My Top Ten greatest wins of alltime...

Always think the best wins are when you're not only beating a top fighter but a reputation as well...........Winning in the face of adversity before and during is a noble achievement........

1. Ali v Foreman............

2. Holyfield v Tyson.......Tyson was a two time champ who'd just destroyed Bruno and seldon and Holy was coming of a ko defeat...

3. Leonard v Hagler.......P4p number 1 loses to a three year out welterweight..

4. Tunney v Dempsey....Dempsey had a great reputation and Tunney wasn't a heavyweight......

5. Spinks v Qawi..........Qawi was a ferocious beast.........Spinks had lost his Wife a couple of weeks earlier and was crying with his daughter before the fight...When she was asking where Mummy was..

6. Hagler v Hearns.......For most of us Hearns - Duran was a frightening destruction. Not only did Hagler shake off the right but was badly cut and still wouldn't take no for an answer !!

7. Ali v Liston..........Bit like number 1...........Only Ali was much younger........and Liston slightly off peak..

8. Nunn v Tate........A guy who'd just shut out the talented Olajide and won an Olympic gold..Made to look like a complete novice..

9. Corbett v John L Sullivan .......Sullivan was feared throughout America.............Didn't win a round.....

10. Duran v Leonard...........Whilst Leonard fought the wrong fight and a minority thought he won........For a lightweight to move up to welter and win a decision against for me a Top 5 alltimer...............Credit where it's due........

Honorable mentions to Douglas - Tyson..........Sanchez - Gomez.........Braddock v Baer............Turpin v Robbo...........

Randell's win over Chavez would be there for me

Not a bad shout.............But I thought Taylor beat Chavez......and I thought whittaker beat him If I'm honest..

I'd make room for Leonard vs Hearns 1, KO against an all time great, in his prime, at his best weight.

Leonard would be the only one on the list who was favorite apart from spinks...........But the way he turned things round.... you have a good case..

Barrera vs hamed wasn't barrera 7/1 to win.

Great win Mate......

Not in my Top 10 though...

Comparing their respective careers to date...Prescott vs Khan

Hard to compile such a list, as is our want we can always poke a hole or 10 as to why the other guy lost.

No particular order:

Hatton vs KT: Former wasn't given a prayer, cracking fight to boot in a performance he'd never match again

Benn vs Gman: Former was expected to get obliterated, tragic ending albeit the guy was a complete muppet, some call it karma.

Ali vs Liston

MAB vs Hamed: Latter well and truly exposed

Johnson vs Jeffries

JC vs Lacy

Williams vs Potter

Duran vs Leonard I

Tyson vs Douglas

Schmeling vs Louis I

Hatton's was hardly against adversity. He was in his prime. Tszu was ancient and inactive for about 18 months.

Hamed wasn't well and truly exposed either.

It's a fair list:

I'd have Duran's win over Leonard near or at the top.

Would also make room for Douglas-Tyson and Ali-Frazier.

Scrap Nunn Tate (one of my favourite fights though) and Corbett v John L Sullivan as I basically don't care about it.

What was so great about Johnson Jeffries Coxy? A dominant champion beating a six year retired former champion who was disinclined to come back in the first place hardly sends shockwaves through the sport.

More interesting is he's sticking it to Hamed on this thread.....

When he spends most of his time on here sticking it to Khan !!

Rowley wrote:What was so great about Johnson Jeffries Coxy? A dominant champion beating a six year retired former champion who was disinclined to come back in the first place hardly sends shockwaves through the sport.

Wasn't the fight itself, was surrounding events. The whole build up was huge and as an event it was massive. Was a testament to his legendary chin that Jeffries was able to stay upright as long as he did.

But reason I selected it was for the whole element of race, a victory for Jeffries may have well set other black challengers back in being accepted as legit fighters and not the whole "they're just not as good/athletic as white people" nonsense that was evident at that time in history.

