Fights with lots of inside fighting

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by OvidsExile, Mar 2, 2017.


  1. OvidsExile

    OvidsExile At a minimum, a huckleberry over your persimmon. Full Member

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    As long as I've been watching boxing, people have referred to inside fighters as throw backs (James Toney). Fights where two fighters do a lot of inside fighting and don't take steps back (Rios/Alvarado, Ward/Gatti) "boxing in a phone booth" are referred to as "old school." There are guys like that, and fights like that and I think I've seen a few. But it wasn't as often as people imply. They had all the same styles we have now: swarmers, punchers, outside and inside fighters, pressure fighters, counter punchers, and defensive specialists. I think I've seen Henry Armstrong, Johnny Saxton, and Jose Stable fight in that style but Ray Robinson or Jersey Joe were nothing like that.

    My question to you guys is, what fights can you think of which were actually like that, and why do you think the older era has that reputation?
     
  2. Mr.DagoWop

    Mr.DagoWop Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    Dempsey v. Gibbons is one most wouldn't think of.
     
  3. escudo

    escudo Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Toney vs Jirov pops to mind as well as any Rocky Marciano fight. Robinson vs Lamotta series had tons of in fighting.
     
  4. Longhhorn71

    Longhhorn71 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Duran in many of his fights fought inside. Duran vs Carlos Palomino for example.

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  5. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Chavez-Taylor is a Fight of the Year that was fought at close quarters.

    The first and third Ward-Gatti fights could have been fought in a phone booth with the ref making a call. (The second is also rarely more than arm's length, but Gatti boxed more.)

    Bowe-Holyfield I is some of the best heavyweight infighting ever seen.
     
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  6. jarama

    jarama Active Member Full Member

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    Watson vs Benn
    Lots of good action in close difficult to see how good it is have to watch it a few times

    Also fantastic was
    Nelson vs Fenech 1
     
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  7. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Yea Watson v Benn was a good one for that. None stop almost all the fight. Great work coming from Watson especially.
     
  8. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Referees almost never split fighters when one was busy inside.

    Now, referees do,not always, but sometimes. What this means is that one fighter can organise a split by holding. So he can stop the opponent working by holding because the referee will tend to split the hold (not always, but often).

    That is why "ye olden times" has that "reputation." Because as long as a fighter was working the referee tended to leave them to it (not always, but often).
     
  9. escudo

    escudo Boxing Addict Full Member

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    This. It seems like every great inside fight you see in the modern era has Steve Smoger reffing. He's the best in the business.
     
  10. Mortal

    Mortal Member Full Member

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    I have a feeling most modern refs would have ruined a classic inside fight like for example - Duran vs Palomino.
     
  11. Mortal

    Mortal Member Full Member

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    Imagine Kenny Bayless's reaction if he seen Duran raking in uppercuts on Floyd Mayweather inside a clinch. He'd pull a muscle trying to split it up :lol:
     
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  12. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    Leonard/Duran 1 had some vicious infighting. RL gave a good account of himself on the inside but he also learned a few things that night.
     
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  13. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    This fight proved how special Duran was and Leonard could really FIGHT.
     
  14. OvidsExile

    OvidsExile At a minimum, a huckleberry over your persimmon. Full Member

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    I can't think of any ref who's had more great fights than Steve Smoger.

    Cotto vs Margarito 2

    Pawel Wolak vs Delvin Rodriguez 1

    Pavlik vs Taylor 1

    Pavlik vs Miranda

    Trinidad vs Mayorga

    Toney vs Jirov

    Ward vs Augustus

    Harris vs Jefferson

    Brown vs Trice

    I also remember Kirkland vs Tapia being exciting, although Smoger got criticized for being slow to stop it.
     
  15. cleming

    cleming Active Member Full Member

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    Prince Charles Williams vs Merqui Sosa
    Toney vs Williams
    Marquez vs Diaz I, Katsidis
    Rios vs Antillon
    Castillo vs Johnston, Corrales
    Chavez vs Rosario
    Hatton vs Tszyu
    Tszyu vs Gonzalez
    McGirt vs Warren
    Mormeck vs Bell