i was spoiled. The first two pro fighters I ever met were Willie Pep and Muhammad Ali when I was 15
Good to see you still lurking around.
Having those two be the first I met im not sure i could get as excited meeting anyone else. Though im sure I still would. Fighters are the best athletes to meet.....very down to earth and I never have a bad experience.
So the Doctors should leave the pins in his hand? The stupidity here is almost comical.
I'm ALMOST inclined to agree, but I just can't. That level of stupidity is just pathetic. Smh.
It's one post on a boxing forum calm down.
Yeah, man, its a little dramatic for ONE post that includes a VIDEO of a top champ like Iran Barkley (THREE titles in three weight classes...legendary win over Tommy...this IS boxing...
Funny thing is, NSB is advertised as "all things boxing". Most of us want to see and read these things. The ones that don't can just skip it.
I don't know if Wilder is the hardest puncher, but the is something to be said for bending pins in a hand you have already broken and had surgically repaired.
That's definitely true. But wasn't that what Fury said word for word? And people still didn't give him a chance.
Fighters can say what they want, it still doesn't change things. Tyson is the champ, he beat the man. But his path there and subsequent issues now don't lend him any credit. Instead of taking about retirement he should be looking to cement a legacy by at least fighting the best around or coming up. He hasn't done that besides old boring Wlad. I'm not sold on his skills, but if he would actually try to fight other top guys he'd be much more credible. Respect for the Wlad win, but old champions fade, decline and lose when they stay around to long. That doesn't make Fury a great fighter, just a fighter with great timing. Should he proceed to fight the best in the division I will be happy to give him his credit as I've done Wlad.
Don't remember how young but really young and seeing Marvin Hagler.. He looked like he raped white women and feasted on small children. Well at least until you heard him speak..
Hagler looked viscious. Nowadays that look is common, back than it wasn't.
history certainly changes reality.
Didn't realize Wlad took a dive against Fury.
Never said he took a dive my friend. But history still supports older champions losing to younger ones who caught them at the right time rather than truly proving themselves.
Fury has done nothing but best a 100 year old man. No different than Jess Willard. On top of it he's got PED accusations. He's no better than Wilder or the rest of the sorry crop of heavyweights today until he proves more than what he's done.
Bert Cooper fan here as my avatar will attest.
I would say Bert was a talented fighter who underachieved and didn't have the self discipline it took to be a champion.
That said, he started his career quite successfully under the guidance of Joe Frazier, hence the moniker "Smokin' Bert Cooper. He was in a phone booth war with Ray Mercer, in which he split Mercer's lip and broke his jaw, but he lost the decision.
On short notice, as a result of Francesco Damiani sustaining an injury, Cooper received a shot at Undisputed Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield and gave him everything he could handle, including knocking Holyfield down in the 3rd Round. It's not an exaggeration to say Cooper was perhaps a few punches from stopping Holyfield. Holyfield would rally to stop Cooper in the 7th.
A year later, in 1992, Bert would get another title shot, this time for the vacant WBO title against Michael Moorer. What resulted was one of the best Heavyweight fights of the 90s, with both fighters tasting the canvas in the 1st round, Moorer hitting the deck again in the 3rd, and Moorer getting the last laugh with a 5th Round TKO.
Bert had some nice wins in his career against the likes of Willie DeWitt, Orlin Norris, Tyrone Booze and Joe Hipp.
Bert had drug problems that really derailed promising career. In fact it was that, and his reluctance to do roadwork that caused Joe Frazier to leave him a few years into his career.
So I would say Bert Cooper was more than a journeyman but not dedicated enough to be a champion.
Good post.
No doubt JAB5239 was one of the guys who claimed that Wlad would KO Fury in the first round.
I think these people just rubbish Fury because he made their predictions for the first fight look stupid.
Actually I believe I picked Wlad to stop him in the 5th. That Fury beat him matters not to me as everyone Iknows I'm no big fan of either Klitschko. But not of that changes the points I made. :dunno:
There's honestly no difference.
It only matters when you beat up a champion of repute, which is as it should be really.
Absolutely agree. But on NSB that is not the case more times than not. Goes both ways though.
Ward hasn't beaten anybody at 175. Stevenson avenged his loss.