So yes, "great" in that white supremacy took a big kick in the teeth.

And to think people on here call me racist just because I don't like certain fighters. Pfft.

Should I stick Holmes and Cooney on the list as well Mate ??

Hagler v Minter as well ??

One I would have on the list is Joe Gans turning over Battling Nelson first time round, have written a thread about it previously, but Gans had pretty much everything stacked against him in that one. Given all the obstacles put against him to beat such a teak tough fighter in a finish fight is nothing short of remarkable.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Should I stick Holmes and Cooney on the list as well Mate ??

Hagler v Minter as well ??

The white supremacists didn't exactly wheel Cooney or Minter out to regain the crown from the supposedly physically and generally inferior black man though.. did they?

Rowley wrote:One I would have on the list is Joe Gans turning over Battling Nelson first time round, have written a thread about it previously, but Gans had pretty much everything stacked against him in that one. Given all the obstacles put against him to beat such a teak tough fighter in a finish fight is nothing short of remarkable.

Surprised we haven't seen that one ROWLEY? Can you re-post it, I'm sure it will be well received.

DAVE667 wrote:

Rowley wrote:One I would have on the list is Joe Gans turning over Battling Nelson first time round, have written a thread about it previously, but Gans had pretty much everything stacked against him in that one. Given all the obstacles put against him to beat such a teak tough fighter in a finish fight is nothing short of remarkable.

Surprised we haven't seen that one ROWLEY? Can you re-post it, I'm sure it will be well received.

Dave, what about a Peter Jackson article to supplement it?

DAVE667 wrote:

Rowley wrote:One I would have on the list is Joe Gans turning over Battling Nelson first time round, have written a thread about it previously, but Gans had pretty much everything stacked against him in that one. Given all the obstacles put against him to beat such a teak tough fighter in a finish fight is nothing short of remarkable.

Surprised we haven't seen that one ROWLEY? Can you re-post it, I'm sure it will be well received.

I'll have you know both of the responses it received were very effusive.

But effusing what rowley. The first response questioned whether azumah nelson ever fought joe gans. The second one said that mayweather takes them both out in the same night with one arm behind his back.

I don't doubt it but WAINGRO's banned now!

Coxy, my Peter Jackson articles are, to be honest, like casting pearls before swine...ignorant, severely retarded, unappreciative swine at that!

DAVE667 wrote:I don't doubt it but WAINGRO's banned now!

Coxy, my Peter Jackson articles are, to be honest, like casting pearls before swine...ignorant, severely retarded, unappreciative swine at that!

Never realised you wrote more than one....!

Coxy001 wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:I don't doubt it but WAINGRO's banned now!

Coxy, my Peter Jackson articles are, to be honest, like casting pearls before swine...ignorant, severely retarded, unappreciative swine at that!

Never realised you wrote more than one....!

Like I say, ignorant, severely retarded swine

Coxy001 wrote:Hard to compile such a list, as is our want we can always poke a hole or 10 as to why the other guy lost.

No particular order:

Hatton vs KT: Former wasn't given a prayer, cracking fight to boot in a performance he'd never match again

Benn vs Gman: Former was expected to get obliterated, tragic ending albeit the guy was a complete muppet, some call it karma.

Ali vs Liston

MAB vs Hamed: Latter well and truly exposed

Johnson vs Jeffries

JC vs Lacy

Williams vs Potter

Duran vs Leonard I

Tyson vs Douglas

Schmeling vs Louis I

You've proved your point there coxy.

The fact Williams beat potter with one arm was brave but says more about potter.
Jc Lacey?
MAB hamed?
Hatton Tszyu? Tszyu was favourite on reputation but it was great matchmaking. 
Johnson Jeffries ?

All good wins in context but top 10 ever?

Hey at least you came up with a list unlike me who can't be arsed.

Indeed Milky, was reeling them off the top of my head hence the randomness of a few of them.

