Thread: Interesting Facts and Ironies

I love watching these ESPN classics, or reading about boxers and findig out interesting facts about how things came about. So i thought i would give this thread a shot where we could share any facts or ironies about boxing we have heard or read about...

The "neutral corner" rule
The first time this was in a contract in a boxing match was for the Tunney V Dempsey rematch in september 1927. Dempsey's camp had a concern about some eye damage jack had sustained in their first fight (th reason jack retired after this fight), and feard if dempsey went down tunney would stand over him and keep knocking him down (some dempsey had done through out his career) so it was in the contract that should a fighter go down in a fight the other must return to a nuetral corner untill the fighter is back up and ready to fight. The Irony? as many may know this fight will always be remembered as the famous 'long count'. Dempsey put tunney down in the 7th round and whilst the ref was trying to get dempsey to a neutral corner he wasn't counting, although the time keeper was keeping count and in sight of the ref the ref started the count from zero, it is estimated tunney was down from 14-18 seconds, althoguh tunney said he believed he could get up,he was however unsure as to how steady he would be and if it would of been able to stay away from dempsey for the rest of the round and be able to go on to win the fight.

Jack Johnson's death
I'm not sure how well known this is but, when Jess willard fought johnson in 1915 there was a small amount of contrevery. Johnson claimed he took a dive and let willard win as he was promised if he done so he would not have to serve the 1 years prison sentence he had been avoiding by staying out of the US (somethign to do with taking a women over the bordr to canida even tho it was his wife). Anyhow, johson claim was if you look at the 'knock out' he was on his back with his arm over his eyes, he claims he done this to shield out the sun in the 105'o heat, he said a knocked out man would of needed to do this - The Irony; Johnson was driving to NY on the 10/6/1946 to see the conn v louis rematch. He stopped ina dinner for food but was refused service because he was a black man, so irate he spun off in his car lossing controll crashing into a lightpost and dying 3 hours later, the irony was in that very fight he was going to see, when Louis knocked conn out conn was in an almost exact positon on the floor as johnson was in the willard fight, flat on his back with his right arm accorss his eyes.

Jack Johnson is one of my favourite fighters of all time but I feel he did get knocked out by Jess Willard.

I know people point to the fact that he waited until his wife had left the arena with the cash, and she did indeed leave I believe around round 15 or so.

But Johnson was old, it was a searing hot day in Cuba where the fight took place, he hadn't trained and he wilted.

But to his credit he lasted 24 or something rounds which I'm failry confident that there isn't a heayweight around that could last that long these days.

Just shows how much fitter guys were back then

I dont think they were fitter thats a joke . watch the fights its like they are underwater ? Jess Willard fitter than Lennox Lewis i very much doubt it .
Cant compare fighters of many years ago to modern just isnt fair to only be as good as the time in which u live .

you can read about fights lasting silly numbers like over a hundered do you really believe fighters trained then as they do now they used to drink through training they were not educated in how to take care of their bodies and what effect bad living would have.

an old rule in boxing is that a round would end once a fighter had been dropped so obviously a fighter would drop down to end the round if tired thats why fights lasted so long i think this came well before JJ time but still it shows how badly the sport was run

It also was not uncommon for a fighter to thrown just one punch a round.

I think it is kind of ironic that so many boxing fans (myself included) dont like MMA, but that MMA resembles the roots of boxing. Before the Marquis of Queensberry rules were used all types of tactics were used in the fight. Generally there was no "ring" set up and the only basic rules were no hair pulling and no shots to the groin. Outside of that wrestling and all other types of moves were used.

I am reading a book on Jack Johnson, and I find it funny that back in the day some fights took place on stages instead of rings.

Originally Posted by lance Uppercut

I am reading a book on Jack Johnson, and I find it funny that back in the day some fights took place on stages instead of rings.

I'm also in the middle of a Jack Johnson book! i'm reading the rise and fall of Jack Johnson is it the same one as you? they do mention the fighting on stages instead of in rings

excellent read so far but the footnotes kept knocking me out of my stride lol i'm going to have to leave them until i've finished the book and then go over them

Originally Posted by ashley1

Originally Posted by lance Uppercut

I am reading a book on Jack Johnson, and I find it funny that back in the day some fights took place on stages instead of rings.

I'm also in the middle of a Jack Johnson book! i'm reading the rise and fall of Jack Johnson is it the same one as you? they do mention the fighting on stages instead of in rings

excellent read so far but the footnotes kept knocking me out of my stride lol i'm going to have to leave them until i've finished the book and then go over them

Yeah, I am reading the same book. Its a great book, but your right, the footnote will take you to a completely different story off course from the story you are reading.