Freddie Pendleton

Facing Jerome Coffee, Hilmer Kenty, Tyrone Trice and Anthony Fletcher in your first 18 or so fights doesn't speak of taking it lightly. He was thrown to the wolves a lot earlier in his career and took fights on super short notice... like the same day. He had a pretty thoughtless manager as I remember.

 

I saw tons of Pendleton. Early on he was very defensive just looking to survive.
Moved to Florida and with new trainers started being successful.
Heres the funny thing- when he actually stopped trying to just survive and actually win it turned out he had HUGE power in his righthand.
Took out Roger Mayweather. Gave a PRIME Whitaker a decent fight.
His bout with Ruleas was BS- dropped him three times only to get credit for 2 knockdowns. At the time they were trying to match the winner vs De La Hoya and Ruelas was more marketable.
He also dropped Paez a couple of times when Paez could still fight.
Latter in his career he fought Tony Lopez. Both were past it which made it a fun fight with both men hitting the canvas.

 

Fought Frankie Randall to a draw, I thought at the time Frankie shouldn't be fighting this guy, it's an all all risk no reward type fight

 

I thought he beat Randall. And this was I think prime Randall.
He also gave Jimmy Paul fits when Paul was champion.
Gave Joe Manley fits as well.
Also beat Bramble. Pendleton could fight.

 

I have a huge appreciation for Freddie Pendleton. This guy was truly "Fearless". Didn't care about losing and wanted to fight anyone. And was also a fun fighter to watch. He's been in countless of terrific fights throughout his career and scored some brutal knockouts as well. Guy could really bang. If he had better management and matchmakers he could have possibly done more with his talents.

 

Pendleton’s best scraps. Just a pleasure seeing this guy fight win or lose.

This content is protected

This content is protected

This content is protected

This content is protected

This content is protected

 

Rather than accepting the role of a trial horse whose job it was to lose, Pendleton actually learned from each fight he had and went into his next one giving it 100%. He was thrown to the wolves early and got a lot of experience . He was also a naturally hard hitter with real knockout power. I’m not sure but I believe he also changed trainers and managers a few times during his career.

 

He was thrown in early. Despite this he knocked out Tyrone Trice in the first round after taking a call to fight while he was playing pick up basketball. That fight wasn't even in his natural division at the time. It was at 140 lbs. He said he needed to get him out early because of the short notice. Soon thereafter he signed with Ed Gersh and his base bacame Miami, Florida. Gersh did a fine job with him and after a few wins got him a non-title fight with IBF champion Jimmy Paul on ESPN. I watched this fight live on ESPN. Freddie boxed well and lost a rather competitive decision. He was dropped a couple of times but not badly hurt. He gained confidence and started becoming less of a runner. He learned to box in a more positive manner, settling down on his punches more but still retained the ability to be elusive when need be. He was an underdog on paper against Mayweather. Mayweather started fast and could match or surpass Freddie in all departments - except stamina and chin. Mayweather slowed down a bit in the fifth round and Freddie bolted from his corner in the sixth and overwhelmed Mayweather with a fusilade of blows capped by a huge right hand with Roger on the ropes. Goodnight. Freddie was then matched with Frankie Randall who was ranked in the top 5 having been barely edged by a prime Rosario and knocked out the promising Sammy Fuentes with one right hand in the third round a few months earlier. Frankie had stopped Freddie on cuts only a year and a half earlier. when Pendleton was brought to Tennessee as an opponent for Randall to pad his record. The rematch, contested for the vacant USBA 135 lb. title, was a chess match with neither guy able to fully impose his will on the other and after 12 competitive rounds it was ruled a draw. Freddie was in essence a top 10 contender at this point. I remember thinking both guys looked like network level contenders and should be fighting a step above ESPN. I felt both had the potential to one day be world champions. A controversial draw with a come backing Livingstone Bramble occurred in 1987 then he stopped Bramble on cuts in a rematch in 1988. He was stopped in a shocker to John Montes in 1988 in the Strohs 140 lb. tournament at the Inglewood Forum in LA. He was susceptible to a good body attack and Montes, for all his limitations had that. Pendleton recovered well and gave Pernell Whitaker arguably his toughest defense in his 135 prime, losing a 112-116 or 111-117 type decision. This result doesn't look great on paper but at the time challengers were having trouble winning rounds against a peak Whitaker. Finally he was matched with the powerful but limited Tracy Spann for the IBF lightweight title in 1992. In another hard luck performance, Spann was cut badly by a clash of heads and it was a Technical draw. In the rematch Freddie comprehensively outpointed Spann to fulfill the prophecy I had made for him six years earlier. After beating the marketable Jorge Paez on another decision, Freddie was outpointed by the rising Rafael Ruelas in a war. Freddie should have boxed more and brawled less in that fight. He may have won if he had adhered to a proper strategy. Ruelas was a very busy and strong fighter but not slick at all. After this Freddie aligned with Don King and blew hot and cold. Highlights were stoppages of Tony Lopez and Darryl Tyson at 140 lbs in USBA title fights. I saw the Tyson fight live at the Capital Centre in Landover Maryland. It was part of a super card King put on while Mike Tyson was still in prison. Spring 1995. He lost a few fights but his allegiance to King meant he could always bounce back quickly and he got another three world title fights. He lost to Vince Phillips at 140 and to Felix Trinidad at 147 in title challenges. He wasn't too competitive in either fight and it was clear he was slipping. In a fight only DK connections could account for he was stopped by James Page in yet another 147 lb title challenge. In his prime he may have beaten Page although James was naturally bigger. Freddie still fought on a while longer but was strictly brought in as an opponent - his career had gone full circle. But now he was just a name opponent who was way past it. He was stopped early by Ricky Hatton and it was clear he was done.

 

Records mean nothing. Freddie could fight.

 

Freddie fought alot on NBC and USA network if I remember correctly. Very good crafty fighter

 

I believe Gersh noticed Freddie after Freddie had lost a close decision to one of his boxers.
Huge Pendleton fan but he was fortunate that first Spann fight was stopped because Spann had stunned him pretty good prior.
Rematch he boxed Spanns ears off.
I think Vince Phillips would have always beaten Freddie as Vince could punch and really dig to the body good- I have that fight vs Freddie and Vince outclassed him throughout.

 

Saad's post was a perfect explanation and synopsis of Pendleton's career. Absolutely and comprehensively perfect.

I was a big Pendleton fan and even spoke to Ed Gersh back in the day about him. He was a great manager for him.

 

Pendleton’s power was quite something. Some of his knockouts were nasty, especially the way he crushed Roger Mayweather and Sammy Fuentes. He had the tools to go pretty far if he had the right team and management from the start.

This content is protected

This content is protected

This content is protected

This content is protected

He does have his hot headed moment when he lost to Ed Pollard via DQ.

This content is protected

 

Randomly came across this recent uploaded video of Pendleton’s fight with Tim Brooks where he looks impressive beating Tim Brooks who was outmatched but never stops coming forward. Still hard to believe that a guy who started out as a runner and with multiple losses still manages to constantly improve his style and looking very good in some fights.

Guys like Pendleton and Emanuel Augustus are proof that having many losses on their record doesn’t indicate a lack of talent and skills. Those guys were very gifted when they put it together.

This content is protected