Archive for the ‘Remembering the Greats’ Category

[VIDEO] Remembering the Greats: Floyd Patterson vs. Pete Rademacher [August 22, 1957]

Posted: August 15, 2012 in Remembering the Greats
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These days, no one would even consider taking an Olympic gold medalist straight out of the amateur ranks and throwing him in with the heavyweight champion of the world. But back in 1957, Pete Rademacher had a bright idea that would make history and himself a lot of money.

Rademacher was the premier amateur boxer of his day, winning major tournaments from 1949-1956, including the ’53 U.S. Amateur Championship. 1956 would bring him worldwide recognition when he won the heavyweight gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics. 

Soon after, Rademacher began to hit the press with claims that he was going to make history by winning the heavyweight title in his first professional fight. Floyd Patterson, who won the title in late 1956 over Archie Moore, initially scoffed at the idea until Rademacher offered 250,000 in guaranteed funds. It was an offer Patterson couldn’t refuse. The angle had been set with Patterson, the first Olympic gold medalist to win the heavyweight title, seeking to defend his crown against another gold medalist.

While seen as an intriguing mismatch on paper in favor of the 22-year-old Patterson, the 29-year-old Rademacher came into the ring outweighing his opponent by 15 pounds (202 to 187), possessing a significantly longer reach (77 to 71) and a slight height advantage (6’1 to 6’0). These attributes gave Patterson difficulty early as he struggled to get beyond Rademacher’s steady jab and counterpunching. The though of an upset grew to a fervor pitch in the second when a chopping overhand right dropped a visibly embarrassed Patterson for a three count.

Patterson refused to be discouraged and kept steady pressure on Rademacher behind leaping hooks. As the rounds progressed, the grueling pace of the fight began to wear on Rademacher, who was used to four round, two-minute amateur bouts. Patterson hooks began a series of knockdowns, six in all, that firmly put to rest the idea of an upset. Rademacher  labored badly around the ring until a Patterson left-right hook combination ended matters in the sixth.

Rademacher’s career never truly recovered from his ambitious first fight. He would suffer a fourth round knockout to Zora Folley in his second bout, and finished his career in 1962 with a record of 15-7-1, with 8 KOs.

Patterson would make several more defense before being upset by Ingemar Johansson in 1959. Patterson became the first man to regain the heavyweight title by knocking out Johansson in a 1960 return bout. He repeated the feat in a ’61 rubbermatch. Patterson would lose the title for good to Sonny Liston in 1962 but continued facing top fighters such as Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Ellis, George Chuvalo and Muhammad Ali before retiring in 1972.

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Remembering the Greats: Tupac’s 1992 Malcolm X Dinner Speech [VIDEO]

Posted: May 19, 2012 in Music News, Remembering the Greats
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On what would have been Malcolm X’s 87 birthday, we take a look back on a Hip-Hop legend that he greatly influenced. 20 years ago, a young Tupac was asked to speak at a dinner honoring Malcolm’s life. Instead of a safe presentation, Pac choose to the challenge the black intelligentsia present to put action behind their words in engaging the youth. Some of Pac’s ideas were undeveloped (ie. his stance on higher education), but you can also see the hints of black nationalism and economic empowerment that were major concerns of Malcolm’s final years. Some questions to ponder. What would be Malcolm X’s opinion on the Hip-Hop generation and the music coming from it today? How differently, if any, would Hip-Hop culture view him had he lived?

Remembering the Greats: Martin Luther King, Jr Supports Muhammad Ali’s Vietnam Stand [VIDEO]

Posted: January 16, 2012 in Remembering the Greats
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On the surface, Dr. Martin Luther King and Muhammad wouldn’t seem like two men that had a whole lot in common during the late 60s. In Ali you had a cocky, outspoken athlete in his prime who was a member of the controversial Muslim sect The Nation of Islam. In King, you had a charismatic Baptist minister who utilized the principles Ghandi’s non-violence principles to fight racist oppression against African-Americans in the United States. One of the common grounds between these two men was their vehement opposition to the war in Vietnam, which in turn made them both two of more criticized figures in mainstream America.

