Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury find themselves in rather unique territory entering their highly anticipated rematch Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Unlike heavyweight rematches of the past, Wilder and Fury are simply looking for a decisive result that evaded them in their December 2018 clash, which ended in a controversial split draw.
Fury walked out of Staples Center in Los Angeles after that fight knowing he thoroughly outboxed Wilder and thus thought he was cheated out of victory against the WBC heavyweight champion. Wilder also felt like he should have won after his 12 -round knockdown of Fury, which he believed was treated with a delayed ring count from referee Jack Weiss.
While Wilder and Fury seek to close out their unfinished business, other heavyweights had different motives heading into their respective rematches.
Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Anthony Joshua 2, Dec. 7, 2019
Joshua endured more than six months of ridicule and even self doubt at times over his June 1 seventh-round TKO loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. But “AJ” would have the last laugh by fighting behind the jab and refusing to be baited into the temptation of slugging it out with the Mexican-American boxer in the rematch. The strategy had Joshua reaching pay dirt — and gaining sweet revenge — in the form of becoming a two-time unified world heavyweight champion via a lopsided unanimous decision.
Hasim Rahman vs. Lennox Lewis 2, Nov. 17, 2001
Unlike the thorough beating shown in the Joshua-Ruiz upset, Rahman snatched Lewis' heavyweight crown with a punch heard around the world. And it came when Lewis mocked the gutsy challenger, leaving him open to a devastating right hand that knocked him out in South Africa. What followed was a testy buildup toward the rematch with Lewis ultimately exacting revenge with a fifth-round KO of his own. The knockout came when Lewis blasted Rahman with a left hook-right hand combination to take back his WBC, IBF, IBO and lineal titles with a punctuation mark.
Evander Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis 2, Nov. 13, 1999
If there's one heavyweight who could possibly relate to Fury, it should be Lewis. Lewis did more than enough to outpoint Holyfield in their initial fight, but the bout was still controversially ruled a draw as "The Real Deal" escaped Madison Square Garden with his WBA and IBF titles still in his possession. A disappointed Lewis would use that sour decision to fuel his way toward a rematch. Despite getting a tougher fight from Holyfield the second time around, Lewis made sure he earned the victory via unanimous decision to add the WBA, IBF and IBO titles to his WBC and lineal straps.
Evander Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson 2, June 28, 1997
Mike Tyson had complained that Evander Holyfield used intentional head-butting in their original fight, which Holyfield won by 11th-round TKO back in November 1996. So, when "Iron Mike" stepped back into the ring with "The Real Deal," and Holyfield once again head-butted him, Tyson became incensed. He infamously proceeded to chomp on Holyfield's ears, biting down with enough might to rip a chunk out of his right ear before spitting the flesh onto the mat as Holyfield hollered in pain. He later bit down on Holyfield's left ear. What was built as a highly anticipated rematch ended in a circus-like disqualification during the third round, as Tyson squandered his shot to win back the WBA title.
Lennox Lewis vs. Oliver McCall 2, Feb. 7, 1997
In one of the most bizarre moments in boxing history, McCall dropped his hands and refused to box during the fourth and fifth rounds of this championship rematch, as he broke down mentally and even began sobbing in the ring. Lewis had asserted his long jab, but McCall could have foreseeably dug his way back into the match. Seeing McCall being so mentally unfit to box, the referee stopped the bout and gave Lewis the fifth-round TKO and WBC title. The bizarre scene followed Lewis being on the end of a shocking second-round TKO to McCall back in September 1994. A weird way to take the rematch, but a win's a win.
Riddick Bowe vs. Andrew Golota 2, Dec. 14, 1996
Their original fight ended in chaos after Golota, who was winning on judges' scorecards, started hitting Bowe with blatant low blows inexplicably. Those shots paved the way toward a disqualification and an all-out brawl between the fighters' camps, with Bowe's entourage even busting Golota in the head with a walkie talkie.
