Classic fights I've watched recently

[DrDuke]

Yeah, Oscar won Mosley in the 2nd bout, although the fight itself was quite sh!tty.

[PredatorHayds]

Robbie Regan beating Daniel Jimenez for the World title.

I had it a lot wider than the judges. I thought Regan bossed it.
Looked the bigger puncher of the two and had the faster hands.

I thought he would be suited by Bantamweight. Heartbreaking he didn’t fight again.

[handsofstone]

Tim Witherspoon vs Greg Page 1+2



Witherspoon beats Page by MD to win vacant World Heavyweight title, really tough hard fought fight, gruelling for both men, Page tried to box on his toes at times, popping out jab, sticking and moving but Witherspoon kept pressing and pressuring trying to drag him into a fight and succeeded, it was nip/tuck for long spells but Witherspoon landed the big shots up close and made Page feel a few, he had Page backed up on ropes for large spells of fight and he deserved the decision


Page stops Witherspoon after 7 rounds of the rematch, Witherspoon retires in his stool with a knee injury, this was 15 years after first fight so both men well passed their best but it actually a pretty entertaining fight, neither guy had the legs so there was plenty slugging on the inside, Page dropped Witherspoon in the 1st with a couple of soft looking left hooks, you feared for Witherspoon's resistance but he hung around for a bit, Page looked like he had more in tank and just looked better and fresher, Witherspoon looked ready to go before the end of 7th and it was no surprise he didnt come out for 8th

[handsofstone]

Pinklon Thomas vs Tim Witherspoon



Thomas beats Witherspoon by MD to become World Heavyweight champion, a battle of the jabs really, close for first few rounds then Thomas pulled away still outjabbing Witherspoon who looked like something was bothering him, think he might have damaged ribs, he also lost a point in the 5th for punching with backhand, Thomas just peppered away with the jab and looked in control


Even when Thomas slowed later Witherspoon couldn't capatalise, he was missing, punching out of range, Thomas finished strong as well, again using the jab to keep Witherspoon at bay to win the decision

[Onetimeonly]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

[DrDuke]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

A row of Valuev's and John Ruiz' fights were worse.

[hhaehre]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

A row of Valuev's and John Ruiz' fights were worse.

Not sure about that. The only contender I can think of would be the Nelson-DeLeon fight.

[DrDuke]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

A row of Valuev's and John Ruiz' fights were worse.

Not sure about that. The only contender I can think of would be the Nelson-DeLeon fight.

Well, you're still better not to try to check that. The Nelson-DeLeon fight is probably the worst indeed. Can it even be called a fight? It was a 0-0 type of a draw, some sort of a staring contest.

[PredatorHayds]

John Davison- Steve Robinson

Great fight. Robinson gets a World title shot on 48 hours notice and becomes World champion.

The Cinderella Man.

Incredible that they sanctioned this. Robinson wasn’t even ranked.
Could of gone either way. I had Davison 115-113.

The start of a fantastic chapter in Welsh Boxing.

[Onetimeonly]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

A row of Valuev's and John Ruiz' fights were worse.

Tubbs/page was longer.

[DrDuke]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

A row of Valuev's and John Ruiz' fights were worse.

Tubbs/page was longer.

Still looked a bit more like boxing.

[Onetimeonly]

A row of Valuev's and John Ruiz' fights were worse.

Tubbs/page was longer.

Still looked a bit more like boxing.

Not to me. Looked two oafs rubbing tits. In any event I'm not down for a long semantic argument, just giving a warning.

[handsofstone]

Tim Witherspoon vs James "Bonecrusher" Smith 1+2



Witherspoon beats Smith by wide UD over 12 in a non title Heavyweight fight, fairly easy night for Witherspoon, hurt Smith several times in the fight with both hands but it was mainly the big overhand right that he kept nailing him with, Smith was shook up a few times and done well not to go down a few times, he couldnt get out the way of Witherspoon's big shots, when Smith tried to box he was throwing arm punches and never troubled Witherspoon at all, an easy night


Smith blows away Witherspoon in 1 round of the rematch to become World Heavyweight champion, came out swinging like a madman and dropped Witherspoon with a left hook, Witherspoon got up groggy but was clubbed down with a right then another right had him down a third time when it was stopped, Smith relentless and Witherspoon shellshocked

[PredatorHayds]

Lee Selby against Evgeny Gradovich.

Great display from Selby. He was silky smooth and mixed in vicious shots aswell.
Such a talent. Personally I think he underachieved. Stayed weight drained at Featherweight for too long.
He made good money from his PBC defences but I think he should of moved up not long after this one.

[handsofstone]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

Witherspoon/Tubbs up next for me am i in for a treat??

