime but he was about 10x more crafty. He played with Moorer similar to the way Ali played with him all those years back.

I agree with you though, Thrilla in Manila all the way. By the end of the fight, both men had absolutely nothing left. Story goes that Ali wanted to quit but Frazier's corner threw in the towel first. Hollywood couldn't write a better story (too bad the Ali movie sucked). I would have also liked to have seen Julio Cesar Chavez vs Meldrick Taylor and Foreman vs Moorer (the Reverse Rumble in the Jungle).

 

[Gooch1034]

Saw an old Letterman clip of him talking to George Foreman about who hit him the hardest in his career. One of the guys he said was Gerry Cooney. Pretty surprising just looking at the guy. I knew George KOed him but didn't remember the fight very well. I do remember Cooney wobbling George once but not much more than that. Had to check it out on Youtube and Cooney had some power for sure. George had a lot more though. I think Gerry retired after that fight?

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Nice find, Gooch. Recently saw an interview with Holyfield where he says Foreman was the hardest puncher he ever faced, and Foreman was an old man at the time.

http://youtu.be/NV3Z4f1uv-c?t=2m10s


Foreman could take a whole lot of punishment.

 

[KansasSooner]

If you're going to go with Tyson in his prime you'd have to go with Ali in his prime too. Before he changed his name...I always thought he was a better boxer before his exile from the ring for being a draft dodger. Don't think he was ever as strong as he was before then.

 

[DJ]

Without a doubt one of Tyson's fights when he peaked. He was a ferocious killer. He'd have murdered Ali.

"Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson

Ali woukd have systematically schooled Tyson.

 

[DJ]

Hagler-Leonard in person.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

"The Thrilla in Manilla"...what a boxing night that was.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Probably the Rumble in the Jungle.

 

[williewilliejuan]

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Roberto Duran...Surga Ray...Ali...Hagler...Frazier...Foreman AND all the guys before.

I'm sorry, MMA today garbage will NEVER compare to when boxing was at it's height...NEVER!

Tacticians performing their craft at it's finest.

 

[KansasSooner]

Wasn't that the fight Howard Cosell interviewed him afterward and Ali said "I'm a bad man."?

 

[Gooch1034]

Hagler-Leonard in person.

That is the first memory I have of watching boxing on tv. Amazing fight as we all know!

 

[OutlawImmortal]

If you're going to go with Tyson in his prime you'd have to go with Ali in his prime too. Before he changed his name...I always thought he was a better boxer before his exile from the ring for being a draft dodger. Don't think he was ever as strong as he was before then.

Completely true, I think Ali's punching power is underrated today. I think a fight between those two in their prime would depend entirely upon Ali's ability to keep moving for 12 rounds and get off the ropes efficiently, Tyson was pretty hard to hit in his prime so I don't see a KO for Ali but he could definitely win a decision.