Serious Distractions in the ring, that made a difference in the outcome.

[BoxBuzz]

Starting with....Did the "Parachute guy" change the outcome?

It's rumored Max Baer lost a few fights by being more interested in the women rinside, than the task at hand.

But His fight with his own falling trunks, didn't amount to much more than a couple of mosquito bites in his victory over Carnera.

For the conspiracy minded, we can give a nod to the "murderers in the crowd", be they Muslim or Mob Hacks, In Liston's loss to Ali.

I do think that Buster's Mom's passing allowed/caused him to steel/focus himself in a way that allowed him to persevere over Iron Mike.

Mike's reputation (I believe) caused Spinks to freeze....(not that this necessarily changed the outcome, but perhaps the timing of the outcome??



Any others? (Some say there was some sort of conspiracy re: Duran/Leonard II, I buy that about as well as I buy the Liston myth.)

I'm looking for fights that had changed outcomes from something totaly outside of the boxer's default expectations.

Another one might be the bump the size of Ethiopia that erupted on Rahman's forehead when fighting Evander....Or was that just a result of the run of the mill headbutting that EH was famous for?
And did he ever really have a shot at winning that fight?

Slippery canvas? Ropes too tight too loose? Wrong ring size? Insane referee? (Taylor vs Chavez?) Threats in the first row? Poisoned before the bout? (Didn't Wlad claim that in a loss?)


Please share your observations.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I think fan man might have enabled bowe to last the distance.

[BoxBuzz]

If Bowe would have been KO'd, would there have even been a third fight?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Of course

[yancey]

Does your opponent getting away with constant grabbing and holding throughout a fight count as a distraction?

[giacomino]

Rocky vs Clubber Lang (re: Mickey's heart attack). Totally threw Rocky off his game plan

Might also nominate Emile Griffith vs Benny Paret. All than "Maricon" business got in Griffith's head

[Seamus]

It is interesting how a long delay can change momentum in a sporting contest, Darchinyan vs Pacheco, Holyfield v Bowe, Villaflor v Kim, Ravens v 49ers in the Super Bowl (Niners were getting taken to the woodshed before the blackout).

[BoxBuzz]

Does your opponent getting away with constant grabbing and holding throughout a fight count as a distraction?

no more no less than ref's stopping the action for too much hitting, or calling a short round when a "prize" fighter gets in a bit over his head.

[Bricks]

Rocky vs Clubber Lang (re: Mickey's heart attack). Totally threw Rocky off his game plan

[yancey]

Does your opponent getting away with constant grabbing and holding throughout a fight count as a distraction?

no more no less than ref's stopping the action for too much hitting, or calling a short round when a "prize" fighter gets in a bit over his head.

"bit over his head" BB

Yeah, right.

[evrenb]

Imaginary Bells in the second round of a big fight....

[BoxBuzz]

Does your opponent getting away with constant grabbing and holding throughout a fight count as a distraction?

no more no less than ref's stopping the action for too much hitting, or calling a short round when a "prize" fighter gets in a bit over his head.

"bit over his head" BB

Yeah, right.

Ok....that was low and despicable of me. I am ashamed.

[yancey]

Imaginary Bells in the second round of a big fight....

12 rounds of incessant grabbing and holding......same fight.

[yancey]

no more no less than ref's stopping the action for too much hitting, or calling a short round when a "prize" fighter gets in a bit over his head.

"bit over his head" BB

Yeah, right.

Ok....that was low and despicable of me. I am ashamed.

No worries, Joe would have forgiven you.

[Dancin' Dan]

Wlad's wife came out how bad her post partum depression was. Very tough go from what I read. Wlad really looked out of it in the Fury fight. Can't help but wonder if he was hugely distracted by all. Nothing like when the girl you love is not well.

Matthew Hilton who was trained by his dad suddenly last minute had a different trainer and is entire career tanked. Whole family drug him down.

Gabriel RuelAs coming off killing Jimmy Garcia in the ring said he kept seeing his ghost the next fight and he didn't want to punch.

Many more.....

[man]

dundee cleansing ali's gloves in the
first liston.

[Bodyshot3]

Pretty much anyone signed to the lovely Don and Carl K.....

.....I am being paid to whack this guy in the ring - probably about ten bucks and a cheeseburger and fries after 'expenses' - but I can help thinking I should be smacking that bloke with the sparkly suit and shite hairdo.

[Ambling Alp II]

Obviously we will never know for sure, but it's doubtful that "parachute guy" changed the outcome of the 2nd Bowe-Holyfield fight.
Actually, very seldom do you hear someone claim that it did. If say instead of Holyfield it was Ali or Leonard won a fight where that happened that, this would be talked about all the time. Or if instead of Bowe losing it was Duran or Frazier lost a fight like that it would used as an excuse frequently.