Classic fights I've watched recently

[DrDuke]

He was fat for Kirk Johnson. Not that you're wrong but a rare occasion when a late replacement is miles better.

Yeah, it was less than a 2 week notice replacement. However, Klitschko wasn't proven and respected at that time. Hardly Lewis waited a much bigger challenge.

Vitali was a more interesting fight to anyone. Johnson was terrible.

Sure.

[DrDuke]

Evander Holyfield vs Bert Cooper

The masterpiece of a slugfest. Holyfield returning a favor after being down in the 3rd was heroic. In the 5th Holyfield was battering Cooper so fiercely, that he tore his glove. The final Holy's flurry was even more brutal. How did Cooper stand? There were about 20 unanswered punches by Evander.

[DrDuke]

Evander Holyfield vs Carlos De Leon

A unification for the undisputed cruiserweight championship. The 1st round was competetive, but in the 2nd Holyfield hurt De Leon and since then he was in control. Evander was pressing De Leon, backing him into the ropes, breaking him down round after round. In the 6th and 7th De Leon took some big shots. In the 8th Holyfield scored a series of clean power shots, the fight was stopped. Holyfield was a beast in his prime.

[bobcatbox]

Evander Holyfield vs Bert Cooper

The masterpiece of a slugfest. Holyfield returning a favor after being down in the 3rd was heroic. In the 5th Holyfield was battering Cooper so fiercely, that he tore his glove. The final Holy's flurry was even more brutal. How did Cooper stand? There were about 20 unanswered punches by Evander.

This is an awesome fight! Cooper was an inch away from the title.

[Syntax Error]

Evander Holyfield vs Bert Cooper

The masterpiece of a slugfest. Holyfield returning a favor after being down in the 3rd was heroic. In the 5th Holyfield was battering Cooper so fiercely, that he tore his glove. The final Holy's flurry was even more brutal. How did Cooper stand? There were about 20 unanswered punches by Evander.

This is an awesome fight! Cooper was an inch away from the title.

You can't go wrong watching Bert Cooper.

He will never be accused of being great, but he was terrific to watch.

[DrDuke]

Muhammad Ali vs George Chuvalo I

A good boxing display by Ali and a very soid effort by Chuvalo. Both showed a lot of toughness. Chuvalo was coming forward all night long. His chin was truly granite. Early on George had the most of success, even took a couple of rounds. Chuvalo's body work was brutal, he was able to corner Ali and to trouble him. By the mid point Ali ultimately took over. He was moving well, outboxing Chuvalo behind the jab and combinations. Yet Chuvalo managed to score occasional success through the rest of the fight, majorly with left hooks and body punches. Ali looked bothered in some episodes, even later in the fight, but overall he was in control and earned a wide dec win.

[DrDuke]

George Foreman vs Muhammad Ali

A bit misinterpreted fight, including by the stupid biopic. Ali controlled the action since the start. He was stationary and obviously fought off the ropes often, but he was always composed and he was scoring with counters frequently. His blocking was great, he tied Foreman effectively. Big George looked like a novice with ineffective aggression and zero of a defence. In the 5th Foreman looked ready to go, Ali simply measured a pace to KO George later.

[Bodyshot3]

George Foreman vs Muhammad Ali

This fight continues to fascinate and intrigue.
For me it is perhaps the fight which is hugely defined by the time, place and attitude/mindset of the men.

That sounds slightly pseudo - totally granted - and not about two great heavyweights just trying to being the boss man and applying the right tactics on the night and executing it well.

But what was Zaire was such an outlandish place in terms of politics, culture, climate, facilities and the huge crowd that turned-up in Kinshasa which was hugely pro-Ali.....all absolutely mattered.

The official attendance was 60,000 but the better estimate was 75,000 who were pro-Ali.

Ali embraced it. He enjoyed it, understood the context and prepared well (even with the camp hangers-on).

He got that it was a prolonged political circus with Zaire's President Mobutu wanting his pound of flesh and that a huge, clamorous stadium fight was going to be a tense affair with weeks of build-up and different stresses and strains.

Ali also understood that underdog would work well again......put all the expectation on Foreman and to box Foreman into doing he was doing which was beating guys brutally and early.

Foreman was the greenhorn. Not so-well travelled like Ali who had been in some tough places and not conversant with the fight's overall context and location. Foreman went into his bunker and did not grasp where he was.

