the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Donald Curry v Lloyd Honeyghan (welterweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 Honeyghan
Round 2: 10-9 Honeyghan
Round 3: 10-9 Curry
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-8 Honeyghan *
Round 6: 10-9 Honeyghan
Curry is retired between rounds 6 and 7

Total through 6 completed rounds: 59-55 Honeyghan (actual scores: 59-56, 58-56 and another 58-56 all for Honeyghan)

Haven't watched this since it took place. Although this was clearly a weight-drained Curry, one cannot fault Honeyghan for that. In this business you take advantage of everything that comes your way to your benefit. Curry had time to come in fit and Lloyd came in with a plan of real hustle.

*I gave Lloyd a 10-8 in the 5th because, although it wasn't a battering, he did rock Curry several times during the round. A 10-8 felt right to me.

 

Saman Sorjaturong v Joma Gamboa (lt. flyweight title)

Round 1: 10-10 Even
Round 2: 10-9 SS
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 SS
Round 5: 10-9 SS
Round 6: 10-7 SS (scores 2 knockdowns)
Round 7: Referee stops bout with Gamboa under heavy fire

Total through 6 completed rounds: 60-54 SS (actual scores: 60-54, 60-53 and 58-54 all for Sorjaturong)

This was a really nice fight. I liked Gamboa's jab and the way he would drop in a right hand. However, Sorjaturong, who lacked Gamboa's boxing ability, just had a heavier dig and was catching Gamboa throughout. If anybody is checking this fight out, pay special attention to the 6th round. It's the best round of the fight. Gamboa actually hurts the champ early before Sorjaturong just turns up the heat. Again, nothing spine-tingling, but a really nice fight.

 

Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Jose Luis Castillo (1)

I don't watch many Mayweather fights. First, he's a modern entity, and I shy away from the contemporary game. Second, I don't like his persona. Third, I don't like his fighting style. Just a lot of negatives, so I'm not as well versed in him as I should be I suppose.

He's very good. Exceptional defensively, not just running and using his feet (which he does very well also), but blocking, parrying, sliding, slipping and creating angles.........he's excellent. I still don't like him, but he was probably the best of his era.

I watched this one in particular because I'd always read that he might have gotten away wth one the first time against the rugged Castillo. Frankly, I didn't see that. I agreed with the judges, and was pretty much in line with them. Mayweather won this relatively easily. Castillo, for all his grit and determination and unflagging resolve in coming forward and trying to make a fight of it, landed literally just a handful of punches all night. As the old addage says, it has to be effective aggression.

Mayweather keeps his back off the ropes as much as possible and does a beautiful job of spinning back to center ring and controlling what action there was with jabs to the head and body and the occasional pot-shotting right or snapping lead hook, never once hurting Castillo but not allowing him to just churn straight in. For all his frustration in chasing the slippery challenger, he never stopped trying to force the fight and making Mayweather stand and brawl. Floyd was just too skilled and slick. He never caught him, so I do wonder how anyone could have this for Castillo.

In his own different way, Floyd is kind of like Monzon in that his entire fight plan is based around nullifying, spoiling. It doesn't make for great fights, so I wonder additionally how Mayweather ever developed the fan base he did. Still, he's very good at what he does, and he'll be better off in later years not having taken punches he didn't need to. Props to him. It is a business after all.

Anyway, the score card.......

1. Mayweather
2. Mayweather
3. Even
4. Mayweather
5. Mayweather
6. Mayweather
7. Castillo
8. Mayweather (10-8, point deduction from Castillo)
9. Mayweather
10. Even, (9-9, point deduction from Mayweather)
11. Castillo
12. Castillo

116-111, Mayweather

 

I never saw this as particularly close much less understood the ‘JLC was robbed!’ chatter. Wasn’t a total paint job but FMJ was the clear winner to me.

 

Gary Jacobs v Mickey Hughes (British scoring in effect)

Round 1: Even
Round 2: Jacobs
Round 3: Jacobs
Round 4: Jacobs
Round 5: Jacobs
Round 6: Even
Round 7: Jacobs
Round 8: Hughes KOs Jacobs

Total through 7 completed rounds - 70-67 1/2 Jacobs (actual score not known)

This was a good domestic squabble. Jacobs really showed the difference between the two fighters as he boxed from the outside nicely and then crowded the harder punching Hughes on the inside while letting his own punches fly deftly. The one thing Hughes had at the ready was a big punch and he found it in the 8th. Coming out of a crouch Jacobs was tagged by a left hook and it was night-night Gary. Jacobs, however, regrouped and went on to British and European titles as well as fighting for the world title. Hughes didn't have Jacobs versatility but he did go on to briefly hold the Commonwealth title. The arena looked to be lively this night and I think it would have been cool to be there.

