The best rounds in boxing are more than just action sequences; they capture the deep meaning that each fight has. These three-minute clips are extremely important, featuring everything from epic heavyweight fights to incredible comebacks and surprising upsets.
Rounds from fights starring pound-for-pound superstars or competing for undisputed world titles are always better than those held in less prestigious venues, like Eddie Hearn’s backyard when they’re on lockdown (no offense, ed).
What is a Boxing Round?
The optimal boxing rounds are those in which two fighters actively compete against each other for the whole time, excluding very uncommon events such as a low blow or a dislodged gum shield.
The master of ceremonies makes a formal declaration at the start of each round, which is marked by the ringing of the bell, and ends when it does.
Top 15 Best Boxing Rounds in Boxing History
Below are the best rounds in the history of boxing:
15. Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz I
On June 1, 2019, during the third round of the fight, there was one of the most exciting boxing rounds ever. Ruiz was sent to the canvas for the first time in his professional career by Joshua, who started the action.
After some time had passed, Ruiz reflected on the incident and declared, “I have to get him back.” About fifteen seconds after the bout restarted, Ruiz gave it back to Joshua by flooring him.
There were roughly ninety seconds remaining in the round when Ruiz had a chance to finish Joshua. Ruiz relentlessly attacked with both hands as the timer counted down, knocking ‘AJ’ to the ground once more. Joshua struggled to stand up, but the bell stopped both boxers from throwing another hit.
14. Chan Hee Park vs Guty Espadas
On December 16, 1979, in the first round of the flyweight championship bout, Park of South Korea squared up against Mexico’s strong puncher Espadas.
Normally renowned for his boxing prowess, Park was unceremoniously knocked down in the first forty seconds by Espadas’s strong left hook. Park made the bold but ultimately successful decision to go toe-to-toe with his opponent rather than backing down.
Espadas had brief spurts of success, but Park was able to take him out twice before the bell rang. This round stands out as one of the best rounds in boxing history because of the furious back-and-forth exchanges that occurred between Park and Espadas. Park went on to complete the task in the next round.
13. Frankie Lilies vs Tim Littles
After getting knocked down in the first two rounds and suffering a serious cut, Littles found himself in a dangerous position during Round 3 of the fight on June 8, 1996.
Nevertheless, Littles remained unfazed and launched himself from his corner at the start of the third round, unleashing a devastating punch that knocked out southpaw Liles.
Notwithstanding this setback, Liles was able to gather himself and fight Littles hard. Even though he was knocked around a few times, Liles never gave up and finally secured the win with a decisive right hook.
12. Tony Zale vs Rocky Graziano I
In the first round of their fight on September 27, 1946, Graziano landed a barrage of strong blows, which made the middleweight champion respond. Zale executed a stunning left hook that knocked Graziano to the canvas for a count of “five,” setting off a dramatic sequence of events.
This was a setback, but Graziano recovered fast, going on a relentless attack that left Zale looking stunned as the bell rang. Even though Zale prevailed by knockout in the sixth round, the thrilling exchanges between Graziano and Zale make this round one of the best rounds in boxing history.
11. Michael Moorer vs Bert Cooper
When the fight began on May 15, 1992, Cooper wasted little time in putting the opponent’s favorite on his knees with a barrage of strong right-hand blows.
Moorer overturned Cooper’s early dominance with a perfectly timed southpaw right hook that forced Cooper to the ground. When the action picked back up, Cooper was in hot water once more.
He could hardly stand till the bell sounded and ended up losing his gum shield in the process. The fierce exchanges and memorable moments between Cooper and Moorer solidify this round as one of the best rounds in the history of boxing, even if Moorer prevailed in the end in the fifth round.
10. Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier III
When Round 14 got underway on October 1, 1975, there was one crucial question that persisted: “Who had the superior stamina? Who is more exhausted, Ali or the half-blind Frazier? When Frazier maneuvered Ali onto the ropes and attempted to employ choking and clinching tactics throughout the round, it seemed like he held the upper hand.
But despite his weariness, Ali mustered enough strength to deliver powerful blows that knocked Frazier unconscious.
Ali dominated much of the round, but Frazier’s signature left hook kept him threatening. The fight was eventually declared over in Round 14 when Eddie Futch made the crucial choice to spare Frazier from more punishment.
9. Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman
During the match held on October 30, 1974, a notable moment occurred at the beginning of Round 8, where Ali reportedly murmured to Foreman, “It’s my time now.” Throughout the round, Ali patiently avoided and deflected Foreman’s strong strikes.
Seeing that Foreman’s blows were becoming less powerful and quick, Ali saw his opportunity to go on the offensive in the last twenty seconds.
Ali delivered two more blows after deciding to cut Foreman’s exposed jaw with a decisive right hand. Foreman was unable to beat the count and fell to the canvas as a result of the cumulative effect.
Unquestionably, Ali’s tactical and brilliant performance in Round 8 against Foreman ranks among the best boxing rounds in history.
8. Ken Norton vs Larry Holmes
During Round 15 of the match on June 9, 1978, Holmes discussed the turning point in his memoirs and emphasized the inner battle of pushing oneself to the limit in a fight.
In the last three minutes, Holmes and Norton both showed remarkable grit, with the fight seemingly even on the judges’ scorecards.
They engaged in “a very violent round,” according to Norton, demonstrating their championship-caliber resolve.
In the end, Holmes prevailed by split decision in this intensely fought and unforgettable round, cementing its status as one of the best rounds in the history of boxing.
7. Marco Antonio Barrera versus Erik Morales I
When the two super-bantamweight champions faced off in Round 5 on February 19, 2000, Morales first chose to stay back and use his jabbing technique. But Barrera changed the game quickly with a hard blow to Morales’s chin. With a forceful response, Morales punched Barrera so hard that it was obvious he was startled.
However, Barrera soon recovered his calm and counterattacked with a flurry of blows, forcing Morales to retreat. Even with the heated back-and-forth, Morales prevailed in the end thanks to a split decision. Without question, one of the most exciting and epic rounds in boxing history is the one involving Morales and Barrera.
6. Deontay Wilder vs Tyson Fury
On December 1, 2018, during Round 12 of the bout, Wilder thought he was going to win after taking down Fury for the second time. Looking back, Wilder recalled seeing Fury’s eyes roll back as if he was certain the battle was done.
But to Wilder’s surprise, Fury started to gain ground, eventually defeating the count at “nine.” With little over two minutes to go, Fury had to overcome Wilder’s considerable strength to survive.
Fury showed incredible fortitude in the face of overwhelming odds, sidestepping the majority of Wilder’s attacks and taking advantage of the chance to retaliate when Wilder’s strength began to flag.
The crowd exploded in shock that Wilder had escaped Fury’s counterattack. There’s no denying that this exciting and intense round between Wilder and Fury is among one of the epic boxing rounds in history.
5. Micky Ward vs Arturo Gatti I
When Ward delivered his trademark left hook to the body in Round 9 of their fight on May 18, 2002, Gatti withdrew and eventually took a knee because of the lingering discomfort.
When the fight resumed, Ward was still focusing on Gatti with left punches and appeared to be about to take him out. Gatti, though, showed incredible fortitude by standing his ground and trading blows of his own.
As the round went on, Ward struggled to keep up with Gatti’s barrage until he recovered in the corner and dropped heavy blows to Gatti’s jaw, which stunned him when the bell rang to conclude the round.
4. Jack Dempsey vs Luis Firpo
Ten knockdowns in Round 1 of their fight on September 14, 1923, was an incredible exhibition of strength in the ring. Despite scoring seven knockdowns, Dempsey was stunned after the intense round.
As soon as Dempsey surged across the ring, a devastating right hand forced him to land, sparking an immediate outburst of commotion. Relentlessly attacking Firpo, Dempsey frequently floored his Argentine opponent.
Firpo showed amazing resiliency by narrowly beating the count despite being felled four times. But he quickly struck back, delivering strong strikes to Dempsey until the latter landed.
Firpo resumed the unrelenting exchange, unleashing a sequence of right punches that finally sent Dempsey flying out of the ring. This intense exchange is recorded as one of the best rounds in the history of Boxing.
3. George Foreman vs Ron Lyle
Round 4, which took place on January 24, 1976, featured three minutes of incredible heavyweight action filled with incredible back-and-forth exchanges.
Lyle started by throwing Foreman onto the ground after landing a strong blow. But Foreman sprang to his feet fast, preferring to battle his way out of difficulties.
Both competitors took hard strikes to the chin during a furious clash, which ended with Lyle landing on the canvas. With just a minute or so left, Foreman had stunned Lyle with a flurry of left hooks and looked certain to win.
