Top 9 Fight Cards in Boxing history

I keep hearing how this past Saturday night, we saw maybe the greatest fight card in boxing history. No, we didn’t. People always like to say that the greatest of today is the greatest ever. I put this list together off the top of my head, and I am sure I am missing some other amazing fight cards, so feel free to chime in your best fight cards.

9. Holmes vs Cooney

Holmes vs. Cooney was a historically significant fight that lived up to the hype. Holmes stopped Cooney in the thirteenth round of a war.

The undercard featured a title defence by the legendary Wilfredo Gomez and a couple of major Heavyweight battles as Trevor Berbick upset Greg Page and James Tillis survived a scare by the always dangerous Earnie Shavers.

Larry Holmes vs Gerry Cooney – Highlights (The PRIDE & The GLORY)

8. Mayweather vs Cotto

On May 5, 2012, Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto collided. Many believed Cotto would present his stiffest challenge yet in Floyd’s long career, while others speculated an impending jail term could distract the sport’s premier fighter.

Undoubtedly, Cotto exceeded our expectations in his fight with Mayweather. Though he ultimately lost, he caused more discomfort for Floyd than usual and never looked outclassed like other opponents before him.

Undercard fighters were filled with youth taking on formidable opponents. This provided good value for your dollar and even produced some unexpected upsets.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez made short work of Shane Mosley in what proved his toughest foe to date.

Jessie Vargas scored an impressive decision win against Stevie Forbes, while former welterweight champion Carlos Quintana rejuvenated his career with an eye-opening knockout victory over Deandre Latimore.

On the untelevised portion of this card, we saw rising prospects, such as Keith Thurman and Omar Figueroa, also engaging. Talk about packed.

Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Miguel Cotto – Highlights (AWESOME FIGHT)

7. Whitaker vs Chavez

The Main Event was a robbery, but the entire card was worth the price of the PPV. Of course, the Main Event was a disturbing draw, but the undercard was also loaded as it featured the first of four battles between Leija and Nelson, plus Terry Norris vs Joe Gatti. A young fighter named Tim Austin was also on this undercard.

Pernell Whitaker vs Julio Cesar Chavez (Highlights)

6. Lennox Lewis vs Tony Tucker

Lewis and Tucker’s fight was fairly dull, and Lewis was not impressive, but the undercard was loaded! You had Chavez vs Alli and McClellan vs Jackson in a battle of bangers.

The Undercard also included matches with Oba Carr, Hector Camacho, Thomas Tate, and Meldrick Taylor. This is why old-timers pine away for the good ole days.

Lennox Lewis vs Tony Tucker – Highlights (Lewis KNOCKS DOWN Tucker)

5. Ambers vs Montanez

Back in September 1937, there was a show in New York (Polo Grounds) with these top fights: Lou Ambers beat Pedro Montanez pts 15 rounds (world LW title). Barney Ross outpointed Ceferino Garcia over 15 rounds (world WW title). Harry Jeffra took the BW title from Sixto Escobar with a 15-round points win. Fred Apostoli won T-KO 10 against Marcel Thil. Of these eight men, only Garcia is today not in the IBHOF! 7 Hall of Famers on one card, not a bad night.

4. Chavez vs Taylor 2

The first fight was as controversial as it gets, and the rematch was a dominant Chavez win, as he stopped Taylor in the eighth round. Taylor was never the same after the first war with Chavez.

The rest of the card was stacked with Frankie Randall vs Juan Martin Coggi, Felix Trinidad vs Yori Boy Campas, Ricardo Lopez vs Surachai Saengmorakot, Vincent Pettway vs Gianfranco Rosi, and Gabriel Ruelas vs Jesse James Leija.

This was another Don King spectacular.

Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. vs Meldrick Taylor I p1

3. Chavez vs Randall 2: Revenge the Rematches

Julio César Chávez vs Frankie Randall (Chavez won by technical decision in 8), Azumah Nelson vs Jesse James Leija (Leija won by unanimous decision in 12), Gerald McClellan vs Julian Jackson (McClellan won by knockout in 1), Terry Norris vs Simon Brown (Norris won by unanimous decision in 12). This fight card also included Ricardo Lopez, the legendary Mexican.

McCllelan stopping Jackson in one round was brutal. The Chavez revenge fight was controversial, and Nelson vs. Leija was so good that they would fight a couple of more times. Don King knew how to assemble a PPV card back in the day.

Randall vs Chavez (Knockdown)

2. Sugar Ray Leonard vs Wilfred Benitez

These fights were on free TV! You read that right: free TV. Leonard stopped Benitez in an excellent battle between two of the greatest fighters. Marvin Hagler was held to a draw by Champion Vito Auntefermo, which he would avenge a couple of years later.

Marvin Johnson and Victor Galindez waged a Light Heavyweight war and finally a young Thomas Hearns detonated a bomb on Mike Colbert.

Sugar Ray Leonard vs Wilfred Benitez ABC Full uncut Broadcast 1979 1080p 120fps

1. Larry Holmes vs Earnie Shavers 2

Holmes-Shavers 2 proved difficult to sell due to the first fights’ one-sided nature; however, its card featured some of the greatest fighters ever seen on a boxing card – such as Wilfredo Gomez successfully defending his WBC junior featherweight title for the ninth time against Carlos Mendoza with an 11th round stoppage; Roberto Duran earned a 10-round unanimous decision over Zeferino Gonzalez; while Sugar Ray Leonard knocked out Andy Price with one punch!

Many thought Price would give Leonard all he could handle; even Howard Cosell, going into the fight, wondered if this was too quick for Leonard. Leonard proved he was ready for anybody with a highlight-reel knockout of Price.

Holmes would dominate Shaver’s once again, but in the seventh round, it looked like Shaver’s might steal the crown with one huge punch that sent Holmes to the canvas. Holmes would recover quickly and stop Shavers in the eleventh round.

Larry HOLMES v Earnie SHAVERS 2. SEPT 28th 1979.