WBA Heavyweight Elimination Tournament-1967

[Ambling Alp II]

here is the fourth fight of the seven fight tournament.
Jerry Quarry vs Floyd Patterson (II).
ABC's Wide World of Sports
Olympic Auditorium,Los Angeles California 28.October.1967.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=GKmmAExQYOg

Thanks for posting this; I didn't know it was now on Youtube and had never seen this fight. I had heard for years that it was a controversial decision.
It was kind of a strange fight. Quarry looked good early on, but did almost nothing after the 6th round. Patterson was effective on and off throughout the fight.

I judged the fight by their scoring system. Basically, the loser gets zero point for the round, the winner of the round usually gets one, and usually two if he scores a knockdown.

I gave Patterson rounds, 1,5,7,8,10, and 12; all 1-0.
Gave Quarry rounds 2 and 4 2-0, and rounds 3, and 6 1-0.
I scored rounds 9 and 11 (which had very little action) even.
That totals 6-6.
The ref had 6-6 as well, the two judges each had it 7-6 for Quarry.

Round two could have gone 1-0 since Paterson seemed to be leading the round, until Quarry scored a knockdown at the end of the round. However, people almost always give a guy extra credit for a knockdown regardless of what else happened in the fight.

In round 11, I scored it even, thought I gave Quarry credit for a couple of punches that I'm not sure that actually landed cleanly.

Overall, a decent fight. I think Quarry got a little lucky here.

You think Jerry got a "little" lucky, eh?

Patterson won both of the Quarry fights.

I know someone will try to make a case for Quarry (one of my favorites), but Patterson got screwed twice.

In retrospect, the '67 screw jobs might have simply been preparing Floyd for an even bigger heist in Sweden a year later.

Patterson certainly didn't get "screwed" in the 2nd fight. He only clearly won 6 of 12 rounds, didn't score any knockdowns and was knocked down twice. That isn't getting "screwed".

I thought Quarry was a little lucky for a few reasons:
-He was losing one round and scored a kncokdown at the end of the round, which is a huge swing.
-He didn't do much in the last 6 rounds and was lucky that Patterson didn't do much in 2 of thoese rounds.
-Of the two close rounds, (9 and 11) apparently the judges scored one even and one for Quarry. I scored them both even and the judges could have scored them both even like I did and scored it a draw; or even gave Patterson a close victory.

It was certainly a very close fight.

[Ambling Alp II]

Interesting to see that the reporter from A.P. did not even know the scoring system used for this fight.

How low can you get?

Maybe the AP reporter realized that the scoring system used was ridiculous and chose not to deal with it.

The scoring system makes as much sense as the 10-point must system and more than the rounds system.

In the 10 point must, most rounds are 10-9. If there is a knockdown, the fighter getting knocked down usually loses an additional point and the round is usually scored 10-8. Even rounds are 10-10.

In this scoring system, most rounds are 1-0. If there is a knockdown, the winner of the round usually gets an additional point and wins the round 2-0. If it's even, it gets scored 0-0.

[scorpio83]

Il Duce, before you post anything else, could you please tell me how good was Jerry Quarry? What was his strength and weaknesses? I know that he was one of best contenders during the Golden Era of the Heavyweights. This source was from wikipedia with Quarry's overview. "Quarry was a durable and smart counter-puncher/action fighter, often noted for his surprising agility in the ring. He had fast hands, an excellent left hook, and punched well with both hands. He also had a remarkable chin, although his major flaw was a tendency to cut easily and the bad luck to box in the era of Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Patterson and Norton."

[yancey]

Mr. Yancey

Concerning Round 7 >

Jerry Quarry had completely controlled the Round, and 'rocked' Floyd no less than '3-Times.

Floyd rallied back only in the last 10-seconds, and scored a 'Flash-Knockdown' in the last moment of the Round.

All '3' scoring Officials were correct in scoring the Round only 1-0 for Floyd.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Round 9 >

Judge - George Latka scoring it 2-0 for Jerry Quarry...........

George Latka was an excellent Scoring Official and was 'Mr. Honest'. Not sure what happened there........ :??

I'll have to back and check out that 7th round, Duce. I don't recall Quarry totally dominating it up until he got knocked down, but I could be wrong.

[yancey]

In the meantime

Joe Frazier vs George Chuvalo
19.July.1967 Madison Square Garden

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KcmMPBT8NAY

I've seen this one several times, don't know why it doesn't have sound.

Chuvalo maybe backed up Joe a bit for a little while, but he was the one being pushed back as the fight wore on.

Ebay once had a close up photo of Chuvalo's face at the end. The facial damage close up was gruesome. No wonder he had to turn away.

[Dubblechin]

Plans For Tourney To Find Clay’s Successor
May 11, 1967

Promoter Mike Malitz, who is organizing an elimination tournament to find a successor to dethroned world heavyweight champion Cassius Clay, yesterday announced tentative dates for the first-round bouts involving eight contenders.

Malitz, a member of the company that held the closed-circuit threatre television rights to most of Clay’s title defenses, is president of a new promotional firm called Sports Action, Incorporated.

He named the eight contenders: former champion Floyd Patterson; West Germany’s Karl Mildenberger, the European champion; George Chuvalo, the Canadian champion; Ernie Terrell, former WBA champion; Argentina’s Oscar Bonavena, the South American champion; undefeated Joe Frazier; Thad Spencer; and Jimmy Ellis.