During the final years of his life, Dr. King expanded his message beyond Civil Rights to the economic and political disparities facing all poor Americans. In the below clip, Dr. King has nothing but praise for Ali’s decision not to enlist for the Vietnam War. For many of us who didn’t live the era, it’s hard to imagine a time when King and Ali, two of the more saintly American icons of today, where among the most reviled individuals in mainstream America. Makes you wonder what they’d say about today’s politics.

Still Smokin’: Five Underrated Joe Frazier Performances [VIDEO]

Posted: November 9, 2011 in Remembering the Greats
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The late Joe Frazier’s career is mostly celebrated by the mainstream and casual boxing fans for his epic battles against Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. But over the course of his 16 year career “Smokin’ Joe” delivered his fair share of noteworthy beatdowns that now tend to be overlooked. Today here at Beats, Boxing & Mayhem, we take a look back at a handful of Joe Frazier’s most underrated in-ring battles.

5. vs. EDDIE MACHEN (NOVEMBER 21, 1966)

While the 34-year-old Machen was past prime, he was still dangerous. Earlier in ’66, he gave prospect Jerry Quarry his first loss. Just one year into his career, Frazier risked getting the same treatment — he had to overcome a possible confidence shaker when he was dropped twice in his previous bout against Oscar Bonavena. What ended up happening was a thorough beating that saw Frazier stay in Machen’s chest with debilitating hooks. Unlike his admirable showing against Sonny Liston, who he was able to frustrate with movement, Machen could not escape Frazier’s pressure. Machen was able to stun Frazier occasionally with counter shots, but could not push him back. A collection of left hooks in the 10th was enough to prompt the referee stoppage.

4. VS. GEORGE CHUVALO (JULY 19, 1967)

Need proof of the devastating power of a well-placed Joe Frazier left hook? Look no further than this slugfest with iron-chinned George Chuvalo. The fight was an inside war of attrition that ended when Frazier’s fist fractured the orbital bone under Chuvalo’s right eye. Chuvalo immediately pulls away in pain and capitulation. This is the only time in Chuvalo’s career that he ever wanted out of a fight.

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3. VS. OSCAR BONAVENA II (DECEMBER 10, 1968)

Frazier had a point to prove with this one. Back in ’66, Bonanvena had dropped Joe twice and nearly KO’d him in their first meeting. It was one of the few fights were Frazier was the one in retreat. Making the third defense of his NYSAC heavyweight belt, Frazier showed the difference two years had made in his development by mauling Bonavena over 15 rounds. Frazier kept going forward the entire night and relied on his left hook to rearrange Bonanvea’s face into a discolored, swollen mask. Frazier would take a unanimous decision.

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2. VS. BUSTER MATHIS (MARCH 4, 1968)

The rotund Buster Mathis was an amateur rival of Frazier’s who ended up playing an important role in Smokin’ Joe making it to the ’64 Olympics. Mathis had earned a spot on the Olympic team by defeating Frazier by decision. However, Mathis suffered a hand injury and pulled out, allowing Frazier to make the team and be the only boxer on that squad to win a gold medal.

Their professional fight saw Mathis jump out to an early lead by boxing Frazier and tying him up in close. Frazier never got reckless and made sure to concentrate his attack on Mathis’ soft body. Having never gone more than seven rounds, Mathis began to falter by the 10th. Frazier would end matters in the 11th with a murderous left hook out of an attempted clinch.

1. VS. QUARRY II (JUNE 17, 1974)

At the time of this fight, Joe Frazier’s career was in decline. Since winning the Fight of the Century in 1971, Frazier had gone 3-2: losing his title and getting knocked out by George Foreman in ’73, and dropping a grudge rematch to Muhammad Ali in his last fight. Shrugging off retirement talk, Frazier came back refocused for a rematch against Jerry Quarry, a fighter he had an epic Fight of Year battle with back in 1969. Eddie Futch got Joe ready by working on the right hand, which ended up cutting Quarry badly. Frazier showed a rare act of mercy by pulling back when Quarry seemed ready to quit, but Smokin’ Joe finished the job and prompted special referee Joe Louis to finally call it off after five rounds.