Foreman broke under the pressure of Lyle’s retaliation, which miraculously kept him upright. Just before the bell rang, Lyle took command and eventually floored Foreman in an incredible change of events.
Although Foreman eventually won the knockout in the next round, this moment became one of the best rounds in the history of boxing.
2. Jose Luis Castillo vs Diego Corrales
Round 10 on May 7, 2005
Hall of Fame broadcaster Al Bernstein called Corrales’s incredible comeback “possibly the most remarkable comeback within a single round in boxing history.”
After nine exhausting rounds that saw both fighters cut and bruised, Corrales encountered trouble early in the tenth round when a left hook knocked him down, removing his gum shield and giving him a critical opportunity to gather himself.
Even after the loss, Corrales was unable to restore his composure and was knocked down again by Castillo not long after the fight restarted. Even though he was punished for willfully spitting out his gum shield, Corrales felt rejuvenated by the little reprieve.
Mustering all of his bravery, Corrales launched a flurry of blows, withstanding Castillo’s assault and driving him back against the ropes. Corrales hit Castillo with a series of hard blows until the referee stepped in and said that Corrales could not take any more.
This is one of the best rounds in boxing history because of Corrales’ incredible performance in the face of difficulty.
1. Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns
Referee Richard Steele was stunned by the intensity of activity on April 15, 1985, during Round 1 of the storied match known as “The War.” Even after all these years, people who watch the first few minutes of the fight on YouTube remain enthralled.
Hagler got things started quickly, launching himself from his corner and landing a strong right punch that went right to Hearns’ chin as a southpaw.
Hearns wanted to establish his jab first, but after a large cut appeared on the champion’s forehead, he was forced into a brutal exchange to stop Hagler’s unrelenting aggression. Hearns responded defiantly as Hagler persisted in his attack, putting him in a corner and throwing punches at him.
As the fight went on and the doctor examined Hagler’s cut in the third round, Hagler felt pressure to win and went on an all-out, no-holds-barred attack that put a stop to the fight. One of the best rounds in boxing history is embodied by Hagler and Hearns’s remarkable show of bravery and tenacity
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
Is Boxing 12 or 15 Rounds?
The best boxing rounds last up to 12 rounds and usually last three minutes at a time. On the other hand, bouts with four, six, eight, or 10 rounds are frequently seen, providing different match lengths.
How Many Rounds are in Old Boxing?
World championship bouts were known for their length during the heyday of boxing, which spanned from the 1920s to the 1980s. Rather than the customary 12 rounds, they frequently lasted up to 15 rounds. The best rounds in boxing history may still be found in these historic fights, which include memorable bouts like Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Kid Gavilan, and Marvin Hagler vs. Roberto Duran.
How do Rounds Work in Amateur Boxing?
Since its founding in 1880, the Amateur Boxing Association of England has set rules regarding match duration. The competitions started with three rounds, each lasting three minutes, and one minute in between each round. A format consisting of four rounds lasting two minutes each was established by the International Boxing Association in 2000, following modifications in 1926 and 1997. These modifications are a result of continuous efforts to enhance the best boxing round format.
What Happens Between Rounds?
Boxers withdraw to their corners for a brief break after every round. Here, they recover, hydrate, plan with their trainers, and get medical care from their cut man for any cuts they may have sustained. To ensure the best rounds in boxing flow optimally, there is a one-minute rest before the following round starts.
What Boxer went 15 Rounds with Ali?
Chuvalo allegedly consented to face Ali in the ring with only 17 days' notice. In addition, even though he was outmatched, Chuvalo showed incredible perseverance and drive, winning the respect of his fellow Canadians. Being resilient, he was able to go through 15 exhausting rounds with Ali, becoming the first person to do so. When the champion thought back on their fight, he said that Chuvalo was the hardest opponent he had ever fought, emphasizing the importance of their unforgettable best rounds in boxing.
Conclusion
To sum up, the best rounds in boxing display the highest level of skill, cunning, and sheer willpower. Their intense performances, deft banter, and memorable moments enthrall spectators.
These rounds create a lasting impact on spectators and are evidence of the sport’s enduring appeal, whether it is through a display of unrelenting aggression or deft defensive play.
The greatest boxing matches capture the spirit of competition and the human spirit’s capacity to rise to the occasion in the face of difficulty, from historic fights to underdog victories.