Mike Dokes destruction of John L Gardner

[funso banjo baby]

just reliving this brutal ko from the early 80's.

Gardner was competing during a very poor european scene of the late 70's.

He was way out of his depth against the up and coming american Dokes.

Greg Page and Dokes were definately two of the unfulfilled prospects from the golden era.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9_5F4_Gpgs

[stevedoc]

i never knew they fought i think of them as different era's ,dokes was a good fighter could of been better than he was .

[ClivePatrickLyons]

i never knew they fought i think of them as different era's ,dokes was a good fighter could of been better than he was .

I met him when he was in Australiain in the early 80's..........was on the Coke really bad and I'm not talking about Coke the fizzy drink.

[stevedoc]

i never knew they fought i think of them as different era's ,dokes was a good fighter could of been better than he was .

I met him when he was in Australiain in the early 80's..........was on the Coke really bad and I'm not talking about Coke the fizzy drink.

that seems to be the thing with 80's heavy weights they loved a bit of coke ... i had a couple of ozzies crashing on my sofa friday night over for the rugby a mate of a mate who i owned a favor we got steaming drunk .....

[Nile4000]

Both Page and Dokes were special talents. Though wasn't it amazing that Dokes was a pro for almost 2 1/2 years more than Page, and Page was still kinda the better fighter?

[ClivePatrickLyons]

Both Page and Dokes were special talents. Though wasn't it amazing that Dokes was a pro for almost 2 1/2 years more than Page, and Page was still kinda the better fighter?

I must disagree with you on that one [Page being the better fighter] coke destroyed this mans [Dokes] career BIG TIME

[Nile4000]

Both Page and Dokes were special talents. Though wasn't it amazing that Dokes was a pro for almost 2 1/2 years more than Page, and Page was still kinda the better fighter?

I must disagree with you on that one [Page being the better fighter] coke destroyed this mans [Dokes] career BIG TIME

That's is part of it, though Dokes was never a big puncher, and some of his fights weren't that impressive. He didn't have Page's skills, but his will and confidence was tremendous.

[Caractacus]

Perhaps Gardner would have fared better if he had fought in a "crouching position'?

BTW what was "The Tale of the Tape" between Gardner and Dokes?

[scorpio83]

Caractacus, if you search Michael Dokes vs. John L. Gardner on YouTube, you will see that Dokes was 1 and a half inch or 2 inches taller than Gardner by looking at their heads. I don't know what Gardner's reach and you have to research it.

[scorpio83]

I watched Dokes vs. Gardner from YouTube some years ago and what I remembered that Gardner stood between 6'1" or 6'1 1/2".

[Bodyshot3]

Not my era at all; but was Gardner just a too small, but decent heavyweight who needed the cruiserweight division to hurry up and get invented?

He was apparently a hard lad, with a good attitude from the Lawless/Francis stable, threw plenty of punches and tried to make things happen...but was operating against far taller and bigger men who had too many advantages.

[Nile4000]

Dokes was 6'2", and that's being generous.

[Caractacus]

For the Weaver rematch in the Tale of the Tape.
Dokes was listed as 6 ft 3"
with a 78 in. reach.

However both of those could possibly be exagerrated
as Dokes was usually noted as having short arms for someone of his height elsewhere.

[Caractacus]

For the Weaver rematch in the Tale of the Tape.
Dokes was listed as 6 ft 3"
with a 78 in. reach.

However both of those could possibly be exagerrated
as Dokes was usually noted as having short arms for someone of his height elsewhere.

I think I had also read somewhere (perhaps even here at this forum)
That Dokes reach may have only been 75 inches.

[Cutman Scabbers]

Dokes doesn't look over three inches taller than Gardner when they're toe-to-toe, especially considering that Dokes 'fro' seems to make up much of the height difference between the two of them.

Have a look at Gardner v Sykes on Youtube. Sykes was 6'3" and there seems to be more of a size difference there than is the case with Dokes v Gardner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7AUpGXLDdk

6'5", with afro, 6'9"

[dempseyfire]

Page vs Dokes would've been an interesting fight around 1982. One of those matchups which on paper Page should have the edge but I'd have to favor Dokes to outwork him. Greg was a front-runner and would lose heart if he wasn't dominating his opponent with his flash and skills. Sure he rallied vs some heat vs Coatzee but Gerrie also became exhausted in the late rounds per usual.

Also, Dokes being listed at 6'3 was always bogus. He was shorter than 6'2 Holyfield and significantly shorter than Ali. Dokes was 6'1 at most; probably a little under.