the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Kostya Tszyu v Jesse James Leija

On a bit of Kostya Tszyu kick today. I wanted something competitive and I got it against the underrated Jesse James Leija. Here we go.

Round 1: 10-9 Tszyu
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 Leija
Round 5: 10-9 Tszyu
Round 6: 10-9 Tszyu
Corner retirement with Leija suffering a busted eardrum not to mention a bad cut.

Total through 6 completed rounds: 59-57 Tszyu (actual scores: 59-55, 58-56 and 60-54 all for Tszyu)

There were 4 tremendously competitive rounds, but in the 5th the tide started to turn with Tszyu really getting on top. In the 6th Leija was really coming apart at the seams. But one thing I noticed in this bout. I noted in the Vince Phillips fight how amazed I was with the regularity Phillips was able to catch Tszyu with a lead or overhand right. And this fight was no different. Many times Leija caught Tszyu with an overhand right in the first 4 rounds. It was as if he never made any adaptations or corrections from the Phillips fight. A chink in his armor that someone with more of a punch than Leija had, that could exploit the flaw. Just musing here.

 

Freddie Pendleton v Tony 'The Tiger' Lopez (USBA 140 lb. title)

While doing a bit of a random search for a decent scrap I came upon this one and the matchup looked good so I took a chance and it was well worth it. Here we go.

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

Total through 7 completed rounds: 67-63 Pendleton (actual scores not known)

This was a fun fight. Every time one of these guys got close the opponent was on shaky pins. One could argue maybe a quick stoppage, but I wouldn't argue too hard. It was a tough fight for both and it was bombs away.

 

Ray Leonard vs. Floyd Mayweather, scheduled for 10 rounds at welterweight on Sept. 9, 1978, at Providence Civic Center in Rhode Island. (Not that Mayweather, his daddy.)

Ray is 13-0 (8) and ranked No. 5 by the WBA. At age 22, he weighs in at 146 3/4.

Mayweather is 15-1 (7) and ranked No. 6 by The Ring, per reports at the time. At 24, he scales 146.

The bout is televised by ABC’s Wide World of Sports with Howard Cosell on the call. Of note, Angelo Dundee has stepped away from camp with Muhammad Ali — who is fighting a rematch with Leon Spinks a week later in New Orleans — to be in Leonard’s corner.

This is an ODD fight to score:

1: Mayweather 10-9 — Floyd comes out with some nice combos, flashing good hand speed and ripping some combos to the body.

2: Leonard 10-9 — Ray is probably slightly behind after 2 minutes but then gets his jab established and finishes strong to take it.

3: Leonard 10-8 — Ray tees off as Mayweather covers on the ropes and lands a series of hard shots to the body and head. He basically loads up with impunity, getting power shots through with no return.

4: Leonard 10-8 — Again, all Ray. Mayweather goes down but it’s ruled a slip (and I treated it such in my scoring) and Leonard continues to batter him and staggers him near the bell.

5: Mayweather 10-9 — The pace slows and Mayweather is a bit busier to edge it.

6: Leonard10-9 — Much like the round before but Ray rallies late.

7: Leonard 10-9 — Mayweather is battling and maybe getting the better of it or holding his own and then Ray lands a big left hook and chops at him the rest of the round.

8: Leonard 10-7 — Ray puts him down twice, the left hook being the instigator that starts it. Fight should have been stopped. Mayweather is battered pillar to post.

9: Leonard 10-9 — Mayweather is tired and beaten down, Ray puts it on him but Floyd keeps competing.

10: Mayweather starts well with a series of jabs but Leonard finally gets the stoppage for a TKO at the 2:16 mark and you wonder what took so long to stop it.

The odd thing here is that Mayweather has several rounds where he’s in it or maybe ahead after 2 minutes and then Leonard just takes over. I think two things are at play here: 1) Mayweather hurt his right hand in the first round, but continues to use it somewhat, then I think he hurt it worse later and almost ceases to use it at all; 2) Leonard does some vicious body work in the early rounds and there comes a point where Mayweather is completely sapped.

You want to know how to attack that Philly shell, watch Ray in this fight. He throws a crippling right to the body, more of a hook, over and over when Mayweather covers and hooks off that. It sets him up to come over the top with the right and then he starts finding the timing on his hook and he’s just deadly.

This is a perfect example of a prodigy showing growth before our eyes. To this point Ray has been in with guys who can’t match him for speed, power or anything else. Mayweather can match his speed and is more savvy, more of a pro. Leonard showboats (badly) several times and just looks silly doing it, but eventually he settles down and starts fighting like a real pro and just walks through a pretty good opponent.

 

Carl “The Truth” Williams vs. Mike “Hercules” Weaver, scheduled for 10 rounds, heavyweights, at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., on Feb. 16, 1986.

Weaver is 27-11-1 (17) and weighs 213. He is coming off a loss to Pinklon Thomas for the WBC crown.

Williams is 17-1 (13) and weighs 218. This is his second fight since losing his title bid against Larry Holmes, with a TKO 10 over Jesse Ferguson in his most recent outing.

ABC televises with the splendid Chris Schenkel on the call. Mike Tyson stopped Ferguson in six rounds on the undercard.

