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Yeah, I admit I'm half saying it just to mix it, but I've genuinely never seen what all the fuss is about.
First, a confession: I never saw it LIVE. I came on here, read every last detail about the fight and only got to see it about a fortnight afterwards. So knowing beforehand who won and how took away all the suspense. Plus, any fight THAT hyped is almost bound to be an anti-climax. Yet I knew the outcome of all Ali's fights yet still enjoy those.
Here's the way I see the fight: two B-grade fighters go at it with abandon and little defence for 9 rounds, then the one with the suspect chin gets dropped twice in the tenth. He cheats - yes, cheats - to buy himself time, a situation that his cornerman also gets involved in. (Otherwise known as "It takes me about half an hour to put a mouthpiece in, and I'll pretend I'm not sure what the ref is asking to make it last a bit longer).
This isn't a fictionalised Rocky movie, a battle against the odds. It's a guy abusing the rules to get ahead. Then he gets up and clocks the other guy who's dropped his guard and lost his advantage.
I guess it depends if you like two guys just half killing each other non-stop for nine rounds (I noticed Castillo's workrate wasn't the same last night, which also meant he was sharper) and if you think Carolles's "back from the brink" win was all about heart, honour and bravery, or just a guy with a bum chin trying to get one past the ref.
Good fight, possibly the best of 2005 (which ain't saying much, right?) But all-time great? Hell, I've heard The Ring magazine speculate it might be the best fight of ALL TIME. Get a grip. It ain't all that.
Also... did the lower quality of last night add a little retrospective scorn on the first fight?
First, a confession: I never saw it LIVE. I came on here, read every last detail about the fight and only got to see it about a fortnight afterwards. So knowing beforehand who won and how took away all the suspense. Plus, any fight THAT hyped is almost bound to be an anti-climax. Yet I knew the outcome of all Ali's fights yet still enjoy those.
Here's the way I see the fight: two B-grade fighters go at it with abandon and little defence for 9 rounds, then the one with the suspect chin gets dropped twice in the tenth. He cheats - yes, cheats - to buy himself time, a situation that his cornerman also gets involved in. (Otherwise known as "It takes me about half an hour to put a mouthpiece in, and I'll pretend I'm not sure what the ref is asking to make it last a bit longer).
This isn't a fictionalised Rocky movie, a battle against the odds. It's a guy abusing the rules to get ahead. Then he gets up and clocks the other guy who's dropped his guard and lost his advantage.
I guess it depends if you like two guys just half killing each other non-stop for nine rounds (I noticed Castillo's workrate wasn't the same last night, which also meant he was sharper) and if you think Carolles's "back from the brink" win was all about heart, honour and bravery, or just a guy with a bum chin trying to get one past the ref.
Good fight, possibly the best of 2005 (which ain't saying much, right?) But all-time great? Hell, I've heard The Ring magazine speculate it might be the best fight of ALL TIME. Get a grip. It ain't all that.
Also... did the lower quality of last night add a little retrospective scorn on the first fight?
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