THE LAST FIGHT

[Zelley]

Isn't it funny how so many past champions suffer defeats in their last fight
including the great Sugar Ray Robinson who lost to Joey Archer in 1965.

Some end in victory such as Gene Tunney, James J Braddock and Rocky Marciano
while others end in tragedy such as Benny Kid Paret and Davey (The Springfield Rifle) Moore,
and some just end.

Then there are those that have won their final boxing match, but a twist of fate
claims their lives before the next bell rings for round one. None of us will remember some of
the fighters, but we likely know the record and achievements of champions such as
Tiger Flowers "The Georgia Deacon" and Carlos Teo Cruz. While Flowers died alone, the sad
story about Teo was the whole family was lost the month following his victory over
one Benito Juarez in 1970.

Some of the unsung champions ended the road in victory such as Al Hostack
when he defeated one Jack Snapp in Seattle 1948, or Paul Pender who regained
the title from London's own Terry Downes.

But, then another great champion Tony Canzoneri ends with a loss to Al (Bummy) Davis.

In those three heavyweight bouts, Gene Tunney defeated Tom Heeney,
James J Braddock defeated Tommy Farr, and the undefeated suoer
heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano stopped the great Archie Moore.

If history is any lesson, we cannot judge a champion by the last few bouts
But, in some cases it gives us a chance to revisit and reconsider those
champions that are almost forgotten unsung heroes. Maybe one of those
former champions that deserves such a review is PAUL PENDER.

[My2Sense]

How about Michael Carbajal - beating Jorge Arce and winning a title, and then walking away.

[Zelley]

Not to be forgotten are those many non or uncrowned champions.
One such boxer was Billy MISKE from St. Paul. ALTHOUGH ABOUT HALF OF HIS BOUTS WERE NO DECISION AFFAIRS he did win many a bout by knockout. His last bout was a knockout over Bill Brennan in Omaha in 1923. Sadly, two months after his last bout, he lost the biggest battle of all when he died of Bright's Disease.

Then there was "The Fargo Express" Billy PETROLLE. In his last bout, he lost a ten rounder to the great Barney Ross in 1934, but he could be considered one of those uncrowned champions
Some of victories included wins over Tony Canzoneri, Jimmy McLarnin, Billy Townsend,
Bat Battalino. Some of our Pacific Northwest historians may recall Billy's draw with Doc Snell at Seattle.

[Goodnight, Irene]

"...Isn't it funny how so many past champions suffer defeats in their last fight
including the great Sugar Ray Robinson who lost to Joey Archer in 1965..." - Zelley

Do you think so? Boxing, perhaps above all other sports, has the highest retention of participants who continue well beyond their best years (paradoxical on paper, as boxing is such a ridiculously taxing sport) so I find it none-too-surprising when men like Ray Robinson, among so many others, are bested in their final bouts, when those bouts come years & years after their fires have burned out. Add to this many such great men are met in their last flings with up-&-coming, genuinely talented, hungry young men looking for a name to add to their records, &, well, there it is

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

If history is any lesson, we cannot judge a champion by the last few bouts

--- Boxing is about exploitation of a fight and fighters to entertain the masses.

On average most fighters lose their last bouts as they are propped up for younger fighters to pad out their records and experience for future fight promotions. Championship sports teams trade aging stars to lesser teams to be used in filling gaps in their own development.

As such a washed up fighter can always find a corner and promoter to keep him propped up and thinking he has a shot, ie Holyfield whom history will judge harshly. I have to wonder how many offers Ali and Frazier receive every year to reprise the Thrilla.

Given the obscene amount of money Holy and Ali made to impersonate someone's weak sister in the ring their last fights, they should be judged harshly.

Where as other fighters on their last legs seem to possess an innate sense of dignity and self awareness to retire with class, win, lose, or draw. Rocky, Louis, Dempsey, Tunney, Lewis, Moore, Hagler, Jofre, Mike Spinks, Patterson.

Today I look around and see an ol' stinker like Hopkins who recently got a reprieve with the absolute best performance of his career over a big, strong, tough prime champion, so will he retire on a high note or is he going to revert back into the negative spoiler role which he was rightly condemned for in the Calzaghe fight?

His stablemate and boss Oscar just got a career beatdown for ages after messing around in the business, and it seems probable his other stablemate, Mosley will get the same treatment against Margarito. Still time for old guard Golden Boy parties to walk away with class, win, lose, or draw, but will they?

[Zelley]

If history is any lesson, we cannot judge a champion by the last few bouts

Today I look around and see an ol' stinker like Hopkins who recently got a reprieve with the absolute best performance of his career over a big, strong, tough prime champion, so will he retire on a high note or is he going to revert back into the negative spoiler role which he was rightly condemned for in the Calzaghe fight?

His stablemate and boss Oscar just got a career beatdown for ages after messing around in the business, and it seems probable his other stablemate, Mosley will get the same treatment against Margarito. Still time for old guard Golden Boy parties to walk away with class, win, lose, or draw, but will they?

Some good recent examples of future possibilities, only time will tell how the likes of Hopkins,
De La Hoya and others will write the last chapter in their boxing stories.Let's hope they
don't follow the same play book as a Joe Louis or Muhammed Ali and most others.

[harrygreb]

billy petrolle needs a review, a real unrecognised great. paul pender?...not so sure.

[Zelley]

billy petrolle needs a review, a real unrecognised great. paul pender?...not so sure.

Billy Petrolle:
Good to here about The Fargo Express Billy Petrolle.
His last bout was ten round loss to the great Barney Ross in 1934.
Despite losing to Tony Canzoneri in a lightweight title fight in 1932,
Billy had a great year in 1930 with 16 bouts and only losing a decision
to Jack Kid Berg, but Petrolle did defeat the likes of Canzoneri ands Jimmy McLarnin.
and others such as Izzy Kline. In an earlier year Billy had stopped Berg.

For Pacific Northwest fans and boxing historians they may recall
his draw with Doc Snell at Seattle in 1928.

Paul Pender:
Pender defeated the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson, Carmen Basilio,
Terry Downes, and Ralph Jonesé. It is enough to say he had a great boxing story
without falling into the also ran category like many other champions and contenders.

For many other champions, they had a few fights that they could have done without at the
end of the road such as Jack Johnson, Primo Carnera, Lew Jenkins, and Wallace (Bud) Smith.