When you look at the list of fighters that Ali beat in his career it's really not much different than Tyson's other than he was blessed with TWO very worthy opponents, Frazier & Foreman, which is really why this period is the hayday of the heavyweight. (I know Jimmy Ellis was a decent fighter, but he wasn't nearly as good as Frazier/Foreman)
I'd have an easier time believing that if he actually fought anyone that was on his level. They just wanted to turn him into an attraction. The KO machine. I can believe the Cus D'Amato theory, but if you go back and check who he got in the ring with, they were easy matches. Tyson would finish em off 30 seconds into the match for chrissakes. I coulda knocked out Holmes and Spinks at that stage in their careers.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
When you look at the list of fighters that Ali beat in his career it's really not much different than Tyson's other than he was blessed with TWO very worthy opponents, Frazier & Foreman, which is really why this period is the hayday of the heavyweight. (I know Jimmy Ellis was a decent fighter, but he wasn't nearly as good as Frazier/Foreman)
what no love for Earnie Shavers?
Hey Rootless,
I was gonna list Shavers but I thought he might be dismissed as a B/C class fighter given his inability to beat top guys (e.g., Ali, Holmes, Norton). I guess I could've included Ron Lyle too, but I would view him as a step below Shavers.
yeah he was somewhat 2nd tier but damn that fool could hit hard.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
yeah he was somewhat 2nd tier but damn that fool could hit hard.
Yep, if Big Earnie connected with the right, say goodnight!!! The 60's and 70's were great eras for heavyweights. My brother, pops, and I would sit up late watching the close-circuit big bouts. Also, that's back when you could catch good bouts on ABCs "Wide World of Sports." They used to show some great bouts on TV, like when Holmes spanked Ken Norton. Or, the George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle knockdown fest. Those were the days!!!
yeah he was somewhat 2nd tier but damn that fool could hit hard.
Yep, if Big Earnie connected with the right, say goodnight!!! The 60's and 70's were great eras for heavyweights. My brother, pops, and I would sit up late watching the close-circuit big bouts. Also, that's back when you could catch good bouts on ABCs "Wide World of Sports." They used to show some great bouts on TV, like when Holmes spanked Ken Norton. Or, the George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle knockdown fest. Those were the days!!!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Indeed that is the truth... we can all thank this thug for the steady decline of the sweet science...
yeah he was somewhat 2nd tier but damn that fool could hit hard.
Yep, if Big Earnie connected with the right, say goodnight!!! The 60's and 70's were great eras for heavyweights. My brother, pops, and I would sit up late watching the close-circuit big bouts. Also, that's back when you could catch good bouts on ABCs "Wide World of Sports." They used to show some great bouts on TV, like when Holmes spanked Ken Norton. Or, the George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle knockdown fest. Those were the days!!!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
You know it!
The second Ali/Jerry Quarry fight is still a vivid memory.
Damn that guy could bleed.
And then there was Chuck Wepner.....you know you're in trouble when your nickname is the Bayonne Bleeder!!
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
So true, Iron Monkey. I've seen so many great bouts on TV, back in the day, like:
-Wilfredo Gomez vs. Rocky Lockridge. -Mark Breland vs. Marlon Starling. -Alexis Arguello vs. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini. -Jim Watt vs. Howard Davis. -John Tate vs. Mike Weaver. -Larry Holmes vs. Renaldo Snipes. -James "Hardrock" Green vs. Frank "The Animal" Fletcher. -Azumah Nelson vs. Jeff Fenech. -George Foreman vs. Jimmy Young. -"Sugar" Ray Leonard vs. Wilfred Benitez. -Pinklon Thomas vs. Tim Witherspoon. -Ken Norton vs. Earnie Shavers. -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Dwight Braxton (later Qawi). -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Eddie Gregory (later Mustafa Muhammad). -Jorge Paez vs. Troy Dorsey. -Oba Carr vs. Livingstone Bramble. -Donovan "Razor" Ruddock vs. James "Bonecrusher" Smith. -Evander Holyfield vs. Burt Cooper. -"Merciless" Ray Mercer vs. Tommy "The Duke" Morrison. -Carlos DeLeon vs. S.T. Gordon. -Juan Laporte vs. Salvador Sanchez. -and so many more.
