The ESB British Forum Encyclopedia

I uploaded the full Carter and Thomas bouts as well as the h/l's of Bentons fight with Boyd. All included. Hopefully you, and others get round to watching some of Benton's stuff, it's very rewarding IMO.

 

I intended to watch the Carter fight, but all the media players on my computer stopped working so I couldn't unfortunately.

Like I did with the Starling piece of last year, I'm gonna read it and work my way through all the fights one by one :good

 

How'd ya' get on with Moochy in the end? Not always riveting, but always interesting IMO.

 

I enjoyed watching him right till the end of his career. Loved the Breland and Honeyghan fights in particular. When Breland's in the corner in the 11th, and Moochy smashed him with that perfectly timed right uppercut just before the finish.....:shock:. He was a bit frustrating at times though, made a couple of fights closer than they had to be. It was particularly hard to watch him lose to Blocker, I fighter who I don't really rate at all, a guy who a more motivated Starling would have pickled with relative ease.

 

Definitely, agree with all of that. Honeyghan his best all-round performance IMO (Curry II quality, especially considering opponent, but against Honeyghan he was a killer) and his determination to shrug off setbacks commendable.

Blocker fight was close as well, so yes, frustrating but Blocker worked hard there, and gave him similar problems as Bumphus had years before. I had it 7-5 Blocker. Shame he fizzled out, rematch with Brown and McGirt and later Chavez & Sweet Pea would've been ace. He probably had a bit left in him I reckon, and the game to give anyone hassle.

I love seeing him push Nunn back as well :yep

 

Yeah, the Curry performance is a great one. I only had Starling losing by a point, Curry just ground it out down the stretch and didn't he hurt Starling at the very end? To snatch that many rounds off a superbly skilled fighter like Curry is a very commendable achievement. Marlon definitely had something left after the Blocker fight IMO, he'd lost the desire by the end of his career, but not his vast skillset. To go up to Middleweight and give a top fighter like Nunn problems, only losing narrowly (close but clear) is a testament to the skill and guile the Magic Man had. He could have gone on to give a lot of top fighters a lot of problems, he would have lost some along the way of course, but his legacy could have benefited from some more top names.

Still a great fighter who had a quality career. I've got love for Starling.

 

I also had their first meeting a draw, but again that's another black mark for Moochy in terms of sleepwalking through a contest. Curry pushed Starling back more than anyone I've seen before or after, and yes, he finally broke his resolve in the 15th.

It's odd, at the time he finally seemed in line for some big names and big money, he couldn't be arsed.

 

Starling was a talented fighter with solid fundamentals. The only thing he was lacking in, that conceivably could have been improved on, was his attitude. For that to hold a fighter back - not that it did significantly in Starling's case, but it led to a couple of losses - is quite sad IMO.

 

Yeah, but he had, in my opinion at least, a pretty surreal career. The death may be fairly significant I guess, but I think he showed the, excuse the wording here, killer instinct enough in his career (for example, as you offered Breland I, Jose Baret and Honeyghan) to make it not entirely explainable by the early tragedy he was involved in.

 

****, forgot about the death. Yeah, that definitely took it's toll on Marlon and likely altered the way his whole career panned out.

A damn shame. But like you said, he had a stellar career nonetheless.

 

I see parallels in Benton and Starling now I come to think of it. Defensive specialists, not too popular with the movers and shakers, found it hard to navigate their route to the top, 3 parts long

And everyone says I only like Thai fighters :tong

 

Nice entries lads.

I was half way through an Archie Moore one, but given how people have rated him in their top 4 LHW's, I'll save posting until I gather all my data.

In my articles (which I asked everyone to vote for their best fighters of the original 8 weight classes), I'll be delving into some primary newspaper research which will be fun!

 

It is fun, what are you using to gather info'?

Who ranked where for middle? If B-Hop outranked Dick Tiger I'll rip my ****ing eyes out :fire

 

The votes are still being collected from various websites so the ranking are not final. Althought neither Hopkins or Tiger are so far in the top 4 (although Tiger is higher so far).

As of late, Greb, Halger, Monzon, Robinson, Fitzsimmons, Ketchel, Burley and Walker are ALL in with a shout at being classified as 'The Champion', with Mr Harry Greb slightly taking the lead!

As for primary sources, in looking at my local archive which is very good for newspaper accounts, as well as a trip to the states if finances permit me!

 

The more footage I watch, the more articles & interviews I read about Qawi the more impressed I am.

An incredible fighter & character.