BoxRec

Who wins?

Eastman TKO1, Sibson is way to old now to put up a fight.

Tony Sibson wins easily. "Sibbo" was a ferocious puncher and a vastly underrated boxer. Eastman is the best middleweight today, but where's the competition! The middleweight division has been decimated by the advent of the super-middles to the point even Scott Dann got a triple title shot. The best man Eastman has beaten is probably Robert McCracken, who was taking part in his very last contest and now trains him of course. Sibson beat the likes of Roy Gumbs, Frankie Lucas, Alan Minter, Mark Kaylor, John Collins, Eddie Smith, Brian Anderson, Chisanda Mutti and Dwight Davison - and had to fight Marvelous Marvin Hagler for the undisputed world middleweight title, as opposed to William Joppy for an interim title.
Get hold of the tape of Sibson against Frankie "The Animal" Lucas in 1979! You won't be disappointed. Sibson came in as a late sub - an unknown from the Midlands with short legs and a beer belly, and stood up to the ferocious early onslaughts of Lucas and proceeded to tear him apart with left hooks for a stunning fifth round stoppage. Two years later, Alan Minter made the mistake of labelling Sibson a "village idiot" at a press conference. Sibson knocked him cold in three rounds, busting his nose so badly Minter was almost unrecognizeable in the ring afterwards.
In Atlantic City in 1984, Tony was sent over as cannon fodder for the 29-0 John Collins, a darling of the American television networks. Sibson tore him apart in two thrilling rounds. These were defining fights for the Leicester man. What are Eastman's defining fights? He struggles with Sam Soliman and the washed-up Hacine Cherifi, wears down an unambitious aging McCracken, and allows himself to be outhustled by William Joppy in a highly winnable fight.
I would say Eastman is no better than Brian Anderson, the Sheffield stylist who came up the hard way but was taken apart in seven rounds by Sibson in 1987. I certainly wouldn't have fancied Eastman against Mark Kaylor, soundly outpointed by Sibson in 1984. I won't even bother to mention what Alan Minter and Frankie Lucas would have done to Eastman, both absolutely smashed to pieces by Sibson.
Back then, the best fighters met each other. Now, Eastman has to make do with boring defences of his European title against someone like Jorge "Who?" Sendra because rival camps can't agree to a match between him and Wayne Alexander.
In short, we know how good Sibson was because he proved himself. Eastman, in today's game, will never do that.

Yup your probably right Bennie, i agreed with your entire post but one problem.....Howard Joppy?!

steve689 wrote:Yup your probably right Bennie, i agreed with your entire post but one problem.....Howard Joppy?!

They were both so bad, Steve, I couldn't separate them.

Sibbo by decision or late KO.

Sibson v Lucas was the first fight I saw live.

Great atmosphere, great domestic punch up, great win.

All on his 21st Birthday.

knockout artist wrote:Sibbo by decision or late KO.

Sibson v Lucas was the first fight I saw live.

Great atmosphere, great domestic punch up, great win.

All on his 21st Birthday.

You saw that live! Jesus, mate, you've lived.

I'm only 38 and used to live in Hammersmith.

I used to attend a lot of shows at Wembley and The Royal Albert from the late 70's to the early 90's.

I think the last show I saw at the Royal Albert Hall was John Mugabi KOing Carlos Antunes. (Hardly a great night).

Sibson v Minter was a great atmosphere and one of Sibbo's best wins.

The fight wasnt shown on BBC, but Ive got a black and white copy.

I was there at Tony's last fight in 1989 in Stafford, and met him on several occasions. Great guy Tony. His fans were animals, but Tony's left-hooking had a way of bringing out the passionate worst in boxing supporters and writers alone. Boxing News tipped him to beat Marvin Hagler!!!

Sibbo was my favourite fighter as a youngster, I remember staying up as a 9/10 year old listening to his fight with Kaylor on my radio!