So true, Iron Monkey. I've seen so many great bouts on TV, back in the day, like:
-Wilfredo Gomez vs. Rocky Lockridge. -Mark Breland vs. Marlon Starling. -Alexis Arguello vs. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini. -Jim Watt vs. Howard Davis. -John Tate vs. Mike Weaver. -Larry Holmes vs. Renaldo Snipes. -James "Hardrock" Green vs. Frank "The Animal" Fletcher. -Azumah Nelson vs. Jeff Fenech. -George Foreman vs. Jimmy Young. -"Sugar" Ray Leonard vs. Wilfred Benitez. -Pinklon Thomas vs. Tim Witherspoon. -Ken Norton vs. Earnie Shavers. -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Dwight Braxton (later Qawi). -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Eddie Gregory (later Mustafa Muhammad). -Jorge Paez vs. Troy Dorsey. -Oba Carr vs. Livingstone Bramble. -Donovan "Razor" Ruddock vs. James "Bonecrusher" Smith. -Evander Holyfield vs. Burt Cooper. -"Merciless" Ray Mercer vs. Tommy "The Duke" Morrison. -Carlos DeLeon vs. S.T. Gordon. -Juan Laporte vs. Salvador Sanchez. -and so many more.
I miss the past era of boxing. It was incredible.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
DAMN!!! Remember that shit? Waaaay better than the way it goes down today. I remember that Azuma Nelson / Jeff Fenech fight. It was awesome!!!! Those guys were tough as nails and went toe to toe for practically the whole fight. Incredible match. Man, allthose mathces you listed were Frickin' classic.
You really can't compare that era to this one. It's almost wwf type shit nowadays. You just assume the fix is in even before the fight happens. Sad...
So true, Iron Monkey. I've seen so many great bouts on TV, back in the day, like:
-Wilfredo Gomez vs. Rocky Lockridge. -Mark Breland vs. Marlon Starling. -Alexis Arguello vs. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini. -Jim Watt vs. Howard Davis. -John Tate vs. Mike Weaver. -Larry Holmes vs. Renaldo Snipes. -James "Hardrock" Green vs. Frank "The Animal" Fletcher. -Azumah Nelson vs. Jeff Fenech. -George Foreman vs. Jimmy Young. -"Sugar" Ray Leonard vs. Wilfred Benitez. -Pinklon Thomas vs. Tim Witherspoon. -Ken Norton vs. Earnie Shavers. -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Dwight Braxton (later Qawi). -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Eddie Gregory (later Mustafa Muhammad). -Jorge Paez vs. Troy Dorsey. -Oba Carr vs. Livingstone Bramble. -Donovan "Razor" Ruddock vs. James "Bonecrusher" Smith. -Evander Holyfield vs. Burt Cooper. -"Merciless" Ray Mercer vs. Tommy "The Duke" Morrison. -Carlos DeLeon vs. S.T. Gordon. -Juan Laporte vs. Salvador Sanchez. -and so many more.
I miss the past era of boxing. It was incredible.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
No mention of my all-time fave and possibly baddest ass per pound ever....
And for a while they broadcasted most of his fights.
Damn Guys....you are bringing back some memories....and they're all good.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
So true, Iron Monkey. I've seen so many great bouts on TV, back in the day, like:
-Wilfredo Gomez vs. Rocky Lockridge. -Mark Breland vs. Marlon Starling. -Alexis Arguello vs. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini. -Jim Watt vs. Howard Davis. -John Tate vs. Mike Weaver. -Larry Holmes vs. Renaldo Snipes. -James "Hardrock" Green vs. Frank "The Animal" Fletcher. -Azumah Nelson vs. Jeff Fenech. -George Foreman vs. Jimmy Young. -"Sugar" Ray Leonard vs. Wilfred Benitez. -Pinklon Thomas vs. Tim Witherspoon. -Ken Norton vs. Earnie Shavers. -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Dwight Braxton (later Qawi). -Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Eddie Gregory (later Mustafa Muhammad). -Jorge Paez vs. Troy Dorsey. -Oba Carr vs. Livingstone Bramble. -Donovan "Razor" Ruddock vs. James "Bonecrusher" Smith. -Evander Holyfield vs. Burt Cooper. -"Merciless" Ray Mercer vs. Tommy "The Duke" Morrison. -Carlos DeLeon vs. S.T. Gordon. -Juan Laporte vs. Salvador Sanchez. -and so many more.
