Thread: Your Top (5) Worst moments in boxing history

Not sure if this has been done before, but here goes...


Richard Steele stopping the Taylor Chavez fight
Tyson losing to Douglas
Tyson biting Holy
Tyson losing to Lewis
RJJ Olympic robbery.


To this day I've never seen the whole Tyson Lewis fight. Even turned down the invite when it happened live. That's how sure I was that Tyson was way past it.

There's a Bunch more...but those 5 still leave me bitter/sad to this day.

1. That guy who sucker punched his opponent and knocked him out cold after losing a decision to him. Disgraceful

He's the same guy who killed Max Kellerman's brother.

2. Ali taking a beating from Larry Holmes. Just a sad sight to see.

3. The riot after Bowe/Golota I

4. RJJ in the Olympics

5. DLH completely blowing the last few round against Tito. That's going to hunt him for rest of his life

My top 5 worst moments, all for different reasons:
1. Nigel Benn vs G-Man: Great fight, but I was a huge fan of McLellan and to see the toll that fight took on him was horrible. I will never forget yelling obscenities at the tv and then seeing him collapse and be put on the stretcher.
2. Chavez vs Sweet Pea Whitaker: The Meldrick Taylor debacle was already taken, so this is my choice. Horrible rip off. Pernell dominated the fight and deserved the win. All the whining by JCC just made it worse.
3. Hasim Rahman vs John Ruiz: what an absolutely horrible fight. I watched the whole thing, likely because I'm a glutton for punishment, and it was a low point of boxing for me.
4. Paulie Malignaggi vs Adrian Broner: both guys were classless during the pre fight hype and build up. Paulie is better than that. Broner is a dipshit.
5. Mike Tyson is convicted of rape: there were a lot of things Mike did wrong in his life, and I tend to think he is overrated by many. That being said, it was horrible yo watch an innocent man get railroaded into prison like that.

1. Every single death and disability caused in the ring.

2. Great, and not so great, fighters being ripped off, squandering their money and ending up living in poverty

3. The devaluation of being a 'world' champion

4. The ridiculous hype when two essentially average fighters collide for a 'world' trinket.

5. Revisionism. People who think the whole history of boxing, and all the greats, only happened when they were active fans. That works both ways, for the young and also the old.


Not really 'moments', but these things piss me off enough that I thought I'd mention them

Great mentions here and could go a hundred directions. Off the top the refereeing Coggi vs Gonzalez 1 remains one of the most embarrassing and criminal manipulations committed by an official that I've seen live. The riot post Bowe v Golota. Tyson losing his shit knowing he was on way to tko and the bite. Tyson has gone a long way to reform and rebound himself and image, he's actually a hilarious dude who dedicated himself to the history of the sport and trail blazers before him, but he was also an asshole who tried to break a few arms and ball like a baby when he got out menaced. Twice biting a man to bait him into a lucky punch was a very sad act. Among top 5 worst moments you can put any 'need' to search and push something called A Great white hype. Ali v Holmes is up their sad. Hearing cheers when Kid Akeem was in obvious critical shape following the war with Robert Quiroga also. Lesser note would be the huddle of officials after Bowe fouled and ko'd Buster Mathis jr. Ref, commission members go out of there way to shield the live cameras. Arthur Mercante jr rebuffing Yuri Foremans corner trying to opt out and toss towel in for a badly injured and outclassed Foreman. Mercante like more than a few refs made it about himself and tried to atta boy speech to Foreman who had knees that were damn near swinging back and forth like a screen door. If a corner calls for a stop, that's it and it should be. Remember Chris Byrds campaign convincing himself that he could erase all the damage and years by dropping down to 175? Byrd grew on me as a fighter but he was unrecognizable and took an absolute beating.

Herol Graham losing to a British fighter Frank Grant and I then realised he was past his best. I could not talk to anyone for that day.

Tyson losing to Williams as above.

Shane not being able to stop Floyd after he rocked him twice in the second round.

Haye dismissal effort against Wlad and then blaming his toe

Allowing Ali to fight Holmes

My list from age 5 and forward


1. Tyson losing against Douglas. I was that little kid who saw Mike as an superhero who would never be defeated. My cartoons I drew in school in the years to follow were only about Tyson avenging the loss.


2. Naseem Hamed. I have always hated those loudmouths like Mayweather, Camacho, Broner etc. Hamed could bang which I like if someone is a loudmouth, but he is the only exception for me. Till this day I still try to figure out why I disliked him so much even though he had entertaining fights. So to me he was one of the worst moments in boxing and I applauded him retiring from the sport.


3. The loss of the great welterweight stars. Maybe I am narrow here, and I dont forget Margz and Williams, but for me seeing former featherweights or lightweights being in the top 10 at welterweight makes me crumble. DLH was not natural but he filled in ok. Otherwise for me the 90´s and early 00´s was the last of them. After that its been a cherrypicking feast for those climbing up in weights and winning titles against one-armed basterds.


4. De La Hoya vs Mayweather. Brought the worst of them all into the mainstream. Derailed boxing for life and made very boxer into a diva who demands millions for each of their fights. No hunger, just money. No challenge, just fighting bums.


5. Death of Edwin Valero. I was saddened to when Corrales died, but Valero was the man for me. Those few days when he destroyed everything and finally killed himself in jail, I was glued to the computer following the news. Seeing that prison video of him after the hanging, reality struck. Personally, i´m more sad for his wife and kid of course.


Excuse my English, this is my list.

I did not know Tyson lost until the next day as I'd did not have sky. I would have been in tears if I watched the fight. What was horrible was the corrupt Suuliman and King trying to steal back the title from Buster the day after. That was bad.

Originally Posted by Master

I did not know Tyson lost until the next day as I'd did not have sky. I would have been in tears if I watched the fight. What was horrible was the corrupt Suuliman and King trying to steal back the title from Buster the day after. That was bad.

I saw it live with my father. Seeing my father shocked, that was unusual. I didn´t understand politics then, so that story I learned more about in my teens. Or well, I don´t understand the politics today either. Just want to see people fight each other.

You bring up some good memories. I had a love and hate relationship with Naz.

Also would have loved Oscar to get the split decision against Floyd.

...some emotional moments listed here. I'm the odd man here for Bowe-Golata...smiles and laughter for me!

Oh the pain of a 10 year old watching Ali on the stool against Holmes. I did well to block that memory ..until I made this thread .thanks a lot sleepwalker & master...oh, the agony ..

Bowe v Golota riot was ugly and not funny Slim.

^I thought Lou Duva was gonna die of a heart attack or come close to it.

I still picture the scene of him hauled over that guardrail on a tilted stretcher with an oxygen mask.

Amazing how easily human beings can turn into such thugs at the drop of a hat

Originally Posted by Master

Bowe v Golota riot was ugly and not funny Slim.

B True, but I was still glued to the action of it all.

Early deaths in and out of the ring are the saddest for me. All the above, Loco,Chico,Gatti so many.

Losses and bum decisions are the next thing,but that would make a decent separate thread.