Fighters who were past their prime and able to turn back the clock one final time

True, Holmes should never have lost to Spinks at all, but I guess half the battle is mental when you get into your old age. It's hard to be motivated to do what you once did when you've done it time and time again in the past.

I guess that's what makes fighters like Hopkins who consistently stay on top of their games in old age so special.


(Please let the record show that I just offered Hopkins praise here ).

 

And i will never forget it!!!

But yes, fighting age both physically and mentally is indeed very notable, and Holmes did both vs Spinks in the second fight. He'd been fighting it for ages and Spinks was in hindsight styistically more difficult than the boigger stronger slower guys Larry had been outgutting.

 

PERFECT example!

 

Ali against Foreman.
Holyfield against Tyson.

Dick Tiger against Jose Torres.

Thomas Hearns against Virgil Hill.

 

Holyfield-Tyson. Yes, it wasn't Holyfield's last fight at the highest level, but it was his last great perfomance, and people thought he was shot at the time.

 

Golottas facial bones were smashed in.

He was right to quit.

 

I dont like dempsey at all..He liked avoidin the best fighters of his day..who were black

 

I think when Jack Johnson was in his 50s he won a scheduled 3 round fight on points against a man in his 30s.

At about age 46 I believe John L. Sullivan won a match against a much younger man. These younger opponents of Johnson and Sullivan were not big names but the contests must have been fun to watch. atsch

 

Protect yourself at all times!

Dempsey was looking down in close, looked up, saw the shot, and did what he should do. Sharkey looked at the ref while within punching range. Dumb move. You got nailed with a low shot? Step back out of range and complain. Better yet, do what Duran did when Iran bombed him (pun intended) -complain in range but expect and then slip the punch!

No fault for Dempsey.

 

Fritzie Zivic vs. Billy Arnold. Arnold, a 4 to 1 favorite and 30-0-1 is considered a sure fire Champ. Zivic hands him his first loss.

 

Ray Robinson. He was able to do a number on Gene Fullmer in their third fight in 1960 only to get robbed out of winning the title with the decision being a draw. However it would have been short lived anyway with Fullmer winning their fourth battle three months later quite handily.

Jimmy Braddock beating Baer for the title.

 

Leonard-Duarn III. I thought Ray looked very well for his age and he reminded me of his old self, not the Sugar Ray that fought LaLonde.

Charles in Marciano I and II. He seemed to fight as well as he did in his prime, and not holding back as he did at times. You would never know he was slightly past his prime by then if you hadn't watched him fight since his last true "prime" fight.

 

I think Jack Dempsey turned the clock back with that sneak left hook ko over Jack Sharkey, and all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye in that 7th round. The 7th must have been Jack's lucky round, for he nearly pulled off the trick again a year later against Gene Tunney also in the 7th.