Damn! So beautiful to see, yet so destructive. People rave about the jab of Larry Holmes (and for good reason), but Ike's jab is absolutely in the same realm. Thoughts on the "Bazooka's" jab?
It wasn't a jab, it was a left cross! That was one thing you couldn't fault about ike. He'd jab the stuffing outta ya. Also, talking about jabs, I was watching some Pone Kingpetch. Underrated ATG jab in my opinion. Fighting Harada as well.
Easy to counter. Brought his hand back slow and low. Then, lifted it up again. Seldom double or triple up on it. Just one good one. That's why once he got to the top tier fighters he was constantly eating right hands. Not much of a left hook off the jab either. But that one punch could and did get him some wins. Tough getting by at the championship level with a single punch though.
The only time the guy fought using an entire arsenal of sorts was the Espana bout. But that guy was ready to be taken so it was hard to see it as a terrific performance. Nice solid win but we are talking about an old Espana here. But Ike never got any better & if anything, probably worse.
Only a few names beaten, Vince Phillips for one (who was coming up in weight), after beating Espana for the WBA belt. Then the Close call with Jose Luis Lopez. I remember after that first round of Quartey-Lopez when Lopez walked back to his corner with this dazed, surprised, almost comical look. Hinting that he had to endure another 11 rounds of that friggin jab?! In my opinion, the best jab I've witnessed live in boxing. Vernon Forrest couldn't get past it. And that was a comebacking Quartey after a 5 year retirement, who evidently got robbed in that one.
Quartey was a damn fine fighter. Great jab working behind that high guard. Inactivity really hurt his career. He also seemed to have issues with stamina and would fight in spurts.
