I've never seen this fight before!! Quality, quality stuff. Here's the beggining and the end for any lazy bums out there, but you should find the time to check out the whole fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hq1ZrAVhlQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laGjKGxYEUA
Deservedly The ring Magazines fight of the Year ! common opinion was that Chris Finnegan would of Beaten any other Lt Heavy contender in the world on this night - Just his bad luck he had to come up against a Prime Foster ! Finnegan was not given much chance at all, in his two previous fights Foster had Ko'd Rival Champ Rondon in JigTime, and Nearly decapitated Mike Quarry ! ( It was only After the Finnegan Fight, That Bob took on Ali and was Yo-Yo'ed in eight Rounds, that took something from Bob, Messers Fourie and Ahumada when then able to last the distance against a Listless Aging Bob ) Finnegan was not up against this Tired Version ! After Boxing and using mobility ( Chis was an olympic Gold Medalist at Middleweight, so could Box off the back foot really well) Finnegan Later in the Fight started to come Forwards and Press Bob, And Bob actually got on his Bike and started to circle away from Chris whist Flicking out his snakelike Heavy Jab, Finnegan had shown his Skill, Now he was showing his heart. Chris was Floored in the 1oth round by a Vicious Shot, Chris saw out the Round Then Started to Advance on Foster, When Chris was Koed in the 14th round, he had taken just as good Shots Earlier, but was now very Fatiqued, he had however show he was an extremely worthy contender Chris was never really the some again, some sharpness left him, he lost his Euro crown to Rudi Schimdke on a Cut Nose ( the American Press reported him as having been "Ko'd" - Chris was never Down - Just stopped on a Dreadful Cut, - But it was apparent Chris Lacked that Pre-Foster Sharpness Losses to the Emerging John Conteh, The fisrt fight on Points in a tought 15 Rounder, and the Second Fight by Nasty Cuts stoppage in 6 rounds ( Cut behind the Ear ! Conteh Careless Head Again!) spelt the end for Chris But on the Night of The Foster Fight he would of given most a very tough evening - barring Cuts of Course ! ( Dream Fight : Chris Finnegan Vs Alvaro Lopez - Both lost by 14th Round Stoppage in Title Tries againt Great Champions, Both put up fabulous challanges, Both Stopped as much with Fatigued as anything - I wouldnt like to have to pick a winner and put the Rent Money on it ! Chris Finnegan an Excellant Contender, its a Pity he didnt have any action Stateside, Chris's Brother Kevin, also a great contender, Sadly just passed away, seemed to travel a bit more Chris was one of those Contenders who peaked a little before the 70's post Foster - Goldern Age I can still remember seeing Chris on TV Beating Guys Like Roger Rouse, Hal TNT Carroll, Jerry Judge, Conny Valensek,
Finnegan was a top fighter...really would have been a top contender in any era. Easily a titlist in this era. But as with a lot of Foster fights he didnt just beat them, he didnt just KO them, he ruined them. Im shocked that Chris tried to fight so soon after this bout. Area..Do you know what happened with Finnegan's early loss to Bogs. Seen it? Got any info on the bout? Was it only the ref that scored it?..was it controversial etc?
Bogs was a very good technical fighter and Finnegan was pretty raw at the time, i haven't seen it but it would probably have been pretty close from the styles of the two. Monzon's performance against Bogs was one of his best.Bogs stalked him and slipped punches effortlessy, quite like the Napoles fight.carlos was just measuring him though and did his usual "kick it up out of second gear" thing in the 5th round and just crushed jim in a devastating display of right hand punching. The kind of stuff that makes me wonder why MOnzon is seen so often as an unspectacular accumulation puncher.That right hand was brutal when he cut loose with it.
Hi WhataRock - As Mante said, Re the Tom Bogs fight, Chris was a little too inexperiance, it was only his 14 fight, apparently British Middle Champ Mark Rowe was supposed be fighting Bogs, but an arm injury ruled him out, so Chris was offered the fight, and as you know the Finnegans never dodged anyone, At this stage Beating Bogs at home was like trying to Beat Sven Ottke was recently, Bogs had already beaten a few Brits like Les McTeer and Harry Scott so was quite happy to meet another, especially one in the developing stages of his career, It seems that Tom Beat Chris closely, Chris Busted Bogs Nose which later needed hospital attention, but unless you could floor Tom and Punish him severly, the chances are your hand would not be raised at the end, I understand the Ref had the fight 4 rounds to Bogs O to Finnegan - and 11 rounds Even ! - Go Figure Suffice it to say Tom never answered the calls for a rematch ! A few Fights Later Chris was really Jobbed against Connie Venlensek for the European LtHeavy Title in Connies Berlin Backyard Chis clearly boxed his head off particularly in the later stages, In The Rematch in the UK Chris did it again and this time Justice was done and Chris Crowned. I think in those days an undefeated record was not the be all and end all, and people could promote themselves by putting up a good showing, albeit losing, angainst a vastly more experianced world class pro, it was seen as part of the learning process, Managements were perhaps not so concerned about superficial W/L statisics but the general development of a pro, and Learning Losses could be more educational then 10 quick winning Ko's over vastly mismatched opporsituion. They were good times, Especially with some good matches on free TV.
Finegan had a ton of heart but was outgunned as far as power but he landed well vs Foster and made it a classic
