A Look Back In Combat In Christmas

As Christmas 2025 draws near, fight fans often think back to memorable combat sports moments that happened during the holiday season. Boxing, MMA, and other combat disciplines have a long history of holding significant fights in December, a time when sports calendars are winding down but the action inside the ring remains intense.

Boxing has perhaps the deepest tradition of holiday season fights. One of the earliest noted holiday bouts took place on Christmas Day in 1923, when middleweight legend Harry Greb fought Tommy Loughran in Pittsburgh. Greb dominated the non-title matchup, adding another chapter to a rivalry that spanned multiple fights across their careers. 

Another Christmas Day bout in history featured Sugar Ray Robinson knocking out Hans Stretz in 1950 in Germany. Robinson’s victory came during a stretch in which he fought frequently and showcased his skill before returning to major championship competition. 

In the United States in December 1990, Mike Tyson returned to form against Alex Stewart in Atlantic City. Tyson, one of boxing’s biggest superstars, scored a first-round TKO in a night that reminded fans he was still a powerful presence in the heavyweight division.
 
December also saw high-profile fights such as Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Angel Manfredy in 1998, a super featherweight title bout fought just days before Christmas. Mayweather claimed a second-round TKO, further building his reputation as one of the sport’s future all-time greats. 
Boxing was not the only combat sport active in the holiday season. In MMA, the early years of the UFC included December events that helped shape the organization’s identity. UFC 4, held in December 1994, featured Royce Gracie defeating Dan Severn in the finals of an eight-man tournament format, an important moment in the early evolution of mixed martial arts competition. 

These fights show how combat sports have historically filled the holiday period with compelling matchups. Fighters training all year often find their momentum peaking in December, leading to battles that captivate audiences when much of the sporting world is in holiday mode.

For fans, these holiday season fights offered a chance to celebrate the sport’s highs and lows in a time usually reserved for family and rest. The festive atmosphere added to the drama, making each bout feel like part of the year’s final chapter of struggle and achievement. Old-school audiences crowded arenas on Christmas Day and the weeks leading into it, bringing a sense of occasion to competitions that once were part of local holiday traditions across the United States and Europe.

As we approach Christmas 2025, fans can remember those moments not just as points on a timeline, but as reminders of how deep combat sports run in global sporting culture. The holiday season has often served as a stage for fighters to push boundaries, raise legacies, and deliver performances that fans still recall long after the calendar changes.

Whether it was Greb in the 1920s, Robinson in the 1950s, Tyson in the 1990s, or early UFC tournaments in the 1990s, these fights place combat sports firmly in the memories of those who welcomed them during the holidays of years past.