A few gems of knowledge from my weekend...

[El Kabong]

Well over the holiday weekend I took the time to watch a number of videos on YouTube. I watched entire fights, highlight videos, interviews etc and I came away from that experience with some knowledge...

#1 Rocky Marciano & Jack Dempsey were interviewed by Howard Cosell about "The Phantom Punch"


#2 Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield I was one boring foulfest of a fight...and you guys bitch about how Wladimir clinches . Also Holyfield went from HUGE underdog to a more competitive fighter in terms of the betting taking place. He went from 20-1 to 6-1 in the week before the fight. The fans were scoring the fight online (probably some of you assholes) and gave Tyson 1 round, the first which was the only time he EVER shook Evander.

#3 Riddick Bowe was technically poor at throwing punches, they were very rarely quick and snapping they were often lazy and slow. Bowe's right cross was more of an overhand right that took it's sweet time getting to the target. Bowe's jab was on occasion very good, but also on occasion was pushed out and dropped instead of snapped out and snapped back. Given Bowe's troubles with Tyrell Biggs I don't think he would have done all that well vs Lennox pre or post Manny Steward much less at the height of Lennox's career and there's no way he'd beat Wlad or Vitali no way.

#4 I have never seen a fighter as uppercut happy as Razor Ruddock. Watching Ruddock is like watching a character off of Mike Tyson's Punch Out come to life all you're missing are the computer noises when he throws his punches.

#5 Riddick Bowe thinks he would have beaten Tyson AND Lewis. Now I suppose it's fine for a champion to feel that way, but after seeing some of his fights I just can't see it at all. Plus he sounds HORRIBLE in this interview but, I'll be damned if he wasn't an exciting fighter to watch.


#6 Smaller more defense oriented fighters need to stop trying to bully Wladimir Klitschko...it's, not going to work.....not now, not ever. Mormeck & Chris Byrd 2 both tried that and just got massacred in the ring.

#7 Alexander Povetkin stands next to no chance vs Wladimir based on general knowledge and how Povetkin hasn't fought anyone serious for a while, but also based on how he fought vs Huck.

I'm sure more will follow from this when I get more of a chance to catch up on some more videos an old memories. I encourage you all to post some interesting boxing video finds from YouTube and what you have learned from watching those videos.

[DavilaJones]

God i miss Archie, one classy dude.

[beenKOed]

God i miss Archie, one classy dude.

Me too, a classy guy in and out of the ring, a fighter who used boxing as means to an end with dignity, honor and courtesy.

[El Kabong]

I just fooled around all Monday on YouTube watching full fights, interviews, highlight clips, etc....there's just a treasure trove of information and interesting stuff there. Never would I have ever thought that Jack Dempsey and Rocky Marciano would have shared the same stage, but there it is....cool stuff. I especially like when the trainers get a chance in front of the mic like here with Kevin Rooney and Eddie Futch

[Master]

Tyson v Holyfield was a good fight you could see Tyson wilt after 5 rounds and trying to cheat his way out when he got tired. Holyfield was butting but Tyson took his beating eventually and got stopped. What was not to like?

I was also watching Donald Curry on you tube, he is the most beautiful and efficient boxer to ever lace up gloves. Also watching Mike McCallum was a joy, his body shots make people wince.

[El Kabong]

1 or 2 punches and many clinches ugly style matchup. Now Bowe vs Tyson would have been beautiful!

[Cressa121]

Interesting stuff. On the "Phantom punch" fight, I've always wondered how it would have played out had it happened when it was originally scheduled. Iirc they were meant to fight in November '64 but Ali fell ill a week or 2 before the fight and it was postponed. Liston had reportedly trained like a demon for it because of the embarrassment he felt after losing the first fight. By the time it was rescheduled for May '65 he couldn't bring himself to go through that kind of camp again and had become more indifferent towards it. Chances are he'd have lost handily again, but it'd have been more interesting for sure.

[IamInuit]

Interesting stuff. On the "Phantom punch" fight, I've always wondered how it would have played out had it happened when it was originally scheduled. Iirc they were meant to fight in November '64 but Ali fell ill a week or 2 before the fight and it was postponed. Liston had reportedly trained like a demon for it because of the embarrassment he felt after losing the first fight. By the time it was rescheduled for May '65 he couldn't bring himself to go through that kind of camp again and had become more indifferent towards it. Chances are he'd have lost handily again, but it'd have been more interesting for sure.

I’ve re-watched the footage more then I care to remember and for the life of me I cannot see the punch being that crippling. You cant see Alis feet in the first clip but he seems to be going backwards and on his toes. The second clip seems to confirm this. Although Sonny’s wife and family deny it, after pouring over the available evidence over the years, there is very little doubt in my mind that heroin could have been a factor during his preparation and mentally the night of the fight. He was hanging out with Louis at the time and was probably getting Joe’s heroin for him and at the time of his death years later the coroner reported tracks on his arm and not just one poke from a hot shot. Sonny Liston lived two lives.

[Cressa121]

Interesting stuff. On the "Phantom punch" fight, I've always wondered how it would have played out had it happened when it was originally scheduled. Iirc they were meant to fight in November '64 but Ali fell ill a week or 2 before the fight and it was postponed. Liston had reportedly trained like a demon for it because of the embarrassment he felt after losing the first fight. By the time it was rescheduled for May '65 he couldn't bring himself to go through that kind of camp again and had become more indifferent towards it. Chances are he'd have lost handily again, but it'd have been more interesting for sure.

I’ve re-watched the footage more then I care to remember and for the life of me I cannot see the punch being that crippling. You cant see Alis feet in the first clip but he seems to be going backwards and on his toes. The second clip seems to confirm this. Although Sonny’s wife and family deny it, after pouring over the available evidence over the years, there is very little doubt in my mind that heroin could have been a factor during his preparation and mentally the night of the fight. He was hanging out with Louis at the time and was probably getting Joe’s heroin for him and at the time of his death years later the coroner reported tracks on his arm and not just one poke from a hot shot. Sonny Liston lived two lives.

I didn't know about Liston's links with Louis and heroin.

I agree about the punch, it looks to be nothing more than a quick counter right thrown to score. There doesn't seem to be a great deal behind it and I don't see how it could really be a fight ending shot. I've always felt that it was a legitimate knockdown in that Liston has just lunged in with his own left hand and is off balance when he's caught, but that he could have easily gotten up and beat the count. I remember reading an interview with Liston where he said he stayed down for longer because Ali was stood over him. He said he was worried he'd hit him as he was getting back to his feet.

[El Kabong]

I thought Joe Louis was more into cocaine after his fighting days and not heroin...hmm, interesting.

I also didn't know of the troubling links with Liston's ownership stake in a certain company which profited off of his loss to Ali, very curious.

Anywho, here's Trainer and Heavyweight contender Jonathan Banks

[Master]

I thought the punch was real mainly because he carries on fighting after Jersey Joe was being indecisive and not stopping the fight. If he wanted to go down he would have stayed down but they actually throw punches until the ref stops the fight.