the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Intradesting.

We disagree on lots of rounds here. I only give Huck 2,4 and 10. And actually you didn't give Huck round 4 so it's feasible to give him the victory here based on that combination.

I just don't think Huck ever looked in control to me. Lebedev was just overwhelmingly the ring general for me.

 

I watched the fight described below. Although I didn't score it, I am writing something about it, and the thread title seems to allow for this caveat. It certainly isn't the sort of entry one would read at another forum with the same thread topic. I like to write and share, that don't mean it is good or cared for and if not I won't do so
After one minute of this fight I realized that what I was actually watching was Super Mario in a heated boxing match with his brother Luigi. I mean, everything about the appearance of both fighters could not be any better to make this comparison. It becomes apparent almost immediately that one thing Luigi is unquestionably without doubt better than his ultra famous brother in is boxing. He is worlds better. And he isn't content to just let Mario know it. It looks like he wants to take his lifetime of jealously playing second fiddle to his brother out of/on Mario's face and anywhere else he can punch him. And he does. He does it repeatedly. Mario, for his part, is no quitter, and like in the games where he is slightly better than average at everything, it looks the same in the ring, but Luigi is better. So much better.
Ok, for real, Alberto Davila is one tough fighter. This guy goes 9 rounds with this Gomez who is just a killer here. Oh, and this isn't a title fight either. This is a fight between two young contenders who both had talent and who both went on to be well known fighters. Obviously Gomez is the more of everything, and by a lot, but if you don't know of Davila, for real guys, check his record at the link* below and look at the names the guy fought in his career. Like we all say and think, it is the kind of record we wish to see much more of these days amongst contenders and champions. I think it really is. He was a tough guy for real. Watch this fight and see the bombs he takes for nearly 9 rounds. Too, too, too tough. Anyway, I hope those who watch will enjoy the fight. I was surprised at the quality as the only other version I had come across wasn't close to this one, the "issue" with this version I posted was only that it was posted way back when there were limits to how long uploaded videos could be so it was a two parter so I did the best I could do and made it one file and here you are. Last, I think it is kinda odd that this fight, or this version, has no commentary whatsoever, but I really wish that those in charge of broadcasting this fight had mic'd the ring better so that we could hear the landed punches, as we do for all other fights.** It just doesn't seem as though that is the case with this particular version. We hear all other sounds, and it sounds as though the audience is mic'd instead of the ring itself. I am nitpicky. *https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/228 ** I forgot that there is another uploaded version that has Spanish commentary, but it looks dogship compared to this.

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Guty Espadas v Betulio Gonzalez

Round 1: 10-9 Espadas
Round 2: 10-9 Espadas
Round 3: 10-9 Espadas
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-10 Even
Round 6: 10-9 Espadas
Round 7: 10-9 Gonzalez
Round 8: 10-9 Gonzalez
Round 9: 10-9 Espadas
Round 10: 10-9 Espadas
Round 11: 10-9 Gonzalez
Round 12: 10-9 Gonzalez
Round 13: 10-10 Even
Round 14: 10-9 Gonzalez
Round 15: 10-9 Espadas

Total: 145-143 Espadas (actual scores: 144-142 and 148-144 both for Gonzalez and a 146-146 card for a majority win for Gonzalez)

First of all, although an excellent fight, I wish the image was a bit sharper. High-def it's not. Still, I enjoyed the fight. What frustrated me - as a Betulio Gonzalez fan - is why Gonzalez fought Espadas' fight when he had reach and excellent boxing ability. To go inside with such a hard, short puncher was ridiculous. It made for a very good fight, but made his work so difficult. I had heard at the time the decision was controversial and now seeing it I can see why. Close fight.

 

One of the greatest fights ever in my opinion. The skill level is truly immense. Not to go on a tangent but low guard was used back then due to 'the turtle' not being viable (small gloves, non attached thumbs etc). I'm sure you know anyway. Also, these two are some of the greatest h2h ever, they can do anything they want!