In the cases of JC/MAB/Hatton they were all underdogs. All listed with a bias that I wanted them to win as well!

As per my point earlier fighters like Lacy were immediately rubbished as hype jobs straight after the fight. Duran only won because Leonard got all macho and brawled etc. You can pretty much take apart most "great" wins in one way or another, hence the problem with compiling a definitive list.

Frazier beating ali ? Otherwise i'd agree roughly with your list with Duran vs Leonard 1st and Ali vs Frazier 2nd

Frazier beating Ali should be top. I think Holyfield's win over Tyson is slightly overrated here, as is Leonard Hagler.

A truly great win would be one scored against an all- time great in their prime.

Leonard over Hearns would rate higher than most on that list.

From the modern era: Jones over Toney and Morales over Pacquiao were huge as was Hopkins over Trinidad. How about Duran over Barkley? Bowe over Holyfield (first fight)?

Sanders/Wlad

Sorry if this has been mentioned, but wasn't Battling Nelson v Ad Wolgast made into such a long encounter by Nelson's corner, who presumed it would advantage their bigger and reputably durable fighter. Ad Wolgast then out lasted and beat him down in the ultra marathon rounds! Story goes Nelson was pulled out after his vision was shown to be impaired when he squared up to a ring post.

Depends how high you rate that version of Wlad (not that high for me ).

Is a long shot landing a money punch a great performance?

Also today I beat a hipster to death with their own selfie stick, but still my antelope won't respect me.

hazharrison wrote:Depends how high you rate that version of Wlad (not that high for me ).

Is a long shot landing a money punch a great performance?

He was touted as Lewis' next opponent with Sanders as warm up for that fight. As for a long shot landing a money punch, you're off by a bit. Sanders hit him repeatedly, beat him up and knocked him senseless it was no bolt out of the blue punch....unlike Rahman/Lewis which is the very definition of a money punch

Here are a few more:

Pep over Saddler
Leonard over Benitez
Sanchez over Gomez
Chavez over Taylor
Bowe over Holyfield
Carbajal over Gonzalez
Morales over Barrera
Mosley over De la Hoya

I use my antelope to take selfies (OK they're pencil sketches...). He has a tremendous eye for detail but lets himself down badly by depositing pellets on the rug at the slightest sound. Which is very frustrating if you're asking him to replicate the scene where you're beating yet another student to death with a hammer

DAVE667 wrote:

hazharrison wrote:Depends how high you rate that version of Wlad (not that high for me ).

Is a long shot landing a money punch a great performance?

He was touted as Lewis' next opponent with Sanders as warm up for that fight. As for a long shot landing a money punch, you're off by a bit. Sanders hit him repeatedly, beat him up and knocked him senseless it was no bolt out of the blue punch....unlike Rahman/Lewis which is the very definition of a money punch

Did he do anything great, though? He just wailed away at a chinny heavyweight not yet au fait with the incredibly effective style he is now. Great win for Sanders - a huge underdog - but doesn't register alongside some of the others mentioned.

Wlad was a good heavyweight at that point - certainly nothing great about him.

hazharrison wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:

hazharrison wrote:Depends how high you rate that version of Wlad (not that high for me ).

Is a long shot landing a money punch a great performance?

He was touted as Lewis' next opponent with Sanders as warm up for that fight. As for a long shot landing a money punch, you're off by a bit. Sanders hit him repeatedly, beat him up and knocked him senseless it was no bolt out of the blue punch....unlike Rahman/Lewis which is the very definition of a money punch

Did he do anything great, though? He just wailed away at a chinny heavyweight not yet au fait with the incredibly effective style he is now. Great win for Sanders - a huge underdog - but doesn't register alongside some of the others mentioned.

Wlad was a good heavyweight at that point - certainly nothing great about him.

He didn't just whale away at him, he saw the opening for the left hand and executed it perfectly...over and over. Some people are talking about the first Louis/Schmeling fight as one of their greats yet all Max did was counter with the right hand over the top as he'd seen Louis dropped his hands after throwing the jab...did he do anything great?

