Azumah Nelson/Pat Cowdell

Just rewatched this fight and a lot of the Brits of my vintage may be familiar with it.

Nelson KO's the durable Cowdell (he lost a split decision over 15 to Salvador Sanchez) with one brutal left uppercut to the temple. Pat is on the canvas for a good few minutes and there is some concern for his welfare. I watched a replay of that fight as a seven year old on Grandstand on Saturday afternoon - the images of Cowdell on the canvas remained with me all these years and I finally managed to download a copy.

After the fight Nelson calls out Barry McGuigan (who was WBA featherweight champ at the time) in a big way. His entourage keep yelling "we want Danny Boy" which is pretty funny.

Anyway, I guess my point is that I think Barry did himself a favour by getting beat by Stevie Cruz - Nelson would have hurt him. The little Ghanaian was one HELLUVA boxer. Nelson destroyed Jeff Fenech in their second fight (he had malaria for the first) and gave Pernell Whitaker a far tougher fight than Chavez IMO, even though JCC got a gift draw and Nelson lost a close UD - even though Azumah was fighting 9 pounds above his preferred weight.

Azumah Nelson was a bad little man.

Yeah, Nelson was a great fighter (and I use the word 'great' quite sparingly).

I think McGuigan avoided him, and I don't blame him because I think that Neson would have beaten him badly every time they fought.

Azumah is a legend in the sport.

Absolutely Nelson would've hurt him. Great fighter indeed.

Argueably one of the best left hooks I've ever seen.
Just :camera: perfect.