If you enjoyed this one that much, I'd seriously recommend the Canzoneri vs Ambers bout, which is in much better quality and is also highly skilled. I did a thread on it ages ago if that interests you.

 

Thanks for this gem.

Of note, this was just Gomez’s 13th fight and he’s in with a hell of an opponent in Davila who is going to the post for the 24th time ... and his 12th schedule 10-rounder.

Gomez was a prodigy.

 

I swear one day I’m going to sneak in here and post my scoring from a Greb fight just to drive people nuts.

 

Thanks Rough - it's coming soon!

 

Tony Canzoneri v Jack Kid Berg 1

Great KO in a fight that was looking very competitive until a counter right from Canzoneri flattened Berg face first on the canvas.

Berg started well and was the aggressor but Canzoneri had already showcased some sneaky counters. Maybe Berg having been 15 rounds with him before (and won) was confident that he could take Tony's power but it only took one punch to separate The Whitechapel Whirlwind from his senses.

Great KO.

1 9-10
2 9-10 (close)
(18-20)
3 Canzoneri KO Berg

 

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Taking a break from Azumah for now, getting a bit stale. Figured why not top up on some Gomez performances I'd missed.

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10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9
10 : 9 (

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Like @Xplosive said, one of Gomez's best performances. Especially considering it was after the Sánchez fight, in which Gomez lost his 'aura', big time.

The quintessential boxer-puncher, like a smaller Joe Louis. Starting off with a pawing jab and showing his faster feet, he took his time to feel things out; gathering data. After a while he turned up the gas, sticking to Meza like glue and pounding him to the body. In the 4th, as Meza wildly swung, Gomez blended everything together. Picking Meza apart with counters, Gomez parried, shoulder-rolled and slipped punches, before unloading to the body in the 5th. After finding home with some hard rights, Gomez let loose long flurries in the 6th and the referee stepped in.

Devastating power.

All this and it's not like Kid was some bum. This was a guy who'd beaten everyone he'd ever faced but one, and would be world champion less than two years later.

Personally, I'd say that Zárate was better, and that was against a better fighter. I haven't seen Davilla yet, although I've heard that's a great performance too.

 

I don't beleive that Maleria story.

 

Committing myself here.

I'm going to watch every filmed fight of Canzoneri and Ross over the next few weeks.

 

Why not?

 

Tony Canzoneri v Lou Ambers 1

Excellent technical battle between two ATGs. This was a very high level fight which was mostly fought at range and was relatively clinch free.

Canzoneri's head movement and anticipation in this one were other worldly at times. His feinting and double feinting followed by sharp counter jabs were a riddle Ambers tried to solve and in the middle part of the fight he just couldn't. But to his credit, Ambers kept trying to come up with strategies to unlock the traps being set and had a measure of success in the later rounds.

My scoring here is a touch speculative due to the nature of the shortened rounds filmed here so is based on what I saw. Nor sure what the official cards had for this one beyond a UD but there was no question that Canzoneri won this.

1 9-10 (close. Quality sticking and moving by both fighters)
2 10-9 (Ambers getting caught more as he comes in)
3 10-7 (I was thinking how well Canzoneri was timing Ambers in this round when he punctuated it by dropping him with a perfect overhand right. The follow up KD was a result of the previous punch and Ambers was lucky it was the end of the round)
4 10-9 (shortened round. Amber started well, particularly considering the way the previous round had ended but Canzoneri started timing him again as the round wore on)
5 10-9 (another shortened round Canzoneri is a nightmare to face - defensively he's like Niccolino Loche but with a punch)
6 9-10 (close. Better round from Ambers)
7 10-10 (clever from Ambers, who was getting outjabbed so starts leading with the left hook and straight right instead. Canzoneri still having success though)
8 10-9 (a bit rougher and more clinching as both fighters try to land uppercut in close but this suits Canzoneri better)
9 10-9 (Ambers struggling to crack Canzoneri's code)
10 9-10 (close. Could have gone either way)
11 10-9 (Canzoneri getting the better of Ambers on the outside)
12 10-9
13 10-10 (Ambers has his moments and puts Canzoneri under some rare pressure but Tony holds his own)
14 9-10 (better round from Ambers)
15 9-10 (close. Ambers may have just edged it)

Canzoneri 145-140 Ambers

Canzoneri wins by 8 rounds to 5 with 2 even on my card.

