Yes and here is why! Two men are standing in ring center bent on winning and one has to be hurt or out punched and out maneuvered. They are not protected by team mates but comforted between assaults by corner men. Football, baseball and even soccer doesn't sap you of energy and spirit with blows to one's body and head. You don't have to be alert every single second in baseball. In boxing you have to constantly remind yourself there's one more round. Your head is pounding and your muscles are on fire and you gasp for air. As one fighter put it he was closer to death the night he fought Frazier than he had ever been during his life on earth. You are practically naked and you wear large 8 ounce or ten ounce gloves. You are not allowed to throw down and opponent or hit him when he is down like in another sport that shall go unnamed. Boxing at this level is the ultimate test of manhood and these two fighters believe it or not were made for ech other and left a good portion of their souls in the ring at Madison Square garden and ultimately "The thrilla in Manila." The pieces of the souls and the blood they spilled those nights spell rivalry at it's highest point, the greatest rivalry I ever saw on closed circuit television. I used my mad money to purchase a ticket and watch history and yes it was the greatest rivalry so far and there have been others but this was special, period.