Scott Ledoux's title shot at Larry Holmes

And Ali's second reign of chumps (I don't have to mention them) doesn't fall into your 'sacrificial lamb' category'?
Not to mention his, I'll admit, arguable 'gifts' against Norton III, Young, Shavers? By the late 70's HW contenders (of any reasonable merit) were wearing thin. It's not Larry's fault his reign was in the middle of that.
I guess we should shout out the kudos for Marvin Johnson, after his title wins, defending against Franklin and Gregory in his first defense (Franklin his toughest fight prior?) Since modern (IMO BS dictates) rules don't require a rematch why not take a cake walk (or 2) before going up against a 'big boy'? And Ali never gave Foreman a rematch...
Starting somewhere in the 80's boxing started its decline.

 

holmes attempted to cherry pick hie way to breaking marciano's record. gladly, spinks was a cherry pick gone wrong.

 

What I remember about Scott is that after a fight with Johnny Boudreaux, Scott was being interviewed by Howard Cosell just below ring level. Boudreaux reached over the ropes and swatted at Scott's head. He missed, but it knocked Cosell's toupee off. It looked like a flying rat.

 

Good Scott got his shot, in a way, but maybe Larry could've taken on Bernado Mercado, before Spinks got to him.

 

The ongoing revisionism never ceases to amaze. Scott LeDoux was a horrid hwt. Tough and tried hard sure but a lowly skilled fighter. He was a human punching bag for a shot Norton until Ken punched himself out.

 

Second rein of chumps? Lyle, Frazier, Norton, Shavers

Find another hwt champion with that level of talent in the first three years of a title reign. All modern hwt champions fought softer touches inbetween top fights.

 

I've been going through some of my '80's boxing magazines recently as I ponder on whether to sell them -

KO and Ring were saying Holmes was cherry picking on his way to Marciano's record.

They thought he would beat Spinks, who had exactly 0 fights as a HW, and had not even fought at Cruiserweight, either.

They thought he would get the record but were under no illusions he was fighting the best available competition.

 

I remember watching him fight Bruno a few years later Franks jab was very effective cutting Scot to ribbons I think Bruno dropped him and Scott had had enough.

 

its a weak defence for larry, though for K bros it wouldthe norm.

 

to be fair cruiser was largely a bum club back then. entering it from a more recognised division would surely have been as a step backwards, just as SMW was in the 90s.

guys in the 80s might not have even heard of CW, and certainly didn't grow up with it so were prone to think it was a short term fad of no relevance.

Qawi, and ultimately Evander began to change that.

 

By the time Spinks fought Holmes, Qawi had won the WBA Crusierweight title. It was known.

As early as '84, KO magazine profiled a possible Michael Spinks-Carlos DeLeon fight, with Spinks moving up to challenge him. They picked DeLeon, who was in his absolute prime at that time.

Spinks jumping from 175 to Heavyweight was seen as suicide. Basically, nobody thought he'd beat even a fading Holmes.

De Leon is forgotten and dismissed because of his 1988 ko loss to Holyfield, but in '83-'85 he was seen by boxing experts as a very good champion.

The evidence is right there in these old boxing magazines.

Of course, I was reading this stuff at the time, but it's nice to refresh the knowledge now and then.

 

^ ^ 8th post down page-1: the poster indicated that Scott LeDoux on crack(?)///I read boxing many years and never hear that one before. Is this loose talk or is it fact??
LeDoux was much like the Lightweight champ Jim Watt. Limited ability/ great mileage for what they have got!
I wouldn't ever degrade the man as that page-1 poster has done. He was colorful and DID DO SOME THINGS! I mean......probably he rates better than Jose "King" Roman hey! &....."King" Roman got into a grade that gave him world level notice for his craft [didn't he once beat Jack O'Halloran hey!?].
These level of boxers ARE NOT BUMS! I think if someone "knock" them they aught themself be "accomplished". Not a "criminal"/ don't mix it up.. "Accomplished". Scott LeDoux certain is going into or is in the Minnesota Sports HOF! I thought he had a fantastic career! Oh Sure, not on same level as Ken Nort./"NOT ANY WAY"..but...the guy deserves some justice!
I will ALWAYS remember Scott LeDoux and I have big respect for his whole career! RIP SCOTT LEDOUX!

 

As Don Riley, scribe for the St. Paul Pioneer Press once said, "Scott went further on less then any other fighter he had seen", and yes he did. That having been said Scott was a real fighter in both the golden gloves and the pro game, no wannabe about it, a tough man who fought any of the top men put in front of him and he had his share of wins and draws with them. Going into the Holmes bout Scott had a top ten ranking if simply no shot at winning. Joe Dasquawitz's battle plan of taking everything Larry could dish out for ten rounds in the hopes of wearing him out was one of the worst I've heard of but it was the best they could hope for, Larry caught Scott's eye deep with the thumb and it was over anyways. In the end though Scott was a real fighter and contender and deserving of any-real-fans respect.

 

Well said John, you know your boxing and are a real follower of our sport. Scott lived a clean life and had a heart of gold, he fought Lou Gerhigs disease until his last breath. I can remember Scott in his younger days stopping many times to help instuct a struggling golden glover. In retirement he was placed by MN's governor on the states boxing commission and helped bring needed improvents to the sport here. God speed Scotty.

 

Oh believe me, I agree with you about Ali's chumps. Ali's second reign was a joke post-Frazier. But I do think Holmes could have done a lot more with his reign. I'd actually give him more credit if he had fewer successful defenses, but had fought a higher caliber of opponent.