Historical story

A look at some of the biggest boxing fights in heavyweight ever

On October 9, heavyweight boxers Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder met in Las Vegas, Nevada to complete the trilogy of fights. On the line was Fury's WBC heavyweight championship belt. The two warriors had fought against each other on two different occasions. The first match ended in a draw, while in the second match Fury won after the Wilder corner stopped the match. Their third match was eagerly awaited. During the advertising campaign, Fury and Wilder both expressed their displeasure with each other. Fans wondered which of the warriors would win.

The third Wilder vs. Fury certainly lived up to the hype. Both fighter jets were shot down several times. In the 11th round, Fury viciously defeated Wilder; he would win by technical knockout. This fight is now regarded by many as one of the greatest heavyweight boxing matches in history.

Heavy boxing department has seen many great fights, some of which date back to the early 1900s. This article will look at some of the ones that stand out. However, let's first take a look at the heavyweight boxing division and the reasons for its popularity.

Heavy boxing

Technically, the heavyweight boxing class includes fighter jets that weigh over 200 pounds. Another weight figure is fighter jets that weigh over 224 pounds. There are four major boxing organizations:the World Boxing Association (WBA), the International Boxing Federation (IBF), the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Each organization has its own championship belt. The goal of any heavyweight boxer is to win the four belts, and therefore become the undisputed champion.

Of all the divisions in boxing, the heavyweight division is still the most popular and well-known. While the other boxing divisions have had remarkable warriors and incredible fights, the heavyweight division continues to capture people's imagination. Why is this so?

The heavyweight department has had several popular fighter jets. Although other boxing divisions included well-known warriors, many of the warriors who adorned the heavyweight division are considered the greatest ever. A well-known example is Muhammad Ali. Ali made a name for himself with his flashy boxing style and his unique and fun bragging rights. He also became a cultural icon for his humanitarian work. He is celebrated by many as the greatest boxer and sports figure in history.

Another example is Mike Tyson. Known as the worst man on the planet, Tyson dominated the heavyweight division in the 1980s. He beat out the opponents in a brutal way, often in the first round. Therefore, he was immensely popular; millions signed up to watch his matches. There are other examples, such as Joe Frasier, Evander Holyfield and George Foreman. This stable of popular fighter jets is what drew the fans to the heavyweight division. This is one of the main reasons why the heavyweight class retains its popularity.

Inheritance

The popularity of the heavyweight division is also related to the prestigious history. The heavyweight boxing class dates back to the late 19th century with fighters such as John L. Sullivan, the first heavyweight champion of glove boxing. During the early 20th century, Jack Johnson became the first African-American heavyweight champion. Johnson also defied many racial stereotypes at a time when racism was widespread in large parts of the United States Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano continued the legacy of the heavyweight division during their respective eras. And as mentioned above, Muhammad Ali in the 1960s-70s and Mike Tyson in the 1980s brought the heavyweight division to new heights.

Due to its rich history, people in the heavyweight division are regarded as the most recognized of all the boxing classes. Therefore, people are drawn to the heavyweight division, which increases the popularity.

Legendary battles

Now let's look at some of the biggest fights in heavyweight boxing history. These battles come from different eras and have warriors with their own unique styles. Some of these fights were hard, dramatic fights. Others were major uprisings. Either way, these fights captured the imagination of combat fans and cemented themselves in boxing history.

Cassius Clay mot Sonny Liston:1964

Before changing his name, Muhammad Ali was known as Cassius Clay. And in 1964 he was an up-and-coming fighter who had a high mouth. Clay made several boasts before his fights. For example, he would predict the round in which he would knock out the opponent. After a series of impressive victories, Clay won the chance to fight heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. The champion was a scary fighter. Liston had powerful knockout power; he knocked out former champion Floyd Patterson during the first two rounds of the match. Fans and sports writers thought that Clay would also fall in the first round to Liston. However, Clay claimed that he would win over Liston.