Here's an alternative list:

1. Frazier W 15 Ali
2. Duran W 15 Leonard
3. Pep W 15 Saddler
4. Leonard TKO 14 Hearns
5. Ali KO 8 Foreman
6. Hagler TKO 3 Hearns
7. Greb W 15 Tunney
8. Leonard TKO 15 Benitez
9. Walcott KO 7 Charles
10. Chavez TKO 12 Taylor

Sure I've missed loads prior to the modern era: Fitzimmons over Corbett etc.

DAVE667 wrote:

hazharrison wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:

hazharrison wrote:Depends how high you rate that version of Wlad (not that high for me ).

Is a long shot landing a money punch a great performance?

He was touted as Lewis' next opponent with Sanders as warm up for that fight. As for a long shot landing a money punch, you're off by a bit. Sanders hit him repeatedly, beat him up and knocked him senseless it was no bolt out of the blue punch....unlike Rahman/Lewis which is the very definition of a money punch

Did he do anything great, though? He just wailed away at a chinny heavyweight not yet au fait with the incredibly effective style he is now. Great win for Sanders - a huge underdog - but doesn't register alongside some of the others mentioned.

Wlad was a good heavyweight at that point - certainly nothing great about him.

He didn't just whale away at him, he saw the opening for the left hand and executed it perfectly...over and over. Some people are talking about the first Louis/Schmeling fight as one of their greats yet all Max did was counter with the right hand over the top as he'd seen Louis dropped his hands after throwing the jab...did he do anything great?

Technically? No. But he did it to Joe Louis - a far greater fighter than Klitschko.

Brewster's win over Wlad was as impressive as Sanders'.

In terms of historical importance Louis over Schmeling would probably take the cake from Johnson over Jeffries.

hazharrison wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:

hazharrison wrote:

DAVE667 wrote:

hazharrison wrote:Depends how high you rate that version of Wlad (not that high for me ).

Is a long shot landing a money punch a great performance?

He was touted as Lewis' next opponent with Sanders as warm up for that fight. As for a long shot landing a money punch, you're off by a bit. Sanders hit him repeatedly, beat him up and knocked him senseless it was no bolt out of the blue punch....unlike Rahman/Lewis which is the very definition of a money punch

Did he do anything great, though? He just wailed away at a chinny heavyweight not yet au fait with the incredibly effective style he is now. Great win for Sanders - a huge underdog - but doesn't register alongside some of the others mentioned.

Wlad was a good heavyweight at that point - certainly nothing great about him.

He didn't just whale away at him, he saw the opening for the left hand and executed it perfectly...over and over. Some people are talking about the first Louis/Schmeling fight as one of their greats yet all Max did was counter with the right hand over the top as he'd seen Louis dropped his hands after throwing the jab...did he do anything great?

Technically? No. But he did it to Joe Louis - a far greater fighter than Klitschko.

Brewster's win over Wlad was as impressive as Sanders'.

No way, the guy was blowing out his arse and collapsed...hardly the same as being destroyed in two rounds

Just wanna pop in and say punching a guy repeatedly on the face till his big brother demands to sort you out is a better win than being punched repeatedly in the face until the guy strangely ceases, and collapses into a heap. Chisora could have closed the show from Brewster's position.

kingraf wrote:Just wanna pop in and say punching a guy repeatedly on the face till his big brother demands to sort you out is a better win than being punched repeatedly in the face until the guy strangely ceases, and collapses into a heap. Chisora could have closed the show from Brewster's position.

There was the small matter of Brewster taking Klitschko's best stuff, weathering it and then rallying to punch him repeatedly in the face!

Both fought a decent but not a great heavyweight, though. Klitschko wasn't what he is now at that stage.

Personally, I go with Wladimir having had something wrong with him on the night vs Brewster. Sick punch that started the rout, of course, but I'm not convinced.

