Scott LeDoux passes away

Rest in peace, Mr. LeDoux.

 

A really tough guy...R.I.P.

 

He was a good announcer and a tough guy and very intelligent...I remember his fight with Norton he had Ken down 2 times in the last rd and was close to the KO victory...they called the fight a draw but he was a real Rocky in that fight....May he rest in peace

 

He was a good solid fringe contender who was tough enough to hang, and sometimes trouble some awfully talented heavyweights. And, he was an insightful and often hilarious commentator on ESPN. RIP to someone who made the most of limited abilty, and came across as a pretty likable guy who never took that seriously.

 

"I'm going hit him high, I'm going to hit him low, I'm going to hit him in the head, I'm going to hit him behind the head, because I want to hurt him, because I don't like him".
-Scott Ledoux, 1980, before the Holmes fight.

I never forgot this quote. Of couse, Holmes beat the **** out of him.

 

I liked him as a fighter -- limited in some ways, but huge heart and willpower. Most guys with his physical ability wouldn't ever have gotten as far as he did, but he had the want-to and was always very entertaining to watch.

He was also very good in his rare commentary shots on ESPN or USA or wherever it was -- funny guy and told it like he saw it.

Ten bells, Scott LeDoux.

 

I wrote a nice statement regarding Scott's passing over on usa-today.com. Just follow this URL and scroll down to the comments section:

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Also fought Gerrie Coetzee, a champion. As well as Duane Bobick in two loses. Could mention Marty Monroe, an up and coming contender at the time. Also thumped James J. Beattie, a mediocre hype job which realistically was an interesting & good matchup in local Minnesota.

 

Well said, Steelman.

 

R.I.P. Game fighter.

 

A "never quit" kinda guy. RIP.

 

RIP, Scott. Good person it seemed like, was just checking out his fight with Greg Page the other day.

 

Scott LeDoux was a nice, likeable fellow. I thought he was an excellent boxing commentator. Always enjoyed listening to him. He had a great voice too. He was a solid fighter with skill, ring generalship, toughness, and some pop. Anyone who can get a draw with Ken Norton can fight. Hell, Larry Holmes and Muhammad Ali barely eeked decisions over Norton. I'd like to see a station televise the Norton-LeDoux fight in his honor. He was quite proud of decking Norton and almost having him out. He also got a draw with a young frisky Leon Spinks, before Leon beat Ali and ruined himself with drugs. LeDoux also lost a split decision to Ron Lyle and had Lyle on the floor in the fight. If you can be neck and neck with Norton, Leon Spinks, and Ron Lyle, you are a real fighter.

 

First match I'm now thinking of when contemplating Scott's career the last couple days, the one which got him to Holmes. LeDoux-Monroe was that rare event without controversy, a dominantly decisive televised win for Scott, and it would be nice to see it posted on-line in tribute.

I also enjoyed listening to his broadcast commentaries. He could be engagingly calm, emoting relaxed interest, and had a pleasant voice for announcing, relaxing to hear.

Nemesis Duane Bobick may have had bragging rights to Minnesota, but Scott proved to have greater substance, with his draws against two world champions, wins over two former title challengers, near win over a third former world title challenger, going the distance with another titlist, and he stepped in the ring with four other world champions aside from his challenge of Holmes. Rodney Bobick and Larry Middleton are also credible wins. Can you imagine Cooney risking a gauntlet of 13 opponents like that? Damn right Ledoux was "The Fighting Frenchman!"

ALS is a weirdly inconsistent disease. I knew a kid, formerly a first rate athlete, who got diagnosed with it around a decade ago, and is still with us, although a quadriplegic. Stephen Hawking's been afflicted with it for nearly half a century. LeDoux survived his diagnosis by around three years, Gehrig hung around two. It seems crazy, that over 70 years after Gehrig's death, we haven't been able to make much progress in putting a stop to it.

 

One of my favroites, Mr. LeDoux was a tough fighter, and a class act, who made the most of what he had. I remember his interview with Howard Cosell after he was ripped off against Johnny Boudreaux in the United States Boxing Championships tourney, basically exposing the tournament as a fraud, outing Paddy Flood and Al Braverman, and I believe it was a kick from LeDoux that led to Cosell's toupee being yanked off his head. I remember his spirited battles with George Foreman and Larry Holmes, and how LeDoux always wanted to avenge his loss to Holmes. He seemed like a nice fellow who had tremendous respect for boxing and had a very positive outlook on life despite going through many trials and tribulations. May he rest in peace.