the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Fight 5: Beterbiev vs Gvozdyk

1:9-10
2:9-10
3:9-10
4:9-10
5:10-9
6:10-9
7:10-9
8:10-9
9:
10:
11:
12:

Before we even get onto scoring the rounds how great is this.

Ward is commentating, Atlas is training, we have a unification between two so called avoided fighters, brilliant.

These are the top two LHW guys in the world. Gvozdyk is the lineal champ, Beterbiev is the suspected number 1, the fact this fight came off so easily is a testament to the teams of both men.

Having Ward discuss the two fighters he left behind is uniquely fascinating as well. He already has a game plan to beat both men, which he mentioned in the opening round.

And Atlas always brings good value.

Round 1 and the scene is set. Beterbiev has a pawing jab, brute power and is considered the strongest LHW in the world, but he's on the wrong side of his 30s. Gvozdyk expertly walked down Stevenson but is now playing the role of matador. A role he plays brilliantly in this first round. Knockdown ruled bogus by instant replay (imagine how many fights in history change due to that alone!)

All in all, by the end of the first round I'm immensely excited by what's on offer.

Round 2 is largely Gzozdyk again. Beterbiev looks painfully slow but then towards the end of the round he starts to let his hands go and actually buzzes Gvozdyk, not enough to steal the round though.

Rounds 3 and 4 are closer. I still prefer the work of Gvozdyk but Beterbiev is closing the distance now and getting through more regularly.

Gun to my head I say Gvozdyk is 4 up.

Round 5 sees a change of fortune as the hard body shots of Beterbiev are having an impact and Gvozdyk is now slowing down. As the fight progresses Artur is even able to beat him to the punch and force bigger exchanges.

The tide has changed here and the next 3 rounds go the same way.

Atlas implores Gvozdyk to return to his game plan and stay away from Beterbiev, but his body is just not able. Round 10 is a demolition job. Beterbiev is the new king.

Sickening this guy is already 35.

Its almost written in the stars that he'll have two mandatory defences over the next 3 years and be knocked out by Canelo.

What a shame, but what a fighter.

 

Fight 1: Fury vs Chisora 2

1:10-9
2:10-9
3:10-9
4:10-9
5:10-9
6:10-9
7:10-9
8:10-9
9:10-9
10:10-9
11:ko
12:

This was seen as a 50/50 fight before hand. Fury was seen as a bit of a circus act. Mentally unstable, wasn't really producing the goods in the ring. Chisora was on the form of his absolute life.

What we saw was the introduction of Fury as a potential HW champion of the world.

He thoroughly dominated Chisora. He out jabbed him, out sped him, caught him consistently on the inside.

It was a masterclass, and it's like Fury has had a realisation that actually if he puts the work in, he has what it takes.

Great performance.

 

Fight 2: Fury vs Hammer

1:10-9
2:10-9
3:10-9
4:10-9
5:10-8
6:10-9
7:10-9
8:10-9
9:ko
10:
11:
12:

Fury has earnt a high ranking by beating Chisora, this was a bit of a stay busy fight against a fringe opponent who has flirted with the rankings over the year.

Again we see a Fury masterclass. Absolutely dominated Hammer and broke his heart.

Next up, Wladimir Klitschko.

 

I watched another of William's uploads today. The first fight between middleweight champ Joey Giardello and Rocky Rivero. A non-title 10 rounder from Cleveland with Ohio's 5 point must system in effect. Here we go.

Joey Giardello v Rocky Rivero I

Round 1: 5-4 Giardello
Round 2: 5-4 Giardello
Round 3: 5-4 Rivero
Round 4: 5-5 Even
Round 5: 5-4 Giardello
Round 6: 5-4 Giardello
Round 7: 5-4 Giardello
Round 8: 5-4 Giardello
Round 9: 5-4 Rivero
Round 10: 5-4 Rivero

Total: 47-44 Giardello (actual scores: 46-45 twice for Giardello and 46-45 for Rivero for a split win for Joey)

The 3rd round was the best of the night where they really went at it. But try as Rocky did, Giardello was a real master at stifling most attacks by Rocky with that stabbing jab of his. Good fight. Also, it was cool spying a young Lou Duva in Joey's corner at the start. I always thought he was perpetually old, so this was new.

 

Just watched Erik Morales vs Guty Espadas Jr. I. It was a fun and compelling fight, but Morales did not look great here. The fight was very close but Morales wasn't engaging in exchages like he usually did. I thought Morales was lucky to get the decision and that the two cards that had it 116-112 Morales are a little too wide for my liking.

Morales vs Espadas I

Round 1: 10-9
Round 2: 10-9 (20-18 Morales)
Round 3: 9-10 (29-28 Morales)
Round 4: 10-9 (39-37 Morales)
Round 5: 10-9 (49-46 Morales)
Round 6: 9-10 (58-56 Morales)
Round 7: 9-10 (67-66 Morales)
Round 8: 9-10 (76-76)
Round 9: 9-10 (85-86 Espadas)
Round 10: 10-9 (95-95)
Round 11: 9-10 (104-105 Espadas)
Round 12: 9-10 (My final score: 115-113 Guty Espadas Jr.)

