the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Tommy Morrison v Joe Hipp

Round 1: 10-9 Morrison
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-9 Morrison
Round 4: 10-9 Hipp
Round 5: 10-8 Morrison (scores a knockdown)
Round 6: 10-10 Even
Round 7: 10-9 Hipp
Round 8: 10-9 Hipp
Round 9: Morrison drops and stops Hipp

Total through 8 completed rounds: 77-76 Morrison (actual scores: 76-75 and another 76-75 both for Morrison and a 76-75 for Hipp)

This was a very lively heavyweight contest which had several shifts in momentum at play. When the KO came, it looked like Hipp was beginning to run away with it and he certainly did expose some of the young Morrison's faults. Especially in stamina and failure to fight back when pressed. But what he had that Hipp didn't was that big equalizer. Not a bad contest for the big boys. Thanks to @Fogger for putting this on my radar.

 

Very interesting I will watch and follow up.

 

Holmes vs Witherspoon

@Dynamicpuncher

Good fight! Some really close round, 4, 7 could go either way and I was almost tempted to call round 9 a draw although Tim had Larry out on his feat Larry fought back like a true champ and was bouncing right hands off Tim's head by the rounds end. Unlike the Weaver fight I felt Larry was in top shape and that made the difference, Tim took too many round for a breather and his clowning in the last two rounds I think counted against him, it look like he felt he had the fight won, when he should have gone all out to win the title. To me that was what made the difference, Tim was too young and inexperienced and didn't do quite enough while Larry was always scoring points. However I think even Larry thought he had lost and Tim did fight a great fight. Very good defence, good jab and his famous overhand right. What a shame Tim never really fulfilled his potential! Also for the record Holmes has massive balls, the guy fought his way out of so many tough situations, I think always caught his opponents by surprise, they felt they had him finished but he always fought back rather than running and hiding.

1- Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9

2- Holmes 9 Witherspoon 10 (close but good Tim body punches)

3- Holmes 9 Witherspoon 10

4 - Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9 (very close)

5- Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9

6- Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9

7- Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9 (very close but I feel Larry hurt Tim)

8- Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9

9 - Holmes 9 Witherspoon 10 (just for Tim as although he had Larry gone Larry fought back so hard)

10 - Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9

11- Holmes 9 Witherspoon 10

12 - Holmes 10 Witherspoon 9

FINAL: Holmes 116 Witherspoon 112

 

Julio Cesar Chavez v Rodolfo Aguilar

This was prime 1988 Chavez facing off against a previously unbeaten southpaw in his first defense of his recently acquired WBA lightweight title.

Chavez didn’t waste any time getting after Aguilar, using the straight right hand to puncture Aguilar’s defense.

It looked like a short night’s work after dropping him in the first, but a Chavez showing a little overconfidence and sloppiness in rounds 3 and 4 allowed Aguilar into the fight. But JCC refocused in the fifth round and after that, it was only a matter of time.

1 10-8 (Chavez drops Aguilar at the end of the round)
2 10-9
3 10-9 (close)
4 9-10 (close)
5 10-9
(49-45)
6 Chavez TKO Aguilar (Chavez drops Aguilar who makes it to his feet but doesn’t want any more)

 

Orlando Canizales W12 Billy Hardy

I'd seen the rematch, with the highlight reel knockdown of Hardy and conclusive stoppage, but never got around to seeing the first one, which didn't make it to U.S. TV, at least where I lived.

Hardy is tough and resolute but basic in style. Standard one-two with the occasional slapping hook follow-up, not a lot of head movement. Such a lack of nuance on paper should be easy meat for a multi-facted champion as Canizales. Fights like this are a big part of what makes boxing fun, you just never know.

Canizales starts well, jabbing well and not missing more than a couple straight rights over the first couple rounds. He hops around Hardy at mid-range, throwing and connecting with two and three-punch combinations pretty much as he pleases. Canizales is not a huge puncher, but he's solid. Hardy takes them well and bides time, moving back and side to side, ceding ground to a confident champion who has to feel he's in for an easy night.

Hardy takes his first round on my card in the fifth, though it could have gone either way. I think by that time I was looking for a round to give Billy if I could. He showed a newfound confidence for some reason in the fifth and came forward for a change. His inartistic one-twos found their way through Orlando's guard with surprising ease and was just the stopgap on the cards the challenger needed.

