like all of us , I have a few 1/ Basilio doing a curtsy after absorbing a near lethal left hook from DeMarco only to come back and stop him later in the fight, 2/ Ketchel swearing to come back and knock out Papke in the 11th, and doing it !! 3/ Battling Nelson being comprehensibly out boxed by Gans for 20 rounds or so, then turning up the burners to overcome him for the win.
The first fight was filmed and a full theatrical version survives. I have it on VHS, purchased from Tony Fosco years ago, but I have no way to digitize or post it. One of the video dealers must have it. Petrolle fights in reverse gear all the way pasting Battalino as he charges forward.
Idk if you are, but are you technology savvy would you say? It's not too expensive to buy a USB-to-composite converter which is all you need (as long as you have a VCR and a computer with a USB port). Or there are a number of mail-in services that will do it for just like $20.
Actual defining moments, where you judge a moment as a couple of seconds or so. Here goes. FotC Round 15: That hook, that tumble, that shake of the head, that climb back up. If these two defined each other, that couple of seconds is a good snapshot of what they were about. Joe always gave Ali his best, Ali kept coming back. He was a Jack in the Box that Joe couldn't get out of the way. Or the Thrilla: That split second where Ali knocks Joes mouthpiece out and Joe keeps on coming. Whatever I just said above, switch the names around. It'll still hold true. Round 10 Bowe Holyfield: Evander absorbs a terrific pummelling and then after a rally of his own which stuns Bowe. he throws a left hook and misses. That hook, the ferocity behind it after nearly being pounded into the ground encapsulates the man nearly as much as ... Round 3 Holyfield v Tyson II: Having had his ear cleaned after Tyson had bit a chunk off, Evander asked his corner to put his gumshield back in as he was going to knock him (Tyson) out. Yoohoo, Luis Santana. Look and learn. Whatever you think about Holyfield, the fighting spirit he showed in those two moments is absolutely incredible.
Oh, he was going to knock Tyson out, all right. Holyfield got cheated again.. just like he did in the '84 Olympics, where he was the best US boxer BY near FAR (pernell whitaker, meldrick taylor, mark breland < holyfield)
All the moments where LaMotta takes a flush blow without blinking give me shivers him plodding forward absorbing as much punishment as he gives. reflects both his style and life, that for me is his most defining moment unblinking coldness in the face of pain.
Roberto Duran - Ray Leonard I Jose Napoles - Billy Backus II probably, his comeback in this fight after his first loss was nothing short of masterful, he was always so much stronger in the rematches he had. Juan Manuel Marquez - Manny Pacquaio IV of course Carlos Monzon - Nino Benvenuti I probably
Kenny Norton down in San Diego (former Marine) upsetting the great Muhammad Ali, breaking Ali's jaw in the process. It was a moment for sure.
Napoles was a bit like Carlos Ortiz in that regard. Both liked to party and drink, but a tough fight they’d rectify with dominant rematch displays.
“if I never win another fight , I’m winning this one “ - Zab Judah before his second fight with Corey Spinks
