April 8 - Uriah Grant knocked out Thomas Hearns in the third round to win the IBO Cruiserweight championship. Hearns would never again box for a world title; he retired in 2006.
August 12 - Evander HolyfielddefeatsJohn Ruiz by unanimous decision for the vacant WBA Heavyweight title making Holyfield the only heavyweight in boxing history to win a portion of the HW title 4 times.
March 3 - John Ruiz defeats Evander Holyfield by unanimous decision to win the WBA Heavyweight championship. Ruiz, an American of Puerto Rican descent, becomes the first Hispanic world heavyweight champion.
April 7 - After a fourteen-minute introduction, Naseem Hamedloses to Marco Antonio Barrera by unanimous decision. Barrera, then known as a brawler, surprisingly easily out-boxed Hamed, who later retired after his next bout.
April 22 - Hasim RahmandefeatsLennox Lewis via 5th-round KO in South Africa and wins the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles. Rahman lands a hard right hand for the upset knockout.
February 2 - In his first fight after becoming Undisputed Middleweight Champion, Bernard Hopkins defends the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles against Carl Daniels.
May 18 - Micky Ward defeats Arturo Gatti in a very competitive non-title light welterweight bout. After getting knocked down in the ninth round Gatti came back and traded power punches with Ward. The fight was later named the 2002 Ring Magazine fight of the year.
June 1 - Evander HolyfielddefeatsHasim Rahman by technical decision in eight rounds. A welt the size of a golf ball formed on Rahman's head leading the referee to stop the fight.
June 8 - Lennox LewisdefeatsMike Tyson by eighth-round knockout. The fight is overshadowed by its prefight melee, in which Tyson rushed Lewis and started a brawl.
June 21 - Lennox Lewisdefends his title as he defeats Vitali Klitschko by technical knockout in 6 due to a cut in Klitschko's left eye. Klitschko was up on all of the scorecards at the time of the stoppage. There is talk of a rematch, but Lewis instead retires.
July 12 - Ricardo Mayorga successfully defends his WBA and WBC welterweight belts as he defeatsVernon Forrest by controversial majority decision.
July 17 - Jeff Lacy (as an up-and-coming super middleweight) defeats Richard Grant to win the vacant NABA Super Middleweight title as well as the USBA and WBC Continental Americas Super Middleweight titles.
May 8 - Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Márquezfought for the Featherweight championship. Although he was knocked down 3 times in the 1st round, Márquez managed to control the succeeding rounds to earn a somewhat controversial draw. Márquez retained his WBA and IBF titles, while Pacquiao retained his Ring Magazine title.
September 18 - Bernard Hopkins adds the WBO title to his undisputed middleweight status as he defeatsOscar De La Hoya by a bodyshot knockout in the ninth round. This is Oscar De La Hoya's only defeat by knockout, and the last knockout victory Hopkins achieved (All of Hopkins' victories after this will be by decision).
May 7 - Diego CorralesdefeatsJosé Luis Castillo by 10th-round knockout for the WBO-WBC lightweight title unification. Both men were exchanging brutal punishment throughout the fight, before a dramatic tenth round in which Corrales scored a TKO after getting knocked down twice. It won Fight of the Year.
January 7 - Carlos BaldomirupsetsZab Judah to win the WBC welterweight title, as well as being the recognized welterweight champion, as Judah was the undisputed champion at the time of the bout.
April 8 - Floyd Mayweather Jr.defeatsZab Judah by unanimous decision to win the IBF welterweight title. A mini-riot ensues as Roger Mayweather, Floyd's uncle and trainer, runs into the ring, retaliating to a low blow and rabbit punch by Judah.
May 11 - Former two-time heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson dies from complications of Alzheimer’s disease and prostate cancer.
May 20 - Marco Antonio Barrera defeats Rocky Juarez by split decision. Juarez was competitive throughout the fight, breaking Barrera's nose in the early rounds. The fight was originally announced as a draw, until it was later revealed that there were two scorecard tabulation errors.
November 10 - Steve Molitor defeats Michael Hunter by 5th round knockout to win the vacant IBF super bantamweight title
November 11 - Wladimir Klitschko defends his IBF heavyweight title by defeating American contender Calvin Brock by a stunning knockout in the 7th round.
February 3 - Chad Dawson becomes WBC Light Heavyweight champion after defeating Tomasz Adamek by unanimous decision. Despite being knocked down from a straight right hand in round 10, Dawson dominates most of the fight with his speed.
March 3 - Chris John defeats Jose Rojas by unanimous decision to retain the WBA featherweight title.
March 3 - Miguel Cotto defeats Oktay Urkal by 11th round TKO to retain WBA welterweight title.
March 3 - Rafael Márquez moves up in weight class and defeatsRing Magazine and WBC Super Bantamweight champion Israel Vázquez by 7th-round technical knockout. Vazquez did not answer the bell after badly breaking his nose and having trouble breathing.
March 17 - Jean-Marc Mormeck defeats O'Neil Bell by unanimous decision in their rematch to win the WBA, WBC, The Ring and lineal cruiserweight titles.
