BoxRec

Il Duce wrote:Empty Jar

I just 'Love' the depth that Dr. Box Buzz Beard added in his analysis.

July 1967

If we take this bout in 'mid-1967', when Leotis first wanted to fight 'Smokin Joe'.

.................Joe Frazier........................Leotis Martin
Age........... 23 years, 6 months........... 28 years, 4 months
Record...... 16-0-0 {14 KO's}.............. 24-1-0 {14 KO's}
Ranking..... #2 WBA / #4 Ring............ #9 WBA / #9 Ring

Analysis;
* Joe was a slow-starter. As we all know, Joe usually lost the 1st-Round, and started to warm up later.
* Leotis was also a notoriously slow-starter, but was a sharp-shooter in the later Rounds.

Leotis would have a height advantage of 2", plus a 3 1/2" reach advantage. Weight, Joe would have an edge
of {+12 lbs.} at 204 lbs. to 192 lbs.

Strength is no question, as Joe was physically stronger and a harder puncher for longer lengths. But, Leotis was
durable and had excellent endurance.

Defensively, Joe was not highly-rated, but his strength was the ability to take a good shot. Leotis was 'average' at
best, and could be tagged.

Match-Up:
Joe Frazier > Great left hook and constant pressure with a heavy focus on the body, and quick left-hooks to the head.
versus
Leotis Martin > Good movement, busy left-jab and durability, mixed in with a 'late-bout' attack with right-hand bombs.

The Skinny
* Leotis Martin had suffered an injury to his 'right-knee' in June 1967.
* Yancey 'Yank' Durham managed both fighters.
* Joe Frazier had been getting tagged with right-hand leads as he stepped up the competition in 1966 and 1967.
* Leotis had a tendency to swell up around the eyes in his most recent bouts.
* Leotis had complained that Yank Durham was putting too much focus on Joe Frazier, and he felt he was getting pushed aside.

gilgamesh wrote:Joe Frazier would overwhelm and knock out Leotis Martin around the 6th or 7th round.

BoxBuzz wrote:It seems Il Duce felt the pressure, heeded the sensibilities of the common man, saw the light, and came up with that right solution.

yancey wrote:

BoxBuzz wrote:It seems Il Duce felt the pressure, heeded the sensibilities of the common man, saw the light, and came up with that right solution.

But don't ever forget.

Frazier ducked Martin.

Il Duce wrote:

yancey wrote:

BoxBuzz wrote:It seems Il Duce felt the pressure, heeded the sensibilities of the common man, saw the light, and came up with that right solution.

But don't ever forget.

Frazier ducked Martin.

July 1967

Leotis Martin,

Interviewed before the WBA Elimination tournament in Houston.

"Joe Frazier won't enter because he knows he will lose. He's always says he the best and #1 Ranked Heavyweight, yet
anytime one of us wants to fight him, his Manager says were 'no good' and Joe would destroy us. I've been trying
to get Joe into the Ring since the beginning of the year {1967}. He won't fight me."

Pinny Schafer {Manager}
"Leotis has the right-hand to do it and Yank Durham knows it. Look what Bonavena did to him. And Leotis hits a lot
harder than Oscar."

BoxBuzz wrote:Pretty sure everyone on the East Coast..knew this.

Yancey.....are you from the midwest? That would explain you not being informed.