As the fight began, Liston appeared to knock Clay out with one blow. However, Clay used his superior reflexes and footwork to avoid the blows. Towards the end of the round, Clay unleashed devastating combinations to Liston's head. This pattern continued for most of the match. The audience was shocked. Hardly anyone thought Clay would last past the first round. Now it looked like Clay beat Sonny Liston thoroughly.

In the fifth round, Clay experienced vision problems. The reason is believed to be a solution to Liston's gloves. However, Clay overcame this problem and dominated the next round. In the seventh round, Liston failed to defecate, and actually ended the match. Cassius Clay had just become the world heavyweight champion.

A huge revolt

Clay's victory over Liston was a shocking revolt. Many thought Clay would be destroyed by the mighty Liston. However, Clay used his superior skills to box out Liston thoroughly. This makes Clay-Liston one of the biggest upswings in sports history, and one of the biggest fights in the heavyweight boxing.

Riddick Bowe vs Evander Holyfield:1992

This match is remembered for the tough matches between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe. At the time, Holyfield was the world's undisputed heavyweight champion. He had defended his title three times, the most notable being against former champion George Foreman. Holyfield also appeared to be establishing itself as the largest fighter jet in the world while Mike Tyson was serving a prison sentence. Bowe was one of many new boxers who wanted a shot at the title.

Many chose the more experienced Holyfield to easily beat the raw Bowe. Bowe, however, used his size advantage to over-muscle and knock out Holyfield. The champion struggled to land his blows on the challenger. Meanwhile, Bowe beat Holyfield thoroughly. The last three rounds of the match were filled with excitement. In round 10, Bowe almost knocked out Holyfield with several hard blows. However, Holyfield regained composure and fought back, dominating the last half of the inning.

Despite this comeback, Bowe defeated a worn-out Holyfield in Round 11. Round 12 saw Holyfield aggressively pursue Bowe. The champion knew he was losing the match and needed a knock-out to win. But Bowe persevered and survived the round. He won the match by unanimous decision and became the world's new heavyweight champion.

Bowe and Holyfield fought each other twice more, but these battles did not live up to the original's explosiveness.

James 'Buster' Douglas vs. Mike Tyson:1990

In 1990, Mike Tyson was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Tyson became a professional in 1985, and he set an impressive record with knockout victories. These knock out wins often came during the first two or three rounds. Tyson also had a cruel fighting style, one that not many had seen before. His raw, explosive power excited battle fans and intimidated Tyson's opponents.

When Tyson won the heavyweight championship in 1986, he defeated everyone in his path. The most impressive victory came in 1988, when he scored a fantastic first round of knock out victory against Michael Spinks. With such violent force, many believed that Tyson was unbeatable.

James "Buster" Douglas was an average boxer. He had some impressive performances, but other times he seemed to lack discipline and motivation. When Douglas was to fight Tyson in Tokyo, no one thought he would win. Tyson was so confident that he barely trained for the match. Douglas, whose mother had died before the match, went through intense training. He was extremely motivated to defeat Tyson and shock the world.

Kampen

As the fight began, Tyson did not get his explosive start. Douglas used the range advantage to land hard combinations on Tyson's head. As the rounds progressed, Tyson moved slower and slower while Douglas continued to land stiff bumps, right hands and hooks. Commentators, sports writers and fans around the world could not believe what they were watching. Mike Tyson, "Baddest Man on the Planet", lost a match everyone thought he would easily win.

In the eighth round, one of Tyson's eyes was almost closed due to the blows. However, it was in the eighth round that Douglas almost lost the match. As the round drew to a close, Tyson launched a powerful version that dropped Douglas to the screen. Douglas got up slowly and was saved by the bell when the round ended. Douglas overcame this setback and confirmed his dominance over Tyson. In the tenth round, Douglas threw his own capital letter. It was tied to Tyson's chin, and he fell on the canvas. Tyson failed to beat the ten count, and was ruled out. James 'Buster' Douglas became the world's new heavyweight champion.