March 17 - Juan Manuel Márquez defeats Marco Antonio Barrera by unanimous decision to become the WBC Super Featherweight champion. In the seventh round there was controversy, as Marquez thoroughly dominated the round then got knocked down by Barrera. Referee Jay Nady ruled this a slip, then penalized Barrera for hitting while Marquez was on the canvas.
March 24 - Mikkel Kessler defends his WBA and WBC Super middleweight titles by defeating Librado Andrade by a shutout unanimous decision.
May 5 - In a highly anticipated matchup, Floyd Mayweather Jr.defeatsOscar De La Hoya by split decision, taking the WBC junior middleweight title. Despite being one of the richest fights in the history of the sport, the fight generally did not match the hype.
May 7 - Former super featherweight and lightweight champion Diego Corrales dies in a motorcycle accident near his home in Las Vegas. Corrales died on the second anniversary of his thrilling first fight against José Luis Castillo, regarded as one of the greatest fights in modern history.
June 23 - Ricky Hatton defends his The Ring light welterweight crown as he defeats José Luis Castillo by knockout. Hatton hits him with a perfect liver punch, putting him on the canvas for the first time in his pro career.
July 18 - Daisuke Naito upsets Pongsaklek Wonjongkam, who had previously beaten him twice, by unanimous decision. Naito ends Wonjongkam's six-year run as WBC flyweight champion.
August 4 - David Díaz defeats Erik Morales by unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC lightweight title. This was Morales' fourth consecutive defeat and he would not fight again until 2010.
August 4 - Israel Vázquez defeats Rafael Márquez by technical knockout in the 6th round of their rematch to recapture the WBC super bantamweight title. The two traded punches throughout the fight before Vázquez dominated Márquez in the sixth round, causing the referee to stop the fight.
August 25 - Iván Calderón defeats Hugo Fidel Cazares in a split decision to win the WBO Light Flyweight title and to become The Ring Magazine Jr. Flyweight champion. This was Calderon's first fight at Light Flyweight.
September 29 - Kelly Pavlik upsets Jermain Taylor by 7th round TKO to win the WBC, WBO and universally recognized middleweight championship. Pavlik was knocked down in the second round but rallied back against a tired Taylor.
September 29 - Chad Dawson defeats Epifanio Mendoza by 4th round stoppage to retain the WBC light heavyweight title
November 3 - Joe CalzaghedefeatsMikkel Kessler by unanimous decision in a unification bout for the WBA, WBC, WBO and The Ring super middleweight titles. Calzaghe surpasses the 20 defenses made by Bernard Hopkins and Larry Holmes at middleweight and heavyweight respectively.
December 15 - Jorge Linares defeats Gamaliel Diaz by 8th round TKO to retain the WBC featherweight title.
Edwin Valero defeats Zaid Zavaleta by 3rd round TKO to retain the WBA super-featherweight title.
December 16 - Danny Green defeats Stipe Drews to win the WBA Light Heavyweight title. This is Green's first successful world title match after trying to win the WBC Super Middleweight Title twice.
December 29 - Steve Cunningham defeats Marco Huck by 12 round TKO to retain the IBF cruiserweight title.
March 22 - Andreas Kotelnik defeats Gavin Rees by 12th round TKO to win his WBA light-welterweight title
March 22 - Joel Casamayor defeats Michael Katsidis by 10th-round technical knockout to defend the Ring Magazine Lightweight championship. In a thrilling back-and-forth fight, Casamayor knocked down Katsidis twice in the opening round, only to have Katsidis come back with a knockdown in the 6th. Casamayor knocked Katsidis down again in the 10th, hurting him in the process, and the referee called a halt to the contest.
March 27 - Verno Phillips defeats Cory Spinks by split decision to win the IBF light-middleweight title
April 5 - Felix Sturm defeats Jamie Pittman by 7th round TKO to retain the WBA middleweight title.
April 12 - Antonio Tarver gains the IBF Light Heavyweight title as he defeats Clinton Woods by unanimous decision.
Chad Dawson defeats Glen Johnson by a close unanimous decision and retains his WBC Light Heavyweight title.
April 12 - Miguel Cotto defeats former Contender star Alfonso Gomez to retain the WBA Welterweight title. The fight doctor put a halt on the contest before the start of the 6th round.
July 26 - Antonio Margaritoknocks outMiguel Cotto in the 11th to gain the WBA Welterweight title. Cotto managed to control the early rounds, but Margarito came back with relentless pressure, eventually winning one of the greatest fights of the year. But the handwrap controversy surrounding Margarito was later to call the victory's validity into question.
October 11 - Chad Dawson defeats Antonio Tarver by unanimous decision to win the IBF and IBO light heavyweight titles
October 18 - Bernard Hopkinsbeats undefeated Kelly Pavlik via unanimous decision. Despite being 17 years older than Pavlik, Hopkins outworked and outhustled him throughout the fight.
November 8 - Joe CalzaghedefeatsRoy Jones Jr. in New York City by unanimous decision to retain the Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight title. Despite being put down in the 1st round, Calzaghe controlled the succeeding rounds to win the decision.