Kinshasa was brutally hot, it was chaotic to the point of anarchic and the build-up was hugely stressful/sapping unless you had a plan.

Ali got where he was far better and had the tactical playbook; Foreman was angry, confused and then defended his title in a way that Ali was ready for and ready to counter.

[PredatorHayds]

I watched James Cook against Mark Kaylor.

Great fight and I loved the extended version of Ringside available on YouTube.

Richard Keys and Dempsey on presenting duties.
Gary Mason on punditry.
Ian Darke and Glenn McCrory on Comms.
Mick Goodall the MC.

And a huge debate on whether Terry Marsh should box again.

An enjoyable 60 minutes of Boxing nostalgia.

[littlepug]

Lennox Lewis vs Vitali Klitschko

A one of my favorite fights ever. A competetive slugfest between the two behemoths. It was a close affair, but clearly the chances were equaled with Lewis being underprapared and aged. After the Tyson bout Lewis felt like he had accomplished everything and it indeed was so. However, Lewis should have still prepapared properly to his next bout, as he had decided to continue. Lennox entered the ring with his highest weight and was looking only for the big shots, like in the first Rahman bout. Both Lewis and Klitschko gave everything they had, showed a lot of heart and looked tired by the end of the fight. Lewis was gradually taking over, but obviously the cut he had managed to open on Klitschko accelerated the stoppage.

I watched this fight with my brother in a bar in Vegas a couple of days before I got married, cracking fight.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Lennox Lewis vs Vitali Klitschko

A one of my favorite fights ever. A competetive slugfest between the two behemoths. It was a close affair, but clearly the chances were equaled with Lewis being underprapared and aged. After the Tyson bout Lewis felt like he had accomplished everything and it indeed was so. However, Lewis should have still prepapared properly to his next bout, as he had decided to continue. Lennox entered the ring with his highest weight and was looking only for the big shots, like in the first Rahman bout. Both Lewis and Klitschko gave everything they had, showed a lot of heart and looked tired by the end of the fight. Lewis was gradually taking over, but obviously the cut he had managed to open on Klitschko accelerated the stoppage.

I watched this fight with my brother in a bar in Vegas a couple of days before I got married, cracking fight.

I convinced about 10 friends to watch. They still talk about it

[Caractacus]

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

George Foreman vs Muhammad Ali

A bit misinterpreted fight, including by the stupid biopic. Ali controlled the action since the start. He was stationary and obviously fought off the ropes often, but he was always composed and he was scoring with counters frequently. His blocking was great, he tied Foreman effectively. Big George looked like a novice with ineffective aggression and zero of a defence. In the 5th Foreman looked ready to go, Ali simply measured a pace to KO George later.

- Heh, heh, my favorite punch dummy, so let's analyze your expert analysis. Stay tuned, boys, this gonna be funner than a barrel of roided howler monkeys!

Muhammad Ali vs George Chuvalo I

A good boxing display by Ali and a very soid effort by Chuvalo. Both showed a lot of toughness. Chuvalo was coming forward all night long. His chin was truly granite. Early on George had the most of success, even took a couple of rounds. Chuvalo's body work was brutal, he was able to corner Ali and to trouble him. By the mid point Ali ultimately took over. He was moving well, outboxing Chuvalo behind the jab and combinations. Yet Chuvalo managed to score occasional success through the rest of the fight, majorly with left hooks and body punches. Ali looked bothered in some episodes, even later in the fight, but overall he was in control and earned a wide dec win.

A decent analysis of that fight. I would add George took the fight on 2weeks notice to save a failed Ali/Terrell fight in Chicago. He backed up Ali for the whole of the fight with body shots, barely giving him room to breathe, but of course the history of modern judges is "Do not count legal body shots!" The ref who also scored the fight and a judge would make this their last bout. Very suspicious, but I would also add he gave Frazier the blueprint on how to beat Ali. Later Foreman KOs Chuvalo in 3 rds

So on to Big George with this DKing's first big shindig, naturally held in the province of one of the most brutally murderous tyrants in African history that soon had Ali sucking up to Mobutu while living and being feted in his presidential palace. George the champ as the B-side put up in dilapidated army barracks with war ready troops patrolling the premises before being cut badly with an elbow on his first day of sparring...hmmm. Then held hostage when not allowed to fly to France for advanced medical care, and now unable to spar while waiting for the cut to heal on it's own.