 

I always liked Jacobs. Had no fear of travelling to the USA early in his career to beat the solid Javier Suazo and then gave Buddy McGirt Snr a decent workout.

Cameback from the Hughes defeat to go on to become British champion and EBU champion (was robbed against undefeated French star Ludovic Proto but completely destroyed him in the return).

Should have fought WBO champion Eammon Loughran who I think would have beaten easily.

Gave a still quality Whittaker a good fight.

His fight with 35-0 George Collins was a big fight in Britain at the time, good fight too with Collins doing better than expected.

Gary Jacobs turned pro with litte fanfair in Scotland, lost his 1st title shot for the Scottish title against a fighter with 15 defeats in 40 fights but he learnt his craft, went to London and turned into a classy boxer with a decent dig with a little more luck might have even won a World title.

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Fred, I was stunned to see Teddy Atlas in his corner over in London. Did they work together often?

 

You got me on that one! Had a quick look at a few interviews and Gary mentions he was training at Gleason´s gym with Teddy:
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/boxi...Q2ylCCPJJSYF5obO8UFXXDWUmfxfxDBPhYQdNagnMKbNh

 

Sonny Liston v Henry Clark (California scoring)

I had no great expectations of seeing anything special here, and I was correct. This was a creaking Liston against the youth of Clark, but I wanted to see it for historical purposes. It was funny to hear both Clark and Angelo Dundee predict a Clark KO before the fight. This was a step up from some of Liston's recent opponents at the time so i don't think anyone was expecting much from Liston. Liston, however, still showed power and surprisingly, good timing. But, man, he was ponderous as hell. A couple of times Clark threatened, but Sonny just had too much oomph, with the fight stopped in the 7th, and rightly so. I will say this for Clark, he had one helluva jaw. When great jaws are mentioned, he usually isn't discussed. But he was never down against guys that could crack like Liston, Ken Norton, Zora Folley, Leotis Martin, Earnie Shavers and Jeff Merritt. Incidentally, I scored it 6-0 for Liston, the same as all 3 judges.

 

Doug Jones vs Cassius Clay

Round 1: 10-9 Jones
Round 2: 10-9 Clay
Round 3: 10-9 Clay
Round 4: 10-9 Clay
Round 5: 10-9 Clay
Round 6: 10-9 Clay (could have gone either way)
Round 7: 10-9 Jones
Round 8: 10-9 Jones
Round 9: 10-9 Clay
Round 10: 10-9 Clay

Total: 97-93 Cassius Clay

I don't understand the fuss around this fight. Clear win by then Cassius Clay. If I had to put it in the old school scoring by rounds, it would be 6-3-1. The best I could give Jones is 4 rounds, which is still a win for Clay. I see no argument for the draw, let alone Jones' win.

 

Wilford Scypion v Mustafa Hamsho

Round 1: 10-9 Scypion
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-9 Scypion
Round 4: 10-9 Hamsho
Round 5: 10-9 Scypion
Round 6: 10-9 Hamsho
Round 7: 10-9 Hamsho
Round 8: 10-9 Hamsho
Round 9: 10-10 Even (this was a shortened round because the ref did not appear to call time when having the doctor check Hamsho's cuts)
Round 10: Scypion falls out of the ring and is counted out

Total through 9 completed rounds - 87-86 Hamsho (scores not known)

Man, where do i start? For one, don't listen to Ferdie Pacheco and his calls that this was one of the great middleweight fights, because it was not. I felt it was a mauling affair that was difficult to judge on much clean punching. As i noted above, there was a shortened round in round 9 because of the referee failing to call time. I found it very ironic hearing Paddy Flood in the corner griping to the ref that Hamsho's cuts were caused by butts. Ironic because Hamsho used his head like a ball-peen hammer throughout his career. In the 10th, pure mayhem. No one knew what to make of the ending. IMO, too much was made by the ringside crew saying Scypion was pushed out of the ring. He couldn't stand and his own momentum carried him out of the ring. Hamsho barely touched him and calls by the fright Doctor that he was pushed were ridiculous. The commissioner was going to call it a no-contest but ended up calling it a DQ because Scypion didn't make it back in the ring in time. It is what it is.

