the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

LARRY HOLMES vs CARL WILLIAMS

As a Holmes supporter back then I sheepishly went to school and faced my pals, most of them disliked Larry for beating their parents’ (and my parents’ too) hero Muhammad Ali a few years previously. “Holmes was lucky!” was the universal shout.
“Yea but he still won,” was my unconvincing reply because in my eyes Larry definitely dodged a bullet.
So I thought I’d revisit it and see if I felt the same.

Round 1 WILLIAMS
Round 2 WILLIAMS
Round 3 WILLIAMS
Round 4 WILLIAMS
Round 5 HOLMES
Round 6 WILLIAMS
Round 7 HOLMES
Round 8 HOLMES
Round 9 HOLMES
Round 10 WILLIAMS
Round 11 WILLIAMS
Round 12 HOLMES
Round 13 WILLIAMS
Round 14 HOLMES
Round 15 HOLMES

WILLIAMS 8 HOLMES 7

What a contest! For the first few rounds…though they were close and competitive…Williams was the better fighter imo. He was outjabbing the jab king!

Holmes came back into it around halfway and at one stage in the 9th it looked as if the tide had well and truly turned. But no, Williams came right back, backing the champion up and yet again using his jab to great effect.

Larry had a big two final rounds as if he knew he needed them for a narrow win or more than likely, looking for the KO.

But Williams held on and in my eyes he very narrowly won it. However some of the earlier rounds I gave Williams were very close so it wouldn’t have been a travesty for others to give them to Holmes.

Very competitive fight…Williams can consider himself unlucky.

 

Vic, I had it slightly wider than you, but we were definitely watching the same fight.

Larry Holmes v Carl 'The Truth' Williams

Round 1: 10-10 Even
Round 2: 10-9 Williams
Round 3: 10-9 Williams
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 Williams
Round 6: 10-9 Williams
Round 7: 10-9 Holmes
Round 8: 10-9 Williams
Round 9: 10-9 Holmes
Round 10: 10-9 Williams
Round 11: 10-9 Williams
Round 12: 10-9 Holmes
Round 13: 10-9 Williams
Round 14: 10-9 Holmes
Round 15: 10-9 Holmes

Total: 145-142 Williams

 

Yep…our judging wasn’t too far apart, I see we scored the last 7 rounds identically.
We both agree that Williams was unlucky to lose, eh

 

This is how i had it this fight all depends, on how many rounds you thought Williams won at the start. I thought it was very close fight and i had no problem, seeing Holmes nick it based on how well he comeback in 2nd half of the fight. Williams seemed to gas and Holmes did enough in later rounds, i do think this is alot more controversial than Holmes/Witherspoon which i've always thought was very overrated as a controversial fight.

Carl Williams vs Larry Holmes

1 Williams
2 Williams
3 Even
4 Holmes
5 Williams
6 Williams
7 Holmes
8 Holmes
9 Holmes
10 Williams
11 Williams
12 Holmes
13 Williams
14 Holmes
15 Holmes

143-143 Draw

I've only seen this fight once and it was years ago and i never scored it, my impression was the 1st time i watched it. Was that Carl Williams won the fight, having watched it again i scored it a draw.

I remembered Williams dominating the first half of the fight, and Holmes dominating the championship rounds. But when i watched it again that wasn't quite the case.

Williams for certain won the early rounds outjabbing Larry Holmes, but Larry Holmes still kept it somewhat competitive in the early going. Because at times Williams would only just throw the jab, and i think Holmes nicked some of the early rounds with his right hand and body shots.

The 9th round was Holmes best round of the fight as he hurt Williams with a body shot, and landed some good right hands that may of stunned Williams. But i felt like after Holmes after having few strong rounds 7, 8, 9. He allowed the momentum to shift back to Williams. As Williams outjabbed Holmes from the outside again.

Now going into the 12th i remembered it as Holmes dominating the last 4 rounds, but that wasn't quite the case. Yes Holmes upped the pace and landed some good body shots, but he certainly didn't dominate. It was more that Williams coasted maybe thinking he'd won the fight, although i still think Williams won the 13th round. But Holmes for me won 3 out of the last 4 rounds, to do enough for a draw on my card.

Final thoughts there was atleast 2 rounds that could of gone either, as you can see i scored the 3rd round even. As i couldn't split them in that round.

I think if anyone scores this fight, it's all down to how many rounds you thought Holmes won in the first half of the fight. The 1st half of the fight was alot tougher to score than the 2nd half for me.

