Australian Boxing/SM Memorial thread

He was actually pretty funny on the Back Page lol

 

I didn't know a lot of our fighters have been through so many struggles. **** I was a judgemental ****. Hating on them because they seem like ****wits, granted many are. But when you hear them speak and talk openly about their life, it makes me admire them. A fan of them. Good on Luke Jackson to come back from his demons and get this rematch. He mentioned about it being hard to get on certain shows which is another obstacle many boxers go through. I remember the upset against his opponent he's facing tonight. I think it was on Tszyu's show late 2020, then the guy that beat him got whipped on the Tszyu-Hogan show by Paul '' Showtime '' Fleming. **** that was a clinical performance by Paul. I hope Jackson can get the win tonight. Maybe if he wins he will change his mind about retirement.

Getting pumped now. Mazoudier vs Hussein man fireworks in that one. I like both the lads and as mentioned whoever gets rolled will be spewing and will want a rematch. Unless there's another draw like Mazoudier-Mahoney. Doubt it though. Should end either way by K.O.

 

Nikita spoke very well after the fight. Normal. I think once he got everything out of his system and it was '' mission accomplished '' his true self was revealed.

Born to fight.

 

Tim was saying Nikita gets himself into fight mode and for a couple of days he is just a different person. Then he reverts back again.

He is either just extremely focused or perhaps bi-polar.

Definitely born to fight and such a contrast to people like Hughie Fury and Joshua who seem to have to force themselves to fight.

 

Yeah very focused mate. Like many great athletes he has that switch factor. It's the way it should be anyway. Just like Hunting to a degree.

Good Person. But come fight time a cold blooded killer. You got to have that killer instinct in this game.

 

TOP 10 AUSSIES 1980-2015...

All regulars on Aussie thread and
@JOSEY WALES @McGrain @Rumsfeld
(Please feel free to add any others who could add decent 'opinion" OLDER and NEWER forum ppl)

Thoughts on how a top 10 from this country might look to the rest of the world from say 1980-2015/16ish....
Something I ponder in my head from time to time...
Performance based on prime, not "total career"

ANYONE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD OPINION... appologies for spelling in advance

My thoughts...

1 and 2 I can't separate and could have either 1 or 2...

1. Jeff Fenech - Up till Nelson fight 1 or 2..
We didnt have much at all in the 80,s .... Aust 2 in 'yacht sailing' of all things
Greg Norman, Pat Cash n ELLE MCPHERSON were about it on all stage world stage...
Fenech was an absolute animal, under rated pure boxing skills n defence also (Not GREAT, under rated IMO none the less...So dominant, even if argument was made beat a few greats post prime the dominance n determination cant be under estimated.
Troo Aussie battler... Possibly could have been absolute superstar had have fought in USA whole career...
3 division.... Cannot be critical!!!!! Very very highly rated n remembered by WBC

1. Kostya Tszyu - Won a belt, hick up against Phillips, Came back to unify... Dominated 140lbs until got old and injuries. Could have had his dream fight against prime DeLaHoya if not for Learnado Mas debacle...
For what its worth, I don't think Oscar fled 140lbs to avoid Kostya... Not to go to 147lbs in that era...
Reading between the lines in Jonny Lewis's book they may have held Kostya back from 147 after Phillips?? (Maybee not either???) Undisputed at 140lbs n all time great

3. Vic Darchynian - Memory escapes me if 2 or 3 division beltholder, unified in Majares victory from memory...
Was a very very big deal at lower weights, no crime to have Donaire as kryptonite...

4. Jeff Harding - Hard as old rusty nails, Won lost and regained Light Heavy title from memory....
Labeled as an over achiever by some, damn did he achieve in a very tough time...
Another TROO Aussie battler...

TOP 4 IMO speak for themselves....
5 thru 10 gets alot more difficult and Im guessing comes down to opinion...

5. Daniel Geale - Most prob very unpopular opinion on here, Lost close decision to Mundine when still just a touch green, (no robbery, I was 'cheering for Geale however Mundine won that fight fair and square) then did beat a slightly older past prime version of Mundine....
WON 2 BELTS IN GERMANY of all places, prob did "technically" unify, (then stripped days later which is nearly unheard of,) at a very weak 160lbs due to WBA corruption/incompetence
.... Yes, I agree WBA should have ordered Sturm vs GGG years n years before....
Achieved something MOST do not.... Skilled boxer who could move BOTH left and right, not the greatest chin, lacked power, weak era or not ACHIEVED a lot with limited gifts.... A very very hard worker... Its the 2 belts in Germany on this achievement based list I have him so high...

6. Robbie Peden - Fought mostly or all career in USA pre internet and youtube days so very hard to judge... Got in the ring with a few greats, took his opportunity at a free chin to win a belt.....
Did it all the hard way, lost to Barrera etc but from memory did break a rib was it or Barrera in sparring... Decent amateur career too (Not counting amateur or sparring in this thread, just adding to a memory of, a fighter I had a lot of respect for....

