Re: Bunny Sterling ~ 'The Jamaican Flash'
Posted: 24 Apr 2014, 15:29
Im fortunate enough to have this fight. Not quite how it happened, as is usually the case with Duce's fiction. Sterling's KO had as much to do with exhaustion as with the sharp combos Bouttier landed. Sterling was totally gassed by the 13th round. He could barely keep his hands up. At one point as he stumbled forward trying to initiate a clinch Bouttier caught him with a cracking uppercut that sent Sterling down Bouttier, who was tired himself, then collapsed on top of Sterling landing both knees directly on his stomach. Later in the 14 round Bouttier turned around in a clinch and tried to walk away with his back facing Sterling. Sterling landed two hooks and was warned by the referee. They then had a quick exchange in which an exhausted Sterling half was knocked down and half just kind of collapsed from exhaustion, Bouttier once again fell on top of him with his knees, this time on Sterlings legs, and it looked for a moment as if Sterling was injured and would not rise. As the count progressed he hopped up and the two mauled. Bouttier backed Sterling into the ropes (And keep in mind for two rounds Sterling had been fighting with no legs and his arms completely down at his sides) Bouttier caught sterling with a quick four punch combo, a left hook (which did the damage) followed by a straight right, followed by a left hook/uppercut, and punctuated by a right hand that missed because Sterling was going down. Sterling lay on his stomach, propped up on his elbows with his head erect and watching the referee count. As the referee reached nine Sterling hopped up to his knees but he was too slow and the ref gained ten just as Sterling regained his feet. Sterling protested but it was a token protest because he was completely spent. He simply had no energy left. The following night Bouttier was interviewed on tv wearing big sunglasses to hide a badly bruised right eye he received during the fight. For my money this remains one of Bouttier's better performances.Il Duce wrote:* November 26, 1971
Tito Lectoure announced that his fighter Middleweight Champion ~ Carlos Monzon will defend his Title
in February 1972 in Italy, and against #9 WBA-ranked 'American' Denny Moyer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Monday ~ December 21, 1971 ~ {Palais des Sports ~ Paris, France}
European Middleweight Championship
#4 WBA / #4 Ring ~ Jean-Claude Bouttier ~ 51-3-1 {34 KO's} ~ {Age; 28 years, 2 months} ~ 5' 9 1/2"
vs.
#1 WBA / #1 Ring ~ Bunny Sterling ~ 24-9-2 {8 KO's} ~ {Age; 23 years, 8 months} ~ 6' 0"
Pre-Fight Analyis >
Bunny Sterling will need to keep his 'straight-and-stinging' left-hands working full-time to stem off the
early-assaults of the physically stronger Jean-Claude Bouttier, who is both fast and crafty.
Bunny, who has an uncanny ability to absorb punishment and rally back, will have to reach down to use all
of his durability 'tank' if he wants to go 15-Rounds with the sharp-hitting Frenchman.
The Fight
The book states, that Bunny Sterling fought 'quick-and-fast' in the early going, and built up a solid pints lead
thru 5-Rounds.
Jean-Claude started to put forth some pressure in Rounds 6 thru 8, and closed the 'points-gap'. Jean-Claude
was the harder-hitter, but Bunny would comeback with rapid-fire combinations each time that he was rocked.
Bunny got his Ring-Footwork back in gear in the 9th, and used his better boxing-skills to out-box Jean-Claude
from the outside to take Rounds 9 and 10.
Round 11 was closely fought, as Bunny scored with jabs, and Jean-Claude pressed forward with short right-hands.
Going into Round 12, Bunny Sterling had a 3-Point lead {6-3-2 in Rounds}.
Bunny started off well in Round 12, but as the Round progressed he stared to tire. The veteran Frenchman started
to press hard at the end of the Round, and landed several good right-crosses that shook up Bunny.
Round 13 >
Bunny's legs were weak, and he tried to slug-away with Jean-Claude early in the Round. Then he was caught by
a 'hard' right-cross and '2' uppercuts at the {0:35 Mark}. Bunny went down for an '8-Count'.
Bunny was able to move-and-hold for the rest of the Round as Jean-Claude pursued. Then at the {2:30 Mark},
Jean-Claude caught Bunny with a 'booming' straight right-hand that dropped him. Bunny got up at the '8-Count',
but he was 'out-on-his-feet'.
Still Bunny tried to hold-on, but was caught by a solid '2-Punch' combination, and was dropped a 3rd-Time in the Round.
Amazingly, while completely 'out-of-it', Bunny survived the Round.
Round 14 >
Jean-Claude attacked, and drove Bunny into the Ropes with a 'two-fisted barrage'. Jean-Claude unloaded on his 'dazed
opponent', and slammed in '3' hard right-crosses, dropping Bunny Sterling for the 'Full-Count'.
Manager - George Francis and 'Assistants' carry back a battered-and-beaten Bunny Sterling back to the corner after he
was KO'd in Round 14.