The tentative schedule: July 15 – Patterson v Bonavena at Houston; Aug. 4 or 5 – Terrell v Ellis at a venue to be selected; Sept. 2 or 16 – Chuvalo v Frazier at a venue to be selected; Sept. 16 or Oct. 7 – Mildenberger v Spencer in Frankfurt.

[Dubblechin]

Heavyweight Tourney Appears Set
(Associated Press)
July 11, 1967

Fight fans throughout the nation will get a break out of the eight-man heavyweight elimination tournament and other fights coming up among the big boys. The price is right. It will be free for most everyone.

By signing Floyd Patterson, the former two-time heavyweight kind for the World Boxing Association-approved tourney yesterday, Sports Action, Inc., lined up eight of the 10 top men in the W.B.A.’s rankings.

The only exceptions are unbeaten Joe Frazier of Philadelphia and 10th-ranked George Chuvalo, the Canadian champion from Toronto, who will battle in a 12-rounder at Madison Square Garden July 19. That fight is not part of the tournament, since Frazier prefers to make one match at a time.

The four quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the final of the elimination tourney to determine a successor to defrocked Cassius Clay will be telecast nationally by ABC-TV. New York will be blacked out of the Frazier-Chuvalo telecast and sites of the tournament bouts also won’t get the live telecasts. The final, at the Houston Astrodome, in January or February of 1968, will be shown on prime time over ABC.

Patterson, ranked 6th by the WBA and a key man in the tourney, probably will meet 7th ranked Jerry Quarry of Los Angeles in a return bout at either Los Angeles or Oakland, Calif., on Oct. 28. They fought to an exciting draw a month ago in Los Angeles. If Quarry doesn’t agree to terms, Mexico’s Manuel Ramos may replace him. The other three quarter-finals were set up previously. The tourney kicks off with the Aug. 5 doubleheader at the Astrodome matching Ernie Terrell, No. 4, Chicago, against Thad Spencer, No. 5, San Francisco, and Jimmy Ellis, No. 8, Louisville, Ky., vs. Leotis Martin, No. 9, Philadelphia.

Then, on Sept. 16, at Offenbach Stadium near Frankfurt, Karl Mildenberger, No. 1 and the European champion from Germany, will meet Oscar Bonavena, No. 3, of Argentina.

Mike Malitz, president of Sports Action, Inc., and organizer of the tourney, said the contestants had agreed to run-of-the-tournament contracts. He said most will receive a minimum of $50,000 for the quarter-finals. The semi-finals will pay each fighter $75,000 against 30 percent pf the receipts with the final worth $125,000 against 30 percent of the receipts.

“I believe the world at large will accept the winner of the tournament as world champion,” said Bob Evans, the WBA’s president.

[gp.]

Is there anyone posting in this thread who isn't Il Duce under an assumed name?

Well, me, I suppose. But anyone else?

[Ambling Alp II]

Well, I made some posts on this thread.

[scorpio83]

Please Il Duce just tell me how good was Karl Mildenberger? What were his strength and weaknesses? Does he had a good right jab and his best punch was his left hand? I know that he was speedy, but does he had good footwork in one of his fights. Does he had a good defense, body attack and chin as well?

I wrote a request on the Leotis Martin's career post from 1956-1970, but you may not see my post there.

Do the analysis on Karl Mildenberger like you did with Leotis Martin and other fighters from the past.

;;-)

[scorpio83]

I can wait for what I asked how good was Karl Mildenberger. ;;-)

[scorpio83]

Il Duce,

I was just asking how good Karl Mildenberger was? What were his strength and weaknesses? Does he had a good right jab and his best punch was his left hand? I know that he was speedy, but does he had good footwork in one of his fights. Does he had a good defense, body attack and chin as well?

[yancey]

Il Duce,

I was just asking how good Karl Mildenberger was? What were his strength and weaknesses? Does he had a good right jab and his best punch was his left hand? I know that he was speedy, but does he had good footwork in one of his fights. Does he had a good defense, body attack and chin as well?

Karl Mildenberger
Manager...... Wolfgang Mueller
Trainer........ Herbert Kleinwaechter

Height.......... 6' 1 1/2"
Reach.......... 74"
Weight......... 195 - 205 lbs.

Stance........... Southpaw
Style.............. Aggressive Boxer

Skills.............. Good
Right Jab........ Good
Right Hook...... Fair
Left-Hand........ Good
Power............. Fair
Power-Punch... Straight-Left
Speed............ Very Good
Strength......... Fair {Grade C+]
Stamina......... Good
Body Attack.... Good
Defense......... Fair
Chin.............. Fair
Durability....... Fair
Footwork........ Good
Ring General... Generally Good

* A very good southpaw boxer.
* Aggressive boxer style.
* Typical 'right-left' {one-two} attack.
* Busy puncher.
* Not physically strong.
* Lacked power.
* Questionable chin. {He was floored a lot}

* Was very good when he was leading.
* Had a difficult time when he was on the defensive.

Mildenberger is one of the guys that I was hoping Frazier would get back then.

Joe would have turned Karl into prime German bratwurst.

p.s. Another guy I wanted to see thrown in with Joe back then was Henry Cooper. Can you imagine what Joe would have done to him?

[yancey]

In the mean while(and not part of the WBA heavyweight tournament)
Joe Frazier vs Buster Mathis for the New York State title.
4.March.1968(in the new Madison Square Garden)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3_WMilWtefU

Thanks for linking this.

Though the tape was in bad shape, it showed the gist of the fight called by the great old team of Don Dunphy and Win Elliot.

I was never quite sure of how clean the punch that put Buster away actually was.

Buster may have simply collapsed from sheer exhaustion and the accumulation of punches.