The 10 best fights in boxing history that everyone should see

Boxing has had a lot of exciting moments, but only a few contests have changed the sport for good. These fights made history, made legends, and tested the limits of what people could do. They weren't only fights for titles or rankings. They were wars of character, stories of pride and passion where everything was at stake and nothing was held back. Some of these fights were all about technique, others were about heart and bravery, and a few were so great that fans still talk about them now.

Here are the ten best boxing matches of all time that every fan should see at least once. They all tell a distinct story, but they all have one thing in common: they remind us why boxing has always been called the king of combat sports.

Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman. 30 October 1974, Kinshasa

The first world title fight in Africa was a triumph for the greatest boxer in history. Few gave Muhammad Ali a chance, as was the case before his first fight against Sonny Liston, given George Foreman's punching power. But Muhammad, having withstood the favourite's initial onslaught, delivered an incredible series of punches in the eighth round that knocked Foreman out. It was a reminder that true champions know how to stay composed under pressure and strike at the perfect moment, a mindset similar to players who use bonus codes from Stay Casino Review to gain an early edge before making their next move.

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, third fight. 1 October 1975, Manila

Before the fight, the boxers were tied 1-1, and the third bout promised to be more than just a determination of the best in this pair. The ‘Thriller in Manila’ was memorable for the fact that two brilliant heavyweights mercilessly beat each other for 14 rounds. Before the 15th round, Frazier's corner pulled him out of the fight. Ali won, but after the fight, he acknowledged his opponent's class and publicly apologised for all the insults, explaining that it was all part of promoting the fight. But even without that, the Ali-Frazier rivalry became one of the greatest in the history of sport.

Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns. 4 April 1985, Las Vegas

The 1980s are rightly called the golden age of boxing. This decade was dominated by four of the greatest boxers of all time: Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard. They fought each other repeatedly, some as many as three times. Hagler and Hearns met only once, but what a fight it was! The organisers called this bout The War, and it lived up to expectations 100%. However, it's better to see it once.

Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler. 6 April 1987, Las Vegas

Before this fight, Hagler was the best boxer on the planet, having cleared the middleweight division with fire and sword as the undisputed world champion. Sugar Ray was no longer so sweet, having defeated Duran, Benitez and Hearns, plus he had a three-year break. Virtually no one gave Leonard a chance, but he put on a phenomenal fight, defeating the favourite by split decision and creating one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. Hagler was so shocked by the outcome that he retired from boxing.

Roberto Duran – Irene Barkley. 24 February 1989, Las Vegas

Roberto Duran's career has been a real rollercoaster ride. He was arguably the best lightweight in history, sweeping aside everyone in his path, but when he started boxing in heavier weight classes, his performance deteriorated significantly. His career already included the legendary No Mas in his rematch with Ray Leonard, as well as defeats not only to recognised champions such as Benitez and Hearns, but also to Kirkland Laing and Robbie Sims. Experts sent him into retirement, but fans adored El Cholo because he always gave them what they wanted: passion, fury and jaw-dropping knockouts.

In 1989, it seemed that Duran had no chance in his fight against the newly crowned champion Irina Barkley. He had just knocked out Thomas Hearns. But Duran rose from the ashes once again and delivered an incredible 12-round battle. The initiative changed hands several times, but in the end, Roberto showed himself at his best, winning by split decision.

Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Erik Morales, first fight. 19 February 2000, Las Vegas

It is impossible to imagine the best fights in history without Mexicans. Especially when there are not just two opponents in the ring, but two real enemies who cannot stand each other. Between 2000 and 2004, the boxers fought three hellish bouts that became a breath of fresh air even for aesthetes of the sport. Two of the three fights were named fights of the year, but it was the first that set the tone for this vivid confrontation.

Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez, third fight. 1 March 2008, Carson

These two Mexicans are not as famous as Barrera and Morales, but their rivalry was even better. They fought four bouts, each winning twice. The third fight was the most fierce: it was the only one that went the full 12 rounds.

Arturo Gatti vs. Mickey Ward, first fight. 18 May 2002, Anacostia

Every boxing fan should know about this trilogy. Much has been said about it, and even if you are not a fan of tough fights, this rivalry is one for the ages. It's hard to pick the best of these fights, but we'll go with the most sensational result: Ward's victory in the first fight. Gatti won the other two, but the real winner in these fights is boxing itself.

Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield. 28 June 1997, Las Vegas

Let's finish with the fights we started with – the heavyweight division. The first fight between Tyson and Holyfield was an epoch-making event and, perhaps, one of the most memorable of the 1990s. It had been six years in the making and had been postponed several times. Yes, both fighters were not at their peak, but they delivered incredible action in the ring. At the start, Tyson tried to overwhelm Holyfield with power boxing, but Evander held out and in the 11th round knocked out Mike, who by that time was no longer Iron Mike.

The fight deservedly won the Fight of the Year award, and after that, heavyweights were unable to win in this category for another 21 years, until the last fight in our review took place.

Anthony Joshua – Volodymyr Klitschko. 29 April 2017, London

A battle between teacher and student, experience and youth, power and technique. After his sensational defeat to Tyson Fury, Volodymyr did not box for 18 months. It was clear that this was no longer the Klitschko who had reigned supreme in the heavyweight division for almost 10 years.

Few people bet on him in the fight against the young and hungry champion, but the bout caused unprecedented excitement in the home of boxing. Wembley Stadium was packed to capacity, with more than 90,000 spectators attending the match, and none of them were disappointed. Klitschko acted cautiously and outplayed the favourite, but in the fifth round, the picture of the fight changed dramatically.

Joshua went on the attack and knocked Klitschko down. It seemed that it was all over, but then Vladimir surprised everyone: instead of avoiding an open exchange, he accepted it and switched into terminator mode. The next two rounds were hell for Anthony. After suffering a heavy knockdown, he somehow remained on his feet, but Klitschko unexpectedly let his opponent go. As it turned out, this was a fatal decision. Having recovered, in the 11th round, the Brit twice knocked down his famous opponent before the referee's signal.

It was the last fight in Klitschko's more than 20-year career. Despite the defeat, at 41, he gave the best performance of his life and retired, as befits a true legend, more than deserving his place among the greatest boxers in history. Boxing experts were also delighted, unanimously recognising this fight not only as the Fight of the Year, but also as one of the best in heavyweight history.

Bonus: Ricardo Torres vs. Kendall Holt, second fight. 5 July 2008, Las Vegas

If you don't have much time but really want to see some action, our bonus is just for you. WBO welterweight champion Ricardo Torres knocked out Kendall Holt a year earlier. In the rematch, it seemed that history would repeat itself, but...

The fight lasted only a minute, but what a minute it was!