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Champion Forever: Joe Frazier Dies at 67 [VIDEO]

Posted: November 8, 2011 in Fight News, Remembering the Greats
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Joe Frazier, the Olympic and heavyweight boxing champion who defeated Muhammad Ali in the 1971 Fight of Century, has died from liver cancer. He was 67.

Last week, the family of the Hall of Fame heavyweight disclosed that Frazier was under hospice care after being diagnosed with advanced liver cancer just one month ago.

“We The Family of the 1964 Olympic Boxing Heavyweight Gold Medalist, Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion and International Boxing Hall of Fame Member Smokin’ Joe Frazier, regrets to inform you of his passing,” read an official statement from the Frazier family. ”He transitioned from this life as ‘One of God’s Men,’ on the eve of November 7, 2011 at his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We thank you for your prayers for our Father and vast outpouring of love and support. Respectfully, we request time to grieve privately as a family.  Our father’s home going celebration will be announced as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.”

The youngest of 11 children born to sharecroppers Rubin and Dolly Frazier in 1944, Joe was raised on the family’s 10 acre farm in the Laurel Bay section of Beaufort, South Carolina. Nicknamed “Billy Boy,” Frazier’s stocky build made him sought after by classmates to fight off bullies. He developed a love of boxing after his parents purchased a black and white television where he idolized legends such as Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano. He began informal boxing training on a self-constructed heavybag. The famous slashing motion of his left hook would be the result of a freak farm injury that made his left arm permanently crooked.

With racism being a impediment to his boxing aspirations, Frazier left his family and relocated to Philadelphia in 1960. Under famed trainer Yancey “Yank” Durham, Frazier would only lose one amateur bout before making the U.S. Olympic boxing team in 1964 after rival Buster Mathis pulled out with a hand injury. Frazier posted three knockouts to make the finals against Hans Huber. Frazier would defeat him by decision and hold distinction as the only U.S. boxer of the ’64 Olympics to bring home a gold medal.

Turning pro in 1965, Frazier became an immediate force with knockouts in his first 11 fights. Future Hall of Fame trainer Eddie Futch joined Frazier’s camp and refined his style to include constant bobbing and weaving to throw off the timing of taller fighters. By 1968, he had knockout wins over noted contenders George Chuvalo, Eddie Machen and Doug Jones. Frazier would win the NY State Athletic Commission heavyweight title with an 11th round KO of Buster Mathis.

Following title defenses over Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena, Frazier would face Jimmy Ellis in 1970 to determine the sport’s recognized champion after the stripping of Muhammad Ali for refusing military induction in the Vietnam War. In front of a lively Madison Square Garden crowd, Frazier weathered an early Ellis lead to score two big knockdowns in the fourth. Ellis did not answer the bell for the fifth.

On March 8, 1971, a 27-year-old Frazier would meet the returning 29-year-old Muhammad Ali in what was dubbed “The Fight of the Century.” The contest between two undefeated champions also became a lightning rod for the political and social unrest in United States, as Ali derided Frazier as an “Uncle Tom” and the “white man’s champion” for not publicly supporting his Vietnam decision. The fight itself, held at Madison Square Garden, saw Ali jump out to an early lead by peppering Frazier with jabs and straight rights. However, pressure and hooks to the body slowed Ali by the middle rounds. Frazier’s left hook began landing with jarring authority, most notably in the 11th when Ali was badly hurt and nearly KO’d. The competitive bout was sealed for Frazier in the 15th round by an iconic left hook that dropped Ali.

Frazier would hold the title until 1973, when he was upset by George Forman and KO’d in two rounds after rising from six knockdowns. Muhammad Ali would enact revenge a year later with a close points decision win. Frazier would post two impressive rematch KOs of Jerry Quarry and Jimmy Ellis before facing Ali in 1975 for the famous “Thrilla In Manila.”

In a brutal contest, Ali rallied in the late rounds to swell shut Frazier’s eyes. After a 14th round that saw Ali land at will, Frazier, amid protests, was pulled from the fight by trainer Eddie Futch. Frazier would lose by knockout in his next bout, a 1976 rematch with George Foreman, before retiring. He would make a one-fight comeback in 1981, earning a draw with unheralded Jumbo Cummings.

