Top 10 greatest boxing matches of all time

Boxing is one of the world’s most ancient sports. The art of pugilism has evolved tremendously over the years – allowing for some of the most spectacular sights and events in sports history. 

Today, we’ll be looking at ten of the best fights of all time, featuring fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Manny Pacquiao and the late George Foreman. 

Whittling this list down to just ten was a near-impossible task – before we begin, here are a few honourable mentions. 

Honourable mentions

Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko misses out by a gnat’s hair, as does Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder 3. These were both brilliant examples of classic modern heavyweight bouts with plenty of knockdowns and drama.

Another modern bout that just didn’t quite make our list was Leigh Wood vs Mick Conlan, one of the best boxing comebacks in recent memory.

We’d also like to mention James ‘Lights Out’ Toney vs Vassily Jirov – a criminally underrated fight with a scintillating conclusion. 

10. ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed vs Kevin Kelley

‘Prince’ Nas always looked to bring the entertainment factor to boxing. There is no better example of this than his fight against Kevin Kelley – the encounter had plenty of needle going in and it did not disappoint. 

Kelley dropped Hamed in both rounds one and two, looking to finish the fight early, before the Sheffielder turned on the style and put Kelley on the floor later on in the second round.

It was very clear that this one would not last the distance – and it was Hamed who landed the final blow, knocking Kelley out in the dying embers of round four. 

9. Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez IV

The final bout in the storied quadrilogy between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez was the best of their legendary rivalry – it was the only fight of the four that had a definitive ending. 

After three fights ended inconclusively, both Pacquiao and Marquez were hellbent on scoring a statement win over their career rival. 

Pacquiao was expected to extinguish a ghost of his past in this one – but it didn’t work out like that. Just as he began to take control in the sixth, landing at will on the Mexican legend, Marquez uncorked a huge overhand right that left Pacquiao unconscious and gave him the surprise win over one of boxing’s all time greats. 

8. Rocky Marciano vs Jersey Joe Walcott I

Arguably the toughest fight in Rocky Marciano’s career, the Brockton Blockbuster was dropped, outfoxed and outworked by Jersey Joe – until the 13th round.

In one of the most dramatic finishes to a fight ever, in which Marciano and Walcott each aimed fight-ending punches at each other, but Rocky was just milliseconds faster and scored the knockout. 

Sadly, their rematch would be little more than a damp squib, but the first fight will live in history forever.

7. Evander Holyfield vs Riddick Bowe I

The first fight between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe makes the list for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it was for the undisputed heavyweight crown – something you don’t see very often in the four-belt era.

Second of all, it was a brutal contest in which each competitor laid everything in the ring. While Holyfield put forth a valiant effort, this bout marked the peak of Bowe’s powers – at his best, few could’ve beaten him. 

While the other two fights in their trilogy were also great, the first encounter between the pair remains the gold standard for modern heavyweight title bouts.

6. George Foreman vs Ron Lyle

The best heavyweight slugfest of all time, without question. George Foreman instilled fear into almost all of his opponents, but Ron Lyle certainly wasn’t one of them. 

Very few boxers – especially during his younger years – managed to push Foreman back. Lyle did it in this fight with regularity, throwing serious leather and taking it back in kind. 

After both boxers had hit the canvas, it was eventually Foreman who would win the day, backing Lyle into a corner and unloading on his opponent until he slumped to the mat. 

5. Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman (Rumble in the Jungle)

Arguably the most famous fight of all time, the Rumble in the Jungle marked one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.

Ali was a big underdog going into the fight, with many audiences fearing for his life. Despite this, the Greatest would produce arguably the best tactical approach of all time, outsmarting Foreman en route to a shocking KO win. 

So much about this fight has already been documented – there is little we can add to the discourse, but nonetheless, this fight belongs on any list of this ilk.

4. Diego Corrales vs Jose Luis Castillo I

While the first fight between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo was already a classic, with both fighters having given it their all for the majority of the bout, it was the tenth round that cemented their clash as one of the greatest of all time. 

Castillo dropped Corrales early in the tenth round. Corrales looked finished as his mouthpiece hung limp – not long after this, he was dropped again by Castillo. 

Despite this, Corrales was still in the fight. He caught Castillo with a huge right hand, then used what little energy he had left to launch a concentrated onslaught and force an incredible stoppage. 

3. Mickey Ward vs Arturo Gatti I

Featuring the greatest round in boxing history, Mickey Ward vs Arturo Gatti is much more than just round nine. A genuine marvel of human endurance, the two put each other through hell in their first encounter. 

Ward would win the first fight between the two, dropping Gatti with a body hook in the ninth. Gatti, never one to be outdone, showed immense courage to make it to the final bell, swinging for the fences as he did so. 

If you haven’t, it’s worth checking out the other two fights in their trilogy. While neither of them can match the brutality of the first fight, they’re still excellent encounters and should be considered must-watches for any boxing fan. 

2. Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns

Dubbed ‘The Fight’ in the lead up to the contest, it was rebranded ‘The War’ after all was said and done – and for good reason. 

Despite only lasting three rounds, Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns provided more action in nine minutes than some fighters do over their whole careers. It could have been even shorter than three rounds – in the opening seconds, Hearns had Hagler in all kinds of trouble when he stunned the Marvellous one with a series of right hands. 

Hagler recovered from this, but there was a time limit hanging over his head – Hearns had opened a huge cut, which the referee had taken notice of. Knowing he needed to score a knockout, Hagler ploughed on, bulldozing his way in amid Hearns’ most powerful shots. Eventually, Hagler caught Hearns, sent him spinning into the ropes and followed it up with a vicious right hand that the Motor City Cobra could not withstand. 

1. Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier III (Thrilla in Manila)

While we said that Lyle vs Foreman was the best heavyweight slugfest ever earlier in the list, this was much more than two gunslingers looking to outlast the other. This was a generational war between two men who had come to loathe each other – and they also happened to be two of the greatest boxers ever.

In the end, Frazier’s trainer, Eddie Futch, called a halt to the contest before the beginning of the final round. This was against Frazier’s wishes, even though both of Smokin’ Joe’s eyes were completely swollen shut. 

The Thrilla in Manila has to go down as the best fight in history – but it is not a fight that you will want to watch more than once. A spectacle that was every bit as beautiful as it was devastating – neither man would truly recover from the beating they took on October 1, 1975.