Terry McGovern KO 2 Joe Gans - was it fixed ?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Unforgiven, Jun 2, 2010.


  1. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

    58,748
    21,578
    Nov 24, 2005
    Did Joe Gans take a dive ? Or was it on the level ?

    Terry McGovern was an all-time great p4p fighter in his own right, perhaps the greatest bantam/feather that ever lived.
    And, if the fight was legit, how big a win is it (considering Gans' status as all-time great lightweight) ?

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeQGaNDNi78[/ame]
     
  2. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

    37,077
    3,733
    Sep 14, 2005
    Pause at 5:33. No left hook lands. Great acting by Joe Gans. I have no doubt this was a dive. Film and documented reports confirm this. Boxing was banned for 20 years in this state because of this fight.
     
  3. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    112,982
    48,051
    Mar 21, 2007
    Gans just didn't do anything. He didn't try to block, he didn't counter, the things he was most famous for.

    The press in the following week was full of speculation.
     
  4. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    38,034
    91
    Nov 10, 2008
    The film isnt good enough qaulity to adjudge if a pucnh landed or not IMO.

    I agree Gans didnt do much but the way he was knocke dout was beleivable IMO, McGovern dropped him and everytime he just got off the ground he got walloped again and went back down.

    It probably is a dive though.
     
  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    112,982
    48,051
    Mar 21, 2007
    I'm more concerned with the non-perforance from Gans than the KO itself.

    McGovern says that Gans hit him "only once". This is one of the best fighters of the generation we're talking about here.
     
  6. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    38,034
    91
    Nov 10, 2008
    Yeh he does hardly anything in the fight.
     
  7. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    112,982
    48,051
    Mar 21, 2007
    "After the fight, which was under strict Marquis of Queensbury rules, there were many vigorous expressions of dissatisfaction among the crowd, it being openly asserted by many that Gans made a delibierate fake of the fight.

    There were numerous stories last night and today that the fight was fixed for McGovern to win and the betting set steadily in that direction during the last twenty-four hours. Wednesday night it was 1-2 that McGovern would stay the limit. Just prior to the fight it was even money that Gans would be knocked out."

    Salt Lake Herald day after the fight.
     
  8. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    38,034
    91
    Nov 10, 2008
    Could Gans have possibly been intimidated by McGovern and therefore did a Klitwschko opponent impression?
     
  9. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    112,982
    48,051
    Mar 21, 2007
    This is the other possibility.

    But Joe Gans was 89-6 at this point. Why would he be intimidated by this guy when guys like Erne, McFadden, Blackburn, Battling Nelson and Walcott did not?
     
  10. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

    58,748
    21,578
    Nov 24, 2005
    I doubt Gans was intimidated by he might have been surprised and caught off guard by McGovern's immediate power and ferocity, and just never got into the fight.

    Speculation of fixes followed several fights, esp. back in those days. Jeffries v Fitzsimmons was widely followed by fix allegations.
     
  11. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

    43,650
    13,047
    Apr 1, 2007
    What would the point of a fix be, out of curiosity? What was to be gained?
     
  12. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

    37,077
    3,733
    Sep 14, 2005
    If this wasn't a fix..then this was the single greatest win of all time.
     
    Greg Price99 likes this.
  13. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    112,982
    48,051
    Mar 21, 2007
    Money and the world title.
     
  14. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

    82,426
    1,465
    Sep 7, 2008
    If it was a fix,. why was he dropped numerous times over a few rounds? Did they bet on how many times he'd go down?

    I'm leaning towards McGovern being a beast myself :yep
     
  15. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

    10,744
    78
    Apr 4, 2010
    If you believe this fight was on the level, I've got an invisible bridge spanning the Atlantic Ocean I'd like to sell you.