Classic fights I've watched recently

[handsofstone]

Larry Holmes vs Trevor Berbick


Holmes wins a 15 round UD to retain his title, great fight, competitive all the way through, especially the first half of the fight where Berbick was dangerous coming forward out of the peek a boo guard and unleashing fast flurries and roughing Holmes up at times, Holmes had to work hard in there and didn't mind mixing it up with Berbick, his jab was key again and the right hands over the top stunned Berbick a few times,

Berbick seemed to fade in the second half and it allowed Holmes to pull away on the cards, sometimes up on his toes jabbing away then sitting down on his shots and nailing Berbick with some crisp rights, Berbick had a great 14th, a final throw of the dice and the 15th was just a shoot out which both guys landed but Holmes landed more

Great fight and a lot closer than the 15-0 Holmes that 1 judges had it

[Ambling Alp II]

This is a fight that that some reason you hardly ever hear about. 15-0 does seem way off. Berbick always seemed to be guy who was better than the sum of his parts. There was not that much that was impressive about him yet he managed some good results.

[PredatorHayds]

Watched Patterson-Rademacher.

Rademacher started really well.
Still had the amateur in him, controlled the action with his jab.

Floyd trying to nail him with his leaping hooks. He lost the first couple but then found his range and started splattering him.

Been watching a lot of Patterson lately. Always thought he was a tad underrated.

[handsofstone]

Larry Holmes vs Leon Spinks


Holmes TKOs Spinks in the 3rd, put him down with a series of clubbing right hands which sent him crashing through the ropes, he got up but Holmes had the measure of him and held out the left hand whilst battering him with rights when the ref stepped in at the same time as the towel come in, nothing wrong with Spinks effort he really took the fight to Holmes and was always on the front foot, caught him with some flush shots but Holmes as ever came back firing and had the quality to hurt Spinks and get him out of there early

[DrDuke]

Watched Patterson vs Cooper.

Floyd showed, that he could still be tough. With his trademark bobbing-and-weaving he landed a left hook on Cooper in the 3rd round, then a couple more shots to knock him down. Henry was probably saved by the bell, but everything had been over for him in the next round. Floyd scored a couple more knockdowns, the 1st of them was still initiated by a left hook, the 2nd of them - by the right hand. That was a brutally performed showdown, just like Floyd was always capable of.

[Syntax Error]

Watched Patterson-Rademacher.

Rademacher started really well.
Still had the amateur in him, controlled the action with his jab.

Floyd trying to nail him with his leaping hooks. He lost the first couple but then found his range and started splattering him.

Been watching a lot of Patterson lately. Always thought he was a tad underrated.

Patterson is definitely underrated as I have always had the impression that the masses seemed to focus more on his weaknesses than his strengths when evaluating him.

He's my favourite HW, although he wouldn't be one today.

He had great skills & handspeed to die for.

[DrDuke]

Watched Jerry Quarry vs Mac Foster.

Quarry was a man and that had been a one of his finest performances. The start was pretty even and not so eventful. In the 3rd Jerry was caught by right hand, but didn't show any signs of being in trouble. And the 4th had already become the beginning of the end for Foster. In the 5th Mac was visibly stunned. The 6th was just beautiful. Jerry was caught with a solid one-two, but immediately after that Quarry had just battered Foster with the load of bombs. In the result there was no need for the count. Quarry was so tough, a true warrior of the ring.

[handsofstone]

Larry Holmes vs Tim Witherspoon


Holmes wins a SD in a very close fight that could've gone either way, first time ive seen Witherspoon he's a very tidy boxer, quick, sharp, great jab, footwork and takes a shot, his movement gave Holmes plenty to think about and sometimes his speed befuddled Holmes, he hurt Holmes badly in the 9th with a right hand and had Larry hanging on for dear life, he was all over the shop, looked one clean punch from being stopped, he was reeling everywhere and trapped on the ropes as well but Holmes being Holmes done as he always done when hurt he came back firing and tagged Witherspoon with a big right himself

Holmes could never hurt Witherspoon and it was a real battle of the jabs at times which both men had success, probably the worst ive seen Holmes box(bar Tyson) but he still showed champion quality though, tough competitive fight with quality boxing on show and the 9th round was one of boxings great rounds

[Duran1970]

Just watched ward/Burton (Augustus) again just for the hell of it

[PredatorHayds]

Watched Patterson-Rademacher.