I miss the past era of boxing. It was incredible.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
DAMN!!! Remember that shit? Waaaay better than the way it goes down today. I remember that Azuma Nelson / Jeff Fenech fight. It was awesome!!!! Those guys were tough as nails and went toe to toe for practically the whole fight. Incredible match. Man, allthose mathces you listed were Frickin' classic.
You really can't compare that era to this one. It's almost wwf type shit nowadays. You just assume the fix is in even before the fight happens. Sad...
Hey Iron Monkey,
You liked those, well what about these:
-"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler vs. Roberto Duran. -Iran Barkley vs. Roberto Duran. -James "Lights Out" Toney vs. Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum (all 3 bouts). -Michael Carbajal vs. Humberto "Chiquita" Gonzalez. -Cornelius Boza Edwards vs. Bobby Chacon. -Donald "The Cobra" Curry vs. Lloyd Honeygan. -Simon Brown vs. Maurice Blocker. -Hector Camacho vs. Greg Haugen. -Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker vs. James "Buddy" McGirt. -"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler vs. John "The Beast" Mugabi. -Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum vs. Donald "The Cobra" Curry. -Michael Weaver vs. Gerrie Coetzee. -Larry Holmes vs. Mike Weaver. -Greg Page vs. Tim Witherspoon. -Greg Page vs. Gerrie Coetzee. -Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum vs. Sumbu Kalambay. -Larry Holmes vs. Tim Witherspoon. -Livingstone Bramble vs. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini (both bouts).
Barkley vs Duran was an amazing fight. I always loved watching Hearns - he fought an Argentinian(I think) towards the end of his career that produced a great fight.
You could also mention Holyfield v Bowe(first was the best) McCallum v Watson Benn v McClellan Lewis V Mercer(Mercer was robbed)
The Fenech fight was an absolute classic.Would love to see that again.
Boxing has got so bad now that I would just be happy to see this Saturdays event live up to just half the hype.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Stacks knows his shit..
Barkley vs Duran was an amazing fight. I always loved watching Hearns - he fought an Argentinian(I think) towards the end of his career that produced a great fight.
You could also mention Holyfield v Bowe(first was the best) McCallum v Watson Benn v McClellan Lewis V Mercer(Mercer was robbed)
The Fenech fight was an absolute classic.Would love to see that again.
Boxing has got so bad now that I would just be happy to see this Saturdays event live up to just half the hype.
Yo, those are some good ones. I was trying to keep it pretty old, but those are some good not-so-old joints right there. I agree that Mercer was robbed against the "Pugilist Specialist." I also think Duran beat Hagler, even though I was rooting for Hagler. It's tragic what happened to Gerald McClelland after the Nigel Benn fight (head-buttin', dirty-fightin' muthafucka). I was eagerly awaiting a Roy Jones/Gerald McClelland showdown in the mid-90's. I was predicting McClelland to get in that ass, like he did against Julian Jackson and John "The Beast" Mugabi. I, I, I can't stop. Here are some more:
-John David Jackson vs. Jorge Castro. -Prince Charles Williams vs. Bobby Czyz. -Hilmer Kenty vs. Sean O'Grady. -David Tua vs. Ike Ibeabuchi. -Kennedy McKinney vs. "Poison" Junior Jones. -Mark Breland vs. Aaron Davis. -Simon Brown vs. Marlon Starling. -Simon Brown vs. Vincent Pettaway (this is the joint when Simon was punching while on the canvas, spaced-out in la la land). -Kostya Tsuyu vs. "Cool" Vince Phillips. -Bernard Hopkins vs. Antwaun Echols. -James Page vs. Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis. -Wilfredo Benitez vs. Carlos Palomino. -Salvador Sanchez vs. Azumah Nelson. -Salvador Sanchez vs. Alexis Arguello. -Alexis Arguello vs. Alfredo Escalera. -Michael Spinks vs. Dwight Braxton. -Hector "Macho" Camacho vs. Edwin Rosario (Hector almost got knocked the fuck out and his style got hella defensive after this bout).
