What was your single most indelible boxing memory or moment?

His name was Javier Ayala


and he was from Los Angeles by way of Tijuana. He had once gone ten rounds with the great Roberto Duran in 1973 in Los Angeles and also went the distance with Leroy Haley. In fact, in 1975 he lost a decision in Buenos Aires to legendary Nicolino Locche. He was 17-13-1 at the time. Loche was 110-4-14. But on this night, at the Silver Slipper in Las Vegas, his main event opponent was Bruce Finch, whose claim to fame would be that after his third-round TKO loss to Sugar Ray Leonard in1982 in Reno, Leonard would have surgery to repair a detached retina.

Coming into the Finch fight, Ayala, 21-23-1, had lost six straight, including ones to the very capable Jerry "Schoolboy" Cheatham and Dujuan Johnson as well as to rugged Lou Bizzarro. Arguably, he had become a gate through which prospects must pass before going to the next level.

I was visiting my brother at the time (I had been on assignment in nearby Phoenix and flew in for some R & R), but on this particular July night in 1980 I was alone. After several hours of blackjack at Bally’s and dinner at an extortionate steak house, I pursued my real interest of the evening, which was to watch a young lightweight prospect out of Youngstown, Ohio, by the name of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini. He had won ten in a row and was on the undercard in a eight-rounder against one Leon Smith, whom he blew away in the first round with several unanswered body shots to Smith’s liver that you could hear throughout the hall. I was on the aisle near ringside, and they sounded like muffled bombs. I was most impressed and anything else on this particular boxing night promised to be icing on the cake.

In the next fight, Chris Schwenke fought his first pro fight and won a four-round UD over Bill Fallow. He would then go on a fourteen-fight win streak. There was an uneventful six-rounder before the Finch-Ayala bout between Danny Sanders and Irish Pat Coffey, which Sanders won by TKO in the last round.

At that point, there was a brief intermission, and I remember this young boy of about nine or ten years old who then appeared and was standing just to the rear of my seat. I asked him his name, and he said he was Javier Ayala’s son. He was very shy and humble. We had a nice exchange in Spanish, and I said I hoped his father would do well. As the fighters walked to the ring, I noticed Ayala reach over to pat his son on the shoulder and give him a smile and a wink. The fighters were then introduced amid the usual fanfare and the crowd readied for the main event.

Finch, from Milwaukee, had lost only three fights coming in, and these were to the very capable Tommy Hearns, Larry Bonds, and Pete Ranzany. He had won twenty-one and was touted as having lots of pop in his punches. The much younger Finch looked to be in excellent welterweight shape, while Ayala, at age thirty-seven, looked somewhat shopworn.

As I torched up my Cuesta Rey Corona—thankfully, there was no political correctness back in 1980, particularly in a gambling casino—the fighters received their instructions, touched gloves, the bell rang, and the fight began.

The first two rounds were mostly cat and mouse, with both fighters feeling each other out and getting in a few decent shots. Finch threw some neat combinations and seemed to have taken control by the end of round two.
In the third round, it happened. Both fighters were coming out of a clinch, and, as they set themselves, Ayala moved forward to throw a telegraphed looping right. Finch got there first, unleashing a short and vicious right uppercut that hit Ayala at the point of his chin. You could hear the blow back in the gambling area. Ayala hit the canvas as if he had been hit with a ten gauge shotgun—and that’s when what started out to be a pleasant evening of manly fun became something else. As he landed on his back, his body hit before his head, which then whipsawed onto the canvas. He stayed down as his only handler hovered over him and as ringside officials and the referee quickly went to revive him. He was unconscious and stayed that way between fifteen and twenty minutes, without so much as moving a limb. A stretcher was being readied, the crowd was hushed, and a genuine sense of concern permeated.

Everyone feared the worse. Finch, while elated with his one-punch victory, was visibly concerned. While this was all going on, I glanced over at his son, and I’ll never forget the look on his face or the tears in his eyes. I went over to him, put my arm around him, and said, "Don’t worry. Your father will be fine." He was shaking all over, and it was all I could do to keep myself composed.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Javier Ayala arose to scattered applause, but there was palpable relief as well. He left the ring under his own power, albeit unsteadily, and seemed okay. As he was heading for the dressing room, he stopped and took his son’s hand in his own and they both disappeared from sight as they went into the room. The word that best describes what I witnessed at that moment was pathos—my overwhelming emotion was one of sympathy and pity.