I'm biased of course, but I do think Sanders would have discombobulated any version of Wladimir he was presented with. That left hand was like a tracer bullet, and he certainly would have afforded Wladimir none of the respect recent challengers have given him on account of Sanders having pretty sturdy chin himself. Of course, Wladimir withstands the initial onslaught, and all those rounds which on the greens and not the ring begins to tell, but I don't think Wlad leans his way out. I am of course biased though!!

Coxy001 wrote:But reason I selected it was for the whole element of race, a victory for Jeffries may have well set other black challengers back in being accepted as legit fighters and not the whole "they're just not as good/athletic as white people" nonsense that was evident at that time in history.

So yes, "great" in that white supremacy took a big kick in the teeth.

And to think people on here call me racist just because I don't like certain fighters. Pfft.

Given Johnson was accused of implimenting a "black bar" and his antics also leaving it some time before another black fighter got the chance suggests your point isn't as strong as you appears, at first sight.

Some very good "shouts" on people's lists.

For me, and it is purely personal as it really got me interested in boxing, was McGuigan vs Pedrosa. Although, it wasn't so much of an upset really.

Ali vs Forman I would say as clear #1 but after that, think I can can make arguments for and against the rest.

Will Murray be on the list if he KO's GGG?

If Corbett beating Sullivan was included on purely historical grounds, then fair enough. Was it ,on balance, a shocker? No.After (if I remember rightly) a few years of inactivity, Sullivan was not just badly out of shape but a husk of the fighter he previously was.He was considered an unbeatable living legend,true,to the general public.I would guess that as he was "the first" in so many ways, people were not able to comprehend his era ending-as Julius Caesar's fans did !
Reading Pollock's account of the fight, it was actually quite sad to imagine the spectacle of an obese boozed-ravaged man being humiliated.For the record, Pollock didn't think that if they had fought in Sullivan's prime, Corbett would not have had a look-in,and it wasn't as if he didn't rate Corbett, as he wrote a book on his achievements as well!

Don't like this list at all. Not comfortable with some of these. Strange list from an experienced poster.


Ali v Foreman good call.


Holyfield v Tyson , Tyson only 65% of the fighter pre incarceration, last time we saw anything within earshot of the original was in Donovan Ruddock   2 and even then it was only a pale imitation.

Leonard v Hagler very negative performance from Ray, boxed a back foot fight, did'nt land the harder punches, something of a con job.

Tunney v Dempsey, Jack out of shape, inactive, caining himself in Hollywood.

Spinks v Qawi. No comment never seen either of these two live except Spink's horror show against Tyson.

Hagler v Hearns. Hearns a career welterweight, chinny above light middle/welter, not one elite win above welter.

Ali v Liston. Liston old.

Nunn v Tate. No comment never seen Tate but is Tate an all time great??? Nunn a fancy dan, brittle stick and mover(the sort of fighter Trussy has a penchant for.)

Corbett v John L Sullivan. Not qualified to comment, never examined either career. Prime Sullivan ??? Not so sure...

Duran v Leonard. Good call but should be higher. Top five maybe top three of all time.

To be fair having the likes of Barrera v Naz in there is ridiculous, It was 55-45 match beforehand a good win for Barrera but not one that should be mentioned in the top echelons of boxings greatest wins. Being serious Buster Douglas emphatic win over Mike Tyson should be a shoo in everybody's list, a 42-1 underdog beating a man at his peak of powers which grabbed front page headlines, not just the result but Douglas gave Tyson a severe beating and a remarkable performance.

Langford flattening Harry Wills must be worth a place considering the size difference, (we'd have to shut the forum down if Mayweather kayoed someone 20-30lbs heavier than him)

Greb v Tunney is a great shout by Haz, well reported that Greb give Gene Tunney a terribly bloody whipping even though Greb was 15 lbs. lighter.

Cheers, Rodders