Damn Fool! You're running off all the classic bouts. That was definitely a better era for boxing. Soooo many great fights. Nowadays it's all bullshit and posturing. All about money and making it so that there's a rematch. No respect for the sport or the fans. That's why I refuse to shell out good money for those pay per view joints.
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Damn Fool! You're running off all the classic bouts. That was definitely a better era for boxing. Soooo many great fights. Nowadays it's all bullshit and posturing. All about money and making it so that there's a rematch. No respect for the sport or the fans. That's why I refuse to shell out good money for those pay per view joints.
Hey Iron Monkey,
I've been a fight fan since I was a little kid. I've amassed quite a decent fight library over the years. I revisit those "classic bouts" quite often, as the current era in boxing is largely . Who are you feeling right now? I gotta say Nonito Donaire (featherweight, I think) is impressing the hell out of me right now. I like how he spanked Vic Darchinyan (knocked him out with this beautiful, thunderous counter left hook) and he knocked out this decent fighter last weekend on Showtime. Those Filipino cats are kickin' some ass right now (e.g., Nonito Donaire and Manny Pacquio). I also got my man Juan Diaz to keep makin' noise in the lightweight division. I can't think of any heavies I'm ridin' for right now (Sad).
In 1990 he beat highly rated Brazilian Reginaldo Dos Santos in 20 seconds to win an inter-continental title and a world title shot, then won the WBO world middleweight title against Nigel Benn in a classic encounter that was later released on DVD. Eubank would defend the title successfully against Dan Sherry, Gary Stretch and finally in an excellent match with Michael Watson. This concluded Eubank's career as a middleweight, with a 28-0 record.
In 1991 he was involved in what experts regard as the greatest fight in a British ring where he sent the ill-fated Michael Watson into a coma. Eubank was behind on all scorecards when he rose from the canvas at the end of the 11th round to unleash a devastating uppercut to Watsons jaw. The blow was exacerbated when a left hook quickened the stunned Watsons' fall into the ropes. The bout was somehow allowed to continue briefly into the 12th, but Watson collapsed afterwards and almost died. Eubank contemplated quitting the sport.
The Eubank v Watson rematch is considered one of the greatest of all time, and commentator Reg Guttteridge claimed he had; "never seen a more dramatic end to a world title fight".
Both the Eubank vs Nigel Benn fights were good.
After injuring Watson permanently, Eubank never again showed his desire to win by knockout, and became an 'out-fighter', winning many fights on points and retaining his WBO world super-middleweight title.
Nigel Benn moved up to super middleweight and became WBC champion. The pair agreed to meet in a WBC/WBO unification rematch. In 1993 the rivals would engage in another contest named 'Judgement Day', and watched by millions, fought thrillingly to a draw.
I guess that as neither of them were Americans, and they weren't fighting in Vegas, it don't count, but Eubank and Benn were both good fighters, and champions.
Hatton looks like he's either got a nasty spot on his lip, or a coldsore, which could well be a sign that he's jet-lagged and over-tired. If he starts the fight and he's got a coldsore, then he's not 100% and I think he'll lose. Mayweather to win on points or a stoppage, but not a KO.
I noticed Hatton's spot too. He's been in LV for over a month though, so it's not jetlag. It's probably a result of him changing his diet, as he likes to get out of shape between fights to give him something to work for up to the next one - so he sees physical progress, which gives you a more positive state of mind. Mayweather keeps in shape year-round. Whatever, it seems to work for them both.
Great memories of all those fights mentioned. I have to mention the classic Hearns / Hagler confrontations. Not one was duff. Those two went at it from the first bell, like they hated each other since kids.
"Some will say not much has changed in boxing the last 20 years. Promoters Don King and Bob Arum are still the power players of boxing, and since Lennox Lewis retired, the heavyweight division still lacks a dominant figure, although a promising young heavyweight named Mike Tyson was catching the public's attention.
But 20 years ago, the welterweight and middleweight divisions, with Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and others, were carrying the sport.
And on that April 15 night at Caesars Palace, the deadline had come for Hearns and Hagler to scintillate the public.
They did not disappoint.
"(It was) three of the most brutal rounds in history," said trainer Emanuel Steward, who was in Hearns's corner that evening.
Hearns had been the ace of Detroit's famed Kronk boxing team, which, under Steward, had been rolling out champions like an assembly line.
