BoxRec

I never actually got to see the fight.Only the last minute of it way back in 1980.I always look for it on youtube and NADA ZILCH is always the result!I always thought that this would be really something to observe.How the slowest lightweight(watt),was able to obviously counterpunch the fastest lightweight(davis)en route to a 15 rd ud.I remember how all the experts picked Davis to Pick apart and stop the Very slow Jim Watt,which i expected as well,but then was totally amazed when i tuned in and they were in the 15th round with all the scots doing they're soccer game like chants followed by a huge ovation when the final bell sounded.Damn!I wish i could've seen the whole thing!Cant find it anywhere on the computer!

I think this is the fight that really ruined Davis' career.Even if his heart wasn't into boxing after his fifth pro fight.

Watt was and is extremely underrated... people forget that he gave Ken Buchanan a very tough match early in his career when Buchanan was still at around his peak...

I didn't think Watt was THAT slow.

Just average from a speed perspective.

Its just silly to say that he was 'slow' if he was that bad how come he beat Davis, Ogrady and went the distance with Arguello... he had decent speed, good skill and was very clever.... he also had underrated power and its the fact that he hurt Davis early in the fight that paved the win for him... but more than anything else he outfoxed Davis...

I watched the fight, and while Howard Davis was an outstanding boxer, it's pretty well known that he was lacking in power and didn't have a particularly solid chin. With a fanatical home crowd behind him, the less skilled, but stronger more durable Watt was able to dictate the pace of the bout and win a close but clear decision.

Watt was terrible. The olny weapon he had was his head. He was the head butt king. He sucked!!

Howard Davis Jr. was a talented, fast boxer, but he had
managers who put him in with very "soft" opposition
during the early part of his pro career. As a result,
Davis hadn't learned enough in the pros before
fighting someone like Jim Watt, who beat him handily.

- Chuck Johnston

ringsider wrote:Watt was terrible. The olny weapon he had was his head. He was the head butt king. He sucked!!

Tell that to Alexis Arguello, troll...

Alexis Arguello, beat the shit out of Watt. Watt was never in the fight. What a dope you are . Ray Mancini gave Alexis Arguello, a tougher fight than Watt.

ringsider wrote:Alexis Arguello, beat the shit out of Watt. Watt was never in the fight. What a dope you are . Ray Mancini gave Alexis Arguello, a tougher fight than Watt.

Yeah, thats why Mancini was helped out of the ring after his fight with Alexis (after collapsing in the 14th) and Watt left the ring under his own steam after having gone the distance!!... your stupidity is almost unmatched on this forum!... well done!

Mancini was ahead or even on the score cards, before Alexis Arguello took over in the 12th and KO'd Mancini in the 14th. Watt was never even in his fight with Alexis Arguello.

ringsider wrote:Mancini was ahead or even on the score cards, before Alexis Arguello took over in the 12th and KO'd Mancini in the 14th. Watt was never even in his fight with Alexis Arguello.

Mancini had the crap knocked out of him in the later rounds and didnt know whether he was in America or China at the end!. Watt got banged up around the face but went the distance and made Arguello work all night for the win. If you knew anything about boxing(which you obviously dont!) you'd know that Arguello and Watt became good friends after their fight and Arguello said he was one of the cleverest boxers that he fought!.... I'd take Arguellos opinion of Watt over yours I think!...

Ray Mancini won the first 5 rounds vs Arguello, and then lost every round up until he was KO'd.

Seamus wrote:Ray Mancini won the first 5 rounds vs Arguello, and then lost every round up until he was KO'd.

Dont try talking logic to ringsider... we're talking with someone whose only let out under supervision!.... 8) :x

If you knew anything about boxing(which you obviously dont!) you'd know that Arguello and Watt became good friends after their fight ......

Yeh sure they became buddy buddy....what nonsense.

Speed and power are obvious to even the most casual boxing fan. Anyone who possesses one of these traits is considered a fearsome fighter. Anyone who can lay claim to both is considered unbeatable in their mythical prime. A fighter who possesses neither is usually disregarded and underrated.

It’s understandable. Nothing is more dramatic than a KO victory. You see a guy blowing out opponents then he has to be good. It’s unnerving and intimidating. I’d argue that speed is an even more intimidating asset. It is a difficult disadvantage to overcome psychologically. BUT it can be overcome and is overcome. I once posed the question on why hand speed is such an issue when punches really travel such a relatively short distance. We’re talking about micro seconds difference. Terry D posted an interesting reply on timing being all important too.

Too many people confuse speed with skill. The truth is if you’re lightening quick or immensely powerful there is often little need earlier in your career to develop the skills because you’re steamrolling your opponents. If Davis was quicker than Watt (and he was) then if Watt is able to win then surely he must have a skill greater than or at least on a par with Davis, after all Watt is at a distinct physical disadvantage…

With a guy like Watt you’ve got someone with average speed and power (some would argue below average for both categories) but this is only testament to what good fighter he was. Jim’s best weapon was his intelligence in the ring. Jim was beatable but he played the percentages at every turn, so to beat him you had to work hard. He didn’t give anyone an easy night. Add to that that he had a burning desire to win and was psychologically very strong. These are all underrated traits in a sportsman, and especially in a boxer.

The apotheosis of this is in Carlos Monzon (check out Mike Casey’s article recently bumped up by Buzz). He wasn’t quick and whilst he had very good power he didn’t have the chilling early round blow outs that so distinguish the top punchers. Many people totally miss the point with the great man and push him down their head-to-head lists and dismiss his greatness on the unsound thesis that he wasn’t quick or powerful enough. It looks like Watt’s accomplishment(s) are being similarly downgraded.

Ive only seen Watt fight once and that was his fight against Arguello, and to be honest he didnt impress me in this fight.

Watt didnt fight to win, he fought to survive and ocassionally poked out his right jab to put Alexis off balance. I dont think Watt even landed one significant blow in the entire fight and the whole fight was just a sparring session for Arguello, Watt for me also didnt even win a round and Boza-Edwards gave Alexis a far tougher fight. One thing to say about Watt however is that he can take a punch.

The one who said Mancini gave Arguello a tougher fight...I agree, Boom Boom fought to win and the fight was practically even until Arguello started to turn the tables in the 12th. Mancini took chances and landed far more punches on Arguello than Watt and for me Arguello - Mancini fight was one of the best bouts of the 80's.

RazorKO right on!!!

Watt I thought was a very good boxer who threw short compact combinations while displaying a good work rate. Ezzard pretty well summed up the rest.

Watt never really got untracked against Arguello. He tried to box and counter punch but Arguello was able to do both of those things better. His best chance would have been to try and mix it up and turn it into a brawl rather than trying to outbox Alexis. Still was a decent tactical fight.

Still was a decent tactical fight.

Yeh I guess if you call running away and not engaging a tactic. Watt sucked....

ringsider wrote:

Still was a decent tactical fight.

Yeh I guess if you call running away and not engaging a tactic. Watt sucked....

What have you ever done inside the ring???.... I bet your bullied even by your mother away from your pc... 8)

Silkov you are as you would say a "dumb bloke".

ringsider wrote:Silkov you are as you would say a "dumb bloke".

I'll take that comment as an admission that you have indeed done absolutely nothing inside a ring... in fact I doubt that you've even seen a fight 'live' ...your mom probably wont let you out after 7pm.... 8)

Have another pint silkov.