Most Controversial Knockouts in Boxing History

James Toney was knocked down twice in the first round by Fernando Vargas but remained standing. The official count was disputed, with Toney claiming the referee gave him an illegal count or did not count properly, leading to one of the most infamous finishings in middleweight history.

Felix Trinidad won via TKO in the 10th round, but De La Hoya and his team vehemently protested that he was not hurt and had the fight won. The controversy stemmed from the referee's decision to stop the fight despite De La Hoya appearing capable of continuing, denying him a clear victory.

Lennox Lewis secured a TKO victory over John Ruiz in the 11th round, but the ending was chaotic. Ruiz was counted out, then rose and threw punches while on his knees, leading Lewis to strike him again, resulting in immediate disqualification or TKO confusion depending on the broadcast interpretation.

Jermain Taylor knocked out Roy Jones Jr. in the 11th round to win the middleweight titles. Although the knockout itself was not technically disputed by judges, it remains controversial because Jones had just fought for the light-heavyweight title, and his performance in the first eight rounds was widely seen as superior.

Miguel Cotto won by knockout in the ninth round, but the finish was highly controversial. Mosley was counted out, got up, and immediately attacked Cotto, leading Cotto to knock him down again. Many observers felt the referee should have disqualified Mosley rather than allowing the bout to continue for a few more seconds.

The fight ended in a majority draw despite Canelo being knocked down in the sixth round. The controversy arose because many fans and pundits believed Canelo should have won, citing GGG's aggressive but less effective punching, while others argued the knockdown warranted a win for Golovkin, creating a lasting divide.

Jeff Horn won a split decision over Terence Crawford, with many critics arguing Crawford had clearly done enough to win. Horn's victory sparked accusations of judging bias, particularly given Horn's Australian home advantage and his lower boxing IQ, making it one of the most shocking upsets in recent history.

Lennox Lewis stopped David Tua in the 12th round, but Tua claimed he was not hurt and was only knocked down because Lewis punched below the belt. Although Tua passed post-fight medicals and the result stood, the allegation of an illegal blow cast a shadow over the controversial finish.

Sunny Edwards won a split decision that left many viewers confused and upset, as Casimero appeared to have done enough to secure a clear victory. The controversy centered on scorecards that favored Edwards despite his less aggressive style, highlighting ongoing issues with subjective scoring in lower weight classes.

Frankie Randall won a split decision over Julio Cesar Chavez, but the result was met with widespread disbelief. Chavez was widely seen as the aggressor and cleaner hitter, yet the judges awarded the fight to Randall, marking the end of Chavez's undefeated streak under controversial circumstances.

Timothy Bradley won a split decision that was widely criticized as a robbery, despite Pacquiao clearly dominating the later rounds. The decision sparked accusations of bias and poor officiating, as Bradley had barely survived the early rounds while Pacquiao landed the cleaner, more effective punches.

Although the decision was unanimous, the final round saw Hatton knock Mayweather down in the 11th round. The controversy lies not in the stoppage, but in the earlier rounds where Mayweather's defensive tactics were questioned, and the sudden end to the fight left some observers feeling robbed of a full contest.

Carlos Monzon won the middleweight title against Nino Benvenuti by a narrow majority decision. Benvenuti was the favorite and appeared to win, but Monzon's pressure and clinching tactics secured the win, leading to decades of debate over whether the champion had actually dominated the bout.

Teofimo Lopez knocked out Vasiliy Lomachenko in the 11th round, ending Lomachenko's unbeaten streak. While the knockout was decisive, the controversy stems from Lomachenko's corner and team arguing that Lopez was hitting below the belt throughout, potentially influencing the pacing and outcome.

Andre Ward won a unanimous decision against Sergey Kovalev, but the result was heavily disputed by Kovalev's team and fans. Kovalev had landed significant power punches, including a knockdown, yet Ward won all three rounds, leading to accusations that the judges favored the more defensive style.

Andy Ruiz Jr. knocked out Anthony Joshua to win the heavyweight titles, an upset so shocking it sparked immediate controversy. While the knockout was clean, the debate centered on whether Joshua had underprepared or if the result was a fluke, given the disparity in size and reputation.

Muhammad Ali knocked out Joe Frazier, but some critics argued that Frazier was not completely hurt before the final blow. The controversy is less about the count and more about the historical narrative, with some claiming Ali's strategy was luck rather than skill, though Frazier's team accepted the result.

Jermain Taylor won a split decision to claim the middleweight title from Bernard Hopkins. The controversy arose because Hopkins landed cleaner punches and had a better start, yet Taylor's pressure in the later rounds swayed the judges, leading to claims that boxing's scoring system was flawed.

Mike Tyson lost to Michael Moorer by TKO in the 10th round, a shocking result given Tyson's dominance. Controversy erupted when Tyson claimed Moorer was hitting him below the belt, but no warning was given, suggesting the referee was biased or incompetent in his officiating of the fight.

The fight ended in a split draw, a result that disappointed fans who wanted a clear winner. Many believed Canelo had done enough to win, while GGG's camp argued they had won the later rounds, leading to a prolonged debate about whether a draw was an appropriate verdict for such a high-profile bout.