John conteh vs mate parlov

Agreed .. he had a difficult style and was tough but not a great fighter .. again , in his next fight he was KO'ed by Marvin Johnson, a terrific fighter who happened to peak in an era of great light heavyweights ...

 

Mwale would have beaten Parlov too i expect.

Mate was just a spoiler if you let him fight at his own pace.Pressure him and he didn't have much to keep you off with.

 

Again, why is this a negative point? Especially considering you go on to point out that Johnson was a very good fighter.

 

I also watched this broadcast. In Belgrade, before 40,000 screaming partisans, I figured going in that John's only hope to win was via knockout. This was the first professional world title fight in a Communist nation, and the political pressure for a Parlov win was crushing. Just for going into that lion's den, John deserved his shot at Saad Muhammad a year later, even after getting decked twice in that London draw with Burnett the following April.

 

I don't know Duo. Conteh obviously showed he was a worthy challenger for Saad in their fight, but Burnett beat him so easily I actually had Conteh going into negative figures :yikes

Think I gave him two rounds but he was dropped numerous times. In fact, his punch resistance looked as bad as it did the second time round against Saad. As gift a 'draw' as I've ever seen.

 

I remember the Burnett fight well...a Monday night, live on BBC...those were the days

IIRC Conteh was dropped twice in the fight by the cagey Burnett, once in the 1st when Conteh really have seemed to have been caught cold, and again in the 8th. It certinly looked like a home-towner (Harry Gibbs was the ref...whoda thunk it?)...JC boxed so much better just 4 months later against Saad, I can only assume that JC wasn't as fit for the Burnett fight as he was for Saad.

Against Burnett JC boxed as though he was drunk...mmm...

 

I actually think he was pissed up for the Burnett fight and the second Saad fight....either way, it was definitely affecting his in-ring performances and snatching away the last semblance of his prime.

 

That's sort of my suspicion as well. I was actually rooting for John to win the first match, and was furious when Matt finally broke through to post those late knockdowns, convinced that all Conteh had to do was keep his feet entering the 14th.

For the rematch, he looked fine between the knockdowns, except his legs were obviously completely gone, as if he'd had an orgy with hookers in his dressing room.

I do think it was better that he challenged Parlov, then Saad Muhammad the first time, than to attempt a challenge of Marvin Johnson in Indianapolis during the interim. I think Marvin would have utterly steamrolled him in Indy, depriving John the payday of another title shot, but Marvin didn't take "Gimme" inaugural title defenses like Rossman did with Traversaro. No, he just had to take on a guy who'd previously taken him out, then face EMM after Galindez.

Yeah, even after Burnett, I still think John deserved some kind of reward for the ridiculously unfair circumstances in Belgrade. Maybe Gibbs felt to wrongs would make a right. In any event, Harry was also one of the ringside judges for Saad Muhammad I, and he gave that one to Matt by just a single point, 144-143, even after Conteh sustained those three knockdowns. (Fortunately for Gibbs, Roland Dakin and Minter-Antuofermo I was just eight months down the road, making Harry look relatively impartial.)

 

Yeah, against Burnett and Saad he wasn't 'hurt' IMO, even grazing shots were pulling the rug from underneath his legs. He just couldn't hold a shot, even if he wanted to and could battle to his feet. Nowadays, he could've been stopped in Britain for less ;-)

 

I think he was shot at the time of the Burnett fight, I'm going on memory here but I think he looked bad in one of his other fights round that time, could of been Ivy Brown. Anyway I really feared for him against Saad but he surprised me with that last hurrah effort until his legs went. The second fight he just had nothing left, mentally and physically. I've said it before on here that when he came back he did an interview on Granada reports or BBc Look North West and he broke down in tears. It was as if he was ashamed of himself, very sad to see one of your heroes in that state.
The last fight against James Dixon at The Stadium in Liverpool was a gimmee. I was at that one and spent time with John and me dad in the afternoon at and after the weigh in. He was in good spirits.

 

I'm glad John went on to sort his life out. Seems quite content today.

 

He definitely did sort his life out, credit to him. I still see him from time to time and he's pretty comfortable. He's still got that charisma!

 

Cheers Alan, quality input.

 

Do you know who that is in my avatar Flea?

 

Hell, nowadays, they'd probably stop Hearns-Benitez during the prefight instructions, and give it to Wilfred just for staring Tommy down. (Ditto SRL-El Radar. Benitez was the master of the stare-down.)