BoxRec - User contributions [en]

Joe Frazier vs. Buster Mathis

2016-09-25T04:23:04Z

Waistcmyself2332ʔ: /* Notes */

[[File:FrazierMathis.jpg|450px|right|thumb|Referee Arthur Mercante stops the fight in round 11]]
<fight>17951</fight>
*'''[[NYSAC]] World Heavyweight Title''' (Vacant)
*[[:File:Frazier-Mathis 1371556618 n.jpg|Fight Photo 2]]

Joe Frazier connected with a short, thunderous left hook in the closing minute of the 11th round to stop king-sized Buster Mathis and win a four-state piece of the world heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden. The punch sent the bloodied giant on his back over the bottom strand of the ropes. Mathis barely staggered to his feet at nine but referee Arthur Mercante immediately halted the fight. Frazier's mighty blow brought a huge roar from the near-capacity crowd in the 20,000-seat arena.

Mathis gave his smaller rival a stiff battle for the first six rounds, but Frazier, putting on the pressure with thudding body punches that seemed to dig deep into Buster's body, wore the mammoth fighter down and then set him up for the staggering blow that ended the fight. It was the only knockdown of the fight and the first time Mathis was put down as a professional.

== Notes ==
*Joe Frazier 19-0 (17 KOs) vs. Buster Mathis 23-0 (17 KOs)
*The bout was the main event on a card that also included [[Emile Griffith vs. Nino Benvenuti (3rd meeting)|Emile Griffith vs. Nino Benvenuti III]].
*This was the first boxing card to be held at the third incarnation of [[Madison Square Garden]].
*A crowd of 18,096 produced a gate of $658,503, which was an indoor record at the time.
*Several hundred picketers organized by black power groups protested outside the venue for the recently deposed [[Muhammad Ali]]. After Ali was arrested for refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1967, he was stripped of the World Heavyweight Title and had his boxing license suspended.
*Frazier's management declined an invitation to take part in the [[WBA]]'s eight-man elimination tournament.
*Frazier entered as a 2-1 betting favorite.
*At 243½ pounds, Mathis was the heaviest opponent of Frazier's professional career.
*Mathis, who weighed almost 300 pounds as an amateur, outpointed Frazier in the heavyweight final of the 1964 U.S. [[Olympics|Olympic]] Trials. However, Mathis broke his right middle finger and had to withdraw from the Olympics. Frazier took his place and won the gold medal.
*The bout was broadcast on closed circuit television in 70 cities.
*Frazier earned $175,000, while Mathis made $75,000.
*Frazier won recognition as World Heavyweight Champion by New York, Illinois, Maine, and Massachusetts.
*Frazier flooring Mathis in the eleventh round was the only knockdown of the fight, but Frazier was down in the seventh round from a slip.

== Sources ==
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WNgzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LTIHAAAAIBAJ&dq=joe%20frazier%20buster%20mathis&pg=6737%2C4931289| "Joe Frazier, Buster Mathis Clash Tonight" ''Lodi News-Sentinel'', March 4, 1968]
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kTBgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pW8NAAAAIBAJ&dq=joe%20frazier%20buster%20mathis&pg=4082%2C596713| "Frazier floors Mathis in 11th round; Benvenuti captures middleweight title" The ''Star-Phoenix'', March 5, 1968]
*[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19680305&id=gHUbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IVEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7132,1783941 "Frazier Plants Mathis In Garden" By Roy McHugh, The ''Pittsburgh Press'', March 5, 1968]

Floyd Patterson vs. Tom McNeeley

2016-09-24T17:18:16Z

Waistcmyself2332ʔ: /* Notes */

[[File:Patterson mcneeley 2-530x317.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Patterson lands a left hook against McNeeley.]]
<fight>20860</fight>
*'''World Heavyweight Title''' (2nd defense of 2nd reign by Patterson)
*[[:Image:Fight20860.jpg|Photo 2]], [[:File:Patterson-McNeely.jpg|Photo 3]]

==Notes==
*McNeeley was a 10 to 1 underdog.
*The fight was shown on closed circuit TV at 150 locations in the United States and Canada. The closed circuit show included [[Sonny Liston vs. Albert Westphal]] from Philadelphia.
*A crowd of 7,814 at Maple Leaf Gardens paid $100,740.
*Patterson earned about $300,000 and McNeeley $125,000.
*It is deabted how many times exactly McNeeley was down. Some people say as few as eight, while others say he was down thirteen times. McNeeley went down twice in the first round (the second time was ruled a slip), six times in the third (the third fall was called a slip) and three times in the fourth, 11 times in total.

Eddie Machen vs. Ernie Terrell

2016-09-24T17:14:57Z

Waistcmyself2332ʔ:

<fight>63064</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Association]] Heavyweight Title''' (Vacant title) 

'''Ernie In Decision Over Eddie Machen''' 
Associated Press, March 7, 1965

Ernie Terrell is the World Boxing Association’s heavyweight champion today but whether the title means anything after his lustily booed tug-of-war with Eddie Machen Friday night remains a big question mark.

Terrell wants to fight the winner of the Cassius Clay-Sonny Liston title fight, set for Boston May 25. The WBA, which dethroned Clay for signing for the return with Liston, wants him to fight Floyd Patterson, the ex-champion, next.

But the towering Terrell, prompted by Manager Julie Isaacson, said he won’t fight Patterson because "he never gave anyone a chance."

And sources close to Patterson said he’s just going to wait on the Clay-Liston outcome hoping that Clay will win again.

Terrell and Isaacson were scheduled to meet with the WBA’s executive committee today to discuss the next step.

