TOP TEN CONTROVERSIAL BOXING MATCHES OF ALL TIME

Boxing has given fans some great memories, but not all of them for the right reasons. Some confrontations over the years have made people angry, split attitudes, and even revolutionized the sport. These matches are still hot subjects because of startling judgments, unexplained stoppages, or bad sportsmanship. Let's look at the boxing contests that had people talking and calling for justice the most.

1. ROY JONES JR. VS. PARK SI-HUN (1988 Olympics)

Roy Jones Jr. lost the gold medal match against South Korea's Park Si-Hun, even though he won every round. This was one of the worst rulings in Olympic history. Jones definitely controlled the battle, landing 86 punches to Park's 32. Everyone in the arena thought Jones would win, but the judges gave the win to Park, which was a big surprise. The disagreement was so bad that Park even apologized in public for the choice. Later, it came out that three of the judges had been suspended because they were thought to be corrupt. This contest is still a dark spot on Olympic boxing, and people still talk about Jones's stolen win more than 30 years later.

2. TIMOTHY BRADLEY I VS. MANNY PACQUIAO (2012)

Fans were looking forward to an entertaining fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley in 2012, but they didn't expect one of the worst judgments in boxing history. Pacquiao clearly outboxed Bradley, hitting him with more clean blows and winning most of the rounds. Even the punch stats and most news outlets said Pacquiao won easily. But the judges granted Bradley a split decision win that caused a lot of anger. Bob Arum, the promoter who worked for both boxers, even asked for an investigation. There was so much backlash that a rematch was set up in 2014, which Pacquiao won easily. But the stigma of this unfair choice is still there.

3. LENNOX LEWIS VS EVANDER HOLYFIELD I (1999)

This heavyweight unification fight was meant to find out who the finest boxer in the world was. Lennox Lewis controlled the battle for much of the time, hitting better strikes and setting the tempo. But the judges said it was a draw, which shocked fans, analysts, and critics alike. It was called a robbery by newspapers in the US and the UK. The criticism was so strong that the Attorney General of New York State started looking into the judging. Lewis won the rematch later that year, but the initial fight, which was disputed, is still one of boxing's worst judging scandals.

4. JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ Vs. MELDRICK TAYLOR I (1990)

Boxing enthusiasts are still arguing about the ending of this match, which was called "Thunder Meets Lightning." Meldrick Taylor was ahead on all the scorecards and seemed like he was about to win a fight that would change his career. But with only a few seconds left in the last round, Julio César Chávez knocked him down hard. Taylor got up, even though he was clearly pained. Referee Richard Steele stopped the bout with barely two seconds left, giving Chávez a surprise TKO win. Some people believed Taylor should have finished the fight and won on points. The timing and decision to cease the fight provoked years of discussion and argument.

5. MIKE TYSON VS. EVANDER HOLYFIELD II (1997)

This epic rematch, called "The Sound and the Fury," became one of the strangest and most embarrassing events in boxing history. Tyson chewed off a chunk of Holyfield's ear twice in the third round because he was angry over Holyfield's tactics and head clashes. The referee called off the bout and kicked Tyson out, which caused a lot of turmoil in the arena. The event shocked the world and hurt Tyson's reputation badly. Fans were furious, and many wondered how a heavyweight title fight could turn into su7ch chaos. Today, the "Bite Fight" is more famous for the scandal it caused than for the sport itself. It was a low point in boxing history.

6. MUHAMMAD ALI VS. SONNY LISTON II (1965)

The second fight between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston ended in one of the most puzzling knockouts in boxing history. Ali threw what looked like a mild punch just over a minute into the first round. This punch was later called the "Phantom Punch." Liston fell and didn't get back up, leaving fans, including photographers at ringside, in shock. A lot of people didn't even see the punch hit. For years, there were rumors that there was a fix, that the mafia was involved, and that Liston was going to lose. Even though the knockout was declared legitimate, the lack of clarity and the strange way the fall happened made this one of boxing's most questionable endings.

7. FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. VS JOSÉ LUIS CASTILLO I (2002)

Floyd Mayweather is still unbeaten, but his first bout with José Luis Castillo had a lot of fans and experts wonder what would happen. Castillo landed more punches and power blows than Mayweather and seemed to be in charge of most of the fight. The judges, however, all agreed that Mayweather should win. The fight was so controversial that there was an immediate rematch, which Mayweather won by a larger margin. Still, some people say that Castillo should have won their first fight. People who doubt the honesty of boxing judges still talk about this fight, which shows how important it is to be clear about how scores are given.

8. OSCAR DE LA HOYA VS FÉLIX TRINIDAD (1999)

People called the fight between two undefeated champions "The Fight of the Millennium." De La Hoya outboxed Trinidad throughout most of the fight because he had better footwork and defense. But in the last few rounds, De La Hoya backed down because he thought he had won on points. That mistake cost a lot. The judges gave Trinidad a majority decision victory, which made fans and commentators very angry because they thought De La Hoya obviously won. Some people said that the judges punished De La Hoya for "running," even though he was in charge early on. The controversial choice sparked discussions about how judges should judge and left fans without a clear winner.

9. LUIS RESTO VS. BILLY COLLINS JR (1983):

The Most Shocking Scandal in Boxing

Luis Resto beat undefeated prospect Billy Collins Jr. in a 10-round fight on June 16, 1983. This fight became one of boxing's most controversial events. Resto fought at Madison Square Garden with gloves that didn't have any padding and hand wraps that were saturated in cement. Collins suffered terrible injuries that ended his career. His face was hurt badly and his eyes were forever impaired. Collins' father found out about the tampering after the fight, which led to a criminal investigation. Resto and trainer Panama Lewis were banned and then sent to jail. Less than a year later, Collins perished in an automobile accident. This horrible battle is still a painful reminder of how corrupt and tragic boxing can be.

10. SUGAR RAY LEONARD VS. ROBERTO DURAN II (The "No Más" Fight 1980)

On November 25, 1980, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran fought again. This fight is one of the most talked-about in boxing history. Leonard asked for a quick rematch after losing to Duran in the "Brawl in Montreal." Leonard was in charge in New Orleans, teasing and annoying Duran. Duran looked away and withdrew in round eight, saying the now-famous statement "No más." Fans were shocked that the tough fighter from Panama had given up. Duran said he had stomach problems, but supporters and detractors questioned his heart. This battle ruined Duran's reputation for good and left a lasting scandal in boxing history that is still talked about today.

These boxing controversies remind us that mistakes and even corruption may happen in a sport where judges and people make judgments. Some problems led to changes in boxing, but others are still hurting its reputation. Fans never forget when a fighter gets robbed or when a contest ends in pandemonium, whether it's a fake punch, a strange disqualification, or a scorecard that is unfair. These ten fights aren't simply important events in boxing history; they are also cautionary tales that keep people arguing about fairness, justice, and honesty in the ring.