Did Any Fighter Ever Finish Their Career, With A Great Win?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Fergy, Feb 2, 2023.


  1. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    I'm trying to think of a guy that maybe finished his career with his last fight, being a great win?
    Lennox s last fight of course was a victory, but he struggled obviously.
    Maybe Marciano s, Would we say that was a great victory against Moore?
    Possibly.
     
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  2. USFBulls727

    USFBulls727 Active Member Full Member

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    Good question. Scoring a great win usually suggests there's something left in the tank, and most fighters aren't willing to hang up the gloves at that point. Lennox did beat a future HOF fighter in Klitschko. Good call on Marciano as well.

    Another good...but not great IMO...win in a career finale off the top of my head would be Andre Ward over Kovalev. Also, Froch went out with a nice domestic win over Groves.

    Another would be Salvador Sanchez' win over Azumah Nelson. Nelson only had 13 fights I believe going into that, but was a talent and future HOFer.
     
  3. clum

    clum Member Full Member

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    Ernesto Marcel beating Arguello
    Masao Oba beating three-time flyweight champion Chartchai Chionoi
    Jeff Fenech also ended his career with a win over Nelson, although Nelson was not a future HOFer but an already-inducted HOFer at that point (Fenech too, for that matter).
    No doubt the rarer feat, but somehow I imagine the public finds it less impressive than Sanchez's win.
     
  4. Raheem

    Raheem Member banned Full Member

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    Lewis and Marciano both struggled in their final fights, but they were still great wins . So I'm not sure what your specific requirements are. Are you looking for one sided dominant performances?
    Andre Ward and Joe Calzaghe both finished their careers with excellent, career defining wins.
     
  5. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT Full Member

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    Jim Braddock finished his career with a close but nice win over Tommy Farr

    Jeff Fenech was retroactively awarded a 4th World Title 31 years after the fact of the fight - well after Jeff's career had finished. Does that count? :lol:
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2023
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  6. Stevie G

    Stevie G Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yes. A past prime Lennox beating the future Hall of Famer Vitali is notable. Quite often an underrated victory for Lennox.
     
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  7. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    No not so much a one sided fight as such , just an impressive, especially to say its their last time, showing.
    Calzaghe and ward are both good instance s, as are Louis and the Rock.
    Obviously if it's a one sided fight then even better.
     
  8. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    Lol well Jeff did pretty well there, Pug!
     
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  9. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Gene Tunney ended his career with 2 wins over Jack Dempsey and then Tom Heeney not bad going.

    Ike Williams ended his career with a win over Beau Jack.

    Packey McFarland wins over Jack Britton and Mike Gibbons has to rate up there with one of the best honestly.

    Ernesto Marcel ended his career out boxing the great Alexis Arguello.

    Dullio Loi over Eddie Perkins was a great final win.

    And finally Carlos Monzon ended his career with 14 title defences and a win over Rodrigo Valdes.
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2023
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  10. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

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  11. Pugguy

    Pugguy Ingo, The Thinking Man’s GOAT Full Member

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    How could I forget Monzon vs Valdes II? Rocky, a great fighter himself, really threw down, even dropping Monzon but the aging Champ held his cool and, in typical fashion, methodically boxed it out for the win. Great win but one that certainly told him it was time to hang up the gloves (unless Monzon had already indicated that he was retiring after that fight - I'm not sure). For the intents and purposes of thread. all the same still.
     
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  12. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Mclarnin,s last two fights were wins over Canzoneri and Ambers.
     
  13. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Natural LW Packey McFarland coming off a 2-year retirement, without any comeback warm ups, straight into taking a newspaper decision over ATG MW Mike Gibbons was going to be my suggestion too.

    Jimmy McLarnin beating Lou Ambers in his final fight arguably qualifies too.
     
  14. Mr Stagger Lee

    Mr Stagger Lee Active Member Full Member

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  15. RockyJim

    RockyJim Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Marciano vs. Moore...Yankee Stadium...Sept. 21, 1955...61,574 fans...Fighting the Lt Heavyweight Champion and the #1 contender for the Heavyweight title...Marciano gets decked by Moore in the 2nd round. Rocky drops Archie in the 6th round...then forced Moore to the ropes...then...as writer Budd Schulberg said: "Marciano demonstrated continuous punching that has to be seen to be believed!" Joe Nichols of the New York Times said the 6th round will be referred to "As comparable to any single round in heavyweight history!" After the fight, Arthur Daley said:" Rocky Marciano is a great champion folks! It's about time he began to receive the recognition he so richly deserves!" A great way to go out!!!
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2023