Rademacher started really well.
Still had the amateur in him, controlled the action with his jab.

Floyd trying to nail him with his leaping hooks. He lost the first couple but then found his range and started splattering him.

Been watching a lot of Patterson lately. Always thought he was a tad underrated.

Patterson is definitely underrated as I have always had the impression that the masses seemed to focus more on his weaknesses than his strengths when evaluating him.

He's my favourite HW, although he wouldn't be one today.

He had great skills & handspeed to die for.

He’s one of my favourites aswell.

It’s a shame that his defining and most memorable moments tend to be the Liston defeats.

[handsofstone]

Watched Patterson-Rademacher.

Rademacher started really well.
Still had the amateur in him, controlled the action with his jab.

Floyd trying to nail him with his leaping hooks. He lost the first couple but then found his range and started splattering him.

Been watching a lot of Patterson lately. Always thought he was a tad underrated.

Patterson is definitely underrated as I have always had the impression that the masses seemed to focus more on his weaknesses than his strengths when evaluating him.

He's my favourite HW, although he wouldn't be one today.

He had great skills & handspeed to die for.

He’s one of my favourites aswell.

It’s a shame that his defining and most memorable moments tend to be the Liston defeats.

Ive been watching a lot of Holmes lately but Patterson is the next guy I'm gonna binge on, ive only seen his fights with Ali, Liston, Johansson and Chuvalo

The things Patterson achieved in boxing are incredible, amateur and pro, Olympic Gold medallist, youngest HW champ, 1st man to regain HW title, such a small heavyweight too

[Bodyshot3]

Benn v Watson, London 1989.

I was actually looking for another (winning) Benn fight.........

.......but ended-up watching Nigel's losing fight with Mike yet again and being captivated by the intensity, crackling atmosphere and the sheer contrast in and out of the ring between these two men.

Even though Mike sadly would never get to call himself a world champ he was assuredly a world-class fighter and this belting middleweight showdown is also a clear reminder that Benn's ferocity could also be his undoing.

Watson was the definition of calm and a man who had a whip-smart gameplan designed to blunt and then tame the young, rampaging Benn.

It must have taken some guts and real boxing know-how to let someone as ferocious as Benn come at you and be prepared to go to the ropes, block stuff with your arms and patiently pick him off with counters thrown off the back foot.

Benn is literally raging around Watson - and one mistake by Mike is a trip to the deck - but despite the crowd going beserk as Nigel unleashes, Mike is slowly taking control and beginning to land clean shots against a tiring opponent.

Nigel is my fighter but there are times when I find myself backing Watson and also appreciating that this defeat would be the making of the Dark Destroyer.

[Syntax Error]

Benn v Watson, London 1989.

I was actually looking for another (winning) Benn fight.........

.......but ended-up watching Nigel's losing fight with Mike yet again and being captivated by the intensity, crackling atmosphere and the sheer contrast in and out of the ring between these two men.

Even though Mike sadly would never get to call himself a world champ he was assuredly a world-class fighter and this belting middleweight showdown is also a clear reminder that Benn's ferocity could also be his undoing.

Watson was the definition of calm and a man who had a whip-smart gameplan designed to blunt and then tame the young, rampaging Benn.

It must have taken some guts and real boxing know-how to let someone as ferocious as Benn come at you and be prepared to go to the ropes, block stuff with your arms and patiently pick him off with counters thrown off the back foot.

Benn is literally raging around Watson - and one mistake by Mike is a trip to the deck - but despite the crowd going beserk as Nigel unleashes, Mike is slowly taking control and beginning to land clean shots against a tiring opponent.

Nigel is my fighter but there are times when I find myself backing Watson and also appreciating that this defeat would be the making of the Dark Destroyer.

This was a stunning performance by Watson.

He stuck to a simple gameplan & did not take any risks (because he didn't need to) & took Benn apart methodically & KOd him with a simple jab.

[Counter-puncher]

Benn v Watson, London 1989.

I was actually looking for another (winning) Benn fight.........