 

Fight 3: Fury vs Klitschko

1:10-9
2:10-9
3:10-9
4:10-9
5:10-9
6:10-9
7:10-9
8:10-9
9:10-9
10:10-9
11:9-9
12:9-10

The scorecard is lopsided, but I just felt every single round Fury had a very slight edge.

I wouldn't say he schooled Klitschko, but I would say he took away his best weapons (his range, his jab, his size) and nullified him completely, and therefore he could win the rounds doing very little.

Plenty of those rounds had nothing in it, so I could see someone scoring them to Klitschko, but I can't put my finger on a single round he definitely won until the last.

Fury really proved his abilities here tonight. Such a shame this was the start of a very dark path he went down.

118-109

 

Fight 4: Fury vs Wilder

1:10-9
2:9-10
3:10-9
4:10-9
5:10-9
6:10-9
7:10-9
8:10-9
9:8-10
10:10-9
11:10-9
12:8-10

Aside from 3 big punches, Fury pretty much had his own way in the fight.

I thought Fury was on his way to winning the second before being clipped at the end of the round. Obviously Wilder scored two big 10-8 rounds.

That recovery in the 12th gets me every time as well.

115-111

I can actually see a draw here tbf. Some of these rounds were very close with not a lot in them. All you need is two of the early rounds scored the other was and a draw is realised.

But I do think Fury deserved the victory and I do think he established himself the best HW in the world.

 

Fight 5: Fury vs Wilder 2

1:10-9
2:10-9
3:10-8
4:10-9
5:9-8
6:10-9
7:ko
8:
9:
10:
11:
12:

What a performance this was. Almost 5 years since he beat Klitschko in Germany, he now beats Wilder in America.

5 years he could have been reigning and defending undisputed champion.

Fury is the best fighter in the world not ranked in the top 10 P4P by Ring imo.

 

Boxxy, I scored this today after seeing your post. I didn't score it when I saw it live, so here we go

Erik Morales v Guty Espadas I

Round 1: 10-9 Morales
Round 2: 10-9 Morales
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 Morales
Round 6: 10-9 Espadas
Round 7: 10-9 Espadas
Round 8: 10-10 Even
Round 9: 10-9 Espadas
Round 10: 10-9 Morales
Round 11: 10-9 Espadas
Round 12: 10-9 Espadas

Total: 116-115 Espadas (actual scores: 116-112 twice and 115-113 all for Morales)

This was as good a Draw as their was. Very little between them in this fight. Morales looked off his game and as for Espadas there was no urgency at all despite this being the biggest fight of his life. The only time I saw him really come alive was the last 40 seconds of the 12th. Can't blame his corner because they were trying to set a fire under him. Some very close rounds here. The 116-112's were way off the mark.

 

Saw a terrific little 10 rounder today, which I missed way back in '82. So, 39 years later I finally get my chance to see this.

Saoul Mamby v Monroe Brooks

Round 1: 10-10 Even
Round 2: 10-9 Mamby
Round 3: 10-9 Mamby
Round 4: 10-9 Mamby
Round 5: 10-9 Mamby
Round 6: 10-9 Mamby
Round 7: 10-9 Brooks
Round 8: 10-9 Mamby
Round 9: 10-9 Mamby
Round 10: 10-9 Mamby

Total: 99-92 Mamby

I don't know the official scores. It was announced as a unanimous decision with no point totals and even boxrec has nothing on it. But let me tell you, despite my somewhat lop-sided score, Brooks was in every round. He slathered Mamby's body every chance he got, but Mamby was able to handle everything that came his way and dished it and then some. Really good, underrated fight.

BTW, Larry Holmes was ringside color commentating with John Condon and if you were listening to Larry cheerleading, there was a very good reason. He was best friends with Mamby for years. I knew this, but I'm sure the audience didn't. And if you are to listen to Larry's partial meanderings, you wouldn't think anyone was in there with Mamby at all. He ignored everything that Brooks was doing and strictly focused on Mamby.

 

I watched an absolute amazing 10 rounder today that I found by accident. And when I say amazing, don't get your hopes up that this was some barn-burner because it certainly was not. What this was was Picasso against a House painter. The 1974 Eddie Perkins v Ryu Sorimachi 10 rounder. Eddie's brush was his left which he used to jab and hook while throwing in the occasional right. No sense in running a card here. I only gave Sorimachi a share of the 9th for a 50-41 score (actual scores by the 3 Japanese judges were 49-45, 50-43 and 50-45 all for Perkins. The UPI had the same score as I). Eddie was absolutely amazing. Aside from his educated left, there was his feints, his head movement, his positioning. The highlight was hurting Sorimachi bad in the 8th. And this from a 37 year old engaging in his 94th bout. Ironically, Sorimachi, who was coming off of a world title challenge against Koichi Wajima for the junior middleweight title, would vie again for the same title 2 fights later against Oscar Albarado. And then a few years later against Carlos Palomino for the welterweight title. While poor Eddie chased Jose Napoles fruitlessly for years with no title shot. There is no justice in our sport.

