Top 10: Box Office

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Sky Box Office has brought you some of boxing's biggest fights. Ahead of David Haye's showdown with Nikolai Valuev on November 7, Tim Hobbs pulls together the top 10 bouts.

Bruno v Tyson - March 1996

The one that kicked it all off on Sky Box Office and the first British invasion of Las Vegas. Bruno had already captured the hearts of the nation and, at the fourth time of asking, the world heavyweight title and was the reigning WBC champion. But his first meeting with Iron Mike had lasted just five rounds and despite the drones of 'Bruuuuuno, Bruuuuuno' ringing round the MGM, Big Frank did not give the impression this was going to be any different. He wasted more energy crossing himself on the way into the ring than he did punching once he'd got there. From the first bell Tyson came marauding out and by the end of round one, Bruno was cut and clinging on for dear life. In round two he was deducted a point for holding and as bleary-eyed viewers at home and beered-up supporters in Vegas knew the end was nigh. Tyson duly obliged in the third and as Bruno turned southpaw in one desperate, last stand, he was pummelled into the ropes before Mills Lane stepped in to call off another heroic failure. But we still love him!

Tyson v Holyfield I - November 1996

By now Evander Holyfield was certainly the Real Deal as a heavyweight. He'd taken the belt James 'Buster' Douglas had snatched from from Tyson, beaten George Foreman and Larry Holmes to rule the division outright and avenged his loss to Riddick Bowe. The pair had been scheduled to meet twice before but a rib injury and the small matter of a spell in jail had kept Iron Mike from making the date, until now. He made up for lost time by clouting Holyfield after the bell at the end of the first, but Evander hit back and was clearly not in the mood to be bullied. He was too sharp and smart for the rest of the fight and infuriated Tyson further in the sixth when an accidental headbutt cut him above the left eye. Needless to say Iron Mike saw red and went on a wild offensive, but another headclash saw him scream in agony and his knees buckle, and the doctor was called. He was allowed to continue but in the 10th Holyfield stepped up a gear and had Tyson backpedalling across the ring turning to avoid the blows, in a moment no-one can forget. His corner let him start the 11th, but Holyfield was on him in a shot and that was that. Or was it?

Tyson v Holyfield II - June 1997

For seven months, Mike Tyson must have been stewing, so it was no surprise that the immediate rematch came about. But no-one can have expected just how angry, even the baddest man on the planet had become. Holyfield though, kept his calm and his counsel throughout the build-up but by the time the MGM Grand had filled and Sky Box Office subscribers were in their seats, Tyson must have been seething - at least judging by what was to come. He was rocked in the first and riled in the second, constantly complaining about headbutts, before the meltdown moment of his career came in the third. As the pair clinched, he took a bite at Holyfield's right ear, spat the piece out and as Mills Lane ushered Evander to his corner, chased him down and shoved him in the back. Lane took two points off but Holyfield was allowed to continue and just for the sake of balance, Tyson then sank his teeth into the other ear. Amazingly Evander made - and heard - the bell for the end of the round, but enough was enough and the fight was stopped on a disqualification. Tyson's response was to shove both Holyfield and his trainer, had an altercation with a fan on the way out and had then complained about headbutts in the press conference. The picture of Holyfield's chewed up ear remains an iconic image that boxing, however hard it tries, will never forget.

Hamed v Kelley - December 1997

The first Sky Box Office offering from outside the heavyweight division and one of the most up and down - literally - fights we've seen. While the big boys, like Tyson, Holyfield and Lennox Lewis, were dominating the sport, a precocious young talent from Sheffield was tearing up the featherweight division. Prince Naseem Hamed was the undoubted king of preening, posturing and punching, was unbeaten in 29 fights and defending his WBO belt in his first appearance in the United States. Of course, he didn't come quietly and by the time he came face-to-face with the worldly, but not world-beating Kelley, he had set himself up for a fall. That came before the first round had elapsed, Kelley catching him on the way in and putting him on the floor for the first time in his career. How would Nas respond? By going down again in the very next round. Pride dented, he returned the compliment with that booming right in the second and put Kelley on his backside in the third. But back he came, forcing another eight count in the third only to leave himself open to the Prince's precise punching power and as he waded in again, a sensational left took him off his feet. Referee Benjy Esteves Jr had no hesitation in waving it off and America now knew what we had all along, that this cocky young kid was a real force to be reckoned with.

Lewis v Holyfield I - March 1999

Ask anyone to name a dodgy decision in boxing and more often than not, this fight will crop up. Confusion and controversy reigned at Madison Square Garden at the end of a night that was supposed to deliver the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Lennox brought the WBC belt with him, Evander the others but in all honesty the action failed to live up to the billing and the scoring was the only real talking point. But, it was a perfect snapshot of both boxers' time at the top, Lewis happy to bide his time behind that long, languid but brutal jab, Holyfield all hustle and bustle as he tried to work his way in at whirlwind pace. In the end the immovable object and the irresistible force pretty much cancelled each other out, but to anyone watching without a pen and official scorecard in their hand, Lewis had controlled the contest and had surely cruised to victory. But this is heavyweight boxing and anything can - and did - happen. Judge Eugenia Williams had it about right, giving it to Lewis 115-113, Stanley Christodoulou must have been watching on an unscrambled signal as he scored it 116-113 to Holyfield and just when he could've cleared it all up, Larry O'Connell had it level at 115-115. Holyfield's relief was obvious, Lewis' ice-cool temperament stretched, but he did edge the return.

