the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Wladimir Klitschko vs Tony Thompson I

Round 1: Wlad 10:9
Round 2: Wlad 10:9
Round 3: Wlad 10:9
Round 4: Thompson 10:9
Round 5: Thompson 10:9
Round 6: Wlad 10:9
Round 7: Wlad 10:9
Round 8: Wlad 10:9
Round 9: Wlad 10:9
Round 10: Wlad 10:9
Round 11: KO

Total by the time of the stoppage: 98:92 Wladimir Klitschko

Surprisingly very fun and a competetive fight for the first half. Thompson turned out to be a tricky customer and Wlad had to spend a few rounds to figure him out. He was never in a danger of losing, as all Tony was doing was touching him, but it got him 2 rounds on my scorecard. Harold Lederman also gave him the first, but he gave the 4th and the 5th to Klitschko. So I can safely say, Tony won 3 rounds tops in this fight. Wlad showed he could make adjustments, break him down, and stop a fighter who never was stopped, before or since up until his last fight when he was 45.

 

Evander Holyfield v Hasim Rahman I

Round 1: 10-10 Even
Round 2: 10-9 Holyfield
Round 3: 10-9 Holyfield
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 Rahman
Round 6: 10-9 Holyfield
Round 7: 10-9 Holyfield
Round 8: the bout is stopped due to an enormous swelling on Rahman's forehead above his left eye

Total through 7 completed rounds: 69-66 Holyfield (actual scores: 69-64 and 69-64 both for Holyfield and a 67-66 for Rahman)

The battle of the Hematoma

A decent fight with some good exchanges that was continually heating up until the 7th when a brief exchange where they clashed heads and Rahman came out of it with a massive selling on his forehead that was quite rightly stopped midway into the 8th. Harold Lederman insisted that he knew NJ rules and that the 8th round - partial as it was - should have been scored as well. I don't know what happened but it was scored through 7. The result was a bummer because Vander looked like he was really making headway (no pun intended).

 

Carlos Monzon v Bennie Briscoe II (middleweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Briscoe
Round 2: 10-9 CM
Round 3: 10-9 CM
Round 4: 10-9 CM
Round 5: 10-9 CM
Round 6: 10-9 CM
Round 7: 10-9 CM
Round 8: 10-9 CM
Round 9: 10-9 Briscoe
Round 10: 10-9 CM
Round 11: 10-9 CM
Round 12: 10-9 CM
Round 13: 10-9 CM
Round 12: 10-9 CM
Round 13: 10-9 CM
Round 14: 10-9 CM
Round 15: 10-10 Even

Total: 148-138 Monzon (actual scores: 149-143, 150-139, 149-139 all for Monzon)

My first chance of looking at this fight - aside from highlights over the years - as I dislike scoring anything unless it's in its entirety. I saw the time on this and thought it looked solid, and it was. The fight itself was a good fight and despite the fact they had an Argentine ref (more on that later) and 3 Argentine judges, the decision was sound. Briscoe did an admirable job and tested Monzon's whiskers throughout. However, everything he threw, which was impressive, was only in ones. He would throw one ramrod jab, one heavy body punch, one scorching right hand. Whereas Monzon continuously threw off-setting sharp combinations to the head throughout the bout. I will say when Briscoe hurt Monzon in the 9th, it was a very poor followup from Briscoe. He may have been a bit fatigued at that point because he was never noted for that with the taste of blood in his mouth.

An interesting point about that referee that the announcer made. The referee really hampered Briscoe in the first several rounds. Warning him for the most minor of infraction. The announcer then told the tale that this was the same referee from the second Benvenuti fight and was seen before or after helping to carry Monzon's luggage when getting off the plane. When officials do bonehead things like this it sends a message to everyone with a pen that there is something smelly afoot. I recall the same thing happening in the controversial Patterson-Ellis fight when the sole official Harold Valan was seen having breakfast with Ellis and his camp before the contest. You don't want to send a message that the fix is in.

 

Bennie Briscoe v Tony Mundine

Round 1: 10-9 Mundine
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-9 Briscoe
Round 4: 10-9 Briscoe
Round 5: Briscoe KOs Mundine

Total through 4 completed rounds: 39-38 Briscoe

On a Briscoe kick here. I remember this fight so well. I always felt one could see how a publication is leaning in their writings and Ring Mag was no different. They were really pushing Mundine as the successor to Monzon IMO. Well, I was always a Briscoe man and this irked me. But I jumped out of my seat when reading that Briscoe KOd Mundine. I enjoyed watching this so many years later and those first 4 rounds were really fought with a good game plan from Mundine. This fight really exposed Mundine's chin but he fought those first 4 rounds smartly evading and countering with sharp punches. They were so close I know others would score it differently but this was my score through 4 with Briscoe's pressure catching up slowly. I will also say one more thing. That ref really took his time with that count.

 

D, I wanted to check this out after reading your review and am finally getting around to it. Never watched it before, just highlights.

