Daredevil is one of the most talented and efficient fighters in the Marvel Universe. Through his enhanced senses and his martial art skills, he has been one of the most stalwart and tenacious defenders of the innocent in Marvel's version of New York City. Daredevil has spent time as an Avenger and a Defender, and has proven himself a close ally of Spider-Man, Captain America, Black Widow, and the Heroes for Hire.
However, even Daredevil can't win every fight. After all, Matt Murdock only has the strength, speed, and stamina of a normal human being (albeit one in peak physical condition). Some opponents are just too strong, too smart, or even too skilled for Daredevil.
10 Iron Fist And Daredevil Have Fought To A Standstill
Daredevil and Iron Fist travel in the same circles as primarily street-level heroes. That usually means that they're going to fight at some point. Matt and Danny have yet to truly come to blows and they actually have a pretty deep mutual respect for one another.
They have sparred to test their skills, however. There was never a decisive victor, which is as good as a loss considering how legendary Daredevil's fighting skills truly are. Of course, Matt wasn't trained in a hidden immortal city nor did he plunge his fists into the heart of Shou-Lao the Undying.
9 Daredevil Just Couldn't Best Echo
Echo, aka Maya Lopez, actually made her debut in a Marvel Knights: Daredevil story by David Mack and Joe Quesada. She is a deaf woman with the uncanny ability to perfectly mimic anything she sees others do (like Taskmaster). Matt and Maya entered a brief relationship, but strain and circumstances led to the two splitting apart.
Echo and Daredevil fought a few times during this time thanks to Kingpin telling Maya that DD killed her father (in reality, Fisk himself killed Maya's father). Each time, Echo proved Daredevil's better – though his heart wasn't really in these fights.
8 Luke Cage Is Just Too Strong For The Man Without Fear
Luke Cage, aka Power Man, has had a few tussles with Daredevil too. This has usually been a result of outside manipulation and misunderstanding, which is the genesis of most superhero showdowns. Luke Cage is a super strong man with unbreakable skin, so it should come as no surprise that Daredevil couldn't really make a dent. Luke usually sends Daredevil into retreat, or Matt finally talks Power Man down.
7 Elektra Always Gets The Better Of Daredevil
The relationship between Daredevil and Elektra is complicated and tepid, to say the least. The two had an intense and passionate relationship for a time that was ended when Elektra was killed by Bullseye. She was resurrected by the Hand, but she and Matt were never truly able to reclaim what was lost.
Every time the two have fought ended with Elektra as the victor. Whether it be due to the emotional chaos Elektra sparks in Matt or Elektra just being that much better a fighter, DD just can't best Elektra Natchios.
6 Daredevil Has Run Afoul Of Doctor Doom More Than Once
Strangely enough, Daredevil has been on the wrong side of Doctor Doom on at least two occasions. Both instances found Doctor Doom taking Daredevil back to Latveria as a prisoner. The first time, Doctor Doom kidnapped Daredevil personally after savagely beating the Man Without Fear.
The second instance found Daredevil knocked out and waking up in Latveria. DD and Doom don't fight directly in this one, but Doom nonetheless got the better of Daredevil by effortlessly moving him halfway around the world.
5 Iron Man Once Tried To Forcibly Cure Daredevil's Blindness
After the event known as "World War Hate" (AXIS by Rick Remender, Adam Kubert, and Leinil Francis Yu), Tony Stark was left with a warped moral compass and became known as "the Superior Iron Man." During this time, Tony threw caution to the wind while performing questionable scientific experiments.
Among these experiments was unleashing the Extremis virus on San Francisco and trying to cure Matt Murdock of his blindness. When Daredevil tries to confront Iron Man about this, Tony Stark easily dominates and casts aside Daredevil.
4 Captain America Has Put Daredevil In His Place Before
Daredevil and Captain America have come to blows a few times as well. Most notably, Cap confronted Daredevil after the events of Shadowland (by Andy Diggle and Billy Tan). Cap wanted to make sure DD was back to normal, and the two had a sparring match to make sure. Daredevil proves he's back on the side of the angels, and the fight comes to a standstill.
That said, just about every fight before this showed Cap getting the better of DD. In fact, Cap's victories have been pretty decisive, showing that the Man Without Fear can't contend with the Sentinel of Liberty.
3 Daredevil Has Been On The Wrong Side Of The Hulk
Surprisingly, Daredevil has been in the path of a rampaging Hulk before. Hulk was spotted in New York City, and Daredevil confronts the Jade Giant. A fight ensues with the Hulk badly beating Daredevil. Matt Murdock barely stays conscious long enough to convince the Hulk that he's on his side.
Daredevil passes out while the Hulk leaps out of the city with an anguished look on his face as he realizes that he's just nearly killed a friend. The two have actually teamed up since, most prominently in Indestructible Hulk by Mark Waid and Matteo Scalera.
2 Daredevil And Spider-Man Have Brawled A Lot, With Spidery Usually On Top
Daredevil and Spider-Man have fought many times over the years. The two men have usually considered one another a close ally and partner, but they've been at odds too. Spider-Man has won just about every encounter with the one exception being Daredevil halting a potential Symbiote Spider-Man rampage.
The fact is that Spider-Man is faster, stronger, and has his Spider-Sense. He's also an excellent fighter, and Daredevil just can't quite measure up to that.
1 Even If DD Wins The Battle, The Kingpin Never Loses The War
As many times as the two have fought over the years, Daredevil has never truly beaten the Kingpin. Matt Murdock has been the victor of some brawls with Wilson Fisk, but the Kingpin of crime isn't an enemy that can be beaten into submission. Locking Fisk in prison is, at best, a temporary inconvenience for a man of Fisk's wealth and standing.
Every time Daredevil has gotten the better of Fisk, he has come back angrier, more dangerous, and more powerful. In fact, Kingpin is the mayor of New York City in Marvel Comics at the time of writing. Furthermore, he is enacting anti-vigilante laws, and they are coming to a head in late 2021 with a story called Devil's Reign.