Weekend reads

• Series · 3 parts

  Barrera and Morales

  In February 2000 two Mexican champions who could not stand each other unified the super-bantamweight titles in Las Vegas. Marco Antonio Barrera won the last round 10–8. Érik Morales won the split decision.

  1. Barrera had Morales on one knee, and Morales still got the decision
  2. A punch in Houston, a slip in the seventh: Barrera evens it with Morales
  3. Once and for all: Barrera wins the third fight with Morales

• Series · 4 parts

  Liverpool's Four European Cups

  In May 1977 Bob Paisley's champions lost the FA Cup final and the chance of a treble. On the Wednesday they beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3–1 at the Stadio Olimpico, and Kevin Keegan played his last game for the club.

  1. Four days after Wembley, Liverpool won the European Cup in Rome
  2. Dalglish replaced Keegan, then won Liverpool the European Cup at Wembley
  3. Alan Kennedy's goal in Paris gave Paisley a third European Cup
  4. Fagan's Liverpool beat Roma in Rome on penalties

• Series · 3 parts

  Tanzi's Parma

  Parma reached Serie A for the first time in May 1990, months after their president died. The dairy company on their shirts took over the club, and over eight years Calisto Tanzi's money brought Zola, Asprilla, Thuram, Crespo and Verón to the Tardini.

  1. Parmalat's money arrives: how Calisto Tanzi built Parma
  2. Wembley, Moscow, then the sales: the trophies Parma won and the team they sold
  3. The €14 billion hole: how Parmalat's collapse brought down Parma

• Series · 4 parts

  The Rise and Fall of Mike Tyson

  A reform-school boy from Brooklyn was taken in by an old trainer in Catskill and told he would be the youngest heavyweight champion in history. D'Amato died in November 1985. In November 1986 Tyson stopped Trevor Berbick in two rounds.

  1. Mike Tyson, Cus D'Amato and the youngest heavyweight champion in history
  2. Tyson unified the title and beat Spinks in 91 seconds as his old team fell apart
  3. Buster Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson in Tokyo, and survives the long count
  4. Prison, the bite and Memphis: Tyson's long way down

• Series · 3 parts

  The Rise and Fall of O'Leary's Leeds

  When George Graham left for Tottenham in 1998, his assistant took over and trusted a squad of young players. Eighteen months later Leeds United were in the UEFA Cup semi-final, and on the night before the first leg two of their supporters were stabbed to death in Istanbul.

  1. O'Leary's young Leeds reach a European semi-final, and two supporters are killed in Istanbul
  2. Leeds lose 4–0 in Barcelona, then go all the way to the Champions League semi-final
  3. Leeds sell Ferdinand, Woodgate and the rest, and go down two years after O'Leary

• Series · 4 parts

  The Four Kings

  In June 1980 Sugar Ray Leonard chose to brawl with Roberto Durán in Montreal and lost his welterweight title. Five months later in New Orleans, with 16 seconds of the eighth round left, he turned his back and would not go on.

  1. Leonard lost a brawl to Durán, then Durán quit on him
  2. Behind on all three cards, Leonard stopped Hearns in the 14th
  3. Hagler beat Durán over 15 rounds and Hearns in three
  4. Leonard came back for Hagler, won on a split decision, and Hagler never fought again

• Series · 3 parts

  The Galácticos

  In July 2000 a construction boss won the Real Madrid presidency by promising to take Barcelona's best player. Eight days later Figo was presented at the Bernabéu, and the Galácticos had begun.

  1. Florentino Pérez promised Real Madrid Luís Figo, and then he delivered him
  2. Zidane's volley, Ronaldo's title, and a sacking in a Bernabéu corridor
  3. Beckham, Ronaldinho and the fall of Florentino Pérez's Real Madrid

• Series · 4 parts

  The Rise and Fall of Fiorentina

  In May 1990 Fiorentina sold their best player to Juventus, and Florence rioted. The following April Baggio came back in a Juventus shirt and would not take a penalty against them.

  1. How Fiorentina lost Roberto Baggio to Juventus
  2. Second in January, relegated in June: Fiorentina's fall and rebuild
  3. Wembley, Manchester United and a sale to Roma: Batistuta's last Fiorentina years
  4. Cup winners in 2001, out of existence in 2002: how Fiorentina collapsed