renaldo snipes

[J]

I was looking through this guys record the other day and it was more than impressive he scared the shit out of holmes in his solitary title fight, anyway just wondered out of interest if anyone saw much of him at his peak / knows where or what he is up to now.
thanks
J

[jamesmcdonnell]

He never got a title shot again, he was frozen out of the title picture, not sure why. I remember there being a big call for him to be given a shot at Tyson's title, because Snipes was a contender for most of his career until the last few years, but team Tyson didn't want to know. Holmes was the only guy to stop him, and that in a big step up in class for Snipes.

I seem to remember that he was a pretty slick fighters, stick and mover with good power, I remember thinking how cool his name sounded when I was young.

[wouter]

Reportedly Snipes was offered Tyson's comeback fight after he lost to Douglas, but Team Snipes demanded too much money

[jamesmcdonnell]

It seems though that historically, Tyson opponents have been offered relatively little, I suspect that Snipes also wasn't interested because he wanted a title shot.

That would have been a decent comeback fight, though Snipes was probably a little way past his prime by then....

[MightyWarrior]

Not sure what's he's up to now, but like you say, he was a dangerous fighter in his prime.
He first came to light when he spoiled the heavyweight plans of the excellent 175 pound champ, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

But next up he was involved in a huge controversy, when he got a very lucky decision against Gerrie Coetzee that stank the house out.

No-one, outside of the judges, thought he won that, and there were all sorts of corruption stories flying around for the next few months.

Anyway, as a result, he was seen as a real patsy going into the Holmes fight: nothing more than a light snack for Larry to feast on, as Homes tuned up for The Big One: Gerry Cooney ( and a near world record pay day ).

But what a shock Holmes got in the 7th - Snipes connected with a huge right hand and the whole boxing world held it's breath as Larry staggered to his feet and Snipes closed in.....
The Cooney mega fight looked out the window, but Holmes somehow survived a real crisis with heart and guile.

It was that fight that caused a lot of people to think the Irishman had a real chance against Holmes ( even Boxing News predicted a Cooney win...well, Harry Mullan did at any rate )

I think the main reason Snipes never got another shot, was everytime he'd get a decent run going, he'd go and lose the next fight. ( and maybe he fell out with King too )


Funny story I heard, concerning the very un PC Tex Cobb.

Those easily offended, look away now..................


Cobb was adressing a press conference and said something along the lines of
"This is one white boy who's willing to take on and beat the best n*****s out there!!"

Cue stunned silence................

Then Snipes, who was in the room, piped up from the back: "I don't appreciate being called a n*****!"

Cobb replied "I said the best n******s Snipes, I wasn't talking about you!"

[J]

thanks gents interesting stuff.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Not sure what's he's up to now, but like you say, he was a dangerous fighter in his prime.
He first came to light when he spoiled the heavyweight plans of the excellent 175 pound champ, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

But next up he was involved in a huge controversy, when he got a very lucky decision against Gerrie Coetzee that stank the house out.

No-one, outside of the judges, thought he won that, and there were all sorts of corruption stories flying around for the next few months.

Anyway, as a result, he was seen as a real patsy going into the Holmes fight: nothing more than a light snack for Larry to feast on, as Homes tuned up for The Big One: Gerry Cooney ( and a near world record pay day ).

But what a shock Holmes got in the 7th - Snipes connected with a huge right hand and the whole boxing world held it's breath as Larry staggered to his feet and Snipes closed in.....
The Cooney mega fight looked out the window, but Holmes somehow survived a real crisis with heart and guile.

It was that fight that caused a lot of people to think the Irishman had a real chance against Holmes ( even Boxing News predicted a Cooney win...well, Harry Mullan did at any rate )

I think the main reason Snipes never got another shot, was everytime he'd get a decent run going, he'd go and lose the next fight. ( and maybe he fell out with King too )


Funny story I heard, concerning the very un PC Tex Cobb.

Those easily offended, look away now..................


Cobb was adressing a press conference and said something along the lines of
"This is one white boy who's willing to take on and beat the best n*****s out there!!"

Cue stunned silence................

