Manchester United v Liverpool
Two of the most successful English football clubs have a large number of diehard fans who are very demanding and will not accept anything but a win against their division rivals. Manchester United has 66 trophies, more than Liverpool, while the Premier League fixture between Everton and Liverpool has produced 16 red cards and 21 European titles for Liverpool. ..
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal and Tottenham have a long-standing rivalry that has only intensified in recent years. The proximity of the team’s stadiums, Emirates Stadium for Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, only add to the conflict. Notable transfers between the two clubs, such as Sol Campbell moving from Spurs to Arsenal in 2001, are often met with animosity from rival fans. In 2004-05, Arsenal won the English Premier League title at White Hart Lane, their former home stadium, thanks to an unbeaten season led by their Invincibles squad. ..
Boston Celtics v L.A. Lakers
The National Basketball Association (N.B.A) is one of the most-watched sports in the world, especially in the United States. The Eastern Conference (EC) has more teams and is more competitive, while the Western Conference (WC) has more teams and is less competitive. The best team from each conference meets in a best-of-seven series at the finals. The Celtics and Lakers are the most successful teams in the NBA with 16 and 17 titles, respectively. The two teams have produced hall of fame players; Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. These two teams have met each other 12 times in the finals, with six titles between them.
The Green Bay Packers v The Chicago Bears
The National Football League (N.F.L) gives us memorable events such as the Superbowl and the playoffs watched by millions every year. American Football is a violent sport and these supreme athletes put their bodies on the line for our entertainment. The Packers and Bears have played each other 203 times, with the Packers having a slight advantage over the bears with 103 wins to 95 and six ties. In recent years, Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Packers, has had an impressive record of 23 wins and 5 losses against the Bears. Rodgers continues to taunt them in the media and on social media about their laughable record against him. In 2014, Rodgers destroyed the Bears with a six-touchdown performance, which was the highest game result in 203 games played between these two teams. ..
Boxing-Mike Tyson v Evander Holyfield (1996)
These two former heavyweight champions of the 80s and 90s were at the prime of their careers. It was inevitable that a fight was in the cards. They fought twice, Holyfield winning the first match in the 11th round. In the second infamously named”the bite fight” Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear frustrated he had suffered a cut above his eye, astonishingly the referee let the fight continue. Unbelievably Tyson bit Holyfield’s ear again, a chunk visibly missing from his ear, and the fight called off. They didn’t fight again but made up later on.
The match between Queensland and New South Wales was a close one, with both teams playing hard and trying to score tries. However, it was Queensland who came out on top, scoring a try in the final minutes of the game to win by just four points.
This exhibition match consists of three series between two Australian states. The two states select the best players to represent them in the series. Sometimes unique situations arise in which teammates face each other in this tournament. The rules of the game are lax, and the players are encouraged to inflict hard and over-the-shoulder tackles. In a perfectly legit game, some of these tackles result in ejections. Australians love these exhibition matches which are gaining international interest over the years. ..
Conclusion
The rivalry between two sports teams has always been a key part of sports. It has shaped the careers of athletes and the destinies of sports franchises. We still talk about the unbelievable moments that define a crucial moment of a game that resulted in a win or loss. We should enjoy these sports events occur and respect these athletes that keep rivalries for years to come.
