We were bleseed with quite a few of these,were n't we ? Here's a few of my choices - Ali-Norton II 1973 Ali-Frazier II 1974 Foreman-Lyle 1976
A few others that make a top 10; Holmes Shavers 1. A clinic on turning a guy. A clinic in a guy that can punch while moving his feet against a guy that has to get set to throw. Speaking of Earnie, that Lyle bout is another rare bout between gunslingers. I liked Tate-Knoetze. Took a puncher apart and once those heavyweight hitters get taken apart, the ballgame against top competition is over. Lyle--Young 2. Want to see a master feinter at work? And a guy that thinks in the ring? Norton--Ledoux is another. Not so much a back and forth fight but a bout where both guys have things going their way. how that was not stopped in Scott's backyard is incredible. Both dug deep and both were pretty much on a similar level by that point in time.
It was at the time. Back then, a lot of folks had still not bought into Larry. And he was fighting no-hopers and this was a huge huge step up in caliber of opposition. This was no Ibar Arrington he was getting into the ring with. He was going to have to be at his best in a high pressure bout and his last high pressure bout had been the Bobick fiasco. Lots of pressure and a loss changes his career and probably not much doubt Don King drops him. What then? And although flawed, Ernie is always a dangerous opponent. And the late 70's might have actually seen him at his best as far as results go and his form. But Ernie was old and coming off that Ali loss. The sun was setting on his career. A loss to an up and comer like this sets him back, too. It was a risky bout for both and a lot to lose. But it was a tightrope act to pull off and Holmes did it. And after that fight, everyone knew there was a new up and comer to be concerned with. all the other heavies were long in the tooth and the only other rising heavy was Bobick, who had his detractors. It's not like they were ever going to put Duane in with a Shavers and have him try the tightrope act. Big risky fight at the time and a perfect example of a guy rising to the occasion with a terrific and equally important, mistake free bout.
It was a good exhibition by the emerging Holmes,but it was too one sided for it to rank among the best non title fights of that decade. Norton-Young was a pretty good one too.
Norton--Young was a title fight though. But there really weren't that many terrific non-title fights during that decade. Most of the best fights were for the titles or title defenses. But that decade really is thin at non-title top notch bouts.
And how much ya wanna bet that if Jimmy got the decision he deserved, it would never have gotten to eventually be for the title
What was so impressive about that fight? The fact that two guys were coming at each other with nothing but power?
I honestly thought it was a little bit more exciting than Lewis vs Vitali, and I admit I almost fell asleep during that fight.
Earnie Shavers Vs Big Roy Williams had such a memorable last round, (must of been a round of the year runner up) with Earnie floored and out on his feet...literally the breeze of one punch from defeat...he nails Big Roy...and like a Drunken Yeti .is floored, and ko'd...with approx 15 seconds remaining...real Heart in mouth stuff....
slightly past the 70's limit, shavers vs bernardo mercado that was a good fight, with the glove break the kd, then shavers getting stoped.
