The Eighties was a monumental decade in politics, pop music and, in fact, in boxing. Certainly, the eighties stand out for the sheer quantity of thrilling battles, to not point out the excessive variety of “superfights” which turned big crossover points of interest. This was the period of the legendary “4 Kings” — Hagler, Duran, Hearns and Leonard — of Larry Holmes and Aaron Pryor, of prime Mike Tyson, of the indomitable Bobby Chacon, and of such champions as Alexis Arguello, Salvador Sanchez, Azumah Nelson, Michael Spinks, Jeff Fenech and Julio Cesar Chavez. Residing as much as the requirements set within the Seventies, a golden decade for heavyweight superfights, was no imply feat, however the ring wars of the eighties maintain their very own compared to the glory days of Ali, Frazier, Norton and Foreman.
Whereas this checklist of nice fights with hyperlinks and movies was initially conceived as a compassionate gesture of help for lock-down weary combat followers throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the straightforward fact is that no devotee of the candy science wants an excuse to delve into boxing’s again catalogue and uncover, or rediscover, probably the most memorable, dramatic and action-packed clashes from that loopy decade. This isn’t a rating and the bouts are listed right here in random order. They run the gamut, from violent slugfests, to surprising knockouts, to tragic battles, to exhibitions of nice ability and expertise. Some had been “superfights,” some had been contested in entrance of some thousand and barely get talked about these days, whereas others have solely grown in stature within the years since. The checklist shouldn’t be supposed to be definitive or exhaustive, however we significantly doubt you’ll discover a higher one. Observe: the hyperlinks take you both on to a video of the combat, or to a submit that has the video embedded. Take pleasure in! And while you’re achieved, try Half 2.
1980Roberto Duran vs Sugar Ray Leonard I: With only one loss between them in 99 fights, Duran vs Leonard was destined to be one of many decade’s most iconic fights. A showdown between fashionable greats whose legends would solely develop within the years that adopted, “The Brawl in Montreal” was fifteen rounds of ferocious but extremely expert fight, with the tireless Panamanian placing on the efficiency of a lifetime and handing Sugar Ray his maiden defeat.
Sean O’Grady vs Hilmer Kenty: The primary world champion from Detroit’s legendary Kronk Gymnasium was being groomed for stardom by community tv however he needed to get previous “The Bubblegum Child,” and that proved very tough. A frenetic battle noticed O’Grady rating a knockdown and outwork Kenty within the latter rounds to take a unanimous fifteen spherical determination.
Salvador Sanchez vs Danny Lopez I: Most tuning in to the CBS Sports activities broadcast had been anticipating to see Danny Lopez notch one more dramatic KO win on nationwide tv. As an alternative, they witnessed a generational expertise announce himself, because the gifted “Chava” masterfully dominated “Little Crimson,” stopping him in spherical 13 of an entertaining if one-sided bout.
Mike Weaver vs John Tate: A serious upset and one of the dramatic knockout wins in boxing historical past. Additionally a rattling good heavyweight combat.
Shigeo Nakajima vs Sung-Jun Kim: Japan’s Nakajima set a torrid tempo to take his Korean rival’s world title by unanimous determination in a 15 spherical firefight. It was a satisfyingly bloody brawl, each males reduce and bleeding, and the thrill didn’t let up till the ultimate bell.
Eusebio Pedroza vs Rocky Lockridge I: It was youth vs expertise, to not point out Panama vs America on reside nationwide tv. The younger Lockridge impressed everybody along with his bravery and hustle, together with Pedroza, however the veteran champ got here on robust within the remaining levels to eke out an in depth factors victory.
Matthew Saad Muhammad vs Yaqui Lopez II: Arguably probably the most thrilling combat in mild heavyweight historical past, Saad Muhammad and Lopez wrung each final ounce of power out of themselves on this rematch. Regardless of struggling a barrage of some thirty unanswered haymakers in a jaw-dropping eighth spherical, Muhammad regrouped to ship Lopez crashing to the ground 4 instances in spherical fourteen.
