the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

I love Jake's performance vs Carbajal. Ridiculous punch count too.

 

Yeah, it's insane. Especially for a 35 year old who had other businesses outside the ring. I'd love to see a fight between Matlala and Yuh. It'd probably break every compubox record ever.

 

The battle of little men with massive heads.

 

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Just carrying on. Seems like the type of fight which would bring out a good performance in Carbajal, and knowing Salazar, it's probably a right ****ing war.

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10 : 8
10 : 8
9 : 10* (

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Some beautiful shots put together here by Carbajal. A wicked uppercut in the first, a massive overhand in the second, and a collosal left hook to get the KO. Funny thing, is that he really reminds me of Arguello, I've just never seen anyone else compare the two. He was tall for the weight, walked you down, a massive puncher, used his leverage to throw a nasty right cross, threw some beautiful uppercuts (especially with the lead-hand), wasn't impossible to hit but had defensive subtleties about him and he had a dependable chin too. The left hook here reminds me of the one Arguello 'unveiled' in the Escalera rematch.

In the two fights I've seen from Leon Salazar, there's almost nothing to dislike. Sure, he completely disregards anything that could even be distantly related to boxing technique, but he had a massive heart, didn't stop trying and a typically Mexican style (despite being Panamanian). He had this jarring bob and weave which genuinely looked really effective when he used it. He did while hurt at the end of the second, and Carbajal missed every punch. Hurt badly in the second, and what does he do to start the third? Walks over to touch gloves with a massive smile on his face. This fight and the Too Sharp fight show how great a heart he had, and how entertaining he was.

I was right btw, this was a cracking little scrap.

 

Just watched this twice over, again, because of George lol. Such a ridiculously sharp, dominant performance over a quality boxer. This version of Kim could go through quite a few Flys imo.

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Dunno **** all about the first fight, but I've heard this one was good. Just jumped straight in.

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10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9 (30/27)
10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9 (60/54)
10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9 (

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Weir seemed content to sit back and jab, look for his cross and stay away of Matlata. Jake seems to be very adept at countering jabs with his own, stepping in as he did so and coming over the top with the cross. It's working well vs Weir, just as it did vs Jimenez. That short left hook he's hitting Weir with looks horrid. Just a well schooled, ceaseless, suffocating pressure fighter. The tight left hooks to the body, the uppercuts from either hand, and the overhand right are all excellent shots, but it's the Qawi-isms that are really impressing me. Jab-and-roll, step in with each counter.

Nothing special about this fight. Just a dominant, workman-like performance over a decent fighter. Not a great fight or performance, just a decent little venture and a solid title defence. I did pick up a golden nugget, though. They mentioned a fight with Luigi Camputaro, and that it was a "right corker". It's on YouTube, so I'll give it a go.

Re: first fight - seems to have been inconclusive? Cut induced decision in five, could be interesting.

 

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Flyweight Title fight took place on December 4th, 1993. Matlala was the champ, making his first defence and his opponent was a gutsy tough Italian by the name of Luigi Camputaro. Luigi - whom from now on in shall be referred to by his nicknames, Kid, Kid Dynamite or The Godfather, so I don't have to wrestle with my autocorrect every time I type Luigi or Camputaro - was European champion, and had been in with a much higher level than Matlala had, by that point. He'd faced a prime, pre-lay off Johnny Tapia and a prime Sugar Ray Rojas. Both of whom would be Matlala's best opponent. The Kid also landed 637 total punches in the Cecilio Espino fight, (a CompuBox record), so I'm expecting fireworks. As a sidenote, Kid would also go on to face Kennedy McKinney, years later.

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10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9 (40/36)
9 : 10
10 : 9
10 : 9 (

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Spoiler: Round By Round

#1: Solid stuff from both. Kid immediately working the uppercut as Jake ducked down and after making such anm show of it, Jake started dropping his weight and countering with the left hook. Good work as he burrowed his way up close and found the Kid easily. I liked his upper-body movement, and I liked the Kid's pivoting off and use of the straight right. It was effective when he had the space for it. And he seemed to perform best when he had Jake moving backward. 10- 9 Baby Jake.

#2: Matlala cut above the left eye, a punch seeming to be the cause. It's an absolute brawl from bell to bell. Lots of niceties in there, but these two went at it. Much better round from the Kid, he was less bullied and let his hands go. Jake was getting under shots, countering, stepping around The Kid and really showed off his arsenal. Especially when in the centre of the ring, he let his shots flow without hesitation. 10-9 Baby Jake, again.

#3: Blood everywhere, both hurt, both angry, shots flying without pause. Great action. Jake's skills still giving him the round, those counters are painting The Kid red. This is a centre-ring war, and it's brilliant. Jake 10-9.

#4: Great action, again. Jake finally got him up against the ropes, and he didn't waste the opportunity. Punches in bunches with excellent head-movement. The Kid's becoming reluctant to punch with Jake, and his right hand isn't landing clean anymore. Jake's getting more confident, landing more and seemingly, starting to really take over. 10-9 Baby Jake.

#5: The Kid's refusing to be bullied again, coming out with an even higher workrate and a massive right hand. He's targeting the eye and having success. Jake's still picking him apart counters-wise, but I thought The Godfather edged this one. He landed far more than he had previously and Jake seemed to have not been quite as vigorous.

#6: Jake's back in command. They're having it out, but he's winning the exchanges and The Kid's having to deal with it. The uppercuts Jake's timing him must sting like ****. The Kid's still working well, though. Landing big shots and in bunches, at that. Jake's round, though.

