BoxRec

Here's Dick Tiger, taking back the middleweight title from perennial rival Joey Giardello:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_hinQxn ... re=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p2sWpoK ... re=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxrnahNP ... re=related
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B72skuo ... re=related
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UorkwDb ... re=related
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3hGfVg9 ... re=channel

This is one of my personal favorite fights of all time. It has just such an air of drama and intensity from start to finish: one man hungry to regain his title, the other determined not to give it up. Tiger is one of my favorite fighters ever, and is vastly underrated IMO. He had to wait a long time for this rematch to happen, but when he finally got his chance he made Giardello pay big time. I love the intensity and determination he shows right from the opening bell.


To better appreciate the action, here's the backdrop to it:

A few years before this fight, Tiger was one of the hottest fighters in the sport. He won the middleweight title by twice whupping HOF champion Gene Fullmer (the second time by stoppage), and was already being compared to the likes of Zale, Ketchel, and other all time legends at the weight. At the same time, Giardello was a perennial contender thought to be past his prime. After having whupped Fullmer and cleaned out the top of the MW rankings, Tiger was looking for a relatively "easy" fight against a name opponent to make some money with. He agreed to fight the winner of a fight between Giardello and Sugar Ray Robinson, which Giardello won on points. Tiger and Giardello had already fought twice before several years earlier, after Tiger first arrived in the US from England, and they split two close decisions. Since then, Tiger had improved while Giardello appeared to have slipped, so logical thinking was that Tiger would have a much easier time with Giardello than before.

Tiger is what I would call an "aggressive counterpuncher." He generally carried the fight to his opponents, but did not stand toe-to-toe with them; instead he lured them into leading and then countered. He was immensely strong for the weight, had fast hands and solid punching power, an iron chin, and was a great inside technician. He was virtually impossible to beat by an opponent who came to him or stood in front of him. However, he could sometimes be troubled by a slick and cagey boxer - as Giardello was about to demonstrate.

Giardello was always respected for his talent and boxing ability, but his stamina and conditioning were often questionable, and he tended to lose discipline in his fights and get drawn into slugfests. Against Tiger, however, he surprised everyone by fighting the single most disciplined fight of his career, making full use of all his tools, and outboxing Tiger to take his title. It was considered one of the biggest upsets of the year.

Here is the footage of that fight, BTW:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQlp0NQP ... re=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTYVmyXw ... re=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmwJX-WO ... re=related
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C0onlxD ... re=related

Afterward, Giardello had promised Tiger an immediate rematch. However, he recanted that promise and stalled the rematch from happening for two full years. In that time, he defended his title in a big money match with Rubin Carter and also had two televised non-title fights with Rocky Rivero; all of which he won in close, hard-fought battles. In the meanwhile, Tiger campaigned loudly for a rematch, continually calling out Giardello. He fought both Carter and Rivero and made a point by smashing them both to pieces. There were many people who had thought Giardello had basically "got lucky" by taking Tiger by surprise in their first title fight, and they now roundly accused him of ducking a rematch with Tiger. (I remember Bill Gallo used to draw cartoons of Tiger knocking on a door labelled "Giardello," and captions asking "Is anybody home?" ). Eventually, the rematch was made, which is the fight at the top of the page.

Notice the difference in Tiger between the first and second title fight, it's as clear as night and day IMO. In the first fight, he plodded after Giardello, waiting for opportunities to land a big punch, mostly hunting the head, and he allowed Giardello to tie him up whenever he pleased and fight at the (slow) pace that was suited for him. But in the rematch, he started off fast, moved sideways to cut off the ring, and fired combinations to the head and body; and whenever Giardello would move in to tie him up, he would pop him with a jab and then nimbly step back. He even out-feinted and out-countered Giardello, which was supposed to be Giardello's game. In terms of technique, it's the best I've ever seen Tiger look, a fantastic exhibition of counterpunching, and also one of the best performances I've ever seen from a 36-year-old (which was at least a year older than Giardello, incidentally). Even his stamina and workrate were impressive.

A couple highlights of their rematch I'd like to point out:
1) In Part 1, at around 6:30, Tiger outfeints Giardello and then hits him with a super fast right-to-the-body, left-to-the-head combination. I love that move.
2) Another example of Tiger's counterpunching, in Part 2 at around 2:40. He blocks a left hook with his right hand and then immediately comes back with the same hand and scores with a perfect right hand to Giardello's jaw. That's one of the most impressive moves I've ever seen.


