BoxRec

A throw-away line from the esteemed Mr. DempseyFire got me thinking.

Name me some fights where you'd expect one guy to win, but would be tempted to lay down cash on the other guy. For this type of fight, you'd be thinking of a guy who you think could very well spring the upset, but you're expecting everyone else to write off, inflating the return on your bet.

I always thought I'd wanna keep George Foreman away from Gene Tunney, if I were managing him. Figure everyone would bet on Foreman, & though I would back him, Tunney would be worth a down-payment.

Ali/Witherspoon
Hearns/Simon Brown
Tyson/Mercer
Wlad/Tommy Morrison
DLH/Breland

With all of his fanboys, I bet Tyson would implode against Dempsey and score me a packet.

...for an actual fight, i thought walcott had a chance against marciano in their first match, it was one of those rarities, like louis vs. braddock, where the challenger was favorite over the champion. at several times throughout that fight i was sorry i hadn't bet money on my hunch. just as well that i didn't.

I'd bet on:

Marlon Starling to beat Tommy Hearns.

Dariusz Michalczewski to beat Roy Jones.

David Tua to beat Joe Frazier.

Vitali Klitchsko to beat George Foreman.

and

Jeff Fenech to beat Manny Pacquaio.

For an actual fight, I thought Foreman was a very live underdog against Frazier in their first fight.

If memory serves, Frazier was something like a 4-1 favorite, but I knew Frazier was declining plus I knew he could be meeting up with some real power that night.

Didn't surprise me at all what happened.

For a theoretical match, someone like artful Johnny Persol being a live dog against light-heavy champs like Torres, Tiger, and possibly even against Bob Foster comes to mind.

jaclem2 wrote:...for an actual fight, i thought walcott had a chance against marciano in their first match, it was one of those rarities, like louis vs. braddock, where the challenger was favorite over the champion. at several times throughout that fight i was sorry i hadn't bet money on my hunch. just as well that i didn't.

Did you attend Marciano-Walcott I? Were you listening to it?

I had large bets on underdogs Taylor & Whitaker against Chavez. And ya'll wonder why I hate him?

...goodnight...i saw marciano/walcott I on live closed circuit tv in a movie theatre...full house. i yelled like crazy when walcott came right out and started mixing it up and dropped marciano with a left hook and of course marciano got right up and it was a great fight from then on. it looked like walcott was tiring toward the later rounds but then came back....throughout he made some of the most masterful moves i'd seen before or since. i was nearly as deflated as jersey joe was by that marciano right hand. closed circuit fights were mostly shown in movie theatres then, and it still like that method best.

I miss the closed circuit fights. They were at arenas in my day, but still a lot of fun. They were usually during the week.

Goodnight, Irene wrote:With all of his fanboys, I bet Tyson would implode against Dempsey and score me a packet.

Dempsey would probably be the betting dog against many fighters, and I'd be right there with you putting money on him.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Ali/Witherspoon
Hearns/Simon Brown
Tyson/Mercer
Wlad/Tommy Morrison
DLH/Breland

Not sure about DLH Breland but the others I can see the logic in. Even with the logic though I would not bet on Brown against Hearns.

Taylor - Whittaker
Walcott - Ali
Tunney - Louis
Toney - Jones II
Hearns - Hagler II

Ezzard wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Ali/Witherspoon
Hearns/Simon Brown
Tyson/Mercer
Wlad/Tommy Morrison
DLH/Breland

Not sure about DLH Breland but the others I can see the logic in. Even with the logic though I would not bet on Brown against Hearns.

I would never bet against Hearns, but I don't like that fight for him at Welterweight.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

Ezzard wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Ali/Witherspoon
Hearns/Simon Brown
Tyson/Mercer
Wlad/Tommy Morrison
DLH/Breland

Not sure about DLH Breland but the others I can see the logic in. Even with the logic though I would not bet on Brown against Hearns.

I would never bet against Hearns, but I don't like that fight for him at Welterweight.

I think it's a tough one for him as well Saad. What about Starling? I'd fancy Marlon via late stoppoage in a 15 rounder.

keithmoonhangover wrote:

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:

Ezzard wrote: Not sure about DLH Breland but the others I can see the logic in. Even with the logic though I would not bet on Brown against Hearns.

I would never bet against Hearns, but I don't like that fight for him at Welterweight.

I think it's a tough one for him as well Saad. What about Starling? I'd fancy Marlon via late stoppoage in a 15 rounder.

I think Tommy would dominate marlon. 12-3 type decision. I don't see him getting past the jab.

Putting money on Dempsey over Tyson is akin to just burning it. This fight would be competitive for maybe just under a minute.

jaclem2 wrote:...goodnight...i saw marciano/walcott I on live closed circuit tv in a movie theatre...full house. i yelled like crazy when walcott came right out and started mixing it up and dropped marciano with a left hook and of course marciano got right up and it was a great fight from then on. it looked like walcott was tiring toward the later rounds but then came back....throughout he made some of the most masterful moves i'd seen before or since. i was nearly as deflated as jersey joe was by that marciano right hand. closed circuit fights were mostly shown in movie theatres then, and it still like that method best.

Got to agree! Nothing like the conversations that took place on the way in, during, and after those closed circuit movie house fights! It was pretty damn good stuff!

theone wrote:Putting money on Dempsey over Tyson is akin to just burning it. This fight would be competitive for maybe just under a minute.

As I was saying...

Not to get off subject, but man would I have loved to have seen Dempsey go against Marciano, Frazier, and Tyson.

Not all in the same night, of course.

Talk about fistic fireworks.

I'd favor jack over marciano, slightly favor tyson over him and Joe would cave in his face.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:I'd favor jack over marciano, slightly favor tyson over him and Joe would cave in his face.

Agree.

Dempsey winds up face down against Smoke, but it sure would be fun to watch.

I would make Tyson a favorite against Dempsey, but you never know with Tyson's psyche. He could well crumble if he started receiving some real leather.

Dempsey-Marciano would be a hellacious fight, but I like Dempsey.

Tyson is in awe of Dempsey, that definitely could play a factor.

Fraziers style and vulnerabilities are textbook-perfect for a Dempsey massacre. I would bet Dempsey big if you two were bookies. Put Dempsey in Quarrys position during round one of that first fight, and I guarantee its goodnight, Irene within the next two stanzas. I find it hilarious youre both liking Dempseys chances against Marciano, but expecting Frazier to collapse him no sweat. Hilarious.

SaadOffTheDeck wrote:Tyson is in awe of Dempsey, that definitely could play a factor.

Part of my thinking. Agreed.