You want to learn what a masterful jab is, you watch tapes of Hearns, Holmes, and Ali. You want to learn what does it mean to have a heart in boxing, you watch Joe.
Hi Fergy. That's for sure, if I close my eyes and drift back, I can hear the body punches he was laying on the hapless Paul Sykes, in a made up ring and gym at the Cafe Royale, when Joe came over here to fight Bugner, there was maybe 40 of us who had paid £15 or so, can't really remember, to watch Frazier workout, I mean he wasn't big as far as HWs go, in particular these days, but he looked huge to a small skinny teenager like me, how Sykes stayed upright for the 6 rounds, i will net her know, mind you, game fellow was Sykes,after the sparring it was questions to Durham, there was the usual polite banter about how great Joe was, then one discerning wag leaped up and shouted " what happened against Foreman " came the reply from a dole faced Durham " he got hit " nuff said..... stay safe buddy, chat soon.
Here´s a link with some footage of it: This content is protected Love Frazier, his swarming style with that brutal left hook. Brilliant. No quarter given or asked from him. Great fighter unfortunately overshadowed by Ali but no one can take away the 1st fight from him.
Nice one Fred! I know about Sykes, he actually came from a place not far from where I live. But I didn't know about this. Cheers!
Your welcome! Sykes was a wasted talent. The sparring was 5 years before turning pro,I believe he was in prison for those years. Had he not been there he could have turned pro earlier, might have been at least British champ. Gave John L. Gardner a good tussle. Imagine he had fought Joe Bugner or the vicious punching but wild Danny McAlinden. Would have been a classic.
