On Friday, Anthony Joshua returns to the ring for a shock combat in opposition to YouTube star Jake Paul. Under, revisit a few of the extra uncommon bouts from boxing historical past…
George Foreman vs 5 Males
Following his stunning defeat to Muhammad Ali, George Foreman’s fearsome fame had taken an almighty hit. It was one thing he was struggling to cope with. The reply to restoring his fame? Combating 5 males in a single afternoon in April 1975.
The Don King promotion was billed as “The Greatest Boxing Exhibition Spectacular” and had Ali on comms. It was usually seen as extra of a publicity stunt than a official problem.
Foreman received all 5 bouts, the primary three by stoppage. Fatigue ultimately set in and showboating started, however the spectacle cemented the occasion in boxing folklore.
Muhammad Ali vs Antonio Inoki
Muhammad Ali participated in an enormous variety of exhibition bouts over his profession, however his 1976 match in opposition to Antonio Inoki in Tokyo was notably memorable.
Inoki, Japan’s marquee wrestling star, was restricted by stipulations stopping takedowns, submissions, throws or kicks whereas standing.
Because of this, Inoki instantly dropped to his again from spherical one, repeatedly kicking upward at Ali. Inoki landed over 100 kicks with Ali barely touchdown a punch. Inoki was praised for surviving, whereas Ali’s legs had been left a large number. It was weird, it was farcical and it was someway given as a draw.
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Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn shares his ideas on Joshua’s upcoming heavyweight bout with Paul and believes it could possibly be the top for boxing if Paul causes an enormous upset
Trevor Berbick vs Nobuhiko Takada
In one other occasion actually promoted as “Boxer versus Wrestler,” the previous heavyweight world champion travelled to Japan in 1991 to face Nobuhiko Takada.
Berbick didn’t realise that Takada might kick beneath the belt. What adopted was nearly slapstick. Berbick repeatedly complained to the referee whereas Takada kicked him constantly.
Berbick left the ring with out throwing a single punch, annoyed and humiliated.
Oscar De La Hoya vs Shaq O’Neill
One of many extra forgettable bouts on the record happened in 2009 as a part of a TV sequence. NBA star Shaquille O’Neal squared off with Oscar De La Hoya in 4 two-minute rounds whereas carrying headgear.
De La Hoya emerged the winner by an unofficial unanimous choice. Each the match and the sequence acquired widespread criticism.
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CEO of Most Worthwhile Promotions Nakisa Bidarian is backing his enterprise accomplice Paul to trigger an upset in his upcoming combat with Joshua
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Jeamie ‘TKV’ Tshikeva says that Paul combating Joshua is harmful and that he will probably be stunned if the American received
Evander Holyfield vs Mitt Romney
In 2015, 68-year-old former Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney took to the ring with 52-year-old Evander Holyfield.
Romey quipped, “The good news is that Evander Holyfield always hits above the belt, and sometimes in politics that isn’t the way things are done.”
The bout noticed Holyfield fall to the mat early on, earlier than Romney threw within the towel after two rounds. The advantage of this bout? It raised cash for charity.
Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor
Even Jake Paul will battle to match the monetary success of the 2017 Mayweather-McGregor combat, which pulled in round $600m. May a non-professional defeat one in all boxing’s best in his personal sport? Unsurprisingly, the reply was no.
McGregor began fairly nicely, displaying sharpness within the early rounds, however it rapidly turned clear that his MMA putting energy didn’t translate to boxing. Mayweather toyed with him, ultimately stopping him late within the combat.
The result was hardly surprising given Mayweather’s spotless 49-0 document, but it nonetheless appeared to be to some MMA followers.
Whereas Paul’s bout with Joshua might increase eyebrows, it stays far much less ridiculous than a few of the historic oddities we have checked out. And that is the purpose to recollect, for all its seriousness and talent, boxing has by no means been shy of theatrical chaos.