In retirement, Frazier trained local children at his Philadelphia gym, which closed in 2010. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Although several reconciliation attempts were made over the years with Muhammad Ali, the pair retained an on and off relationship.

“The news about Joe is hard to believe and even harder to accept,” said Muhammad Ali last week upon hearing of Frazier’s illness. “Joe is a fighter and a champion and I am praying he is fighting now. My family and I are keeping Joe and his family in our daily prayers. Joe has a lot of friends pulling for him, and I’m one of them.”

Joe Frazier’s final ring record stands at 32-4-1, with 27 KOs.

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Remembering the Greats: A Teenage and Grown Tupac on Respecting Women [VIDEO]

Posted: September 13, 2011 in Remembering the Greats
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“We’ve forgotten our roles. Men have forgotten their roles as men. Therefore, the women have forgotten their roles…”

15 years ago, Tupac Amaru Shakur lost his life in a hail of gunfire, becoming an immortal icon in music. A lot of the trademark passion that we hear in his art can be attributed to his upbringing around strong women. As Tupac stated, being raised by his mother and aunts made him think like a woman. While it made him the subject of ridicule from peers in his teenage years for being soft and having feminine ways, in his 20s it helped him to create some of Hip-Hop’s best odes to the power and struggles on women (“Brenda’s Got a Baby,” “Dear Mama”). But he was still a man in a patriarchal society, struggling and at times succumbing to misogyny. It’s interesting to hear that after accomplishing so much professionally, ‘Pac at 25 was already contemplating settling down.

Remembering the Greats: Riddick Bowe Puts Jorge Luis Gonzalez Under Pressure [June 17, 1995]

Posted: July 14, 2011 in Remembering the Greats
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“I will kill you.” – Jorge Luis Gonzalez

“Well, I will kill you back” – Riddick Bowe

As you can read in the statements above, Riddick Bowe and Jorge Luis Gonzalez were not the best of friends. The angle for this fight was whether Bowe still had the pedigree to regain the heavyweight crown he lost to Evander Holyfield in 1993. His bouts since then against Buster Mathis Jr., Larry Donald and Herbie Hide had been lackluster. On the other hand, the towering, 6’7 Gonzalez was playing Ricardo Mayorga before Mayorga, cursing Bowe out in Spanish and promising to end his career.

“I’m the lion and Bowe is the hyena. I want to eat his heart,” Gonzalez told Sports Illustrated. “His death is coming. He will regret the day his mother gave him birth.”

At 6’5 and over 240 pounds, Bowe was a super heavyweight himself and not the least bit intimidated by his opponent’s words. In fact, he taunted Gonzalez on fight night by having a hyena embroidered on his trunks.

Riddick Bowe was the lion and sneaky hyena from round one. He constantly had Gonzalez running into and back-pedaling from ramrod jabs to the face. Once cornered, Bowe punished Gonzalez with hayemaker overhand rights.

Gonzalez fared no better when he attempted to hold. An excellent inside fighter, Bowe worked hooks to the body with his free hand and launched uppercuts whenever he broke free.

Bowe flirted with a disqualification at the end of round four. He knocked Gonzalez across the ring with a left hook just as the bell sounded. Ignoring it, Bowe calmly walked over and launched an overhand right and left hook, prompting both corners to jump in the ring.

The carnage ended in the sixth following the umpteenth overhand right, causing Gonzalez to fall forward for the first knockdown of his career. Bowe gave Gonzalez a another left and right hook on his way down for good measure, ensuring the Cuban giant would not be getting up anytime soon.

This beatdown would earn Riddick Bowe a third fight with Evander Holyfield five months later. Bowe would win that knockdown-filled shootout by TKO in eight rounds.

Jorge Luis Gonzalez suffered the first defeat of his career and would be knocked out three more times over the next two years by Tim Witherspoon, Ross Puritty and Michael Grant.

