If you can, just think of the last big-name boxer that you remember hearing about besides Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and/or Manny Pacquiao. Most people, wherever you are, would probably know the most famous name to have ever graced his presence in boxing, Muhammad Ali. For those that can remember seeing him or have seen his highlights, Ali was a prolific and outstanding fighter in the ring, and even more outspoken outside of it. From 1960 to 1981, there was definitely a golden era in boxing as Muhammad Ali fought big-name boxers like Sonny Liston, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Floyd Patterson, Jimmy Young, Leon Spinks, Ernie Shavers, Oscar Bonevena, Jerry Quarry, Ron Lyle, and Ernie Terrell. The man that was probably Ali's greatest opponents was Joe Frazier, who fought Muhammad in what is still considered the one of the greatest boxing matches in history: The Thrilla in Manila. The fight was the two's final match between one another for the Heavyweight Championship of the World, which went 14 rounds before Ali grabbed a technical knockout against Frazier. To this day, they are considered to be one of the top sports rivalries in history. The other fighter I want to mention as well is Ali's former sparring partner Larry Holmes because he is in the Boxing Hall of Fame. The problem with putting Holmes on here is that he fought Ali at the very end of his career, and boy was it brutal to watch. But regardless, think of what boxing would be like if we had names like those in the ring again or men of those fighters' capacities (like that'll ever happen).
So Muhammad Ali is kind of a no brainer because even people who don't even like to watch or know about sports, would be able to tell you who Muhammad Ali is. So lets talk about some of the other top names in boxing. Anyone ever seen a documentary by ESPN's 30 for 30 called "No Mas"? If you have never seen it, I recommend it. The documentary takes us back to the time when two welterweight fighters began to rule the ring named "Sugar" Ray Leonard and "Manos de Piedra" (Hands of Stone) Roberto Durán. Both fighters were becoming the next big names in boxing as Ali began to come the end of his career. Both fighters squared off in a toe-to-toe fight that took place in Montreal, where Durán won the decision against Leonard for the WBC Welterweight Championship. The next match between the two came in New Orleans and would become one of boxing and sports' shocking moments in history as Leonard who back the title after Durán threw his hands up and walked away to his corner in the eighth round, and said two words: "No Mas" (means no more in spanish). It sparked the nation with controversy, conspiracy, and just pure shock. Their final fight came in Las Vegas where Leonard held the WBC Super Middleweight Championship against Durán in a unanimous decision. While Leonard and Durán were considered the top names, the 1980s saw fighters such as Wilfred Benitez, Marvin Hagler, and Thomas Hearns while being the openings for 1990s greatest and most memorable boxing duo, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield.
Speaking of which, the 1990s brought the careers of both Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to the highest highs. The most memorable moment of these two came when Tyson and Holyfield were locked in a grudge match that eventually ended with Holyfield losing a piece of his ear from Tyson biting and ripping it off. Both men were considered the new Frazier-Ali rivalry in boxing, but others also began to make themselves known such as Pernell Whitaker, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., "Buster" Douglas, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, and of course Floyd Mayweather Jr. By this point, boxing was not in a golden era any longer, but the money that was paid to fighters at this point was so insane that it might as well have been gold.
By the 2000s, only those that really follow boxing would know the names that were around by then. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was starting to rise. There was Oscar De La Hoya, who fought Julio Cesar Chavez for the Light-Welterweight belt, clashed in great matches against "Sugar" Shane Mosley for both the Welterweight and Light-Middleweight titles, and then tried to make a comeback where he eventually would face off against Mayweather Jr. in 2007. During the 2000s, their were two twin brothers from Ukraine that are the kind of fighters you'd probably see in a Rocky movie. Those men are Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Both men were heavyweight contenders with 6'5" 270 lbs. figures to back it up. For Vitali, his career ended just this past December as he decided to take a position in politics and run for the 2015 Ukrainian presidential election. He retired with a record of 45-2 with 41 knockouts. Wladimir still continues to fight and is challenging my fighter by the name of Bermane Stiverne for the Heavyweight title.