First round I'm up screaming George is drugged. I found out later George Plimpton was up ringside screaming the fight is fixed, and indeed much later I find out that D1ck Sadler who always withheld food and water 24hr before a fight had given George a pint flask of a bitter substance George says was the proverbial Micky. Ali does well at ring center in that opener, but a fogged George eventually starts to pummel him to the Dundee loosened ropes where Ali starts to take an unholy beating. George runs out of steam periodically that allowed Ali to reset his own offense. Dundee was kicked out of MSG by Teddy Brenner when busted in the act of loosening the ropes for Frazier.

8th rd with George staging another resurgence sees him lurching neck over the ropes that Ali has been eyeing that several times before, but this time pops him with a rabbit that compresses his carotid arteries that pops him up for one of the great combinations in boxing history with George now taking a count for the first time in his career. He's up at 10 count, 9 sec on the time clock, and Clayton waves it off.

Ali hoisted up in celebrations screaming to be let down where he immediately collapses for a 30 count and has to be helped to his stool. Monsoon rains wipe out any further outdoor activities. JRRussell autobio has high praise for so many within his boxing sphere, but not for Clayton who had 2 years of ring rust as an older gentleman going into the fight.

Ring interviews George and he's ready to go again the next day while Ali is noncommittal. British video interview shows a darkened, hurt, insecure Ali seemingly needing the crew to tell him he's the greatest. No joy exists in the Mudville of Ali's camp. Ferdie after assessing Ali the post fight tells Herbert to stay away from any George rematch the damage is so great. Ferdie would eventually recuse himself from the tragically hopeless Ali camp.

George on a dramatic Sports Illustrated cover calling for a rematch, so someone big wants it. Ali behind on the cards suspiciously KOs a perfectly alert Lyle in the 11th round, yet George leaves him crumpled inside 5.



Ali nails that coffin shut in George's Canadian 5 man exhibition screaming how George ain't never getting a rematch, ducking the $5mil offer by a black Indonesian oilman as related in his groundbreaking 1974 Playboy interview. Instead he goes for Wepner in Ohio for peanuts where he's beat up and whining to the ref about Wepner's looping shots. Finally he dispatches Chuckles with a 14 rd flurry, yet 3 fight novice Foreman easily dispatched Wepner in 3 rds previous.

That warning shot across the bow was ignored by Ali's now fight team industry where accumulated damage left him a mute paraplegic in one of boxing's worst tragedies. George of course came back after a decade minus King to become a legend and beloved multi millionaire. Just as he ruined Ali, now Field has a precipitous drop in KOs with an increase in beatings after hanging on for dear life in the championship rounds vs George. 

Ali Rematches!!!

Sonny x2, Cooper x2, Quarry x2, Chuvalo x2, Floyd x2, Bugner x2, Frazier x3, Kenny x3, and Leon x2. 9 fighters in 20 fights, 12 of them title fights, but no unlucky 13th for George for his biggest purse to set the Zaire farce straight!

In short, it don't sound a bit like Ali had much control over George other than taking advantage of the usual spots in any fight. Even Clayton had the fight close, 68-66, sorta like you don't know WTF you be talking about...only on boxrec history forum, folks

[Giancarlo]

only on boxrec history forum, folks

That's right BBR.

Only on here can we regularly skim-read the retarded ramblings of a fantasist like your good self.

[Bodyshot3]

I helped myself to another viewing of Benn v Eubank 1.
18 November 1990 at the Birmingham NEC for the WBO middleweight title and almost 31 years old

It is still the fight that made me a boxing-fan even though I had caught some Honeyghan, Bruno, Terry Marsh and of course Barry M as a nipper.

This fight stuck with me. It was all over ITV, the newspapers and it was clear that Eubank and Benn were on a massive collision course and that there was going to be a huge dust-up between two guys who loathed each other.

It was not PR hype they could barely tolerate being in the same room for five minutes.

It was perhaps also one of those fights where British fighters could earn really big at home and not need Vegas or the MSG. Big European indoor and outdoor fights began to take-off after these guys collided. It was doable over here.

Benn was a guy who needed to fight with some vinegar and aggression but there was always a tipping-point with Nigel and that was throwing too much, too soon and being picked-off with shots. A masterclass from the unpopular Eubank.