7. Michael Katsides - So so so close on so many occasions.... Idea of defence was to put his head in direct line of an opponents punch... Loved by many for reasons I dont need to elaborate on.

8. 9. and 10. - Too hard for me to put into ANY order, my shout MAY go to a prime
Paul Briggs, Lester Ellis and Barry Michael..
Paul had wars his wars with a prime Ademec,
Lester had some good wins post Barry and may have won multiple belts in this era....
(Think he won a few IBO belts after winning a newish IBF belt at a very very young age, IBO
was even less regarded back then than today from memory)
Barry was tough as nails, did defend IBF belt a few times from memory up until the unfortunate pool cue nightclub incident from those hmmmmmm....

Few mentions from prob more late 1970's.... and in the era I'm discussing
Tony Mundine I believe was a very very good fighter,
Jeff Malcolm, more 70's n too hard to rate with limited footage, Won a IBO belt and had 100 plus victories from memory
Paul Ferrari I don't think ever got a shot n peak may have been more 1970's,
Hector Thompson more 1970's without checking.

Shannon Taylor was a very very good fighter for Aust standards, did try n chase the Kostya fight n took a Mosley fight over a easier shot at a belt however was a few notches below both and might not quite belong on this list??
Lucas Browne did win a secondary belt in Chechnya of all places, no great SKILLS as such apart from power, had a lot of fighters pull out on potential fights but he did manage to win most of his fights.
Both Anthony Mundine and Danny Green may be considered, not on my list, not sure of others thoughts n opinions tho???
Prob a lot of could have, should have, would haves, such as Graeme Brookes, however I'm basing this list off achievements and primes, not potential...

- ANY OTHER THOUGHTS MUCH APPRECIATED -
(hopefully I haven't missed anyone or too many)
These just my thoughts, popular or not...
ohwat049

 

Opetaia v Thompson official.

 

Forgot to mention the K.O Queen Charmaine Misfud the other night. Another royal princess in the Aussie Boxing game.

Sensational. Stunning. Elegant and gorgeous.

She packs a killer punch. 10/10.

 

Good post! I'll get down on this later.

Vic Darchynian. How could I forget the Amazing Armenian. Great left.

 

Great post mate I really enjoyed reading and re - reading that , when I was a kid in the 60's and 70's I kept hearing about these fantastic Aussie fighters like Fammo , Ferrari etc and kept reading about them from time to time in the Boxing mags ( pre internet ).but the one iconic fighter I instantly go to in my minds eye whenever I think of the quintessential Aussie Boxer is Jeff Harding , man now that was one tough bloke and it saddened me to hear now in later life he's fire fighting demons , I personaly think fighters of his talent and testicular fortitude deserve more from the sport they gave so much to , as for top 10's ? Well I'll leave that one alone as I realise I ain't everyone's cup of tea in this thread and will leave it to the experts ...

 

Any thoughts MUCH APPRECIATED.... No rush as I did
I should have written on paper, I had to edit to include Katsides as I forgot...
I deserve one of Vic's lefts for forgetting Katsides...
Amazing what your brain can and cannot remember...
Appreciate reply....

 

I have been meaning to post/ask this question for prob over a decade now!!!! I'm not much of a internet person...
I'M NO EXPERT, Just a list as to explain my 'thoughts'
I imagine you may or may not have come across a lot more over the years due to Comm title fights etc than we get to view down here..
Harding in the ring was something else... You may or may not have seen little doco they did on him few years back now, he rides his bike like like he fought. you'd hate to be in his way..... Did they ever actually find out how old exactly Andres was? Another tough tough man in a very unforgiving era.... Hardings had a very very tough life and hope he finds peace...
Theres footage of him on a Lionel Rose doco in a pub n it's very very hard to watch..

So hard to view the sport down here over the years, was looking really good even 18 months ago however we are now basically getting york hall cards as PPV's... That being said it is prizefighting n these footy players bring in crowds, they getting million doller paydays for 4-6 rounds n Maloney brothers LUCKY to be getting $30k, Is what it is n any thoughts most welcome...

regards....

This content is protected

(a 6-7 minute little Harding thing if link thing works)

 

I did forget to add possibly the Waters brothers, not sure if it was Troy or Guy who had the title shot....
Not sure if they'd say make a top 10 list but huge honorable mentions go to both Hussain brothers and a lot of our favorite domestic/regional/internationals such as Nader Hamden... Forgot Justin Rowsell years back also...
Another edit needed, prob not on the list as bit older when moved to this country, his comeback did a lot for the sport media wise etc down here, AUSSIE Joe Bugner...

 

Hopefully $40 012.50 with your PPV support, and hopefully others makes it alot more...
Tough way to make a living huh, especially on what, 5-6 weeks notice??
I always liked Brubaker as a fighter out of this country, I seem to recall you rated him very very highly years back, and rightly so....
Was it him who had that TD loss, or draw or whatever due to head clash in domestic fight years back? Didn't seem to get going to much again after that.... I WISH HIM WELL for whatever he now does in the future....
Myself, I'd hate to see him end up being used as an opponent for younger guys he would have beat with one hand in his "prime"
Regards...