Muhammad Ali v Karl Mildenberger (heavyweight title) (scored on a rounds basis)

Round 1: Ali
Round 2: Even
Round 3: Mildenberger
Round 4: Ali
Round 5: Ali (scores a knockdown)
Round 6: Ali
Round 7: Ali
Round 8: Ali (scores a knockdown)
Round 9: Ali
Round 10: Ali (scores a knockdown)
Round 11: Ali
Round 12: Referee stops contest with Mildenberger in distress

Total though 11 completed rounds: 9-1-1 Ali (actual scores: 7-2-2, 7-3-1 and another 7-3-1 all for Ali - it should be noted that several different publications had the last two scores differently. The only one all agreed upon was referee Teddy Bentham's 7-2-2)

Mildenberger was very strong and one could see the southpaw style really didn't sit well with Ali. He took punches he wouldn't normally take. But it was said during the telecast by Cosell that he really trained with southpaws and clearly learned the bane of every southpaw was the lead right and worked it to his advantage against a tough opponent. Cool seeing this one.

 

Finally got around to watching Hopkins vs Calzaghe, which had been on my watchlist for years but which I hadn't been especially motivated to watch. Quite enjoyed it though, Hopkins was his usual crafty self, controlling the pace and range of the fight with his relaxed but clever footwork, while Calzaghe tried gamely to cut him off and force him to exchange with him. I've watched very little Calzaghe in all honesty, but what I saw here, I wasn't especially impressed with. I did like how in the second half of the fight, he figured out that if he backed out while Hopkins attempted his ambush right hand, he could punish him by countering his over-extension with a combination. Didn't do it especially often though, and seemed to resort back to stalking, letting himself be tied up, and then trying to slap out of the clinch even though Cortez didn't let either stay there especially long and Hopkins routinely got the better of him in the pocket.

Scored the fight 116-111 for Hopkins. Gave him the first six rounds, and thought he won the 8th and 10th. The 4th and 6th rounds were especially close, and I could very easily see an argument for Calzaghe winning those rounds, but I thought Hopkins clearly did the cleaner work overall, with more effective punching, and very subtle defence. Don't really understand how people can see this as a clear Calzaghe win in all honesty. He looked a bit listless at various points throughout this fight and especially during the first half. Even still, enjoyed this fight and the high level it was fought at.

 

Juan (Kid) Meza v Mike Ayala (super bantamweight title)

I'm amazed that I never saw this fight before. Moreso, because this was a co-feature on the Julio Cesar Chavez - Ruben Castillo card. How did I miss it? Regardless, seeing it now, and I loved it. Ayala was very sharp in this bout but he was against a physical specimen in Meza who had 5" in height and a fair reach advantage as well. Mike just could not get close enough to Meza to really mount any kind of an attack. He would nail Meza solidly but never be able to follow up. And his strategy of laying on the ropes in an attempt to counter proved his undoing in the 6th when he came under a bombardment and was dropped and stopped. Still, an enjoyable fight. I gave Meza every round for a 50-45 score through 5 completed rounds (actual scores: 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 all for Meza.)

 

Junior Jones vs. Marco Antonio Barrera 2

It was a good fight, and very close. I had the rounds the same as Harold Lederman, only he gave Jones the 11th. I gave it to Barrera, so I had Barrera ahead 114-113

Round 1: Jones
Round 2: Barrera
Round 3: Barrera
Round 4: Jones
Round 5: Barrera
Round 6: Barrera
Round 7: Barrera
Round 8; Jones
Round 9: Jones 10-8 (Barrera had a point deducted for low blows)
Round 10: Jones
Round 11: Barrera
Round 12: Barrera

 

The rematch might have been Ali at his sharpest of any of his fights in the 70s

 

TS, I had it a bit wider for Jones - and I was a big Barrera supporter. But what can you do? We all don't see things the same. Here's how I saw it.

Junior Jones vs. Marco Antonio Barrera II

Round 1: 10-9 Jones
Round 2: 10-9 Barrera
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 Jones
Round 5: 10-9 Jones
Round 6: 10-9 Barrera
Round 7: 10-9 Jones
Round 8: 10-9 Jones
Round 9: 10-8 Jones (point deducted from Barrera for continued low-blows - 3rd warning)
Round 10: 10-9 Jones
Round 11: 10-9 Barrera
Round 12: 10-9 Barrera

Total: 116-112 Jones

Actual scorecards were 116-111, 114-113 and 114-112 all for Jones

Amazing how a fighter can show up and have that Indian hex over a great. And this is the case here. You gotta give Jones his due.

 

I thought it was one of those closely contested, tough fights to score that shows how subjective judging can be.

Sometimes if someone has their card 6 points away from mine, I think “WTF were they watching?”. But in this case, an official judge having it 116-111 for JJ doesn’t bother me.

 

Hasim Rahman vs Oleg Maskaev II - WBC Heavyweight Championship.

