THE comeback that spawned a thousand (unmatched) comebacks, Foreman’s 1994 knockout of Michael Moorer is perhaps the greatest post-40 achievement in sport.
- MUHAMMAD ALI
RETURNING in 1970 after three years out was big, the 1974 bashing of Foreman mountainous. His 1978 revenge over Leon Spinks wasn’t bad, either.
- EVANDER HOLYFIELD
LOOKED spent after losing to Riddick Bowe in their 1995 rubber match, shot when outlasting Bobby Czyz in 1996 and simply sensational when torturing Tyson in the same year.
- VITALI KLITSCHKO
OFTEN forgotten when great returns are touted, Vitali ended a near four-year exile to trounce Sam Peter and regain his WBC title in 2008.
- WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO
EVEN his brother Vitali questioned Wladimir’s decision to return following devastating losses to Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster. An 11-year unbeaten run ensued.
- FLOYD PATTERSON
BECAME the first man to regain the title in 1960 when he flattened Ingemar Johansson, and rebounded from devastating losses to Sonny Liston to close the decade among the best.
- LARRY HOLMES
HIS 1991 comeback – that looked ill-advised following the 1988 defeat to Tyson – peaked when he defeated the unbeaten Olympic champion, Ray Mercer.
- MIKE TYSON
AFTER a jail-enforced four-year break, Tyson returned and – briefly – looked as good as new as he regained the WBC and WBA titles in 1996.
- JOE LOUIS
ALTHOUGH his comeback was sandwiched by definitive losses to Ezzard Charles and Rocky Marciano, Louis did score useful wins over Lee Savold and Jimmy Bivins.
- SONNY LISTON
THE nature of his infamous capitulation to Ali in 1965 left him with a mountain to climb. He fell short, but did topple Henry Clark and Chuck Wepner during his 15-1 (14) comeback.
