Biggest Super Fights in Boxing History
Across more than a century of prizefighting, a handful of boxing matches have reshaped the sport’s economics and audience reach. Closed-circuit broadcasts in the 1970s drew global viewership before pay-per-view became standard. By the 2010s, purses exceeded $100 million, and live gates broke $70 million. Each period in the sport’s history has featured select matchups that set new benchmarks for scale, revenue, and global reach.
Here are some fights where the stakes were so high that nobody could look away.
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier I – The Fight of the Century (1971)
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Associated Press (fl. 1940)
When Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971, it was the first time in boxing history that two undefeated heavyweight champions faced each other. Ali, stripped of his titles in 1967 for refusing military induction, was returning to championship contention. Frazier entered as the reigning WBA and WBC titleholder.
The fight lived up to its billing as “The Fight of the Century.” Ali controlled the early rounds with speed and combinations, while Frazier wore him down with relentless pressure and body shots. In the 15th round, Frazier landed a decisive left hook that sent Ali to the canvas, the first knockdown of Ali’s professional career. Frazier won by unanimous decision. The bout drew a record closed-circuit audience of over 300 million viewers worldwide.
Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield II – The Sound and the Fury (1997)
The June 28, 1997, rematch between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas was one of the most infamous bouts in boxing history. Their first fight the previous year ended in an 11th-round TKO victory for Holyfield, who used strength and inside pressure to neutralize Tyson’s power.
In the rematch, Holyfield again dictated the pace with clinches and short-range combinations, which left Tyson visibly frustrated. During the third round, Tyson twice bit Holyfield’s ear, the second time removing a piece of cartilage. Referee Mills Lane halted the action and disqualified Tyson, awarding Holyfield the victory. The incident led to Tyson’s boxing license being temporarily revoked and a $3 million fine.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. – Fight of the Century (2015)
The long-awaited bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao occurred on May 2, 2015, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Negotiations had stretched over five years, with disputes about testing protocols, revenue splits, and broadcasting rights delaying the matchup. When it finally happened, it broke every commercial benchmark in the sport by generating over $400 million in pay-per-view revenue and over $70 million at the live gate.
Inside the ring, Mayweather’s timing and defensive control limited Pacquiao’s offense throughout 12 rounds. All three judges scored the fight for Mayweather, who unified the WBA, WBC, and WBO welterweight titles. The event remains the highest-grossing bout in boxing history and a defining moment of the modern pay-per-view era.
Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns – The War (1985)
Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns met on April 15, 1985, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for the undisputed middleweight championship. Both entered at the peak of their careers; Hagler as the reigning champion and Hearns as the explosive challenger moving up in weight.
The fight opened at a blistering pace rarely seen in title bouts. Hearns rocked Hagler early with his right hand, but Hagler pressed forward through heavy exchanges and cut Hearns in the first round. In the third, after a brief ringside inspection of a cut on Hagler’s forehead, the champion surged forward and trapped Hearns against the ropes before landing a right hand that ended the fight by knockout. The eight minutes of nonstop offense became known simply as “The War,” a standard for intensity in modern boxing.
Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Meldrick Taylor – Thunder Meets Lightning (1990)
Image via X/Ring Magazine
The 1990 title unification between Julio César Chávez and Meldrick Taylor at the Las Vegas Hilton matched two contrasting fighters: Chávez’s pressure and body punching against Taylor’s speed and technical precision. Taylor built a substantial lead through most of the bout by landing sharp combinations and outworking Chávez in the exchanges.
As the twelfth round closed, Chávez’s persistence paid off. He dropped Taylor with a right hand in the final seconds. Referee Richard Steele stopped the fight at 2:58 of the round and gave Chávez a TKO win despite Taylor being ahead on the cards. The timing of the stoppage, just two seconds before the bell, remains one of the sport’s most disputed endings.
George Foreman vs. Ken Norton – Heavy Hands in Caracas (1974)
Before George Foreman met Ali, he flattened Ken Norton in Venezuela. Norton, who had famously beaten Ali a year earlier, looked confident until the bell rang.
Foreman’s punches came fast and heavy, knocking Norton down three times in two rounds. The stoppage was brutal and emphatic, and marked Foreman’s reputation as one of the hardest hitters the sport had ever seen.
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad – The Battle of the Millennium (1999)
Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad were both undefeated, both world champions, and both fighting for boxing’s biggest stage. The match began as a showcase of skill and patience, with De La Hoya’s precision winning early rounds.
But as the fight wore on, his cautious approach cost him momentum. Trinidad pressed forward and took the majority decision. The outcome was divisive, but the anticipation and execution made it one of the defining fights of the 1990s.
Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko – Power, Blood, and Legacy (2003)
When Lennox Lewis faced Vitali Klitschko, few expected it to become a war. It was supposed to be a late-career defense for Lewis, but Klitschko’s determination turned it into one of the bloodiest heavyweight fights in recent memory.
A deep cut over Klitschko’s eye forced a stoppage after six rounds, even though he was ahead on the cards. The decision left fans begging for a rematch that never came.
Canelo Alvarez vs. Gennadiy Golovkin I – Modern Classic (2017)
Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin gave boxing something it hadn’t seen in years—two prime champions risking it all. Golovkin’s power and volume met Canelo’s slick counters in a back-and-forth fight.
The judges called it a draw, which sparked outrage and set up one of the era’s most heated rivalries. Their first meeting, though, remains the purest example of modern elite boxing at its peak.
Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward I – Heart Over Everything (2002)
Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward met on May 18, 2002, in a bout that carried no title but produced one of the most memorable fights of the era. Both were known for resilience and crowd-pleasing styles, and their meeting exceeded expectations from the opening bell.
The action was relentless through nine rounds, highlighted by Ward’s trademark body shots and Gatti’s counterpunching. In the tenth, both fighters absorbed and returned heavy punishment in a round widely regarded as one of the greatest in boxing history. Ward won by majority decision, but the performance of both men elevated the fight into a lasting symbol of toughness and respect.