the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Chavez had that Larry Holmes rare skill--- show up with his B game and still win fights. So many fighters cannot do that. If they show up with their b game, they lose. And often times lose badly.

 

Julio Cesar Chavez vs Edwin Rosario

Staggering display of pressure and body punching from Chavez to virtually shut out a quality fighter like Rosario. Rosario displayed a huge heart but almost no game plan. He couldn't decide if he wanted to box or to slug and ended up being beaten at both games by Julio. Interesting that his told his corner his arms were numb in round 6 which I imagine were from Chavez's relentless assaults. I would be interested to know if anyone has more info on the backstory to this fight? I imagine Edwin's party ways played a part in his lack of focus and zip. It seemed as soon as he realised he couldn't hurt Chavez he had no plan B. Possibly he got caught up in the macho side of the confrontation but he was never going to be able to out slug Chavez. He had such a nice quick jab and good mobility but kept retreating to the corner rather than boxing and then getting totally shredded. It got to the point where every time he retreated into a corner I started to wince. Not a great fight as so one sided but worth watching as an example of everything that made Chavez a superstar.

Probabaly the best phone booth warfare I have seen outside of Fenech vs Nelson I.

1 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

2 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

3 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

4 - Chavez 9 vs Rosario 10

5 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

6 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

7 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 10

8 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

9 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

10 - Chavez 10 vs Rosario 9

11 - KO11 Chavez

Chavez 99 - Rosario 92

 

Larry Holmes vs. Earnie Shavers, heavyweights, scheduled for 12 rounds at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on March 25, 1978, in a WBC eliminator.

Larry, 28, is 26-0 and ranked No. 4 by the WBC. Earnie, 33, is 54-6-1 (53) and ranked third. Both weigh 210.

1 — Holmes 10-9: Starts with that drumbeat jab and closes strong, but Earnie got through with one big right.

2 — Shavers 10-9: Earnie lands four big rights. Larry commands most of the round with his right but Holmes is wary. One thing of note here: Holmes throws some beautiful left hooks, more than you usually see. I thought Shavers’ power shots edged it.

3 — Holmes 10-9: Jabbing and making Earnie miss. He’s dialed in.

4 — Holmes 10-9: Larry mixes it up and everything is working. His handspeed edge is apparent. (Larry’s trunks split this round and Richie Giachetti had someone go fetch a spare from the locker room and they changed them on the stool, haha.)

5 — Holmes 10-9: Larry hurts Shavers with a right and blisters him with the follow-up. He’s not afraid to trade or slug with the dangerous Earnie, who sustains a cut under his left eye.

6 — Even 10-10: Earnie opens up and is very aggressive in controlling the middle of the round, including some nice body work. Larry does his thing but Shavers’ work makes this round even on my card. (Round goes 3:10 due to timekeeper error.)

7 — Holmes 10-9: He batters Shavers in the last 15 seconds. If he hurt him a bit earlier I think he might have gotten him out of there.

8 — Holmes 10-9: Larry lands a sizzling uppercut and goes toe to toe. Earnie is starting to tire. Larry manhandles him in close.

9 — Holmes 10-9: Larry gets on his toes for the first time and dominates, including a big flurry off the ropes.

10 — Holmes 10-9: Larry moves and boxes, Earnie follows but starts using his jab and hook a bit more to make this one close. Still went with Holmes.

11 — Holmes 10-9: More of the same but Larry is pulling away at this point and Shavers can’t do much about it.

12 — Holmes 10-8: Larry keeps moving, some nice combos and accurate single shots, then finishes strong by wobbling Earnie in the final seconds and raking him over to the bell.

My card: Holmes 119-110. Official cards 120-108 x 2 (shutout) and 119-109.

This was Larry’s coming out party. Credit to Howard Cosell on the solo call, who really gets on the Holmes bandwagon to make it clear this is a quantum-leap performance that puts him firmly in the mix at the top of the heavyweight division while Leon Spinks and Ken Norton have the split titles with Jimmy Young, old Ali and Foreman all still in the picture. He raves about Holmes, and if you were around in the day whatever you think about him, Howard was an opinion-maker … when he said it, it carried weight.

Of note: On the undercard, Alexis Arguello, Michael Dokes and Carlos de Leon all won.

This is a masterclass, the first time we really see Holmes — who had certainly shown skill and some flashes before — steps into his own and displays true greatness against a massive puncher who wasn’t done yet (as his one-round demolition of Norton not too terribly much later would show).

