Greatest short boxing fights in five rounds or less

Boxing has entertained the masses throughout history. Some of the best fights in the sport have gone 12 rounds, but many have packed some of the most unforgettable moments into mere minutes. The 40th anniversary of Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns recently passed, and in honour of that war, we are looking at three of the greatest short boxing fights that ended in five rounds or less.

Greatest Short Boxing Fights That Wowed Fans

Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns

On April 15, 1985, at Caesars Palace, Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns wowed fans of the sport with what many consider the greatest three rounds in boxing history.

Hearns started the fight quickly, landing a huge right hand in the opening round, breaking it in the process. Hagler soon developed a nasty cut on his forehead, almost causing the fight to be stopped. Sportscaster Barry Tompkins called it best when he famously said during the blow-by-blow commentary: "This is still only the first round!"

Round two slowed from the blistering pace of the opening three minutes, but at the end of the second round, Hagler pinned Hearns to the ropes, landing a series of heavy punches. Hagler’s cut worsened in the third round and was checked by the ringside physician, who gave Hagler the go-ahead to continue. Being allowed to continue seemed to give Hagler renewed vigour as he attacked Hearns with the aggression of the first round. A big left hand stunned Hearns, sending him stumbling back into the ropes.

Hagler hunted Hearns down, sensing he had him hurt, then landed a big right hand, followed by two more punches, sending Hearns to the canvas. “The Hitman” made it to his feet, but was unable to continue. What a fight, and over 40 years later, we still discuss the most brutal three rounds in boxing history.

George Foreman vs Ron Lyle

On January 24, 1976, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, George Foreman vs Ron Lyle was a brilliant example of how exciting the heavyweight division can be. It was an exciting back-and-forth contest that deserves to be on many lists detailing exciting fights in boxing history. Many search for similar excitement on a free social casino platform.

Lyle had Foreman hurt early in the fight, landing a huge right hand in the first round, which had Foreman holding on to the bell. Foreman bounced back in the second round, landing a big left hand towards the end of the round. The second round in this fight will be remembered for timekeeper John Worth ringing the bell after two minutes, because he was following the timekeeper used by ABC, which had malfunctioned.

“Big George” enjoyed a strong third round, mixing his shots well, keeping Lyle on the defensive for most of the round. Lyle showed how tough he was, firing back in the fourth round, landing a right-left combination to knock down Foreman. Both men then met in the middle of the ring and traded heavy shots, leading to Foreman knocking Lyle down with a well-timed right hand. Lyle looked in trouble, with Foreman on the attack, before Lyle landed a left hook, knocking Foreman down. The bell sounded first, before Foreman made it to his feet to answer the referee's ten-count.

Lyle had “Big George” hurt in the fifth round, with both men once again trading bombs. Foreman soon got on top in the round, landing a vicious barrage of punches that sent Lyle to the canvas, who was unable to get to his feet before being counted out. What a fight, and what a win for “Big George.”

Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinks

On June 27, 1988, at Convention Hall, Atlantic City, an event dubbed “Once and For All” pitted two undefeated fighters, NY boxer Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks, against each other.

Negotiations for the fight were protracted, but a deal was eventually reached. Interest in the fight was substantial, mainly because of Tyson’s eventful personal life. Ticket prices were huge, with a who’s who in the celebrity world expected to attend.

Spinks was unorthodox, while Tyson possessed ferocious speed. It was a real clash of styles, and despite lasting only 91 seconds, its place in boxing history is cemented.

“Iron Mike” made his way to the ring, in what many consider the most intimidating ring walk of all time, with a droning piece of music playing, which was more akin to the soundtrack of a horror movie.

Tyson came out swinging from the first bell, landing a mix of body shots and hooks, which helped Tyson score the first knockdown. Despite beating the count, this fight was as good as finished, as Tyson landed a flush right hand, knocking Spinks down, who was unable to beat the count this time. Mike Tyson really was “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”