 

Roberto Duran vs. Edwin Viruet I, 10 rounds, non-title, at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. (main event of live undercard to Ali-Frazier III closed circuit) On Sept. 30, 1975

Duran, 52-1 (46), is WBA lightweight champion and weighs in at 138. Viruet is 21-1-2 (6) coming in and scales 136 3/4.

New York scores on the round system so I’ll go with that (there were no knockdowns and nothing resembling what would be a 10-8 round so no matter):

1: Duran
2: Duran
3: Duran
4: Duran
5. Viruet
6. Duran
7. Duran
8. Duran
9. Viruet
10. Viruet

My card: Duran 7-3

Official verdict: Duran UD (6-2, 5-4, 6-3)

Viruet is what we in the gym where I came up would call a bullish!t artist — he gets hit twice and shakes his head and thinks that means he won the exchange, he does a shuffle and gets hit a right to the body and sticks out his tongue and wants you to reward him for it.

Now he’s a downright cutie: he moves and moves and holds and holds, tries to reduce every round to about 30 seconds of fighting ... but he usually doesn’t do much fighting in that 30 seconds. When he ref breaks them he circles around behind the ref to hide. He literally jogged around the ring much of the last two rounds — I don’t mean lateral movement, I mean literally jogging around in circles while Duran just stood there and shrugged — but did land a few more clean punches so I guess you would say he finished strong.

The hometown (for Viruet) crowd booed the decision so I guess that was enough to get him a title shot not too long after. I’ll score that one sometime.

Not an opponent who is easy to look good against and I don’t think this is Duran at his best, but he clearly won the fight in my eyes.

 

No time like the present:

Roberto Duran vs. Edwin Viruet II, for the WBA lightweight championship of the world from the Spectrum in Philadelphia (not, near as I can tell, on the Balboa-Creed II undercard) on Sept. 17, 1977

Duran, the champion, is 59-1 (50) and weighs a trim-and-ready 134 1/2 pounds. Viruet, the WBA’s No. 2-ranked contender, is 24-2-2 (8), and weighs 135.

Pennsylvania scores on the 5-point must system, so I’ll use that (again, no knockdowns or anything resembling a two-point round so the system is incidental).

1. 5-4 Duran
2. 5-4 Duran
3. 5-4 Duran
4. 5-4 Duran
5. 5-4 Viruet
6. 5-4 Duran
7. 5-4 Duran
8. 5-4 Duran
9. 5-4 Duran
10. 5-4 Duran
11. 5-4 Duran
12. 5-4 Viruet
13. 5-4 Duran (Duran cut over left eye late in the round, but it never becomes a factor as Freddie Brown works his magic in the corner)
14. 5-4 Duran
15. 5-4 Duran

My scorecard: Duran 73-62

Official verdict: Duran UD 15 (73-68, 71-65, 73-65)

If the first fight was Leonard-Duran II lite (with Viruet’s showboating, running, mugging ... everything but effective punching ... or punching much at all), this was Duran-Montreal lite — the champion imposes his will from the start and is able to cut off the ring and engage Viruet in close and work the body over while landing a few clean, hard shots as he comes in pretty much every round. Viruet can’t keep him off and when he is able to move around he just doesn’t punch — because when he does Duran pounces on him and closes the distance.

Edwin’s done a lot of trash talking over the years, apparently, about how he beat Duran (I gave him 5 out of 25 rounds over two meetings) and how he made Duran look bad — which is true, but the problem is he made himself look worse. He’s hard to hit clean to the head (especially with a right) but even when Duran lands glancing blows or misses, there’s almost always a good body shot to follow it up.

Still, glad I got to examine these two fights and get a taste of some 1970s Duran even if not against the most cooperative opponent.