I never found out exactly what happened to Ayala, but I do know that was his last fight. He would finish with a record of twenty-one wins, twenty-four losses, and one draw. For reasons I try to keep immune from intropsective analysis, I just as soon not know where he is today or where his son might be.

As for Bruce Finch, he would go on to win eleven in a row before being stopped by Sugar Ray in 1982. He would then lose six of his next seven fights before retiring.

To this day, when I need a reality check about boxing, I think back to that bad night in Vegas, a night that would leave me with memories of harsh reality.

Diego Corrales vs Jose Luis Castillo (10th Round)

wow this is a hard one

holyfeild bowe rd 11
or lewis ruddock

depending on if you count personal experiences in that case it would be my first win! That was awesome never felt so good in my life....a part from that one time, but she was super hot! Erm fight wise Joe Calzaghe beating kessler that has to be my favorite boxing memory.

I think the build up to the Hatton - Tszyu fight was so good, and when he actually beat him I think thats the most happiest at a result ive ever had before. I was young and still fairly new to boxing and I remember nobody gave him a chance but he still did it, great momment for British boxing that night

MarkTko vs Fantana, a match o legend for the ages.

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Originally Posted by Tam Seddon

I think the build up to the Hatton - Tszyu fight was so good, and when he actually beat him I think thats the most happiest at a result ive ever had before. I was young and still fairly new to boxing and I remember nobody gave him a chance but he still did it, great momment for British boxing that night

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I gotta side with you on that one, amazing night.

jones vs tarver 2.......still cant belive it

Ali V Foreman, they showed at the cinema here in OZ!

Ray Mancini-KimDuk Khoo.

This.

'Get in there Frank!' RIP Harry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phfw2B08F7c

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

This.

'Get in there Frank!' RIP Harry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phfw2B08F7c

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Epic music for the fight :)

But yeah that was an awesome presentation. I remember their rematch I saw it on PPV. When Bruno said there was no way Tyson could beat him, it was hilarious because they replayed it 3 times. "And there is no way, there's no way, there's no way, there's no way.. he can beat me"

Personal experience?

Barrera - Naz, win. All the UK fans couldn't understand why I was there supporting Barrera.
Training in the closed gym, Barrera in one ring, me in the other, and me getting a hug.

Tyson KO Berbick and we have a new era in boxing!

Lennox Lewis fighting Razor Ruddock. Big step up and Lennox smashed him.

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Originally Posted by WelshDevilRob

Lennox Lewis fighting Razor Ruddock. Big step up and Lennox smashed him.

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hatton-tszyu takes some beating. Nobody really gave the unbeaten hatton much of a chance as he was stepping in with someone 5times better than he`d been in with before. Head and heart both suggested ricky was perhaps gonna get stopped around 7-8 but he just took the fight to tszyu and that iconic moment at the end of the 11th will always be with me as i remember having goosebumps all over.

Also the night hopkins beat pavlik when again nobody gave him a chance. That moment at the end of the fight where hopkins just stood infront press row and gave that emotional look is something i will take to my grave with me!!

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Originally Posted by HattonTheHammer

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Originally Posted by WelshDevilRob

Lennox Lewis fighting Razor Ruddock. Big step up and Lennox smashed him.

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hatton-tszyu takes some beating. Nobody really gave the unbeaten hatton much of a chance as he was stepping in with someone 5times better than he`d been in with before. Head and heart both suggested ricky was perhaps gonna get stopped around 7-8 but he just took the fight to tszyu and that iconic moment at the end of the 11th will always be with me as i remember having goosebumps all over.

Also the night hopkins beat pavlik when again nobody gave him a chance. That moment at the end of the fight where hopkins just stood infront press row and gave that emotional look is something i will take to my grave with me!!

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I remember reading Boxing Monthly before the Hatton - Tszyu fight and all 25 supposed experts had Tszyu, most by KO. So i suppose it was quite a big upset at the time.

