I'm sure if Mercer had beaten Ferguson Bowe would've just dropped the belt in the bin like the others . . actually it's Bowe's fault that the WBO title gained any measure of legitimacy whatsoever b/c he chose to defend that bogus title besides the real titles by sidestepping Lewis.Ambling Alp wrote:to anser dempsyefire:
I did say that some of his losses hver to count against him. Ernie Simmons, Dave Carstens, Chalrie Belanger, Jack Curtis; he was a very experienced fighter when he lost to them. You conveniently offer no reasons why he lost to all of these guys. Let me guess, they all legends too?
Yes Farr did fight 5 times in a 16 month period. That is commendable. What you conveniently did not mention was that he went 0-5. Imagine if Bowe lost 5 fights in a row in his prime. Even if it was to Tyson, Holyfield, Lewis etc. He would get ripped constantly for it.
Are you going to seiously say that Bowe would have gone 05 in that 16 month span against hose opponents. He would lose to Louis but would still go 4-1. Baer would have aremote punchers chance and that is it. No way he ever going to lose to fricken Red Burman or a washed up Braddock.
There is a difference with fighting a lot, against some good competition and actaully winning. James Tillis Bert Cooper and Jesse Ferguson fought a lot of good fighters; However they almost always lost. That doesn't make them great.
I'm not going to go to far with your analysis of Holyfield-Bowe. I think it is crap. They were 2 great fights. Nothing more needs to be said.
I have read about Farr-Braddock many times and never have seen mention of a "robbery". It was considered a close fight, maybe Farr should have got it. However, Braddock was way past it. No way in the world Bowe has any trouble in that situation. I would have thought that you have known better to to think a few highlights means a lot.
Yes Bowe could have fought better competition. However, he did fight the best guy there and beat him when that guy was at his best. That has to count for something. He proved it a 2nd time as well that it was no fluke.. He was also consistent enough to beat several fringe contenders. Believe me if Farr fought Tubbs, Biggs, donald, Hide, Seldon etc, and Holyfield 3 times he would have lost more than 1 fight.
btw-He was scheduled to fight Mercer, who was a top 5 heavyweight at the time. However Mercer got upset by Ferguson.
Ultimately it go down to this; you consider just about anyone with a pulse who fought in the 1920s to 1940s to have been a great fighter. Some were, most were not.
The 1930s was far deeper across all weight classes than the 1990s, sorry you can wax ignorant about the merits of Nova, Baer, Burman etc., but that won't change the fact they were 20 times better than Seldon, Hide, Ferguson, Gonzales.
Farr won more rounds than Braddock but Jimmy rallied in the final round. Braddock was such a fan favorite that the papers loved the story of the 'Cinderella Man" pulling another upset but in any round by round you find the best the papers can do is a draw. Farr also lost the 3rd on a foul simply b/c he hit Braddock low once in a round he was winning handily. No low blow penalty and Farr wins the fight. And how was Braddock "way past it" . . he had been HW champion a year earlier, certainly past his best but he was no some shot, washed up fighter.
Holyfield-Bowe I was a great action fight but it does't change the fact that EVander fought a retarded fight. He stood right in front of and laid on the inside with a much bigger man and got out-slugged. Bowe was practically handed an early birthday cake by Evander going that route in the 2nd round. And hell, it was still a competitive, relatively close fight.
And Holyfield in the rematch "hadn't received much wear and tear"? Are you joking? By 31 he had gone through two career's worth of punishment; the 15 round war with Qawi, Dokes, Stewart, Cooper, Foreman's big shots in their fight, and Bowe I.