LaMont Kirkland and Tony Ayala Jr

[marbleheadmaui]

I want to set your expectations. The three round fight you are about to watch is NOT a high level pro fight. Heck these two aren't even professionals yet. It's not even at the level of Olympic Trials.

This is the 1979 Golden Gloves Middleweight title fight. That's all.

Kirkland had been a top amateur for years and had lost out in the 1976 Olympic Trials to Michael Spinks. He would go on to have a solid career as a pro 175.

Tony Ayala at this point is sixteen. Yup sixteen. Torito is already an underground legend for his sparring session with 147 titlist and HOFer Pipino Cuevas when Ayala was fourteen. He would of course turn pro and by age 18 have beaten a couple of ranked contenders and by 19 he is the #3 ranked 154 in the world. Of course he threw it all away.

But WATCH THIS FIGHT! Watch the perfect punching technique Kirkland shows in dropping Ayala early. Watch how Ayala adjusts in the second round and begins countering the Kirkland right with his left hook and takes round 2 with a couple of standing eights and some extraordinary body work. And then watch the two of them adjust and counter one another all through round three.

Amateurs? Cripes these guys look like pretty good pros already.