The Boxing Thread

The Phantom Punch -
May 25 1965 Lewiston Main. Muhammid Ali vs Sonny Liston rematch. Both fighters feared they might be killed.
Why did Liston take such an obvious dive ?
Joe Louis said the punch was like "throwing cornflakes at a battle ship".
What was Ali shouting at Liston (when he was on the canvas) when the iconic picture was taken ?

Deontay Wilder fought unknown but very real fighter Johann Duhaupas this past Saturday night in Birmingham Ala.
Duhaupas was no joke as he quickly raised a mouse over Wilders right eye and tested Wilder mentaly and physicaly throughout the fight until being stopped in the 11th. I am sure Duhaupas' toughness , tenacity and iron chin was a surprise to all in the audience . It certaily was to me.
Both of these fighters did an excellent job and put on a great fight for the fans.
Wilder may be now ready to begin the climb to challenge Klitchko for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship of the World.

I'd like to see wilder take on fury and shut his big mouth.

Jack Dempsey. One of the most fearsome heavyweights to ever step into the ring.

GGG is a beast and my favorite fighter right now, but I feel like he's been getting a little lazy with his defense the last couple of fights. I'd like to see him work more on being a complete fighter instead of just being offensively focused, especially for when he eventually gets into the ring with more talented boxers like Quillen or Ward.

What GGG needs is for someone to do what it takes to cut through the contract nonsense and do what it takes to make the fight . GGG has to be fair in his demands and the other fighter does too. Right now I don't think many fghters want any part of Golovkin. Money (I have always been a proponent of a 45/45/10 split with the 10 going to the winner), location, ringsize and gloves can all be worked out if there is a fighter out there that really wants this fight.

Nick Styptic said:

What GGG needs is for someone to do what it takes to cut through the contract nonsense and do what it takes to make the fight . GGG has to be fair in his demands and the other fighter does too. Right now I don't think many fghters want any part of Golovkin. Money (I have always been a proponent of a 45/45/10 split with the 10 going to the winner), location, ringsize and gloves can all be worked out if there is a fighter out there that really wants this fight.

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I agree he needs to get someone in there who can work out the contracts, because it's obvious guys like Cotto don't really want to get in the ring with GGG. I just don't want to see him get sloppy like he did in his last fight where he took way to many shots. If he does that against guys like Lemieux in this upcoming fight, he could be put on the ground. I can say the same thing for Deontay Wilder. In his fight this weekend, he was getting too sloppy, letting his hands drop and throwing looping hooks. If he does that against Vlad, he'll be taking a nap.

MicBaldy said:

I agree he needs to get someone in there who can work out the contracts, because it's obvious guys like Cotto don't really want to get in the ring with GGG. I just don't want to see him get sloppy like he did in his last fight where he took way to many shots. If he does that against guys like Lemieux in this upcoming fight, he could be put on the ground. I can say the same thing for Deontay Wilder. In his fight this weekend, he was getting too sloppy, letting his hands drop and throwing looping hooks. If he does that against Vlad, he'll be taking a nap.

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I don't blame blame Cotto for not wanting to get in the ring with GGG.As a matter of fact,I hope he doesn't. Considering the fact that he is really a 154# fighter, his age,the years he has been active and the wars he has been in over those years, I really don't think Cotto has anything to prove after his fight with Canelo win or loose. I hope he retires and enjoys the rest of his life because he's earned it. If Canelo wins , a fight with GGG will be on everyones must see list.
I think GGG will be tested by Lemieux based on the last time I saw him. I don' think Lemieux is intimidated by GGG . Lemieux looked very sharp.
I think Wilder needs one more fight prior to Golovkin. Maby Bryant Jennings, Steve Cunningham, or Artur Szplika. These guys are all top 10 fighters that will show us if Wilder has the skills needed to get to the top. I agree that if Wilder doesn' get that right hand up and keep it there,he is definitely going down.
GGG does definitely needs some stiffer competition or he will continue with the lax defense we both noticed in his last fight.

Carl Froch says he would not put GGG in his top 10 P4P ? ?

