1 > James "Buster" Douglas KO 10 Mike Tyson, Tokyo, Japan (February 11, 1990)
Labeled an unmotivated and underachieving fighter, Douglas used the recent death of his mother as inspiration to outwork an arrogant and ill-prepared "Baddest Man on the Planet," Mike Tyson. Seen as merely a tune-up for bigger and better things, Douglas would become an unlikely unified world heavyweight champ despite the 45-1 odds against him...
2 > James J. Braddock W15 Max Baer, New York, NY (June 13, 1935)
A former light heavyweight title challenger six years earlier, Braddock was considered little more than an opponent after several losing efforts and an injury to his right hand. Working as a longshoreman to supplement his income in the Great Depression, Braddock managed to score three consecutive upset wins to, somehow, find himself in line for a shot at the much-feared defending heavyweight champ, Max Baer. Coming into the fight as a 10-1 underdog, Braddock pulled off the unanimous decision upset, earning the nickname, "The Cinderella Man."
3 > Cassius Clay TKO6 Sonny Liston, Miami Beach, FL (February 25, 1964)
The skinny, trash talking Clay was a 10-1 underdog against boxing's baddest man and defending world heavyweight champ, Sonny Liston. The media and fans laughed at the kid's chances, pointing out that he had been knocked down and nearly beaten by the nondescript Brit, Henry Cooper in his previous bout. But, once in the ring, Clay's speed and reflexes took over and, despite being blinded by an alleged illegal substance on Liston's gloves, he forced the bully from St. Louis to quit in his corner after the sixth round...
4 > Randy Turpin W15 Sugar Ray Robinson, London, England (July 10, 1951)
Riding a 90-fight undefeated streak, the defending middleweight champion and former welterweight champ, Robinson, was the heavy betting favorite against European champ, Turpin. Turpin would come out strong and aggressive against the legendary figure, stunning him several times in the contest and walking away with the shocking unanimous decision upset. Two months later, Robinson took back his title by topping Turpin in 10 rounds...
5 > Gene Tunney W10 Jack Dempsey, Philadelphia, PA (September 23, 1926)
Dempsey was the smug, defending world champ who had used his title as a stepping stone to movies and fame. When he finally decided to defend his title, three years into his reign, he came across a determined ex-marine who outclassed him en route to a unanimous decision victory. A 6-1 underdog, many felt Tunney would just be a light snack for the powerful Dempsey, but the 120,000 at Sesquicentennial Stadium wound up seeing one of the biggest upsets of all time...
6 > Max Schmeling KO12 Joe Louis, New York City, NY (June 19, 1936)
Louis was undefeated, the number one contender for the heavyweight title, and a burgeoning star . Former champion, Schmeling,was considered past his prime and hardly a challenge for the "Brown Bomber." However, the crafty German uncovered a flaw in Louis' defense and exploited it to drop Louis for the first time in his career, eventually stopping the American in the twelfth round in front of a stunned Yankee Stadium. An improved Louis would return two years later and stop Schmeling in one round...
7 > Fritzie Zivic W15 Henry Armstrong, New York City, NY (October 4, 1940)
Considered a tough, dirty fighter by his peers, even Zivic's best friends worried for his well-being against the great Henry Armstrong, the only fighter to ever hold three titles in three weight divisions simultaneously. In a bloody, brutal affair that was even going into the last round, Zivic would drop Armstrong and go on to win the decision as well as the welterweight title...
8 > George Foreman KO10 Michael Moorer, Las Vegas, NV (November 5, 1994)
Considered by many as little more than a punchline since his comeback, Foreman was taking a beating by defending heavyweight champ, Michael Moorer, over nine rounds. Then, with a badly swollen face, Foreman landed a jarring right hand that dropped Moorer and allowed him to regain the heavyweight title 21 years after his first reign. Foreman, at 46 years of age, also became the oldest heavyweight champion to ever hold the belt...
9 > Muhammad Ali KO8 George Foreman, Kinshasa, Zaire (October 30, 1974)
"The Rumble in the Jungle" was expected to be a one-sided beating for former champ, Muhammad Ali at the hands of defending champion, Foreman. The intimidating, powerful Foreman had destroyed Joe Frazier and Ken Norton in two rounds apiece while Ali had just lost a decision to Norton and had gone 1-1 with Frazier since his three-year banishment from the sport. What fans saw that night in Zaire was the birth of the "Rope-a-Dope" as Ali leaned up against the ropes, taking Foreman's best shots until the defending champ had nothing left in the tank. Having exhausted his rival, Ali stormed back and knocked Foreman out in the eighth round to capture the world heavyweight crown for the second time in his Hall of Fame career...
1O > James J. Corbett KO21 John L. Sullivan, New Orleans, LA (September 7, 1892)
Sullivan was the first heavyweight champion of the modern era and, also, the sport's first superstar. The much smaller Corbett was considered too frail to compete with "The Boston Strong Boy," but on that night, the sport also saw the birth of lateral movement and defense. Corbett worked angles, used a jab, and tired out his confused rival before moving in for the kill in the 21st round...
