The Super Six: Tale of the tape (Pound For Pound)
Posted: 19 Mar 2013, 14:17
And from the ashes of a 30 week WAR of nutrition, courage and the old battlehard spirit, arises six elected princes of pugilism. These six top fighters of the Pound-For-Pound season will meet each other in the ring in five rounds of bouts where strength, speed, skill and stamina will be needed for absolute victory.
Before the start of the tournament, Don Krease Productions takes you on an in-depth analysis of the six combatants’ title records and explains how each of their seasons has developed thus far.
And for those gambling men out there, odds will be placed on who will be the overall victor in this clash of the titans. And so, in alphabetical order, here we go:
Roberto Duran:
2 Time World Champion: 1 WBA Title and 1 WBC Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title and 1 WTF title
Boxing Record: 22 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 5 losses
Final Ranking Position: Joint Second (77 points accumulated)
Some boxing writers have marked Roberto Duran as the man to watch in this season’s Super Six. Following an incredible run of form which saw him win the Million Dollar Tournament with an undefeated record.
Independent of that, there is speculation that Roberto is the most feared fighter out there. Of course this was started by Duran’s Manager, who believes that his charge would have won even more world titles bar the cowardice of opposing Managers.
Duran holds the record for most victories this season and he will be a formidable opponent for any combatant.
Odds: 10/1 – Duran presents a formidable foe to all.
Benny Leonard:
2 Time World Champion: 1 WBC Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: None (frankly he was never ranked low enough to be eligible)
Boxing Record: Not determined by Manager.
Final Ranking Position: Fourth (64 points accumulated)
Benny has a fantastic start to the season, going in to the title eliminators as the top-ranked fighter of the season and progressing on to become the original WBC Champion. Because of his firecracker of a start, many pundits were predicting that Mr Leonard was going to be the dominant force of this season.
However, he remained the number one man until Week 15, when he was overtaken by Joe Louis, when Joe defeated him in the megafight. After the loss Benny briefly regained the top spot, before losing it again. He has since struggled to regain his best form throughout, as such he never gained another World Title.
That said, Benny has remained in the top echelon over the course of the season and he holds the record for being the top ranked fighter of the most weeks. This clinical consistency poses a daring challenge for the others.
Odds: 12/1 – This is a case of will he or won’t he – which Benny Leonard will show up?
Joe Louis:
3 Time World Champion: 1 WBO Title, 1 WBA Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: None
Boxing Record: Not determined by Manager.
22 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 5 losses
Final Ranking Position: Joint Second (77 points accumulated)
Joe’s inclusion in this year’s Super Six has been a bone of contention. His critics’ state that his high ranking is due to a discrepancy is the points system, and due to this he maybe should not have qualified.
Despite that, there is no denying that Joe has achieved a highly successful season, cultivating in three world titles… All of which - it has been noted - he defeated top fighters to win (Weeks 11-18) starting off with a WBO triumph over Rocky Marciano, then beating Roberto Duran for the WBA title and finishing off with an IBF ecstasy against Benny Leonard.
In sum, Louis unified three of the four World titles, that was his great legacy of this season, but alas he achieved very little else after losing his titles in Week 23. Still, if he can regain his old dominance he is definitely a man to be fancied.
Odds: 15/1 – A good run of form could see Joe upset the apple-cart.
Willie Pep:
5 Time World Champion: 2 WBC Titles, 1 WBA Title, 1 WBO Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title
Boxing Record: 22 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 5 losses
Final Ranking Position: Fourth (73 points accumulated)
This season Willie has been an inspiration for the under-rated and the downtrodden. Despite not qualifying for the title eliminators, he went on to win the original IBO title and slowly worked his way up to the top with hard work and an unconquered spirit.
Pep progressed quietly up the ranks, before stunning the sim with a victory over Sugar Ray Robinson and capturing the WBC crown. After 4 successful defences Pep lost it in a stunning defeat to the lowly ranked Roy Jones Jr.
