Most disgraceful performances by defending champions

Yes. He just could not defend against a hard-nosed pressure fighter, without blatant fouling.

Here's another take from a guy I don't always agree with but, nonetheless, hits the nail on the head here...

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It's not great but he still did enough to win according the most at ringside. If it was a case if who was worse, it was Ali.

 

I suppose Ali had earned some slack by then but Canelo's been getting these favours since as long as I can remember. The judges in his fights are so bent, I can seldom watch him live, as I ended up judging a round by how I think the 3 blind mice would. I'd rather read the fight report first, then decide whether or not I can accept the fact that boxing and wrestling aren't as far apart as we want to believe.

 

I agree. My assessment was of Ali as measured against himself - not that he lost the fight.

Young fought negatively for the most part and his putting part of his body through and outside the ropes on several occasions was absolutely beyond the pale imo - certainly not the stuff of a challenger truly trying to take the title and win beyond any doubt.

 

No, Young’s performance wasn’t impressive at all.

As per my reply to MM and per the thread premise, I was focused in on the quality of Ali’s performance in its own right without touching on Young’s.

They both made for a very boring, poor quality fight.

As I recall, Young fought a much better fight against Norton though I still think Ken did enough to deserve the win.

 

Bruno v Tyson. Bruno was terrified and folded like a deck chair

 

I hear you and it’s even worse when the commentators shill for the “preferred”’fighter as if to “groom” you for an outlandish decision.

 

Aye and, as you mentioned in the Bivol example, sometimes a fighter so dominates that you know he probably won't be robbed. I remember watching the McGirt-Brown and Wright-Trinidad clinics and, for about 2/3 of the fight I couldn't enjoy the schooling as much as I should have due to the (Don King) favoured fighter getting the obvious turd decision at the end. But those fights were so one-sided you could even envisage King moving slower towards the other corner (ala Foreman-Frazier) after each round.

 

Vivian Harris getting beaten by Maussa
Braddock scamming Joe Louis because he knew he'd lose

 

I'm unfamiliar with this, what did Pazienza do?

 

I think Povetkin is equally at fault in this match. Every time he gets close to Klitschko, he shoots both arms out underneath Wlad’s armpits rather than punch. Basically if Wlad doesn’t hold his arms above his head (which he actually does later in the fight … and Povetkin STILL doesn’t punch to the body while it’s wide open), it’s seen as him clinching … but it’s really Povetkin who initiated it by thrusting his arms out.

If Povetkin merely keeps his arms tight to his body in a punching stance (elbows in, gloves up) rather than extending his arms, there’s no clinch. But he seemed allergic to punching on the inside even when he had golden opportunities.

It was just a godawful fight but Wlad’s not the only one to blame.

 

It was a masterclass in old school rough house tactics. Povetkin couldn't deal with it and got dominated

 

As much as I admire Tim's boxing career, it has to be Smith vs Witherspoon for me. Tim looked like he just didn't want to be there, bizarre for a reigning heavyweight champion.

 

I've seen this line of reasoning in Wlad's favor before; although, typically, it comes from avid Wlad fans.

But fouling is fouling. The person committing the foul is to blame and Wlad intentionally sought out the clinch, rather than box, on countless occasions, throughout the fight. Frankly, I don't know how anyone could come to the conclusion that "Povetkin" was at fault, let alone "equally at fault".

Wlad absolutely relies on the clinch instead of 'defensive boxing skills' to survive. On many occasions, Wlad actually jumps forward to initiate the clinch. Other times, both his feet leave the canvas to maximize the weight on Povetkin's neck and shoulders, during the clinch.

I am not sure of your recollection of the fight, but you might recall that Wlad was never in a hurry to get out of the clinch; never worked on the inside; just maintained his grip, head-locked him; pulled his man downward, leant down on him, threw him to the floor - just accentuating the degree of the fouling.

Sorry - but that is just not his opponent's fault.

 

He didn't. He fought like a man who'd just been paid around $90k from a $900k pay day, three times less than his promoter's 'son' earned.