The fight was memorable for several reasons. Chavez was knocked down for the first time in his career and had points deducted twice for low blows. Randall won by split decision, ending a winning streak that lasted nearly 14 years. Chavez later gained revenge in the rematch, winning a technical decision after the fight was stopped due to a clash of heads.
Before Chavez, Sugar Ray Robinson set a standard that few players ever approached. Robinson won his first 40 professional fights before losing to Jake LaMotta in February 1942. The defeat turned out to be only a ephemeral setback.
Three weeks later, Robinson defeated LaMotta in a rematch and began another remarkable streak. Between 1943 and 1951, Robinson won 91 consecutive fights, which remains one of the most impressive achievements in boxing history.
Several other champions ended their careers undefeated or came close to doing so. Mayweather finished his career with a record of 50-0 after winning world titles in five weight classes. Marciano left the sport undefeated with a 49-0 record as heavyweight champion.
Larry Holmes appeared on track to equal Marciano’s heavyweight record before he met Michael Spinks in September 1985. Holmes entered the fight with a 48-0 record, but lost by compact decision, one win shy of matching Marciano.
Joe Calzaghe also finished his career undefeated. The Welsh southpaw retired with a 46-0 record after unifying a share of the super middleweight championship and later defeating Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins.
History books also contain the names of players whose long winning streaks have largely faded from public memory. According to Harry Mullan’s The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Boxing, Britain’s Hal Bagwell had a winning streak of 183 fights between 1938 and 1948. Packey McFarland recorded 97 consecutive victories between 1905 and 1915, while Spaniard Pedro Carrasco recorded a streak of 93 victories between 1964 and 1971.
Figures from boxing’s first decades can be hard to verify due to incomplete record-keeping and differences between official figures and newspaper decisions. Still, they’re a reminder that winning streaks existed long before the era of television.
Whether measured by the number of victories, longevity or the level of adversity he faced, Robinson’s 91-fight streak and Chavez’s undefeated march through the 1980s remain one of the greatest streaks in history. These are achievements that still stand alongside the perfect records of Mayweather, Marciano and Calzaghe whenever boxing’s longest winning streaks are discussed.
Ken Hissner is a senior boxing journalist at Boxing News 24 with over 20 years of experience in the sport. Known for his in-ring reporting, detailed results and historical perspective, he provides authoritative coverage of boxing through the eras.