Early 1980s ESPN tournaments

[saintpat]

They had tournaments with semi-prospects and promising club fighters in several weight classes. The winner of the tourney was promised a 'shot' at a contender.

Roger Stafford won welterweight and upset Pipino Cuevas.

Luke Capuano, if I recall correctly, won light heavy and lost a close decision to Mike Rossman (and lost by a wider margin in a rematch).

I think Frank "The Animal" Fletcher got his first recognition in this tourney, too, if I'm not mistaken.

Does anyone have all the tournament fight results, what weight classes they ended up completing tournaments in, who the winners were, what contenders they faced, etc.? I seem to think for some reason that the tourney idea plug was pulled before they finished playnig out the concept.

Any info would be appreciated.

[TBear]

I believe ESPN Top Rank boxing had two such tourneys.

I will remember more as I give it more thought but off the top of my head, I remember Jesse Ferguson winning the heavyweight tourney that had in 85. Ferguson beat Tony Anthony in the final. Ferguson also beat a young Buster Douglas earlier in the tourney. Douglas started the tourney by destroying an undefeated fireplug named Dion Simpson.

If memory serves me right Doug DeWitt beat Mike Tinley in the middleweight final. Frankie Randall may have also been a tourney winner in the 85 tournament.

There was an earlier tournament as well with Dwight Muhammad Qawi winning at light heavy.

[Anthony342]

If your last name is Anthony, why would you name your son Tony?