Round 1: Williams 10-9 — Truth comes out fast and aggressively, landing sharp punches and backing Weaver up. He doesn’t box from a distance behind the jab like you’d expect.

Round 2: Weaver drops Williams three times, the final one resulting in a stoppage at 2:37 of the round. Williams had continued to take it to Weaver and landed a big 1-2 that staggered Weaver, but when he went in for the kill he got caught with a peach of a left hook that sent him crashing down. He never recovered as Weaver was all over him, twice more felling Williams to end it.

This seems to be a case of a guy going against type and paying the price — Weaver was a notoriously slow starter and the plan was obviously to jump him before he got going. It almost worked, but Hercules was an ever-dangerous guy and this is another reminder that he was never out of a fight.

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One of best two-rounders of all time!

 

I'd never seen this before. Maybe they're not 'bigger and stronger' like today's heavies, but the Boxing is so much sharper. I'd rather watch this 6 times over than some current hyped, sloppy Heavy fight from the 'top 10'.

 

Are you kidding? Weaver is strong as hell!

 

This fight to me encapsulates everything good and bad about Weaver — durable and sturdy, always dangerous but also a slow starter who can get derailed (as he nearly did) before the train starts chugging.

Likewise, it also exposed Williams’ weakness but showed he could be an offensive force when he chose to be.

 

They should have rematched.

 

Jose Medel vs Jesus Pimental

JM : JP

1: 9 - 10 Not much occuring. Pimental on a hook.
2: 10 - 9 Both patient. Medel countering.
3: 10 - 9 Medel controlling the rythym.
4: 8 - 10 Medel dropped with a right but rallies back!
5: 9 - 10 Pimental working.

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6: 10 - 10 Round was cut short so giving it even.
7: 9 - 10 Pimental pressuring smartly with jab.
8: 10 - 9 Close.
9: 10 - 7 Medel drops Pimental with a huge counter and then again with an extended flurry.
10: 10 - 9 Close exchanges. Medel on counters.

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TOTAL: 95 - 93 MEDEL

Notes:

• Both conservative early on, feeling each other out. Medel did not want to lead.
• Pimental has a very old fashioned looking style. He would fit right in on a 1920 film.
• Medel managed to retake control and ultimately win due to the spirited 9th round. Pimental was exceptionally game to keep going after that.
• These old adverts lol.

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Rough, scored this a year or two back. Here is how I had it.

Jesus Pimental vs. Jose Medel over 10 rounds, California scoring. One point for a round, none for even rounds and an extra point for a knockdown.

Round 1: Even
Round 2: Medel
Round 3: Medel
Round 4: Pimental (scores a knockdown)
Round 5: Pimental
Round 6: Pimental (on the film this was an abbreviated round so I had to take a leap of faith on what I had seen up to that point)
Round 7: Medel
Round 8: Even
Round 9: Medel (scores 2 knockdowns)
Round 10: Pimental

Total: 6-5 Medel (95-94 on the 10 point must system)

Actual scores were 7-4 (twice) and 8-6 all for Medel. Not only was this fight hard-banging it was a pleasure watching the traps Medel was setting along the ropes. He had a sharp, speedy jab and was a killer counter-puncher. Pimental's jab was hard and not so speedy, but his power was evident. Damn good fight and I would have loved to have been at ringside. The sound of these bombs they were throwing had to be sublime.

 

Tommy Hearns v Iran Barkley II

Round 1: 10-10 Even
Round 2: 10-9 Hearns
Round 3: 10-9 Barkley
Round 4: 10-8 Barkley (scores a knockdown)
Round 5: 10-9 Barkley
Round 6: 10-10 Even
Round 7: 10-9 Barkley
Round 8: 10-9 Barkley
Round 9: 10-9 Hearns
Round 10: 10-9 Hearns
Round 11: 10-10 Even
Round 12: 10-10 Even

Total: 117-114 Barkley (115-113 and 114-113 both for Barkley and a 114-113 Hearns for a split win for Barkley)

For one, toughie to score. A point which took a bit of the edge off me trying to enjoy the fight. A fight that had peaks and valleys in entertainment value. Hearns lolled around on the ropes for 12 rounds, cutting loose only in spurts. Barkley on the otherhand, kept up the pressure throughout. I think I recall in the 9th saying to myself that Barkley looked like he was punching under water. Although slowing to a crawl he was still fighting. This is one of those fights where you have to study the whole chess board and take every nuance into account when scoring. Again, a toughie to score, but I still found enough to enjoy it as well.

 

Iran Barkley v Michael Olajide

If you guys are in the mood for a fun fight (and why wouldn't you be?), you need to check this out. I know I saw it back in the day, but I could watch this a couple of times and enjoy it over and over. NY rounds scoring.

Round 1: Barkley
Round 2: Barkley (scores a knockdown)
Round 3: Barkley
Round 4: Olajide (scores a knockdown)
Round 5: Barkley drops and eventually stops Olajide

Total through 4 completed rounds: 3-1 Barkley

Short but explosive. Olajide was always about flash, but Barkley was a wrecking ball in this fight and had Olajide's legs doing some crazy dance moves when he connected, which was often. Bombs away, guys. So have some fun with this.

 

Underrated great fight.