And that's my question: whose left in the world of boxing besides maybe a handful of guys that actually have some kind of name to themselves? Honestly, there isn't anyone from what I have tried to watch and see. I mean, it's amazing to see the 37 year old Mayweather Jr. have an untouched 46-0 record in his professional career, but you got think about just who the man has really fought. And not only that, but even Mayweather has to realize that the only man that can probably challenge him is Manny Pacquiao. I mean, I honestly believe it would probably be the biggest fight in quite some time I'd have to say. As for Klitschko, I've seen this guy Bermane Stiverne fight when the Heavyweight Title was on the line against Chris Arreola (I have know idea who he is)in which he earned a TKO and won the title. After that fight, I turned to my dad and just said, " Well, Wladimir is gonna have a field day with this target." To me, I love watch two guys go head-to-head for 12 or so rounds as they try to knock the other guy out. But anyone can see that the sport is dying, and it's being caused by the fact that there are no big names holding up the ceiling and walls with Mayweather, Klitschko, Pacquiao, Marquez, and a few other sprinkled in there. Well, who knows what'll happen by the end of it all. All I can really do is just wonder what people will remember from boxing from the the earliest forms of it that date back to early 1900s, all the way to the moment when Mayweather Jr. retires.
Speaking of which, the 1990s brought the careers of both Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield to the highest highs. The most memorable moment of these two came when Tyson and Holyfield were locked in a grudge match that eventually ended with Holyfield losing a piece of his ear from Tyson biting and ripping it off. Both men were considered the new Frazier-Ali rivalry in boxing, but others also began to make themselves known such as Pernell Whitaker, Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Roy Jones Jr., "Buster" Douglas, Riddick Bowe, Lennox Lewis, and of course Floyd Mayweather Jr. By this point, boxing was not in a golden era any longer, but the money that was paid to fighters at this point was so insane that it might as well have been gold.
By the 2000s, only those that really follow boxing would know the names that were around by then. Floyd Mayweather Jr. was starting to rise. There was Oscar De La Hoya, who fought Julio Cesar Chavez for the Light-Welterweight belt, clashed in great matches against "Sugar" Shane Mosley for both the Welterweight and Light-Middleweight titles, and then tried to make a comeback where he eventually would face off against Mayweather Jr. in 2007. During the 2000s, their were two twin brothers from Ukraine that are the kind of fighters you'd probably see in a Rocky movie. Those men are Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. Both men were heavyweight contenders with 6'5" 270 lbs. figures to back it up. For Vitali, his career ended just this past December as he decided to take a position in politics and run for the 2015 Ukrainian presidential election. He retired with a record of 45-2 with 41 knockouts. Wladimir still continues to fight and is challenging my fighter by the name of Bermane Stiverne for the Heavyweight title.
And that's my question: whose left in the world of boxing besides maybe a handful of guys that actually have some kind of name to themselves? Honestly, there isn't anyone from what I have tried to watch and see. I mean, it's amazing to see the 37 year old Mayweather Jr. have an untouched 46-0 record in his professional career, but you got think about just who the man has really fought. And not only that, but even Mayweather has to realize that the only man that can probably challenge him is Manny Pacquiao. I mean, I honestly believe it would probably be the biggest fight in quite some time I'd have to say. As for Klitschko, I've seen this guy Bermane Stiverne fight when the Heavyweight Title was on the line against Chris Arreola (I have know idea who he is)in which he earned a TKO and won the title. After that fight, I turned to my dad and just said, " Well, Wladimir is gonna have a field day with this target." To me, I love watch two guys go head-to-head for 12 or so rounds as they try to knock the other guy out. But anyone can see that the sport is dying, and it's being caused by the fact that there are no big names holding up the ceiling and walls with Mayweather, Klitschko, Pacquiao, Marquez, and a few other sprinkled in there. Well, who knows what'll happen by the end of it all. All I can really do is just wonder what people will remember from boxing from the the earliest forms of it that date back to early 1900s, all the way to the moment when Mayweather Jr. retires.
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