Your Three Favorite Heavyweight Fights of the 1980s

[godking]

Originally Posted by CzarKyle

I'll start it off, here's mine:

March 31st, 1980
John Tate (20-0-0) Vs. Mike Weaver (21-9-0)
Weaver wins WBA crown in the beginning of the last minute of the 15th round.
Watching this fight you see John Tate put on a standard boxing clinic piling up winning rounds against the underdog, Weaver. The interesting thing about this fight isn't that it's a slugfest the whole whole way through, but you get to see how well of a fighter Tate actually was. It's almost like Big John has been lost in the archives of heavyweight history, but during his short title reign he had the attention of Muhammad Ali for a comeback if he could put away Weaver in front of his hometown crowd in Knoxville, Tennessee. However Weaver had other plans. In later rounds Weaver keeps plugging away with his heavy left hooks landing some important shots.
Best Round: The fifteenth round had Weaver charging out at Tate and bullying Big John into the ropes while working his inside game, while Tate would spin out from the ropes in a clinch and bring it back his fighting style and trying to outland Weaver with three shot combos. Weaver eventually lands the decisive left hook to take the scoring out of the judges hands (Tate was up on all three cards).

May 20th, 1983
Larry Holmes (42-0-0) Vs. Tim Witherspoon (15-0-0)
A young Witherspoon takes on an experienced Holmes
Holmes defending the WBC Title for the 15th time against a green, but very hungry Tim Witherspoon in Las Vegas. From all the Witherspoon fights I've seen, this is my favorite. Sticking to his game plan (avoiding the jab, right hooks to the body, and switching southpaw occasionally) Tim makes Larry look terrible for the first part of the match. However, Holmes managed to stay close with Tim, landing good right hands on the Terrible One on certain occasions as well as keeping his jab out there. I honestly think the judges could have scored this one either way, When I've scored this fight I've had Tim winning by a round, but I'm not a real judge. Luckily for Holmes he was able to pull away the with the win in the judges eyes (118-111 & 115-113 for Holmes and 115-114 for Witherspoon). Either way this fight is one of my favorites. Not only is this one of my favorite Holmes fights, but I'd say this is Witherspoon's finest technical showing (even though it was a loss). After this Holmes went on to fight the pathetic Scott Frank in a thumbtastic showing (with a really lame musical tribute to the Holmes/Ali fight with the lyrics saying something like "No Mercy! No Quarter!" in the American airing with a a young Marv Alberts as one of the commentators), and moving on to the IBF era after smashing Marvin Frazier in a lineal bout. While Witherspoon fought back to attain the WBC title against Greg Page in 1984, in a fairly boring fight. I'll also say Tim never looked this great again, but still managed to attain two heavyweight titles against a slightly lower level of opposition.
Best Round: Tim Witherspoon stuns Holmes twice in the 9th and almost has the referee, Mills Lane, come in to stop the fight. This would have happened if Holmes didn't have such a fighting spirit and landing some very clutch combinations to stay in the match.

March 11, 1989
Evander Holyfield (20-0-0) Vs. Michael Dokes (37-1-2)
A comebacking Dokes takes on a young Holyfield
Holyfield looked fresh and Dokes looked game. It was a match of youthful aggression versus determined experience. It's been a while since I've seen this fight, and I've been trying to get my hands on a copy, but from what I remember it was a great fight. Dokes got to prove he had something in him, and Holyfield got to make a bigger splash in the heavyweights by looking impressive in getting the 10th round KO. This was the last good fight that Dokes had. After that he became known for getting pounded by Razor Ruddock's smash in the following year in a fourth round loss. Holyfield went on towards his peak in the heavyweights with a potential Tyson fight on the way. Unfortunately Tyson went to jail, but Holyfield still had his best years from 1989 to 1993 becoming heavyweight champ. The combos were great and constant and both fighters had their guts intact.
Best Round: Honestly, I'd have to watch the fight one more time. I still have seen it a couple years ago, and this fight is great.

Honorable Mention: Mike Tyson Vs. Tyrell Biggs
If you watch all the fight buildup coverage and listen to some of the experts they were predicting a Biggs win during that time. Tyson had one of his best fights and we got to see Biggs put to the test. It wasn't Biggs best loss though, I think his effort against Bowe was a little more impressive.

I have Holy Dokes on my computer i will put up a copy on megaupload if i have the etime.

[Bigcat]

Tyson v Biggs was a good study on how perhaps a better prepared man should approach Tyson with a view to win.. Jab , strong agressive offensive and a lot of risk taking.. Douglas let the hands go , Douglas took chances , Douglas had to get up off the floor, Douglas let it all hang out and had nothing to lose.. Douglas showed Mike that he was going no where..