December 20 - Nikolai ValuevdefeatsEvander Holyfield by controversial majority decision to retain the WBA heavyweight title, preventing Holyfield from breaking George Foreman's as the oldest heavyweight champion in history. This would to be the final world title bout in Holyfield's long career.
January 17 - Andre Berto defeats Luis Collazo by unanimous decision to retain the WBC welterweight title
January 24 - Shane MosleydefeatsAntonio Margarito to win the WBA welterweight title by 9th-round TKO. Controversy erupted before the fight when it was discovered that Margarito had an illegal plaster-like substance in his gloves. Margarito and his trainer had their boxing licenses revoked.
January 30 - Former heavyweight champion 1959–60 Ingemar Johansson dies from complications of pneumonia and had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
January 30 - Juan Urango defeats Herman Ngoudjo by unanimous decision to win vacant IBF light-welterweight title
March 12 - Hozumi Hasegawa defeats Vusi Malinga by first-round stoppage to retain the WBC bantamweight title
Takahiro Aoh defeats Óscar Larios by unanimous decision in their rematch to win the WBC featherweight title
March 13 - Lucian Bute defeats Fulgencio Zuniga by fourth-round stoppage to retain the IBF super-middleweight title
March 14 - Arthur Abraham defeats Lajuan Simon by unanimous decision to retain the IBF middleweight title
March 14 - Amir Khan defeats Marco Antonio Barrera after the fight was stopped toward the end of the 5th round. Barrera suffering a severe cut, reopened from his previous fight, by a clash of heads late in the opening round. With Barrera deemed in no position to fight on by the ringside doctor, the fight went to the scorecards where Khan was ahead on all three.
March 21 - Roy Jones Jr. knocks out Omar Sheika in the 5th round to win the vacant NABO light heavyweight title. This was Jones' first knockout win in 6½ years. The undercard featured MMA fights.
April 24 - Cory Spinks defeats Deandre Latimore by split decision to win vacant IBF light-middleweight title
April 25 - Felix Sturm defeats Koji Sato by 7th round TKO to retain the WBA middleweight title.
April 25 - Carl Froch beats Jermain Taylor via 12th-round TKO. This was Froch's first defense of his WBC super middleweight title. Froch was knocked down in the 3rd round, and Taylor was knocked down in the 12th.
May 2 - Manny Pacquiao stops Ricky Hatton after two brutal rounds in a fight billed as "The Battle of East and West" in Las Vegas. During the 1st round, Pacquiao knocked down Hatton twice. In the 2nd round, Pacquiao continued to rain Hatton with furious combinations, eventually knocking him out with a thunderous left hook. For his win, Pacquiao took the IBO and The Ring light welterweight titles. The fight was named the knockout of the year.
May 9 - Chad Dawson defeats Antonio Tarver by decision. This was Dawson's first defense of his IBF and IBO light heavyweight titles.
May 30 - Andre Berto defeats Juan Urango by unanimous decision to retain the WBC welterweight title.
June 19 - Jean Pascal defeats Adrian Diaconu by unanimous decision to win the WBC light-heavyweight title
June 20 - Wladimir KlitschkobeatRuslan Chagaev by RTD in the 9th round. The fight was Klitschko's seventh defense of his IBO and IBF heavyweight titles and his third defense of his WBO heavyweight title. Klitschko also won the vacant Ring heavyweight and lineal titles. The crowd of 61,000 was the biggest boxing audience in Germany since Max Schmeling knocked out Adolf Heuser in front of 70,000 in Stuttgart in 1939.[1]
August 15 - Roy Jones Jr. stops Jeff Lacy in the 10th round. This was Jones' first defense of his NABO light heavyweight title. The fight was entitled "Hook City".
September 19 - Floyd Mayweather Jr. dominates Juan Manuel Márquez in Mayweather's comeback fight, after retiring 21 months earlier. It was the first time Marquez had fought above the 135 lb (61 kg). limit. There was some controversy over Mayweather being two pounds over the 144 lb (65 kg) weight limit, for which he later paid Marquez $600,000. The fight was aired the same night that UFC 103 was aired, however sold much better, with 600,000 more PPV buys.
September 26 - Vitali Klitschko knocks out undefeated Chris Arreola in the 10th round. The fight was Klitschko's fourth defense of his WBC heavyweight title.
November 7 - Chad Dawson defeats Glen Johnson in a rematch to win the WBC Light Heavyweight titled and retain the IBO Light Heavyweight title.
November 14 - Manny PacquiaodefeatsMiguel Cotto by a technical knockout with 2:05 left in the fight to become the only boxer to win a world title in seven different weight divisions. As well as to win Cotto's WBO welterweight title.
Yuri Foreman defeats Daniel Santos by unanimous decision to win the WBA Super welterweight champion and become the first Israeli boxer to win a world title.[3]
December 2 - Danny Greenknocks outRoy Jones Jr. in a shocking 2:02 KO after Green landed two solid left hands and a right cross to the temple that knocked Jones out.
December 5 - Marco Huck defeats Ola Afolabi by unanimous decision to retain the WBO cruiserweight title
December 5 - Amir Khan stops Dmitriy Salita in a seventy-six second TKO. The first knockdown came only ten seconds after the fight began. This is Salita's first career loss.