Check it out in gorgeous 1080p 60 fps

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Antonio Tarver v Roy Jones I (light heavyweight title)

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

Total: 115-114 Jones (actual scores: 114-114, 116-112 and 117-111 both for Jones for a majority win for Jones - also Harold Lederman scored it 116-112 for Jones)

I only found 4 scorecards on this thread on this fight (don't think I'm scrutinizing these things for hours, the whole process takes under a minute) with 3 going for Jones and the 4th scoring it a draw. This fight deserves a bit of attention. I found it to be a good fight and a tense fight right down to the wire, unlike many of Jones' fights from this era, which were blowouts. Man, when Jones controlled ring center, he was an artist in there, but when Tarver took him to the ropes, he rained havoc on Roy. A good fight, which again, deserves more attention.

 

Hector Camacho vs Edwin Rosario

I watched this under the impression it was seen as very controversial decision but had Camacho winning pretty clearly despite Rosario having two huge rounds in 6 and 11. Interestingly the punch stats had Hector throwing far more punches overall but both fighters landing around the same. Can't say I agree with this and wonder if Camacho's combinations were just to quick to be counted by the technology?

I thought Camacho showed a lot of guts and remained cool under pressure, as well as showing a very good survival instinct when hurt. Rosario was simply too one dimensional and let rounds he could have won slip by. I feel he could have finished it in round 7 but took his foot off the gas, presumably having punched himself out.

A very interesting watch between two excelletn fighters. It reinforced my opinion that Rosario was an overachiever while Camacho was an underachiever. A shame there wasn't a rematch!

Would be interested to see what others scored this as?

1 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 9

2 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 9

3 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 9

4 - Camacho 9 vs Rosario 10

5 - Camacho 9 vs Rosario 10

6 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 9

7 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 9

8 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 9

9 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 9

10 - Camacho 10 vs Rosario 10

11 - Camacho 9 vs Rosario 10

12 - Camacho 9 vs Rosario 10

FINAL Camacho 116 - Rosario 113

 

Julio Cesar Chavez W10 Tony Martin

I watched this with the memory in mind that Martin had beaten Chavez in this twilight period of the great Mexican's career. Later, I saw that it was actually Willy Wise that beat Chavez, not Martin. It was a decent, intriguing fight anyway.

Chavez comes in at a career-high 151, which was shocking to see. He looked like he'd trained on buttered ham and milkshakes, to be honest. Not a flattering look. Martin is a solid journeyman fighter, 5'9" to Chavez's 5'7".

Martin starts out confidently enough, but becomes a little tentative when Chavez begins connecting with his right hand. Martin's face begins showing the effects of the punches almost right away, though he is never terribly hurt except for being briefly wobbled once very late in the fight. Chavez's power is felt at this weight, but it's not the debilitating force it had once been, and he's forced to fight his way inside to deliver these less effective shots against bigger, taller men, paying a heftier price than he used to have to.

Chavez has years of experience that Martin cannot begin to summon however, and he still has a canny knack of placing punches where they are most effective and lands at a far higher rate, even if Martin tends to fire more often. Martin has fewer miles on his body (though he's actually 36 to Julio's 34 here, not exactly a pup) and seems quicker and hungrier but he's just not as skilled and doesn't fight with the necessary confidence to unload what he has to in order to win. Very winnable fight for him, but he just doesn't have the blend of skills and mindset to pull it off. Close though.

Chavez waddles through the middle rounds picking up steam and begins to build a lead. It's interesting too, to listen to the once sycophantic Showtime announching crew of Albert, Pacheco and Czyz now sort of talk smack about Julio being the big spoiled whiny baby he very obviously was. They felt free now to chuckle to themselves about how Chavez never finished a fight without a complaint or excuse of some kind, etc., etc. Just a few short years earlier, they fell all over themselves fawning over the precious commodity Don KIng no doubt instructed them to talk up to the audience at home. Now that Chavez's stock had fallen, he was just another whiner. Interesting.

Then Chavez tires. Martin begins to realize he's still there and has the ability to control his own destiny and begins to land sharp rights and starts winning rounds. Martin was deducted a point in I think the fourth round (might have been the fifth) for a low blow and had a massive points hill to climb, but he almost pulls it off against a wheezing, bloated JCC. Chavez pulls out the final round on my card to allow him to squeak by, though the official cards were absurdly wide for the Mexican. JCC survuves with a badly swollen left eye and an equal mark against his aura, but he escapes with the win.

1. Martin
2. Chavez
3. Chavez
4. Chavez (10-8, point taken from Martin for low blow)
5. Chavez
6. Martin
7. Martin
8. Martin
9. Martin
10. Chavez

95-94 Chavez.