Even though he'd lost his welterweight title to Leonard four years earlier in another classic, he embarked on a campaign to return to the top in a heavier division. He signed to fight Hagler, a relentless slugger who had built a fierce reputation after winning the middleweight title five years earlier.
In the days preceding the fight, Hagler had sported a baseball cap with the words "War" boldly imprinted on the front. And that's exactly what happened in a bout on most everyone's top 10 list of action-packed battles.
"Coming into the first round when Marvin jumped at Tommy, he made it a war," recalled Steward. "He was trying to make it a physical fight."
Hagler was noticeably slower. If Hearns, who had faster hands and slicker footwork, had chosen to box, chances are he could've won.
But just mere seconds into the fight, when Hagler tore into Hearns with the first punch, it was on. Hearns stood his ground and the two blasted away with everything they had.
When the bell rang ending the first round, some 15,000 fight fans rose in unison from their seats with thundering applause.
But little did they know it was the beginning of the end.
In his corner, Hearns told Steward the last thing he wanted to hear. "My right hand is broke," Steward recalled Hearns saying. "I said 'What?' ""I think I broke my hand."
But Hearns wouldn't throw in the towel. The fireworks went on in the second round as Hearns gamely battled. Each had their punishing moments, and the toll was beginning to tell on both fighters.
By the third round, Hagler's face was bloody from a nasty cut. But his last power shot sent Hearns reeling backwards and down in a heap to the canvas as the fight ended with 1:08 left in the round.
"I had never seen that much action, ever, in eight minutes," marveled referee Richard Steele, who barely seperated the pair during the fight.
"Don't mention anything about my hand being broke," Steward said Hearns told him after the fight. "He wanted it to be Marvin's night."
In the coming years, Hagler continued to stake his claim to greatness until Leonard upset him in 1987. That was his last fight. He moved to Italy and began making movies.
"He speaks fluent Italian," Steward said. "He's a very big celebrity. People mob him on the street, not as a fighter, but as an actor.
"But he don't like Ray (Leonard). There's (still) bad blood between them."
As for Hearns, "Tommy and Marvin get along beautifully," Steward said."
Benn and Eubanks were good fighters. They beat all the serious contenders they could find. Neither were the Michael Jordans of their game but they were just too tough to beat.
On an anecdotal level, my dad was an extra in a tv show a couple of years ago set in a prison. He was supposed to be playing chess with some big dude. My dad recognised his face, asked the dude where he knew him from. Turns out it was Earnie Shavers, who lives in the UK now. They had a good chat about all those 70s heavyweights (my dad still believes to this day that Liston's "Towel" fight with Ali was a fix all the way).
A relative of ours in Edinburgh also removed the blood clot from Watson's brain. Some people reply to that with "Well, they didn't do a very good job". I think that is f*cking insulting. The bloke was seconds away from death, and they did their job, and he's alive. I know some people say they would rather be dead than live like that, but that's the risk you take. Such folk would never get in the ring.
I noticed Hatton's spot too. He's been in LV for over a month though, so it's not jetlag. It's probably a result of him changing his diet, as he likes to get out of shape between fights to give him something to work for up to the next one - so he sees physical progress, which gives you a more positive state of mind. Mayweather keeps in shape year-round. Whatever, it seems to work for them both.
Not jetleg, maybe training too hard then.
On an anecdotal level, my dad was an extra in a tv show a couple of years ago set in a prison. He was supposed to be playing chess with some big dude. My dad recognised his face, asked the dude where he knew him from. Turns out it was Earnie Shavers, who lives in the UK now. They had a good chat about all those 70s heavyweights (my dad still believes to this day that Liston's "Towel" fight with Ali was a fix all the way)
Was this shot in Oxford? I worked as an extra on a few different films/tv shows (Lucky Break, the Bill) that were shot at that prison.
You know, I'm not really as into boxing as I used to be. Largely due to the lack of great talent and all-out brawling that never really happens anymore. Everything seems very controlled and safe. At least in the heavyweight division. I'm curious about the fighters you mentioned. Though honestly can't comment since I've stopped watching the fights as often. I catch the replays on HBO and they do little in the way of impressing.
