the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Hogan "Kid" Bassey W10 Carmelo Costa

I'd seen some highlights of Bassey and was looking for more, then found this on @William Walker 's channel.

I was making mental notes about similarities I might see between him and Dick Tiger. They are both built like blocks of wood, both squared up just a little (Tiger perhaps more so), and both wing hard lead punches while mostly ignoring the jab. Bassey led with rights quite often, whereas Tiger had that patented lead left hook.

Costa, for his part, is the quintessential cutie. Devoid of power, he has busy legs. He used them tirelessly here to move side to side in an effort to escape trouble, and he hung tough. Costa was apparently in the mix for a title shot earlier, and that coupled with his difficult style made this an interesting choice for Bassey's handlers for a non-title fight. Different time, for sure. There wasn't as much concern for preserving pristine records then, such as Bassey's record might have been. Clean records just weren't a commodity one traded upon.

Big ups, incidentally, to Costa for rising from a hard knockdown in the third courtesy of a right, then another at the end of the round following a flurry. His legs were springs in this fight, and his heart was willing.

1. Bassey
2. Bassey
3. Bassey (10-7)
4. Bassey
5. Bassey
6. Costa
7. Bassey
8. Costa
9. Even
10. Bassey

98-91 Bassey.

 

Matthew Saad Muhammad vs Louis Pergaud

1 Muhammad
2 Muhammad
3 Muhammad
4 Muhammad
5 Muhammad wins by TKO

40-36 Muhammad

Very impressive performance from Muhammad, and one of the few fights where he didn't have to go through hell to win. I have to say Muhammad's body punching in this was terrific, one of the best body punching displays i've seen. Pergaud was a tall gangly Southpaw but had no power and Muhammad just run right through him, the KO punch was also terrific a head spinning left hook. Might be good enough to be in Rumsfeld KO list.

 

Joichiro Tatsuyoshi v Victor Rabanales I (bantamweight title)

Round 1: 10-9 JT
Round 2: 10-10 Even
Round 3: 10-9 Rabanales
Round 4: 10-9 JT
Round 5: 10-9 JT
Round 6: 10-9 Rabanales
Round 7: 10-9 Rabanales
Round 8: 10-8 Rabanales (battering)
Round 9: Rabanales stops JT

Total through 8 completed rounds: 77-75 Rabanales (actual scores: 78-73, 79-74 and another 79-74 all for Rabanales)

I thought JT started well by dodging and countering, which made it close on my card, but clearly the officials didn't see it that way. When Rabanales revved the old engine up though, and was whaling on the body, it was his for the taking. Don't know if anyone else saw the 8th as I did with a 10-8, but Rabanales was doing a number by that time. Despite Rabanales' awkwardness, you have to give it to him, he doesn't let up. Decent fight.

 

George Foreman vs Shannon Briggs

1 Briggs
2 Foreman
3 Foreman
4 Foreman
5 Foreman
6 Briggs
7 Briggs
8 Foreman
9 Foreman
10 Briggs
11 Briggs
12 Foreman

115-113 Foreman

I just rewatched this fight i thought it was a fairly close fight personally, Foreman won most of the early rounds being the effective aggressor. And constantly backing up Briggs with the jab, Briggs comeback and won some of the middle rounds out punching Foreman who seemed to take rounds 6 and 7 off.

Foreman responded well in rounds 8 and 9 with his effective aggression out punching Briggs, the 8th round especially Foreman landed alot of hard punches and it was by far his best round. But Briggs also responded well in rounds 10 and 11 outpunching Foreman on the inside. The 12th round i thought was competitive Foreman started off the round very well, maybe sensing the fight was kind of close that he needed a strong 12th round, but Briggs comeback fairly well in the last minute or so but i don't think it was enough.

Overall i think at a stretch this fight could of been scored a draw, but i don't think there's anyway you could have Briggs winning. Especially not by the scores of 117-113, 116-112, like the 2 judges had it. I think they gave the younger man a gift decision, as they couldn't see Foreman fighting any of the other belt holders, so probably thought just best to get him out of the sport and let Briggs fight Lewis. So there could be a unification because no way Foreman would fight Lewis lets be honest.

