Michael Ayers - How good was he?

vargas · Post by **vargas** » 14 Jan 2006, 12:59

Ayers best years were a little before my time as a boxing fan. He appears to have had alot of talent, but (assuming his Boxrec record is complete)had several year long absences. Were these due to injury or loss of interest in the game?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 14 Jan 2006, 16:16

Don't know, but ayers was a very good fighter, just a tad shy of elite level mind, but a very game and pretty accomplised fighter, he was fornicating tough as well, get hold of a copy of his fight with Wayne Rigby to see what I mean.

steve689 · Post by **steve689** » 14 Jan 2006, 17:05

It was sad to see Ayers still trying to do it against Sarmiento a few years back and looking totally shot. He showed guts in with Rigby that night of the first fight, what a brawl it was. You can't even accuse Rigby of quitting i don't think, he just said look i don't want to go on anymore and he still has my respect...both guys do. The fight was that good it almost brought an air of credibility to the IBO

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 14 Jan 2006, 17:17

I was there for the Sarmiento fight, and sat next to Tony Connolly of boxing News, I shook my head at the end of the second round and said to him....'he's shot to pieces', nothing left. He looked pretty sad and just nodded quietly. There was a lot of sighing and shaking of heads among the press that night, old Shaka went to the well one more time, only to find the bucket had a hole in the bottom.

Was pretty tragic watching Ayers going through the motions, trying to get his body to perform tricks it no longer remembered how to complete.

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 14 Jan 2006, 17:20

I think Ayers would have beaten Grigorian if they would have fought, how many times was that scheduled.

That fight was scheduled for around the time after he beat Dunne. - 1995/1996. I already think he was a faded fighter when he fought Rigby. A prime Ayers vs Rigby wouldn't have been close.

His final fight with Jon Honney was very sad viewing. Most shot "performance" I have ever seen in the ring... far worse than Ali vs Holmes.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 15 Jan 2006, 07:49

There is a big family from my home town of Darlington called the Halls. Michael (Oscar) Hall just lost to Lenny Daws. Allan his brother was a good amateur turn.

So was another brother Nick. Nick was 4-0 and fought Michael in 1990 when he was also 4-0. A technically proficient boxer, Nick was sparked in the third.

He was very good indeed, as James says maybe just short of top class but I don't think he ever really fulfilled his potential despite all his achievements.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 15 Jan 2006, 07:59

I think Ayers was at his peak at around about the time of the Dunne fight... what a shame that he never fought Billy Schwer as that would have been a classic!.... on his best night I'd have favoured Ayers to win that...

hitman_hatton1 · Post by **hitman_hatton1** » 15 Jan 2006, 08:12

ayers-rigby 1 and 2 r must haves in your fight collection.

the 1st one is easily one of the best fights ever to take place in this country.

still not sure how ayers beats the count for that knockdown.

he just looks absolutely fucked and somehow gets up at 9 and a bit.

true warriors.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 15 Jan 2006, 08:18

Looking at Ayers record I think one of the things that held him back were the periods of inactivity that punchuated his career... why did he have such a long lay off after the Dunn fight?......

THEBUTCH · Post by **THEBUTCH** » 16 Jan 2006, 10:18

That was because he was supposed to box Grigorian and as Stu Jones mentions that fights was cancelled on about 3 different occasions.

Ayres was utterly formidable at British level and for my money the best lightweight of his era.

Hopefully Ayres made good money from boxing, but after the Dunne fight he should have been given the opportunity to achieve more thatn he did, but Hearn took him down the IBO route so all he'll be remembered for is an outright winner of a Londsdale belt (in record time at the point he won it) and being involved in some classics contests.

Sounds like that would be more than enough for some boxers, but not for me, Ayres was THAT good and should have more to show for it in the record books.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 16 Jan 2006, 10:27

THEBUTCH wrote:That was because he was supposed to box Grigorian and as Stu Jones mentions that fights was cancelled on about 3 different occasions.

Ayres was utterly formidable at British level and for my money the best lightweight of his era.

Hopefully Ayres made good money from boxing, but after the Dunne fight he should have been given the opportunity to achieve more thatn he did, but Hearn took him down the IBO route so all he'll be remembered for is an outright winner of a Londsdale belt (in record time at the point he won it) and being involved in some classics contests.

Sounds like that would be more than enough for some boxers, but not for me, Ayres was THAT good and should have more to show for it in the record books.

