It is an era jam-packed to the brim with talent, hard work, blood, sweat, tears, and GUTS! Everyone who was everyone fought in the 1970s heavyweight division and anyone who was anyone made sure not to miss any of the fights.
My father was hooked at the time as a young man and he’s hooked me so many years later to this time when heavyweights ruled the world. I’ve covered this division in timeline form (covering the important fights and narratives of the time) and I’ve even tier listed the heavyweights of the era. How about I go over what are my personal favorite 5 fights of the Golden Age 1970s heavyweight division?
Of course, I expect you to list your top 5 bouts of the era in the comment section (preferably under the video on YouTube). Now how about those fights? Not so fast; I can’t spoil that here in the article, you’ll have to watch the video! What I will tell you is that my top 5 (and honorable mentions) feature the usual suspects. Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Larry Holmes; you know the roster!
The 70s had such classics as “The Fight of the Century,” “The Sunshine Showdown,” “The Rumble in the Jungle,” “The Thrilla in Manila,” and many more. In fact, there are so many aptly named classics that I struggle to recall another era that can match them. The mastery, the class, and even the brutality make the wars from this era unforgettable and (perhaps) impossible to ever match or surpass. The 70s was the perfect mix and hotspot for the division. The production level, the frequency of fights being made, and most importantly, the fighters being willing to fight and not making poor excuses not to as they do today. Come to think of it, how in the world can we rank all of these great fights? Is it possible? Obviously, I’ll have to have an honorable mentions section!
This is an exercise I’ll be conducting across eras and weight classes going forward, and though there won’t be articles for each of the top 5 listings I do, you can catch them on my BoxingPedia YouTube channel. Some to come include the top 5 fights from the 1950s all the way to the 2020s for the heavyweight division. Don’t miss out; I want to read your top 5s (or even the top 10 if you favor).
This is the BoxingPedia Top 5 Heavyweight Fights of the 1970s. From TheCharlesJackson, author of the Boxing Encyclopedia. From my heart to yours, enjoy! Don’t forget to subscribe to YouTube and tell me about your top 5!