 

Salvador Sanchez vs Danny Lopez 2

1 Lopez
2 Lopez
3 Sanchez
4 Lopez
5 Sanchez
6 Sanchez
7 Sanchez
8 Sanchez
9 Sanchez
10 Sanchez
11 Sanchez
12 Sanchez
13 Sanchez
14 Sanchez wins by TKO

127-120 Sanchez

This was a bit more competitive than the 1st fight, i felt Lopez started well he was able get some offence going. Which he really failed to do for the most part in their 1st meeting. Lopez was able to pin Sanchez on the ropes at times, and land the right hand and a few body shots, the body shots especially was something he didn't really do in 1st meeting, and Lopez was having some success with it.

I liked Lopez's effective aggression in the first 4 rounds, and i think he deserved to be ahead at that point. After the 5th round though the fight started to fall back into the same pattern as the 1st fight. As Sanchez made some adjustments, and then started to pick Lopez apart at range again like the 1st meeting, from then on the fight started to get away from Lopez as it become more and more one sided, and Lopez's wasn't really able to find any success with his offence, as Sanchez's footwork/defence and counter punching was too good.

The stoppage in the 14th round i thought was an excellent one, Sanchez landed a brutal 6 punch combination and the referee jumped in immediately very good call.

Overall a very good try from Lopez who showed great heart and courage, but unfortunately this fight is a bad style match up against the slippery smooth counter puncher in Sanchez.

 

Can’t argue with your scoring tbh. Some of the early rounds that were close I had Williams nicking it but I have no issues with calling one or two even, or LH nicking a couple

 

To be honest looking at your scorecard and @scartissue scorecard, there isn't really that much difference. Except maybe 1 or 2 rounds and a few even rounds, but overall we all see somewhat the same fight. I think why Williams was effective vs Holmes was not only because of the jab, but Holmes never really had a left hook and that was Williams biggest weakness. And since Holmes didn't have that weapon in his arsenal, it made for a very tough/frustrating nights work for him.

 

Good assessment

 

Salvador Sanchez vs Patrick Ford

1 Ford
2 Ford
3 Sanchez
4 Ford
5 Ford
6 Sanchez
7 Ford
8 Sanchez
9 Ford
10 Sanchez
11 Ford
12 Sanchez
13 Sanchez
14 Sanchez
15 Sanchez

143-142 Sanchez

I was looking forward to watching this fight again as i knew it was close fight.

This was a very fascinating contest i noticed a few things with this fight, early on Sanchez tried to bait Ford into over extending with his punches. But Ford was keeping his poise and fighting tall, so Sanchez wasn't able to bait Ford so he could counter punch. The first 5 rounds or so Ford kept Sanchez at bay with that long left jab, and Sanchez wasn't really able to have much success apart from the 3rd round when trapped Ford on the ropes.

I noticed in the 6th there was a change, Sanchez was starting to come forward more. And as the fight went on Sanchez started to time Ford's jab better and he would land the right hand more frequently.

Despite Sanchez doing better after the 6th round, i still felt Ford won some rounds when Sanchez wasn't able to close the distance. And Ford did steal a few rounds with his excellent jabbing. Sanchez's best round was the 10th round when he had Ford badly hurt along the ropes, but to Ford's credit he managed to survive that bad moment. And even comeback to win a close 11th round.

But after that i felt it was all Sanchez, as he was able to be effective aggressor and time his right hand over Ford's low left, and going into the 15th round i had it even but Sanchez clearly won the last round to win a razor thin close decision.

Overall it was a very fun tactical fight to watch, and it was intriguing to see Sanchez go about his work to try and figure out Ford. I don't agree when people say "Ford was average" the man was a freak for a Featherweight for his height and reach, and displayed very good boxing skills and a superb jab. I think alot of Featherweights would of struggled vs that version of Patrick Ford who fought Sanchez, especially with the attributes Ford had. And to me this fight doesn't "expose Sanchez" it furthers his greatness for me, that at such a young age he had boxing brain to overcome a tricky opponent.

 

Salvador Sanchez vs Pat Cowdell

1 Sanchez
2 Sanchez
3 Sanchez
4 Sanchez
5 Cowdell
6 Sanchez
7 Cowdell
8 Cowdell 2 minute round
9 Sanchez
10 Sanchez
11 Sanchez
12 Sanchez
13 Cowdell
14 Sanchez
15 Sanchez 10-8 knockdown

146-138 Sanchez

I have to say i remember this fight being alot closer, watching it again as i'm older i don't think this fight was close at all IMO. And i think it's very overrated as a close fight.

Cowdell for me just didn't punch with enough authority, he didn't throw enough punches, and his only real weapon was his jab. For me Sanchez was never in danger of losing this fight, and always looked in control. Sanchez would take rounds off backing up and Cowdell would win these rounds with his jab.

But anytime Sanchez chose to come forward, you could tell he was class above Cowdell, his punches were more effective and anytime he landed flush on Cowdell he would wobble him. Ok sometimes Sanchez wouldn't always land cleanly, because Cowdell had an awkward herky/jerky style. But the fact is Sanchez was the only fighter punching with authority in this fight, i was also impressed how Sanchez went to the body, that's a part of his game you don't really see too often.

