Mayweather, Lennox Lewis miss out in five memorable boxing bouts

Boxing great Muhammad Ali during a bout in 1974. The epic heavyweight world championship bout between George Foreman and Ali known as the "Rumble in the Jungle" celebrates its 40th anniversary on Thursday, October 30, 2014. PHOTO | FILE |

What you need to know:

  • Labelled by Ring Magazine as "the fight of the 1990's" 27-year-old Chavez — known as "The Great Mexican Champion" and already a three-time world champion at three different weights — took on Meldrick 'TNT' Taylor — a gold medal winning member of the great USA 1984 Olympic team — in a light welterweight clash labelled "Thunder meets Lightning".
  • If ever there was a "Good" versus "Evil" this was the bout, a heavyweight world title fight with the champion Louis representing the free world and former champion Schmeling — who had inflicted Louis' first career defeat in a non-title fight in 1936 — the Nazi regime in Germany.

PARIS

The epic heavyweight world championship bout between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali known as the 'Rumble in the Jungle' celebrates its 40th anniversary on Thursday.

Here AFP Sports looks at five other memorable or historic boxing bouts.

Julio Cesar Chavez v Meldrick Taylor — March 17 1990

Labelled by Ring Magazine as "the fight of the 1990's" 27-year-old Chavez — known as "The Great Mexican Champion" and already a three-time world champion at three different weights — took on Meldrick 'TNT' Taylor — a gold medal winning member of the great USA 1984 Olympic team — in a light welterweight clash labelled "Thunder meets Lightning".

For once the two pugilists matched the hype producing an enthralling no holds barred contest which despite sustaining serious physical damage saw 23-year-old Taylor hold a convincing lead on two judges cards going into the final round. However, Taylor instead of playing safe and staying out of danger opted to continue trading blows with Chavez who needed a knockout to win. Taylor looking increasingly unsteady finally went down and with just two seconds remaining referee Richard Steele controversially stopped the fight after twice asking him if he was okay.

Marvin Hagler v Sugar Ray Leonard — April 6 1987

Steele was also in the ring for this epic between two of the quartet — the others being Thomas 'The Hitman' Hearns and Roberto 'Hands of Stone' Duran — that light up the ring with their various battles at welterweight and middleweight in the late 70's and part of the 80's.

'Marvellous' Marvin Hagler had not been beaten in 11 years and had made 12 successful defences of his WBC belt. Leonard came out of retirement — he had fought just once in a brief comeback after hanging up his gloves in 1982 because of a detached retina — after seeing Hagler labour to victory over John 'the Beast' Mugabi.

Hagler — at 32 two years older than his opponent — got the bigger part of the purse but Leonard was able to set the conditions for the fight and made it a 12 round rather than 15 round bout. Just as well as having started the more effective he tired and Hagler finished the stronger.

In a contentious decision the flashier Leonard won on a split decision. Hagler — who never fought again — claimed Leonard had said to him pre the announcement that he had won but Leonard denied this saying he had simply commented 'you are a great champion'.

Jack Johnson v Jim Jeffries — July 4 1910

Johnson became the first black heavyweight world champion in 1908 having eventually coerced the then champion Tommy Burns of Canada into fighting in Sydney. Jeffries had when he was champion always refused to fight Johnson, but white supremacists — who were fearful that Johnson's success could inspire African Americans to lobby for greater civil freedoms — were so desperate to reclaim the crown they persuaded him to take a break from his farming career and return to the ring. Jeffries. though, was no longer the fighter that had held the title from 1899 to 1905 retiring undefeated and never having been put on the deck.

Tensions were so high none of the 20,000 spectators were allowed to bring either guns or alcohol to the bout. The fight lasted 15 rounds but there was never really a doubt about the winner as Johnson put Jeffries down twice.

His victory prompted riots in 25 states — mainly whites angry at the African Americans celebrating. Ironically Johnson was no more flexible than his white predecessors and on several occasions declined black challengers on the whites only challenger rule.

Mike Tyson v James 'Buster' Douglas — February 11 1990
It looked like another stroll in the park for 'Iron' Mike, who even though he was being beset by personal problems and demons that ultimately would consume him, was still the undisputed heavyweight champion while Douglas was ranked a lowly seven on the heavyweight list. However, the fight in Tokyo didn't pan out atall as Douglas produced the performance of his life motivated by the death of his mother three weeks previously.

Despite having Douglas down in the eighth round — much debate festers over the length of time the challenger was down for with some feeling it was longer than 10 seconds — it was clear that for the first time an opponent had Tyson rattled and Douglas knocked him to the canvas for the first time in his career in the 10th and he was counted out. While Tyson was to regain the world title later as ESPN opined at the time "the mystique of the untouchable, invincible 'Baddest Man on the Planet' had been shattered."

Max Schmeling v Joe Louis — June 22 1938

If ever there was a 'Good' versus 'Evil' this was the bout, a heavyweight world title fight with the champion Louis representing the free world and former champion Schmeling — who had inflicted Louis' first career defeat in a non-title fight in 1936 — the Nazi regime in Germany. This time round though Schmeling, nine years Louis' senior, could not overcome the hostile atmosphere in Yankees Stadium nor a pulverising display by Louis which saw the bout last less than a round.

Schmeling was disowned by the Nazis on his return — for Louis had like another African American Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin destroyed their Aryan supremacy ideal. "Looking back, I'm almost happy I lost that fight. Just imagine if I would have come back to Germany with a victory. I had nothing to do with the Nazis, but they would have given me a medal. After the war I might have been considered a war criminal," said Schmeling who lived to the grand old age of 99.