 

George Foreman vs Lou Savarese

1 Savarese
2 Foreman
3 Savarese
4 Foreman
5 Savarese
6 Savarese
7 Savarese
8 Savarese
9 Foreman
10 Foreman
11 Foreman 10-8 point deduction
12 Foreman

114-113 Foreman

Very good fight and an underrated slugfest this one, i scored the fight exactly the same as Lederman except we differed on rounds 2 and 3. 2 of the judges had reasonable scores but 118-110 is a joke, like come on how can you possibly have 10-2 for Foreman without being biased.

I felt like Savarese outworked and outpunched Foreman for the most part between rounds 1-8, although Foreman did have his moments landing solid jabs and hard punches, i just liked Savarese's workrate and the way he put his punches together and they were effective punches aswell.

But the tide started to turned after the 8th round as Savarese started to tire. And i'm not going to lie seeing Foreman full of energy in 12th round, running after Savarese at his age after tough battle was inspiring.

The point deduction in the 11th round was nonsense, i think that was Savarese's first real low blow and it wasn't malicious. Yes Savarese had been warned a few times about other stuff, but i felt like at that point in the fight the referee didn't need to get himself involved.

Overall though as i said very good fight worth watching, and Savarese for certain has a better claim to beating Foreman than Briggs did. But i felt like with the point deduction and Foreman's late rally was just enough for Foreman to edge it.

 

Finally seen the 5 minute clip that broke the Internet earlier this year. From Greb vs Walker.

Was much like Calzaghe v Kessler, but with the added sparkle that we've waited a life time for this footage.

Worth the wait.

 

George Foreman vs Axel Schulz

1 Schulz
2 Foreman
3 Schulz
4 Schulz
5 Schulz
6 Foreman
7 Foreman
8 Schulz
9 Schulz
10 Schulz
11 Foreman
12 Schulz

116-112 Schulz

Rewatching this fight again i thought Schulz clearly won this fight hands down, the punchstats seemed to have Foreman landing more punches overall. But i have to say that's certainly not what i see, Schulz controlled the fight boxing on the outside, hitting Foreman at will with the right hand and at times outfighting him on the inside. Foreman was never really able to sustain any attack, as Schulz landed combinations and solid right hands all night landing all the clean effective punches. For me this fight was a clear robbery and whilst Foreman was unlucky vs Briggs, i think Foreman was even more lucky vs Schulz.

 

My internet was out from last night until this afternoon. Maybe that’s why?

(Seriously, what footage?)

 

George Foreman vs Alex Stewart

1 Foreman
2 Foreman 10-7 2 knockdowns
3 Foreman
4 Stewart
5 Foreman
6 Stewart
7 Stewart
8 Foreman
9 Stewart
10 Stewart 10-8 point deduction

94-93 Foreman

I had the exact same scorecard as Harold Lederman, and the judges all got the fight spot on aswell IMO. I thought it was a very easy fight to score with no debatable rounds, simply the 2 knockdowns hurt Stewart in a 10 round fight. And he didn't have enough rounds to comeback. Had this fight been 12 rounds Stewart may of completed the comeback but we'll never know.

Just a final few thoughts on this fight, Foreman has accused Stewart in the past of possibly using loaded gloves. Now i don't want to accuse anyone, but Foreman's face did seem to swell up very quickly. And Foreman's face never looked like that in any other fight. Whether or not that means anything i don't know, there's no evidence so i can't accuse Stewart and he was a noted big puncher.

Also why in the world did Foreman not sit down on his stool and allow his corner to use enswell earlier ? i know it was part of Foreman's comeback that he wouldn't sit down on the stool, but with your face breaking apart and the fight getting closer and closer it seems crazy to me, that he wouldn't sit down and allow his corner to work on his eyes earlier.

Overall a good little slugfest but IMO but very easy fight to score, the 2 knockdowns simply won the fight for Foreman.

 

Gary Mason vs Tyrell Biggs

October 4th, 1989

Round 1: 10-9 Mason. Close
Round 2: 10-9 Mason
Round 3: 10-9 Mason
Round 4: 10-9 Biggs. Close.
Round 5: 10-9 Mason. Both guys seem gassed.
Round 6: 10-9 Biggs. Close.
Round 7: Mason drops Biggs seemingly out of nowhere and KO's him.

My card entering into final round: 58-56 Mason

Nothing special about this one really just a fight I'd never seen. Don't remember ever seeing a Gary Mason fight honestly. He actually fought a pretty eye-pleasing style except for his obvious stamina problems. Nice variety of punches, some good upper body movement, and some compact shots.

