Manny Pacquiao, Larry Bird Featured in Greatest 1-on-1 Rivalries in Sports History (Photos)

While some sports, like boxing or tennis, lend themselves to 1-on-1 rivalries more than others, there's also those instances when team sports boil down to a couple of individuals.

Whether they're matched up head to head on the court, roaming opposite sidelines or leading their respective offenses onto the field in an effort to outscore each other, there's plenty of examples of sports fans honing in on a specific matchup before a particular contest even begins.

Whether it's Tom Brady and Peyton Manning battling for AFC supremacy, Micky Ward and Arturo Gatti exchanging blows or Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson going shot for shot, each 1-on-1 rivalry over the years has been unique.

Each possesses varying degress of hatred (or fondness) and each has taken part on different sports stages. But a rivalry is something that should be cherished by fans, as great ones don't come around too often.

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