From there on out the rounds were shared fairly equally, though the ninth saw a beautiful hook to the ribcage send Hardy to one knee in the typical bodyshot delayed-reaction knockdown. He fought back gamely the remainder of the round for sure, but it was already a 10-8 round for Canizales which meant a lot on the cards (or should have).

Hardy rebounds to control the tempo the rest of the way, if not taking each and every round. Canizales though, has one of those common lapses of his where he just seems to lose the rhythm and becomes hittable and stops fighting back with any sharpness. Not sure what it was about him, but it almost cost him here as the local kid rallied dramatically in rounds 10-12.

I don't see any controversy here with giving Canizales the victory. I'd read so much about a robbery here, and that talk is unjustified I think. Canizales was sharper and scored more throughout. It's true that Hardy took the play away in the last three rounds but by then Canizales had a lot of rounds in the bank, including one legit 10-8 round. Don't see how you could come up with a Hardy victory here, that would have been unjust, at least to me. Good fight though.

1. Canizales
2. Canizales
3. Canizales
4. Canizales
5. Hardy
6. Canizales
7. Even
8. Hardy
9. Canizales (10-8)
10. Hardy
11. Even
12. Hardy

116-113 Canizales

Scores were split for Canizales, where the two cards for Canizales were by one and two points. A third judge had 116-113 for Hardy.

 

Jel, we had this almost the same. Loved your writeup. Succinct and to the point. Scored this about a year ago.

Julio Cesar Chavez v Rodolfo Aguilar (lightweight title)

Round 1: 10-8 Chavez (scores a knockdown)
Round 2: 10-9 Aguilar
Round 3: 10-9 Aguilar
Round 4: 10-9 Chavez
Round 5: 10-9 Chavez
Round 6: Chavez drops and stops Aguilar

Total through 5 completed rounds: 48-46 Chavez (actual scores: 48-46 and 2 scores of 49-45 all for Chavez)

To begin, I fast-forwarded to round 1 and neglected to look at the sanctioning body. One always relates Chavez to the WBC and I was there thinking that this was very strange, that the WBC is rating a Panamanian as their #1 contender. Normally it's the WBA who rates undeserving Panamanians, Venezuelans and South Koreans as their #1 contender. I had forgotten that Chavez won the WBA from Rosario and this was a WBA defense. When I saw that, the usual corrupt organizational rating meant sense to me once again. It's bad that I have to say that but those countries were so in bed with the WBA we just automatically compartmentalize the cash-cow countries with their sanctioning counterparts.

OK, that's me on my soapbox for today. On to the fight. Although Aguilar had fast, rangy hands, he had fought no one to get his rating or this fight and really could have used some seasoning. Chavez did his patient, methodical beat down with precision. First by taking the heart from Aguilar and then the body. Good stoppage by Steele as Aguilar was done like dinner.

 

@Dynamicpuncher
@Saintpat

Holmes vs Norton
A classic example of what you consider more important, quantity of punches or more power punches. For me Holmes built up too big a lead for Norton to claw back simply by keeping his jab pumping in the early round. Norton showed a very quick an efficient jab but for me did not use it enough. I actually wonder if because he didn't win his title in the ring he wanted to make a big statement and KO Larry as from the first he was going for bog single shots to head and body while Larry countered with multi-punch combinations. The middle rounds I gave Norton could easily been seen as for Larry but I felt Norton was forcing the fight and landing the conclusive punches. Interestingly though it was Larry who came nearest to a KO in round 13 and had Norton very wobbly in the last round. It was only this that gave Holmes the last round to for me as along with many rounds it was very close. I try to avoid drawn round if I can but many could have been even and I had round 12 a draw. I completely see how someone could score a Holmes win by around 3 rounds if you looked at just quantity of punches, but I feel a lot of Larry's jabs were caught on Norton's gloves with his crab like cross arm defence. The question is did Larry do enough to take the title from the champ? I think I gave Norton a few rounds as benefit of the doubt to the champion but I feel Holmes deserved to win, he simply had too big a lead early on. It struck me Larry is one of those clever fighters who doesn't waste rounds while feeling out his opponent. He makes sure he keeps that jab going out and scoring even as he warms up which I suspect is why he came out on top in many close fights. I also wonder if the fact Kenny didn't win his title in the ring played against him with the judges? I think it is much easier to score against a fighter if it is for a vacant title than a close one against a champ, as perhaps Norton found against Ali in that close title challenge. Round 15 has to be one of the greatest rounds in HW history, possibly all time! This fight reminds me why I love 15 rounders, and how something was perhaps lost when fights were cut to 12.

