John L. Gardner

[coreygardner]

I am writing a biography on John L. Gardner, the former British and European Heavyweight Champion.

Was he ever the No. 6 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title, ranked below Ali circa 1980?
I can't find it anywhere right now. It wasn't in Ring Magazine, because I just looked, but I believe I had seen somewhere he was ranked No. 6 at one time.


Gardner was coming off big KO victories over Lorenzo Zanon and Ossie Ocasio.




I am curious if Jack Gardner, the British and European Heavyweight Champion of the 1950's, is related to John L. Gardner?

[HomicideHenry]

I am writing a biography on John L. Gardner, the former British and European Heavyweight Champion.

Was he ever the No. 6 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title, ranked below Ali circa 1980?
I can't find it anywhere right now. It wasn't in Ring Magazine, because I just looked, but I believe I had seen somewhere he was ranked No. 6 at one time.


Gardner was coming off big KO victories over Lorenzo Zanon and Ossie Ocasio.




I am curious if Jack Gardner, the British and European Heavyweight Champion of the 1950's, is related to John L. Gardner?

#1- In 1980 Ali used 'championship emeritus' to get his shot at Holmes, he wasn't in any way shape or form actually ranked in the top ten I do not believe

#2- Gardner had, to be best of my memory, been considered the top man in all of Europe since 1978 and even had an exhibition match with Ali c. 1979--- he was indeed a top ten man, but the sources for which you are wanting I cannot recall at this moment--- however, when he lost to Dokes that is when his ranking went away

[johnnykayo]

no jack gardner was not related to john l, jack was related to the train robber tommy wisbey tho.

[Broomhall]

Lorenzo Zanon had a 7 rating when larry Holmes beat him in 1980, Gardner beat Zanon for the European title a few months later and as European champ would have carried an automatic top 10 ranking and not unreasonable to assume he took at least Zanons place at 7.

His stay in the ratings would have been brief as he was badly ko,d by Dokes a few months later.

He was a really good pro and much loved by the London fight fans and would have been comfortable campaigning at top level with todays Cruiserweights, just not big enough for the top heavyweights of his day.

[HomicideHenry]

Whilst Ali clearly shouldn't have been fighting at all by the early 1980s I think John L. Gardner would have been a particularly horrible opponent for him. Whilst he wasn't an especially concussive puncher (leaving the Zanon fight aside of course) Gardner was a relentless pressure fighter and would, in my opinion, have mauled Ali badly, probably grinding him to a late stoppage or, even worse, taking him the full distance.

I concur with this. What he lacked in true stopping power, Gardner made up for in relentless pressure. My favorite fight of his was against the taller, heavier, physically stronger Paul Sykes. Many believed the hype in Sykes--- he was a former amateur powerlifting champion, was one of the most feared men to enter into the prison system, and as a professional almost killed a man early on in his career. However, despite his fearsome reputation and strength (he was also a well accomplished amateur boxer), it didn't scare Gardner none. He never even blinked an eye, he just kept coming forward and wearing Sykes out--- and the bigger, stronger man QUIT in the middle of the ring rather than keep taking the constant beating that Gardner was giving.

[Bodyshot3]

He was a bit before my time so I am not that clued up on Gardner....but am I right that delivered a bit of respectability back to the Brit heavyweight division after a few years when the domestic belt was swapped around and not that many of those guys were doing well internationally? Seems to have been a fair fighter.....

Interesting to see that he did not fight again after getting ko'd by the wildly unpredicatable Noel Quarless; a fighter who seemed to specialise in sparking people one fight and then getting sparked himself the next time out. Don't want to hijack the thread but was Quarless a wasted talent or just a dangerous slugger who sometimes got lucky and landed a bomb?

[coreygardner]

Yeah, the Gardner name is fairly common, but not really in America. I guess it's common in England because it's not that much land and the 5 or so different families have been around for centuries.
It still isn't as common as Parker, Smith, Jones, and Taylor.
I've only ran into one guy with my last name here in the States and he looks related.