Hamed v Barrera - April 2001

Still unbeaten, fairly unpopular, but always unmissable, the Prince was now on familiar ground across the pond - but even they didn't expect him to be lowered into the ring on a throne from a suspended catwalk!Not what Barrera, the true epitome of Mexican boxing, would do but maybe what got him so riled up. Despite being the underdog he gave as good as he got in the opening exchanged, finding sharpness in the jab and starting the exchanges that often ended in a clinch, a word in the ear from Nas and a clip back from Barrera. He kept coming though, continually catching Hamed, who spent most of the night, swaying, ducking and jumping out of the way so fiercely, it was hard to tell if he had been caught. There was no doubt though, who was the boss when they ended up grappling on the floor with Barrera on top! Hamed was wobbled on several occasions, Barrera's legs jolted more than once, but in the 12th and final round the defining moment came when Barrera man-handled Hamed across the ring and plunged him face-first into the corner post. It earned him a point deduction but ultimately put the Prince in his place and did not affect the unanimous decision in the Mexican's favour. Barrera had not only taken him to school, he had waited outside the gate, picked up and finished his homework for him.

Lewis v Tyson - June 2002

By now Lewis was sitting pretty as the undisputed heavyweight king, Tyson spitting and snarling in all directions and according to a drugs test after his win over Andrew Golota, smoking marijuana. It clearly didn't have the desired affect because at the official announcement he leapt off his podium to wade into Lewis and his sizeable entourage. Maybe the munchies kicked in because he was said to have bitten Lennox's leg in the melee, and would later on would vow to 'eat his children' (Lewis had none at the time). He then turned on the watching press in a crotch-grabbing, tirade of abuse, just in case the world had forgotten who the baddest man on the planet was. Mike had just about calmed down when fight time came round and it took him until the third round to be warned for a headbutt and by the end of it, the undisputed champion was bleeding from a cut to the right eye. He was deducted a point for pushing Tyson to the floor in the fourth, warned again in the fifth but by now had opened wounds over each of Tyson's glazed eyes. The seventh swung the fight completely in Lennox's favour and as Tyson came in flailing again in the eighth, the sweetest of right hook removeed him from his feet and landed him flat on his back. Both men tasted victory once more after that, although Lewis was the only one who left the sport with his dignity intact.

Hatton v Tszyu - June 2005

A new era for British boxing and the beginning of a new phenomenon. Ricky Hatton had long reigned as the WBU champion and was big box office in the Manchester Area. So what a coup when Frank Warren finally announced he would be fighting for the light-welterweight world title at his second home, the MEN Arena. On top of that he would be taking on Kostya Tszyu, the Russian-born Aussie who many had down as the best pound-for-pounder on the planet not two years ago. Better still, the likeable Tszyu was fighting for the first time in 14 months after a serious ankle injury. The stage was set for a new star and Hatton, honed by Billy Graham and the bodybag, but no stranger to a bevvy, came bulldozing in from the wings. From the word go, he was all over Tszyu, in his face, on his chest, barely giving the champ room to breathe, never mind box. The only danger - which we were to see time and time again later on - was the Hitman's susceptibility at the start of the round, but he took the big rights and barely broke stride. He had his man in trouble plenty of times but as Graham told him he needed "balls of steel" to see out the final round, Tszyu's own trainer, Johnny Lewis, had retired his man on his stool. Cue pandemomium in the ring, bedlam out of it and a new world champion for Britain. And a love affair with the British and Sky Box Office public that would run and run.

Hatton v Mayweather - December 2007

The one fight Hatton had wanted for some time and the chance to establish himself as the best in the world, let alone the welterweight division where he had only boxed once before. Mayweather may not have been the most popular boxer around, but he was the best; lightning-fast reflexes, sublime defence and split-second timing had made him all but untouchable. And, as if this needed it, he knew how to sell a fight. Over he came to Manchester to be greeted by thousands of booing Mancunians, happy to play the role of pantomime villain. Those thousands multipled by 10 for the fight itself and come December 6, Las Vegas rocked the strains of Blue Moon, the casinos cleaned up and the bars were drunk dry. Plenty of people thought Hatton's all-action style could put the Pretty Boy off his stride and let him do damage to the body close in, but when he tried it for starters, referee Joe Cortez called him off and never let him get there again. It was a savage blow to the Hitman's hopes and try as he might, he could make in impact for the rest of the fight and became increasingly ragged. In the end the outcome was inevitable and in the 10th, Mayweather beckoned him in, span him round and sent him sprawling head-first into the cornerpost. The shrieks from Hatton's girlfriend Jennifer could be heard back in Hyde and the Hitman's dream and unbeaten record were in ruins. He had won our hearts, but not the fight that mattered most.

Khan v Prescott - September 2008

Success at the Athens Olympics had set Amir Khan up a superstar-in-the-making and 18 straight professional wins had upped the ante even more. The cynics had suggested none of them were up to scratch, but both Willie Limond and an ageing Michael Gomez had put the boy from Bolton on his backside, so maybe we should have seen this coming. But Breidis Prescott was shipped in from Colombia with a reputation as a puncher but a live contender at best and no-one but no-one could've predicted what happened next. Just 16 seconds had gone when Khan, who had leapt from his corner at the bell, was jolted by a jab. Another few had elapsed when a massive left hook landed square on the chin, buckling his knees in shock and as he swayed back the other way, the same punch put him down in the corner. Somehow he wobbled back to his feet only to be welcomed by another left, a looping right and a short, sharp left to the chin. Down he went again, only this time there was no coming back and after just 54 seconds, the golden boy of British boxing had lost his shine. Shockwaves went around the sport, Cuban coach Jorge Rubio - who had picked Prescott - was sacked and all of a sudden, the shine had gone. It might have been the most brutal thing that will happen to him in the ring, but it might yet be the best, because Khan switched immediately to Freddie Roach and, in front of the Sky Box Office cameras, became a world champion 10 months later.

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