Rank the Most Exciting Saad Muhammad Fights

I know some people who saw all the matches on your list who might reverse the ordering of Lopez 1 & 2 as you have them. However, I'm in complete agreement with your list, and you may well choose not to revise it after seeing the rest of his extant footage.

Something is lost in knowing the eventual outcome of his bouts, as opposed to watching them as they unfolded live. Conteh I was sensational for John's unexpectedly strong and primarily one armed (and fore headed) challenge, but it was too one sided to be a truly exciting fight. Conteh beat the crap out of him in the middle rounds, only to crumble in round 14. (On a rounds basis, John might still have taken that title. I don't know exactly what the scoring was in that pivotal stanza, but multiple devastating knockdowns are obviously ruinous on the ten point system.)

Murray Sutherland, Vonzell Johnson and Jerry Martin simply expended themselves early while Matt patiently waited for them to run out of steam.

Vonzell tried to dance away with the title while Gil Clancy continually and resignedly assured Tim Ryan on CBS that his legs simply wouldn't be able to sustain those running tactics for 15 rounds. In this instance, viewers at home just waited for the inevitable kill.

Sutherland, colorful character that he was, jauntily made note of how Vonzell seemed to have Saad "until he ran out of gas," and gave the impression that he had figured out how to finish the job. He didn't, and to me, Murray's pre fight interview is the most memorable element of that fight.

Jerry Martin had sparred with Matt, and loudly proclaimed that, "Saad has no body!" Sure enough, he immediately shoved Matthew to the ropes and began digging in, a strategy which proved to be based on flawed intelligence. Matt was sometimes criticized for being slow footed, but this was a rare instance where he did some moving around and boxed as if to say he'd had enough of being a punching bag. That this was his final successful defense was then something of a surprise, as he'd appeared to have finally figured out how to win title fights without waging total scorched earth war with an opponent.

While it's fashionable to suggest that a succession of wars had caught up to Matt by the time he lost he title, Conteh I was the only really punishing battle he had in addition to the five previously mentioned. Actually, after the wars he had survived, Matt was starting to take it easier, seeking to avoid the more taxing attrition he'd become famous for, and lost his edge in the process.

In hindsight, both his losses to Ike are one sided beat downs, but again, you didn't know what was going to happen while watching them live, given Matt's history. Between those defeats, he set out to squash Pete McIntyre like a bug. Before a live television audience, he went out to mid ring, and repeatedly hurled long loaded right hands until annihilating McIntyre like a sacrificial lamb. Pete was no stiff. He'd knocked out Mike Quarry and Eddie Davis, and would stop Sandman Edwards in five for the NABF Title before the year was out, yet Saad made him look like a tank job, and Matt himself appeared ready to sow deadly vengeance on the older Qawi. (Saad was still barely 28 years old when they fought the second time, but he'd been boxing professionally for over four more years.)

The nature of Qawi's rematch win is really what stamped him as an ATG, and placed him in the IBHOF. In terms of impact, I think it bears a striking similarity to Pryor-Arguello II, and to suggest the careers of Qawi and Pryor are somewhat comparable in resume terms is perhaps not a strenuous overreach.

 

You wouldnt have the Conteh fight in your top 5, or maybe you havent seen it yet?

 

I could mention Billy Douglas.

Best known for his son beating a certain heavyweight, but an exciting fighter in his own right.

Fought the best around, often at short notice.

Generaly gave an exciting fight.

 

1-Johnson 2
2-Lopez 2
3-Johnson I
4-Kates
5-Lopez 1

 

Does the fact that Johnson 2 and Lopez 2 were WBC Title fights factor into your consideration? Many hardcore aficionados have opined that their first matches were superior on a stand alone basis. (Not disagreeing with ya, just trying to ascertain your criteria.)

 

Not really i just think that the rematches were better than the first fights were,Its just a matter of personal preference here.

 

Rank the Most Exciting Saad Muhammad Fights?

1) Harding-Andries 1
2) Chacon-Limon 4
3) Vasquez-Marquez 3

 

okey doke:good

 

1. Yaqui Lopez II
2. Marvin Johnson I
3. John Conteh I
4. Dwight Braxton I
5. Marvin Johnson II

 

Lopez 2 not in your top 5? You're always saying silly **** you ****in' worm.

 

Mistake by me, missed out an I.

 

Just saw Lopez-Matthew Saad 1 for the first time and Matthew Saad Muhammad made me a fan today. I especially love his first fight with Conteh. I can't wait to see more of his fights.