 

D, you can never use the term 'no debatable rounds' around me. I'll always have something to throw in there. LOL! But actually, we only differed on 2 rounds Round 3 I had Even, which isn't really too much of a disagreement. But it was only round 5 we disagreed on. That's not too bad for 2 sluggers going at it. This is what I wrote:

George Foreman v Alex Stewart

Round 1: 10-9 Foreman
Round 2: 10-7 Foreman (scores 2 knockdowns)
Round 3: 10-10 Even
Round 4: 10-9 Stewart
Round 5: 10-9 Stewart
Round 6: 10-9 Stewart
Round 7: 10-9 Stewart
Round 8: 10-9 Foreman
Round 9: 10-9 Stewart
Round 10: 10-8 Stewart (Foreman deducted a point for a low blow)

Total: 95-93 Stewart (actual scores: 94-94, 94-93 and another 94-93 for Foreman on a majority decision).

Very good fight. I seemed to favor Stewart's sharper blows over the heavier, more ponderous blows of Foreman. I was amazed back in the day and still am how Foreman's face blew up the way it did. I know Stewart could hit but that was really uncanny. As if something was in Foreman's system that didn't react well. I'm not suggesting PEDs, but could some over-the-counter pharmaceutical have had such an adverse reaction? Regardless, these two gave it their all.

 

His fight vs Mark Wills was an ok fight decent little slugfest at times and fairly competitive.

 

Scar Foreman has accused Stewart of loaded wraps in the past, as i said in my earlier comment there's no evidence so i can't accuse Stewart. But Foreman's face seemed to swell up instantly only after 2 rounds, again that might not mean anything as Stewart could hit. And Foreman i think underestimated Stewart a bit and was a bit more sluggish than usual, but Foreman's face had never swelled up like that any other fight. And Holyfield hit him with over 300 punches, and never came close to doing to the same facial damage that Stewart did, but again it's all just speculation as we have no evidence.

As for the fight Stewart won the battle but lost the war, i do believe Stewart was a bit too passive in some rounds, when he really should of gone after Big George more.

 

Philly, I too had never seen Mason and I found his fight with Biggs and Lewis on youtube about a year ago and checked them out. Here is what I wrote:

I recall when Gary Mason was coming up in British rings, but never had a chance to see him. So I watched 2 of his fights today. And to tell you the truth, I was far more impressed with him in defeat than I was in victory. British scoring in effect.

Gary Mason v Tyrell Biggs

Round 1: Mason
Round 2: Even
Round 3: Mason
Round 4: Biggs
Round 5: Mason
Round 6: Biggs
Round 7: Mason KOs Biggs

Total: 59-58 1/2 Mason

Biggs had already been dumped by the Duvas by this time and was working his way into opponent status. Gary was beating up retreads on his way up, but Biggs was his best opponent by this time. A good, hard puncher was Mason but by the end of the 3rd one could see his arms getting heavy. Biggs got into the fight about this time and I marked on my card for the 6th that Gary's arms looked like lead. However, rather than take advantage of this, Biggs looked like he succumbed rather meekly at the end of the 7th. If I was watching this live with no idea with what was to come I don't think I would have given Gary much of a future.

Lennox Lewis v Gary Mason

Bad blood boiled over here as these two went at it.

Round 1: Lewis
Round 2: Even
Round 3: Lewis
Round 4: Mason
Round 5: Mason
Round 6: Lewis
Round 7: Referee stops contest due to severe eye damage suffered by Mason

Total: 59-58 1/2 Lewis

As Harry Carpenter noted around the 3rd or 4th, that Lewis 'was looking a bit ragged'. Mason's stamina issues weren't really evident here. He gave Lewis all he could handle. But Gary's right eye was really getting beat up, cut and swollen and he knew it was close to being stopped at the beginning of the 7th. So I loved his last ditch effort and went out on his shield hammering at Lewis. His eye problems really ended his career and unfortunately he was killed years later being hit by a van while riding a bike. But I'll always remember this fight now. This was one gutsy effort.

 

Gary was one of those fighters who played to his strengths. He was an extremely strong guy with a very hard punch and this got him to the verge of a world title challenge.
Unfortunately he had eye problems since a fight just a year before he fought Lewis, when he suffered a detached retina, despite winning the fight. Unfortunately for Gary, Lewis was the last boxer you’d want to face with an injury like that.
But It would have been interesting to see how the fight would have played out if Mason hadn’t had his eye issues.

Incidentally I scored it very similar to you, though not exactly identical. I had it even before the stoppage.