1970s FOTY: What FOTYs would you dispute, why, and what fights would you choose over it?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by William Walker, Sep 28, 2020.


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  1. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    1970: Tough year. Monzon-Benvenuti I was a good fight, but one-sided, although probably the biggest boxing event of the year. However, for me it boils down to one of the two Olivares-Castillo fights, and I pick the second one.
    1971: FOTC you dummy.
    1972: Finnegan-Foster. It was no FOTC, but it was by far the best FOTY and a damn good one at that that often gets overlooked.
    1973: Foreman vs. Frazier was not a fight, it was a massacre. Norton-Ali II is my pick.
    1974: Foreman-Ali imo is the best pick for it combined drama, action, and suspense all into one big upset and performance by the King himself. However, I can see how Duran-DeJesus II, Arguello-Olivares, and Briscoe-Valdez II all supplied more than sufficient competition for the spot of FOTY, and any one of them is better than Foreman-Ali for pure action.
    1975: The Thrilla in Manila without a doubt.
    1976: Foreman-Lyle and nothing comes close.
    1977: There were lots of great fights in '77, but I liked the Ring's choice of Foreman-Young as it was very dramatic, and it's my pick for FOTY, but for action alone, although this one was exciting, either Palomino-Muniz I or Muhammad-Johnson I has to get the nod, and it goes to the latter as the action fight of the year.
    1978: Another tough one. Ali-Spinks 1 was a helluva fight and I understand why it won. Also Arguello-Escalera I was a helluva fight that could have won as well. But Norton-Holmes should've won the award.
    1979: The toughest one for me to figure out. Lopez-Ayala is fantastic, but I have six fights that year that I actually prefer more, in this order:
    6. Johnson vs. Galindez
    5. Leonard vs. Benitez
    4. Arguello vs. Escalera II
    3. Hagler vs. Antuofermo I
    2. Muhammad vs. Johnson II
    1. Shavers vs. Holmes II

    Very tough pick, especially when it comes down to the last two, it could go either way. I chose #1 on the basis of better drama though.
     
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  2. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  3. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft He Who Saw The Deep Full Member

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    1970 should have 100% not have been Monzon vs Nino I. Ramos vs Ramos is better IMO by miles. Other great fights could've been FOTY too. Like Olivares vs Castillo I & II. I don't have any problems for 1971. Olivares vs Kanazawa II could've won too, but it was never going to. Gonzalez vs Oba too.

    Hate the 72 pick. There's so many that could've won this, fights like: Olivares vs Herrera II, Duran vs DeJesus I, Oba vs Amores, Frazier vs Stander &c.

    Massive upset, but definitely not the best fight of 1973. Oba vs Chionoi should've won IMO.

    No issues in 1974, 75 or 76. Although I definitely preferred Chacon vs Lopez in '74.

    Don't really like the '78 pick. Palomino alone had two fights much better than this. Actually, so did Dave Boy Green. My pick would definitely be Johnson vs Saad I, though. Gonzalez vs Espadas & Vargas are good choices too.

    Bruce Curry vs Monroe Brooks was much more enjoyable than either Spinks-Ali, but I'd go Saad vs Kates. Surprised a HW fight like Holmes vs Norton didn't win though, shows how loved Ali was.

    Lopez vs Ayala was an amazing fight. No problems with that being FOTY but I'd go with Pops vs Saad II. Park vs Espadas could've gotten it.
     
    George Crowcroft, Sep 28, 2020
    George Crowcroft, Sep 28, 2020
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  4. klompton2

    klompton2 Boxing Junkie banned Full Member

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    Foreman-Frazier in 73 should not have been FOTY. That honor should have gone to Briscoe-Valdez 1 by a country mile.
     
    klompton2, Sep 28, 2020
    klompton2, Sep 28, 2020
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  5. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    You have a lot of strong points George. I forgot about Ramos-Ramos, which would make a great FOTY, better than Monzon-Benvenuti. '72 was not that greatest pick, but you had some good suggestion, tho I would not pick Frazier-Stander.
     
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  6. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  7. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Foreman-Frazier I could have won any award that year: Knockout of the Year, Upset of the Year, Most Memorable Fight of the Year, Performance of the Year, but not FOTY.
     
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  8. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    What you think, @Jel?
     
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  9. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Maybe the massacre of the century.
     
    Flash24, Sep 28, 2020
    Flash24, Sep 28, 2020
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  10. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Joe must also be commended for one of the gutsiest losing performances in boxing that night. His ability was declining, but he had just as much heart as in the FOTC.
     
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  11. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    Funnily enough, was just about to post in this thread.

    Haven't got many more fights to add, just my own personal takes. I feel FOTY with The Ring was almost Event of the Year and almost always defaults to the biggest Heavyweight fight of that year as a result.

    These are my choices, mostly based just on action in the ring.
    1970: Ramos-Ramos
    1971: Ali-Frazier 1
    1972: I don't rate Foster-Finnegan that highly but I don't think it was a particularly strong year? Happy to be educated on this though.
    1973: Oba-Chionoi (see notes below)
    1974: Duran-DeJesus 2
    1975: Ali-Frazier 3
    1976: Galindez-Kates 1 (no strong argument against Foreman-Lyle though)
    1977: Franklin-Johnson 1
    1978: Holmes-Norton
    1979: Arguello-Escalera 2 (no strong argument against Lopez-Ayala, though)

    1973 is a weird one because the two best fights of that year don't have any (or much) film of them - Arnold Taylor's KO of Romeo Anaya would probably comfortably slip into my top 10 fights of all time if film ever turned up of it and Rafael Herrera's 12th round TKO of Rodolfo Martinez looks amazing just from the highlights available. In the absence of footage I went for Oba-Chionoi.

    One you missed off in your 1979 contenders was Holmes-Weaver - an absolutely great heavyweight fight that one.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2020
    Jel, Sep 28, 2020
    Jel, Sep 28, 2020
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  12. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Great to hear your thoughts Jel. I was aware of Holmes-Weaver as a great fight, it would probably be my #7 pick. '79 was a packed year!
     
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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  13. Jel

    Jel Obsessive list maker Full Member

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    Thanks! And yes, 1979 was just stacked!
     
    Jel, Sep 28, 2020
    Jel, Sep 28, 2020
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  14. TipNom

    TipNom Active Member Full Member

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    I'd have Norton V Holmes be fight of the year for '78

    Saad Muhammad V Johnson I as '77s fight of the year

    And Norton V Ali I as 73s fight of the year.

    Saad Muhammad V Johnson II as 79s fight of the year

    Duran V Dejesus I as fight of the year for 71

    And Olivares V Castillo II for 70

    I mostly agree with every other choice
     
    TipNom, Sep 28, 2020
    TipNom, Sep 28, 2020
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  15. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    none of your choices r unwise either
     
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
    William Walker, Sep 28, 2020
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