If Alan Rudkin had beaten Fighting Harada...

Cardiff Castle at the WBC night of champions Ted.

 

Thanks Al,looks great event.

 

Just bumped this because we were talking about Harada on another thread. Here's an interesting analysis of the Harada Rudkin fight from the very well respected Peter Wilson. I'll admit that his pick was in the minority but still he was sitting at ringside and got a better view of the fight than any of us.

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[/IMG] I hope it comes out big enough to be read but I'm sure you'll find a way around that.

 

Cheers Alan!

 

An interesting take on it Alan. Ive always had it down as one of those close but competitive but clear decisions in that the action is tighly contetested in near every round but Harada always seems to take it about 9-6 or 10-5 on my card.

 

Have to agree with this:good

 

You can still see its the"Boxing Beatle " under that hat. Tough man.

 

Zarate's 'tache just gets better with age. And you can see how big he is compared to his rival Zamora.

 

I watched it again last night with Mr Wilson's write up in mind and I've got to say I could see what he was talking about especially the early rounds. You got to remember that there is a roar every time Harada lands anything and silence when my old fella scores. I would say that though wouldn't I!
I'd love to know what that commentary team are saying.
A mistake that me dad made in that fight was the Beatle mop haircut because it bounces every time he got hit. That is a serious comment by the way.

 

I know what you're saying, Al. I used to notice that with jerry Quarry back in the day as well. That hair would shake and "visually increase" the impact of the punch. Great pic, by the way and great seeing Petyer Wilson's write-up in Boxing News.

 

Funny you should say that because when he was in LA for the Olivares fight a few people commented that he looked like a smaller Jerry Quarry

 

That picture is a good one.

Al, out of interst how do you score the fight?

 

I've heard commentators remark on how long hair emphasises the effect of punches.I agree with them ,and you.

 

Yeah, and that's a good point, and that about the crowd as well. Pretty much the most extreme example of a one-sided crowd.

I don't think I've ever properly scored it funnily enough. Felt Harada won one of those competitive, close yet clear decisions. But you know what I'm like with that era, for Alan Rudkin to hang with Harada as he did, in Japan, is a superb feat.

We see a fair few British fighters given a lot of credit for one solid showing against a top opponent. Considering Rudkin went on to push Rose that close is even better (8-7 to the scouser on my card) and yet, aside from on here, you rarely see him mentioned in those 'best british fighters never to win a title', it's always Graham, Colin Jones and f'n Laing. I see Cowdell getting more of a reception in the British forum than Rudkin, it's spasticated stuff.

 

The million dollar question . I've got to be honest I think it would be hard for me to score because it's my dad so I've never sat down and scored it. Having said that I've probably watched it more times than anyone on the planet and with me dad talking me through it at times. I can see where you could get your card from watching the film but I can see how Peter Wilson gets his as well. A lot of rounds are very close and in fact Nicky Pope, the neutral judge scored 8 rounds even with 5 to Harada and 3 to me dad. Reading into that there is a big sway in how it could be seen. I think the Japanese cards are way out of line. He was 2 points down after the 1st on the Japanese cards (Pope scored it 5-4) when he actually had a good round up until the obvious slip and the ref gave him a count. I watched Rose Harada last night and scored it 71-65 to Rose and even then i felt I might of been generous to Masahiko. Those Japanese judges scored that fight razor thin. That's why I always say what a good result the Esparza fight on points over Harada in Japan was.
It all depends on what you prefer, Me dad's steady boxing or Harada's occasional bursts with everyone shouting. I think me dad's body shots are overlooked. My old fella wasn't a knockout puncher but he was a great body puncher, very accurate, he could pick them from the outside and the inside. and he neutralized a lot of good fighters that way, Harada and Rose included, it takes effect and slows them down in the later rounds. I'd say he won the battle of the jabs as well although he did leave himself short a couple of times but hey he was fighting an ATG. He managed to keep more or less the whole fight at ring centre turning Harada whenever he felt his back near the ropes, you could count the times his back actually touched them on one hand. Harada would of been happy to have him on the ropes, that was his game but he just couldn't pin him down and it's not that he was running. He was standing his ground showing great footwork and keeping him off balance in the clinches.
I'll just say I think it was a close fight. I might sit down tonight and score it myself, impartially of course.:yep
I think it is a great fight for the connoisseur to watch.