Five months later during the rematch, Golota once again was winning on the scorecards, as he even dropped Bowe in the second round. Unbelievably, though, Golota once again started hitting Bowe with low blows resulting in another DQ. To this day, the bout remains a head scratcher.
Riddick Bowe vs. Evander Holyfield 2, Nov. 6, 1993
Bowe dropped Holyfield in the 11th round to punctuate his unanimous decision, as he became the new WBA, WBC, IBF and lineal heavyweight champion of the world following their first fight in November 1993.
A year later, a rejuvenated Holyfield entered the ring for the rematch with more hunger and savvy, as he exacted revenge with a majority decision over Bowe. The bout infamously had a man parachuting into Caesars Palace in Las Vegas during the seventh round, and the fight was brought to a halt before order was restored. The heavyweights would end their friendly rivalry with a third fight, which had Bowe delivering an eighth-round TKO.
Leon Spinks vs. Muhammad Ali 2, Sept. 15, 1978
Ali quite simply was a shadow of his former self during the original bout, as he entered the ring in lackluster shape and lost via split-decision. Seven months later, Ali worked diligently enough to win by unanimous decision and take back the WBA, lineal and The Ring titles. The rematch lacked sparks, but Ali recorded the win in his third-to-last bout and the final rematch of his career, nonetheless.
George Foreman vs. Joe Frazier 2, June 15, 1976
"Smokin'" Joe was still a bad man at this point. He just ran into a monster in the form of George Foreman. After all, it was Foreman who bashed Frazier with a second-round TKO to give the Philadelphia fighter his first pro loss in their initial bout. More than three years later, Frazier made the rematch last longer, but Foreman made sure that it didn't last too much longer. Foreman knocked down Frazier twice toward a fifth-round TKO. Frazier would fight one more time before calling it a career.
Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 2, Jan. 28, 1974
Frazier had shocked the world in their March 1971 “Fight of the Century” by dropping Ali with a thud as "The Greatest" suffered his first pro loss — a unanimous decision defeat. Ali worked his way back with wins, including defeating Ken Norton and Rudie Lubbers, to head back to Madison Square Garden for Ali-Frazier II. There, at the "Mecca of Boxing," Ali rushed Frazier early and even wobbled him during the second round. That momentum gained was enough for Ali to snag a unanimous decision of his own. The heated rivals would have a rubber match — the “Thrilla in Manila” in October 1975 — where Ali would win by 14th-round TKO after badly damaging Frazier's vision. Frazier's corner refused to let "Smokin'" Joe continue and absorb any further punishment.
Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton 2, Sept. 10, 1973
Ali used a hard-fought rematch against Norton to prepare for his rematch against Frazier. Norton was as formidable of a puncher as any boxer Ali faced — he fractured Ali's jaw in defeating him during their original bout about six months prior. But a gutsy Ali would fight his way to a split decision in the rematch and later take the trilogy bout by unanimous decision at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, in September 1976. More reasons why he was "The Greatest."
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston 2, May 25, 1965
Ali, then Cassius Clay as a 7-1 underdog, certified and stamped his young, growing legend by beating the brakes off Liston over six rounds to become the new heavyweight champion of the world. The brash young champ made sure that Liston fared worse in their rematch, as he pummeled the once-intimidating fighter via a scintillating first-round KO. That rematch produced one of the greatest sports images of all time — a victorious Ali in all his glory flexing over Liston's helpless body in the ring.
Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling 2, June 22, 1938
Imagine what Louis was feeling entering his rematch with Schmeling, who had handed him his first career defeat — a 12th-round KO in June 1936.
Not only was Louis trying to exact revenge for that loss, but Schmeling was being used by the Nazi party as a symbol of Aryan supremacy, suggesting that a black man couldn't beat him. Louis had that as extra fuel for his fire, but also the pressure that came with U.S. fans counting on him during heightened political tension. How did Louis respond? Like a legend would — by blasting Schmeling with three knockdowns for a rousing first-round TKO at Yankee Stadium to claim the lineal title.