1 - Holmes 10 Norton 9

2 - Holmes 10 Norton 9

3 - Holmes 10 Norton 9

4 - Holmes 10 Norton 9

5 - Holmes 9 Norton 10 (very close)

6 - Holmes 9 Norton 10 (very close)

7 - Holmes 10 Norton 9

8 - Holmes 9 Norton 10 (very close)

9 - Holmes 10 Norton 10

10 - Holmes 9 Norton 10

11 - Holmes 9 Norton 10

12 - Holmes 10 Norton 10

13 - Holmes 10 Norton 9

14 - Holmes 9 Norton 10

15 - Holmes 10 Norton 9 (very close)

FINAL: Holmes 144 Norton 143

 

Jeff Fenech v Steve McCrory (bantamweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Fenech
Round 2: 10-9 Fenech
Round 3: 10-9 Fenech
Round 4: 10-9 Fenech
Round 5: 10-9 Fenech
Round 6: 10-9 McCrory
Round 7: 10-9 Fenech
Round 8: 10-9 Fenech
Round 9: 10-9 Fenech
Round 10: 10-9 Fenech
Round 11: 10-9 Fenech (wouldn't bat an eye if anyone else scored it 10-8 for Jeff)
Round 12: 10-8 Fenech (battering)
Round 13: 10-8 Fenech (scores a knockdown)
Round 14: The ref quite rightly stops the fight in Jeff's favor, which was one-way traffic at this point.

Total through 13 completed rounds: 129-116 Fenech (actual scores: 128-118, 128-119 and 127-116 all for Fenech)

Truly amazing the engine that Fenech had on him for his 14th pro bout. Not only that but really stayed composed the entire fight with no raggedness one would associate with such a novice pro. Despite the one-sidedness of this bout, I felt McCrory did well until slowly coming apart at the seams late in the fight. Through the first 5 rounds Emanuel Steward (whom the Australian commentator referred to as Emmanuel Lewis - he doesn't look like Webster to me) had Steve fighting in the pocket counter-punching. And believe me, they were quality shots. But in the 6th he took to staying on the outside sharp-shooting which paid dividends as he clearly had Jeff in disarray. But then Jeff went into another gear and just grilled Stevie on the ropes or center-ring or wherever else he could. Regarding the 13th round knockdown - it looked more like Steve was pushed down on the back of his head. But Steve didn't complain. I think he needed that respite. And again, the ref was quite right stopping it when he did. I really enjoyed the fight and McCrory - despite this being only his 13th pro bout - was a quality opponent. This was Jeff's last fight at bantam. It was said he was really struggling to make the weight, but man, you couldn't tell by his work-rate. Enjoyable fight.

 

I did a series a few years ago on the best completed rounds of all time: best first round, second round, etc. Only ones that went the full 3 minutes (none shortened by KO in other words) were considered.

Holmes-Norton was nearly unanimous as the best round 15.

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/greatest-round-15-of-all-time-please-vote.651555/

Looking to see if I ever posted a score on Holmes-Norton or not. I know I’ve seen it several times and scored it some years ago again. I know I had Holmes winning by somewhere from 1-3 points but can’t recall if I posted it or just did it for myself. If I find it I’ll edit this post and copy it here.

 

The runner up round 15 (Boza-Limon) is a tremendous round in its own right so that says a lot about how good Holmes-Norton round 15 is.

 

Great thread thanks for sharing!

 

That thread is still my favorite subject/thread ever. I couldn't wait for the next round to pop up. I was bummed when it was over. Anyone new to this site should really delve into that thread. Hit all 15 rounds and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

Definitely, Scar! It was a great job from @Saintpat. Keep bumping that thread, it’s awesome!

 

It was a labor of love.

 

Park Chan Hee v Alberto (Costenito) Morales (flyweight title)

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

Total: 149-139 Park (actual scores: 150-139, 149-138 and 150-143 all for Park)

Rarely have I seen a fighter fighting for the title putting in such a negative challenge as Morales did here. He never once mounted any kind of an attack that would suggest there was any form of urgency in his endeavor for the title. In fact, I believe the only reason I gave him one round and 3 even rounds was because Park had taken his foot off the gas in those respective rounds. A really poor effort from a ringwise veteran.