Classic fights I've watched recently

[littlepug]

Just watched Gary Mason v Jess Harding, haven’t seen it since I watched it on tv, Mason a level or 3 above Harding and gave him a bit of a beating and ended it in the 2nd with a pretty nasty finish, I remember at the time I was about 16 and told everyone that would listen that Mason was gonna end Tyson’s reign of terror, bless

[handsofstone]

Joel Casamayor vs Diego Corrales 1, 2+3



Casamayor stops Corrales in the 6th round of a non title Super Featherweight scrap, eventful fight to say the least, Corrales looked massive compared to Casamayor and walked and stalked him in the 1st but by the 2nd Casamayor was using the ring to good effect, great lateral movement and was picking Corrales off, Casamayor put Corrales down in the 3rd with a left hand but then was docked a point almost immediately after for use of the head going in for the kill, looked harsh TBH, Casamayor had Corrales down again in the 4th with another left but then Corrales then dropped him with a perfectly timed left hook in the same round, things quietened down in the 5th and 6th as Casamayor went back to picking off Corrales before it was stopped after the 6th because of a badly cut mouth of Corrales



Corrales get up off the floor to win the rematch and pick up the vacant World Super Featherweight title, it was a SD but looked like a deserved win for him, Casamayor was on the back foot most of the fight but wasnt as effective as he was in the first fight and Corrales walked him down, cut the ring off and got his punches home, he was the one controlling things and Casamayor couldn't keep him off, Casamayor did finally start to hold his feel in the later rounds and take some chances getting home some quick combinations then in the 10th he dropped Corrales with a left hand and finished the fight with urgency but it was too little too late and Corrales got the deserved decision



Casamayor wins the rubber match via SD to become World Lightweight champ, close fight but he deserved it i'd say, there wasn't a lot split them and neither man was able to gain any real momentum in the fight, one man would win a round then drop off and lose the next, Casamayor wrongly had a knockdown ruled against him in the 5th when a Corrales left hook cuffed him around the back of the head and he went down, I thought it was legit but replays show the punched missed, still in the end it didn't matter as Casamayor had done enough to get the judges decision, not a great fight, Corrales looked a bit flat and Casamayor worked that bit harder to grind out the win

[Ambling Alp II]

If you weren't thinking about Ali's poor health, it was a fairly entertaining fight.

I only watched it because I just finished a book on Ali's last fight. Of course he should have retired way before then.

it was a one-sided beatdown of a delusional ex-champ clearly past it and in denial.

That was not a one-sided beatdown. Ali showed some flashes and Berbick really didn't do a whole lot. There were many close rounds and Ali won some of them.

[oogiebe]

it was a one-sided beatdown of a delusional ex-champ clearly past it and in denial.

That was not a one-sided beatdown. Ali showed some flashes and Berbick really didn't do a whole lot. There were many close rounds and Ali won some of them.

[Tony1244]

That was not a one-sided beatdown. Ali showed some flashes and Berbick really didn't do a whole lot. There were many close rounds and Ali won some of them.

You're both right and you're both wrong.

Ali did show some flashes but he had no business being in there. Perhaps Ali won 3 of 10 rounds, but what a price to pay for winning a couple of rounds.

[Bodyshot3]

Just watched Gary Mason v Jess Harding, haven’t seen it since I watched it on tv, Mason a level or 3 above Harding and gave him a bit of a beating and ended it in the 2nd with a pretty nasty finish, I remember at the time I was about 16 and told everyone that would listen that Mason was gonna end Tyson’s reign of terror, bless

Big Gary often looked very, very good to be fair...….you were not the only young fan/believer
He could move, his hands were respectably quick and he was a proper T-34 tank physically.

[handsofstone]

it was a one-sided beatdown of a delusional ex-champ clearly past it and in denial.

That was not a one-sided beatdown. Ali showed some flashes and Berbick really didn't do a whole lot. There were many close rounds and Ali won some of them.

I agree with this, Ali's effort was commendable but Berbick really should've done better, it was nowhere near the beat down Holmes gave him

[hhaehre]

That was not a one-sided beatdown. Ali showed some flashes and Berbick really didn't do a whole lot. There were many close rounds and Ali won some of them.