Remembering the Greats: Mike Tyson vs. Donovan “Razor” Ruddock I & II [VIDEO]

Posted: June 11, 2011 in Remembering the Greats
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“He’s (Tyson) been knocked out before by a lesser opponent. And he’s going to sleep again.” – Razor Ruddock

“March 18 Razor Ruddock dies. If he doesn’t die it doesn’t count.” -Mike Tyson

“Tyson showing he has an unbelievable chin!”

Mike Tyson’s career has been the center of analysis due to his induction today into the boxing Hall of Fame. Two things have annoyed me to no end when hearing commentators review Tyson’s legacy. The first is that he could never beat a good fighter who stood up to him. Second is that he won no significant fights after the upset loss to James “Buster” Douglas in 1990. These viewpoints are refuted by Tyson’s two exciting slugfests against Donovan “Razor” Ruddock in 1991.

Ruddock became a top contender in 1990 after his vicious KO of Michael Dokes. He had no fear of Tyson; Ruddock came into both their fights determined to score a KO. The problem for Ruddock is that Tyson brought that same mentality. Tyson walked through numerous Ruddock bombs and dispelled the later critique that he always wilted under adversity. Ruddock would later state these fights took everything out of him and shortened his career. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tyson said the same.

TYSON-RUDDOCK I HIGHLIGHTS

TYSON-RUDDOCK II HIGHLIGHTS

Remembering the Greats: Kostya Tszyu vs. Julio Cesar Chavez [July 29, 2000]

Posted: June 11, 2011 in Remembering the Greats
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Although their respective primes were nearly a decade apart, Kostya Tszyu and Julio Cesar Chavez today find themselves being elected into the boxing Hall of Fame. Back in 2000, they shared the same ring when Tszyu, by then an experienced fighter and new champion, faced off against a diminished Chavez for the WBC junior welterweight title.

Even years beyond his heyday, Chavez’s name could still bring a crowd. Against Tszyu he was the overwhelming crowd favorite here in Phoenix, Arizona. Any grazing Chavez punch caused the Mexican faithful to burst out chants and cheers. Early on, Chavez’s strategy was to have Tszyu follow him and catch the Russia-born titlist with counter-punches. When Tszyu got too close, Chavez would clinch and try to disrupt his opponent’s concentration with fouls (face lacing, low blows, etc.).

Those tactics had no effect on Tszyu. By the third, it became readily apparent that the 38-year-old Chavez did not have the physical strength nor the punching power to compete. Tszyu worked left jabs and right hands on Chavez, who was now visibly laboring from the punishment. Where years past it was Chavez who controlled the inside, Tszyu abused him with short left hooks and uppercuts. The fifth round was Tszyu’s most dominant, and the question now became how long could Chavez last.

Sensing the end, Chavez went low at the beginning of the sixth and received a point deduction. Tszyu was not fazed and quickly dropped Chavez with a perfect straight right. Chavez careened forward on his knees for only the second knockdown of his career.

After beating the count at eight, Chavez looked to his corner as if ready for a quit. Showing his warrior’s heart, Chavez erased the idea from his mind and charged Tszyu with a flurry of hooks. The outburst momentarily surprised the champion, who looked incredulously at the ref before firing back with counter left hooks. Chavez’s stand was ended with another straight right which froze him against the ropes.. Tszyu would land two more big shots, a left hook and straight right, before Chavez’s corner threw in the towel.

The crowd threw bottles at the ring in anger and dismay at the dismantling of their hero. Tszyu would reign for five more years and solidify his credentials as a Hall of Famer before losing the title to Ricky Hatton at 35-years-old. Chavez would fight sporadically over the next five years before retiring with a record of 107-6-2 (86 KOs).

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

Remembering the Greats: Foreman Talks Ali Rematch & Chasing Mike Tyson

Posted: May 11, 2011 in Fight News, Remembering the Greats
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Yesterday, I had the privlege of briefly speaking with former heavyweight champion George Foreman. Being one of few fighters to compete in three separate decades, there’s a bunch of questions I could have asked. For me, my interest rested on two fights that didn’t happen in Foreman’s career: a money rematch with Ali and a megafight with Mike Tyson in the late 80s and early 90s.