#7: It started off as being extremely competitive, like the other six. But by God, that final minute was gruesome. The Kid was painted red, and almost every I saw him throw was countered. Jake won the round, and Kid Dynamite didn't come out for the eighth.

This was an incredible fight. Just an all out war. Jake out-lasted him and broke him down, he showed an awesome skillset and an intensity which I'd only seen in one other fight from him - the Carbajal fight. The fight was gory, competitive, dramatic and had a massive pumch count. The Kid was ultimately not in that league, but he gave his best before calling it a day. I won't berate him for quitting like that, but there's definitely more dignified ways to go out. Being KTFO'd Pettway-Brown style would be more dignified than that.

Anywho, this was an excellent fight for a first defence and the commentators mentioned it not long after I'd thought it, that Baby Jake really suited being champion. It brought him confidence, it made him fight with intensity and it really did seem to give him a new 'air' about him, than what I remember from the McAuley fight.

 

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Carbajal's best performance? I'm expecting an Arguello-Kobayashi type showing, where Carbajal's skills aren't quite as refined as they later would be, but his explosiveness and overall athleticsm is at its peak.

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10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9 (30/27)
10 : 7
10 : 9
10 : 8 (

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Excellent performance by Carbajal. Some brutal shots landed here, with an impressive defensive radar on display, as well as a good chin and fast hands. It was an explosive performance, that's for sure. That uppercut found its mark often, and the crosses that succeeded them were lethal. As a tall, heavy-handed boxer-puncher, Carbajal was pretty beastly.

I've always loved Muangchai for his war with Chang, and I've longed to see the Jimenez and Tacy Macalos fights but I can't find them. Even the Arbachakov fights show plenty of likable qualities about Kittikasem. He really didn't show much here. He had s hard time making the weight by all accounts, and it seemed like he was awfully dehydrated. Even still, he gave a great effort and really tested Carbajal's chin in the sixth.

 

Jesse James Leija v Panchito Bojado

This was supposed to be a coming out party for Bojado. The bout where the 21 year old rips the scepter from the 38 year old. Only someone forgot to give Leija the script.

Round 1: 10-9 Leija
Round 2: 10-8 Bojado (scores a knockdown)
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 Leija
Round 5: 10-9 Leija
Round 6: 10-9 Leija
Round 7: 10-9 Leija
Round 8: 10-9 Bojado
Round 9: 10-9 Leija
Round 10: 10-9 Leija

Total: 97-93 Leija (actual scores: 96-93 and 95-94 for Leija and a 95-94 for Bojado. Harold Lederman also had it 95-94 for Bojado)

I clearly had it the widest for Leija, disagreeing with most that it was even that close. Bojado did well, but only in spurts. I thought Leija did a remarkable job at simply outfighting the young Turk. Strangely, looking at Bojado' record, I see he didn't fight for another 3 years after this. I wonder what happened? Was he just crushed after losing to the old-timer? So much potential. He should have used this as an education and come back as a better fighter.

 

I was in college. My father calls me and says ‘hey, let’s go to Atlanta this weekend and see the Holyfield fight.’ Springs for a couple of flights (it was a 30-minute puddle hop for us) and couple night’s hotel and next thing you know we’re watching the best fight I’ve ever seen live with my own eyes.

Great memory. Great fight. Thanks for reminding me.

 

What was the Omni like, Pat? Back in my early teens I was a big Pro Wrestling fan (for my sins) and I remember that the old Georgia Pro Wrestlng circuit had a lot of events taking place there. It was only when I watched Qawi-Holyfield that I realised it happened at the same venue. Looked it up on Wikipedia and saw it was torn down a long time ago.

 

It was about what you’d expect from a pro basketball/hockey arena to be like for its time. I’d imagine it held 15K or so? I don’t think it had luxury suites or club levels or the things you’d find today in Philips Arena in Atlanta or more modern ones.

From the outside it was an odd-looking building, I think it was supposed to be ‘futuristic’ but it was really more of a monstrosity, haha.

Spacious, a bit cavernous maybe. Kind of a lower level with a concourse and basic concessions and I think an upper deck too. (Of course seats on the floor for the fight.)

I remember it was a very loud, very pro-Holyfield crowd. I think it was mostly full but not sold out … 10-12K probably?

I loved Georgia Championship Wrestling — Dusty Rhodes and Dick Slater and Abdullah the Butcher and Mr. Wrestling 2, with Ric Flair or Andre the Giant or some attraction like that coming through every few months. Wish I could have gotten to one of those big Omni wrestling shows.

 

I remember Buzz Sawyer and The Road Warriors too. There's a load of that stuff on YouTube if you ever fancy a trip down memory lane. The pre- and post-fight 'interviews' are priceless too.

 

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I thought I may have been a little harsh on this fight in the past. Never rated it particularly highly, just thought it was a fun little seesaw battle. I don't find it as entertaining with the back and forth action that even their second fight had. I'll give it a go again, and I get to see both men at, or near, their best.

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9 : 10
8 : 10
10 : 9
9 : 10
8 : 10
10 : 9 (

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Momentum was all Chiquita, early on. Easily won the first, dropped him in the second and looked to be on his way to winning in the third. Carbajal cut him, came back and landed some good shots in the third, before Chiquita came back in the fourth. Good back and forth. Chiquita came out extremely strong in the fifth, hurt and dropped Carbajal at the start with right hooks. Carbajal did well in the sixth, though. Worked a heavy jab and found his cross, down the pipe. Did even better in the seventh, hurt him twice and then KOd him with a massive right hook. Beauty of a left cross from the southpaw stance from Gonzalez in the second, though.

 

That is so friggin cool! I have great memories of my Dad and I together for the fights. Cherish those, Pat.