[Onetimeonly]

While you're in that era, steer clear of tubbs/page. Worst fight ever seen.

Witherspoon/Tubbs up next for me am i in for a treat??

Lol, no, but much better than the other one.

[Bodyshot3]

Tim Witherspoon vs James "Bonecrusher" Smith 1+2

Enjoying the Spoon back catalogue

Weird sequence of results between these two.

Quite shocked as a very young fan that Smith flattened Terrible Tim like that.....but I think Spoon had all sorts of King hassles in the background and he was never the best guardian of his body.

There's having a 'relaxed body' and there's carrying too much timber and not having done the roadwork.

Having been outboxed once and maybe knowing a bit about Tim's travails.....Smith decided to come out bombing.
Not a bad move as it turned out.

[Onetimeonly]

Tim admitted to taking a dive to get away from king.

[Syntax Error]

Tim Witherspoon vs James "Bonecrusher" Smith 1+2

Enjoying the Spoon back catalogue

Weird sequence of results between these two.

Quite shocked as a very young fan that Smith flattened Terrible Tim like that.....but I think Spoon had all sorts of King hassles in the background and he was never the best guardian of his body.

There's having a 'relaxed body' and there's carrying too much timber and not having done the roadwork.

Having been outboxed once and maybe knowing a bit about Tim's travails.....Smith decided to come out bombing.
Not a bad move as it turned out.

I loved watching Tim Witherspoon.

He might have been great had he been dedicated, but alas, we will never know.

[DrDuke]

Witherspoon's stories about losing on purpose may sound like a coverage to his poor preparation, lack of dedication and cashing out, acknowledging how inconsistent the guy was. However, it's interesting, that the same stuff can be said about a lot of guys from that era.

[handsofstone]

Its a weird one with Witherspoon, he dominated Smith in their 1st fight, won 11 rounds on all 3 cards, wins a MD against Tubbs to win title then Tubbs pulls out rematch a week or 2 before fight and Smith gets the gig, i think it was about a year since Witherspoon comfortably beat him, i know he was a late replacement but there must've been uproar when Bonecrusher was announced, low and behold Smith sweeps Witherspoon away in a round

[handsofstone]

Tim Witherspoon vs Tony Tubbs



Witherspoon beats Tubbs by MD to become World Heavyweight champion, close gruelling fight, Witherspoon done just about enough to edge it, he was guy on front foot and Tubbs played counter puncher, when it got up close it was neck and neck, both men trying to work inside, hit the body, Witherspoon hurt Tubbs with a left hook in the 8th sent him crashing into ropes, apart from that nobody was hurt, it was hard fought for both men but Witherspoon's aggression won on the day

[PredatorHayds]

DeMarcus Corley against Junior Witter.

Awkward counter puncher against awkward counter puncher.

Really good display from Witter. Confused Corley and landed some hurtful punches. Showed one punch power at times.

Good win. Corley had given Cotto problems and landed on Floyd (No mean feat) in previous fights.

Probably Witter’s 2nd best win of his career after Harris.

It wasn’t the most pleasing fight on the eye. I don’t think HBO fancied Witter much and I reckon that was the biggest factor of the Hatton fight not happening at this time.
Easy to forget how big a deal Hatton was Stateside. HBO loved him.

[Grilling Machine]

Calzaghe-Reid

Last watched it about 15 years ago and had Reid winning by 1 or 2 (at a push), IIRC. This time I had it a point tighter, still leaning towards Reid, else a draw seemed fair. I can definitely see how those 116-111 cards were reached, but think they all overscored the positives they were swayed by.

Veit was the exception to Calzaghe's no-rematches rule, but I think he would've won by UD had he fought Reid again. He seemed to be caught between his early KO-hunting and his later hands-saving volume punching, winning 3 of the first 4 comfortably but then letting himself coast when the knockout hadn't happened. Injuries? Or maybe the memory of gassing versus Eubank.

Re: the latter, Reid looked significantly more tired at the end, while Calzaghe still had some bounce in his legs, so had it been 15 I'd have favoured him to reverse my card.

[handsofstone]

Tim Witherspoon vs Carl Williams




Witherspoon beats Williams by SD over 12 in a non title fight, never scored it but looked a clear robbery, Witherspoon hurt Williams a couple times early to steal a few rounds, Williams boxed on backfoot for 12 rounds, he was busier and outboxed Witherspoon for most of fight, Witherspoon did land the big shots early, wide shots from both hands visibly shook Williams a couple times but Witherspoon stopped finding they shots by about the 5th and Williams just peppered away with the jab, Witherspoon stalked but couldn't land, Williams dipped his knees with a right in the 8th, best punch of fight, Witherspoon had a good 11th but was flat in 12th, no doubt Williams deserved win but Witherspoon got it