Thirty-five years ago today: Booker T. Word vs. "Hollywood" Anthony Hembrick

This content is protected

This content is protected

The caption on the Facebook post ("This never gets old ") is true - but they left out so much. Editing down to a two minute clip that smash-cuts from Hembrick's comical pre-fight stretching & aerobics before getting dribbled all over the canvas en route to a three knockdown rule stoppage makes for a brief and satisfying watch - but it's all the sweeter with the full context. Hembrick, the unbeaten and obviously heavily favored man, controlled the first minute and change of the contest utilizing his ranginess and skill to keep Word circling, ducking, and coverin - and he had him hurt badly at the 1:41 mark with a 2-3 combo. He then got overly excited, grabbed Word by the back of the head in one palm and landed a few hits with the other hand before the break. He then left his hands low while floating a lazy triple jab, never thinking in a million years that Word would dare uncork a massive overhand right so soon after being buzzed...

The rest is history.

If you're into showboats getting their comeuppance, this Bud's for you (by which I mean classic fights with the old Budweiser logo ring). Three-and-a-half decades on, it truly never does get old.

Word was a muscular and compact light heavyweight (a former high school offensive lineman in Ypsilanti, MI), but was here giving up 5½″ of height and seven inches of reach to a 14-0 kid that had been on the national Olympic squad and was hamming it up in front of a home crowd convinced the hype was real. A bit of self belief - and one big axing right - can overcome even great odds.

This footnote in the sport's history is about the high water mark for both. Hembrick would knock out Rudy Nix five years later in yet another vacant IBF USBA light heavyweight title match, I guess somewhat vindicating himself for losing the one to Word - but he never held any meaningful belts in his career. Word did briefly hold the IBO cruiserweight title, but made no defenses and subsequently went on an eight stoppage loss slump to end his career. Both are best remembered for serving as fodder to greater talents (Word stopped by Oleg Maskaev and Hembrick stopped twice by James Toney). But their encounter is worth revisiting if you can spare a couple of minutes - or nine, if you're the more patient sort - and want a quick smile put on your face.