Personally it has to be Haye v Maccarinelli. 50/50 fight at the time, one of the biggest British domestic fights in the past few years.

Fight that really got me into boxing was Calzaghe v Lacy, nobody gave Calzaghe a chance and he kicked ten shades of shiit out of Lacy.

3 weird ones with a link

The "Fan Man," James Miller, landed during the 1993 heavyweight fight
between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield. When the lines of his paraglide
tangled, he hit the canvas, and one of his legs got caught in the top rope of the
ring. Fans dragged him down and gave him a beating. After his release from the
hospital, he was charged with dangerous flying and released on bail. As it turned
out, he was the only one who got knocked out, as Holyfield beat Bowe by a
majority descision.

In 1997, Oliver McCall suffered an emotional breakdown in his heavyweight
title fight with Lennox Lewis. This was altogether a chilling memory, but not
altogether unexpected.

Also in 1997, Mike Tyson was disqualified for twice biting Holyfield’s ears,
claiming he was retaliating because of head butting by Holyfield.
Now each of these incidents is a notable entry in my memory bank, but what
truly makes them memorable is that each was held in Las Vegas, each was for a
heavyweight title, and each was refereed by Mills Lane. :o

I would have to say Buster Douglas upsetting Tyson. Everyone basically wrote this fight off, I didnt remember it even being shown on HBO or PPV.(was it?) Then next day everyone is talking about it and your like yeah right, quit bullshitting. I didnt believe it until I finally saw it on the news.

My best moment is a toss up between hattons win over tszyu or winning my first amateur bout. I've got loads of great memories but these 2 stand out

I think one of the most satisfying boxing moments for me was when Johhny Tapia boxed circles around Danny Romero. I was such a big fan of Tapia's and it always drove me nuts that he had to play 2nd fiddle to Danny. The Romero family so badly disrespected Tapia and made him wait to get that fight. They had to move the fight out of Albuqerque to Vegas becasue they thought they might need the Nation Guard to do security LOL. Johnny fought so beautiful and just dominated Danny. It was great.

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Originally Posted by jdonaher1

I think one of the most satisfying boxing moments for me was when Johhny Tapia boxed circles around Danny Romero. I was such a big fan of Tapia's and it always drove me nuts that he had to play 2nd fiddle to Danny. The Romero family so badly disrespected Tapia and made him wait to get that fight. They had to move the fight out of Albuqerque to Vegas becasue they thought they might need the Nation Guard to do security LOL. Johnny fought so beautiful and just dominated Danny. It was great.

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good call

Bobby and Valorie

This wasn’t “Stoker” (Robert Ryan) and Julie (Audrey Totter) in the movie The Set-Up; this was the real thing.

In 1982 after losing to Cornelius Boza Edwards in the 14th round, Bobby Chacon regrouped and beat Augustin Rivera and Renan Marota in succession. On March 16, he was scheduled to fight Salvador Ugalde.

Meanwhile, after the Boza Edawards fight, his wife, Valorie, begged him to quit boxing and move to Hawaii to settle down. Somehow, some way, perhaps the warning signs were not understood. Of coures, hindsight is 20-20 and it’s easy to second guess. Maybe Bobby thought it was just something that would pass. At any rate, he didn’t see what was coming. Valorie flew back to Sacramento from Hawaii and reportedly pleaded with Bobby to quit. But Bobby felt he had more to give. Tragically, on March 14, 1982, shortly before he was to square off against Ugalde, Valorie committed suicide.

Incredibly, Bobby decided to go through with the bout and knocked out Ugalde. As the ring announcer was about to speak, the guilt-rdden Bobby grabbed the microphone and tearfully dedicated his win to his fallen wife.

He then won two more fights in the next three months before beating Bazooka Limon in an epic battle for the WBC junior lightweight title. It was voted Fight of the Year as The Schoolboy won a remarkable fifteen round decision.

In 1983, he would go on to defend against Boza Edwards and retain his crown in still another Fight of the Year avenging his early loss to the tough Boza Edwards. These two fights were also indelible memories for me, particularly the Limon bout which may well have been the most exciting one I have ever witnessed.


