Anyone ever see Mercado ice Berbick?

All I have on Mercado is him getting decked by Shavers in their 1980 TV fight.......... I missed that fight on regular TV back then............

What I hate the most is, if you watch 'Shavers' highlight reels, they love to show Shavers dropping Mercado with his famous right hand.... BUT!!! They fail to mention that Mercado got his ass up to come back and TKO Shavers............. WTF?

MR.BILL

 

i think leon spinks of all people knocking him out and getting beat by cobb prolly ended those chances

 

I have a copy of an exhibition between holmes and mercado. i got it on a dvd and it was part of a televised old boys tour in asia or something. holmes did 2 rounds with mercado and quick tillis then tillis did 2 rounds with mercado. they all wore big gloves tee sirts and head gear. tillis was the fittest but holmes controld him. mercardo was over weight, it was during the time holmes was calling out foremen. I remember being suprised because whilst holmes and tillis were active mercardo had been retired sometime.

 

Yes, the winner of that elimination bout was guaranteed a shot at Holmes, and Leon pulled it off in something of a surprise result. Because of Mercado's power, many suspected that he might dispatch Leon as Coetzee had done. Leon looked impressive in knocking out Evangelista with the best combination of his career, but Alfredo had him in very serious trouble earlier in that one. It was thought he wouldn't be able to survive if Bernardo was able to hurt him like that.

If Leon had the commitment of a Frazier, we wouldn't be talking today about what a great cruiserweight he might have made. At his best, he could play with the big boys, and Mercado proved that.

 

You seem to have a higher opinion of Leon then most, but I do as well so that's fine by me.

Any misc thoughts on Leon Lobotomy?

 

i read the report of the Berbick/Mercado in an old boxing news the other day. Apparently, near the end of the first round, Berbick kinda dropped his left hand and Mercado stepped in with a huge right hander that knocked Berbick down and out. The ref said it was the hardest shot he had ever seen, apparently

 

Well, he was the least skilled of the 1976 US Olympic squad (ironic, considering the superb skills brother Michael was noted for as an amateur), but he was also known for having tremendous heart and determination as compensation. Sixto Soria was a lethal Cuban, fully expected to walk away with the Gold. Like a number of teammates, Leon sprung the surprise, rallying from an early beating to drop and stop Soria.

Leon openly admitted that he did not like training, but he was an amazing natural athlete and physical specimen who could run wind sprints and long distances without breathing hard when he stopped. For his size, he had excellent power in both hands, and we can see how fast he was on extant footage. Bobbing and weaving below the waist was not allowed in amateur boxing, but once Frazier and Leon were taught to use it as professionals, they became champions. Leon got away from the bob and weave after defeating Ali, and he paid the price for it.

With proper support, and an organized corner with a defined chain of command, I absolutely believe he could have won the rematch with Ali. Muhammad was in shape, but he was clearly misfiring, and his timing was irretrievably lost with the neurological damage he sustained in the Shavers fight. (Everybody points to Manila, and the injuries Antonio Inoki inflicted on Ali's legs in that boxer versus wrestler spectacle, but Shavers is far too overlooked for the role he played in Muhammad's physical deterioration.)

He was not suited for stylish boxing or slugging, but was naturally a swarmer in Frazier's mold (far more so than Joe's boy Marvis). Leon lacked Frazier's natural strength and bulk, but he was certainly far more of a two handed puncher than Joe. Again, it bears mention that many expected him to regain the title against Holmes, not something typically projected of somebody considered more lucky than good. Leon is one of those badly underrated wins for Holmes, who continually shocked the experts during the early years of his reign. (Prior to their match, one of the magazines said that a peak Holmes would win a decision over Leon, while predicting the impending end of Larry's reign.)

There was a ceiling on how high Leon could have climbed with first rate training and guidance, but I think he might have been able to score a secondary heavyweight title with his endurance and hustle, at a time when so many of these heavyweights were frittering away championships and opportunities with half hearted and non efforts. At his best, I consider him to be a definite heavyweight. His combination of bobbing and weaving with 6'1" stature would not have been such an asset at cruiserweight.

As it is, I consider Leon to be the weakest of the undisputed heavyweight champions, with the shallowest resume, but his ability and potential probably exceeded that of a number of other claimants. (I think Jimmy Braddock made the absolute most of what he had, but I'm not convinced his optimum capabilities matched Leon's. Jimmy's in the IBHOF though, a place Leon would never belong.)