Just found this awesome clip of Joey Archer. My dad use to talk about Joey Archer when I was kid. The guy didn't have much power but his jab and and ability to dictate space was 2nd to none. Anyone else a fan? This content is protected
Oh yeah! I actually viewed Griffith-Archer II right after viewing Pastrano-Johnson. Joey had a good right hand, but boxing orthodoxy states that the right should be used for defense at least 80% of the time. Archer exceeded that 80% minimum considerably. Tough guy. In Griffth II, Emile nailed him with a hard right against the ropes. Instead of buckling, wobbling or clinching, Joey ducked down and drove Emile across the ring and against the ropes himself with a series of savage left hooks. Fascinating stylist, Malcom "Flash" Gordon's ultimate example of what he defined as "class, the ability to move and deploy the jab." He made a remarkable career out of mastering just those two things. In the early going of Griffith II, his jabs streamed out towards a ducking, dodging and slipping Emile, but they were like heat seekers, continually redirecting to wherever Griff's head would be next as the cheers of the MSG crowd mounted. With Loughran, each jab was a self contained event, a pole axe. Some might backhand on the second strike of a double jab. (Ali sometimes seemed to do this, as in Jerry Quarry II.) Others would launch multiple jabs at the same space and play the odds that some would land. But Archer's would seem to go up and down, side to side and wherever his opponent's head was. Excellent textbook case for study.
Over the last year or two I've watched his fights with Holly Mims, Denny Moyer, Victor Zalazar and Blair Richardson and enjoyed all of them. Although lacking that big punch, Archer still knew how to entertain while performing some brilliant boxing.