It was just a little piece of time in history, but it contained enough drama for a lifetime.

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Originally Posted by ono

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Originally Posted by HattonTheHammer

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Originally Posted by WelshDevilRob

Lennox Lewis fighting Razor Ruddock. Big step up and Lennox smashed him.

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hatton-tszyu takes some beating. Nobody really gave the unbeaten hatton much of a chance as he was stepping in with someone 5times better than he`d been in with before. Head and heart both suggested ricky was perhaps gonna get stopped around 7-8 but he just took the fight to tszyu and that iconic moment at the end of the 11th will always be with me as i remember having goosebumps all over.

Also the night hopkins beat pavlik when again nobody gave him a chance. That moment at the end of the fight where hopkins just stood infront press row and gave that emotional look is something i will take to my grave with me!!

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I remember reading Boxing Monthly before the Hatton - Tszyu fight and all 25 supposed experts had Tszyu, most by KO. So i suppose it was quite a big upset at the time.

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Everybody expected a one on one fight. Which is why everybody picked Tszyu. He was past his prime. Coming off multiple surgery. And had been pretty inactive. But he was still clearly the better fighter. What nobody expected was the fight would be a handicap fight. Tszyu vs Ricky Hatton & Dave Paris. It was a shameful charade.

There are a few that really stick out for me.

One of the first was watching TV in the middle of the night on my summer holidays when I was 10 years old and seeing an excellent American boxer fighting during the 96 Olympics. I'd been waiting for the football, but instead got caught up in this. The American appeared to win to the fans & commentators, only for the victory to be given to his Bulgarian opponent. I was annoyed and became a fan of the American, both because I thought he should have won & I thought he had a name like a cowboy, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

There was the Naz/Kevin Kelley fight and Naz dancing to Men In Black (my favourite song at 11), which always sticks with me. The images of the fight that I have come from having re-watched it later, but that one mental image of him dancing I stilll have from when I was 11.

Shane Mosley being announced the winner over Oscar in their first fight remains a favourite, as it marked out Shane as my favourite fighter until the PED use came out. I was watching a replay like a week later, but we didn't have internet then so I didn't have a clue what the result was.

The Mayweather/Hatton fight also has what is probably the most indelible moment to me, and that is the moment Hatton falls away from the punches and Mayweather turns to run up to the ringpost. This one moment probably sticks with me more than anything, and I'm not sure why. It's always my first thought when I think of KO's, boxing etc

Lastly, I've gotta agree with Hammer, the moment where Hopkins stood staring out into the crowd was one of my favourite sporting images of all time, it was spine-chlling & really sticks with me. There was another moment from that fight that did, and it was a point where Hopkins threw a bolo punch into Pavlik, who just stayed covered up & B-Hop made a face at him as if to say 'c'mon kid you've got to have SOMETHING'

I found Lewis v rahman to be very memorable...... It was on bbc(there wasnt much on the bbc then and even now i think :S) and it as early in the morning wasnt it??? even though it was south africa and Rahman takes a bit of a beating and looked to be on the way out then he gets lewis with a few jabs and one big punch....... The bbc guy doing the interviews backstage looked like he might start crying :S..... It was quite a shock lewis was a great heavyweight on good form and gets knocked out with one punch..

Also i find the way hatton gets knocked out to be very memorable too.... he just falls in a great way...

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Originally Posted by Bilbo

This.

'Get in there Frank!' RIP Harry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phfw2B08F7c

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You can clearly see Fenster from the 3:20 mark all the way to the 3:30 mark way in the back with the sunglasses and the mustache... :)

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Originally Posted by THE THIRD MAN

Ali V Foreman, they showed at the cinema here in OZ!

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You old b@stard, me too.

test

When Manny became a 7 division world champion. Remembering those times when most people here said that Manny would just become a gatekeeper in the featherweights and his only single big win was against a "shot" Barrera. It's been 7 years since he stopped Barrera........................... and yet most still discredit his accomplishments or at least find a way to discredit him.