Post-script:

Giardello was never the same after the beating he took in this fight. He moved up to light-heavy and tried to become a contender there, but after a few fights and mixed results he retired a couple years later.

Tiger won honors as The Ring's "Fighter of the Year" for that year (beating out Muhammad Ali), and continued on with a successful career. Surprisingly, he lost the MW title in the first defense of his new reign on a very questionable decision to Emile Griffith, but he came back and took the LHW title from Jose Torres. After defending it a couple times, he lost it on a shocking KO loss to Bob Foster (the only time he was ever counted out in his career), but came back again to beat reigning MW champ Nino Benvenuti and have a few other moments of glory before finally retiring at the age of 40-something. Tragically, it was revealed that he was suffering from liver cancer not long after he retired, and he died only a year later. A terrible shame.

RIP to both these great warriors.

"Giardello was never the same" after this fight? Giardello was never the same BEFORE this fight. Tiger was older but had MUCH less wear and tear than Giardello did. Keep in mind that Giardello was the number one contender way back in 1955 before injuries and a jail stint got in the way of fighting Bobo Olson for the title. He didnt get his shot at the title until 1960, FIVE years later when he was robbed against Gene Fullmer. At this point Giardello was already on the slide having been a pro 12 years. He didnt recieve another shot until 1963, EIGHT years after he had first signed for a shot at the middleweight title. He took full advantage and outboxed Tiger but it was his last great performance. His two fights with Rivero were far tougher than they had to be and could have gone either way. His fight against Carter was a legitimate win for Giardello despite what the movie and a bunch of Carter nuthuggers say but if you watch that fight it was more a case of Carter not really fighting like he wanted, Giardello was not the master boxer he had been years earlier, and certainly the old fire was gone. Even so, in his last effort on the world stage he made Tiger work for it and put a decent if losing and geriatric effort. So in short, it wasnt the "beating" Tiger put on Giardello that ended his run at the top, it was the mileage that Giardello had put on himself in 17 years as a professional (14 or 15 of which he was in with some of the best fighters in the world).

P.S. My buddy J. J. Johnson was ringside for his first fight with Tiger in Chicago and he said Giardello was robbed...

My2Sense wrote:
Tiger was one of the hottest fighters in the sport. He won the middleweight title by twice whupping HOF champion Gene Fullmer (the second time by stoppage),

And here I thought they fought three times.

With the second fight being a draw.

granberry wrote:

My2Sense wrote:
Tiger was one of the hottest fighters in the sport. He won the middleweight title by twice whupping HOF champion Gene Fullmer (the second time by stoppage),

And here I thought they fought three times.

With the second fight being a draw.

Which would mean Tiger only whupped him twice, like I said.

Blowhard granberry nailed again.

Why don't you ask your deluded protege BRR to help you out here, Paddy?

Well his tone is shrill...but his facts were correct. I think it's "his way" of agreeing. Gotta look at the letter as well as the spirit of these grannyisms.

My2Sense wrote:

granberry wrote:

My2Sense wrote:
Tiger was one of the hottest fighters in the sport. He won the middleweight title by twice whupping HOF champion Gene Fullmer (the second time by stoppage),

And here I thought they fought three times.

With the second fight being a draw.

Which would mean Tiger only whupped him twice, like I said.

Boxrec "boxing" expert My2Sense wrote "the second time by stoppage"

The second was a draw in the real world.

But the real world obviously matters little to boxrec "boxing" experts.

LOL

He said he beat him twice, and the 2nd time he beat him was by stoppage.

Just admit you led with your pointy old chin and got nailed again gran.

A friendly word of advice. Stick to innuendo and vague generalisations. When gimps like you talk specifics, you get nailed.

Gran, post that picture of Kid Azteca one more time.

It might help to hide the fact you just got nailed again.

Collins2000 wrote:He said he beat him twice, and the 2nd time he beat him was by stoppage.

Just admit you led with your pointy old chin and got nailed again gran.

A friendly word of advice. Stick to innuendo and vague generalisations. When gimps like you talk specifics, you get nailed.

Homosexually fixated collins ALWAYS falsifies.

My2sense wrote something selling Tiger and OMITTED that Tiger fought a draw with Fullmer in their second fight

because that wouldn't support the agenda he was selling.

Tiger and Fullmer DID fight a draw in their second fight

and My2sense conveniently omitted that

because it hurt the point he was trying to make.

