the what fights did you watch today\scorecard thread.

Thanks Scar. Thanks too, for the notes earlier about Warren, I like watching him. Kind of a smaller Curtis Parker.

 

Philly, I checked this fight out today and checked our history to see if anyone else had seen it and lo and behold, you checked it out about 3 years ago.....

Vic Darchinyan v Cristian Mijares (WBA, WBC and IBF 122 pound titles on the line)

Round 1: 10-8 Vic (scores a knockdown)
Round 2: 10-9 Vic
Round 3: 10-9 Vic
Round 4: 10-9 Vic
Round 5: 10-9 Vic
Round 6: 10-9 Vic
Round 7: 10-10 Even
Round 8: 10-9 Mijares
Round 9: Vic KOs Mijares

Total through 8 completed rounds: 79-73 Darchinyan (actual scores: 79-72 for Vic by all 3 judges)

We both had the same score but got there slightly different. There were some great punches thrown during this contest, but I couldn't help be annoyed at the absolute crap gameplan Mijares was utilizing. What? A rope-a-dope from mid-ring against a puncher like Darchinyan? I didn't even remember the fight and would not look it up so it was fresh. And I was actually thinking that Vic was decelerating in rounds 7 and 8 and that Mijares had a chance if he would just let the punches go. But you can't just stand there against this kind of a banger. Bummed me out because I've always liked Mijares' fights. But this was frustrating as well as hard-banging.

 

Scar, I think this fight was for the 115 pound titles. Anyway, Darchinyan at this point of his career had just the one defeat (to Nonito Donaire) and I remember he was pretty highly ranked after this win. I never thought that much of him, to be honest. I think the rest of his career bears that out. He was dangerous but became increasingly vulnerable. I also thought he was arrogant so I was usually pretty happy when he lost.

 

You're right, I should have said super fly. My bad.

 

Evander Holyfield vs. Michael Dokes, scheduled for 12 rounds, heavyweights, at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 11, 1989.

Holyfield is 20-0 (16) and fighting at heavyweight for the third time (after beating James Tillis and Pinklon Thomas by stoppage). The former unified cruiserweight champ weighs 208.

Dokes is 37-1-2 (23) and has won 11 in a row, but it’s an odd streak. After losing his heavyweight crown to Gerrie Coetzee in 1983, he had three fights over the next two years, culminating with a technical decision (stopped due to cuts after a head clash) over Randall Cobb, then was off for nearly two years before winning eight straight over B-level opposition. He weighs 225.

If you like low blows, both borderline and blatant, you’ll love this fight haha. Plenty of both. And a lot of good legal body work too by both men.

1. Holyfield 10-9

2. Holyfield 10-9: As in the first, he’s just busier, quicker and sharper.

3. Dokes 10-9: Dynamite digs in and rips some nice combinations.

4. Holyfield 10-9: Evander boxes more here and lands a lot of clean shots.

5. Holyfield 10-9: Lot of good body work here by Evander but Dokes is competing.

6. Holyfield 10-9 (even on my card but Dokes is deducted a point for a low blow): Mostly uneventful other than the low punch. Dokes sustains a nasty cut over his left eye that is never really contained but it doesn’t seem to affect his vision going forward.

7. Holyfield 10-9: Close to 10-8 here as Evander knocks Dokes’ mouthpiece into about the third row with a left hook and wobbles him, then rocks him a couple more times.

8. Dokes 10-9: Michael finds a second wind and really digs in. Starts with a nice barrage and has Holy a bit hurt with another rally. Evander answers back late to finish strong.

9. Dokes 10-9: He bullies Holyfield around a bit here. He’s tired but Evander seems to be sagging himself. At this moment it looks like 8-9 could be a turning point.

10. Holyfield wins by TKO at 1:41. He lands a left hook/uppercut that has Dokes stepping in post holes and after a couple misses gets through with a sizzling left hook that has Michael stumbling halfway across the ring back to the ropes. As Holy wades in for the kill, Richard Steele wisely stops it.

My card: Holyfield 87-84.

Official cards: All Holyfield — 87-83, 89-82, 87-84.

Really nice fight, brisk pace and a lot of good exchanges. Dokes reemerged back on the scene here with a really good effort but Holy was too much. Evander seemed like he could have boxed Dokes’ ears off from the outside (a role reversal since a younger, lighter Dokes was more of a boxer and now is a plant-his-feet-and-throw slugger) but bless his heart, he just can’t help himself and keeps going to war.

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I scored this one a couple of years back, Pat and had the same overall tally although we got to it slightly differently.

Evander Holyfield v Michael Dokes

Terrific back and forth struggle with Holyfield showing his championship credentials at heavyweight against a seriously game and on-it Dokes (on-it as in focused rather than on drugs in this case).

Holyfield was generally just that bit busier but when he let his hands go Dokes put together lightening combos, he just didn't have Holyfield's stamina to keep up the momentum.

1 10-9
2 10-9
3 9-10
4 10-9
5 10-9 (Holyfield just a bit busier)
6 9-9 (Dokes deserved the round but got a point deduction)
7 10-9
8 10-10 (Holyfield comes back in the way that only Holyfield can after Dokes gives him an early pasting - great stuff)
9 9-10 (close)
(87-84)
10 Holyfield TKO Dokes

 

Can’t quibble with how you got there, we just disagreed a bit on which way a couple of close rounds swung. Don’t know why I even picked that one out to watch today but glad I did. Worthy anyone’s time to watch it (or watch it again).

 

Yeah, really good fight. I think some people have called it the best heavyweight fight of the 80s. I don’t think there were as many memorable fights in the 80s at heavyweight as in the 70s and 90s but figure there were still probably better ones than this - I’m just not sure what they were. Holmes-Cooney, maybe? Any others?

