10. David Haye – Derek Chisora
Derek Chisora’s post-fight brawl with David Haye overshadowed his gallant – but failed – attempt to alleviate the WBC crown from Vitali Klitschko.
Fists, bottles and tripods raged for a mad five minutes in Munich. The pair eventually met at a wet and windy Upton Park to settle the score. On this occasion, and without the help of a glass bottle, Haye handed “Dell Boy” a knockout defeat.
9. Riddick Bowe – Larry Donald
Before Riddick Bowe dismantled Larry Donald over 12 uneventful rounds, he attacked “The Legend” with a bare-knuckle left-right combination at point blank range. It was a miracle the Cincinnati man only suffered a minor cut to his mouth – especially as the fight was just five days later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYiDtrh3Zbc
8. Ricardo Mayorga – Fernando Vargas
Nicaraguan brawler Ricardo Mayorga was a tough, cigarette smoking, trash talker that embraced his pantomime villain persona. So it was no surprise when “El Matador” instigated a press conference free-for-all by backhanding opponent Fernando Vargas on the whiskers.
7. Larry Holmes – Trevor Berbick
Three years on from losing to Mike Tyson, Larry Holmes knocked out Tim Anderson in the first round of his comeback fight. The “Easton Assassin” headed for an early bath.
And then Trevor Berbick showed up.
During the post-fight presser, Holmes dismissed a return against Berbick and retired to his hotel suite. Berbick then embarked on a bizarre rant about Holmes interfering in his marriage. Word made it back to Holmes, and the pair settled their differences in the Hollywood Diplomat Hotel car park.
A scuffle erupted which was quickly curtailed by LAPD but not before Holmes drop kicked the Jamaican from a parked car.
6. Muhammad Ali – Joe Frazier
The bitter and protracted conflict between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier spilt over onto US television before their much-anticipated bout. “Smokin’ Joe” took umbrage with being labelled “ugly and ignorant,” and confronted his opponent. Ali barked at Joe to “sit down” and proceeded to wrestle Frazier to the ground.
The Ali-Frazier feud would go down as one of the greatest sports rivalries of the 20th century.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTtzOrPj2nc
5. Bernard Hopkins – Felix Trinidad
Bernard Hopkins wound up opponent Felix Trinidad – and much of “Tito’s” native Puerto Rico – during a tour to promote the fight.
In New York “The Executioner” ripped the Puerto Rican flag from Trinidad’s hand, and said:
“This is war, and at war, I don’t have respect for Trinidad or his country.”
The next stop on tour was – you guessed it – Puerto Rico. Hopkins flagrant flag stealing had charged tempers, so the best advice in such circumstances would probably be to keep cool. Promotor Don King had other ideas.
Standing between the two fighters, King waved the Puerto Rican flag at B-Hop, like a matador tempting in a bull. As a result, Hopkins snatched the flag, threw it to the ground and a near-riot ensued.
4. Marco Antonio Barrera – Erik Morales
Leading up to the second fight of their much-heralded trilogy, Marco Antonio Barrera planted a right hand on Erik Morales’s chin following a brief exchange of words. This punch was probably “The Baby Face Assassin” coming to terms with Morales inflicting his first defeat.
3. Lennox Lewis – Hasim Rahman
Hasim Rahman and Lennox Lewis gave fans a sneak preview of their heavyweight rematch live on a US television show. The production manager, in a brave decision, sat the two heavyweights side-by-side to discuss their upcoming bout. Predictably the pair began to exchange insults which escalated into a wrestling match. But it was the two-time lineal champion Lewis that had the last laugh with a monster fourth-round KO.
2. Mike Tyson – Lennox Lewis
Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis’s pre-fight posturing was in full flow ahead of their World Championship showdown. Under the spotlights, the bad blood began to boil. Tyson cast the first stone by dropping Lennox’s bodyguard. In retaliation, Lewis rained down a flurry of blows from his podium.
The American later claimed Lennox’s bodyguard “panicked and shoved” him. It proved a costly mistake as “Iron Mike” was refused a license to box in Nevada where the bout was scheduled to take place. He also admitted biting Lennox’s leg and was forced to pay a six-figure compensation.
1. Wladimir Klitschko – Tyson Fury
Tyson Fury is the most unpredictable man in boxing. But it still came as a surprise when he arrived at the Wladimir Klitschko press conference in a bright yellow Lamborghini dressed as Batman.
Midway through the presser, the caped mandatory challenger leapt over the top table to tackle Cousin Hughie who was masquerading as arch-nemesis, the Joker. Klitschko looked on baffled.
On that famous night in Dusseldorf, the Ukrainian appeared equally baffled by Fury’s unconventional style as his 11-year unbeaten streak was upended.
READ MORE:
Top 10 Wladimir Klitschko Knockouts