After a period quiet period, Willie became the Lonsdale and WBC Champion by beating Roberto Duran toward the end of the season. And ultimately he defeated Sugar Ray Robinson to become the one and only Undisputed Champion of this season. As such, he enters the Super Six as the main man.
Odds: 5/1 – He’s the favourite but who can tell which way the wind will blow?
Sugar Ray Robinson:
6 Time World Champion: 2 WBA Titles, 2 WBC Titles, 1 WBA Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title
Boxing Record: 20 wins (6 stoppages), 3 draws, 7 losses
Final Ranking Position: First (78 points accumulated)
The man who has been styled as “The King of Kings” has probably lived up to that mantra over the course of this season. Sugar Ray has proved himself to be one of the top fighters from the very start of the season, when he entered the title eliminators as the number two ranked fighter and went on to become the original WBA Champion.
Sugar Ray’s record of victory is a who’s who of this season with – Joe Louis, Benny Leonard, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Leonard, Harry Greb and Gene Tunney all suffering defeat to him. With a record like that it could be said that Robinson is the dominant fighter of this season – with an astonishing SIX World Titles to his name, making him the most successful fighter.
The only criticism that has been directed his way is that Ray suffers from nerves and he struggles on the big occasions, as can be seen by his one successful title defence throughout the whole season. However it is thought that if he’s at his peak, then there’s none better!
Odds: 8/1 – He goes in as the second favourite and a handful for anyone.
Gene Tunney:
3 Time World Champion: 1 WBA Title, 1 WBO Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title
Boxing Record: 19 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 8 losses
Final Ranking Position: Sixth (62 points accumulated)
Gene is seen as the outside bet of this Super Six. Be that as it may, he has still amassed a fairly successful record this season. Gene is another guy who has started from the bottom and rose up through the ranks progressively and consistently.
Despite a statistically impressive record, Gene has struggled against other Super Six opposition, with losses to: Joe Louis, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Robinson. However, in Tunney’s favour he has shown that he can reach a high level of excellence with a victory over Willie Pep early on in the season.
Whilst he may be perceived as the weakest fighter, a record of three World Titles is not be scoffed at.
Odds: 20/1 – With the spotlight and pressure off of him, he could potentially excel.
Before the start of the tournament, Don Krease Productions takes you on an in-depth analysis of the six combatants’ title records and explains how each of their seasons has developed thus far.
And for those gambling men out there, odds will be placed on who will be the overall victor in this clash of the titans. And so, in alphabetical order, here we go:
Roberto Duran:
2 Time World Champion: 1 WBA Title and 1 WBC Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title and 1 WTF title
Boxing Record: 22 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 5 losses
Final Ranking Position: Joint Second (77 points accumulated)
Some boxing writers have marked Roberto Duran as the man to watch in this season’s Super Six. Following an incredible run of form which saw him win the Million Dollar Tournament with an undefeated record.
Independent of that, there is speculation that Roberto is the most feared fighter out there. Of course this was started by Duran’s Manager, who believes that his charge would have won even more world titles bar the cowardice of opposing Managers.
Duran holds the record for most victories this season and he will be a formidable opponent for any combatant.
Odds: 10/1 – Duran presents a formidable foe to all.
Benny Leonard:
2 Time World Champion: 1 WBC Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: None (frankly he was never ranked low enough to be eligible)
Boxing Record: Not determined by Manager.
Final Ranking Position: Fourth (64 points accumulated)
Benny has a fantastic start to the season, going in to the title eliminators as the top-ranked fighter of the season and progressing on to become the original WBC Champion. Because of his firecracker of a start, many pundits were predicting that Mr Leonard was going to be the dominant force of this season.
However, he remained the number one man until Week 15, when he was overtaken by Joe Louis, when Joe defeated him in the megafight. After the loss Benny briefly regained the top spot, before losing it again. He has since struggled to regain his best form throughout, as such he never gained another World Title.
That said, Benny has remained in the top echelon over the course of the season and he holds the record for being the top ranked fighter of the most weeks. This clinical consistency poses a daring challenge for the others.