 

Ken Buchanan v Frankie Otero I (5 point must system)

Round 1: 5-4 Otero
Round 2: 5-4 Otero
Round 3: 5-4 Buchanan
Round 4: 5-4 Buchanan
Round 5: 5-4 Buchanan
Round 6: 5-4 Buchanan
Round 7: 5-3 Buchanan (scores a knockdown)
Round 8: 5-4 Buchanan
Round 9: 5-4 Buchanan
Round 10: 5-5 Even

Total: 48-42 Buchanan (actual scores: 48-43, 49-44 and another 49-44 all for Buchanan)

I always remember when this fight took place and didn't think any more of it at the time. I thought it was a marking time bout for Ken while waiting for his title opportunity. But it was much more. This was a very lively contest and Frankie had great success in the first two rounds with left hooks before Ken settled in to keeping Frankie at bay. A good fight and amazing seeing a very young Col. Bob Sheridan in the ring interviewing the two participants. I always liked Bob. He brought a bit of excitement within his commentary. Again, good fight.

 

Riddick Bowe vs Tony Tubbs

Round 1: 10-9 Bowe
Round 2: 10-9 Tubbs
Round 3: 10-9 Tubbs
Round 4: 10-9 Bowe
Round 5: 10-9 Tubbs
Round 6: 10-9 Bowe
Round 7: 10-9 Bowe
Round 8: 10-9 Tubbs
Round 9: 10-9 Tubbs
Round 10: 10-9 Bowe

Total: 95-95 DRAW

I've seen some opinions that Tubbs was robbed here. I don't think it was a robbery. Close fight with many close rounds that could have gone either way. Draw on my card.

 

Kevin Kelley KO 8 Derrick Gainer

Can’t believe I hadn’t seen this before. I like Kelley, who is brave to a fault and rarely disappoints. Gainer is younger, faster, and rangier, and a protege of Roy Jones Jr. this probably helped AND hurt him in the end, as trying to emulate Jones’ uncanny reflexes and natural athleticism can lead one to leave many fundamentals by the wayside. Gainer is flashy like Jones, and has speed and good movement, but this was a step up for him. In the end, his inexperience and need to end things on his desired terms cost him.

Gainer uses movement and flashy punches to take the first two rounds. Kelley is having trouble getting inside and is reaching, and Gainer clinches to nullify anything of worth the older, more experienced ex-champion tries.

the third is strange, as a slip occurs just as Gainer unleashes a shot that legitimately fells Kelley, but the ref missed it because it was Gainer that slipped and fell. He didn’t see how truly impacted Kelley was, and thought he had also slipped. Then, Kelley floors Gainer himself, and that gives the impression it should be a 10-8 round for Kelley. I ended up scoring it as Lederman did, 10-10, as that one shot was about all Kelley did the whole three minutes. I don’t want to penalize Gainer for the ref’s mistake.

A thumb closes Kelley’s eye (so he claimed, hard to determine really) and he falls to his knees after absorbing a follow-up barrage from Gainer in the fourth, and suddenly the Flushing Flash has a hill to climb. Not only is he now far behind on points, his right eye shut as tight as I’ve ever seen.

He rallies to floor Gainer in the fifth, closing the gap (Gainer seems a bit wide open for being so quick and perhaps a bit chinny), but Gainer rallies to take the next two rounds, battering the badly compromised ex-champ and re-establishing control.

But he lets the crowd get to him, and wants to finish Kelley spectacularly. He fights Kelley inside, whaling away trying to finish him and put the exclamation point on his big night on HBO. Sigh……

Kelley throws a short left cross from his southpaw stance and catches an incoming Gainer flush on the chin. Gainer flops forward and rolls to his back and is counted out. Exciting, dramatic fight, and one that Gainer let get by him. He had to be kicking himself later, while Kelley added to his legend.

Fun fight.

1. Gainer
2. Gainer
3. Even
4. Gainer, 10-8
5. Kelley, 10-8
6. Gainer
7. Gainer
8. Kelley KO’s Gainer

68-64 Gainer at the time of the stoppage.

 

Mac, I scored this a few years back as well as seeing it live (TV) and it is damn close. I had it towards Bowe by a bit but still close. This is what I wrote:

Riddick Bowe v Tony Tubbs

Round 1: 10-9 Bowe
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-9 Bowe
Round 4: 10-9 Bowe
Round 5: 10-9 Tubbs
Round 6: 10-10 Even
Round 7: 10-9 Tubbs
Round 8: 10-9 Bowe
Round 9: 10-9 Bowe
Round 10: 10-9 Tubbs

Total 97-95 Bowe

Actual scores were 97-93 and 96-94 (twice) all for Bowe. But watching it I can see why many either have it a draw or for either fighter. It's a tough one, fought very tightly. Bowe was steady and Tubbs fought in spurts. In the end I was happy with my decision but can see how others differ.