This fight is one of the biggest uprisings in boxing history. After this defeat, Tyson would fight four more times before he was convicted of rape. Douglas only wanted to defend the title once; he lost to Evander Holyfield in 1990. However, Douglas will always be remembered for his stunning victory over Mike Tyson.

Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier:1971

It is safe to say that Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought against some of the greatest fights in boxing history. The couple fought against each other three times, and each match is celebrated for the strong competition of both men. While their third match, "Thrilla in Manilla" from 1975, is seen as the most exhausting and violent of the three matches, the couple's first meeting in 1971 is seen as the best. Many boxing fans and writers mention that fight as the biggest fight in boxing history.

​​Background

In 1971, Ali was a year into his comeback. For the past three years, he has been banned from boxing after refusing to be drafted into the US Army. Although Ali did not hold the championship belt, many believed he was the rightful champion. During Ali's absence, Frazier rose through the ranks of the heavyweight division. He won the championship in 1970, and he strengthened himself as one of the best boxers in the world.

During the build-up to the match, Ali took every opportunity to humiliate and demean Frazier. Ali made fun of Frazier's fighting style and his personal qualities, such as his face and voice. He even went so far as to call Frazier a guerilla. Ali also portrayed himself as the hero of African Americans and as the master of the people. He stated that Frazier was "Great White Hope", the favorite fighter in white America. This launched a cultural debate in America. People argued about which fighter really represented the black society.

Although Ali's comments were intended to intimidate Frazier, they had the opposite effect. All these verbal holes only drove Frazier. He was extremely determined to defeat Ali.

Due to the drama surrounding the match, the match between Frazier and Ali was eagerly awaited. As a result, the match was billed as the "Match of the Century".

Kampen

The fight took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Due to the intense build-up to the match, the stadium was packed with several celebrities participating. The match was also broadcast via closed circuit television. An estimated 300 million people from all over the world lined up to watch the match.

When the bell rang, both fighters switched to their fighting styles. Ali used his long arms to beat Frazier from a long distance. Frazeir, however, used head movement to avoid Ali's blow and close the distance between the two. Fraziere's best shot was the left hook, and he landed it several times against Ali's head and middle section. Ali dominated the first two rounds by throwing quick combinations. However, Frazier took control during the intermediate rounds. He hit Ali's body, which slowed the fast former champion. Frazierer's left hook also caused significant damage to Ali. At the sixth round, Ali started to get tired, but he persevered. He scored with quick strokes, but he failed to keep up with Frazier's relentless pace.

In the 11th round, Frazeir connected with a left hook that almost dropped Ali. The former champion survived the round, but his luck soon ended. In the last round floor Frazeir Ali with a sharp left hook. Although Ali hit ten counts, he was visibly injured. As the battle drew to a close, the two weary and violent fighters continued to strike each other until the last bell rang.

Aftermath

Both warriors took severe punishment from each other. Frazier's face was swollen by Ali's sharp blows to the left and right. Ali's right cheek was massively swollen by Frazeir's left hook. Although Ali fought a brave battle, Frazier was named the winner by unanimous decision. At the time, this result shocked the world. The once unbeatable Ali suddenly experienced his first professional loss.

The first Ali-Frazier match survived everyone's expectations. For 15 rounds, the fans were treated to an exciting and dramatic match. Despite taking a wild blow, both men continued to fight, demonstrating heart and determination. While the two fought three more times, the first Ali-Frazier fight lives on as one of the biggest fights in boxing history.

the conclusion

Heavy boxing department has seen many great fights throughout its long history. Some matches have been dramatic championship matches, as is the case with Bowe vs. Holyfield in 1992, and Ali vs. Frazier in 1971. Other matches have been shocking disturbances, such as Clay vs. Liston in 1964, and Douglas vs. Tyson in 1990.. And in 2021, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder held a remarkable show in their third game. Both men hit the puppet several times during the match, but Fury won after scoring a devastating knockdown against Wilder. This recent fight between Wilder and Fury adds a new chapter to the sacred story of heavy boxing fights.