.......but ended-up watching Nigel's losing fight with Mike yet again and being captivated by the intensity, crackling atmosphere and the sheer contrast in and out of the ring between these two men.

Even though Mike sadly would never get to call himself a world champ he was assuredly a world-class fighter and this belting middleweight showdown is also a clear reminder that Benn's ferocity could also be his undoing.

Watson was the definition of calm and a man who had a whip-smart gameplan designed to blunt and then tame the young, rampaging Benn.

It must have taken some guts and real boxing know-how to let someone as ferocious as Benn come at you and be prepared to go to the ropes, block stuff with your arms and patiently pick him off with counters thrown off the back foot.

Benn is literally raging around Watson - and one mistake by Mike is a trip to the deck - but despite the crowd going beserk as Nigel unleashes, Mike is slowly taking control and beginning to land clean shots against a tiring opponent.

Nigel is my fighter but there are times when I find myself backing Watson and also appreciating that this defeat would be the making of the Dark Destroyer.

This was a stunning performance by Watson.

He stuck to a simple gameplan & did not take any risks (because he didn't need to) & took Benn apart methodically & KOd him with a simple jab.

superb execution of his skills and game plan

[DrDuke]

Berbick vs Thomas.

Berbick utilized a good strategy of avoiding Thomas' jab and making Thomas fight inside, where Berbick was more successful. The first half of the fight was competitive, but Pinklon had been fading through the rounds and in the second half it was all Berbick's fight. Trevor looked crafty in contrast to his next fight, where he had accepted an awful stratagy of trying to brawl with Tyson.

[Bodyshot3]

superb execution of his skills and game plan

Agreed mate and I write this as a real die-hard Benn fan who was actually looking for some of Nige's winning nights

It is tempting to think that Nigel learned from this fight - and for a while he assuredly did - but then he allowed himself to get carried away by his utter loathing for Eubank and went for hell-for-leather in Brum. The red mist would sink him yet again.

What made Nigel combust (and crucially by exactly how much) could be both his downfall or his biggest asset.

Too much passion and a desire to destroy seek-and-destry his opponent saw him blow some winnable fights.

But when he got the explosive mix perfectly balanced he was one helluva fighter.

I still really like his first fight with Galvano in Italy to take the WBC SMW strap was Benn right on his game.

Yup I know Galvano aint Barkley, the G-Man or DeWitt in terms of reputation but Italy was as tricky as feck back then and Benn got that performance absolutely spot on.........controlled, consistent aggression that beat-up a hometown favourite.

[Abradolf Lincler]

Happy Lora vs Alberto Davila I

Great exhibition from Lora against an excellent little boxer himself in Davila. I always thought Albert was just unlucky to come up in the era he did. Far lesser fighters than he have carved out long title reigns in the lower weights over the past 20 years or so. He'd be cleaning up if his career started 20 years later. No notable physical attributes whatsoever (short, small reach, not particularly fast, not much power), but as textbook and tidy a technician as you'll ever see. Just had the bad luck of running into guys like Gomez, Zarate, Lora, Pintor, etc. Guys with excellent technique and a lot of the physical prowess he lacked.

This fight was a real showcase for Lora, though. When he was in the right mindset (you never really knew what you were gonna get with him), he was as silky smooth and skilled a defensive counter puncher as I've ever seen in the lower weights. That was the mindset he turned up with this night. It takes a supreme talent to outclass a technician like Davila in the pure boxing aspect, and Happy put it all on display in this one. He would toy with Albert, his back planted on the ropes, feet planted on the canvas, while putting on a dizzying display of slipping, rolling, bobbing, weaving, and countering. Man, this guy was limber in the upper body. Might've been a little showy for some, but the skills and radar had to be admired.

[handsofstone]

Larry Holmes vs Marvis Frazier


Holmes KOs a hopelessly outclassed Frazier in the 1st, total mismatch Frazier had only had 10 fights, he came out confident similar style to his dad, plenty bobbing and weaving but Holmes just kept him at bay and held out the left jab, he nailed Frazier with a big straight right hand, he got up but he was still hurt and Holmes trapped him on the ropes hitting him with big rights until the ref stepped in

[DrDuke]

Carl Williams vs Bert Cooper.