Sibson for me everytime, Eastman's best victory is still against Robert McCraken, whom I'm sure will admit would not be in Sibbo's class.

knockout artist wrote:I'm only 38 and used to live in Hammersmith.

I used to attend a lot of shows at Wembley and The Royal Albert from the late 70's to the early 90's.

I think the last show I saw at the Royal Albert Hall was John Mugabi KOing Carlos Antunes. (Hardly a great night).

Sibson v Minter was a great atmosphere and one of Sibbo's best wins.

The fight wasnt shown on BBC, but Ive got a black and white copy.

Same age as me mate, I used to work in Hammersmith too.

I saw Lucas/Sibson on tv - great fight that was, Lucas tried to intimidate Sibbo early but Tony just blasted him out of there.

I remember Minter trying the same, putting his face right up to Sibbo's before their fight - Minter had the eyes of a stone-cold killer. But like bennie says, he was absolutely blown away by left hooks.

It was sad Tony didn't do himself justice when he challenged Hagler - not that he was ever going to win ( who did the BN preview bennie, wasn;t you was it? ) - someone in his camp had the brilliant idea of doing no sparring at all in preparation of Hagler - showed in the ring too, don't think he landed a punch.
Spent half the time trying to hold his trunks up,as the elastic went.

Halger might've been at his peak that night though.

I read George Francis' book a few years back, where he talks about convincing Sibson's people to take on his charge, Lotte Mwale, saying he was no puncher.
Then he goes and sparks a young Sibson in one round!

You are probably right about Hagler being at his peak against Sibson.

I dont think Tony was 100% for that fight and i seem to recall that he did very little sparring. Am I correct?

If he was 100% he may have extended Hagler a few more rounds, but it would never have gone the distance due to Tony's inclination to get involved.

As for Mwale, that was a masterstroke for George Francis (RIP), apparently Sam Burns went over to watch Mwale train and George Francis filled him up with water and Burns saw him weigh 13st 2lb (I think the fight was made at 12st) Mwale moved like a beached whale in sparring and Burns thought it was in the bag, Then BANG he starches Sibbo in 1.

Mwale and Francis had to get out of Leicester pretty lively that night.

Mwale really was a top fighter at 175 and vastly underrated.

He would beat all the 175's today (bar RJJ).

As for Sibbo he was one of our best fighters never to win a world title and was a great puncher, very very strong, had a decent chin. A very popular lad and certainly one of my favourites.

I think he may have been slightly in decline by the time he fought MMH.

Remember Sibbo's fight with Dwight Davison at NEC? Not a great fight, but a very good win against a world class fighter and an excellent atmosphere. I recall it was on a Sunday afternoon.

Tim Mo did the preview for Boxing News and went for Sibson. It looks a ridiculous pick in hindsight, but Hagler's early reign wasn't that awe-inspiring believe it or not. Yes, he ripped Minter to pieces to win the title, but Sibbo subsequently flattened Minter of course. And Hagler looked a bit sloppy against Mustafa Hamsho in an early defence, butted Vito Antuefermo out of their rematch, and wins over Caveman Lee and Fully Obel, while impressive, came over opponents who were not highly regarded (though today they'd be world champions 10 times over). He only defended a couple of times in 1982 if my memory serves me correctly (due to getting his rib broken in sparring by old opponent Bobby Watts), and the Sibbo fight was in early 1983. There were also silly rumours flying around that Hagler wanted no part of Dwight Davison, who Sibbo outworked in a tough final eliminator. So Sibson seemed to have a great chance. But in the event had no chance. Hagler was frighteningly good.
Yes, it's true Sibson did no sparring in the lead-up to the fight. He had suffered a rib injury sparring Telford southpaw Cliff Gilpin just before flying out to Worcester, Massachusetts. The weather was so appalling in the States, the Sibson camp were able to cite travel problems as the reason for not bringing over any sparring partners (though Chris Pyatt made the trip). And the press swallowed it. Only afterwards did it all come out.