Nick Styptic said:

I don't blame blame Cotto for not wanting to get in the ring with GGG.As a matter of fact,I hope he doesn't. Considering the fact that he is really a 154# fighter, his age,the years he has been active and the wars he has been in over those years, I really don't think Cotto has anything to prove after his fight with Canelo win or loose. I hope he retires and enjoys the rest of his life because he's earned it. If Canelo wins , a fight with GGG will be on everyones must see list.
I think GGG will be tested by Lemieux based on the last time I saw him. I don' think Lemieux is intimidated by GGG . Lemieux looked very sharp.
I think Wilder needs one more fight prior to Golovkin. Maby Bryant Jennings, Steve Cunningham, or Artur Szplika. These guys are all top 10 fighters that will show us if Wilder has the skills needed to get to the top. I agree that if Wilder doesn' get that right hand up and keep it there,he is definitely going down.
GGG does definitely needs some stiffer competition or he will continue with the lax defense we both noticed in his last fight.

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The problem is Cotto has the WBC middleweight belt. He either needs to fight or vacate the title, because there's no sense in him having the belt if he's only going to fight junior-middleweights.

I have doubts that he will get by Alvarez. If he does I would like to see him retire on his own terms and vacate the title.
I think will have done enough at that point. I don't want to see him wind up like Wilfredo Benitez, Meldirck Taylor or Ali.

40 years ago yesterday the round 1 bell rang for "The Thrilla in Manilla" . I scrounged up th $20 it took to watch it closed circuit.
Larry Holmes was on the undercard and I can rember thinking "Who was that ?" . I cannot remember who he fought that day.
Needless to say he did a great job.
After the main event I remember walking out of the theater absolutely tired just from watching it. Ali said that it was the closest thing to death. He collapsed in the ring after the fight was over.

IIRC, Frazier's cornerman threw in the towel prior to the start of the last round, on behalf of his fighter. He thought Joe was ahead, but didn't want to see him take further punishment. Ali wanted to quit (legend has it) when Frazier's trainer beat him to it. Frazier never spoke to said trainer again-for the rest of either of their lives.

Always thought Frazier got a raw deal-from the public, from Ali, from other members of his own race. Never got the credit he deserved and Ali very skillfully positioned Frazier as an Uncle Tom-type-to Ali's own benefit. Even though that was far from reality.



Beerman

Not to mention that Frazier helped Ali out financially, when Ali was broke or near it, during his ban from boxing .
It was Frazier that gave Ali the shot during his comeback , not Ali giving Frazier the shot. I watched the fight live on closed circuit and thought Frazier was going to win. I must say that I was concerned that one of them was going to be carried out of the ring on a stretcher. It was brutal. When Futch stopped the fight there was mass confusion in the audience I was in as to why.
I always thought Ali was WAY out of line with the Uncle Tom accusations. Many of Ali's camp agreed and said so later.
Joe Frazier was an upstanding respectable citizen reminding me of Joe Louis. I went into the fight hoping he was going to kick Ali's tail in Manilla.

Really surprised by the Postol victory. I never thought he would win by a KO.

Did anyone catch GGG in that Apple watch commercial that aired during Monday Night Football? I wonder if he's now crossing into mainstream recognition because of his exciting fights.

I did not see the game last night. GGG is crossing over to mainstream if he is advertizing for Apple. He is already one of the most popular boxers in L A. He can't help make some friends in high places there. This is good news.

Nino Benvenuti the glamor middle weight champion of the 1960s. Fought Emil Griffith and Carlos Monzon .Won his first 65 fights. Still going strong in Treist Italy :
Then

More recent with Emil Griffith

What did Joe Louis think his odds were of defeating Rocky Marciano if both were in their primes ? His answer might surprise you.
What was Jersey Joe Walcot's fatal flaw that kept him from the title for so long ? How did Ezzard Charles figure into this mix ?

Nick Styptic said:

What did Joe Louis think his odds were of defeating Rocky Marciano if both were in their primes ? His answer might surprise you.
What was Jersey Joe Walcot's fatal flaw that kept him from the title for so long ? How did Ezzard Charles figure into this mix ?

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Interesting read Nick. Loved the clips of the fights at the end.

I recall the Marciano v. Walcott II fight. I had pleaded with my mother to allow me to see this fight and she agreed. I grabbed a bag of chips and some soda and settled in to see what I thought would be a long fight. It was over before I could open the bag of chips!