McFarland was charmingly open about weight draining Gibbons for the fight The Evening World- 1915 Sep 13 (page 8) By Packey McFarland. WHEN I took on the Gibbons match some people said I was making a big mistake. I make a lot of mistakes, but as long as they're always mistakes in my favor, I don't worry about it. The one mistake in the Gibbons match was Mike's weighting in at 147 pounds, and that was my mistake. I made it for Mike. The day we met in Chicago I knew that he weighed 164 pounds stripped. His face was lean and he was in good shape. He didn't have much to take off. I proposed to meet at 145 pounds. Mike was willing to make 150. I proposed to split the difference and make it at 147. I induced Mike to agree to that. Then to make sure he wouldn't forfeit and come in over weight I offered to put up $2,500 as a forfeit, and wanted Mike to do the same. Mike is fond of money—like McFarland. He hates money just about as much as I do. I knew Mike wouldn't forfeit $2,500, if he had to half kill himself to make the weight. I knew he'd come in at 147 if he had up a big forfeit like that. He didn't like the idea, but he was dazzled by that $15,000, and I knew he'd do anything rather than let it get away from him. He agreed to the forfeit. Right there I knew I had him. Now that the fight's over. I know every move that Mike can make, and I'd fight him again and beat him exactly at the same weight—147 pounds. But I wouldn't fight Mike Gibbons at 150 pounds or more for any amount of money. I may make mistakes, but as long as they're mistakes in my own favor it's all right. I'm not making any foolish mistakes. As a middlweight Mike can hit too hard. I haven't so much gray matter to spare that I'd b willing to let Mike hit me on the head when he has his full strength. The top of my head is sore now from the punches I stopped with it. Some of those punches would have made my brains rattle around lik a pea in a pod if I hadn't made that mistake for Mike in the match-making. I knew Mike had a great right cross, and I was satisfied his left had didn't amound to much. I knew he was burned up through my mistake in making him weigh 147 pounds, but I thought he might have one or two good kicks left if he found an opening. So I went right after his body to slow him up ad take away any punch he might have left. Thos body blows hurt him. I could feel him wince whenever I got one in. But I got a sample of his right cross near the beginning of the fight. He landed fairly on my chin and shook me up a little. After that I watched him more carefully, I didn't give him many chances to use his right. I kept working around to his left, so that he couldn't shoot rights at me. After three or four rounds I knew there wasn't much chance of Mike's hurting me with any kind of a punch. I was stronger than he was. I could spin him around any time. That's how I happened to catch him over the eye with the punch that made a small cut there. I whirled him around and grazed him with my right while he was off balance. While the fight was going on I felt myself growing stronger in comparison to Gibbons. I had some extra weight to work on, and all my strength, becuase I didn't have to leave any of it on the road. He was weak from the weight in the first place and my body punches didn't help him any. I pushed him around. I could stand that kind of work better than he could, and when I was on top of him his right hand was bottled up anyway. Now that the fight is over I can see that it isn't easy to "come back" after being out of the ring for a couple of years, and I'm glad I made that mistake about Gibbon's weight. Mike was very fast and I had to offset his speed by thinking faster than he could. I couldn't move as fast as I usually do. That was because I carried too much weight. I my best fighting condition I weight just about eight pounds less thand I did Saturday night. But I couldn't get into my best condition without having two or three fihts. Training doesn't do it. Another thing, my judgement of distance was bad, probably because of my timing was thrown out by my having less speed. I never missed so may punches before. My hitting wasn't as clean as I'd like to have it. Not having had a fight in a long time I was used to the way I box in the gymnasium when I'm careful not to hurt anybody, and in exhibitions. Several times I've fallen into the habit of hitting with open gloves, and it's a hard habit to shake in the ring. I may go on now that I've started again, and if I do I exprect to be fighting in my best form in a short time. I am bigger ad stronger than I ever was. My judgement is as good as ever and a few fights would give me all the speeed I ever had. I figure that I beat Gibbons. I offset his punch by outboxing him. He landed a good many solid ones on top of my head, with my help, and very few anywhere else, except on my gloves and arms, and he didn't hurt me at any time. He wasn't in danger of being knocked out at any time, but neither was I, and as the public regarding Gibbons as the man likely to land a knock-out, and just conceded me a possible chance to outpoint him in ten rounds. It seems I was the one to run true to form. If he want it Mike can have another chance—at 147 pounds. It would be a big mistake for me to let him weight more, and I don't like to make mistakes unless they happen to be in my own favor.
Yes, I just included Hall of Famers, But yes Johnny Risko fought 12 different Hall of Famers, beating 7 and had a record of 8-14 against them. Johnny Risko 12 (Baer 1-1, Berlenbach 1-0, Delaney 1-1, Godfrey 1-0, JHLewis 0-1, Loughran 2-3, Schmeling 0-1, Sharkey 1-1, Slattery 0-1, Stribling 0-2, Tunney 0-1, Walker 1-2) = (8-14-0)
ggood stuff as always bitplayer , I am glad packey noted him missing a lot , Mike made him look foolish with some of the slippind and hopping out or range he did . I think Gibbons won the fight not a blow out but looked clear cut. But its remarkable that Packey fought the bigger all time world class great and didnt get dropped or knocked out or dominated etc.
Manny Pacquiao: Marco Antonio Barrera Erik Morales Juan Manuel Marquez Oscar de la Hoya Ricky Hatton (future HOF) Miguel Cotto (future HOF) Shane Mosley Tim Bradley (future HOF)
Ezzard Charles: Jimmy Bivins Charley Burley Joe Louis Lloyd Marshall Joey Maxim Jersey Joe Walcott Archie Moore
This is a long shot. Would anyone have any idea if there is any footage of any of Johnny Risko's fights? He had the fight of the year in 1929, that might be the best chance? Where would be the best place to start looking?
Klompton might know,I reckon Risko wouldnt look good on film he had a lotta losses with those wins over hall of famers !
THANK YOU Clinton, this past year was the most painful in my life as I lost so many friends, I lost a sister and the most PAINFUL is when I lost my oldest son! A week later I gave the Eulogy for him. I have given about 300 Eulogies and Bell (9) Counts for many boxing people and several family members But giving one for my son was the hardest one of all.
OMG, Henry, you have my deepest, deepest condolences. I am so sorry for your losses. They are in my prayers. May they rest in peace.
Ali nor Holyfield have never been my favorite fighters. I've just always been in awe of all the legendary fighters that they've fought. Theres a big difference between a Hall of famer and a legend.
yeah na you got plenty of threads do that , your opinion on legendary is subjective , hall of famers already in the hall is fact,lets stick to facts!
If we are talking about recent times (like last 30 years) I think it's Holyfield. He has defeated Tyson, Bowe, Foreman, Holmes and Qawi - 5 OFs
