PHOTOS: A visual history of boxing through the past 100 years
Few sports are as visceral as boxing.
Two men step into a ring and batter each other with gloved fists until one is declared the victor. It's the kind of violent ballet that creates incredible, captivating moments.
Here are a few of those indelible moments caught on film:
Schmeling floors the Brown Bomber
At 27-0, Joe Louis was well on his way to becoming one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, and was expected to absolutely demolish Max Schmeling, a former world champion thought to be on the decline.
Schmeling flipped the script, though, knocking out Louis in the 12th round on June 19, 1936.
Marciano rocks Jersey Joe
Undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano bested Jersey Joe Walcott twice in his illustrious career, and few photos represent the brutality of boxing better than the above still of Marciano transforming Walcott's face into jelly.
Phantom Punch
"The Greatest" proved his first victory over Sonny Liston wasn't a fluke, flooring the former heavyweight champion with the now infamous "Phantom Punch" during the first round of their rematch on May 25, 1965.
(Courtesy: Sports Illustrated)
Ali ropes-a-dope
(Courtesy: Sports Illustrated)
Deploying his famed (and dangerous) rope-a-dope strategy, Muhammad Ali recaptured the heavyweight title with a stunning knockout of George Foreman at "The Rumble in the Jungle" on Oct. 30, 1974.
No Mas
Widely known as the "No Mas Fight," Sugar Ray Leonard dominated Roberto Duran during their second matchup on Nov. 24, 1980, causing "Hands of Stone" to quit at the end of the eighth round.
(Courtesy: Sports Illustrated)
Upset of the Century
A 42-1 underdog, James "Buster" Douglas crafted the greatest upset in boxing history, knocking out a seemingly bulletproof Mike Tyson on Feb. 10, 1990.
'Fan Man' invasion
"Fan Man" James Miller crash-landed into the ring during Riddick Bowe's heavyweight title fight against Evander Holyfield at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas on Nov. 6, 1993, causing a 21-minute delay. Miller was attacked and beaten unconscious by fans and security.
McCall weeps
Oliver McCall's victory over Lennox Lewis more than two years earlier made his bizarre behavior in the rematch even more puzzling. After refusing to engage Lewis through three rounds, McCall began straight up walking away from "The Lion" in the fourth and fifth rounds, and eventually burst into tears.
Lewis would go on to regain the WBC title with a fifth-round TKO victory, after McCall refused to fight back.
Just a little nibble on that ear
In one of the most bizarre moments in boxing history, Mike Tyson, who was being thoroughly dominated by Evander Holyfield during the first two rounds of their bout on June 28, 1997, took multiple bites out of Holyfield's ear.
The result of Tyson's dental work:
(Courtesy: Sports Illustrated)
Marquez flattens Manny
In an image Manny Pacquiao no doubt would like to forget, Juan Marquez celebrates after knocking out Pacquiao during the sixth round of their fourth (!) fight, on Dec. 8, 2012.