Some of the greatest moments in sports history have come as a result of underdog performances or huge upsets, and boxing is no exception to this.
From Roberto Duran losing to Kirkland Laing to Anthony Joshua’s defeat to Andy Ruiz, the bookmakers are often proven wrong in the sport of boxing.
When two fighters step in the ring, anything is possible, including massive upsets.
Legendary coach Teddy Atlas has gone through boxing history to give his list of the greatest upsets in boxing history.
Anthony Joshua, Joe Louis, and Larry Holmes occupy spots on the list of greatest boxing upsets
Going through the different decades and divisions of boxing, Atlas listed 10 fights that he felt were the most surprising and shocking results in the sport on his YouTube channel.
The number 10 spot was given to Bruno Surace, who defeated Jaime Munguia in December 2024. The most recent fight on the list, Munguia suffered just the second defeat of his career to Surace, who scored a sixth-round knockout.
The ninth bout on the list is Ruiz’s win over Joshua, from when the two met for the first time in June 2019.
The start of a historic rivalry would be listed at number eight by Atlas. Joe Louis fell short against Max Schmeling in their first meeting before getting revenge in their famous rematch.
Larry Holmes’ first loss to Michael Spinks is the seventh pick from the coach, as the pair fought in 1985. Then, Muhammad Ali gets his first mention in sixth place.
Leon Spinks defeated Ali in 1978, before ‘The Greatest’ got his revenge later that year.
Mike Tyson is Teddy Atlas’s number one pick for the greatest boxing upsets of all time
Willie Pep was on the losing side of a huge upset against Sandy Saddler in 1948, which is number five on Atlas’s list. The loss came in a featherweight world title fight and was Pep’s second loss in 137 fights.
At number four is the first meeting between Randy Turpin and Sugar Ray Robinson, in which the latter was on the losing side of the bout. The points victory for Turpin would see Robinson’s record fall to 129-2-2.
Ali was on the winning side of his second mention on the list. Becoming a world champion for the first time, Ali’s win over Liston in 1964 set the icon on a historic path.
Max Baer lost his status as world heavyweight champion against Jim Braddock in 1935, in an upset that earns the runner-up spot, according to Atlas. The unanimous decision victory for Braddock would see his record improve to 50-25-7.
For Atlas’s pick for the greatest upset in boxing history, he picked his former fighter in Mike Tyson. Fighting in Tokyo in 1990, Tyson suffered the first defeat of his career to James ‘Buster’ Douglas.
The controversial meeting between Tyson and Douglas would result in ‘Iron Mike’ being stopped in round 10.
Speaking on the fight, Atlas said, “There’s something called fate, destiny. I believe that. And I believe it was his destiny, his fate, Buster Douglas, that night, to pull off the biggest upset in the great sport of boxing.”