I agree with this, Ali's effort was commendable but Berbick really should've done better, it was nowhere near the beat down Holmes gave him

I thought it was a solid beatdown. At best I could give Ali two rounds, one being the first, and it could easily have been scored 10-0 for Berbick. At times it looked like Berbick backed off a little.

[Onetimeonly]

I watched once, Ali won the 5th Rd.

[handsofstone]

Trevor Berbick vs Muhammad Ali


Considering Ali wasn't far away from 40, had been retired 2 years and in his last fight had suffered the worst beating of his career and only stoppage loss against Holmes, it wasn't too bad a showing, even more so considering he was already showing symptoms of Parkinsons, lets be honest he was never in the fight and was 2nd best on everything but he did have more success against Berbick than he did against Holmes, fair enough Berbick was no Holmes but he was a future world champ and a top HW of the day so although Ali shouldn't have been near a ring his performance deserves some credit

Poo fight though and really Berbick despite being the better man should've won more decisively IMO

Also listening to Ali talk in the ring afterwards is heartbreaking, its clear theres something wrong with him, already slow and slurred, how he was allowed to fight was a disgrace, make his performance all the more admirable

Only seen then fight once and never scored but theres a difference between losing nearly every round and a beatdown

[Tuan_Jim]

That was not a one-sided beatdown. Ali showed some flashes and Berbick really didn't do a whole lot. There were many close rounds and Ali won some of them.

I agree with this, Ali's effort was commendable but Berbick really should've done better, it was nowhere near the beat down Holmes gave him

Ali was in worse condition for the Holmes fight because his wacko jive ghetto doctor misdiagnosed his Parkinson's and prescribed him drugs that debilitated him. He could so easily have been killed that night.

Berbick must be twice as strong as Holmes yet Ali was at least sturdy enough to stay in there and not get bulldozed.

[Tony1244]

If Berbick-Ali had been (2) 25 year old journeymen, it wouldn't have been a bad fight.

Not a great fight but a somewhat entertaining win as Trevor won anywhere from 7 to 10 rounds. Not a beatdown, but not close either.

But this was "The Greatest," which made the fight sad.

[milpool]

If Berbick-Ali had been (2) 25 year old journeymen, it wouldn't have been a bad fight.

Not a great fight but a somewhat entertaining win as Trevor won anywhere from 7 to 10 rounds. Not a beatdown, but not close either.

But this was "The Greatest," which made the fight sad.

Watched this again recently. What struck me is how much punishment Ali took to the body, Berbick was really thudding in those bodyshots.

[milpool]

Trevor Berbick vs Muhammad Ali


Considering Ali wasn't far away from 40, had been retired 2 years and in his last fight had suffered the worst beating of his career and only stoppage loss against Holmes, it wasn't too bad a showing, even more so considering he was already showing symptoms of Parkinsons, lets be honest he was never in the fight and was 2nd best on everything but he did have more success against Berbick than he did against Holmes, fair enough Berbick was no Holmes but he was a future world champ and a top HW of the day so although Ali shouldn't have been near a ring his performance deserves some credit

Poo fight though and really Berbick despite being the better man should've won more decisively IMO

Also listening to Ali talk in the ring afterwards is heartbreaking, its clear theres something wrong with him, already slow and slurred, how he was allowed to fight was a disgrace, make his performance all the more admirable

Only seen then fight once and never scored but theres a difference between losing nearly every round and a beatdown

The first time I scored it I had it quite close, on second viewing I had it wider for Berbick.

[AntonioMartin]

Jim Watt-Sean O' Grady.
George Foreman-Luis Pires
Foreman-Pedro Agosto

[scartissue]

Jim Watt-Sean O' Grady.
George Foreman-Luis Pires
Foreman-Pedro Soto

I think you mean Foreman v Pedro Agosto. If he fought Pedro Soto he would have been locked up for murder.

[AntonioMartin]

Jim Watt-Sean O' Grady.
George Foreman-Luis Pires
Foreman-Pedro Soto

I think you mean Foreman v Pedro Agosto. If he fought Pedro Soto he would have been locked up for murder.

YES!