Randall Cobb vs Earnie Shavers: On the undercard of Thomas Hearns vs Pipino Cuevas, Cobb did his finest Matthew Saad Muhammad impersonation, consuming tons of brutal pictures, someway surviving, after which coming again to win in a grueling large man brawl. Contemplating Shavers is arguably the toughest puncher in division historical past, this was no small feat. A terrific heavyweight slugfest.
Mike Weaver vs Gerrie Coetzee: Between bouts of clinching and mauling, Weaver vs Coetzee delivered loads of fireworks, with each large males unloading megaton punches with dangerous intentions. After dominating the early rounds, Coetzee ran out of steam earlier than being iced with a blistering counter proper hand in spherical 13.
Lupe Pintor vs Johnny Owen: Given his benefits in peak and attain, many anticipated Welshman Owen to try to field the defending bantamweight champ who clearly had the sting in uncooked energy. However “The Merthyr Matchstick” bravely took the combat to the Mexican and the outcome was an thrilling, two-way battle till Owen started to tire and the stronger Pintor took over. The courageous challenger went down for the rely in spherical twelve and needed to be carried from the ring on a stretcher. He by no means regained consciousness and died six weeks later.
Bobby Chacon vs Rafael Limon III: It could now be overshadowed by their fourth battle, however Chacon vs Limon III was superior in its personal proper: a type of hot-blooded Inglewood Discussion board brawls that lingers lengthy within the reminiscence of those that witnessed it. Each warriors had been damage in a torrid fourth, however after ten tight rounds, Chacon was given a cut up determination to avenge his 1975 defeat of their first assembly.
Leo Randolph vs Ricardo Cardona: An absolute warfare made solely extra thrilling for the very fact it was waged in entrance of Randolph’s dwelling state followers in Seattle and on nationwide tv. Defending champ Cardona figured to have the sting along with his larger expertise, but it surely was the Colombian who discovered himself in deep water within the late rounds as gold medalist Randolph joined his 1976 Olympic brethren along with his personal world title win.
Lupe Pintor vs Albert Davila II: Broadcast reside as a supporting act for the tape-delay broadcast of Leonard vs Duran II, Pintor efficiently defended his bantamweight title however not earlier than Davila gave him all he may deal with over fifteen spirited rounds.
1981Sugar Ray Leonard vs Ayub Kalule: Combat followers couldn’t wait to see Sugar Ray tackle fellow welterweight champ “Hit Man” Hearns however that’s precisely what they needed to do as Leonard opted to problem Kalule for his 154 pound belt. Most anticipated a straightforward W for boxing’s latest and largest star, however as an alternative they bought an engrossing shoot-out as Ray elected to face his floor and commerce with the skilled African earlier than his large weapons determined the match in spherical 9.
Cornelius Boza-Edwards vs Rafael Limon: “Bazooka” Limon loses the title belt he had received simply three months earlier than with a TKO win over Idelfonso Bethelmy as Boza-Edwards is the more practical fighter in a hellacious fifteen spherical warfare, one of many all-time biggest southpaw vs southpaw showdowns.
William “Caveman” Lee vs John LoCicero: Caveman Lee’s ferocious Detroit dust-up with John LoCicero noticed neither warrior give inch nor quarter, every buying and selling within the pocket for all the combat. Spherical 5 noticed LoCicero rise at 9 from a heavy knockdown, badly damage Lee, then get worn out with a brief left hook.
Salvador Sanchez vs Wilfredo Gomez: The Battle of the Little Giants is maybe the usual bearer for Mexico vs Puerto Rico grudge matches. KO machine Gomez deliberate to blast Sanchez into orbit, however regardless of urgent frequently, he couldn’t match the versatile champion who picked him off en path to an electrifying eighth spherical TKO.
Ray Mancini vs Alexis Arguello: Leaping in with a three-weight world champion and fashionable nice is one factor. Doing so on the tender age of twenty, with simply twenty bouts behind you, is one other. Mancini’s inconceivable bid for glory on nationwide tv lastly got here to an finish in spherical fourteen after a outstanding and bloody encounter.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs Thomas Hearns I: A much-hyped unification match between welterweight supremos, Leonard vs Hearns I had the whole lot: momentum shifts, passages of slick boxing, energy punches and a dramatic comeback finale. By turning the tide and stopping his adversary in spherical 14, Sugar Ray – who at instances had been outboxed and outfought – cemented his greatness.