I remember writing that I thought John L. Gardner was a great boxer. I do take that back in some ways. He was decent as a boxer, but definitely not a natural. He was honestly quite awkward in movement.

Gardner was a great fighter, and barely decent as a boxer.
Anyone who can win 35 out of 39 fights is a tough fighter.
His best wins were over Neville Meade, Paul Sykes, Rudy Guawe, Lorenzo Zanon, and Ossie Ocasio.

I've only seen 4 or his fights:

John GARDNER vs. Paul SYKES: When I saw this fight, I thought Sykes was the champion, tall, well built, looking like a British Tom Selleck. Then I realized the stocky, kind of chubby, white looking, awkward moving man bashing his face in, was John L. Gardner.
It was a very exciting fight, but a less than exciting finish. I was expecting Gardner to knock him down. It was a still a great fight.

John GARDNER vs. Lorenzo ZANON: It is back and forth, and then in the fifth round, Gardner catches Zanon with a right hand, left hook, and it was a highlight knockout. Zanon was out cold. It was a kind of boring fight per say, but it was a dramatic finish.
Gardner looked in better shape than in his Sykes fight. He looked like he had slimmed down some. He was kind of toned looking, actually looking like a boxer.

John GARDNER vs. Michael DOKES: It looked like they were different weight classes. Dokes weighed in at 208 but he looked like 290 or something. It was boring and John Gardner got in some good shots.
Dokes let out 19 unanswered punches, and it showed how good Gardner's chin was not to go down.
However, Dokes knocked his mouth piece out with a left hook, and John went down, he was out for literally a second and his head lifted off the canvas trying to get back up, but the referree stopped it.
Should have counted him out completely.
I think John would have been knocked down again, but maybe he could have made it to the fifth round only to be knocked down again.

His knockout win over Zanon was a highlight knockout, only took a 2 - 3 combo to put Zanon out completely; and his loss to Dokes was a highlight due to the flying mouthpiece, but it took Dokes 19 punches and John wasn't out completely.


John GARDNER vs. Noel QUARLESS:
This was the first time John L. Gardner looked like a real pro fighter physically, he was tanned and toned, and actually muscular. Even thought it only lasted 2 rounds, he was very entertaining. John was in his face, took a big shot like a man from Quarless. Then Quarless unloaded in the second round.

I think it was good that John L. Gardner came back after his loss to Dokes, he could have tangled with a couple of other Americans. If I'm not mistaken I think he lived in Spain at one point. Could explain the tan he had in the Quarless fight?

I think John L. Gardner was very tough and had a lot of ambition and that's what made him a contender.

[Tuan_Jim]

John GARDNER vs. Noel QUARLESS:
This was the first time John L. Gardner looked like a real pro fighter physically, he was tanned and toned, and actually muscular.

Is that what a "real pro fighter" looks like?

[coreygardner]

John GARDNER vs. Noel QUARLESS:
This was the first time John L. Gardner looked like a real pro fighter physically, he was tanned and toned, and actually muscular.

Is that what a "real pro fighter" looks like?

That's what you focused on in what I wrote?
I just meant he was pasty white and fat, not looking like a boxer, and then he came out in the Quarless fight looking like a professional fighter as far as physical appearance for the first time.
How many pro fighters have a gut?

[Bodyshot3]

Thank you for the update Mercman....appreciated

[raylawpc]

John GARDNER vs. Noel QUARLESS:
This was the first time John L. Gardner looked like a real pro fighter physically, he was tanned and toned, and actually muscular.

Is that what a "real pro fighter" looks like?

That's what you focused on in what I wrote?
I just meant he was pasty white and fat, not looking like a boxer, and then he came out in the Quarless fight looking like a professional fighter as far as physical appearance for the first time.
How many pro fighters have a gut?

Today or then? Most today make Two-Ton Tony Galento look like a prime physical specimen.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

How many pro fighters have a gut?