[handsofstone]

Jose Luis Castillo vs Joel Casamayor



Castillo beats Casamayor by SD to retain his World Lightweight title, close fight, a lot of razor tight rounds with not much to split them and it was a case of what you prefer as neither man was landing much clean, I never scored but i'd maybe edge towards Casamayor, he pot shotted a little and 2 of the judges obviously didn't care much for his back peddling all night, especially the 117-111 to Castillo judge, that card was harsh, Castillo pressed all night, he tried to close the gap, get in close and work Casamayor over but Casamayor was too sharp and elusive and had him chasing shadows for most of the first 8 rounds or so


Casamayor got through with some sharp looking jabs and left hands before moving out of range again, it wasn't until late on Castillo began to have success and pin Casamayor down and work the body and rough Casamayor up, the last few rounds were exciting as Casamayor tired and had to trade which suited Castillo although Casamayor had his success too,, still Castillo got the nod and kept his belt

[handsofstone]

Joel Casamayor vs Michael Katsidis



Casamayor comes from behind to stop Katsidis in the 10th round of a non title Lightweight scrap, I forgot how great this fight was, excellent war, Casamayor got off to a flyer dropping Katsidis twice in the 1st, both with straight lefts, Katsidis just kept steaming forward though and by the 3rd Casamayor was looking troubled by the constant pressure and he couldn't keep Katsidis off him and he let the lead slide, Katsidis knocked Casamayor down in the 6th, hurt him to the body with a left then a follow up burst had Casamayor down and through the ropes

Katsidis was relentless all night, pulverised the body of Casamayor who had to use all his experience and guile to survive the insane heat Katsidis brought all night, Casamayor finally started to regain momentum in the 8th landing some nice single shots but he was harshly deducted a point in the 9th for a low blow, no matter as seconds into the 10th Casamayor decked the wreckless Katsidis with a monster left hand, Katsidis rose on unsteady legs and should've been pulled there and then but the ref let it carry on long enough for Casamayor to tear into him and seconds later he stopped it

[Counter-puncher]

haven't seen it in a while, its a good one

[Onetimeonly]

haven't seen it in a while, its a good one

Yeah it was, one of my many gambling wins taking the old guy.

[Tuan_Jim]

Francesco Damiani vs Johnny DuPlooy

1989 fight, for the inaugural WBO heavyweight title. Quiet opening round, followed by a more interesting second where Damiani demonstrated nice defensive skills negating DuPlooy's scary looking punches. Third round saw the classic Johnny DuPlooy unraveling; Damiani lands a few clean shots and the South African collapses wrecked to the canvas.

Reg Gutteridge mentioned that DuPlooy had been training on Carnaby Street--does Bennie or anyone know where on Carnaby Street boxers could train in the 1980s? Over a pub or something?

[Syntax Error]

Just watched Gary Mason v Jess Harding, haven’t seen it since I watched it on tv, Mason a level or 3 above Harding and gave him a bit of a beating and ended it in the 2nd with a pretty nasty finish, I remember at the time I was about 16 and told everyone that would listen that Mason was gonna end Tyson’s reign of terror, bless

Big Gary often looked very, very good to be fair...….you were not the only young fan/believer
He could move, his hands were respectably quick and he was a proper T-34 tank physically.

I liked Gary Mason too.

I used to root for him and I actually thought he was going to be a bit too experienced for Lennox Lewis.

It was actually a decent contest and Mason put in a good effort, but Lewis was a class apart.

That was actually one of Lewis's most underrated performances.

[littlepug]

Big Gary often looked very, very good to be fair...….you were not the only young fan/believer
He could move, his hands were respectably quick and he was a proper T-34 tank physically.

I liked Gary Mason too.

I used to root for him and I actually thought he was going to be a bit too experienced for Lennox Lewis.

It was actually a decent contest and Mason put in a good effort, but Lewis was a class apart.

That was actually one of Lewis's most underrated performances.

An unbeaten Mason and a still dangerous Ruddock are pretty impressive scalps to take before world title level

[Bodyshot3]

I liked Gary Mason too.

I used to root for him and I actually thought he was going to be a bit too experienced for Lennox Lewis.

It was actually a decent contest and Mason put in a good effort, but Lewis was a class apart.

That was actually one of Lewis's most underrated performances.

Agreed.....Gary was very likeable and had a good deal of talent.

This fight was when I realised Lewis was very much the real deal, not only was Mason strong and heavy-handed but Lewis was effectively the away fighter from the day the contract was signed through to fight night itself.

Lennox at this point was taking on more than Gary....the pressure was on.