How did Alfredo Evangelista ever get 2 title shots?

The way boxing's going, he may yet.....:think

 

Just looked at a few old issue of Boxing News last night. It turrns out that Evangelista dropped out with a fight vs our very own chirpy scouser Billy Aird on the grounds of, according to Evangelista's Spanish agent: "Alfredo has just been married and he didn't want a tough contest against the likes of Aird at this stage".


Also, taking a look at Boxing News' European ratings for December 1976, Evanglista isn't even in the Top 10. :yep

 

It is ridiculous, especially the first one. These ratings were before he lost to Zanon and he still received a shot. :shock: Ali was totally trying to avoid another go with Foreman, it's embarrassing when you look back at how much fudging he was doing to avoid George and even Jimmy Young and Norton (again). I know there's always the 'he deserves and easy contest' line but not against fighters ranked as fodder for the likes of Billly Aird.

 

Personally, I think he chose Spinks because he knew it 'd be an easy rematch.

 

At the beginning of 77 Ali was talking of retiring. The word was he'd pack it in and Foreman-Norton would be for the vacant title. He'd then resume his comeback to attempt to become the first three time champ. The Spinks fight stinks somewhat. I'm not saying the fix was in but he mostly fought like he didn't give a ****.

 

Yep. Larry or Ken would have beaten Ali fairly easily. The 1978 Larry would have won virtually every round I'd say.

 

You guys are forgetting that Holmes was still a young man when he fought Evangelista, Zannon etc. Ali was nearing 40 when he fought Evangelista, etc. You guys' comparisons don't make any sense at all, think, if those guys faced the younger Ali that beat Foreman, Frazier or the Ali from the 60s how do you think they would have fared? Thats right, he would walked all over them in 5 rounds at the most. Keep in mind Ali's health and ability began to decline after Manila rapidly. And by the way, you guys are also comparing Holmes to Ali here. If its comparing their opponents overall we all know Holmes' opposition falls pale next to virtually the greatest resume in HW history, Ali's resume. Holmes, a man who prides himself on beating a 40 year old Ali with early signs of parkinson's syndrome and still could not knock him out for a 10 count remember, his best career opposition were past their prime Norton and Shavers. While both Norton and Shavers are top legends, they were past it when they fought Holmes.

Holmes' best career opposition

Norton - 35 years old
Shavers (twice) - 34 years old

Ali's best career opposition


Frazier (twice)- 30 (when they fought the first time Frazier was 27)
Foreman - 25
Liston (twice)- 32
Patterson (twice)- 29 (first meeting)
Norton (twice)- 29 (when he beat him in the rematch)
Shavers - 33
Lyle - 32
Quarry - 25 (first meeting)

There is also plenty of other great HW contenders who would have been champions during Holmes' era that Ali beat such as Chuvalo, Bugner, Cooper, Williams, Terrel, Folley, Bonavena, Ellis, Foster etc.

I'd like to point out other great fighters Holmes fought but that was it, yes he fought other decent fighters who were solid contenders as did Ali but no more. Holmes was a byproduct of luck, he came up when the 60s 70s golden age HW fighters were aged(most had retired) and a new weak era of boxing took rise and he fell right on top of it. There was also about a 6 month windows in the mid 70s for him to fight Foreman and he ducked out of the way. With that said, your comparisons of them fighting guys like evangelista is vague, holmes knocked them out but he was a 29 year old prime fighter, Ali was nearing 40. Big difference.

 

No matter how limited Rossman was, he wasn't quite as bad as some posters are making him out to be.

 

Sounds about right. Holmes succeeded too. As Ali was way past his 70's best,and Holmes was in his prime.