This was to be Mike Tyson’s third comeback fight after his defeat to Buster Douglas in February the previous year. Since then, Tyson had scored one round wins over Henry Tillman and Alex Stewart. Meanwhile Ruddock was viewed by many as the most dangerous heavyweight in the world after a four-round destruction of Michael Dokes…
It was 1936 and Jesse Owens was winning four gold medals at the Berlin Summer Olympics. In boxing, the new heavyweight prospect was Joe Louis who was unbeaten as a professional on his way to a world title shot. He had beaten former champions Primo Carnera and Max Baer convincingly. The next opponent brought in…
December 19, 1997 – Prince Naseem Hamed v Kevin Kelley. Click for larger image Madison Square Garden the weekend before Christmas was the venue and time chosen for Prince Naseem Hamed’s long awaited American debut. Kevin Kelley was chosen for Hamed’s stateside debut. He was seen as the perfect opponent for Hamed to showcase his…
November – Evander Holyfield V Riddick Bowe 1992-1995. The heavyweight division in 1992 was looking to the future after the incarceration of Mike Tyson. The champion was Evander Holyfield and the two brightest young heavyweights coming through the ranks were Olympians Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe. Holyfield was being criticized for ignoring the younger contenders…
It was 1936 and Jesse Owens was winning 4 gold medals at the Berlin Summer Olympics. In boxing the new heavyweight prospect was Joe Louis who was unbeaten as a professional on his way to a world title shot. He had beaten former champions Primo Carnera and Max Baer convincingly. The next opponent brought in…
A classic rivalry between two different boxing styles and personalities. Duran who was stepping up to welterweight had been the lightweight champion for 6 years between 1972 and 1978. Leonard was a 1976 Olympic Gold medallist and had won the WBC welterweight championship from Wilfred Benitez in a classic boxing match with a 15th round…
History was to be made on this momentous day in 1908. For the first time ever in boxing history a black man was to fight for the World Heavyweight Championship. Sure black men were allowed to fight for lesser weight titles but not the biggest prize in sports. Jack Johnson was born in 1878 in…
Probably the most famous rivalry in boxing history. When Muhammad Ali was stripped of his championship in 1967 following refusal of the draft to fight in the Vietnam War the heavyweight championship was thrown into a state of confusion The World Heavyweight Championship was again split into 2 parts. The WBA elected to hold an…
Independence day In 1919 was to begin a new era in heavyweight boxing. The era of the Manassa Mauler. The Heavyweight Championship was in a poor state of affairs in 1919. The champion Jess Willard had only made one title defence since beating Jack Johnson in 1915. This was against Frank Moran. Dempsey however in…
Sonny Liston v Cassius Clay – February 25 1964 It was the summer of 1960. Floyd Patterson was the World Heavyweight Champion. Sonny Liston was terrorising the division. And Light Heavyweight Cassius Clay was winning Olympic Gold in Rome despite being afraid of flying. Little did we know at this time Clay and Listons paths…