 

Salvador Sanchez (c) vs. Azumah Nelson, scheduled for 15 rounds for the WBC featherweight championship on July 21, 1982, at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

I had seen this fight before but never got around to scoring it. Hard to revisit knowing Sanchez’s fate soon after, but it’s a helluva fight. I’m certain @salsanchezfan will want to weigh in, which I of course welcome (love to see cards of others).

Sanchez, 43-1-1 (30), of Mexico City, is making his ninth defense of the title he won with a stoppage of Danny Lopez. He weighs 126.

Nelson, 13-0 (10), of Accra, Ghana, is the Commonwealth champion and basically a complete unknown at this time. He’s a late sub for Colombian contender Mario Miranda, who was cut in a win over Marcos Villasana a month earlier (he will soon after fight Juan Laporte unsuccessfully for the vacant title). Azumah weighs 124.

1 — Nelson 10-9: The newcomer to the world scene comes out on fire, landing a clean, hard left hook early to signal his arrival and some good rights and combinations in an aggressive start. He’s confident, too, throwing in a shuffle that he’ll use a few times in the early rounds.

2 — Nelson 10-9: Azumah keeps charging hard, flashing both hand speed and pop as he lands combinations both leading and countering a tentative Sanchez who seems perplexed.

3 — Sanchez 10-9: The unflappable champ begins to use his jab, controlling the distance and giving the aggressive Nelson some angles. He starts landing the right and finding his range.

4 — Nelson 10-9: Not so fast, my friend. In a round of terrific exchanges, Azumah’s body work and combinations edge it over Salvador’s jab and his own body work.

5 — Nelson 10-9: Some blistering body work by Nelson as they go toe to toe.

6 — Sanchez 10-9: Sanchez is back to boxing more and using his angles. Good jab and body work. Nelson is still aggressive but not putting as much punching pressure on Salvador, more just coming forward.

7 — Sanchez 10-8: Chava rocks him with a left hook early and then puts him down with the same. Nelson is game but Sal is cool as usual and dominates the round.

8 — Sanchez 10-9: Salvador wobbles Nelson early with another hook, finding a weapon of choice. He potshots Nelson, who is cautious but comes on late with some good work.

9 — Sanchez 10-9: Back to the hook, Sal does some major damage. Nelson roars back in the middle of the round but Sanchez rakes him over pretty good as they go toe to toe.

10 — Even 10-10: Neither is effective as they basically took the round off.

11 — Nelson 10-9: Azumah, who had been taking a battering since the knockdown, finds a second wind and comes on strong to win exchanges and whipping hard hooks.

12 — Sanchez 10-9: Nelson looks desperate, winging wild shots that Salvador counters with clean, accurate power punches of his own. He staggers Nelson badly at the end of the round with a hook.

13 — Nelson 10-9: Through what looks like sheer power of will, Azumah walks through Chava’s offense and unloads with everything he has.

14 — Sanchez 10-9: Nelson looks tired, legs are rubbery and his balance is going. Salvador takes him to the corner and ropes and works him over. They exchange punches after the bell.

15 — Sanchez wins by TKO at 1:49. He hurts Nelson with a right early, picks his shots and puts him down with a couple of hooks. Azumah arises and Salvador cleans up, forcing referee Tony Perez to step in.

My score: Sanchez 134-132. Official scores: 134-131 and 135-131 for Sanchez, 133-132 for Nelson. AP had it 133-132 for Salvador.

This was broadcast on the Don King Sports and Entertainment Network, a venture of which I have no memory. John Condon and Larry Holmes do a good job on the call.

EDIT: I googled and found an old UPI story announcing King’s DKSEN cable network. No idea how wide its distribution was but probably not very. They had a piece of PPV of Holmes-Cooney and carried it live apparently in some places that didn’t have closed circuit, which was still the conveyance of the day. King wanted to do 12 fights over the next year, targeting the third Wednesday of each month (as this one was) and said he was open to carrying fights from other promoters if he thought it would make money. And also to carry entertainment specials — a commercial during this fight showed some people I didn’t recognize or already don’t remember and also Don talking with Bill Cosby. The next month, on the third Wednesday, Wilfredo Gomez vs. Ruben Rubaldino headlined.

Sadly, Sanchez would die less than a month later in a car wreck. He was expected to fight Laporte next although King claimed Alexis Arguello had signed a contract to fight Salvador and backed out of it.

One has to wonder what a rematch would look like, given Nelson’s resilience and upward path coming off this bout - his next loss didn’t come until 1990 vs. Pernell Whitaker after winning 18 in a row (including 12 title fights).

