Classic Knockouts

Here are some of my favorite classic knockout fights….enjoy!

1. Ali vs. Foreman
– 1974. Kinshasa, Zaire. The Rumble in the Jungle was a fight to remember. Broadcast to a worldwide audience, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali squared off in a clash of the titans. Then-Heavyweight Champion Foreman was expected to win the bout, being younger and at the top of his game, making Ali the underdog despite his former World Champion title. After a grueling bilateral beatdown, Ali toppled Foreman in the eight round of what would become one of the most memorable fights of all time.

2. Tyson vs. Spinks
– 91 seconds is all it took for the pitbull “Iron” Mike Tyson to demolish Leon Spinks in this 1988 match. The one-punch KO ended the fight before the first round had a chance to spin up. Spinks climbed into the ring with a perfect 31-0 record, and it only took him 1 minute 31 seconds to lose it. When’s the last time you heard the name ‘Spinks’? That’s right, basically after this fight, never.

3. Hagler vs. Hearns
– 1985: “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler spent five years as the undisputed Middleweight Champion when Thomas Hearns came along to challenge him. The first round of the fight is often called the most brutal and best round of fighting in boxing history. But, it was round three that brought the show. Hearns seemed to be having a bit too much fun and even got a little full of himself, when Hagler catches him by surprise. He then tries to get some distance to get his bearing. Hagler actually runs to chase him before laying him out with that final vicious right.

4. Marciano vs. Walcott
– Rocky Marciano and Jersey Joe Walcott squared off in 1952 over the Heavyweight title, which Walcott was holding when he climbed into the ring. After round 13, he was lucky to have his teeth, because Marciano took the title from him that day along with his lunch money. And Marciano never gave it up to anyone afterward, being the only heavyweight boxing champion to go an entire career undefeated. Notice the way he lays the last hit in just as he walks off like it’s nothing. He was like that.

5. Marciano vs. Louis
– This is awesome, there just isn’t any other word for the way Joe Louis crumples when Rocky Marciano knocks the snot out of him with that one final blow in this Madison Square Garden classic from March, 1951. Louis weighed nearly a full 30 lbs more than Marciano at weigh-in, and instead of getting pummeled by the larger fighter, Marciano used to it his advantage. That sneak attack would cause old men to bicker for years afterward.

6. Foreman vs. Frazier
– George Foreman knocked down Joe Frazier six times in two rounds during this 1973 beatdown. Foreman was the challenger to Frazier’s Heavyweight Champion title. Six times that man got blinked out, and he kept getting back up. Finally the ref got worried, and since he had no intention of finding out how many times a man could be consecutively knocked into microsleeps, he called TKO.

7. Tyson vs. Douglas
– Tokyo was attacked in 1990 by two fighting monsters that came from America, not space. They were the Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson and his challenger, James “Buster” Douglas. Tyson, known for his ego, had nearly won the fight in round 8 when he knocked the Buster down. Come Round 10, Douglas came back with a vengeance.

8. Robinson vs. Fullmer
– Sugar Ray Robinson and Gene Fullmer had a grudge to settle, and their grudge-match was stamped into history when they went the full fifteen rounds. In that final round, Robinson would eventually land the blow that sent Fullmer to the pad. Note: this was their third fight, so the fact that they both went the distance (effecitively) was a testament to the pride and enurance of both men who were determined to win this bout.

9. Ali vs. Williams
– In 1966 Cleveland Williams came at Muhammad Ali. Ali handled him like a cat plays with a half-crippled mouse that stole from him. He went on to calmly and methodically finished Williams in round three. Interestingly, Mike Tyson said this was his favorite Ali match.

10. Jackson vs. Norris
– This is almost too painful to watch, almost. Julian Jackson, well known for his one-punch knockout power, proved his badassery with this ridiculous display when he destroyed Terry Norris at the ropes in just the second round of the fight.