Rafael Pedroza vs Gustavo Ballas: An under-the-radar warfare that deserved to be within the operating for Combat Of The 12 months for 1981. Pedroza and Ballas battled continuous at a livid tempo for fifteen rounds in Panama Metropolis. The shut determination went to Pedroza, however this was a wonderful, back-and-forth donnybrook and a credit score to each proud warriors.
Aaron Pryor vs DuJuan Johnson: Pryor’s death-or-glory title protection towards unbeaten Kronk fighter DuJuan Johnson was sensational. It began oddly although, with Pryor dancing Ali-style around the ring. Then Johnson dropped him with a flush proper, Pryor popped up, did the Ali shuffle and instantly went to warfare. After arguably shedding the primary 5, “Hawk” proved his class and pounded Johnson into submission within the seventh.
Cornelius Boza-Edwards vs Bobby Chacon I: “The Schoolboy” sought to regain the title he had misplaced to Alexis Arguello, however Boza-Edwards was too good on this night time. Chacon had his moments although, rocking his man within the first and ninth and customarily being a nuisance till fatigue, a nasty gash and his opponent’s relentless assaults prompted his nook to name it off after spherical 13.
1982 Alexis Arguello vs Andy Ganigan: Challenger Ganigan, aka “The Hawaiian Punch,” may crack and he proved it when he rocked champion Alexis and decked him in spherical one. However Arguello stormed again to overwhelm his harmful foe and cease him within the sixth.
Rolando Navarette vs Chung-Il Choi: WBC tremendous featherweight champ Navarette defended his title towards Korea’s Chung-Il Choi and the end result was one other “Thrilla in Manila,” a ceaseless warfare with a number of knockdowns earlier than the Filipino lastly triumphed in spherical eleven and each males lay on the canvas in exhaustion.
Salvador Sanchez vs Azumah Nelson: It’s becoming that the ultimate stand of Salvador Sanchez generously showcased his ability and bravado. A month earlier than his premature dying aged 23, the grasp boxer-puncher turned again African wildcard Nelson in an exhilarating brawl, surviving a number of heavy raids to cease the boxer who would later be known as “The Professor,” to not point out Africa’s biggest fighter, in spherical fourteen.
Frank Fletcher vs Clint Jackson: One in a sequence of electrifying slugfests involving Frank “The Animal” Fletcher on nationwide tv. The irrepressible Fletcher initiated an intense firefight from the opening bell and Jackson was very happy to oblige. Combat followers bought twelve thrilling rounds of wonderful back-and-forth slugging earlier than Philadelphia’s Fletcher bought the choice.
Aaron Pryor vs Alexis Arguello I: A terrific combat and an amazing story, Aaron Pryor vs Alexis Arguello should undoubtedly be added to any eighties boxing time capsule. Looking for to be the primary boxer to win titles in 4 weight divisions, the Nicaraguan’s ring-craft and measured boxing had been finally outmatched by Pryor’s power, energy and ruthlessness.
Wilfredo Gomez vs Lupe Pintor: Not solely did Pintor and Gomez prolong the unending Mexico vs Puerto Rico turf warfare, they took it to new heights. A macho showdown between reigning world champions, this epic battle was replete with attritional exchanges, Pintor combining sharp boxing with outright slugging earlier than Gomez’s thunderous energy proved the ace card.
Rafael Limon vs Rolando Navarette: This conflict of southpaw energy punchers was broadcast on free nationwide tv as a result of that’s how they rolled within the eighties, people. Put collectively an amazing combat; put it on free TV; make extra boxing followers. Anyway, Limon and Navarette didn’t disappoint as they placed on a tough and tumble affair earlier than Limon regained the title he’d misplaced to Cornelius Boza-Edwards with a clear KO in spherical twelve.
Frank Fletcher vs Tony Braxton: “There’s no such factor as a straightforward combat for Frank,” mentioned promoter J. Russell Peltz and more true phrases had been by no means spoken. Philadelphia’s Fletcher out-worked and out-lasted Braxton to get a unanimous determination in a crowd-pleasing brawl, however simple it undoubtedly was not.
