Classic fights I've watched recently

[pablothunder]

While hardly a classic selection I watched Vitali Klitchko vs Corrie Sanders again today; and it brought a reminder of why I love to watch and follow boxing. Or rather, watching Corrie Sanders reminded me. A guy with a natural talent- a huge left, the ability to deliver it, a solid chin and a pretty outstanding mentality. The dude made it so high up the ladder off the back of his raw gifts, and he didn't commit to being an all-out boxing athlete.

The details of fights like this are all too soon swept under the carpet marked 'Scorecards of the Past'.
What the losing fighter brought to the fight is swiftly forgotten, the record is marked, the ever fresh generations of fans with so much information to take in, are left only with the glance- the glance at the result, the scorecards, the round up of the fight. From that, they eventually summarise the fighter and define their career. Watching Corrie Sanders was great, to remember the hell he brought to a fight- his willingness to continually bring the fight, the chin and the mentality he possessed to do that; and of course that deadly left hand hanging there ready to fly. I think of those qualities and how exceptional it is, when those qualities still show through as exceptional at world level.

I'm not Sanders' #1 fan, but I enjoyed watching the fight and noticing how my memory of the fight had been swept almost clean by the time passed and the record books influence.

[Harrymonk36]

Just had Franklin/Saad v Johnson 1 & 2 on at the weekend. Priceless scraps

[Harrymonk36]

Also Tony Lopez v Brian Mitchell 1 & 2. Both classy fighters

[handsofstone]

Sugar Ray Leonard vs Wilfred Benitez

Premature intervention from the ref IMO,about 5 seconds to go if that,i know its not the refs duty to care how longs left but Benitez looked no more than buzzed i thought,although he didnt seem to fussed about the stoppage and Leonard was well on his way to winning

Its the 1st time ive seen the fight in its entirety,i'd seen the finish(and the staredown)i'd heard mixed reviews,i enjoyed it,2 masterful boxers with grit in equal measure,Sugar Ray was the better man though throughout,his judging of distance was superb,taking that half a step back and countering Wilfred with jabs and hooks,especially early on,Benitez came into it near the middle rounds but couldnt quite get a foothold in it and found himself getting outboxed which by all accounts didnt happen too often,leaving himself to take risks and being punished but more so outboxed

Im glad ive finally watched this one

[davie]

Holmes vs Shavers 2

Good fight, a boxing clinic by Holmes until he got flattened.

[davie]

Shavers vs Norton

Ouch!

[handsofstone]

Tiberio Mitri vs Randolph Turpin

[handsofstone]

Sugar Ray Robinson vs Randolph Turpin 1 and could only find highlights of the return match

[SFW]

Hagler vs. Minter

[giacomino]

Hagler vs. Minter

Great fight while it lasted. Hagler had a way of busting up people's faces if they were prone to cuts (Antuofermo, Hamsho)

[Counter-puncher]

Good point, Hagler was very good at slashing his jab across the tissue on the eyebrows

[davie]

Ken Buchanan vs Ismael laguna 2.
Tremendous scrap and a magnificent performance from Buchanan.

I've said before, as I'm sure many have, that Duran vs Arguello would have been a fight I'd have loved to see.
Well I'd have loved to the the 81 Arguello I watched against Jim Watt, face off with this 71 version of Ken Buchanan or the one who ran Duran so close in 72. I think at lightweight, I might just favour Buchanan. I can't think of many better tributes than that to the great Scot.

[elmersalsa]

Ken Buchanan vs Ismael laguna 2.
Tremendous scrap and a magnificent performance from Buchanan.

I've said before, as I'm sure many have, that Duran vs Arguello would have been a fight I'd have loved to see.
Well I'd have loved to the the 81 Arguello I watched against Jim Watt, face off with this 71 version of Ken Buchanan or the one who ran Duran so close in 72. I think at lightweight, I might just favour Buchanan. I can't think of many better tributes than that to the great Scot.

Ken Buchanan, very underrated in these circles. Sensational fighter and a near 100 atg in my view. I had Buchanan vs Laguna fight a draw, and I saw it twice. It was a great fight between two lightweight masters.

[handsofstone]

Robert Quiroga vs Akeem Anifowoshe

1 hell of a fight and one of the best ive seen,started out at a furious pace and never waned,got more hectic if anything,these Super Flyweights and the like have some wars,makes the HW classics like Frazier/Ali look like snoozers,for those who dont know Quiroga won a close UD retaining his title,seconds after the result was announced Anifowoshe collapsed in the ring with a bloodclot on the brain and never fought again

Crazy as he was fighting tooth and nail right until the end and could have maybe won it.though i didnt score myself it was neck and neck throughout

[handsofstone]

Ken Buchanan vs Ismael Laguna 1+2

[Keko]

Larry Holmes vs Ken Norton

[handsofstone]

Ken Buchanan vs Chang Kil Lee

[Bodyshot3]

Azumah Nelson v Jim McDonnell on the y-tube.......it is in 'chunks' but thankfully posted by one thoughtful uploader.

Did make me appreciate that the Camden Caretaker must legitimately fall into the much-discussed 'Best Brit not to win World Title' category.

Jim is really so polished, nimble and poised and sharing the ring with a guy who I do rate as a modern great. It is even, give-and-take traffic for very long stanzas and there actually periods where the Professor looks slightly fed up!

We all know the result as Jim unfolded a bit....and perhaps his lack of pop was his undoing against the absolute class he faced.

Neither Mitchell or Nelson could have enjoyed their fights with Jim but were prepared to show enough smart aggression to keep their belts.

Great little fighter and despite some setbacks he is doing with James.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Just had Franklin/Saad v Johnson 1 & 2 on at the weekend. Priceless scraps

[Counter-puncher]

Just had Franklin/Saad v Johnson 1 & 2 on at the weekend. Priceless scraps

I've only seen one, I think the first one- Johnson seems to be trying to break the world uppercut record, and you start seriously questioning how saads head isn't hanging off his neck by a thin sliver of skin, after them

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Just had Franklin/Saad v Johnson 1 & 2 on at the weekend. Priceless scraps

I've only seen one, I think the first one- Johnson seems to be trying to break the world uppercut record, and you start seriously questioning how saads head isn't hanging off his neck by a thin sliver of skin, after them

The uppercut record has to be Holyfield/Cooper rd 3

[handsofstone]

Eubank Jr loves an uppercut,he got Blackwell constantly with them but he probably landed even more on O'Sullivan the previous fight

[brilo33]

Michael Gomez vs Alex Arthur classic

[handsofstone]

Steve Collins vs Craig Cummings

[Kalan]

The 1991 draw between Mike McCallum and James Toney was one of the most competitive matchups in history...
The Salvador Sanchez vs lil Red Lopez fights and Jose Napoles vs Curtis Cokes fights were classic boxing lessons...
Vasyl Lomachenko vs Gary Russell is a study in deceptive footwork and feinting...
Gennady Golovkin vs Martin Murray is a study of an overmatched and desperate boxer being allowed to throw punches as he pleased because his highly skilled opponent was interested in making the fight last into the 11th round to please his trainer...
Mike McCallum vs Julian Jackson is a study of withering body shots ripping a dangerous puncher to pieces in 2 rounds...
Ike Ibeabuchi vs David Tua is a slugfest between 2 iron jawed Heavyweights with devastating power...
Gennady Golovkin vs David Lemieux demonstrates how to control a puncher and the ring space with precise footwork and a jab...
Jimmy Young vs George Foreman demonstrates how to control a bigger, stronger, harder punching Heavyweight with very little power and a jab...