Which heavyweight title fight would you most like to have been ringside for & why?

[McGrain]

Got to be for the lineal Heavyweight title.

Which fight would you most liked to have had ringside seats for?

To my own surprise i've gone for Foreman-Ali. I'm not a fan of either, though I do have a soft spot for Ali.

[Russell]

Frazier-Ali I

[mcvey]

Dempsey Firpo would be exciting,Louis Conn1, Walcott Marciano1.tough pickAli Frazier 1 ,have to think about it!

[mr. magoo]

As far as action is concerned, and not necessarily prestige?

Foreman Lyle

Holyfield Dokes

Holmes Shavers II

Marciano Walcott I

The crowds had to be going crazy at all those fights. The adrenalyn in those arenas had to be incredible.

[JAB5239]

From a historical stand point.....Louis-Schmeling 2. Based on pure excitement.....Ali-Frazier 3.

[Pete47]

Many great fights are mentioned in this thread. But I would like to see Sullivan - Corbett. No easy choice.

[McGrain]

Many great fights are mentioned in this thread. But I would like to see Sullivan - Corbett. No easy choice.

I came close to picking Johnson-Jeffries but I balked because Jeffries was shot. Sullivan was done for your choice - doesn't bother you? I mean it would be wonderful to see Corbett in his pomp, but this is not a competitive fight...

[ironchamp]

Without the benefit of hindsight.

In Chornological order;

Dempsey - Tunney II,
Louis - Schmeling II,
Ali - Frazier I,
Ali - Foreman,
Tyson - Spinks,
Holyfield - Bowe II,
Tyson - Lewis.

[Pete47]

You are right. Sullivan was shot then. But there is a historical aspect. The first official contest for the heavyweight championship in modern times.
I remember when I visited New York in 1980. There was a boxing-museum in the office of the RING-magazine.There You could see the bell which was rung in that fight. It was great for me to see it.
Your pick of Johnson -Jeffries is similar. Please believe me, that I have great sympathies for the defeated fighters in those contests, too.

[McGrain]

You are right. Sullivan was shot then. But there is a historical aspect. The first official contest for the heavyweight championship in modern times.
I remember when I visited New York in 1980. There was a boxing-museum in the office of the RING-magazine.There You could see the bell which was rung in that fight. It was great for me to see it.
Your pick of Johnson -Jeffries is similar. Please believe me, that I have great sympathies for the defeated fighters in those contests, too.

Fine reasoning.

Just wanted to check you had thought it through ;)

[ChrisPontius]

Ali vs Frazier I. No doubt about it.

[Minotauro]

Ali vs Frazier 1 even 70 years later when you mention this fight ppl will still know what you are talking about.

[brooklyn1550]

Ali-Frazier 1

[TBooze]

Lineage: Cobett/Fitzsimmons

World Heavyweight Championship: Ali/Foreman

[joekirkbycobra]

marciano v walcott

[round15]

Nice thread. I would have loved to have been ringside at the FOTC - Ali/Frazier I. The likelyhood of getting a ringside seat was pretty darn slim.

I laugh when I hear the stories of Diana Ross protesting because she felt that her celebrity status was good enough for press row? Glad she got kicked out, I thought mary Wilson was a better singer anyway.

Other than that, I would have loved to have been ringside for Marciano/Charles I. Two honourable mentions, Quarry vs Frazier I, and Chuvalo vs Patterson.

[McGrain]

Was Diana Ross blowing Ali in the dressing room after the FOTC?

Or was she just "crying with her head in his lap"?

Your opinions, please, spare me starting a new thread on the topic.

[prime]

FOTC. It had everything I could ever want from boxing.

[Calroid]

Douglas/Tyson. To witness the impossible happen before my eyes.

[RockyJim]

Marciano-Walcott 1...Dempsey-Firpo.....Louis-Schmeling II....Louis-Conn I...
Ali-Frazier I...

[McGrain]

Marciano-Walcott 1...Dempsey-Firpo.....Louis-Schmeling II....Louis-Conn I...
Ali-Frazier I...

That's five.

[Bummy Davis]

Ali/Frazier 1...Marciano/Walcott 1....Dempsey/Firpo/Willard Louis/Walcott2

I saw Ali/Frazier in the movies 1st closed circut, I was 15 yrs old, the rest because of the anxiety they would give

[Vantage_West]

wlad - iggy i have been suffereing from insomnia the past few years so this might help out alot.


it's got to be ali-frazier I

this was the first time 2 undefeated heavywieght champions came head to head. just inching past there prime. goign in for it in (at the tiem the biggest match in history)
and what a fight it turened out to be

[janitor]

Not a title fight but my first choice would be Jackson Corbett.

That would tell you everything you wanted to know about boxing technique in that period and would focus down a lot of debates on this forum.

If you enforce the letter of the law and make me chose a title fight I want Jeffries Sharkey II. I think we would see a lot of elements not obvious from the film there.

[apollack]

I would not pick any fight where there is existing footage, because I CAN see those fights. If I only had one pick, I would choose something that cannot be seen today, something that was not filmed.

The question was heavyweight championship fights, so amongst the fights I'd most consider:

Sullivan-Paddy Ryan I, Jake Kilrain
Jeffries-Corbett I, Fitzsimmons II

In the end, I'd take Sullivan because at least with Jeff and others, there is some footage to see them in an actual fight. Sullivan is the one champ where there is none, so if I could go back in time, I'd really like to see him in action. He was prime for Ryan, but mature and experienced for Kilrain. Of course, both were LPR fights, so I wouldn't mind seeing him in a gloved bout, such as against Herbert Slade or Charley Mitchell.