Best fighter at "playing possum"?

ferroz · Post by **ferroz** » 18 Jan 2006, 00:07

Recently I have been going through my old ring magazines and I have found out that many fighters have claimed to have been playing possum but the strtegy ultimately failed. Is there anyone who employed this strategy consistently and effectively? Though this strategy would probably only be a last resorts kind of thing. Some fighters I can think of that played possum well are LaMotta (or so they claim)and Ali. Brewster could be one but I think Wladimir just got tired.

What do you guys think?

Expug · Post by **Expug** » 18 Jan 2006, 00:21

That is a good question, historians have claimed that Lamotta usedto ,who knows/maybe he was in the dauthille fight.Maybe Ali in the Foreman fight. But nowadays when I think of fighters who really do play possum and do alot of other unorthodox things in the ring I think of the one and only....Emanuel Agustus.

BrocktonBlockbuster49 · Post by **BrocktonBlockbuster49** » 18 Jan 2006, 00:25

ya lamotts playing possum is what won him the fight vs dauthille.

alis playing possum helped him survive getting knocked out vs shavers(2nd) and frazier I(11th).

BrocktonBlockbuster49 · Post by **BrocktonBlockbuster49** » 18 Jan 2006, 00:27

Decagon wrote:George Foreman didn't win a round of that fight.

disagree he defintley won 1 or 2 rounds

barry · Post by **barry** » 18 Jan 2006, 00:48

Leach Cross was one of the first fighters to do the possum routine and the crowds absolutely hated him for it, though he did manage to score a couple of sneaky knockouts by playing hurt.

barry · Post by **barry** » 18 Jan 2006, 00:57

Phi Scott, "Bombardier" Billy Wells, or was it a newer heavyweight?

barry · Post by **barry** » 18 Jan 2006, 01:08

He didn't play possum, he just quit and tried to claim a foul, low-blow, which he did on a couple of other occasions!

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 18 Jan 2006, 11:05

Someone mentioned Foreman but the wrong fight. He really did play possum for the Moorer fight and he talks about it in an interview. Not his normal route for sure. But in this case he says his plan was to endure the storm from the younger but smaller fighter and give Moorer confidence and then hope for a lucky shot.

Seems like a possom plan to me. And it seemed to have the desired outcome. But he certainly is not an example of a guy who ever used that method before. In fact that may be why it worked in that case.

Lenny · Post by **Lenny** » 18 Jan 2006, 11:13

Carl Thompson is quite good at it, his awful balance helps draw people in as well

barry · Post by **barry** » 18 Jan 2006, 11:15

>>>He really did play possum for the Moorer fight and he talks about it in an interview<<<

Foreman is so full of it trying to act like he meant to take one hell of a beating for ten rounds just so he could land that lucky punch...Foreman wasn't playing possum, he was taking an pretty bad ass-kicking until he landed the lucky shot!

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 18 Jan 2006, 13:53

I take it you have used Mr Spocks "Vulcan mind meld" to get the goods on him? Hey barry I suppose I know where your comin from, but I"m just givin the guy respect cuz that's what he says on the subject.

It could be a made up whole cloth story.

"How do you know your daddy is your daddy? Cuz yo mamma told you so!"

barry · Post by **barry** » 18 Jan 2006, 14:06

>>>I take it you have used Mr Spocks "Vulcan mind meld" to get the goods on him? Hey barry I suppose I know where your comin from, but I"m just givin the guy respect cuz that's what he says on the subject.<<<

If Foreman had ever been known for being the least bit clever in the ring then I might believe him, but he took a beating, one of the worst of his career, in that bout and he was very fortunate that the referee let it continue for as long as it did. Besides Foreman is well known for making a lot of bonehead statements, as well as a lot of false claims. Plus at no time during the bout did it look like he was playing possum, or trying to set Moorer up, he was just trying his best to survive while taking a solid beating and it was a lucky punch heard around the world, as Michael Moorer said. It would have been a wonderfully awesome incident if he had planned all along to take the beating he did until he was ready to unload that right. He threw the same right many times throughout the bout only that last one just happened to nail Moorer right on the chin and it was goodnight time.

evndrbsn · Post by **evndrbsn** » 18 Jan 2006, 14:39

Oliver McCall said he was playing possum against Lennox Lewis in the rematch. What a wonderous strategy!

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 18 Jan 2006, 15:44

Barry I take it you heard George's words on this subject, and like you said, if it really was his plan then it is a remarkable moment in boxing history and not just the luckiest punch of all time. Although I think he said his plan did require some luck in order for it to work out.

Only George and the Almighty know for sure I guess, and being a preacher he is supposed to play straight with these kinds of stories.
As we all know preachers have never lied about anything at anytime on any subject. And according to this preacher that right that was missing all night was under strict orders to miss the target until kill range was confirmed.

Until George admits it or the Great Spirit writes his "tell all" I'm bound to give credence to Big George. But I'll keep in mind that barry has a "hunch" on this one.

Note that I never said I disagree.....