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Some great fighters lose their unbeaten “0” early, like three-division world champion Henry “Homicide Hank” Armstrong, 149-21-10, did in his debut, losing to Al Iovino, 7-6-3, by third-round knockout, only to lose once after that by stoppage.
Heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries, 19-1-2, retired unbeaten, only to be pushed back into the ring six years later and have to lose 100 pounds.
In the church he attended, Jeffries hears, “We have a coward amongst us if he doesn’t fight again, replacing champion Jack Johnson!” Before a crowd of 16,528 in Reno, Nevada, on July 4th, 1910, he was stopped by champion Johnson, 50-5-9, in the 15th round of a 45-round scheduled bout. He last fought in August 1904, defeating Jack Munroe 7-2.
Poland’s Darius “Tiger” Michalzewski, 48-0, lost his WBO Light Heavyweight title to Mexican-American Julio Cesar Gonzalez, 34-1, in October 2003.
Middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson was 40-0 when he lost to Jake “Bronx Bull” LaMotta, 30-5-2, in February 1943 in Detroit, Michigan. Three weeks later, he won the title back.
WBC World Super Lightweight champion Mexico’s Julio “J.C.” Cesar Chavez, 89-0-1, lost to Frankie “The Surgeon” Randall, 48-2-1, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 1984. Four months later, he re-won the title.
Joe “The Brown Bomber” Louis, 24-0, was stopped by Max Schmeling, 48-7-4, in June of 1936 at Yankee Stadium, New York. In June of 1938, as world Heavyweight champion, he knocked out Schmeling.
Heavyweight champion Larry “Easton Assassin” Holmes, 48-0, lost to Light Heavyweight champion Michael “Jinx” Spinks, 27-0, in September of 1985 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Denmark’s Brian Nielsen, 49-0, was stopped by Dicky “The Raging Bull” Ryan, 47-4, in June of 1999, at Vejia, Denmark. He won the rematch over a year later.
Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker, 15-0, lost to WBC Lightweight champion Jose “El Zurdo” Louis Ramirez, 100-6, in Hauts-de-Seine, France. In August of 1989, Whitaker, as IBF champion, defeated WBC champion Ramirez in Norfolk, VA, in a rematch.
Former WBO Super Middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, 44-0, lost to WBA Light Heavyweight champion Dmitrii Bivol, 20-0, in November of 2022 in Abu Dhabi.
Former Heavyweight champion Muhammad “The Greatest” Ali, 31-0, lost to Heavyweight champion “Smokin” Joe Frazier, 26-0, in March of 1971, in Madison Square Garden, New York. In January of 1974, he won the rematch for the NABF title.
Frazier, 29-0, was stopped by “Big” George Foreman, 37-0, in Kingston, Jamaica, in January of 1973. He also lost the rematch.
In October 1974, Foreman, 40-0, was knocked out by Ali, 44-2, in Africa.
Heavyweight champion Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe, 31-0, defeated former Cruiser champ Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, 28-0. At 34-0, he lost to Holyfield in the rematch, both in Las Vegas, Nevada.
World Flyweight champion Argentina’s Pascual Perez, 51-0-1, lost to Sadao Yaoita, 27-6, in January of 1959, in Tokyo, Japan.
World Bantamweight champion Brazil’s Eder Jofre, 47-0-3, lost to Fighting Harada, 38-3, in May of 1965 in Japan.
World Welterweight champion “Sugar” Ray Leonard, 27-0, lost to Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran, 71-1. He won the rematch.
Duran, 31-0, lost to Esteban De Jesus, 32-1; he won the rematch.
American Light Heavyweight champion Gene “The Fighting Marine, Tunney, 47-0-2, lost to Harry “Pittsburgh Windmill” Greb, 196-12-15, in May of 1922, at Madison Square Garden, New York. He won the rematch.
These are just some of the many great boxers who lost for the first time their “0”.
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