Wish I'd been there to see it live. Used to sit in the gallery at Stillman's Gym talking with Walker. He much preferred talking about painting...It was amazing looking at that hell-bent-for-leather hard hard man, as sensitive as a poet.
a few gatti fights come to mind. more recently when jesus chavez lost a decision to erik morales and fought with only one arm after the second round. some serious guts to stay competitive when you know you're outgunned. the #1 image i got in my head when i read the topic was moore vs durelle.
Holyfield - Bowe 1 Burns - Johnson Willard - Dempsey Louis - Schmeling 1 Frazier - Foreman 1 Bowe - Golata 1 Leonard - Norris Lopez - Sanchez 1 and 2
Jeffries-Johnson. Im pretty convinced that Jeffries did his best but knew he wasnt the same fighter. Im sure early on he knew he was in for an ass kicking and still stayed 15 rounds. Say what you will about the fight, the buildup, the fallout, and the circumstances sorrounding all of the above, Jeffries showed grit in that bout if nothing else.
Two acts of courage sticks in my mind. The Max Baer demolition of a brave Primo Carnera, who was dropped so many times by the blasts of Max Baer, and was helpless and reeling around like a drunk, before the ref stopped the slaughter. Der Preem though not a great fighter was as brave as any fighter ever in this slaughter. And the surreal fight between Freddie Steele and Vince Dundee when a prime Freddie Steele floored Dundee about 11 times, and Dundee bravely bouncing up and down like a yo yo...Today these two fights would have never been allowed...
Pat Cowdel vs Sal Sanchez Luis Resto (yes, that Resto) vs. Pat Hallacy (1979) Two-way mayhem that had the crowd going bonkers and giving the loser (Hallacy) a standing ovation that lasted for minutes. “He (Pat) lost but he was absolutely terrific. Nine thousand Puerto Ricans gave him a standing ovation at the finish. It was one of the biggest standing ovations in years and it was Puerto Ricans cheering an Irish fighter who had just fought a Puerto Rican” Gill Clancy, member Boxing Hall Of Fame and then director of Madison Square Garden Boxing as quoted in the Wichita Eagle. 10/29/79 Malcolm "Flash" Gordon covered an MSG fight card around 1980 that featured a supporting bout between young Pat Hallacy and Luis Resto (yep, THE Luis Resto, of Billy Collins infamy, though this was prior to that travesty). This bout wasn't televised, I'm pretty certain, and according to Flash it was one of the greatest exhibitions of two-way mayhem he had ever witnessed. Sort of "300" in boxing gloves. (It was on the undercard of a Wilfred Gomez non-title match, so film may exist.) Neither guy was much of a power hitter, and this fact allowed for even more frenetic action minus knockdowns and a stoppage of any sort. I'm only going by Gordon's report, since I obviously have never had the pleasure of watching it. PeteLeo. Saw this war with my late dad. Never forget this battle till the day I croak!!
Me too. The way Mickey kept firing back in the 1:08 from the resumption of action following that second knockdown in round eight to the bell ending the round was completely insane, AND HE WAS READY FOR MORE! Max could not do to pudgy, aging little Mickey Walker what he was later able to do to Joe Louis, put him down for the count. In the minute and eight seconds following that final knockdown, Schmeling fired off around 23 punches to try finishing Walker, but the Toy Bulldog, getting battered backwards all over the ring, actually teed off 16 return shots of his own fire. Right before, between the first and second knockdowns that round, Micky unloaded another ten attempts aimed at Max. Schmeling implored referee Donovan to stop it after flooring Mickey, but how could Arthur do this, the way Walker never, ever stopped punching back? This wasn't Griffith-Paret III, not Ali-Lyle, not Foreman-Chuvalo. Mickey, hopelessly outgunned, was nonetheless generating a comparable punch rate, not hiding in a defensive shell, and they had each others respect for life. Everybody on this thread should see round eight of Schmeling-Walker to see what guts and tenacity look like in a boxing ring.
