DAZN will present a huge night of boxing on December 23 as Day of Reckoning will see a number of the sport’s biggest names compete on a stacked show that could lead to even bigger fights in 2024.
Here, DAZN looks back at some of boxing’s most stacked cards and broadcasts.
Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield 1, 1996
One of the best fights of the 1990s topped a broadcast that spanned two countries and featured some of boxing’s major names of that era as Evander Holyfield sensationally stopped Mike Tyson in Las Vegas.
The action started in the U.K. where Nigel Benn competed for the final time when he was stopped by Steve Collins. Naseem Hamed retained his world title by stopping Daniel Molina and Winky Wright upset the Manchester crowd by dominating local favourite, Ensley Bingham.
When the show went to America, Tyson vs. Holyfield wasn’t the only heavyweight action. Michael Moorer and Henry Akinwande retained their world titles with respective wins over Frans Botha and Alexander Zolkin, before Tyson and Holyfield closed the show in a heavyweight classic.
Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Terrence Alli, 1993
One of boxing’s biggest attractions throughout the 1980s and following decade, Julio Cesar Chavez was big business for Don King and so it proved again as he featured on one of the promoter’s biggest events.
Chavez was too good for Terrence Alli as he stopped him in six rounds, but he had had to share the spotlight with a number of big names on this show.
Gerald McClellan and Julian Jackson both had reputations as monstrous punchers heading into their 1993 clash in Las Vegas. With WBC middleweight honours on the line, it was McClellan who came out on top as he stopped Jackson in five rounds.
Elsewhere on the bill, Lennox Lewis enhanced his credentials as one of the world's best heavyweights as he retained his WBC title with a stoppage win over Tony Tucker. This was after Hector Camacho and Meldrick Taylor had also scored wins.
Lennox Lewis vs. Andrew Golota, 1997
One of the most destructive performances of Lennox Lewis’ illustrious career saw him blow away Andrew Golota in the opening round as he reminded the heavyweight division about his finishing prowess.
Despite Lewis’ domination, this show is perhaps more fondly remembered for the sensational all time classic bout that saw Arturo Gatti and Gabriel Ruelas deliver a five round slug fest that confirmed Gatti as the sport’s most entertaining fighter as he won in five rounds.
Jesus Chavez and Troy Dorsey were both world class talents who met on the undercard where Chavez got the win. It was also a night for the next generation too as future world champions and big-name headliners such as Joel Casamayor, Fernando Vargas, and Antonio Tarver all bolstered their win columns.
Bernard Hopkins vs. William Joppy, 2003
Headlining a marathon night of boxing that saw no fewer than seven world title fights, Bernard Hopkins closed the long day and night with a wide points victory over William Joppy.
Hasim Rahman was defeated by Johnny Ruiz as "The Quiet Man" grabbed interim champion status just a few months after losing his world title to Roy Jones Jr. whilst Cory Spinks made his father Leon proud as became the world’s best welterweight by defeating Ricardo Mayorga.
Earlier in the night, there were early wins for Zab Judah and Wayne Braithwaite who eased past their opponents in the opening session as they looked to make a. huge impact on what was one of Don King’s most stacked events.