10 Best Boxing Matches Of All Time, Ranked

Highlights

• James Toney vs. Vassiliy Jirov in 2003 was an intense war for the IBF cruiserweight title.
• Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder III was a historic battle between two heavyweight giants.
• Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman in 1974, known as "The Rumble in the Jungle," showcased Ali's greatness.

Over the long illustrious history of boxing, there have been too many incredible bouts to count. Seeing as how the sport has had high-profile fights dating back to the 1800s, there's no shortage of great matchups to watch. However, these ten make the cut as the absolute greatest in boxing history.

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Now, these matchups are all incredible for vastly different reasons. Whether it's a giant upset, a surprising finish, or just a back-and-forth war, there's many things that can make a boxing match great. Luckily for fight fans, we compiled the absolute greatest contests in the history of the sport below.

10 James Toney vs. Vassiliy Jirov Was A War

'Lights Out' and 'The Tiger' Went To War in 2003

James Toney	Vassiliy Jirov
5'9"	6'2"
190 Pounds	188 Pounds
65-4-2 (Pre-Fight Record)	31-0 (Pre-Fight Record)

In 2003, James Toney was at the peak of his powers. That year, he moved up to heavyweight and dominated the legendary Evander Holyfield in his first bout in the weight class. However, one bout before Toney's heavyweight move, he met Vassiliy Jirov in one of the greatest fights ever.

Toney and Jirov went to war across 12 hard-fought rounds for IBF cruiserweight gold. In the end, 'Lights Out' picked up a unanimous decision win, in a fight that isn't discussed nearly enough.

9 Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder III Was Historic

Two Of The Best Of Their Era Put On A War

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Tyson Fury	Deontay Wilder
6'9"	6'7"
277 Pounds	238 Pounds
30-0-1 (Pre-Fight Record)	42-1-1 (Pre-Fight Record)

Imagine telling someone back in 2017 that Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder would fight not once, not twice, but three times. While their first two bouts were incredible (for different reasons), their third bout was one for the ages.

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Fury vs. Wilder III felt like a fight from the golden era of heavyweight boxing. The two giants traded four knockdowns across 11 rounds, with 'The Gypsy King' emerging victorious. It's easy to forget how few people wanted this fight heading into it, and it was only forced due to Wilder's rematch clause.

8 Roberto Duran vs. Sugar Ray Leonard II Was Dominant

The 'No Mas' Fight Is Remembered For A Reason

Roberto Duran	Sugar Ray Leonard
5'7"	5'10"
146 Pounds	146 Pounds
72-1 (Pre-Fight Record)	27-1 (Pre-Fight Record)

To be clear, much like the previous entry, all of the Roberto Duran vs. Sugar Ray Leonard bouts were great. While their first fight was the most competitive, it's their 1980 rematch that is more fondly remembered.

That's due to the fact that Leonard was so dominant, that he forced the incredibly tough Duran to quit on the stool. Four decades later, all boxing fans remember this fight with one phrase, "No Mas".

7 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman Still Holds Up

'The Rumble in The Jungle' Was A Spectacle

Muhammad Ali	George Foreman
6'3"	6'4"
216 Pounds	220 Pounds
44-2 (Pre-Fight Record)	40-0 (Pre-Fight Record)

Muhammad Ali's clash with George Foreman in 1974 in Zaire still holds up today. Decades on, 'The Rumble in The Jungle' is discussed for a very good reason. While Ali has too many great fights to count, this one arguably made him 'The Greatest'.

Foreman entered the bout a heavy favorite, after destroying Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. However, Ali employed the 'rope-a-dope' technique to tire out 'Big George' to score an eighth-round knockout win.

6 Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas Was An Upset For The Ages

Upset Aside, This Clash Was Incredibly Fun

Mike Tyson	Buster Douglas
5'10"	6'4"
220.5 Pounds	231.5 Pounds
37-0 (Pre-Fight Record)	29-4-1-1 (Pre-Fight Record)

1990 saw James 'Buster' Douglas upset Mike Tyson in Japan. The challenger entered the bout a 42-to-1 underdog, and he boxed beautifully to score a 10th-round knockout win. Years on, the fight is still considered the biggest upset in boxing history.

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However, even beyond the upset part of it, this fight was an incredible one to watch. Douglas boxed incredibly well, and Tyson was as dangerous as ever. Both men hit the canvas in this one, and fans still debate if 'Iron Mike' deserved the knockout win due to a slow count in the eighth.

5 Marcos Antonio Barrera vs. Erik Morales 1 Is The Best Of The Trilogy

'The Baby-faced Assassin' and 'El Terrible' Went To War in 2000

Marcos Antonio Barrera	Erik Morales
5'6"	5'8"
121.5 Pounds	121 Pounds
49-2-0-1 (Pre-Fight Record)	35-0 (Pre-Fight Record)

To be fair here, you can't really go wrong with any of the Marcos Antonio Barrera vs. Erik Morales bouts. However, for the sake of argument, their first bout is likely the greatest. Especially considering the next two bouts were more tactical affairs.

However, the first bout between these two in 2000 was incredible. They went back and forth for 12 hard-fought rounds, with 'El Terrible' picking up a close, split-decision win.

4 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 3 Was Brutal

The 'Thrilla in Manila' Is Highly Regarded For A Reason

Muhammad Ali	Joe Frazier
6'3"	5'11"
224.5 Pounds	215.5 Pounds
48-2 (Pre-Fight Record)	32-2 (Pre-Fight Record)

Look, there's a reason why Muhammad Ali is called 'The Greatest'. Whenever the lights were brightest, and his back was to the wall, he would somehow find a way. In his 1975 trilogy with Joe Frazier, he did exactly that.

All three bouts between these two were great, but their third was the most brutal. Both men took a lot of damage and showed their historically great chins. In the end, it was Ali however, who emerged the winner by 14th-round knockout.

3 Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward Was A Fight For The Ages

All Three Fights Between These Legends Were Incredible

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Arturo Gatti	Micky Ward
5'8"	5'8"
141.5 Pounds	141.5 Pounds
34-5 (Pre-Fight Record)	37-11 (Pre-Fight Record)

It's incredibly hard to pick the best fight from the Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward trilogy. However, for the sake of argument, we're going with the first bout in early 2002. That night saw these two legends go to absolute war.

That night, Ward scored an upset decision win, after 12 insanely brutal rounds of boxing. Over 20 years later, this fight, and the following two, still hold up.

2 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 1 Lived Up To The Hype

It's hard to match a tagline like 'The Fight of The Century'

Muhammad Ali	Joe Frazier
6'3"	5'11"
215 Pounds	205.5 Pounds
31-0 (Pre-Fight Record)	26-0 (Pre-Fight Record)

There have been various fights throughout the years that had the tagline of 'The Fight of the Century'. However, the only one to really live up to it was the 1971 instant classic between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

At Madison Square Garden, 'Smokin Joe' defeated 'The Greatest' by unanimous decision. However, the fight was back and forth, and the rivalry between Ali and Frazier leading in only made the action more intense.

1 Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns Was Insane

'The War' Was Exactly That

Marvin Hagler	Thomas Hearns
5'9"	6'1"
159.25 Pounds	159.75 Pounds
60-2-2 (Pre-Fight Record)	40-1 (Pre-Fight Record)

All of the fights between the four kings were incredible. However, the greatest of which, and arguably the greatest boxing match of all time came between Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns in 1985. Despite lasting three rounds, this fight was insane.

It's hard to convey just how exciting this was, as the two legends just walked forward and traded punches for the entire time. Hagler scored the third-round knockout win, in a fight that is still fun today.