August 31, 1981 Fletcher vs. SINGLETARY

I think Sypion beat a still prime Fletcher. He was too strong for Frank. I think Hamsho would have benn to strong for him as well. Most of Frank's best wins were against 154 lb guys moving up - Green, Jackson, Tony Braxton come to mind. He never really beat a natural 160 lb top 10 contender. I mean, Sabater might have technically been rated, but he proved to be fairly mediocre. Caveman Lee was a fringe contender. Ernie Singletary was a fringe contender type as well. Same with Nesmith

Fletcher-Curtis Parker around 1981-82 would have been an absolute war. Fletcher was shot when they actually did fight in '85.

Frank was all set to face Marvin Hagler in early '83. After he beat Green, he was assured of a title shot after Hagler faced Sibson.

But, in an all time boneheaded managerial move, Fletcher's manager Marty Feldman agreed to a USBA title defense against Wilford Sypion. Sypion had lost a few fights but was a legitimate top 10 guy and not somebody you risk your guy against if you already have a title fight sewn up. Feldman may have reasoned that since Green beat Sypion and Frank beat Green, therefore Frank would beat Sypion. We know it doesn't necessarily work that way. Styles make fights. Just because A beats B and C beats A, it does not follow that C beats B. And, Fletcher appeared somewhat fortuneate to win the Green fight. Green pounded him in the early rounds. Then Green got a bad cut and didn't react well to getting cut. He covered up on the ropes and let Fletcher pound away until the ref stopped it. That win was really not convincing.

So, Wilford outmuscled Frank and got the title shot.

Frank wasn't going to beat Hagler, but he would have gotten a great payday and a much deserved title fight.

Now, the Roldan situation was different. That was a title eliminator - the winner would get a title fight with Hagler.

But, in no way did Fletcher have to fight Sypion to get the title shot - it was already sewn up.

It was unfortunate that Feldman blew it - because he had shown remarkable matchmaking skill in getting Fletcher to the precepace of a title shot. Just one dumb move at the end.

 

I see it the same way, but Frank was also a victim of there being only one champion (which is the way it should be, I know) in that he did as much to earn a title shot as anyone and never got one.

Yet Fully Obel got two.

SMH.

 

As I showed above, Frank wasn't unfairly denied a title shot. His manager blew it when the title shot was all sewn up.

Sibson deserved his shot at Hagler - he had beaten Minter and Dwight Davison.

Obel was the one who was a WBA favorite. The WBA basically had affirmative action for Latin fighters. Obel really beat nobody to get his first shot, and only beat the rated, but also politically connected Chong Pal Park, to get the second shot at Hagler. Neither Obel or Park deserved a shot at Hagler in 1982.

Sypion earned his shot by beating Fletcher.

In no way did Caveman Lee deserve a shot. He had already been destroyed by Fletcher and had only beaten Sammy NeSmith and John LoCicero to get his shot.

Davison is probably the best not to have gotten a shot, but he lost to Sibson in a title eliminator.

Parker got screwed in the first Hamsho fight and Hamsho got a shot instead of him.

But Hamsho did beat Sypion in addition to getting the disputed decison over Parker, so he earned his first shot.

Then he beat Benitez, which probably justified the second shot. Talk was that if Benitez beat Hamsho, he would get a fight with Hagler.

All the aforementioned except Lee deserved a shot more than Obel. Obel was the lucky one of the bunch.

 

Frank could have gotten the shot that went to Caveman.

Not saying he deserved a mandatory, but his resume merited a shot at the title during his hot period.

 

And no-one said anything different.

 

I agree he was more deserving than Lee.

I think what happened there was Hagler pulled out of a Hearns defense and Manny Steward got to put one of his guys in as a substitute. I think it was between Micky Goodwin and Caveman Lee and Lee got the nod.

 

I'm pretty sure the Hagler - Hearns fight fell thru just after the Hagler - Lee fight.

 

Mickey injured his hand, and Caveman took his place. Mickey would've lasted a few more rounds than Caveman did.

 

It's sad he couldn't attend. A true warrior.

 

The southpaw sluggers. What a rare breed. Back then you had Frank & then at lh you had Marvin Johnson. And Limon was around. Then, Galaxy.

Awful tough sport for those guys and they all got hit with right hands. To last as long as they did was really something. And Johnson, Fletcher, and Galaxy were high pressure guys. It seems like since then, the southpaws are not the super aggressive type but similar to a Moorer---fights in his perimeter. Not that all out foot on the gaspedal style.

I always had a soft spot for those lefty sluggers. It was really something to see how their opponents tried to cope with them. Highly entertaining and a promoters dream. But that wear and tear factor rears its head with that style.

 

I live rite outside Phila and these great fights and there build ups were all covered by the Philadelphia Journal the only newspaper that gave boxing alot of coverage.
I loved watching Frank the minute I saw him on ESPN along with Tony Braxton to a lesser degree though.
This fight was incredible as were so many of Fletchers early fights including the befor mentioned Braxton. Weren't they part of an ESPN tournament that Fletcher won and Dwight Braxton won the Light Heavyweight tournament?
Anyways this fight was great...at this stretch Fletcher may have been the most exciting guy to watch for a short period in one of the greatest times in boxing history IMO 77-84 or so.
Fletcher vs Jackson for me was one of most exciting and brutal wars I ever saw. Fletcher ruined Jackson and Braxton but I'm sure they both took a piece of him with them too.
Great posts MORLOCKS! Stirring up great memories for me too!! Amazing time to be a fight fan back then!!!!!

 

Caveman Lee was a last-minute substitute for Mickey Goodwin....but I think the same result awaited Goodwin against Hagler!

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...0fe-b0e4-cd6091efdbd5/?utm_term=.30d740ec1503

Yeah, Goodwin was even less deserving than Lee. It's kind of a travesty Hagler agreed to fight either of them. But, the lure of a possible Hearns fight and the big $$ that would have entailed must have enticed him to fight an undeserving Kronk backed opponent. Steward must have insisted on one of his guys getting a shot if Hagler wanted Hearns. Attached is an article explaining why the Hagler v. Goodwin fight would have been on ABC and thus, why Hagler v. Lee was on ABC.