 

Holmes-Cooney to me wasn't necessarily a great fight per se, but a riveting event. And tense, which always leads you on. Holmes-Witherspoon is the same I think, as is Holmes-Williams in its own way.

 

Pone Kingpetch v Salvatore Burruni (flyweight title - 5 point must system)

This was a great example of a fighter with every physical deficit just storming in and ripping the title from the titleholder. Burruni, whom I had never seen fight before, wasn't going to let a little thing like height and reach stop his march to the title and just banged away for 15 rounds. Kingpetch just could do very little with the cyclone in front of him. I only gave Kingpetch rounds 14 and 15 as well as a share of rounds 8 and 12 for a 73-64 score for Burruni (actual scores: 74-63, 74-53 and a 72-68 all for Burruni). BTW, that second score, of course, was the Italian judge. Man, he must've been giving Sal a ton of 2 point rounds.

 

George, I checked this fight out today and saw that you scored it last year. Here we go....

John Conteh v Tom Bogs (European light heavyweight title)

Round 1: 10-8 Bogs (scores a knockdown)
Round 2: 10-9 Conteh
Round 3: 10-8 Conteh (scores a knockdown???)
Round 4: 10-10 Even
Round 5: 10-9 Conteh
Round 6: 10-9 Conteh
Round 7: Bogs cannot come out for round 7 with a bad cut.

Total through 6 completed rounds: 58-55 Conteh

George, little and no argument seemed to be made on that 3rd round knockdown. I don't know if it was, but I scored it legitimately as one because I felt it was fairly obvious. I can't say for sure if the ref actually did count it because he was making odd hand gestures throughout the fight. Anyways, a good competitive fight between a maturing Conteh and the veteran Bogs.

 

Evander Holyfield (c) vs. Dwight Muhammad Qawi II, scheduled for 15 rounds for the IBF and WBA cruiserweight championships on Dec. 5, 1987, at the Atlantic City Convention Center in New Jersey.

Holyfield is 16-0 (12) and making his fourth title defense at the weight, having won the IBF crown off Qawi about 18 months earlier in a classic war and taking the WBA title with a win over Henry Tillman earlier in 1987. He weights 187 pounds.

Qawi is 28-4-1 (17) and is ranked No. 1 by the WBA and No. 3 by the IBF. He’s won two out of three since losing to Holyfield the first time, dropping a majority decision to Ossie Ocasio and beating contender Leroy Murphy in his most recent outing. He weight 190.

Holyfield is 6-foot-2 1/2 to Qawi’s 5-5 1/2.

1. Holyfield 10-9: Evander boxes tall, uses his jab and straight punches to control the distance, this time not wading into the wheelhouse to fight Qawi in the trenches. Dwight seems intent on countering Holy’s jab with an overhand right but misses with it every time (I think he’s only successful with this tactic once in the entire fight).

2. Holyfield 10-9: More of the same, but they get in a heated exchange after the bell.

3. Holyfield 10-9: This was closer, but Holyfield unloads some heavy artillery although there are a few good exchanges.

4. Holyfield stops Qawi at the 2:30 mark, dropping him with a left hook and then putting him down for the count with a short right — they threw at the same time and Qawi’s looping punch never gets there as Evander’s crashes home first.

I don’t think Dwight had particularly degraded since the first fight, but Holyfield had improved and matured and wan’t going to be lured into the kind of fight Muhammad would win. By keeping him at the end of his punches and using a little footwork to control the exchanges and range, he was able to land thudding shots throughout while Qawi was having trouble reaching him.

Of note, this is the only time Qawi was put down for the count in 53 pro fights. George Foreman stopped him on his feet (Dwight was taking a beating fighting at heavyweight and basically quit before he could be put down) and that’s the only other stoppage loss of any sort on his ledger.

Absolutely masterclass performance by Holyfield here in his cruiserweight prime.

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Azumah Nelson v Lupe Suarez

I watched this based on @Saintpat mentioning this fight in another thread. I don’t need an excuse to watch Azumah but didn’t know anything about Suarez. A quick check of his record prior to this fight showed he was no mug, with back to back wins over John John Molina and Juan LaPorte which presumably earned him this title crack.

And he certainly went for it. Boxing out of a tight southpaw stance, he slipped Nelson’s right hand and worked upstairs and downstairs really well. He also had Nelson backing up. He didn’t possess the power to do significant damage but he was busier and I thought he was leading and on top going into the 8th.

This was Nelson’s first defense after a tough and controversial win over Mario Martinez to take the WBC Super Featherweight title. One thing about Azumah is he had fight-ending power and he turned things his way in the 8th, landing the right that had eluded Suarez earlier. Still, going into the 9th, I didn’t expect Suarez to be taken out quite so quickly.

Nelson would grow into the division over the next couple of years, besting Martinez in a rematch and proving himself one of the best champs in 130 pound history. Suarez is a footnote in the Nelson story, but for a little while, he looked as though he could be a lot more.

1 9-10
2 9-10 (close. Very good action, Suarez outworking Nelson imo)
3 10-9 (close. I thought Nelson was looking a bit passive but some well-timed flurries and better accuracy took the round)
4 9-10
5 9-10 (Suarez giving Nelson all he can handle)
6 9-10 (Suarez plainly outworking Nelson again)
7 10-9 (close)
8 10-9 (Easily Azumah’s best round and a shift in momentum)
(75-77)
9 Nelson TKO Suarez (and just like that, it’s over - a barrage from Nelson, Suarez gets to his feet on wobbly legs and Tony Perez waves it off)

 

I seem to remember Azumah hitting after the bell in the 8th, didn't he? Some such controversy.