Hawk Time

Many years ago my wife and I were on plane leaving Cincinnati and I noticed these kids with Golden Gloves Boxing Jackets as they got aboard with their coach who was kind of a paunchy and short guy. As he walked by me, I said, "What time is it?" He quickly looked at me and said "Hawk Time." He smiled broadly and his eyes kind of watered up and so did mine.

I’ll never forget that little moment in time.

Well, I sure as hell remember where I was when I heard that Buster had won.

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Originally Posted by Pavlik

When Manny became a 7 division world champion. Remembering those times when most people here said that Manny would just become a gatekeeper in the featherweights and his only single big win was against a "shot" Barrera. It's been 7 years since he stopped Barrera........................... and yet most still discredit his accomplishments or at least find a way to discredit him.

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Barrera wasn't shot...majorly interrupted during training...the only other time Barrera got stopped was the 1st fight with junior Jones...again majorly interrupted during training. But you keep looking on the bright side :) junkie-lover ;)

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

There are a few that really stick out for me.

One of the first was watching TV in the middle of the night on my summer holidays when I was 10 years old and seeing an excellent American boxer fighting during the 96 Olympics. I'd been waiting for the football, but instead got caught up in this. The American appeared to win to the fans & commentators, only for the victory to be given to his Bulgarian opponent. I was annoyed and became a fan of the American, both because I thought he should have won & I thought he had a name like a cowboy, Floyd Mayweather Jr.

There was the Naz/Kevin Kelley fight and Naz dancing to Men In Black (my favourite song at 11), which always sticks with me. The images of the fight that I have come from having re-watched it later, but that one mental image of him dancing I stilll have from when I was 11.

Shane Mosley being announced the winner over Oscar in their first fight remains a favourite, as it marked out Shane as my favourite fighter until the PED use came out. I was watching a replay like a week later, but we didn't have internet then so I didn't have a clue what the result was.

The Mayweather/Hatton fight also has what is probably the most indelible moment to me, and that is the moment Hatton falls away from the punches and Mayweather turns to run up to the ringpost. This one moment probably sticks with me more than anything, and I'm not sure why. It's always my first thought when I think of KO's, boxing etc

Lastly, I've gotta agree with Hammer, the moment where Hopkins stood staring out into the crowd was one of my favourite sporting images of all time, it was spine-chlling & really sticks with me. There was another moment from that fight that did, and it was a point where Hopkins threw a bolo punch into Pavlik, who just stayed covered up & B-Hop made a face at him as if to say 'c'mon kid you've got to have SOMETHING'

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Potshotting from around 3 onwards and hopkins simply waiting for this new found star to actually show something that would worry him

Hop could of dropped him at any given time from 8onwards but simply chose to put on a 12round masterclass and i think a lot of that was due to the whole 10round thing that was being mentioned at the time and how a 10round fight would be better suited to hopkins!!

Dave Tiberi

I will never, ever forget the look on Dave Tiberi’s face when the decision was announced that he had lost to James Toney in their fight for the IBF Middleweight Title in Atlantic City on February 8, 1992. The scoring went like this: Judge Frank Brunette, 117-111; Judge William Lerch, 112-115; Judge Frank Garza, 112-115. A point was deducted from Tiberi for a low blow in round six. Judge Brunette was the only one in the house not asleep that night. Tiberi smothered Toney against the ropes and kicked his butt throughout most of the fight.

The utter disbelief that swept through the Taj Mahal that evening reverberated throughout the boxing world. The decision triggered an investigation into unjust decisions in boxing. This investigation, aided by Tiberi, led to the Boxing Safety Act in 1997. Tiberi retired after that fight in total disgust.

There is far more to this story, and it warrants separate and in-depth treatment to give it its due. Suffice it to say the look of disgust and the look of astonishment on Tiberi’s and Toney’s faces, respectively, said it all. Plain and simple, it was an atrocious decision and temporarily broke the spirit of a decent man of faith who had worked hard his entire adult life to achieve the pinnacle of his profession. I’ll never forget one of the most shameful moments in boxing history, and it almost sent me away from the sport.

:rolleyes::mad:

Thomas Hearns icing Roberto Duran .
Also Peter Manfredo's do or die effort against Calzaghe ;D

Barrera Morales One probably just shades it.