How Turpin toppled Sugar Ray

World middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson, already a legend in the ring, arrived in the capital having been beaten just once, by "Bronx Bull" Jake La Motta, in 133 fights. But Britain's Randolph Turpin had done his homework.

Training with a 150lb medicine ball, the 33-1 outsider built up teak-hard stomach muscles which repelled Robinson's most ferocious assaults. Robinson, whose retinue included a dwarf court jester, realised too late that he had underestimated Turpin's challenge and the home hero's victory on points after 15 hard rounds was saluted by a capacity crowd singing: "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

27 September 1986 Caesars Palace, Atlantic City

Lloyd Honeyghan had already served notice of his potential by taking apart talented Italian Gianfranco Rosi to win the European welterweight title.

But he was given such little chance against undisputed world champion Don Curry, that Curry's managers were already making plans for their man to move up to middleweight for a superfight with Marvin Hagler.

"Ragamuffin" Honeyghan, sufficiently confident in his own ability to score an upset victory that he bet $US5,000 on himself at 6-1, landed a big right hand at the start of the first round and never looked back.

Curry, his nose broken and his bottom lip torn, was forced to retire at the end of the sixth and Honeyghan picked up a $30,000 bonus at the bookies.