It's cool that you have a library of classic bouts to revisit. I only go by the memory of seeing them. I think I'll start watching out for Donaire and Diaz. Then we can compare notes.
Found these clips of Fenech and Nelson. I hate it when they set music to them... Does everything have to be a Frickin' music video?
Imma be rooting for Ricky Hatton. The dude looks kinda . Besides, I don't like Mayweather's fighting style.
while i like Hatton, his style is not great either... between floyd's non-aggressive "chistle out a victory on points" style and hatton's constant clutching, i will be surpised if this ends up being a great fight to watch...
i think hatton has more of a chance than people are giving him (not here, just in general) b/c he is mentally tough (yeah, so was gatti, but hatton has not taken half as many beatings at this point as gatti had when he fought floyd...) and might just be able to wear floyd down with all his body shots and grappling...
i can't see either fighter quitting and i can't see either fighter getting knocked out before the 9th round...
hopefully, they will actually put on a good show...
Comments
what no love for Earnie Shavers?
This book profiles 15 of Tyson's opponents. It includes a lot of those no-name early 1st-round knockouts. Shit is sad -- some of these dudes are like homeless now.
Hey Rootless,
I was gonna list Shavers but I thought he might be dismissed as a B/C class fighter given his inability to beat top guys (e.g., Ali, Holmes, Norton). I guess I could've included Ron Lyle too, but I would view him as a step below Shavers.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Yep, if Big Earnie connected with the right, say goodnight!!! The 60's and 70's were great eras for heavyweights. My brother, pops, and I would sit up late watching the close-circuit big bouts. Also, that's back when you could catch good bouts on ABCs "Wide World of Sports." They used to show some great bouts on TV, like when Holmes spanked Ken Norton. Or, the George Foreman vs. Ron Lyle knockdown fest. Those were the days!!!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Indeed that is the truth... we can all thank this thug for the steady decline of the sweet science...
You know it!
The second Ali/Jerry Quarry fight is still a vivid memory.
Damn that guy could bleed.
And then there was Chuck Wepner.....you know you're in trouble when your nickname is the Bayonne Bleeder!!
-Wilfredo Gomez vs. Rocky Lockridge.
-Mark Breland vs. Marlon Starling.
-Alexis Arguello vs. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini.
-Jim Watt vs. Howard Davis.
-John Tate vs. Mike Weaver.
-Larry Holmes vs. Renaldo Snipes.
-James "Hardrock" Green vs. Frank "The Animal" Fletcher.
-Azumah Nelson vs. Jeff Fenech.
-George Foreman vs. Jimmy Young.
-"Sugar" Ray Leonard vs. Wilfred Benitez.
-Pinklon Thomas vs. Tim Witherspoon.
-Ken Norton vs. Earnie Shavers.
-Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Dwight Braxton (later Qawi).
-Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Eddie Gregory (later Mustafa Muhammad).
-Jorge Paez vs. Troy Dorsey.
-Oba Carr vs. Livingstone Bramble.
-Donovan "Razor" Ruddock vs. James "Bonecrusher" Smith.
-Evander Holyfield vs. Burt Cooper.
-"Merciless" Ray Mercer vs. Tommy "The Duke" Morrison.
-Carlos DeLeon vs. S.T. Gordon.
-Juan Laporte vs. Salvador Sanchez.
-and so many more.
I miss the past era of boxing. It was incredible.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
but i just dropped into say that a guy named HATTON has to be the automatic Soulstrut favorite, right?
DAMN!!! Remember that shit? Waaaay better than the way it goes down today. I remember that Azuma Nelson / Jeff Fenech fight. It was awesome!!!! Those guys were tough as nails and went toe to toe for practically the whole fight. Incredible match. Man, allthose mathces you listed were Frickin' classic.
You really can't compare that era to this one. It's almost wwf type shit nowadays. You just assume the fix is in even before the fight happens. Sad...
No mention of my all-time fave and possibly baddest ass per pound ever....
And for a while they broadcasted most of his fights.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler!!
Hey Iron Monkey,
You liked those, well what about these:
-"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler vs. Roberto Duran.
-Iran Barkley vs. Roberto Duran.
-James "Lights Out" Toney vs. Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum (all 3 bouts).
-Michael Carbajal vs. Humberto "Chiquita" Gonzalez.
