BOXING BOX: The 10 Biggest Fights Ever In Pics

1. Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier I
Madison Square Garden, New York, March 8, 1971
"The Fight of the Century" carved the way for multi-million pound mega-fights and drew global interest. Two undefeated heavyweights, Frazier the champion, and Ali returning from boxing exile after his ban for avoiding the Vietnam War draft, shared a $5 million purse.

2. Joe Louis-Max Schmelling II

Yankee Stadium, New York, June 22 1938

Schmelling had become a national icon in Germany with his victory over Louis in June 1936. The second meeting had global undertones and historical significance. It was seen as a fight against the rising tide of Nazism. Adolf Hitler sent messages to Schmelling, Louis had visited the White House summoned by Franklin D. Roosevelt weeks before the contest. The Nazi propaganda said a black man could not beat Schmelling. Louis, arguably the greatest heavyweight boxer in history (record 66-3) stopped the German in 124 seconds. He said that "the whole damn country was depending on me."

3. Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman
Kinshasa, Zaire. October 30, 1974
The Rumble In the Jungle has become one of boxing's most iconic fight nights. Few believed Muhammad Ali could defeat the young, brutal, terrifying punch power of Foreman. But employing rope-a-dope, coined by Ali's leaning back on the loose ropes, the great heavyweight let Foreman punch himself into exhaustion before stopping the champion in the eighth round. The fight, promoted by its chief architect Don King in his first and probably greatest coup, was broadcast around the world by closed circuit television. Its cultural impact has grown through the documentary film 'When We Were Kings' which won an Academy Award. It also inspired a book describing it ,'The Fight' by Norman Mailer. It is regarded as one of the great sporting events of all time.

4. Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier III

Quezon City, October 1, 1975

The Thrilla In Manila, apart from being probably the most brutal fight in history, ended an era. Now older and slower, Ali and Frazier stood toe to toe and slugged it out with each other for 14 rounds in the trilogy fight which immortalized their bitter heavyweight rivalry. Frazier could not come out for the fifteenth round, and was stopped on his stool. Ali was in a similar state. He said it was "as near to death" as he had ever felt.

5. Jack Johnson vs James Jeffries
Reno, Nevada, July 4, 1910

Twenty people were killed and many injured in riots in the United States after this 'Fight Of The Century' contest. Former undefeated heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries came out of retirement to challenge Johnson, the first heavyweight champion of Afro-Caribbean heritage, and a stylist who employed movement and technique. Jeffries had not fought for six years, but was offered $120,000 to come back. Racial tension grew as the fight approached. Guns and alcohol were barred from the arena. Jeffries could not get near Johnson, and his corner threw in the towel in the 15th round. He had been down twice in the fight. The outcome of the fight triggered race riots and conflict that evening across the United States.

6. Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao
MGM Grand, Las Vegas, May 2, 2015

On the sheer scale of the money involved in this fight, and the standing of the two fighters, it has to rank in the top 10 most significant fights of all time. Expected to gross $400 million, Mayweather has been a champion in five weight divisions, and is undefeated in 47 fights. Pacquiao is a congressman in the Philippines and a world champion in eight divisions. Both men will go down as all-time greats in the sport.

7. Sugar Ray Leonard vs Marvin Hagler

Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, April 6, 1987

Sugar Ray Leonard showed in this fight with Marvin Hagler that he was the supreme boxer in an era of welterweights and middleweights who became know as 'The Four Kings': Leonard, Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Robert Duran. They were just four of several great fighters around that weight at the time. Leonard outpunched Hagler, outsmarted him, counter-punching him in a boxing masterclass to win by split decision over 12 rounds. Hagler quit the sport after Leonard retired and bypassed a rematch. Hagler went to live in Italy, and appeared in spaghetti Westerns. It irks Hagler to this day that Leonard refused to meet again.

8. Jack Dempsey vs Gene Tunney
Soldier Field, Chicago, September 22, 1927

The re-match between world heavyweight champion Gene Tunney and former champion Jack Dempsey, drew a gate of $2,658,660, with over 103,000 in attendance. It was simultaneously the first $1 million gate and the first $2 million gate in entertainment history. A year earlier Tunney had beaten Dempsey by a 10 round unanimous decision to lift the world heavyweight title. Dempsey was one of the so-called "big five" sports legends of the 1920s. The second fight took place under new rules regarding knockdowns: the fallen fighter would have 10 seconds to rise to his feet. It became known as the fight of 'the long count' as Tunney was given 13 seconds to regain his feet in the seventh round. He went on to retain his title.

9. Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinks
Atlantic City, June 27, 1988
Spinks against Tyson was the meeting of two heavyweights, both undefeated, both champions, both with a legitimate claim that they were the champion of the world. Tyson was the holder of the WBC, WBA and IBF belts. Spinks was The Ring magazine champion. At the time, it was there richest fight in boxing history, grossing $70 million.Tyson earned a record purse of around $20 million and Spinks $13.5 million. Tyson won the fight, knocking out Spinks in 91 seconds.

10. Larry Holmes vs Gerry Cooney

Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, June 11, 1982

The heavyweight title fight had racial undertones, as the Don King-promoted event billed Cooney as 'The Great White Hope'. Both were undefeated. Holmes (39-0) had been the WBC champion since 1978. There had been no white heavyweight champion for 22 years, and King had engineered the racial angle. White Supremacist groups had threatened to shoot Holmes, and security for the event led to snipers patrolling the roof of the casino. Holmes beat Cooney who was retired by his corner at the end of the 13th round. It was his first defeat in 26 fights.