We were treated to an all-time classic, Matthew Saad Muhammad KO 14 Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez. This fight typified the epic come-from-behind mantra Saad seemed to live in the entirety of his time at the top. The eighth round stood out in a fight where nearly every moment stood out. It was the kind of fight that would indoctrinate new boxing fans for life, and leave the seasoned fan reminded why he loved this sport in the first place. In a word, it was epic. What are your memories of this amazing slugfest? Was it in real time, or later on YouTube? What were your impressions? It’s one of my Desrt Island Five, for sure, and it’s one big reason Saad is one of my very favorites. I assume everyone here has seen it; I think in order to graduate Classic Boxing University you had to go over it in your first year. If somehow you managed to avoid it, do yourself the favor and see it. It’s time well spent.
Saw it on TV as it happened. Among the best fights I’ve ever seen, and the eighth is the best round I’ve ever witnessed. The heart of these two men, also backed with skill. Yaqui was ever the bridesmaid in what I think is the deepest division at one time in boxing history. In one tight era we had: Matthew Saad Muhammad Marvin Johnson Michael Spinks Eddie Mustafa Muhammad John Conteh Yaqui Lopez James Scott Dwight Muhammad Qawi Victor Galindez Mike Rossman And more. It’s unreal what it took to compete in that era. Crazy thing, is MSM’s classic title fights with Marvin Johnson and Yaqui Lopez were nearly repeats of his pre-title bouts with both. I’d argue that Matthew Saad and Bobby Chacon are the two best action fighters of all time — you were basically guaranteed a war (and one with drama) anytime they laced ‘em up. On a related note, I am old. Thanks for reminding me with the 45-year timestamp.
I actually went on an all out Saad marathon about 1-2 weeks ago. Interesting fact about both Lopez fights, is that their 8th round is not only the best round of both fights, but the situation was completely reversed.
Ah, the golden days, when we would all sit around the telegraph office and listen to the round-by-round reports from Sullivan-Kilrain coming in over teletype that a man would read out. It was next-best thing to being there! (My father told me of getting the keys from his parents to go out to listen to one of the Liston-Patterson fights on the car radio and by the time they got it cranked up and found a station carrying the radio broadcast, the fight was over, haha.)
