Your Favourite Single Round of Boxing

Many fight fans will point to the first round of Hagler versus Hearns and say this was one of the greatest rounds – if not the greatest round - of boxing ever.

It was inevitable from the outset that “The War” was never going to have the time to develop into a full-blown campaign. Hagler came out of his corner with bad intentions and Hearns responded in kind. From the first bell it became a “battle of wills” and it was impossible to predict with certainty which way the winds of fortune would blow and finally come to settle. It was this intensity and unpredictability which made “The War” such an exciting contest to watch.

The fight – or round if I’m going to be more precise - which actually brought me to thinking about “The War” was this:

Round 4 of Lyle vs Foreman.

Who could predict that Foreman would eventually come out on top, one round later, after hitting the canvas twice in a single round?

So, if you were going to suggest just one round of boxing (other than Hagler vs Hearns) for pure intensity, brutality and unpredictability, which round would it be? In other words, what’s your favourite one round battle of wills?

From a boxing point of view, Hagler/Hearns R1.

From a personal point of view, Watson/Benn Rounds 4 & 6.

Tough question, Media Cat - there are so many to choose from!

The fifteenth round of Richie Kates-Victor Galindez I is one which has stayed with me since I first saw it as a young lad. I have no idea what the official scores were going in to the final round, but on the two occasions I've scored it I had the fight dead level each time. Galindez (he's one of my favourites, don't you know!?) pulled out the knockout in the final few seconds with everything still in the balance up to that point. Tremendous battle.

At Heavyweight, there are two standouts for me; round ten of Bowe-Holyfield I, and round fifteen of Norton-Holmes. Both of them had everything I'd want to see in a Heavyweight title fight, barring a knockdown of course. In Holmes' case, I think his fantastic late burst in the final twenty-odd seconds was the difference between him going home with the belt that night and going home without it.

Given that all fifteen rounds of Limon-Chacon IV were absolutely unbelievable (I've never seen such an incredible pace maintained by two men over twelve rounds, never mind fifteen) it's very hard to pick out a single one, but round two in particular really was something else.

In recent times, it would have to be round ten of Castillo-Corrales I. That was a sensational comeback by Corrales.

At domestic level, round two of Benn-Logan and round eleven of Eubank-Watson II are as good and dramatic as anything you could wish to see. I'd add certain rounds from Clinton McKenzie-Colin Powers or Des Morrison versus Tom Moody, but my memory is a little too hazy at the moment to pinpoint just one!

Berto v Ortiz 2 knockdowns
Gatti Ward infinite rounds
Barrera v Morales 1 - almost the whole fight

Froch Taylor 12 for the finale
Foreman v Lyle is good shout

So so many

Anglo vs Kirkland round 1 was brilliant, kirkland about tone stopped turns around and almost knocks angulo's head off

Morales vs Barrera I round 5 sticks with me, and barrera sums up Mexican fighters. Morales looked to be getting to him, throwing shots at angles and Barrera looked leggy but he landed a huge right and found a second wind

Corrales vs Castillo round 10

FOTC Rd 15 for me.

Ahem:

Spoiler:

Failing that - Gatti Ward Round 9 (This fight is beautiful):

Spoiler:

I guess you're rooting for Peterson then, School Project?

MediaCat wrote:I guess you're rooting for Peterson then, School Project?

What gave you that impression?

It was the first Box Office I didn't buy in a long time and hearing that Khan was KO'd in the 1st round made my groin twitch... I couldn't wait to get home and watch it. I can watch it over and over.

I will also be routing for Peterson yeah, not because I'm a massive hater of Khan. In all fairness, he has fought some big names and is doing alright for himself. I just think Peterson is a down to earth kind of guy, you know... humble.

Khan is a whiny little girl who uses homophobic slurs against other boxers. Real classy boy.

A thread about favourite is descending into an anti Khan rant again. Wonderful.

azania wrote:A thread about favourite is descending into an anti Khan rant again. Wonderful.

Apologies, Azania. That wasn't my intention. I think most fans appreciate Khan's skill and I think he's come along way since Prescott. He doesn't always perform well in PR though, which is actually a shame.

Back on topic:

Another corker - Katsidis vs Earl - Even Micky Vann wanted to watch this one as he throws out the towell:

Spoiler:

MediaCat wrote:

azania wrote:A thread about favourite is descending into an anti Khan rant again. Wonderful.

Apologies, Azania. That wasn't my intention. I think most fans appreciate Khan's skill and I think he's come along way since Prescott. He doesn't always perform well in PR though, which is actually a shame.

Damn, you just killed it for me!!! I was looking forward to another and now feel deflated

Hagler/Hearns Rd1 closely followed by Leonard/Hearns Rd14,and no I don't dislike Tommy Hearns he was a tremendous fighter,but I was a big Sugar Ray fan.

azania wrote:

MediaCat wrote:

azania wrote:A thread about favourite is descending into an anti Khan rant again. Wonderful.

Apologies, Azania. That wasn't my intention. I think most fans appreciate Khan's skill and I think he's come along way since Prescott. He doesn't always perform well in PR though, which is actually a shame.

Damn, you just killed it for me!!! I was looking forward to another and now feel deflated

I can kill this thread with some Chavez Jr hatred if you want Az?

School Project wrote:

azania wrote:

MediaCat wrote:

azania wrote:A thread about favourite is descending into an anti Khan rant again. Wonderful.

Apologies, Azania. That wasn't my intention. I think most fans appreciate Khan's skill and I think he's come along way since Prescott. He doesn't always perform well in PR though, which is actually a shame.

Damn, you just killed it for me!!! I was looking forward to another and now feel deflated

I can kill this thread with some Chavez Jr hatred if you want Az?

Why the hate? Spread some lurve! But dont mention K2

School Project wrote:Back on topic:

Another corker - Katsidis vs Earl - Even Micky Vann wanted to watch this one as he throws out the towell:

Spoiler:

Gummy man around 1:46 and his face is priceless.

AlexHuckerby wrote:

School Project wrote:Back on topic:

Another corker - Katsidis vs Earl - Even Micky Vann wanted to watch this one as he throws out the towell:

Spoiler:

Gummy man around 1:46 and his face is priceless.

His face is exactly the same in the Khan video too. I love Gummy Man but ain't seen him in a fight for a while! I wonder who he is??

Most recently
Akira Yaegashi v Pornsawan Porpramook [try saying that when you're drunk!] - rd8 or 9 I think - absolute war

& would also go along with all previous references to Barerra v Morales & Holyfield v Bowe, Castillo v Corrales etc.

Calzaghe v Mitchell Rnd 2