10 of the Biggest Boxing Rivalries of All-Time

At the heart of any sport is the story of rivalries. What would be the point in lifting trophies and cups and winning belts if there was no serious competition? There would be nothing compelling for fans to invest in. Boxing is at its best when a genuine rivalry has been built up between evenly-matched foes. When these evenly matched foes just happen to inhabit the waters at the elite end of the sport, then all the better.

That is when we really see the best of boxing. In its long history, the sport has provided fans with many legendary rivalries. Bouts that were unmissable, rematches, trilogies, and more all add a layer to the sport’s storied past, each chapter just as compelling as the last.

Here are 10 of the biggest and best all-time boxing rivalries – remember, there are many more.

Israel Vazquez vs. Rafael Marquez

Mexican rivals Vazquez and Marquez served up three super bantamweight classics between one another in 12 months between March 2007 and March 2008. A fourth clash between the two took place in May 2010. Their first and third encounters, which took place at what is now known as Dignity Health Sports Park, went a long way to giving the Carson, California venue its nickname of “The War Grounds.”

All four fights between the two produced entertainment and all-out violence. The fact they split the series 2-2 adds to the allure of the Vazquez-Marquez rivalry.

Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe

Between November 1992 and November 1995, American heavyweights Holyfield and Bowe served up a trio of entertaining championship fights. The clashes made for captivating viewing for fans. The first and third fights are the best in terms of the boxing on show, while the “Fan Man” incident memorably halted the second bout. All three fights showcased both men refusing to give an inch while bringing the very best out of each other—the very definition of a rivalry.

Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton

Two fights between the two heavyweights in 1973 and a decider in 1976 was how this intriguing clash of styles played out. Ali boxing ten rounds of the first encounter with a broken jaw and all three fights going to highly debatable decisions on the scorecards add to the allure of this under-the-radar boxing rivalry.

Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran

There were a hate-filled couple of welterweight clashes in 1980, followed by a ‘decider’ slightly further up the weight classes in 1989 between two of boxing’s best ever made for compulsive viewing. Their June 1980 tussle in Montreal, Canada, is one of the greatest boxing matches of all time, while the rematch five months later in New Orleans, Louisiana, was expertly orchestrated by Leonard to give him the best chance of winning. Great fighters facing one another will always capture the world’s attention – even their 1989 super middleweight fight was huge.

Henry Armstrong vs. Baby Arizmendi

USA vs. Mexico as two all-time greats mixed it up five times between 1934 and 1939. Their bouts took place between featherweight and welterweight. Arizmendi in Mexico City won the first two, while Armstrong took the final three bouts in their rivalry, which took place in Los Angeles. Home advantage may have played a part each time, but all five fights featured the best of the two all-action fighters, as no quarter was asked or given by either man across the 52 rounds they fought against one another.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

Between 2004 and 2012, these two modern-era greats locked horns four times. The quartet of bouts, contested at feather, super feather, and welterweight, took place in Las Vegas. It returned three hotly debated judges’ decisions and one conclusive, brutal knockout.

By facing one another frequently over those eight years, Pacquiao and Marquez both enhanced their reputations, earning the respect of one another and boxing observers everywhere and placing themselves into the all-time great conversation. This rivalry is easily one of the ten best in the history of boxing.

Sandy Saddler vs. Willie Pep

Two of the best featherweights ever met four times between the late 1940s and early 1950s. After Saddler shockingly KO’d Pep in their first encounter, it was thought he was too big and powerful for the defensive genius Pep. Pep put the brakes on that school of thought by boxing a masterclass in the rematch to win a wide decision. While their styles didn’t mesh well in bouts three and four, leading to foul-filled contests, the Saddler-Pep rivalry is more than deserving of its place on any list of this nature.

Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Erik Morales

Mexican civil war at super bantam, feather, and super featherweight as the rivals followed one another up the weight classes from 2000-2004. If fast-paced, action-packed boxing performed with a skill most can only dream about is your thing, then you should check out this series of fights.

The first encounter set a high bar, which perhaps the following fights didn’t quite match, but tangles two and three between the bitter rivals were still fought at a ridiculously high level. There was no love lost between the two men while they were fighting. Today, they are close friends, which puts a nice finishing touch to this captivating rivalry.

Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Jake LaMotta

The two boxing legends fought six times over nine years, from 1942 to 1951. LaMotta, as the natural middleweight, enjoyed the weight advantage over Robinson in their early clashes, as Robinson was campaigning at welterweight but was so accomplished he had no issues with gloving up against Jake.

With a 5-1 record in his favor when all was said and done, it is fair to say Robinson’s style got the best of the rivalry. Every fight had its ebbs and flows; the fifth bout is regarded as an erroneous decision by boxing historians, Robinson the beneficiary. Their final clash was a historic one. The middleweight title was on the line, and a conclusive ending was reached in a bout that has since been labeled The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier

From the 1971 Fight of the Century to 1975’s Thrilla in Manilla with a 1974 New York City bout sandwiched in-between for good measure, the Ali-Frazier heavyweight rivalry is regarded by many as boxing’s best.

The action was guaranteed as the two American rivals tested their different styles against one another. Serious dislike and betrayal from Frazier towards Ali fueled the rivalry, culminating in The Thrilla – a slugfest for the ages and the greatest heavyweight bout ever fought. Both men left large pieces of themselves in the Araneta Coliseum ring on that October 1975 day.

Colin Morrison

A boxing fan since his teenage years, Morrison began writing about the sport in July 2016. He appreciates all styles of boxing and has nothing but respect for those who get in the ring for our entertainment. Morrison is from Scotland and can be found on Twitter @Morrie1981.

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