When Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford tap the gloves inside Allegiant Stadium on September 13, they’ll add to an elite legacy of significant and memorable matches that have taken place in Las Vegas.
It will be the latest in a long line of “Where were you when?” moments for boxing fans emanating from the destination that has been home to the biggest bouts in history.
Matches That Helped Put Vegas on the Boxing Map
You can’t kick off a list of “greatest” bouts in Las Vegas without the man who proudly proclaimed “I am the greatest!” and then backed it up in the ring time and time again during an illustrious career.
Muhammad Ali vs. Larry Holmes (October 2, 1980)
The 38-year-old Ali did his best to fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee for the final time, but it wasn’t enough to beat Holmes for the heavyweight championship at Caesars Palace. Still, Ali’s swan song in the ring was a significant event in Las Vegas’ boxing history, along with his previous fights at the Las Vegas Hilton (now Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino) and Las Vegas Convention Center.
Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns (April 15, 1985)
Another huge bout that helped solidify Las Vegas’ place as a boxing capital was Hagler defending his middleweight title against Hearns. Hagler won an intense bout by technical knockout, while Hearns suffered a broken hand in the first round.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran (December 7, 1989)
Leonard and Duran held the final chapter of their storied trilogy at The Mirage, just 15 days after the new megaresort opened its doors. The first two fights took place in 1980, with Duran narrowly capturing their first bout by decision, and Leonard winning the second after Duran was believed to have told the referee “No Mas” in the closing moments of the eighth round. Nine years later in the culminating bout, Leonard dominated Duran, winning by unanimous decision.
The Unpredictably Eventful Bouts of the 1990s
Not every memorable moment in Vegas boxing lore took place in the ring. The 1990s featured a couple of bizarre moments, as well as a massive superfight between Latin legends.
Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe (November 6, 1993)
This heavyweight championship brawl at the outdoor arena at Caesars Palace was into the seventh round before the match was temporarily delayed when a man using a motorized paraglider descended from the sky and landed on the ring apron.
“Fan Man,” as he was soon dubbed, was swiftly removed by security and members of Bowe’s entourage and subsequently arrested. Following the surprise commotion and 20-minute stoppage, Holyfield went on to win the fight by majority decision.
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Jesus César Chávez (June 7, 1996)
De La Hoya lived up to his nickname of “The Golden Boy” by beating Chávez in a much anticipated clash of champions. De La Hoya, who at 23 was 10 years younger than Chávez, entered the fight with a 21-0 career record. It was the 100th professional fight for Chávez, who was 97-1-1 before the bout. After a first-round punch by De La Hoya opened a gash above Chávez’s eye, De La Hoya connected with a left hook in the fourth round that broke Chávez’s nose and led to a technical knockout.
A year later, fans witnessed one of the strangest and most unfathomable circumstances, again involving Holyfield. But this time, it happened inside the ring.
Mike Tyson vs. Holyfield (June 28, 1997)
After Holyfield scored an upset victory over Tyson seven months prior at MGM Grand Garden Arena, the two met again for a colossal heavyweight rematch in the same venue. However, this fight was nothing like the first encounter – and unlike any other fight in the sport’s history.
In the second round, Holyfield ducked a punch and butted heads with Tyson, causing a cut over Tyson’s right eye. Forty seconds into the third round, while the fighters were clinched against each other, Tyson inexplicably bit Holyfield’s right ear, tearing off some cartilage.
After a delay of several minutes, the ringside physician tended to Holyfield and cleared him to continue. Tyson bit Holyfield’s other ear later in the round, scarring it, and was disqualified for those actions once the round was complete.
De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad (September 18, 1999)
De La Hoya was involved in another huge championship bout to close out the decade, battling Felix Trinidad in the “Fight of the Millennium” at Mandalay Bay Events Center (now Michelob ULTRA Arena). Trinidad captured the unified welterweight title by majority decision in the 12-round bout. At the time, the fight set a pay-per-view audience record for a non-heavyweight fight.
A New Era Filled with Big Brawls
One of the most eagerly awaited boxing matches of the 21st century almost didn’t happen. More than five years of ongoing disagreements over the terms of the deal had kept this super-fight derailed. Finally, the camps of both combatants reached an agreement, setting the stage for one of the sport’s biggest showcases.
Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao (May 2, 2015)
The undefeated Mayweather and eight-division champion Pacquiao faced off in one of the most highly anticipated matches ever. Mayweather kept his perfect record intact, winning the unified welterweight championship in a 12-round unanimous decision. It remains the highest-grossing and most bought pay-per-view event (4.6 million buys) in boxing history.
Alvarez vs. Miguel Cotto (November 21, 2015)
Six months later, Alvarez faced Miguel Cotto inside Mandalay Bay in a middleweight title match. The 12-round fight was considered to be a close contest throughout, and Alvarez was victorious by unanimous decision.
Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor (August 26, 2017)
Mayweather came out of retirement to headline another huge Las Vegas fight, this time against mixed martial arts star McGregor at T-Mobile Arena. With his 10th-round win by technical knockout, Mayweather finished his career with a 50-0 record, eclipsing Rocky Marciano’s unbeaten career record of 49-0. The fight generated the second-highest pay-per-view audience in history (4.3 million buys), behind only the Mayweather-Pacquiao event.
Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder (October 9, 2021)
T-Mobile Arena was the site of another epic Vegas fight when heavyweights Fury and Wilder faced off for the third and final time, with Fury’s title on the line. Wilder knocked Fury down twice in the fourth round, but the 6-foot-9 Fury recovered and eventually won with an 11th-round knockout. The fight is regarded as one of the top heavyweight bouts of all time and was named The Ring magazine’s Fight of the Year in 2021.
Whether Alvarez or Crawford get their hand raised on September 13, you’ll always be a winner when you visit the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World! This epic fight is the main event highlighting an entire weekend of can’t-miss experiences as Las Vegas kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.