Gene Hatcher

One tough SOB who just came forward punching the best he could.

He was over in Ft. Worth when the Curry's were champs.

Still see him interviewed ever so often.

 

He was a solid fighter. Too bad he fought Lloyd Honeyghan.

 

Id love to see his fight with johny bumphus again!! Lou duva went ape **** at the end and somebody decked him, it was wild- the fight was good too!

 

Honeyghan was on fire at the time and Gene was perhaps a lil past it.......Still, nobody else ever got Hatcher outta there in that fashion. Gene a nice guy, speak 2 him via e-mail now and again. He was a world champ - respect to the man.

 

I've got the fight on VHS somewhere from back in the day of the Dickie Davies saturday "World of Sport" 2pm boxing slot. Poor old "Bump City's" whole world imploded, you could see "Mad Dog" timing that left hook bomb which was similar too the pac bomb that wiped Hatton out if i recall. It was on the Mancini/Bramble 1 undercard. Yeh what a riot, Bumphus is still break dancing all over the ring & trying to attack Hatcher who's got his kid on his shoulders celebrating.

 

Bumphus later apologized for his behavior. Just a massive, massive upset at the time. Master boxers Escalera and Crawley handed Gene his first two defeats, and Bumphus was one of the most accomplished amateur southpaw stylists to ever turn professional. Mad Dog went further than he was ever expected to go.

 

I'am trying to dig deep into my memory banks here, massive upset INDEED:deal bump was being touted as the new Leonard.

I recall from the fight his jab & as the fight went on (Which he was strolling) he kept triple jabbing & it just seemed to get just that tad weaker & slower & it was if it was in slow motion & you could just see gene trundling forward & waiting for that one & only opportunity too time that left over the top & BANG! Jonny was concious but his legs went into involentary spasm, the riot after was unreal along with Duva producing his usual hard done bye apocoliptic performance.

I'am not to sure if it was the commentator that mentioned during the fight that Bump was DRY & not an ounce of moisture was visable after 9 rounds. he was a big guy for the weight, beanpole yes!! but near on 6ft+ it must have played a part in him maybe being tight at the weight. I've got to get these VHS tapes burnt onto disc as i have nearly all the fights of 80/85 gathering dust as i hav'nt a clue as to transfer them as i'd like to stick them all onto you-tube for anyone & everyone to watch & share.

 

thats just how I remember it! was that time lou was bleeding? good old world of sport. ahh dickie and his white striped hair and tash...the boxing never came on when you wanted it to did it?

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0pcDsoDfgg[/ame]

 

the 1980's and all those Ltweights, JrWW's and WW's beating the sh*t out of each other on free TV.

Bruce Curry & Monroe Brooks was another classic too.

 

Top job:good

I hav'nt seen that punch at 2.21 in must be 20+ years, thank **** my memory ai'nt failed me yet He was one hard x2 tough little ****er was'nt he. I bet he was 1st into the ring in those last man standing texan toughman contests they used to hold back then:yep

 

Yeh, happydays back in the 80's with the free TV as even non-boxing fans knew who all the champs were back then as the sport was covered in every daily newspaper who'd have there own fight reporters. It was the 1st topic for all the lads when we met up on a saturday night in the local boozer before we went out on the town, Did yer see Holmes today or did yer see that cocky **** Camacho or Curry:yep yeh every week at 2pm on a sat afternoon on ITV we got the delayed viewing of all the privious weeks World Title fights from the States & now..................We get **** all:dead

 

there was nothing wrong with delayed tv was there? I grew up on it. it beats the alternative. aparently it dosent cost much for tv chanels to buy pre recorded fights but they are obsessed with buying live boxing which for terestial tv is a no brainer. the veiwing figures they would get for 80's style coverage which was pre recorded delayed vegas title fights would be through the roof! bring back world of sport!

 

Yeh it's ****in nuts, If they showed the delayed highlights on a following wednesday night 10.30pm as they used too they'd pick up at least 5 million viewers. I remenber ITV showing the Hagler/Duran fight in 1983 the following Monday at 10.30pm & if i recall it was over 8 million tuned in & the same when Duran/Barkley in 89 on a wednesday night at 10.30. Like you i never gave a **** if it was live or not, anything was better than nothing but it kept us all up to date & made boxing "Domestic" & Global part of main stream life for the man in the street. It's such a Harriot Harman lesbian controlled Healt/Safty PC world today.

It just dos'nt make commercial sence to me for the advertisers to miss out on the male demographic post 10.30pm as all the girly shite is finished & the miserable nagging bitches have gone to bed leaving the rest of the night for us & big time boxing highlights, why the **** they are so scared to commit to a tried & proven succesfull marketing opportunity is beyond me, Yeh World of Sport with the wrestling as well at 4pm just so we can watch the grannies swing their handbags at Mick McManas