What you know about boxing you could write on the back of a stamp.

[coreygardner]

How many pro fighters have a gut?

What you know about boxing you could write on the back of a stamp.

I know more about boxing than you will ever know Fat Git.

I mean, at actual boxing. I'm sure you know what things like what Manny Pacquio had for breakfast and stuff.

If you ever are in the States, come over and I will teach you how to box, I'm a young man, and your (I'm assuming), a fat guy who spends way too much time on boxrec.com.

If you notice, I was gone for about four months, living my life, working, you know other than following someone's comments that are so boring...

How is your boyfriend Fat Git, did you guys break up, is that why you are following me still?

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

I know more about boxing than you will ever know Fat Git.

Not true uphill, your ridiculous comments cement that fact.

I mean, at actual boxing. I'm sure you know what things like what Manny Pacquio had for breakfast and stuff.

If you ever are in the States, come over and I will teach you how to box, I'm a young man, and your (I'm assuming), a fat guy who spends way too much time on boxrec.com.

I would knock you out, I would probably be too fast and I am a proper heavyweight, you make that invitation knowing that I will never come over to whatever two bob shithole you live in.

So, the next time you are in England, let me know and we will go a few rounds, OK?

If you notice, I was gone for about four months, living my life, working, you know other than following someone's comments that are so boring...

Get used to working pal, you will never get published.

How is your boyfriend Fat Git, did you guys break up, is that why you are following me still?

A homophobe as well as an idiot - it figures.

[coreygardner]

I know more about boxing than you will ever know Fat Git.

Not true uphill, your ridiculous comments cement that fact.

I mean, at actual boxing. I'm sure you know what things like what Manny Pacquio had for breakfast and stuff.

If you ever are in the States, come over and I will teach you how to box, I'm a young man, and your (I'm assuming), a fat guy who spends way too much time on boxrec.com.

I would knock you out, I would probably be too fast and I am a proper heavyweight, you make that invitation knowing that I will never come over to whatever two bob shithole you live in.

So, the next time you are in England, let me know and we will go a few rounds, OK?

If you notice, I was gone for about four months, living my life, working, you know other than following someone's comments that are so boring...

Get used to working pal, you will never get published.

How is your boyfriend Fat Git, did you guys break up, is that why you are following me still?

A homophobe as well as an idiot - it figures.

Easier said than done Fat Git.

"So, the next time you are in England, le me know and we will go a few rounds, OK?"

It will only take me one round to knock you out Fat Git. I swear on that.

What is your record Fat Git, 0 - 15 (0 KO's), all losses ending by cowardice.

I am getting offline, just to let you know, because I have to spar tonight, and I probably won't get online until this weekend or maybe next week. Just letting you know, don't get worried. Maybe you can go outside and play.

Thank you for keeping my thread going, once again, Fat Git you remain, a complete idiot.

[coreygardner]

Okay,

Have fun being lame and reading over my posts.

It's weird having a stalker that lives 3000 miles away.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Easier said than done Fat Git.

"So, the next time you are in England, le me know and we will go a few rounds, OK?"

It will only take me one round to knock you out Fat Git. I swear on that.

Corey, you wouldn't - but let me know when you are here and you can put your words into practice.

What is your record Fat Git, 0 - 15 (0 KO's), all losses ending by cowardice.

You are a cretin, I am sure I have enough for you whatever my record was.

I am getting offline, just to let you know, because I have to spar tonight, and I probably won't get online until this weekend or maybe next week. Just letting you know, don't get worried. Maybe you can go outside and play.

You coming back next week? Damn, my work isn't done yet.

Thank you for keeping my thread going, once again, Fat Git you remain, a complete idiot.

[/quote]

Go and get some treatment for your OCD, said with love and concern. :geek2:

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Okay,

Have fun being lame and reading over my posts.

It's weird having a stalker that lives 3000 miles away.

I am having tons of fun - more than you I wager.

Is it now time to rearrange your socks in you sock cupboard?