Harold Johnson vs Willie Pastrano thoughts

Excellent chess match. Both gambled in that one. Willie had never won over a distance of more than ten rounds, but he'd been a top ten HW from 1955 to 1958, then a top ten LHW from 1960-1962. An extremely well established contender for years, and a potential opponent for Marciano's 50th bout in late 1955 or early 1956.

Harold Johnson's first appearance as a Ring Magazine top ten contender was for the year 1949 (#3 LHW), his last in Ring's February 1968 issue (#10 LHW), an extremely formidable span of time indeed.

Pastrano began their match by running, but also initiating action by getting off first with his jab as Johnson stalked forward. The punching initiative belonged to Willie. Harold then countered with thunderous bombs to Pastrano's body, but he'd only get off two or three before Willie clinched to halt Johnson's counters.

Would Harold's body attack take away Pastrano's legs and make him a sitting duck in the Championship Rounds, or would Willie prove durable enough to take those body shots and get through those Championship Rounds Harold had managed successfully in three consecutive title wins?

In round 13, it happened. In mid round, Johnson jabbed, Willie counter jabbed, then Harold came up from the floor with a monstrous right just as Willie began coming forward with a right cross, causing Pastrano to dance a wild jig. Johnson followed up with a short hard hook which landed flush, but Willie was already ducking into Harold, pushing him back while unloading with both hands. Pastrano ducked away from Johnson's return fire, then quickly restored the pattern of their match, circling clockwise while jabbing as Harold tailed behind him rather than cutting off the ring with intercepting steps to the right.

This is one of my favorite distance bouts, because neither really made any glaring mistakes. I'd have been bombing counters into Willie's body as Harold did, gambling that it would cause Pastrano to slow down in the later rounds. If I was Willie, I'd have gambled that the legs would be sufficient to carry through the Championship Rounds, while initiating the punching with multiple jabs and movement.

Pastrano pulled it off. Johnson protested afterwards that he didn't understand how he could lose the title to a challenger who continually ran away from him, but as I saw it, Willie controlled the movement in the ring through great generalship, threw the greater number of punches, and he was initiating the action while Harold reacted to what Pastrano was doing. (Johnson's direct quote after was, "I never heard of a challenger running and still winning the fight. If you want to fight the champion, you have to take the fight to him." But this wasn't Eusebio Pedroza D 15 Bernard Taylor, where challenger Taylor was merely running around the ring in his hometown without punching. Boxing's a punching sport, and Willie's hands were more than busy enough.)

I've no great quarrel with anybody preferring Johnson's much harder punching, but as I saw it, Willie applied his combination of experience and 27 years of peak youth against the seven years older Harold, who accommodated his 34 years suitably.

Pastrano was able to punch his way out of tight situations when necessary, while his incessant movement enabled him to neutralize Johnson's significantly greater reach (by three inches) and outjab Harold through the use of superior angles. This was a textbook example of one way to outjab a longer armed opponent with a great jab himself. (Another way is to slip inside the jab of a longer armed opponent to land counter jabs. The low but long armed Qawi had the best inside counterjab of his era that I saw.)

The crowd of 5,000 spectators in Las Vegas agreed with the decision, but groaned when a split decision was announced. They felt it should've been a UD for Willie.

 

A great analysis. It is impossible for me to add anything.

I thought Pastrano edged it with a strong last round, and agree his style was excellent boxing.. It was not just running or clinching.

A close decision with which many will disagree, but I thought fair.

 

Another Angelo Dundee masterpiece.

 

I always favor the aggressor over the runner in a close fight. Just me. I saw the fight on TV at the time. I was outraged at the decision then. I've learned a few things since then. Now I'm not so outraged, but I would still go with Harold.

 

Splendid account of a splendid fight, one that’s as much a joy to watch as a display of high-level skill as Toney-McCallum. Two masters at peak form playing 4D chess.

You mentioned a speculated Pastrano-Marciano fight and I’m among those who think Willie might have been able to pull it off against that late-stage, 50th-bout version of the rock.

 

Initially had Johnson winning this clearly based on him being the aggressor, harder shots landed, and keeping Pastrano on the move. But having rewatched it recently I actually scored it for Pastrano this time around. Pastrano, despite his constant movement, was still initiating the action and landing a lot of jabs while Johnson was too restraint to let his punches go, was unable to cut the ring off and was forced to just follow Pastrano around while relying a lot on his jab to catch up although occasionally exploding with combinations.

Still a very close fight and hard to score where it could have gone either way. One things for certain this was a beautiful technical boxing chess match in the same class as Toney vs McCallum.

 

That's a perfectly welcome dissent, and I expect others to perhaps favor Harold. (Hey, @robert ungurean, how about chiming in here?)

 

I was 15 and glued to the TV for this fight. Johnson at 34 was still great and in my eyes he clearly outpointed Pastrano with 15 rounds of aggression and much harder punches. To this day I believe gamblers swayed the decision and that somebody got to Harry Krause, one of the judges. By the way, the split decision was not greeted by cheers. Some did cheer but most were in silent shock.

 

Pastrano but and either way fight.

 

Those who have Pastrano winning are victims of what I call "the Ali effect." Ali's dancing around made that type of fighting legitimate among modern-day boxing fans. In the old days, Pastrano would have been hooted out of the ring for his runaway tactics. The perception of what is suitable has changed since Ali came on to the scene.

 

Watching it again now. Not much holding. Whenever Johnson gets him trapped on the ropes he slithers out like peak Ali.

 

Willie has a good motor.

 

I just re-watched the end of the bout and the reading of the decision.

The decision for Pastrano was generally cheered. The only strong booing was when the vote for Johnson was announced. I certainly didn't notice stunned silence.

 

The booing started when they announced the card of the judge having Johnson winning. The cheers started when they announced the tie breaking judge for Willie.