Larry Holmes vs Gerry Cooney: One of many largest showdowns in boxing historical past to that time, Holmes vs Cooney generated a reside gate of seven million {dollars} and a complete haul of over forty million. As for the combat, it was aggressive and theatrical, Cooney gallantly surviving a knockdown within the second and giving Holmes all he may deal with earlier than succumbing within the late levels.
Ray Mancini vs Duk Koo Kim: Watching this pivotal slugfest once more, a match which had a profound affect on the game, provokes uncomfortable feelings, however Ray Mancini’s deadly rumble with South Korean challenger Duk Koo Kim was unforgettable. An incandescent warfare between lightweights on reside nationwide tv, it ended tragically in spherical fourteen when Kim collapsed and needed to be carried from the ring on a stretcher. He by no means regained consciousness.
Bobby Chacon vs Rafael Limon IV: The fourth assembly between sluggers Bobby Chacon and Rafael Limon was a real-life Rocky combat. No shock given their shared historical past, however this one eclipsed all that had come earlier than. After recovering from knockdowns within the third and tenth, Chacon closely dropped his rival within the remaining spherical to win an in depth unanimous determination. Some reckon it was the best combat of all time.
1983Milton McCrory vs Colin Jones I: Sugar Ray Leonard had retired and so the WBC had Welshman Jones and Detroit’s McCrory battle for his or her vacant title. The outcome was a extremely aggressive contest with McCrory taking the early rounds, Jones successful the late ones and the judges tabbing it a draw. The rematch 5 months later noticed McCrory rating a gap spherical knockdown and eke out a cut up determination win.
Lenny LaPaglia vs John Collins: A throwback, crosstown rivalry combat between undefeated Chicago prospects. As in days of yore, the ethnic factions turned up in large numbers to again their man, with the Irish cheering for Collins and the Italians rooting for LaPaglia. The outcome was a hair-raising battle in entrance of a sell-out crowd as Collins bought the choice.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler vs Roberto Duran: Few anticipated the middleweight incarnation of Duran to pose Hagler many issues, even when he’d appeared nice in his previous bouts with Davey Moore and Pipino Cuevas. Then “Fingers of Stone” turned in a classic displaying, using his smarts and counter punching to nice impact earlier than the larger man discovered his groove and pulled away down the stretch.
Larry Holmes vs Tim Witherspoon: Few sporting spectacles are as large as an open-air heavyweight title combat. Larry Holmes eked out a factors win over gifted challenger Tim Witherspoon, who virtually managed to tug off a well-known upset. Although Holmes was busier, “Horrible Tim” damage the champ early and late and felt aggrieved by the decision.
Aaron Pryor vs Alexis Arguello II: The bit between his enamel, Arguello fought hearth with hearth on this spectacular rematch, unloading heavy straight rights and physique pictures in a bid to discourage the irrepressible Pryor and avenge his defeat from the 12 months earlier than. Whereas Alexis staggered “Hawk” greater than as soon as, the person from Cincinnati’s energy and tempo yielded three knockdowns and a career-defining tenth spherical knockout win.
Rocky Lockridge vs Cornelius Boza-Edwards: Coming off his Combat Of The 12 months with Bobby Chacon just a few months earlier, Boza-Edwards began brightly right here, bowling Lockridge over with a proper hook in spherical one. However the smaller, busier man roared again and landed many of the telling blows in an in depth however clear determination victory.
Frank Cedeno vs Charlie Magri: In his first title protection, Britain’s Magri was anticipated to present his hometown followers in Wembley Area a lot to cheer about however, in a violent brawl, he tasted the canvas thrice earlier than the bout was halted within the sixth.
Bobby Chacon vs Cornelius Boza-Edwards II: Bobby Chacon scored a second consecutive Combat of the 12 months victory with this rip-roaring revenge win over Cornelius Boza-Edwards in Vegas. A twelve spherical canine combat containing a number of knockdowns, dangerous cuts and a stirring finale, it cemented Chacon’s standing as the last word never-say-die warrior.
Want extra 80’s awesomeness? Don’t fret: the remainder of the rundown is true right here. — Ronnie McCluskey
