Willard Vs Burke...

Robinson · Post by **Robinson** » 18 Mar 2008, 04:39

As this is not a title challenge being a 6 rounder what is this fight considered as ....

is it a non title affair...but for 6 rounds ?

Or is it an exhibition ... if so why is it on Willards pro career.

Would some of you guys be able to tell me abit about of SAilor Burke as I really dont know much about the man.

Thanks again

donnellon · Post by **donnellon** » 19 Mar 2008, 21:19

Could never get anything on the Willard-Burke fight. The sailor did ko Joe Grim, I dont think anybody else did that.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 20 Mar 2008, 00:03

It was just a non-title bout according to boxrec. A lot of champions have had non-title bouts.

Robinson · Post by **Robinson** » 22 Mar 2008, 09:37

Why was this decided to be a non-title affair and for only 6 rounds, thats almost exhibition territory

thanks though gents

Collins2000 · Post by **Collins2000** » 22 Mar 2008, 15:44

I know next to nothing about that era. It's specialist territory and I usually just read rather than comment on those threads.

However, it is very unusual for a reigning heavyweight champion to engage in non-title bouts.

Have there been many other bouts that fall into that category?

HomicideHenry · Post by **HomicideHenry** » 22 Mar 2008, 16:56

The sailor did ko Joe Grim

Burke managed to kayo Grim when he was on the 'downside', but the ONLY man to knock out Grim in his prime was Sam McVey, who some critics swear up and down was a more lethal puncher than Earnie Shavers.

Ambling Alp · Post by **Ambling Alp** » 22 Mar 2008, 17:41

I have always thought McVey was a bit underrated. However, I must say, as far as being a more lethal puncher than Earnie Shavers, I have never heard anyone make anything like a claim like that.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 22 Mar 2008, 18:10

Well, again, if you look at boxrec a lot of Heavyweight champions prior to Willard had non-title bouts. Cyberboxingzone lists exhibitions along with actual pro fights and they list his fight with Burke as an actual pro fight rather than as an exhibition, it just wasn't for the title. Joe Louis had a non-title bout later on, also. There's no rule that says that Heavyweight champions can't engage in non-title bouts, its just not something that's typical in modern boxing. When Lewis was champion he had originally planned to fight Kirk Johnson in a non-title bout, but then Johnson got injured so Lewis fought Klitschko instead for the WBC belt.

As for it being a six rounder, hell, Jack Johnson had two title fights that were six rounders.

HomicideHenry · Post by **HomicideHenry** » 22 Mar 2008, 18:48

I have always thought McVey was a bit underrated. However, I must say, as far as being a more lethal puncher than Earnie Shavers, I have never heard anyone make anything like a claim like that.

It was once proposed that it was estimated that McVey hit somewhere around 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi). I think this same discussion was talked about in a thread [which I think I wrote] and was entitled somewhere along the lines of 'Does Strength Equal Punching Prowess?', and one of the posters brought up that McVey was arguably an even greater puncher than Foreman and Shavers.

Robinson · Post by **Robinson** » 22 Mar 2008, 20:48

Did they record that measurement ?

Seriously when people say such and such could do this or that without any actual fact or evidence, it often reminds me to people saying stuff like

Bruce Lee could beat Muhammad Ali because he hit so hard it was measured at (insert some claim here).

McVey seems like a great fighter and a man that possibly should-could have been champion. Shame we do not have any film on him....nor evidence to suggest that he was such a power puncher...aside from his record.

The joe Louis fight he had later in his career went down as an exhibition did it not ?

When did it become standardised and universal to have 'championship' rounds.

Why 6-10 round title defences in an era when you could have 45 rounders...after all I have heard that Willard could beat any modern great over this distance...yet..how many 45 rounders he complete ?

Thanks guys

granberry · Post by **granberry** » 22 Mar 2008, 21:05

Robinson wrote:
McVey seems like a great fighter and a man that possibly should-could have been champion. Shame we do not have any film on him...

I have film of McVey.

I Feel Fine · Post by **I Feel Fine** » 22 Mar 2008, 21:06

My guess would be some time after Dempsey, though I don't know how or when this was done. The Dempsey-Tunney fights were both 10 rounders, there were no more championship fights after that that were scheduled for less than 12-15.

I'm just going by boxrec, but they have it listed that Willard had one twenty round fight, that he lost, and the fight with Johnson where he won by knockout in the 26th round (doesn't it feel strange talking about a 26th round?)

Robinson · Post by **Robinson** » 22 Mar 2008, 21:13

Yes it does.

26 rounds is a long time in a Havana sun.

Granberry,

what fight you have ?

I have seen snippets of Mcvey...just no full fights.