BoxRec

On Saturday 25 May 1974 Rodrigo Valdez and Bad Bennie Briscoe fought for the vacanct WBC Middleweight title at the Stade Louis II in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

This was the second meeting between these two excellent Middleweights and one I have watched a number of times. No matter how many times I watch it I still cheer on Briscoe in the crazy hope that he will not get caught with that crushing right hand and KO'd. No matter how many times I watch it still stuns me that the ultra-tough Bad Bennie was KO'd in such a brutal fashion. It just doesn't seem possible, even though it obviously was.

Now, I am in no way trying to take anything away from this stunning victory for Valdez but was their something wrong with Briscoe that night as he didn't look himself that night in my opinion anyway. Was he carrying an injury or illness or am I just looking for excuses?

Or is it just that Bad Bennie just never recovered from being stunned by that right of Valdez in the first round? Valdez just could not seem to miss with that shot that night in Monte Carlo.

http://www.boxrec.com/show_display.php?show_id=18227

Amazing result. I've never seen this fight and look forward to hear other posters' comments.

Terry D wrote: Funnily enough he was having his best round in the minutes before the KO shot.

Amazing just how often this happens. As I remember Bruno was having a good round against Witherspoon until they both landed at the same time.

Often seemed to happen with Hagler. A guy lands a decent shot and thinks he's in with a chance and then gets throughly worked over.

Terry D wrote:

Ezzard wrote:

Terry D wrote: Funnily enough he was having his best round in the minutes before the KO shot.

Amazing just how often this happens. As I remember Bruno was having a good round against Witherspoon until they both landed at the same time.

Often seemed to happen with Hagler. A guy lands a decent shot and thinks he's in with a chance and then gets throughly worked over.

It was my perspective that Bennie, realising he had lost ground, was making a big push to get back into the fight and this left him open, as you say. When you put it on the line in that way you risk a KO loss, even if you are BBB.

That is why there seems to be a recent power shortage at the top-level in boxing. The phrase 'old-manning' has allowed people to get away with slothful displays whilst so-called experts tell anyone who thinks it is poor boxing that they need to watch the older fighters to appreciate what we are seeing now. I do watch the older fighters and nothing can make me appreciate Hopkins-Wright.

Also, with Bennie-Valdez, it may sound odd but Valdez was the right height for snaking shots out and then hitting Bennie on the chin every time. Bennie had his chin tucked in and went to the body but most of the shots of Valdez were on the button and quite effortless.

I've never seen the fight but that sounds like great analysis.

Hopkins has a knack of winning fights with his economy.
I know you're a Toney fan but who else do you like who is acvtive today?

A lot of people forget or overlook how brilliant a fighter Valdez was, his situation is simular to that of Esteben Dejesus in that had there been no Duran he would have been the dominant 135 fighter of his time and its the same with Valdez, had Monzon not been around at the same time Valdez would most likely have been middleweight champ for sometime in the 70s..... he just had that little edge in class over Bennie... and he was just brilliant in their 2nd bout... in their third fight both seemed jaded but Valdez won again fairly handily... he just had Briscoes number in the same way that Monzon had his...
I agree about the 80s heavyweights too... some great fights in that era that you can really appreciate these days... Page vs Berbick, Coetzee vs Weaver, Weaver vs Dokes 2 Berbick vs Thomas, Holmes vs Witherspoon, Page vs Coetzee... all great fights to name just a few...

Thanks, Terry, would be much appreciated.

The 1980s HWs are odd. I was a kid loving boxing and all the magazines. The thing was the journalists brought up on Ali and the 1970s were always slating the 1980s HWs. I just accepted that it must be the case. Looking back though there were some good fighters.

The main problem was that many of them were out of shape. Page, Tubbs, bey and Witherspoon didn't have the look of professional atheletes. Even now it amazes me that a fighter would go into the ring, put themselves on the line, and not be in excellent condition.

Terry D wrote:Silkov, Thomas-Weaver was also one of the better ones. Hell, I enjoyed Page-Snipes.

