Mike Gibbons Appreciation Thread

Ask klompton who was better between Mike and Tommy.

 

I think he's on record on another site as picking Mike.

 

I know. By a good ways, too. I'd just like to hear something more comprehensive, as I'm sure he's a lot more clued up on these two than anyone else on the forum. He knows more about that era alone than I know about all eras combined.

 

:rofl

 

Yeah... One thing I'll say about Packey though, he did a fine job bringing the fight to Gibbons, being the smaller man.

It's one of those fights like Walker-Loughran where you think if there wasn't such a size disparity, it would be clear who'd take the fight.

 

It always angers me to hear about how much rare footage Klompton has.

I think the most frustrating thing about it is that he is pretty average when it comes to analysing fights.

It's like the world's treasure being described by a man that's half blind.

 

I get sent all sorts. My real question was 'why didn't I know this footage existed?'

 

All of them made me laugh upon the reveal

 

I'm glad the fellow has a great collection...he has problably worked hard to get it. But in total agreement on the second part Scientist! Hilarious...

 

You'll need to screenshot it, it can only be viewed by members. The clipping is rather small, anyway, and can be re-typed.

 

Here's another good one, from next-day reports of his bout with Soldier Bartfield in 1915 (which was a newspaper draw):

Brooklyn Eagle:
Bartfield accomplished the impossible. He did to Mike what Mike has been doing to others. He made him look like a ******. He outjabbed and outguessed Mike and landed two punches to the Wizard's one. He rubbed his nose before Mike rubbed his, and even beat him to the sneeze. He had stolen Mike's code book and had studied it to such advantage that he knew it better than Mike. The St. Paul lad tried every trick in his box, but none of them worked. With seven pounds the better of the weights, he naturally hit harder than the Brooklyn boy, but that was all.


NY Herald:
After the first round the same fears began to be entertained for Gibbons. The "phantom" is a master of stalling, "kidding," airy persiflage, new and amazing methods of jumping around, and other tricks calculated to drive an opponent to violent and impotent rage. He also has a straight right which he pushes from the shoulder to the opponent's jaw or nose with disastrous and somnolent effect.
Every little stunt that Gibbons tried, Bartfield repeated. It was a session in mimicry for ten rounds, with each giving and taking punishment calculated to change any normal facial expression. Gibbons twiddled his nose with his glove; Bartfield twiddled his nose; Gibbons blew his nose; Bartfield, with a polite smile, performed a like operation.
This was too much for one "fan."
"Hey," he yelled, "you'se big mutts. What is this--a nose blowing contest?"
The ten rounds were fought with even honors, but the fickle throng, which cheered Gibbons so wildly on his entrance to the ring, jeered him as severely on his exit, saving the adulation for Bartfield, who grinned cheerfully through a split lip and other blemishes.