Then Snipes, who was in the room, piped up from the back: "I don't appreciate being called a n*****!"

Cobb replied "I said the best n******s Snipes, I wasn't talking about you!"

Yes I seem to remember some problems between him and King. He probably fell out of favour once King realised Tyson was going to be the big cash cow.

[KOJOE90]

Mr Snipes also badly broke his right hand against this guy

http://207.44.250.6/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=001123

Janie Howe, which derailed his late career winning streak.

[stujones]

I think Alec Stewart was perfectally acceptable for Tyson. I quite like Stewart. (Was it Alec or Alex, getting it mxed up with the Cricketer now).

[KOJOE90]

I found this

Renaldo "Mr." Snipes made a rare appearance at the Gatti-Leija press conference at Justin's in midtown Manhattan.

[magnus]

I never saw a prime Snipes (before my time), so all I remember is him copping a beating at the fists of Jorge Luis Gonzalez (think that's spelt ok), who was being hyped-up at the time.

Snipes was very brave if memory serves right, and Gonzalez was a right cocky bastard - which made it pretty sweet when Bowe whupped him 18 months later.

Strange to think now that many people (including myself) thought Gonzales would beat Bowe.

[magnus]

Never saw a prime Snipes (before my time), so all I remember is his beating by Jorge Luis Gonzalez.

If memory serves, Snipes was very brave before being stopped in the latter stages of the fight. Gonzalez was a real cocky git (prolonged the beating) so it was pretty sweet when Bowe destroyed him 18 months later for the WBO belt.

[HeavyHitters]

I never saw a prime Snipes (before my time), so all I remember is him copping a beating at the fists of Jorge Luis Gonzalez (think that's spelt ok), who was being hyped-up at the time.

Snipes was very brave if memory serves right, and Gonzalez was a right cocky bastard - which made it pretty sweet when Bowe whupped him 18 months later.

Strange to think now that many people (including myself) thought Gonzales would beat Bowe.

Yup.. but later on... Snipes really sucked..... Way too boring also....

[KOJOE90]

and Gonzalez was a right cocky bastard - which made it pretty sweet when Bowe whupped him 18 months later.

I seem to recall Gonzalez claming he didn't need a trainer.

[stujones]

I tipped him to beat Bowe also, so did Boxing Monthly. Not one of my greatest moments.

[HeavyHitters]

I tipped him to beat Bowe also, so did Boxing Monthly. Not one of my greatest moments.

I thought Riddick "EL" Bowe would eventually beat him, and he did. But WOW! What a heck of a grudge fight it was, huh!!??

[KOJOE90]

Didn't Gonzalez once nearly get into a fight with Bowe at a restaurant about a year before they fought?

I seem to recall reading something like that.

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=008597

Anyone know what the big Cuban exile is up to these days?

[Old bones Ian]

Hearing Snipes name mentioned reminded me of other Heavys that have come within a punch or two of the Heavyweight Championship, Earnie Shavers again versus Holmes, and Bert Cooper against Holyfield spring to mind

[KOJOE90]

That's right Bert Cooper had Holyfield in all sorts of trouble for a while. I have not watched that fight in years so I may be wrong here but wasn't Commander Evander saved by the bell that night?

Mike Weaver also had Holmes in trouble in their first fight.

[Old bones Ian]

That's right Bert Cooper had Holyfield in all sorts of trouble for a while. I have not watched that fight in years so I may be wrong here but wasn't Commander Evander saved by the bell that night?

Mike Weaver also had Holmes in trouble in their first fight.

holyfield somehow scrambled through that 3rd round, the bell did save him a bit, but it was Coopers conditioning that let him down a bit, he punched himself out trying to catch Holyfield.
great fight though, and it was supposed to be a stroll in the park for Holyfield.
Cooper was a replacement for Tyson who injured himself in training.
Would have been interesting seeing what would have happened if Tyson v Holyfield had happened then

[KOJOE90]

That's right Bert Cooper had Holyfield in all sorts of trouble for a while. I have not watched that fight in years so I may be wrong here but wasn't Commander Evander saved by the bell that night?

