It’s hard to remember a time when the boxing world — and the world in general — was salivating so much over one fight. It’s almost as if the buildup of the proposed Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather showdown is so blown out of proportion that people think they’ll get a combination of Balboa-Creed and Superman-Batman when and if the pair tangle.
Here, then, are a few (supposed) “Fights of the Century.” Some lived up to their considerable billing — while others were outright stinkers.
The list Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran (1980): The undefeated Olympic hero vs. the raging, invincible warrior. The “Brawl in Montreal” had it all. Duran pulled the upset and won a 15-rounder. Grade: A.Tremendous pace, good
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns (1981): The hype for “The Showdown” was unprecedented for a non-heavyweight fight. After 14 rounds, stylist Leonard turned slugger and won by TKO. Grade: A-plus. One of the greatest fights of all time. Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney (1982): Unbeaten Cooney had captured the public’s imagination with a string of knockouts. Holmes was the proud champion fuming at the purse parity. Holmes outclassed Cooney in 13. Grade: B. Solid. Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns (1985): For two guys who weren’t exactly media darlings, “The Fight” drew a surprising amount of attention. A great matchup speaks for itself. Grade: A-plus. The greatest first round in boxing history. Advertisement
Marvin Hagler Advertisement vs. Sugar Ray Leonard (1987): The hype for “The SuperFight” was ridiculous. In terms of anticipation built over several years, it compares to Pacquiao-Mayweather. Grade: A-minus. In a fight dripping with drama, Leonard shocks Hagler. Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks (1988): Tyson was at the height of his powers, and the undefeated Spinks was his only remaining hurdle. Spinks was a longshot, but a respected underdog. Grade: D. A great KO, but 91 seconds? Tyson rages. Buster Douglas vs. Evander Holyfield (1990): Douglas had upset Tyson eight months earlier. Therefore, on paper, this was a great matchup. The promotion was considerable. But a flabby Douglas was KO’d in three. Grade: F. Horrible. Evander Holyfield vs. George Foreman (1991): How can you go wrong with a 42-year-old former world champion challenging the current, 28-year-old undefeated champion? This promotion couldn’t lose. Grade: B. Foreman loses a surprisingly competitive decision. Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield 2 (1997): Seven months prior, a supposedly washed-up Holyfield scored a shocking 11th-round KO of Tyson. This was the fight to see if it was legit or a fluke. Grade: F. Tyson gnaws on Holyfield’s ear and gets DQ’d in three. It remains one of boxing’s permanent bruises. Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad (1999): This was supposedly going to be a Leonard-Hearns for the 1990s — two young, undefeated warriors going at it. Grade: F. The “Fight of the Millennium?” It wasn’t even the fight of the week. Trinidad wins controversial (boring) decision. Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson (2002): Lewis, the reigning heavyweight king, and Tyson, after prison and the Holyfield losses, had been linked for years. A huge buildup. Grade: D. Tyson was competitive for 30 seconds before falling in eight. Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather (2007): Another fight long in the making, it featured two proven superstars. It remains the highest grossing fight of all time. Grade: B. For the buildup, this fight could’ve been much worse. Money wins a decision. Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao (2008): Anytime De La Hoya fought, it was big. Even for this one, which was considered a physical mismatch in favor of De La Hoya. Grade: B. Pacquiao’s eighth-round shellacking was his watershed moment.