Tyrell gave the movement, the jab.. the super offensive skills and a powerful straight right.. BUT.. No risk taking and after 4 rounds he was completely sold out.. PLUS.. He had the bravest corner in history..

Lou Duva.. "If your legs are gone , then stand there and fight him inside Biggs!!" OK.. and thats all i suppose... WTF...

[ThinBlack]

Dokes-Ocasio II- You really get to see how explosive and fast Michael is in this rematch of the controversial draw.

Holmes-Cobb-For Larry's dominance, and Tex's bravery and toughness.

Page-Tillis-Greg being out of shape at 238 pounds, and Tillis being mad at him for whatever reason, made for a very good fight.

[Kalasinn]

Spoon-Holmes '83 (even though the decision pisses me off every single time)

[IMG]********static.boxrec.com/wiki/a/a5/SI5822.jpg[/IMG]

My scorecard: [url]***********.eastsideboxing.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10220736&postcount=948[/url]
Were the judges scoring to Larry for jabs blocked by Spoon? I believe so.

Tyson-Ribalta '86

[IMG]***********.eastsideboxing.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=332&pictureid=1592[/IMG]



Tyson-Biggs '87

[IMG]***********.eastsideboxing.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=332&pictureid=2080[/IMG]

[I am Legion]

Coetzee/Weaver was brutal.
Holmes/Leon Spinks. Larry's best performance.
Tate/Coetzee. History in the making.

[TBooze]

Originally Posted by I am Legion

Tate/Coetzee. History in the making.

in the 70s...

[I am Legion]

Originally Posted by TBooze

in the 70s...

Ok, you're right but it's close enough.

[MAG1965]

mine are not very exciting. Cooney.Holmes Tyson/Berbick and for some reason Bonecrusher/Weaver.

[Kalasinn]

Originally Posted by MAG1965

mine are not very exciting. Cooney.Holmes Tyson/Berbick and for some reason Bonecrusher/Weaver.

I see what you did there.

[Seamus]

Weaver Coetzee was really, really good.

[TBooze]

Originally Posted by CzarKyle

March 11, 1989
Evander Holyfield (20-0-0) Vs. Michael Dokes (37-1-2)
A comebacking Dokes takes on a young Holyfield
Holyfield looked fresh and Dokes looked game. It was a match of youthful aggression versus determined experience. It's been a while since I've seen this fight, and I've been trying to get my hands on a copy, but from what I remember it was a great fight. Dokes got to prove he had something in him, and Holyfield got to make a bigger splash in the heavyweights by looking impressive in getting the 10th round KO. This was the last good fight that Dokes had. After that he became known for getting pounded by Razor Ruddock's smash in the following year in a fourth round loss. Holyfield went on towards his peak in the heavyweights with a potential Tyson fight on the way. Unfortunately Tyson went to jail, but Holyfield still had his best years from 1989 to 1993 becoming heavyweight champ. The combos were great and constant and both fighters had their guts intact.
Best Round: Honestly, I'd have to watch the fight one more time. I still have seen it a couple years ago, and this fight is great.

I know I had my picks all them years ago. But if I had my time again, that fight would be on the list.

It showed that Holyfield had what it took to be a top heavyweight contender. And for one glorious night, Dynamite turned back the clock nearly a decade.

[PhillyPhan69]

Holyfield vs Dokes (one of the best HW ever IMHO)
Holmes vs Cooney (Nostalgia- last fight I watched w/ my Pop-Pop)
Tyson vs ferguson (Still my favorite Tyson performance ever, his full fledged body assault still a major part of his arsenal)

[Senor Pepe']

1) Leland Hardy vs. Ike Padilla
March 30, 1989
Felt Forum, New York City
* Clearly the most exciting and wildest heavyweight fight I ever saw.

2) Larry Holmes vs. Muhammad Ali
October 2, 1980
* Though the saddest moment in boxing, Larry Holmes put an end to the 'circus'
atmosphere that Muhammad Ali brought to every fight. Larry was all business,
as Muhammad Ali was not able to bring any of his magic into the ring.

3) George Foreman vs. Steve Zouski
March 9, 1987
* George Foreman returns after being out of the ring for 10-years. Expected to
be a joke, and some kind of stunt. Later George Foreman goes on to fool everybody.

[Vic-JofreBRASIL]

Mike Tyson vs Ruddock I
Larry Holmes vs Cooney
Holyfield vs Dokes

[Seamus]

Originally Posted by Vic-JofreBRASIL

Mike Tyson vs Ruddock I

That weren't no 80's.