Mike Weaver also had Holmes in trouble in their first fight.

holyfield somehow scrambled through that 3rd round, the bell did save him a bit, but it was Coopers conditioning that let him down a bit, he punched himself out trying to catch Holyfield.
great fight though, and it was supposed to be a stroll in the park for Holyfield.
Cooper was a replacement for Tyson who injured himself in training.
Would have been interesting seeing what would have happened if Tyson v Holyfield had happened then

Actually (not meaning to be picky here) Bert Cooper was a replacement for Francesco Damiani who was a replacement for Tyson (rib injury????). I think Francesco Damiani pulled out at about seven days notice with an ankle injury.

[Old bones Ian]

That's right Bert Cooper had Holyfield in all sorts of trouble for a while. I have not watched that fight in years so I may be wrong here but wasn't Commander Evander saved by the bell that night?

Mike Weaver also had Holmes in trouble in their first fight.

holyfield somehow scrambled through that 3rd round, the bell did save him a bit, but it was Coopers conditioning that let him down a bit, he punched himself out trying to catch Holyfield.
great fight though, and it was supposed to be a stroll in the park for Holyfield.
Cooper was a replacement for Tyson who injured himself in training.
Would have been interesting seeing what would have happened if Tyson v Holyfield had happened then

i stand corrected,

Actually (not meaning to be picky here) Bert Cooper was a replacement for Francesco Damiani who was a replacement for Tyson (rib injury????). I think Francesco Damiani pulled out at about seven days notice with an ankle injury.

[bennie]

Renaldo 'Mister' Snipes was a game, awkward fellow, with a big right hand. But he was very hittable and lacked the boxing ability - and the temperament, to be labelled a genuine world class fighter in my opinion. His best win is over Trevor Berbick, whom he floored and outpointed in a rare display of fire and aggression in 1982. But on other nights, the New York playboy looked bored and was outhustled in several shockers, notably by Spanish pudding Alfredo Evangelista and also by blown-up cruiser Ricky Parkey (later to be destroyed by Gary Mason).
He also took part in a horrible maul with Tim Witherspoon, which the Terrible one (literally) scraped on a who cares split decision. And he was nearly beaten by Eddie Mustafa Muhammad in 1981.
If the lazy Muhammad could nearly outhustle you, you know you're in trouble.
Snipes landed a punch in a million against Larry Holmes in their thrilling world heavyweight title fight in late 1981. But Holmes, even after jumping up too quickly and staggering across the ring into a corner post, survived the wild follow-up attack and was back in control by the end of the round (the seventh). Three rounds later, Snipes was stopped (on his feet but under fire in a corner). The huge crowd didn't like the stoppage and chanted a profanity for several minutes ("Bullsheeeeet!"). In the post-fight pushing and shoving, Snipes had an artery severed by his own cornerman's scissors and was dragged from the ring and rushed to a nearby hospital. It made for dramatic TV, though Holmes' next opponent, Gerry Cooney, claims he slept through the whole fight at home. Cooney was a big baby back then and his lack of confidence in and out of the ring was there for all to see.
Snipes was later put firmly in his place by Greg Page, who punished him for 12 one-sided rounds in 1983, and he became a bit player on the heavyweight scene. He was always a draw in Madison Square Garden (not the main arena, but the smaller underground one, formerly known as the Felt Forum), where he featured in some real Pier 69's with several mediocre heavies who found him easy to hit and hurt but also found he could still whack.
Renaldo's 1988 brawl with Lionel Washington saw him on the verge of defeat when he landed a huge right that sent Washington crashing through the ropes on to some decidedly unlucky spectators (Washington was a big guy you didn't want landing on your lap). It was voted "Most Fun Fight of the Year" by Ring magazine.
But Snipes was then thrown in with Jorge Luis Gonzalez and there were no more miracles.

[red dragon]

bennie don't say anything about fight of the year or ring magazine on here as
BOXINGUKDVD will put on another post saying he will be selling ring
magazines most fun fights of 1970's,1980's1990's

[KOJOE90]

Good post Bennie.

Didn't know about Snipes getting cut by his own cornermans scissors.