Cooper was rushing forward in tries to reach Williams from the 1st seconds of the fight, as it was obvious tactics against a taller opponent with good jab. However, Williams had established his jab immediately and had even sent Cooper to the canvas with the jab right in the 1st round. Cooper hadn't been rocked too much and continued attempts of getting inside. The fight was going in such way until the 6th round with Cooper having some success in getting to Williams, but being dominated by Carl in general. At the end of the 6th round Bert was rocked pretty badly and in the 7th he looked tired. The fight was stopped after that round.

[handsofstone]

Larry Holmes vs James "Bonecrusher" Smith 1+2


Holmes stops Smith on a cut eye in the 12th round of the first fight, well really Smith quit, it wasn't a great fight but it was competitive and Smith rocked Holmes a couple of times and Holmes had to hold on to survive, for the most part though Holmes was doing just enough to win the rounds, Smith grew into it the longer the fight went on and that was when he had Holmes hurt, there was a cut later in the fight after an accidental headclash and Smith came off worst, Holmes started to regain a foothold in the fight by the 11th and when the ref called Smith over to the doctor to check the cut in the 12th, Smith told the doc he'd had enough, strange ending but Holmes done what he had to do to win


Holmes stops Smith in the 8th round of the rematch, well Smith quit again, this time with citing an injured right arm, this fight was in 1999, 15 years after the first fight and both guys were unsurprisingly out of shape, Smith was ineffective throughout and had no success at all really, Holmes was slow but he worked off the jab and the lead right hand caught Smith time and again, the ending came out of nowhere, Holmes tagged Smith was another lead right and Smith staggered back signalling to his corner that his arm was done and the ref stopped it

[PredatorHayds]

Just watched Floyd Patterson against Cut and Shoot, Texas finest Roy Harris.

Starts off a competetive fight. Harris puts Patterson down.
Patterson gets on top and gives Harris a bit of a beating til it gets stopped.

Watched a lot of Patterson lately. He gets put down a lot, but looks fresh as a daisy a lot of the time he gets back up.

Read a lot of articles around this time August 58.

A lot of the boxing press and public are really pushing for a Patterson-SRR fight. Likely that Floyd would of been a huge favourite.
At this time Pattersons hand speed is being talked about as one of the best of all time.
Cus doesn’t want the fight as he doesn’t want Patterson feasting on blown up middleweights.

In hindsight. What a fight it could of been.

[DrDuke]

Virgil Hill vs Fabrice Tiozzo 2

Hill had some troublesome times prior to that fight, but still it was embarrassing, that he had been a 15-1 underdog. The fight had started quick from both sides. Then there was a perfect double jab + cross combination from Virgil. Fabrice was abe to stand up, but it had already been clear, that he wouldn't survive to the end of the round.

[handsofstone]

Larry Holmes vs Carl Williams


Holmes wins a fairly wide UD to retain his title, ive gotta be honest I never scored it but I thought Williams won it convincingly , he's a similar height to Holmes and has a similar style, tall upright boxer who does the basics well, he outjabbed Holmes, he was sharper, quicker and a lot busier, especially early doors, Holmes never really got going until about the 8th, even then Williams fought hard to keep control of the fight, the rounds Williams won were a lot more decisive than the ones Holmes won

There wasn't any drama but it was a great boxing match with a lot of quality on show, I just thought Williams not only deserved the win but was robbed IMO

[DrDuke]

Larry Holmes vs Carl Williams


Holmes wins a fairly wide UD to retain his title, ive gotta be honest I never scored it but I thought Williams won it convincingly , he's a similar height to Holmes and has a similar style, tall upright boxer who does the basics well, he outjabbed Holmes, he was sharper, quicker and a lot busier, especially early doors, Holmes never really got going until about the 8th, even then Williams fought hard to keep control of the fight, the rounds Williams won were a lot more decisive than the ones Holmes won

There wasn't any drama but it was a great boxing match with a lot of quality on show, I just thought Williams not only deserved the win but was robbed IMO

I also think, that Williams was robbed there.

[Kalan]

He didn't... If you actually scored the fight round by round Holmes won it...

It was a super sloppy fight that made Larry look bad.... He wasn't in real solid condition and it gave you a notion that was going to carry over into future fights... I think complacency set in for him and that's why Micheal Spinks beat him.