Draws That Were Really Draws

Coetzee-Thomas was widely lauded by the press as a well scored draw. Despite media bias comparing the Frazier of December 1981 to his prime over a decade earlier, I also thought Frazier-Cummings was legitimately scored a draw.

 

Great call.

 

Byrd-Golota was too close to call for me personally.

 

I think Starling vs Breland II was a legitimate draw. There are arguments which might favor one of them getting the nod over the other. And the crowd was upset when Starling didn't get the decision. but it was a very close and difficult fight to score. Another is Sergio Martinez vs Paul Williams I.

 

McCrory-Jones I for me. McCrory controlled the first half, Jones the second. I had it scored even.

 

I don't think I'll get too many takers but Hearns-Leonard 2. I heard it on the radio and heard the crowd chanting BS and I thought Tommy must have battered him but when I watched it, there wasn't much in it. Give Ray a 10-8 in one of the rounds he battered Tommy from pillar to post and there you go. Other than that Benn-Eubank 2 seemed fair.

 

I narrowly gave Hearns the nod but agree that the "robbery" claims were blown out of proportion. Tommy gets a lot of milk out of those two knockdowns, when it was leonard who threw more, landed more and had him hurt more often. Hearns should have gotten the decision by a hairline margin, but a draw wasn't outrageous.

 

i could i suppose say johnny nelson v carlos deleon...as nothing happened
but i remember thinking at the time that deleon at least looked like he had half an intention of engaging for combat whereas nelson stayed well away.
dunno if thats contradicting myself.....but based on nothing really happened i'll chance mentioning this one.

 

Had McCrory by the smallest of margins but the draw was most certainly fair.

 

This is kind of cheating, but Jackson vs Corbett fits the bill. Well everything I've read about it anyway and might take the cake as the longest 'legitimate' draw if we consider the era and rule set.

 

Agreed.

 

Also Lara-Williams
Chavez-Whitaker
Holyfield-Lewis
Leonard-Hearns

 

Gerrie was trying to jab with Pink, and there was no question Thomas had much the superior jab and greater confidence.

I'll also propose this however. For Coetzee, that experience was essential in his later effective use of his jab in keying his upset of Dokes.