I give Cowdell credit he's a class below Sanchez, but he managed to stay in the fight and have some moments. And also showed tremendous heart getting up from that round 15 knockdown, for a second it looked like he wanted to stay down, but much credit to him for getting up and showing his mettle.

But overall Sanchez for me clearly won this fight with effective aggression, and the much more effective punches. Cowdell was brave but clearly lost i don't know how this was a split decision honestly.

 

Dave McAuley v Baby Jake Matlala (flyweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 McAuley
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-9 Matlala
Round 4: 10-9 McAuley
Round 5: 10-9 McAuley
Round 6: 10-10 Even
Round 7: 10-9 McAuley
Round 8: 10-10 Even
Round 9: 10-9 McAuley
Round 10: McAuley drops and stops Baby Jake

Total through 9 completed rounds: 89-85 McAuley (actual scores: 89-83, 90-81 both for McAuley and an 86-86)

Believe me, don't be judgmental on that 86-86. I can see it. It was that kind of a fight. A fight that was open to the judge's interpretation. I felt every round was razor close. Sometimes decided by the last punch or two. McAuley was the harder banger but Baby Jake was the busier of the two. The KO caught the crowd - and Jake - by surprise. It looked like it was going the distance until Jake walked into that right hand. The announcer (I think it was Reg Gutteridge) didn't appear to be too awed by the fight. But I thought it was fought at a brilliant pace with a wide assortment of punches. And I enjoyed it.

 

Ford is nearly impossible to assess.

He had one quality win (over Eddie Ndukwo, who was 14-1 with a loss to Wilfredo Gomez in his previous fight but then never fought again after Ford) before he fought Sanchez.

Then he put up a good fight with Sanchez (I think it could have gone either way) and then was outclassed, broken down and taken out by Eusebio Pedroza (game effort but not a close fight). After that Ford lost to a 9-8 guy and an inconsequential 14-2-1 guy — and retired at 16-4 with four consecutive losses. He took two years off and came back for three fights spaced out a year apart, all wins but over nobodies.

And … that’s it.

We see he has tools against Sanchez but he carried no momentum out of that bout. Perhaps fighting Sanchez and Pedroza back to back took all the starch out of him. I think most figured he’d come off those two losses and stay in the rankings for some time, and with that frame move up well to 130 or even 135 one day and we’d see him again. Instead, he just fell off the map.

 

I know what you mean. I was so impressed with the Sanchez fight that I expected so much more from him. I was amazed how Pedroza handled him in comparison with Sanchez, but did expect him to rebound. So, like you, amazed how he disappeared from the face of the fistic map.

 

Pedroza was more physical than Sanchez, he took the fight to Ford more than Sanchez did. Sanchez even when he had to be aggressive, he was always in counter puncher mode.

People try and use Pedroza fight to knock Ford, but it took a career best performance from Pedroza to beat Ford. The fact he went 28 rounds with two of the top 10 best Featherweights of all time, means he was definitely not average. But maybe them two tough fights really took it out of him.

Remember Jimmy Paul seemed to age over night vs Greg Haugen, after the numerous 15 round battles he had.

 

Jeff Fenech KO4 Samart Payakarun

I was in the mood for a couple KO fights lately, and this was one of them. I wanted to study Fenech a bit more, as I've always been interested in how he could succeed at such a high level against so many styles given his own debilitating style of self-punishment.

He simply never stops being in your chest. It's simplistic to say, and of course it's more than that, but that's the essence of it. And unlike many other pressure fighters that want to get close, he's always, always throwing. Even if it's only an arm punch, his arms are always in motion. He's consistently close enough for you to smell his breath and his hands are never not moving, which has to give anyone pause, because there's just never a time when you're not having to react to his attacks. You're constantly in reaction mode, rather than setting up your own thing. There were times against Payakarun in the second and third where he'd double up on his right hand just as a push; he wasn't in position to throw a right hand properly but he pushed it out there because he knew his opponent would be kept busy with that long enough for him to set himself for other stuff he was busy dreaming up as he bored in.

Payakarun starts well enough, maintaining a bit of distance before he gets too overwhelmed and even drops Fenech in the first (flash knockdown) and I have his more powerful shots carrying the second, but he caves pretty easily when Fenech turns up the heat. The outcome seems fairly well decided by the end of the third, as the champion already looks tired and discouraged. Fenech dumps him hard along the ropes with a flurry capped off with a right to the side of the head and Payakarun is counted out.

1. Payakarun (10-8)
2. Payakarun
3. Fenech
4. Fenech drops Payakarun and he is counted out