Top 5 best moments in boxing history

3. Round 9, Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward 1

Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward weren’t big names or the best boxers around, but they both had big hearts, which they proved during their first fight in May of 2002.

This moment lacks the social and political significance of some of the other moments on this list, but the 9th round of their first fight might be the best round of boxing ever fought.

Gatti and Ward didn’t know each other well before their fight, but they turned out to be very similar people. Both were action fighters who put landing haymakers before defense. They complimented each other perfectly to produce pure havoc in the ring at all times. They fought three times and made fireworks every time, but their first meeting was one of the most entertaining and beautiful visions in boxing history.

By round 9 of their first fight, both boxers were spent. Ward rallied the previous round and nearly put Gatti down with body shots. He continued his onslaught into the 9th round.

Just 15 seconds into the round, Ward put Gatti down with his famous punch to the liver. It looked like Gatti was done, but he managed to get to his feet. Then, he fought back, winging wild hooks that hurt Ward to the head. They spent the remainder of the round trading punches in the grueling back and forth action. The voices of Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant, and Emanuel Steward mirror the electricity of that round.

Round 9 was pure carnage, but it was also beautiful because two athletes were able to push each other to the brink and made each other better than they thought they could ever be. It might be the most incredible display of fighting spirit in boxing history.