Throughout the years, there have been many iconic sports moments and events that send chills down our spines whenever we watch them. Some sports moments stay in history forever, such as seeing Michael Jordan dunking in his iconic shoes for the first time. Then there are boxing bouts that have changed the course of history, or events that united or divided whole nations.
Below are some of the greatest sports moments in history that will never fade away. Read through these and tell us some of your most iconic moments from sports history via the contact form below.
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Thrilla In Manilla
The culmination of the three-match boxing bout between Ali and Frazier is one of the greatest boxing performances of all time. It’s also one of the most heavily bet matches.
You can bet that new bookmakers were having trouble printing enough slips for the bout that went down as one of the best of all time. It was the heavyweight match to remember, held in the Philippines as the pinnacle of the three-match series.
Contested on October 1, 1975, it was the boxing match for the throne. Held at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao (Quezon City) and located in Metro Manilla, it’s famous for Ali’s verbal abuse toward Frazier. He nicknamed him “The Gorilla” and used it as the basis of his now-famous rhyme: “It will be a killa and a thrilla and a chilla when I get the Gorilla in Manila.” The boxing great said those words while punching a gorilla doll.
Ali won the fight in the 14th round by corner retirement, but Frazier had his chances. The three-match was won by Muhammad Ali 2-1, solidifying his position as the greatest boxer of all time. According to some sources, the match was watched by 1 billion viewers, which hasn’t happened for boxing ever since.
Rumble In The Jungle
Almost all of Ali’s boxing matches wore distinct names.
Before the Thrilla in Manilla, Muhammad Ali had the Rumble in the Jungle. It was another heavyweight match between the undisputed champion George Foreman and Ali as a challenger. The rumble was held in Kinshasa, Zaire at the time (now DR Congo), and was held in front of 60,000 people.
Ali won the match via knockout in the 8th round. This boxing match is often called the greatest sports event of the 20th century since Ali was a heavy underdog according to bookies (4 to 1). It was also one of the greatest boxing upsets of all time. Just like the Thrilla a year later, this match was apparently watched by 1 billion viewers and grossed around $100 million adjusted for inflation.
The Flu Game
It was Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals when Jordan’s Bulls faced the Utah Jazz. Known as the Flu Game, it’s one of the most iconic NBA games of all time. The series was 2-2 at that point, with the Bulls visiting the Jazz on the road. Jordan stepped out in clearly bad shape.
At 2 AM the night before the match, he called his personal trainer asking for help. When he got to the Marriott hotel room, Jordan was lying in a fetal position and profusely sweating.
It was officially reported as a case of the flu, but many argue that he just ate something bad. Regardless of the cause, Michael Jordan didn’t just play the game in full – he dominated. His 38 points were the most in the game, and the win was even more impressive after Chicago started the match poorly, trailing the Jazz in double digits early.
The third win gave the Bulls the confidence they needed, and they closed the series with another win at home, clinching the NBA title.
City's First PL Title In 44 Years
Manchester City is a household name now, and it all started in the late 2000s when the club was bought by Sheikh Mansour bin Al Nahyan. It took a few years to build a strong team, and the culmination came in 2012. That season, Manchester City and Manchester United took their rivalry down the line, with City winning its first title in 44 years in style after Sergio Aguero’s way-too-late winning goal.
United was winning its last match and celebrating, but Aguero led a stunning comeback against Queens Park Rangers in one of the most dramatic season finishers. In the end, both clubs had 89 points, but City’s better goal difference brought the club the title. Later, this season was voted as the best since the PL began, and we can’t argue with that choice.
Whenever we see that Aguero goal, it still gives us chills.
Miracle On Ice
In 1980, the US beat Russia at the Olympics in a match that will later be called the Miracle on Ice. And it truly was. Russia’s national team was an overwhelming favorite for the trophy, and the US team mostly consisted of amateurs. Still, it was an inspiring victory for the Americans which also had political repercussions, as defeating the Reds always does.
Germany's World Cup Thrashing of Brazil
Who can forget Germany thrashing Brazil 7-1 at the 2014 World Cup quarter-finals? The Selecao were a favorite before the tournament, and so was Germany. It was thought that moments of brilliance might seal the match for any side, but it took just 11 minutes for Germany to open the lead via Thomas Muller. And then it began. Germany was up 5-0 by half-time and led 7-0 before Oscar’s 90-minute goal decided the final result.
Brazil was so demoralized during this match, that if it went on for longer, the score might have been doubled. Germany went on to win the World Cup that year, with one of the best generation of players to take the field for Die Mannshaft.
The Invincibles
We’ve seen many football teams having near-perfect seasons. But, no champion comes close to Arsene Wenger’s invincibles who won the 2003-2004 season without losing a single match. In the end, Arsenal—led by Thierry Henry—won 32 matches and had only 6 draws. That’s a feat not even Barcelona in its best days achieved, and still a record that may never be broken.