By Bob Smith: First off, I will define “generation” as the last 25 years, which as of the writing of this article would be late September 1989. The world was quite a different place then, but boxing quality endures throughout the ages, even if perhaps the capacity to recognize it ebbs and flows. There have been some great fights in the past 25 years, but what was the greatest?

I should state before all else, that I define greatest not in terms of bloodiest and most brutal, nor in terms of the most one-sided, so that eliminates quick or harsh KOs by heavyweight champions or otherwise, and it also eliminate most of the fights of Gatti that are called “great”, not because of his skill but because of his natural ability to replicate a worn heavy bag in the ring and take a more thorough beating than anyone else.

I would state that a “great” fight would involve two peers in the ring, at their prime, doing the best they can to win. It would involve skill, grit, determination, and will, but need not necessarily end in a KO, and need not necessarily feature any knockdowns either.

Where then to begin with this search? Certainly a good place to begin would be Roy Jones fights or Prince Naseem fights in the 1990s. Both were excellent boxers, very unique and skilled, and in their prime, virtually unstoppable. Another good starting point would be competitive heavyweight fights, say between Holyfield and Tyson, or involving Lewis or Bowe. Mexican fighters are extremely entertaining when faced with an equal peer and in conditions of war in the ring, so the Barrera vs. Morales fight or the Vasquez vs. Marquez rivalry some would consider as having been the best fight of the last 25 years.

For me, though, ultimately “great” means esthetically pleasing, brilliant, and providing ample evidence of supreme skill. And for me, no fight over the last 25 years exemplifies this better than Mayweather vs. Marquez in the fall of 2009. Marquez was coming off of one of the biggest wins of his career to date, while Floyd had experienced an extensive layoff of more than 18 months.

This fight is even greater in retrospect, given what happened to Pacquiao in the fall of 2012 – Marquez is a HOF fighter and one of the very best of the last 25 years, and he was as thoroughly outclassed as any Mayweather victim, despite being, before and after, very competitive with almost every other fighter around his weight class.

So, while others may appreciate KOs, more, or flashy fighters, or gritty and bloody wars, for me, it is defense first, and the health and longevity that comes from being successful at hitting and not being hit. Muhammad Ali was a great boxer, but was in too many wars, and this obviously has had negative consequences. And while Pacquaio’s brilliant and unprecedented defeat of much bigger fighters, all the while increasing in weight, merits an appreciative nod and mention, Pacquaio overwhelmed but never outclassed his opponents as Mayweather did.
What is your favorite fight of the last 25 years, and why, and what do you consider the criteria for a “great” fight?