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Round 1 - Rahman 10-9
Round 2 - Rahman 10-9
Round 3 - Rahman 10-9
Round 4 - Rahman 10-9
Round 5 - Maskaev 10-9
Round 6 - Maskaev 10-9
Round 7 - Maskaev 10-9
Round 8 - Rahman 10-9
Round 9 - 10-10 Even
Round 10 - Maskaev 10-9
Round 11 Maskaev 10-9
Round 12 - Maskaev TKO

My score before the stoppage - 105-105. The judges - Rahman 106-103, Maskaev 105-104 and 106-103.


Second fight between the pair, this time for the WBC heavyweight title. Rahman with the better start, outjabbing and outlanding the somewhat lackadaisical Maskaev. A rather spiritless beginning, I might add. Nothing particularly exciting. From the 4th round and the mid rounds in general, Maskaev starts to land sneaky right hands and get the better of the exchanges - the fight is starting to heat up as both throw and receive wicked punches. Maskaev warned multiple times for excessive clinching (which wasn't very fair, but thankfully wasn't deducted points). Rahman was a solid eight round to turn the tides. Round nine, Rahman was more active throughout, but Maskaev landed the more meaningful punches, so I scored it even. From ten and eleven, Maskaev more impactful with his shots and gets the better work done. Both are dead tired before the final bell. Rahman's corner are trying to keep him calm and tell to be careful. Maskaev's corner are imploring their charge to go at him. The people behind Maskaev were right, this is for the championship belt, its extremely close and you can't leave it to the judges. Maskaev with a 1-2-1 combo floors Rahman. Rahman gets up, but is wobbled and tired. He does everything in his power to remain on his feet, as Maskaev throws everything at the kitchen sink at him...Finally as Rahman is against the ropes, Maskaev delivers a series of straight shots and the ref waves it off...In the words of Lennox Lewis....

IT'S OVAH!!!

Even though both were probably diminished at that point in time, it was an enjoyable heavyweight battle. 2006 was a pretty fun year for the division. You obviously had this battle, Brewster-Liakovich was tremendous battle. Wladimir Klitschko became a champion for the second time against Chris Byrd. You had Nikolai Valuev....well let's not talk about him.

Rahman was an all around better fighter than Maskaev, yet the Russian simply had his number. Better amateur experience and in general his hand cordination was a key factor every time they exchanged punches. Maskaev managed to land the coup fatal in both fights.

 

Chuck, I too had it very close. This is how i saw it:

Hasim Rahman v Oleg Maskaev II (Heavyweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Rahman
Round 2: 10-9 Rahman
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 Rahman
Round 5: 10-9 Maskaev
Round 6: 10-10 Even
Round 7: 10-9 Maskaev
Round 8: 10-9 Rahman
Round 9: 10-9 Rahman
Round 10: 10-9 Maskaev
Round 11: 10-9 Maskaev
Round 12: Maskaev drops and stops Rahman

Total through 11 completed rounds: 106-105 Rahman (actual scores: 106-103 Rahman, 106-103 Maskaev and 105-104 Maskaev)

This really was amazing. There was 7 years before their first and second fights and they just picked up from where they left off with neither, seemingly, having lost anything. Like their first encounter, good, sharp punching throughout the contest with a wild ending. Good fight.

 

Julio Cesar Chavez v Danilo Cabrera (Jr. Lightweight title)

Every fighter should be so lucky to have a management team like Danilo Cabrera's. A fighter who really achieved nothing in his career except to somehow wrangle 3 shots at the world title. After having been knocked out by Barry McGuigan and Azumah Nelson at 126, that somehow qualified him for a shot at Chavez' 130-pound title. Amazing! Anyways, I watched this because I recall Cabrera's style of taking a swipe at the fighters already mentioned. It seemed that was his magic. Not really setting a pace or a set plan, but would sort of explode with a combination or two. Against Chavez, well...that doesn't work too well. Chavez pounded him every round from pillar to post, finding a home for his El Gancho to the liver. Chavez dropped him in the 1st round, came close to stopping him in the 12th - until Cabrera started to fight back- and romped to an easy decision where the only thing that could have possibly hurt was his hands. Also, in the 8th round, the ref clearly took a point from Cabrera, which I believe was for a low blow, but I don't see that reflected in the judges 8th round scores on boxrec. Again, it was pretty clear there was a deduction. Anyways, my very conservative score was 120-106 for Chavez (actual scores: 120-105, 120-102 and another 120-102 all for Chavez). For such a one-sided score, I didn't mind the fight too much because, it was like I said, Cabrera would let loose every round enough to make it interesting.

 

Nice shouts for Rahman vs Maskaev II

I always felt that was one of the better heavyweight title fights since Lennox retired. Not an all out war but good back and forth action and a dramatic close. I remember being on vacation and seeing the highlights late night on ESPN when the highlight shows still had some boxing coverage.