Yeah, now I remember the cancelled fights etc... I agree that he should have got a shot at more substantial titles... why didn't he go for the Euro title?... that could have been used as a springboard for a shot at a decent world title... I think the schuwer fight not happening held back both mens careers, maybe Micheals more so.... Dunn also could have done better with his prime I think and should have got a shot at a 'real' world title.....

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 16 Jan 2006, 10:48

hitman_hatton1 wrote:ayers-rigby 1 and 2 r must haves in your fight collection. the 1st one is easily one of the best fights ever to take place in this country.

still not sure how ayers beats the count for that knockdown. he just looks absolutely fucked and somehow gets up at 9 and a bit.

true warriors.

Quite right me old son. I've got it on DVD, courtesy of Stu I think, or was it someone else I forget now who was kind enough to send it me. I watched the fight on TV many years ago, and never ever forgot it.

I always reccomend that 1st fight to everyone I talk to about boxing. It's such an inspiration. It's a fight which had everything, courage in the face of adversity, drama, and the ending for me is very emotional, Ayers and Rigby just end the fight by mutual consent pretty much, Michael stops hitting him and Rigby just wanders off taking it out of the refs hands.

When you consider how much they put into what wasn't even a proper world title fight, it shows up some of the lamentable efforts we get in big time boxing these days. Pride was what was really on the line in that fight, it's a DVD that Audley could do well to watch as an example of what it is to be a warior. Something i hasten to add that I am not, but I admire greatly those who are.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 16 Jan 2006, 13:26

jamesmcdonnell wrote:
hitman_hatton1 wrote:ayers-rigby 1 and 2 r must haves in your fight collection. the 1st one is easily one of the best fights ever to take place in this country.

still not sure how ayers beats the count for that knockdown. he just looks absolutely fucked and somehow gets up at 9 and a bit.

true warriors.
Quite right me old son. I've got it on DVD, courtesy of Stu I think, or was it someone else I forget now who was kind enough to send it me. I watched the fight on TV many years ago, and never ever forgot it.

I always reccomend that 1st fight to everyone I talk to about boxing. It's such an inspiration. It's a fight which had everything, courage in the face of adversity, drama, and the ending for me is very emotional, Ayers and Rigby just end the fight by mutual consent pretty much, Michael stops hitting him and Rigby just wanders off taking it out of the refs hands.

When you consider how much they put into what wasn't even a proper world title fight, it shows up some of the lamentable efforts we get in big time boxing these days. Pride was what was really on the line in that fight, it's a DVD that Audley could do well to watch as an example of what it is to be a warior. Something i hasten to add that I am not, but I admire greatly those who are.

Yeah, I found the ending to Ayers vs Rigby 1 one of the most moving finale's to fight I've ever seen, ...it was like something out of a film, but so real too. Its not often you see such sportsmanship, courage and compassion all rolled into the same minute or so!....

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 17 Jan 2006, 04:41

Shame we never got to see Ayers v Schwer, that would have been a great fight. I don't know why they never met.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 17 Jan 2006, 07:10

I remember Ayers saying he wanted the fight a few times but I think politics got in the way.... :x

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 17 Jan 2006, 10:01

I would have favoured a prime Schwer over a prime Ayers. Mind you I thought Schwer was going to beat Dunne.

Old bones Ian · Post by **Old bones Ian** » 17 Jan 2006, 11:59

stujones wrote:I would have favoured a prime Schwer over a prime Ayers. Mind you I thought Schwer was going to beat Dunne.

yeah it would have been a 50/50 fight, maybe Schwers workrate would have won it, but Ayers when at his prime was a very good fighter.

THEBUTCH · Post by **THEBUTCH** » 19 Jan 2006, 13:29

Ayres for me too. In his prime Michael was relentless and I found it incredible how he kept managing to increase the pace against Dunne. Billy was one of my favourites too but Ayres would have had too much for him in my opinion.

Even a relativley "green" Ayres put up a stirling challenge to the world class Parisi in Italy.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 19 Jan 2006, 13:38

I'm pretty sure I went to school with Michael Ayers in Hammersmith. He was called Mickey Ayers and I remember him looking much the same as he does these days.
Very quiet polite lad, but not someone anyone messed with obviously.
Might have lived in Chiswick or Acton for a few years too.

Anyone know if this was the same Michael Ayers?

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 19 Jan 2006, 13:54

Which school?

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 19 Jan 2006, 13:59

Beverly road then Chiswick community school. Think he was at both. Maybe St Mary's too, as he was a friend of a friend who went there too.