My2sense was called on his omission of this obvious fact

and he still blubbers even after he was NAILED.

The two stalwarts of boxrec, homosexually fixated collins, and buz, the so-called 'moderator', support My2sense in his falsification by omission.

I don't.

Collins2000 wrote:He said he beat him twice, and the 2nd time he beat him was by stoppage.

Exactly.

I'm sure BRR and Elmo believe you weren't nailed again, gran.

Keep dancing; I love to see an old rummy in action.

That picture of Frazier knocking down Ali would fit in just right here. I know it's irrelevant but it sums up your 'contributions' to boxrec.

Collins2000 wrote:I'm sure BRR and Elmo believe you weren't nailed again, gran.

Keep dancing; I love to see an old rummy in action.

That picture of Frazier knocking down Ali would fit in just right here. I know it's irrelevant but it sums up your 'contributions' to boxrec.

The homosexually fixated collins is now concerned about someone else's contributions to boxrec?

LOL

boxrec is homosexually fixated collins' toilet-- with full approval of the moderators.

granberry wrote:
My2sense was called on his omission of this obvious fact

WRONG. You called on me to correct what you described as a mistake, not an "omission." You claimed that I had said Tiger stopped Fullmer in their second fight. I didn't, I said that Tiger stopped Fullmer in his second win over Fullmer, which is a fact. Now you're the one rambling on about "omissions," "agendas," and homosexuality.

The only one "blubbering" here is you.

Perhaps a picture of Kid Azteca would be appropriate here, gran.

Falsifiers like My2sense never quit.

My2sense was NAILED for his omission of the fact that Fullmer fought a draw with Tiger in their second fight.

Are you any relation to Bill Clinton, with his "That depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."

LOL

Quit falsifying, My2sense,

and you won't get nailed for all to see.

Gran, are there any other forums on the net where you make a fool of yourself for the entertainment of the masses?

I recall you whining about being kicked off the CBZ by "the hysterical Stephen Gordon".

So where else do you share your knowledge and love of boxing and boxers when you aren't in here dancing for me?

granberry wrote:
My2sense was NAILED for his omission of the fact that Fullmer fought a draw with Tiger in their second fight.

No, I was accused of saying something I didn't say, as you're quote right here shows:

granberry wrote:
Boxrec "boxing" expert My2Sense wrote "the second time by stoppage"

The second was a draw in the real world.

I never said their second fight was a stoppage, I said the second win by Tiger was a stoppage.

This babble about an "omission" is just you trying to cover your lying ass.

The homosexually fixated collins pollutes boxrec with the full approval of the boxrec 'moderators.'

collins has never made a post on the subject of boxing.

And he never will.

My2Sense wrote:

granberry wrote:
My2sense was NAILED for his omission of the fact that Fullmer fought a draw with Tiger in their second fight.

No, you accused me of saying something I didn't say, as you're quote right here shows:

granberry wrote:
Boxrec "boxing" expert My2Sense wrote "the second time by stoppage"

The second was a draw in the real world.

I never said their second fight was a stoppage, I said the second win by Tiger was a stoppage.

This babble about an "omission" is just you trying to cover your lying ass.

The LYING ASS belongs to YOU, My2sense.

You were NAILED for your blatant omission.

Don't do it again and you won't have to whine in agony in the future like you are now.

Your two buddies buz and the homosexually fixated collins can't help you out of that one.

Your own words NAIL you.

LOL

to be fair gran....don't you think he just dismissed the draw? And was referring to what he might have considered to be the relevant fights. Granted not everyone would do that....you for example. But it's not like a lie or some sort of sin....it's just highlighting the more dramatic events in his estimation.

I know you have imagination...you use it all the time....you just need to get a bit empathetic with it is all.

granberry wrote:
You were NAILED for your blatant omission.

No, you never said anything about an "omission" until you were shown that you were wrong. Then this suddenly became about an "omission."

granberry wrote: Your own words NAIL you.

No, my words show that I was CORRECT with what I said.

My2Sense wrote:He won the middleweight title by twice whupping HOF champion Gene Fullmer (the second time by stoppage),

Show me WHERE in this sentence anything is inaccurate.

the use of the parenthetical phrase perhaps? Seem to be "floating" rules on the use of that.

Anyway that's my guess. Oops is "whupping" a word? gran's a big stickler for proper use of the language.

Thanks for this post M2S. Made my afternoon. I'm enjoying the fight with my feline buddy and a few good beers.