Wide is the divide riven by my contention that the unremitting slugfest between Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder might be the heavyweight fight of this 21st century thus far.
On that score, I brook Tyson Fury v Wilder III as part of the debate. Though not Anthony Joshua v Wladimir Klitschko.
But when it comes to the top 10 heavyweight battles of all time none of the above qualify in this listing plucked from the golden ages of boxing past when the social significance of so many fights sealed sporting immortality.
Wide is the divide riven by my contention that the unremitting slugfest between Derek Chisora against Deontay Wilder last week might be the heavyweight fight of this 21st century thus far
10. Jack Johnson v James J Jeffries
July 4, 1910. Reno, Nevada, United States. Johnson won by 15th-round TKO.
The Independence Day date was chosen in anticipation of white America regaining its most cherished symbol of racial eminence, the world heavyweight title. Johnson, the first black champion and a charismatic personality, warned them against punting on their great white hope. They should have listened.
Jeffries, the revered former champion who had not been knocked down in his career, was dropped twice and his corner threw in the towel in the 15th round. He was a gentleman in defeat.
Unlike the New York Times whose pre-fight leader column read: ‘If the black man wins thousands and thousands of his ignorant brothers will misinterpret his victory as justifying claims to much more than mere physical equality with their white neighbours.’
As the importance of Johnson’s triumph to race relations sank in, riots broke out all over America. More than 20 people died.
Jack Johnson (right) knocks out James Jeffries in Reno, Nevada
9. Mike Tyson v Michael Spinks
June 27, 1988. Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States. Tyson won by 1st-round KO.
Not so much a great, great fight but the historic confirmation that there would be no stopping any time soon of the youngest and then for years to follow the biggest, scariest, hardest-punching world heavyweight champion – Iron Mike.
Spinks, also undefeated, arrived on the Boardwalk widely fancied to be the man to stop Tyson’s explosive domination over the hardest game.
‘Hmmm,’ mused Tyson. ‘I can smell the fear on him.’ Duly petrified by the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’, Spinks was gone in 91 seconds.
Mike Tyson knocks out Michael Spinks in 91 seconds in Atlantic City
8. Sonny Liston v Cassius Clay
February 25, 1964. Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida, United States. Clay won by 6th-round TKO.
Before converting to Muhammad Ali, Cassius Clay shook up the world by driving insane and then knocking out the then most feared monster in prize-fighting.
Sonny Liston had terrorised the heavyweight division and was a massive favourite to destroy the presumptuous young challenger for the undisputed world title. The Louisville Lip was not to be intimidated.
Instead he mocked ‘this big ugly bear’ into mental confusion. A bewildered Liston could not cope, either, with Clay’s speed of hand and foot and he slumped to defeat.
The legend of the GOAT was born.
Muhammad Ali knocks down Sonny Liston with a left hook in his final fight as Cassius Clay
7. John L Sullivan v Charlie Mitchell
March 10, 1888. Chantilly, France. A 39-round draw.
In one of the last and most punishing fights of his long reign as world heavyweight bareknuckle champion before he went on to reign in gloves, the Boston Strong Boy toed the line against his English challenger in the rain-stormed grounds of a chateau outside Paris.
After 39 rounds over three hours and 11 minutes neither he nor Mitchell could see properly and a draw was declared.
So mangled were their faces that gendarmes waiting to arrest them for an illegal fight under French law could not identify Sullivan, as he fled to the French coast through the night and took ship to America via Ireland.
Through an estimated 400-plus bare-fist fights and then his 10-year reign as gloved world heavyweight champion, Sullivan was undefeated.
Not until he came late, and reluctantly, out of retirement to answer public demand to face his young heir-apparent James J Corbett did John L suffer his only loss in 51 fights under Queensberry Rules.
John L Sullivan, the ‘Boston Strong Boy’ was undefeated for an estimated 400 bare-knuckle fights, then had a 10-year reign with gloves on
6. Riddick Bowe v Evander Holyfield
November 13, 1992. Thomas & Mack Centre, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Bowe won by unanimous decision.
Having proved himself the ‘Real Deal’ by crushing ‘Buster’ Douglas to add the heavyweight championship to his cruiserweight crown, Holyfield had to contend with ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe at his peak.
The first fight of their classic trilogy was the best. Evander kept boxing brilliantly while absorbing huge blows. The incredible 10th, in which Holyfield came back from the brink of being stopped to hammer Bowe close to a KO, is enshrined as one of the greatest rounds in ring history.
Big Daddy got the narrow verdict. The Real Deal won their second fight but lost the third.
Riddick Bowe is crowned heavyweight champion of the world in Las Vegas after beating Evander Holyfield
5. Mike Tyson v James ‘Buster’ Douglas
February 11, 1990. Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan. Douglas won by 10th-round KO.
Iron Mike went to Japan expecting a warm-up stroll towards his planned world title showdown with Holyfield.
Although complacent he decked Buster, a 42-1 underdog, in the eighth and would have won but for the infamous long count which gave Douglas extra time to rise.
Driven beyond his usual commitment level by a promise to his dying mother, Douglas put Tyson down for a proper count two rounds later to pull off the ‘Upset of All Time’.
Mike Tyson lies flat on his back after James ‘Buster’ Douglas had pulled off the biggest upset of all time as a 42-1 outsider
4. Rocky Marciano v ‘Jersey’ Joe Walcott
September 23, 1952. Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Marciano won by 13th-round KO.
Jersey Joe pounded the real Rocky for 10 rounds. Only for the seemingly beaten, bloodied, eye-swollen challenger to knock him out in the 13th round of an epic contest.
‘I let him escape,’ said Walcott. Marciano went on to become the only world heavyweight champion to retire undefeated.
Rocky Marciano (left) takes a pounding from ‘Jersey’ Joe Walcott, before fighting back to knock out his opponent in the 13th round
3. Muhammad Ali v George Foreman – The Rumble in the Jungle
October 30, 1974. Stade du 20 Mai, Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali won by 8th-round KO.
Big George went to Zaire as the younger favourite. Only for Ali to transform this into probably the most famous fight ever.
After soaking up Foreman’s huge blows with his Rope-a-Dope tactic Ali whispered in Foreman’s disbelieving ear: ‘Is that all you got George?’
Then knocked him out in the eighth to become world champion again.
George Foreman (left) went to Zaire as the younger favourite. Only for Ali to transform this into probably the most famous fight ever
2. Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier I – The Fight of the 20th Century
March 8, 1971. Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, United States. Frazier won by unanimous decision.
The comeback attempt by Ali from Vietnam War suspension to regain his world title ran into Frazier at his peak – to the surprise of the celebrity-packed crowd in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
The Greatest of all Time started well but as he faded Frazier took over, as he exacted vengeance for pre-fight ‘Uncle Tom’ insults with heavy punishment – before inflicting the first knock-down of Ali’s career en route to a 15-round decision.
The comeback attempt by Ali (right) from Vietnam War suspension to regain his world title ran into Joe Frazier at his peak
The pair’s third and final fight is unsurpassed as the greatest heavyweight bout of all time
1. Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier III – The Thrilla in Manila
October 1, 1975. Smart Araneta Coliseum, Manila, Philippines. Ali won by 14th-round corner retirement.
This epic conclusion to their trilogy ended with Smokin’ Joe losing his argument that he should be allowed out for the 15th round despite being virtually blinded by the non-stop ferocity of the preceding 14.
Ali was prevented from taking his gloves off at the same moment and said as his arm was raised: ‘This is the closest I’ve come to death.’