-Cornelius Boza Edwards vs. Bobby Chacon.
-Donald "The Cobra" Curry vs. Lloyd Honeygan.
-Simon Brown vs. Maurice Blocker.
-Hector Camacho vs. Greg Haugen.
-Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker vs. James "Buddy" McGirt.
-"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler vs. John "The Beast" Mugabi.
-Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum vs. Donald "The Cobra" Curry.
-Michael Weaver vs. Gerrie Coetzee.
-Larry Holmes vs. Mike Weaver.
-Greg Page vs. Tim Witherspoon.
-Greg Page vs. Gerrie Coetzee.
-Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum vs. Sumbu Kalambay.
-Larry Holmes vs. Tim Witherspoon.
-Livingstone Bramble vs. Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini (both bouts).
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
dude was dirty, but one of the best evar. top 3 in his class.
Barkley vs Duran was an amazing fight.
I always loved watching Hearns - he fought an Argentinian(I think) towards the end of his career that produced a great fight.
You could also mention Holyfield v Bowe(first was the best)
McCallum v Watson
Benn v McClellan
Lewis V Mercer(Mercer was robbed)
The Fenech fight was an absolute classic.Would love to see that again.
Boxing has got so bad now that I would just be happy to see this Saturdays event live up to just half the hype.
Yo, those are some good ones. I was trying to keep it pretty old, but those are some good not-so-old joints right there. I agree that Mercer was robbed against the "Pugilist Specialist." I also think Duran beat Hagler, even though I was rooting for Hagler. It's tragic what happened to Gerald McClelland after the Nigel Benn fight (head-buttin', dirty-fightin' muthafucka). I was eagerly awaiting a Roy Jones/Gerald McClelland showdown in the mid-90's. I was predicting McClelland to get in that ass, like he did against Julian Jackson and John "The Beast" Mugabi. I, I, I can't stop. Here are some more:
-John David Jackson vs. Jorge Castro.
-Prince Charles Williams vs. Bobby Czyz.
-Hilmer Kenty vs. Sean O'Grady.
-David Tua vs. Ike Ibeabuchi.
-Kennedy McKinney vs. "Poison" Junior Jones.
-Mark Breland vs. Aaron Davis.
-Simon Brown vs. Marlon Starling.
-Simon Brown vs. Vincent Pettaway (this is the joint when Simon was punching while on the canvas, spaced-out in la la land).
-Kostya Tsuyu vs. "Cool" Vince Phillips.
-Bernard Hopkins vs. Antwaun Echols.
-James Page vs. Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis.
-Wilfredo Benitez vs. Carlos Palomino.
-Salvador Sanchez vs. Azumah Nelson.
-Salvador Sanchez vs. Alexis Arguello.
-Alexis Arguello vs. Alfredo Escalera.
-Michael Spinks vs. Dwight Braxton.
-Hector "Macho" Camacho vs. Edwin Rosario (Hector almost got knocked the fuck out and his style got hella defensive after this bout).
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Hey Iron Monkey,
I've been a fight fan since I was a little kid. I've amassed quite a decent fight library over the years. I revisit those "classic bouts" quite often, as the current era in boxing is largely
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Chris Eubank?
Both the Eubank vs Nigel Benn fights were good.
I guess that as neither of them were Americans, and they weren't fighting in Vegas, it don't count, but Eubank and Benn were both good fighters, and champions.
Hatton looks like he's either got a nasty spot on his lip, or a coldsore, which could well be a sign that he's jet-lagged and over-tired. If he starts the fight and he's got a coldsore, then he's not 100% and I think he'll lose. Mayweather to win on points or a stoppage, but not a KO.
Great memories of all those fights mentioned. I have to mention the classic Hearns / Hagler confrontations. Not one was duff. Those two went at it from the first bell, like they hated each other since kids.
"Some will say not much has changed in boxing the last 20 years. Promoters Don King and Bob Arum are still the power players of boxing, and since Lennox Lewis retired, the heavyweight division still lacks a dominant figure, although a promising young heavyweight named Mike Tyson was catching the public's attention.
But 20 years ago, the welterweight and middleweight divisions, with Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and others, were carrying the sport.
And on that April 15 night at Caesars Palace, the deadline had come for Hearns and Hagler to scintillate the public.
They did not disappoint.