My humor must not translate through the internet. I was being facetious. With that said, I have little doubt Ward is one of the best at 175 and he is also one of the best p4p. Who ever wins it will be the best scalp on their resume. Should we dismiss Ward if Kov beats him because he hasn't beaten anybody at 175? That seems a little absurd in my opinion.
Did these two guys ever fought each other?...
I think you already know the answer to this which is why I phrased the question the way I did. Technically though, Kov and Andre haven't fought yet eother, so I believe it's an interesting comparison. Dan_cov makes a valid point though.
Problem is, nobody in the U.S knew Darius. He had zero exposure outside of Germany and Poland.
He was known in boxing circles and it still would have meant total unification of the titles. Him and Roy were clearly the best at the time. Posters may very well say the same of Ward today. I wouldnt, but there are plenty that day he "hides" in Oakland or won't fight outside the US. Personally I think that means nothing. Only 2 guys get in the ring and fight no matter where it is.
Oooh bbbut Floyd was 130lbs first ever fight and he moved up a whole 24lbs (albeit we should say 17 because he never remained at 154lbs) from the time he was 18 years old lmfao!!
I can't believe you lot are actually impressed about someones body maturing what about bodybuilders who go from 8stone all the way to 20 stone with 5-8% body fat by god that must be insane lol they use steroids just like Floyd too hahahahahahahaha!
That makes no sense Red. You can't compare a resume to bodybuilding. I can't stand Floyd, but he beat the best in EVERY division he's fought in Lemeuix has nothing to register on the same scale. The kid is tough, has a good punch, but who has he beat?
Jones is better than Ward but...who wins head to head? Micalzaewski or Kovalev? Dariusz is better all around IMO but his defense wasn't that great and Kovalev can bomb.
I think Jones is better than Ward as well. I also think Kov is better than DM making this a tougher fight to pick the winner. Looking back I have little doubt Jones would have handled DM pretty easily. I don't get that sense in either direction for Ward or Kovalev.
Toney had it all man, had he been fully professional in his approach he'd be very top at any atg list and his talent alone warrants it. Solid resume and overall achievement, he was a great amateur too. In terms of talent only Roy Jones gave him a real run for his money as a contemporary foe. Note too that he was voted Ring Fighter in both 1991 and 2003.
As far as this thread gone I agree 100%. If you were to ask me about Time ya all time greatness I would probably disagree. All of it is subjective to what you like or dislike in the long run.
A lot has to do with being able to relax. I can't and I'm sure 99% of anyone on this forum can imagine the stress of fighting in front of millions with so much at stake. Secondly....while I consider boxing a more disciplined sport, MMA is harder. I've done both. Never at the world class level, but enough to know the difference. It's easy to sit on a Forum and judge. It's harder to move up weight classes in any sport and show the same dominance you have shown before...especially in MMA. And for the record...I'm a bigger fan of boxing.
I pointed out the money it made, but the actual exposure the sport got was terrible because the reaction was all negative. People saw boxing as a joke. The promoters involved could've at least used that soulless, corporate cash-in to advertise their best young talent in meaningful fights and instead they put them in with bums.
I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with your take on boxing promoters and what WE would like as fans. Only pointing out the reasons are what they are. As fans we're passionate. You obviously are and I respect that. But pro boxing, MMA or any other sport is a business. They aren't targeting fans like you or me, they're targeting casual fans. And no matter what either of us would like or want they are making money or they wouldn't still be doing this. Personally I'd like less weight classes, one org that oversees the entire sport and same day weigh ins to make it fair for everyone. Won't happen though because there is more money in the the way they do it now.
It's not just about producing events, but actually delivering in terms of the product. Mayweather-Pacquiao was a huge event but a resounding failure beyond the revenue it generated.
And yet it still did immense numbers and revenue. Its easier to make a mega fight in the UFC with guys with far less fights than boxing because you can match styles so much easier. As I said, boxing is a much more discipline sport. Its the same thing, just different degrees of style and skill. MMA has so many variables you can put together great fights all the time, but this guys hardly last at the top level. Its hard to explain. I boxed amateur Do,tyears. When I moved to NC there were no boxing gyms in my area so I started Mauy Thai and MMA. It's just different, and unless you have done both of are COMPLETELY objective it's hard to explain. I'm not slighting you or anyone else, just pointing out what I know through my own experiences.