Terry McGovern KO 2 Joe Gans - was it fixed ?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Unforgiven, Jun 2, 2010.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2005
    Messages:
    58,748
    Likes Received:
    21,578
    Did Joe Gans take a dive ? Or was it on the level ?

    Terry McGovern was an all-time great p4p fighter in his own right, perhaps the greatest bantam/feather that ever lived.
    And, if the fight was legit, how big a win is it (considering Gans' status as all-time great lightweight) ?

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeQGaNDNi78[/ame]
     
    Unforgiven, Jun 2, 2010
    #1
  2. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2005
    Messages:
    37,077
    Likes Received:
    3,733
    Pause at 5:33. No left hook lands. Great acting by Joe Gans. I have no doubt this was a dive. Film and documented reports confirm this. Boxing was banned for 20 years in this state because of this fight.
     
    SuzieQ49, Jun 2, 2010
    #2
  3. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    112,974
    Likes Received:
    48,042
    Gans just didn't do anything. He didn't try to block, he didn't counter, the things he was most famous for.

    The press in the following week was full of speculation.
     
    McGrain, Jun 2, 2010
    #3
  4. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    38,034
    Likes Received:
    91
    The film isnt good enough qaulity to adjudge if a pucnh landed or not IMO.

    I agree Gans didnt do much but the way he was knocke dout was beleivable IMO, McGovern dropped him and everytime he just got off the ground he got walloped again and went back down.

    It probably is a dive though.
     
    GPater11093, Jun 2, 2010
    #4
  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    112,974
    Likes Received:
    48,042
    I'm more concerned with the non-perforance from Gans than the KO itself.

    McGovern says that Gans hit him "only once". This is one of the best fighters of the generation we're talking about here.
     
    McGrain, Jun 2, 2010
    #5
  6. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    38,034
    Likes Received:
    91
    Yeh he does hardly anything in the fight.
     
    GPater11093, Jun 2, 2010
    #6
  7. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    112,974
    Likes Received:
    48,042
    "After the fight, which was under strict Marquis of Queensbury rules, there were many vigorous expressions of dissatisfaction among the crowd, it being openly asserted by many that Gans made a delibierate fake of the fight.

    There were numerous stories last night and today that the fight was fixed for McGovern to win and the betting set steadily in that direction during the last twenty-four hours. Wednesday night it was 1-2 that McGovern would stay the limit. Just prior to the fight it was even money that Gans would be knocked out."

    Salt Lake Herald day after the fight.
     
    McGrain, Jun 2, 2010
    #7
  8. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    38,034
    Likes Received:
    91
    Could Gans have possibly been intimidated by McGovern and therefore did a Klitwschko opponent impression?
     
    GPater11093, Jun 2, 2010
    #8
  9. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    112,974
    Likes Received:
    48,042
    This is the other possibility.

    But Joe Gans was 89-6 at this point. Why would he be intimidated by this guy when guys like Erne, McFadden, Blackburn, Battling Nelson and Walcott did not?
     
    McGrain, Jun 2, 2010
    #9
  10. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2005
    Messages:
    58,748
    Likes Received:
    21,578
    I doubt Gans was intimidated by he might have been surprised and caught off guard by McGovern's immediate power and ferocity, and just never got into the fight.

    Speculation of fixes followed several fights, esp. back in those days. Jeffries v Fitzsimmons was widely followed by fix allegations.
     
    Unforgiven, Jun 2, 2010
    #10
  11. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2007
    Messages:
    43,650
    Likes Received:
    13,047
    What would the point of a fix be, out of curiosity? What was to be gained?
     
    Russell, Jun 2, 2010
    #11
  12. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2005
    Messages:
    37,077
    Likes Received:
    3,733
    If this wasn't a fix..then this was the single greatest win of all time.
     
    SuzieQ49, Jun 2, 2010
    #12
    Greg Price99 likes this.
  13. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2007
    Messages:
    112,974
    Likes Received:
    48,042
    Money and the world title.
     
    McGrain, Jun 2, 2010
    #13
  14. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2008
    Messages:
    82,426
    Likes Received:
    1,465
    If it was a fix,. why was he dropped numerous times over a few rounds? Did they bet on how many times he'd go down?

    I'm leaning towards McGovern being a beast myself :yep
     
    Flea Man, Jun 2, 2010
    #14
  15. El Bujia

    El Bujia Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2010
    Messages:
    10,744
    Likes Received:
    78
    If you believe this fight was on the level, I've got an invisible bridge spanning the Atlantic Ocean I'd like to sell you.
     
    El Bujia, Jun 2, 2010
    #15
Page 1 of 2