"(It was) three of the most brutal rounds in history," said trainer Emanuel Steward, who was in Hearns's corner that evening.
Hearns had been the ace of Detroit's famed Kronk boxing team, which, under Steward, had been rolling out champions like an assembly line.
Even though he'd lost his welterweight title to Leonard four years earlier in another classic, he embarked on a campaign to return to the top in a heavier division. He signed to fight Hagler, a relentless slugger who had built a fierce reputation after winning the middleweight title five years earlier.
In the days preceding the fight, Hagler had sported a baseball cap with the words "War" boldly imprinted on the front. And that's exactly what happened in a bout on most everyone's top 10 list of action-packed battles.
"Coming into the first round when Marvin jumped at Tommy, he made it a war," recalled Steward. "He was trying to make it a physical fight."
Hagler was noticeably slower. If Hearns, who had faster hands and slicker footwork, had chosen to box, chances are he could've won.
But just mere seconds into the fight, when Hagler tore into Hearns with the first punch, it was on. Hearns stood his ground and the two blasted away with everything they had.
When the bell rang ending the first round, some 15,000 fight fans rose in unison from their seats with thundering applause.
But little did they know it was the beginning of the end.
In his corner, Hearns told Steward the last thing he wanted to hear. "My right hand is broke," Steward recalled Hearns saying. "I said 'What?' ""I think I broke my hand."
But Hearns wouldn't throw in the towel. The fireworks went on in the second round as Hearns gamely battled. Each had their punishing moments, and the toll was beginning to tell on both fighters.
By the third round, Hagler's face was bloody from a nasty cut. But his last power shot sent Hearns reeling backwards and down in a heap to the canvas as the fight ended with 1:08 left in the round.
"I had never seen that much action, ever, in eight minutes," marveled referee Richard Steele, who barely seperated the pair during the fight.
"Don't mention anything about my hand being broke," Steward said Hearns told him after the fight. "He wanted it to be Marvin's night."
In the coming years, Hagler continued to stake his claim to greatness until Leonard upset him in 1987. That was his last fight. He moved to Italy and began making movies.
"He speaks fluent Italian," Steward said. "He's a very big celebrity. People mob him on the street, not as a fighter, but as an actor.
"But he don't like Ray (Leonard). There's (still) bad blood between them."
As for Hearns, "Tommy and Marvin get along beautifully," Steward said."
Benn and Eubanks were good fighters. They beat all the serious contenders they could find. Neither were the Michael Jordans of their game but they were just too tough to beat.
On an anecdotal level, my dad was an extra in a tv show a couple of years ago set in a prison. He was supposed to be playing chess with some big dude. My dad recognised his face, asked the dude where he knew him from. Turns out it was Earnie Shavers, who lives in the UK now. They had a good chat about all those 70s heavyweights (my dad still believes to this day that Liston's "Towel" fight with Ali was a fix all the way).
A relative of ours in Edinburgh also removed the blood clot from Watson's brain. Some people reply to that with "Well, they didn't do a very good job". I think that is f*cking insulting. The bloke was seconds away from death, and they did their job, and he's alive. I know some people say they would rather be dead than live like that, but that's the risk you take. Such folk would never get in the ring.
Not jetleg, maybe training too hard then.
Was this shot in Oxford? I worked as an extra on a few different films/tv shows (Lucky Break, the Bill) that were shot at that prison.
It's cool that you have a library of classic bouts to revisit. I only go by the memory of seeing them. I think I'll start watching out for Donaire and Diaz. Then we can compare notes.
Found these clips of Fenech and Nelson. I hate it when they set music to them... Does everything have to be a Frickin' music video?
while i like Hatton, his style is not great either... between floyd's non-aggressive "chistle out a victory on points" style and hatton's constant clutching, i will be surpised if this ends up being a great fight to watch...
i think hatton has more of a chance than people are giving him (not here, just in general) b/c he is mentally tough (yeah, so was gatti, but hatton has not taken half as many beatings at this point as gatti had when he fought floyd...) and might just be able to wear floyd down with all his body shots and grappling...
i can't see either fighter quitting and i can't see either fighter getting knocked out before the 9th round...
hopefully, they will actually put on a good show...
One of the Romanian guys that works for me says it will be on here for free on Saturday night..