Odds: 12/1 – This is a case of will he or won’t he – which Benny Leonard will show up?
Joe Louis:
3 Time World Champion: 1 WBO Title, 1 WBA Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: None
Boxing Record: Not determined by Manager.
22 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 5 losses
Final Ranking Position: Joint Second (77 points accumulated)
Joe’s inclusion in this year’s Super Six has been a bone of contention. His critics’ state that his high ranking is due to a discrepancy is the points system, and due to this he maybe should not have qualified.
Despite that, there is no denying that Joe has achieved a highly successful season, cultivating in three world titles… All of which - it has been noted - he defeated top fighters to win (Weeks 11-18) starting off with a WBO triumph over Rocky Marciano, then beating Roberto Duran for the WBA title and finishing off with an IBF ecstasy against Benny Leonard.
In sum, Louis unified three of the four World titles, that was his great legacy of this season, but alas he achieved very little else after losing his titles in Week 23. Still, if he can regain his old dominance he is definitely a man to be fancied.
Odds: 15/1 – A good run of form could see Joe upset the apple-cart.
Willie Pep:
5 Time World Champion: 2 WBC Titles, 1 WBA Title, 1 WBO Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title
Boxing Record: 22 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 5 losses
Final Ranking Position: Fourth (73 points accumulated)
This season Willie has been an inspiration for the under-rated and the downtrodden. Despite not qualifying for the title eliminators, he went on to win the original IBO title and slowly worked his way up to the top with hard work and an unconquered spirit.
Pep progressed quietly up the ranks, before stunning the sim with a victory over Sugar Ray Robinson and capturing the WBC crown. After 4 successful defences Pep lost it in a stunning defeat to the lowly ranked Roy Jones Jr.
After a period quiet period, Willie became the Lonsdale and WBC Champion by beating Roberto Duran toward the end of the season. And ultimately he defeated Sugar Ray Robinson to become the one and only Undisputed Champion of this season. As such, he enters the Super Six as the main man.
Odds: 5/1 – He’s the favourite but who can tell which way the wind will blow?
Sugar Ray Robinson:
6 Time World Champion: 2 WBA Titles, 2 WBC Titles, 1 WBA Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title
Boxing Record: 20 wins (6 stoppages), 3 draws, 7 losses
Final Ranking Position: First (78 points accumulated)
The man who has been styled as “The King of Kings” has probably lived up to that mantra over the course of this season. Sugar Ray has proved himself to be one of the top fighters from the very start of the season, when he entered the title eliminators as the number two ranked fighter and went on to become the original WBA Champion.
Sugar Ray’s record of victory is a who’s who of this season with – Joe Louis, Benny Leonard, Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Leonard, Harry Greb and Gene Tunney all suffering defeat to him. With a record like that it could be said that Robinson is the dominant fighter of this season – with an astonishing SIX World Titles to his name, making him the most successful fighter.
The only criticism that has been directed his way is that Ray suffers from nerves and he struggles on the big occasions, as can be seen by his one successful title defence throughout the whole season. However it is thought that if he’s at his peak, then there’s none better!
Odds: 8/1 – He goes in as the second favourite and a handful for anyone.
Gene Tunney:
3 Time World Champion: 1 WBA Title, 1 WBO Title and 1 IBF Title
Minor Titles: 1 IBO Title
Boxing Record: 19 wins (14 stoppages), 3 draws, 8 losses
Final Ranking Position: Sixth (62 points accumulated)
Gene is seen as the outside bet of this Super Six. Be that as it may, he has still amassed a fairly successful record this season. Gene is another guy who has started from the bottom and rose up through the ranks progressively and consistently.
Despite a statistically impressive record, Gene has struggled against other Super Six opposition, with losses to: Joe Louis, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Robinson. However, in Tunney’s favour he has shown that he can reach a high level of excellence with a victory over Willie Pep early on in the season.
Whilst he may be perceived as the weakest fighter, a record of three World Titles is not be scoffed at.
Odds: 20/1 – With the spotlight and pressure off of him, he could potentially excel.
