Thursday 30 April 2026 08:57, UK
We take a look back at some of the most surprising heavyweight results in boxing history.
– Buster Douglas def. Mike Tyson (1990): In Tokyo, Douglas produced arguably the greatest upset in boxing when he stopped an undisputed, unbeaten Tyson in the 10th round, turning a supposed mismatch into a seismic shock.
– Leon Spinks def. Muhammad Ali (1978): A relatively inexperienced Spinks stunned the world by outpointing Ali to take the world heavyweight title, handing Ali one of the most unexpected losses of his career.
– Andy Ruiz Jr. def. Anthony Joshua (2019): Ruiz, a late replacement with long odds, outworked and overwhelmed Joshua at Madison Square Garden to capture multiple world titles — a modern upset that reshaped the division.
– Hasim Rahman def. Lennox Lewis (2001): Rahman delivered a knockout in the fifth round in South Africa to stun Lewis and claim the heavyweight crown in one of the era’s biggest surprises.
– Oliver McCall def. Lennox Lewis (1994): McCall’s upset, a second-round TKO over Lewis, was a dramatic and unforeseen reversal that marked Lewis’s first professional loss.
– Corrie Sanders def. Wladimir Klitschko (2003): Sanders used heavy left-hand power to stop the then-rising Klitschko in two rounds, derailing Wladimir’s momentum with a stunning knockout.
– Chris Byrd def. Wladimir Klitschko (2000): Byrd’s tactical skills earned him a decision over the future long-reigning champion, a result few anticipated at the time.
– Tony Tucker def. Mike Tyson? (Note: common misremembering) — many heavyweight upsets are often mixed up in memory; the clear, documented shockers above remain the most striking.
These fights share themes: underestimation, a single decisive shot, tactical surprise, or the champion having an off night. Heavyweight boxing’s history is full of moments when one night changed everything — and that unpredictability is a big part of the division’s enduring appeal.