"We hope to straighten out the mess," said Merv McKenzie of Toronto, the WBA president. Pitching for the home town, he suggested a Terrell scrap with Canadian champion George Chuvalo in Toronto might be the answer. Chuvalo was beaten by Patterson in a thriller in New York, Feb. 1.

As for the fight, Joe Louis, the old champion who was brought to help the 6-foot-6, guitar-strumming Terrell polish up his skills, summed it up in his usual terse and honest manner:

"It wasn’t a good fight. Terrell looked like an amateur and Machen didn’t help any."

Terrell’s snapping left jabs piled up enough points to earn him the unanimous, if unpopular, decision in the 15-rounder at the International Amphitheatre. Ringside writers voted 112-3 for the towering, 25-year-old Chicagoan over the 6-foot, 32-year-old veteran from Redding. Calif.

The boos rolled out long and loudly after the verdict was announced. Referee Sonny Weisman had it 72-67 on the five-point a round must system. Judge William Doty had it 70-67 and Judge Dr. A. Duxler had it 72-66. The Associated Press had Terrell in front 71-67 on points and 8-4 with three even in rounds. On rounds Weisman had it 8-3-4, Doty, 8-5-2, and Duxler 9-3-3.

Their styles, the six-inch difference in height and the seven-inch spread in reach, helped make it a miserable show, constantly marred by holding and spinning. Both were on the deck from shoves, pushes and slips but there were no knockdowns and nothing close to one.

Machen, on the verge of being stabbed blind by Terrell’s stinging, fast-firing left jabs to the face in the early rounds, kept bending low to avoid the punches and tried to get inside.

Terrell simply smothered Machen with his long arms and then popped him on the side of his body. This was perfectly legal, said referee Weisman, but the fans booed the big man and cheered the 9-5 underdog constantly. When Terrell hit the spinning Machen on the back, the fans jeered and the referee warned Terrell.

It was the 13th straight victory for Terrell whose record is 37-4. Machen, blowing a big chance for at least the third time, now has a 47-6-2 record.

Terrell weighed 199 pounds to Machen’s 192. Machen, who said he thought he won, mentioned the possibility of a return bout. Most everyone shuddered.
==Notes==
*Eddie Machen was apparently floored by Terrell with a right early in the tenth round, but the referee ruled it a slip.

Eddie Machen vs. Ernie Terrell

2016-09-24T03:24:38Z

Waistcmyself2332ʔ:

<fight>63064</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Association]] Heavyweight Title''' (Vacant title) 

'''Ernie In Decision Over Eddie Machen''' 
Associated Press, March 7, 1965

Ernie Terrell is the World Boxing Association’s heavyweight champion today but whether the title means anything after his lustily booed tug-of-war with Eddie Machen Friday night remains a big question mark.

Terrell wants to fight the winner of the Cassius Clay-Sonny Liston title fight, set for Boston May 25. The WBA, which dethroned Clay for signing for the return with Liston, wants him to fight Floyd Patterson, the ex-champion, next.

But the towering Terrell, prompted by Manager Julie Isaacson, said he won’t fight Patterson because "he never gave anyone a chance."

And sources close to Patterson said he’s just going to wait on the Clay-Liston outcome hoping that Clay will win again.

Terrell and Isaacson were scheduled to meet with the WBA’s executive committee today to discuss the next step.

"We hope to straighten out the mess," said Merv McKenzie of Toronto, the WBA president. Pitching for the home town, he suggested a Terrell scrap with Canadian champion George Chuvalo in Toronto might be the answer. Chuvalo was beaten by Patterson in a thriller in New York, Feb. 1.

As for the fight, Joe Louis, the old champion who was brought to help the 6-foot-6, guitar-strumming Terrell polish up his skills, summed it up in his usual terse and honest manner:

"It wasn’t a good fight. Terrell looked like an amateur and Machen didn’t help any."

Terrell’s snapping left jabs piled up enough points to earn him the unanimous, if unpopular, decision in the 15-rounder at the International Amphitheatre. Ringside writers voted 112-3 for the towering, 25-year-old Chicagoan over the 6-foot, 32-year-old veteran from Redding. Calif.

The boos rolled out long and loudly after the verdict was announced. Referee Sonny Weisman had it 72-67 on the five-point a round must system. Judge William Doty had it 70-67 and Judge Dr. A. Duxler had it 72-66. The Associated Press had Terrell in front 71-67 on points and 8-4 with three even in rounds. On rounds Weisman had it 8-3-4, Doty, 8-5-2, and Duxler 9-3-3.

Their styles, the six-inch difference in height and the seven-inch spread in reach, helped make it a miserable show, constantly marred by holding and spinning. Both were on the deck from shoves, pushes and slips but there were no knockdowns and nothing close to one.

Machen, on the verge of being stabbed blind by Terrell’s stinging, fast-firing left jabs to the face in the early rounds, kept bending low to avoid the punches and tried to get inside.

Terrell simply smothered Machen with his long arms and then popped him on the side of his body. This was perfectly legal, said referee Weisman, but the fans booed the big man and cheered the 9-5 underdog constantly. When Terrell hit the spinning Machen on the back, the fans jeered and the referee warned Terrell.

It was the 13th straight victory for Terrell whose record is 37-4. Machen, blowing a big chance for at least the third time, now has a 47-6-2 record.

Terrell weighed 199 pounds to Machen’s 192. Machen, who said he thought he won, mentioned the possibility of a return bout. Most everyone shuddered.
==Notes==
*Eddie Machen was apparently floored by Terrell early in the tenth round, but the referee ruled it a slip.