My Classic Fight Watch List and Comments

I'm a little into my newly created watch list.

I just finished Fraziers title reign

Finished Foremans title reign

Im now into Ali's second

Next is Monzon title reign

Then Hagler's title reign

then Sal Sanchez biggest bouts

and on and on

but so far I just finished Ali Frazier III and am about to see an Ali in decline, next up is Coopman

I am focusing mostly on the less discussed bouts.

It was fascinating to see Frazier out of shape and not really motivated with maybe two of the worst ever HWT Challengers ever in Daniels and Stander who both showed real heart but had no chance. Though his NYSAC Title defenses were pretty impressive

Foreman blasted out Roman very easily. Then he tore apart a Norton who had just beaten Ali. Ali just fought such a terrific fight to get that KO. shame they never rematched. I mean Foreman then went on to pound Lyle. But he never really got himself back into position I guess and the Young loss kinda killed him but in all honesty he deserved a rematch, especially after the controversy around the loss to Ali. I mean I dont care if Young beat him Ali fought Coopman and Dunn and Evanglista

Ali to me from what I am seeing is just on another planet. I mean he is such a smart fighter. Past his best without the movement and he wasnt a hard puncher, its funny the punch is last to go but Ali never really had that kind of fight ending shot. But his hands were so fast and his punches well strung together he could really tear guys apart.

Vs Lyle, He sat back a lot and let Lyle dig away at him but he backed up reached and covered and never allowed Lyle to set those feet. A passive Ali was able to offset Lyle. Lyle was winning rounds but not really dominating. He at times would get the right upstairs but not consistently enough to tire Ali. Then Ali just threw the switch, he could be a killer when he wanted to. In that 11th he came right out all business and just stuck him with that right hand and shook him. He jsut bombed away on the ropes. But when he was still there he backed up let Lyle off the ropes and began to pound him in the center.

He just seemed like the ultimate ring general. Making the action happen where he chose.

Look at what he could do in Manila. He took the early lead on a slow starting Frazier. Then he took a bit of a break in the middle. He nullified Frazier's right as promised and the punch which was apparent vs Quarry was never there vs Ali. Ali now had Frazier fighting a one handed fight.

Now Im not calling it a walk in the park but he had Frazier one handed and coming straight in, he blocked many shots and held when necessary. I mean it took a guy like Ali to do this though, it sounds in my summary so simple but any body with any less grit and guys would have lost because Ali yes did neutralize Frazier in many ways he also had to eat many many left hooks in the process

Frazier to me won 8,9,10 maybe 11 then in 12 Ali just cut the string and let everything he had come out. Like he perfectly synchronized the attack. He did even more damage in the 13th but Frazier still fought a viscous round swinging wildly with that hook. The 14th Ali continued to tilt the tide and in the last minute Frazier started to deteriorate. It became clear that Ali was moving and no longer going to the ropes. Frazier who was blinded by the closing eye and the other eye was blind was ineffective at mid to long range and had to be real close to land that left hook. Ali began pouring it on with the right hand and left hook.

About the stoppage- I think Frazier could have continued and wanted to go on, but I think Futch knew it was over and that he couldnt KO Ali who was now in complete control and though tired and beaten up bad he would have made the bell. And I think Futch knew Frazier was well behind and needed a real big 15th round to do it. Futch would have let it go had it been razor thin but and counted on the 15th but he knew it wasnt. I guess he was right his guy was battered couldnt win and what was one more round going to do. He was now wobbly at times in the 13th and 14th and had his mouth piece punched right out he was finished.

Overall- The Thrilla in Manila was a great fight maybe not the greatest but it was to me the greatest physically depleting fight I have ever seen. Two men just beating the life out of each other toe to toe for most of it. Both getting as good as they took. It was the epitome of the 15 round era where you had to survive to win and the championship rounds were so much more grand

 

Thru Coopman easy KO nothing to say here

Young, I had it even the KD really helped Ali's cause. Though some rounds were unbelievably close and potential swing rounds. Two of the judges were way off at 71-64 and 72-65.

I had it 4-4 then Ali started to get up on his toes and dance but I had him lose those rounds. He was better suited to stand and trade, he hit harder and when he threw Young would fold. Ali would throw combos and Young would duck down and go under the rope. It looked bad for him judging wise. Ali was too inactive mostly due to his lack of training.

He could have crushed Young if he trained cause Young would just cower when thrown at. Young had a very sharp right hand and at times a decent jab. He won rounds mostly on Ali inactivity. But it seemed that whenever Ali wanted to be active he could be and that he could win when being active.

On the controversy, you know what I think a lot of observers including a ringside Norton thought you cant take the title like this. Young at the end kept on going under the ropes even got a KD out of it. People were off put by this pitter patter rope ducking guy who capitalized on inactivity and lost whenever ali threw anything.

Right or wrong thats my best explanation on why the judges had Young lose and that wide.

 

Just watched the Dunn bout.

A few things yes Dunn wasnt really worthy, but it was a tune up not even a month after the Young fight.

He clearly trained for this bout because he lost ten pounds and was on his toes throughout and did not use the rope a dope

Dunn was very competitive for three rounds sticking Ali with the left and was very awkward but his problems stemmed from not being able to make the right miss.

The fast punching of Ali did Dunn in much like it did Lyle in

 

What a mental fight. Norton said he wasn’t gonna take Ali’s taunts and tricks. They both do not sit in between rounds and Ali typically waves his arm around leading up to the round.

Oddly enough he did nothing in the 5th when he promised a KO maybe a complete ploy. Well he lost 5 and 6 big doing absolute nothing and got hurt to the body at the end of the 6th.
Norton created trouble for Ali in various forms. He bobbed and weaved and the way he positioned his hands Ali rarely caught him flush and when he did he couldn’t rally because he couldn’t get the leather on him constantly. The body blows when Ali has his guard up at his face seem to be very accurate and are definitely doing damage.

Round 8 Norton takes big. Ali needing a change gets up and dances in the 9th and Norton has no idea how to cope. Except for a huge over hand right that could have KO’d any other man he was totally out foxed that round. In the 10th Ali started on the toes but slowly went back to flat footed fighting whether by choice or by his body forcing him to is another question. But Ali lost the 10th bringing my card 6-3-1 going to 11.

Round 11 was the best round of the entire fight. Ali for the first time put Norton on the ropes and let him have it with the right hand. Norton made a good account of himself but Ali takes it based on the sharp straight rights he nailed Norton with. This is about the time at this point in Ali’s career when he pours it on. Against Lyle he after being very passive opened it all up in the 11th and got the TKO. Against Young this was about the time he turned it up and closed the gap to take the fight in the championship rounds. Against Frazier in Manila he turned it up around 11 or 12 and that is when he started to rally and do the damage that ultimately led to Futch stopping the bout. Ali here I guess looking to put in the final push. With it close on my card and probably most others he is in it still but cannot afford to lose much more.

Norton took the 12th though Ali looked good. The 13th proved to be a very entertaining and exchanged filled round. I give the nod to Norton who was the cleaner harder puncher and was able to trap Ali on the ropes. The bout is now 8-4-1 now virtually out of reach.

Fight wound up being 8-5-2 for Norton. It wound up close but I think Norton won clear. Ali gave away the middle rounds for the most part. Ali in many rounds would throw an eye catching flurry not really hurt Norton than go a minute without throwing. And during that minute Norton typically had Ali on the ropes and was bombing him with body shots and looping rights to the head. Thought Norton really deserved to win. Ali kind of just let this fight slip through his fingers.

And like the Young fight he did not raise his hands in victory must have thought he lost