Let’s give a little background on the Ali rematch. After suffering one of the biggest upsets in boxing history to Ali in 1974, Foreman was mentally crushed. He had been an undefeated, wrecking ball champion that ran through Ali’s two toughest opponents, Joe Frazier and Ken Norton. Yet against Ali, Foreman was outfought and outsmarted.

His first “comeback” was a PR disaster. Foreman decided to prove his toughness and fight five men in one night, with champion Ali at ringside to hype a return bout. A rusty and gassed Foreman looked horrible, and Ali took the opportunity to continually clown from ringside. An embarrassed Foreman would take off the rest of the year before returning officially in 1976.

Foreman effectively fell from the rankings due to inactivity and had to rebuild his name. He started off by adverting disaster in coming off the deck twice in his first bout back against Ron Lyle to score a dramatic KO in Ring Magazine’s 1976 Fight of the Year. In his next effort, he needed just five rounds to close the book of Joe Frazier’s career as an elite fighter. Foreman finished the year with two more KOs over Scott LeDoux and John Dino Denis.

On the other hand, Ali started to slip physically and in mental focus after the brutal Thrilla in Manila. In May 1976, The Greatest came in at a career high 230 pounds against Jimmy Young and looked lethargic against the younger slickster. He escaped with a highly controversial unanimous decision. Later in the year, he won a razor-thin and also highly controversial decision over Ken Norton.

By the beginning of 1977, Foreman had achieved a #1 ranking for Ali’s title. Ali stalled on making the match, prompting Foreman to face Jimmy Young. The winner would be considered a high candidate for an Ali rematch. After knocking down Young early, Foreman gassed and Young scored his own knockdown in the 12th to take a unanimous decision. Foreman would then retire for 10 years, leaving many like myself to wonder if Foreman could have dethroned a faded, 1977 Ali like slugger Earnie Shavers almost did, and novice Leon Spinks achieved one year later. When I posed this question to Big George, below was his response.

Well I know with the Muhammad Ali fight that fighting him right after I had lost to him would probably end up with a similar result. I hadn’t matured yet. It takes time to mature into the kind of fighter that can beat a Muhammad Ali.

The second intriguing question I had for Foreman was his desire to face Mike Tyson in the early 90s. Aside from it being a big money fight, Foreman thought style-wise Tyson would be the perfect foil for him. Even at his advanced age, Foreman retained his massive power. Even prime Holyfield utilized a stick and move approach against Foreman and was wary of exchanging with him. The legend for the fight not coming off is Mike Tyson was allegedly afraid of Foreman due to what was instilled in him via tape sessions years earlier with mentor Cus D’Amato. Tyson was reportedly told that none of the swarming, pressure fighters (Dempsey, Frazier, Marciano etc.) could stand a chance against Foreman, who was simpy too strong physically and with punching power to be bullied and overwhelmed. In a recollection credited to Hall of Fame matchmaker Bobby Goodman, Tyson allegedly screamed on Don King for continually hounding him about agreeing to the fight.

“I’m not fighting that fuckin’ animal,” Tyson is said to have snarled. “If you love that motherfucker so much, you fight him!”

Foreman himself is coy in his own recollections about why the fight never came off. He’s not a harsh critic of modern fighters; Foreman is one of the few retired greats that believes some of the better heavyweights of the last 20 years could have competed in the 70s. In particular, he cited Evander Holyfield as a standout case. However, he surprisingly thought Tyson would run from him like many of his other younger opponents despite Tyson, even in his worst defeats, never using that tactic.

There’s some tough guys. That Evander Holyfield, he could have existed and fought in any era. He was some fantastic boxer. When you look at him and some of the fights he’s had, that spells out that modern-day boxers are just as powerful and skillful and tough as any era. I’m just glad the other fights didn’t happen. It would just be about if could I continually chase them or not.

To add a final caveat to Foreman-Tyson, Big George made another statement to Sports Illustrated back in January 1990, just one month before Tyson lost to Buster Douglas.

He [Don King] gave me a contract and told me to sign on the dotted line. I was more afriad of Don King and the dotted line than I am of Tyson.

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