Laporte, Dujuan Johnson and Mark Holmes all won on the undercard. Sanchez’s late stoppage was the only knockout on the show.

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Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter v Jose Gonzalez (NY scoring)

Round 1: Even
Round 2: Carter
Round 3: Carter
Round 4: Carter
Round 5: Carter
Round 6: Gonzalez
Bout stopped in favor of Gonzalez between rounds 6 & 7 due to a severe cut over Carter's right eye.

Total through 6 completed rounds: 4-1-1 Carter (actual scores not known)

Man, these two let it rip. Y'know, Gonzalez had no jab to speak of. It was a pawing type of punch. More of a range-finder to get inside because that was his bread and butter, although I had Carter clearly in front. But Gonzalez made a fight of it because he just loved whacking that body and he clearly had great success against big punchers in his career such as Carter, Rocky Rivero, Florentino Fernandez and Cyclone Hart. Carter was unlucky to be cut and that inside fight - along with a helpful noggin I'm sure - didn't help matters. But a good fight while it lasted.

 

For me this is a top 5 performance from Holmes he was flawless in this fight razor sharp.

 

Jones won it down the stretch and Tarver didn't do enough overall, Tarver tried to steal rounds in the last 30 seconds.

 

This was my scorecard.

Salvador Sanchez vs Azumah Nelson

1 Nelson
2 Nelson
3 Sanchez
4 Nelson
5 Nelson
6 Sanchez
7 Sanchez 10-8 knockdown
8 Sanchez
9 Sanchez
10 Nelson
11 Nelson
12 Nelson
13 Nelson
14 Nelson
15 Sanchez wins by TKO

134-131 Nelson

Only my 2nd time watching this fight and i knew Nelson did good in this fight, but i didn't remember him doing this good. This fight had 3 different momentum swings, the first 5 rounds Nelson bullied Sanchez with effective aggression, and anytime Sanchez threw a punch Nelson jumped on him immediately.

Rounds 6-10 were all Sanchez he seemed to find something with the left hook, and anytime he landed it he seemed to hurt Nelson and also dropped him with it in the 7th round.

Going into the 10th round it seemed to me Sanchez was taking over, as he'd had a really good 9th round and hurt Nelson. But amazingly the fight then shifted momentum once again, as Nelson was able to do what he did in the first 5 rounds, and that's be the effective aggressor jumping on Sanchez and bullying him in close.

I could see though that Nelson was getting really tired in 14th round, and even though he won it IMO. You could see the sand was running out of his hourglass. Going into 15th round Sanchez went out there with a purpose, Sanchez hurt Nelson again with the left hook and dropped Nelson with a series of punches. Nelson got up bravely but was badly hurt and exhausted, and after another barrage from Sanchez the referee makes a good call and stops the fight.

Overall great fight and a better fight than i remember, and also a better performance from Nelson than i remember. A few things i want to say is that Sanchez is known for his right hand, but it was his left hook that was his best weapon here, showing that Sanchez can hit with either hand. Nelson was green but i always say to these people that say Nelson was green, how many of the top 10 Featherweights then would you have picked over the Nelson that fought Sanchez ? Sanchez still deserves credit for beating a green but very strong/determined fighter and future great fighter, and staying cool/calm/collected under the amount pressure Nelson brought to him.

 

And mine:

Salvador Sanchez v Azumah Nelson (featherweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Nelson
Round 2: 10-9 Nelson
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 Nelson
Round 5: 10-9 Nelson
Round 6: 10-9 Sanchez
Round 7: 10-8 Sanchez (scores a knockdown)
Round 8: 10-9 Sanchez
Round 9: 10-9 Sanchez
Round 10: 10-10 Even
Round 11: 10-9 Nelson
Round 12: 10-9 Nelson
Round 13: 10-10 Even
Round 14: 10-9 Nelson
Round 15: TKO for Sanchez

Total through 14 completed rounds: 135-133 Nelson (actual scores: 133-132 Nelson, a 134-131 and a 135-131 both for Sanchez)

The 13th round was a tough one to score depending on your criteria. Nelson was taking the round with a lot of eye-catching flurries but Sanchez was digging to the body well. I would have given the round to Nelson (like Larry Holmes did) but that last left hook that almost dropped Nelson swayed an even round on my card. Although I had Nelson up, if he had survived the 15th I would have had an even score and Sanchez would have retained it on a draw. But a moot point as Nelson was in severe distress and the stoppage was correct. A real valiant effort by a relatively professional novice.