Ezzard, looking at the guys around now I get a bit wistful and want Dokes back. His fight with Weaver, the second one, is a lost classic in my book. Swifts in momentum and some subtle tactical work by Dokes make it one to watch a few times over.

I know some people prefer to the mechanical competence of the European guys around at the moment but, for me, you cannot beat a US heavies for skill. Or so it used to be.

I will do that DVD then email you when it is ready to post. No sound on Shavers-Lyle though!

That'll just give me chance to do my own commentary from the sofa...

Shavers vs Lyle is a real classic, probably more ferocious than Foreman vs Lyle... in fact they are very simular fights except for the fact that Lyle lost the Foreman bout... Shavers just punched himself out that night...
back to the 80s I've always thought that Weaver vs Tate was a great fight... not often mentioned though except for its ending but a good brawl all the way through for me and the ending wasnt such a surprise as you could see Tate tiring from about the 12th.... amazing thing about Weaver was how despite his build he had great stamina....

silkov wrote: amazing thing about Weaver was how despite his build he had great stamina....

As far as I am aware, unlike many other members of 'The Lost Generation' of 80's Heavyweights Weaver was a clean living fighter and didn't abuse his body like many of the others did. maybe this was a factor?

Last I heard Weaver was working for his local mail service.

KOJOE90 wrote:

silkov wrote: amazing thing about Weaver was how despite his build he had great stamina....

As far as I am aware, unlike many other members of 'The Lost Generation' of 80's Heavyweights Weaver was a clean living fighter and didn't abuse his body like many of the others did. maybe this was a factor?

Last I heard Weaver was working for his local mail service.

True, but often fighters (especially Heavies) with Weavers build have poor stamina... (like Bruno for intstance) on the other hand Weaver was a notoriously slow starter and got better as the fight went on usually.... one of my favourite fighters from that era actually...

It was the only time "Bad Bennie" was ever floored.

bennie wrote:It was the only time "Bad Bennie" was ever floored.

I've read that Light Heavyweight Rafael Gutierrez dropped Briscoe. I have no idea how hurt Briscoe was on this occation though.

He was definatly 'out of it' against Valdez though, good stoppage by Harry Gibbs that night.

Another myth bites the dust.

Briscoe was out against Rafael after being dropped twice but was smart enuff to do one thing He threw his best left hook about a foot low guttierez then bent over in pain was givin a couple of minute rest but was done as Briscoe had recovered and he had not Briscoe was all over him and Guttierez and the fight was stopped Briscoe has a cult following which always seems get better as time goes by I saw Benny fight on many ocasions and he was a damn good fighter but far from great Luis Rodrogues shut him out ,Juarez DeLima outboxed him an old Jose Gonzales was beating him but there were no butt rules in those days and was stopped on cuts Eddie Gregory was out and out robbed against him,i remember bobby watts wanted to pull the hat trick he had outpoined Willie Monroe ,koed Cyclone Hart and wanted Briscoe real bad but they would never give him the chance Briscoe in his prime was also easley outpointed by Vincente Rondon .Benny was one bad sob who could punch and had a terrific jab but was always a notch under the best of his time

The shot that Valdez took out Briscoe with, is still one of the most impressive one-hitter-quitters that I can recall. Valdez set him up for the shot perfectly and Briscoe was completely done in. Rodrigo was a very, very talented fighter and almost totally ignored historically by most boxing fans.

snoopbee wrote:Briscoe was out against Rafael after being dropped twice but was smart enuff to do one thing He threw his best left hook about a foot low guttierez then bent over in pain was givin a couple of minute rest but was done as Briscoe had recovered and he had not Briscoe was all over him and Guttierez and the fight was stopped

I've been watching some of my other Briscoe fights recently and they give me the impression that Briscoe would throw a low blow from time to time either my accident or just to unsettle his opponent I would have to check again but I think he seemed to use this 'tactic' again Villanueva, DeLima & Vinalesii.

This was a title fight wasn't it? How the title split when Monzon was still champion?