BoxRec

I seem to remember reading years ago that fairly useless british heavy John L Gardener (the only fight of his I remember is him being KO'd by Dokes) signed to fight Ali after the Holmes fight, but that it was called off and Gardeners people sued. Was this true, or just speculation.
I know they fought an exhibition fight in 1979 but were they due to fight properly?

Yes, they were scheduled to meet in 1981 after Ali had had lost to Holmes but refused to quit (his last fight came in late '81 against Berbick). The fight, however, was scuppered when the MAPS scandal broke (promoter Harold Smith was using fleeced bank money to promote boxing shows as well as the Ali-Gardner fight). But, because Ali and Gardner had signed contracts for the fight in good faith, they kept their advance money. Gardner got $100,000 for not even fighting.

Interesting stuff I recall there being talk of an Ali - John Gardner fight but I thought it was pre Spinks I must have remembered wrong. I'm sure I have a picture of the Ali - Gardner exhibition somewhere with Ali looking very fat.

Was there not even talk of Ali fighting Kent Green around this time as well? Green had stopped the then Clay in a Golden Gloves contest in I think 1957. Green turned pro but I think retired in 1969 with a 16-2 record.

If the Ali - Gardener fight had happened, even if Ali had have won I feel he may still have fought on and lost to a Berbick, Tate, Dokes or Ward etc anyway. At least Gardner got a payday anyway.

Does anyone know how John Gardner is these days after he was so terribley stabbed about 5 years ago?

He lost his confidence and rarely goes out I believe. His wife is a rock.

bennie wrote:He lost his confidence and rarely goes out I believe. His wife is a rock.

Thanks, that was the last thing I had heard of him to, I hope he is ok.

Rev I must say that your discription of Gardener as 'fairly useless' is harsh, illinformed and inaccurate... losing to Dokes when Dokes was more or less at his fresh and talented peak is no disgrace... Gardener was a gutsy fighter who was unlucky to have his peak before the introduction of the Cruiserweight division... he was regularly giving weight away to his opponents. After seeing the many hapless and disinterested heavies that hail from the big USA I'm a little tired to see the constant yank bashing of British heavies. Considering we are a much smaller country with naturally smaller people, I don't think we have really done that badly with our heavies! 8) 8) 8) :wink: :roll:

Yes, he knocked out Ossie Ocasio prior to Ocasio becoming cruiserweight champion. In truth, John L. was never good enough to beat the top American heavyweights (a fat Jimmy Young beat him), but Dokes was right at his peak in 1981 when he flattened John.
It was a rare error of judgement on behalf of Gardener's manager Mickey Duff.

Apart from Jimmy Young I always felt that Dokes may have been the the biggest waste of talent at Heavyweight of that era.

silkov, I am a manc, not a yank! LOL :)

:o :o :o :( :x

:x :( 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Can you add John L. Gardner's height on his record in this web site please?

KOJOE90 wrote:Apart from Jimmy Young I always felt that Dokes may have been the the biggest waste of talent at Heavyweight of that era.

Let's say that the guy wasn't properly managed, too.

Il Duce....I think it's your turn to run with this.

If I hadn't found it, I don't think we'd ever know "the real story".

So clear this up for us once and for all.


1,2, 3, GO!