[abeattell77]

I watched Carlos Monzon KO7 Tony Mundine (1974) recently. Not the whole film, just an 18 minute highlight reel on Youtube. Unfortunately its just a black and white version. Anyway, it was incredible.

King Carlos dominates the entire fight with ease, dodging Mundine's offensives, and sidestepping and turning Tony any time they get close. Monzon doesn't waste a single punch: he effortlessly lands his shots at will. When Carlos dials up the power, Mundine is lost, and gets smacked around like a ragdoll.

Something fascinating about this fight is that Mundine is actually faster, more agile, and more athletic than Monzon. You can tell by comparing their respective body movements. In comparison to Tony, Monzon looks a little stiff and plodding. But none of that matters, because Monzon's sense of timing is incomparable. Monzon fought as if he had some sixth sense that enabled him to see a punch before it was even thrown. For this reason Mundine can't lay a glove on Carlos. On top of that, Monzon's sense of timing enables him to always beat Mundine to the punch.

Monzon reminds me a lot of Muhammad Ali in the way he quickly and gracefully bends back from the waist to elude many shots. That manuever, BTW, is just one of a bunch of tricks in Monzon's repertoire of defensive tools. He is true master of defensive fighting. That is abundantly clear in this fight.

This fight just goes to prove that a truly great, naturally born gifted fighter doesn't necessarily need the greatest speed and athleticism to be one of the world's most dominant boxers. Boxing IQ, as they say, counts for a lot. The truly great ones have got some kind of mental edge, fighter's intuition, that makes all the difference.

Nice write up Joe. The full film, which is only about 24min should be easy to find on YT still. I agree with your analysis of the fight and fighters, especially concerning Monzon's defense. He was not light of foot like Ali, however he was a master of distance and positioning, always maximizing his tall, upright frame and long arms to disrupt incoming lunges or charges. Like you said, if he needed to, he was very good as flexing his upper body backwards to keep frustratingly out of reach for his shorter opponents. Mundine was a quality challenger, but didn't stand a chance against a prime Monzon. BTW the WBC yanked their belt from Monzon prior to this fight because he refused to fight Rodrigo Valdez instead. Of course, Monzon would come calling to collect that belt back from Valdez a couple years later.

[AngryGoon38]

19-15 journeyman "Marcos Primera" upsetting 13-0 Rising Star "Curtis Stevens", by tko-8 in 2006.
After this upset victory, Primera went 0-23-1 in his final 24 bouts. That's how you Know that That Win was an Upset.

[Caractacus]

-1981-
Renaldo Snipes came into this fight 21-0

[DrDuke]

Joe Frazier vs Jerry Quarry I

A slugfest turned to a beatdown quickly. Quarry started aggressively and got an advantage of that in the 1st round, but it was allowed only because of Frazier peering early on in his trademark fashion. A straightforward fight was everything Joe needed and since the 2nd round Frazier took over. Jerry was fighting back with some success in the 2nd and the 3rd, but he was falling apart and getting beat more a round after another. After the 7th Quarry's face was badly swollen and cut, so the fight was stopped. Smokin' Joe defended the championship recognized by the NYSAC and confronted Jimmy Ellis, who was recognized as a champion by the WBA.

[handsofstone]

Meldrick Taylor vs Buddy McGirt

[Caractacus]

Better then I remember it being
(but watch it without any sound soz the ring side commentators and crowd does not influence what u r watching)

[DrDuke]

Max Baer vs Tony Galento

A fun story and a decent brawl. Baer was on the closing stages of his career and Galento gave him some troubles with his awkward brawling style. However, Tony had a ridiculous story of fighting his own brother earlier on the fight day and suffering a big cut in the mouth. In the process of the Baer fight the fat Tony started to gas out and Baer was brawling back successfully with rounds passing by. Galento was shaken in the 7th, the blood was flowing from the cut in his mouth and the fight was stopped by Tony's corner at the beginning of the 8th.

[DrDuke]

Max Baer vs Pat Comiskey



The last win of Baer in his career. Aged Max destroyed the supposed comer Pat in the 1st round. The right hand KD is for the highlight reels. Interestingly, Jack Dempsey refereed that. Also interestingly, Max and Pat would meet in the future again, in the movie 'The Harder They Fall', where there would be Jersey Joe Walcott as well.

[handsofstone]

Jerry Quarry vs Ron Lyle

[handsofstone]

Jimmy Young vs Ron Lyle 2