Doomsday and Darkseid are both capable of fighting Superman, but when the two villains met, the Lord of Apokolips got a beating he'll never forget.

The two strongest foes Superman has ever faced are almost certainly Darkseid and Doomsday; two powerhouses who have the power to defeat the Man of Steel, whether it be a physical or mental battle. But there's no question which of those villains would be destroyed by the other, thanks to one of Darkseid's most embarrassing defeats.

Although both villains are ruthless, Doomsday embodies every sense of the word, holding back nothing to defeat his enemies... while Darkseid is certainly capable of waiting, even retreating if it benefits his efficient, strategic tactics. But there is something to be said for raw, unkillable strength. After all, most comic fans know how Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding handed the Man of Steel one of the most grueling battles of his life against Doomsday at the climax of The Death of Superman storyline. Even if his death isn't permanent (and he defeated Doomsday at the same time) it's clear that Darkseid never realized what a beating Superman took at the hands of Doomsday.

In Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #1 (also by Jurgens and Breeding), Doomsday attacks Apokolips after his initial return. Once DeSaad warns his master that Doomsday is demolishing the world, Darkseid decides to take matters into his own hands. And receives a seriously humiliating wake up call.

Darkseid blasts Doomsday with an Omega Beam, and it does almost no harm. Doomsday then delivers a series of blows, making quick work of the tyrant of Apokolips. Because he is a mindless killing machine, Darkseid's manipulative fear tactics, arguably his most resourceful instruments, can't affect Doomsday whatsoever. In the following issues, Superman makes his way to Apokolips with other DC heroes of the 1990s like Maxima and Waverider, and attempts to defeat Doomsday once and for all. Darkseid actually agrees to help the Man of Steel stop the beast. As the title suggests, Superman is the hunter this time. He does everything he can to defeat the monster that killed him in The Death of Superman. Superman accidentally opens a portal to the end of time with one of Waverider's devices. Waverider and Darkseid end up saving Superman, and the team abandons Doomsday at the end of time.

It takes a massive threat for Darkseid to work with Superman. In this case, Doomsday is one of those obstacles. After getting destroyed by Doomsday, Darkseid managed to empathize with Superman for the first time in a long time, if not the first time ever. Both Darkseid and Superman know what Doomsday is capable of now. Even if Doomsday can defeat Darkseid and Superman alone, he is no match for both of them working together.

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