 

George, I checked this one out today and it was a damn good fight. I see you, Jel, Sal, Philly and KO Kidd all scored this and all had around the same score, so I'm the only oddball here who had it a bit closer. Anyways, here we go.

Erik Morales v In Jin Chi

Round 1: 10-10 Even
Round 2: 10-9 Chi
Round 3: 10-9 Morales
Round 4: 10-9 Morales
Round 5: 10-9 Morales
Round 6: 10-9 Chi
Round 7: 10-9 Morales
Round 8: 10-9 Chi
Round 9: 10-9 Morales
Round 10: 9-9 Even (I felt it was Chi's round but docked a point for pushing down on Morales' head)
Round 11: 10-9 Morales
Round 12: 10-9 Chi

Total: 115-113 Morales (actual scores: 116-111, 117-110 and 116-112 all for Morales)

Good fight and Chi fought with pure heart. I have seen Morales better, but maybe he just didn't get up for the Korean. That's always dangerous in this business.

 

Fight 1: Ioka vs Yaegashi

1:10-9
2:9-10
3:9-10
4:10-9
5:9-10
6:10-9
7:10-9
8:10-9
9:9-10
10:10-9
11:10-9
12:10-9

This is the fight that separated Ioka from the scores of minimum weight titlists that have come before him.

I remember his title winning effort in so few fights, I remember being impressed, but thinking nothing special about it. You have to remember that the whole division was in Gonzalez's shadows as he'd recently left, and he rest of the guys were considered a similar level, the likes of Sithsamerchai, Joyi etc. So Ioka winning was good, but didn't make anyone really sit up and take notice, but this fight here did. Especially given the future success of Yaegashi, the victory aged quite well.

Ioka shows a strong snappy jab in the first round, Yaegashi isn't there just to make up numbers though and he fights back quite well. Both take turns holding the centre, both take turns countering on the back foot. Ioka slightly busier for me.

Yaegashi fancies himself the strong man in the 2nd round, and he counters well when Ioka tries firing back at him. Yaegashi is determined to get inside and he seems to have the hand speed to compete at range as well. At some point Ioka creates a golfball over the eye of Yaegashi but I couldn't tell if it was a punch or a clash of heads and I have no idea what the commentary are saying. So I'm giving this one to Yaegashi.

Round 3 sees Yaegashi doing his best Joe Frazier impression. Ioka seems unable to adjust and Akira keeps getting under neath those long straight punches.

Round 4 is some beautiful boxing by Ioka, he moves around the ring well, re establishes that lazer like jab, and he walks Yaegashi onto some big hooks. Yaegashi looks like he's been hit by a car right now, Ioka looks as fresh as a daisy.

Round 5 sees the doctor check on that eye of Yaegashi, he responds by coming out like a man possessed and dominates the first half of the round. The 2nd half is more even and Ioka gets some hard clean shots in, probably doing more damage than Yaegashi did, but not enough to win him the round.

Jesus christ, rounds 6,7 and 8 I felt the pain every time that right hand landed on the swelling of Yaegashi. Akira couldn't really get inside without paying the price and that right hand was too high of a price to pay. Ouch.

I kind of expected it to continue but round 9 I think Ioka took off, not much really happened, Yaegashi nicks it for me.

Rounds 10,11 and 12 is back to normal. Yaegashi fights well, but Ioka is just too accurate and too punishing on that left eye.

116-112

 

I watched the Kostya Tszyu v Vince Phillips fight today. Actually never saw it before and was in the mood for a good slam-bang affair. And it didn't disappoint. Here we go.

Round 1: 10-10 Even
Round 2: 10-9 Tszyu
Round 3: 10-9 Phillips
Round 4: 10-9 Tszyu
Round 5: 10-10 Even
Round 6: 10-9 Tszyu
Round 7: 10-8 Phillips (scores a knockdown)
Round 8: 10-9 Phillips
Round 9: 10-9 Phillips
Round 10: Phillips stops Tszyu

Total through 9 completed rounds: 87-85 Phillips (actual scores: 87-85 Phillips, 86-85 Tszyu and 85-85 Even. Also, Harold Lederman had it 85-85)

Tszyu was firing his tidy, hard combos throughout. However, I noted in the first round that "Phillips has found a home for that right hand." Of course, as the rounds unfolded, he expanded on that to the point where I was amazed that with Tszyu's vast amateur background and what he had accomplished as a pro that he had absolutely no defense for Phillips' right hand. Whether it was delivered as a straight right or overhand right, it would land every time. Quite stunning and quite well-deserved for Phillips in such a twilight of his career. It deservedly received upset of the year honors.

 

Luf, I just checked out the Tszyu v Phillips fight. Run that past me again on the excuse from the Tszyu camp. Anemia and issues with the promotion (or was it promoter?)? Tszyu was one of my favorites back in the day - really wanted to see him against ODLH - but I really think they should have worked on defense against the right hand.