The Army Boxing Thread

[binnie]

Sudden death quarter finals schedule:

Dempsey-Tyson
Lewis-Vitali
Louis-Foreman
Holmes-Ali

[binnie]

No way. Holmes was champ in an era when there was no opposition other than aged people from previous eras. Same as Lennox Lewis...he never fought anyone in their prime. He fought Tyson after Mike lost his focus. EVERYONE wanted to fight Mike after he lost his focus - prior to that it was all destruction.

Holmes fought a prime Ken Norton, for one. I think he gives most ATGs serious problems simply because his footwork was so good, and his jab was probably the best ever. What he lacked in power (he wasn't a light puncher, but he wasn't thunderous either) he made up for in all other areas. Against Marciano - who was 5'10'' and 180lbs - he would have had a 6'' height and 40lbs weight advantage. Great as Marciano was, there's no way he overcomes that - we have to remember that a lot of guys Marciano beat (Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore) were light-heavies who stepped up. We could argue that Marciano never beat an ATG heavy in their prime. We could also say the same of Tyson (which most of his critics do).

As for Lewis, he beat Holyfield in his prime, and Vitali K (just). The Tyson fight counts for nothing, I'd agree with that. Lennox's problem was his chin - he wasn't 'chinny', but it wasn't cast-iron either. But at 6'5'', 240lbs and with a great jab, excellent timing and good power, he would have been there or thereabouts in any era. Lewis could be tortuoulsy dull to watch, and therefore very difficult to root for, but he was great fighter. Even Foreman said he was perhaps the best heavyweight ever.

[vandeleur]

I've read a lot of articles by very well informed sportsman and they all agree that Holmes is the most underrated of all the heavyweight Atg .

[binnie]

Quarter-final 1: Tyson vs Dempsey

As the bell rings these two tear into each other. Dempsey is wild, and shows no fear, but it's clear that Tyson has all of the advantages: 35lbs heavier, and considerably faster, but round 3 Dempsey is looking battered and bruised. Dempsey rocks Tyson with a wild shot at the start of the fourth, but Tyson comes on stronger, pinning Dempsey to the ropes and pummeling him to the canvas. Dempsey gets up, but it's only a matter of time now. Tyson finishes him with a 5 shots combination which sends a message to everyone else left in the competition.

[binnie]

Quarte final 2:

Lewis-Vitali.

Given how well Vitali performed in these guy's first bout, the pundits have this one almost 50/50. Lewis takes the first round because Vitali is a slow starter, but in round 2-5 it is very close. Lewis - unused to facing a bigger man - is getting caught with some of Vitali's unorthodox punches, and Vitali seems largely unfased by anything Lewis hits him with. In the 6th, Lewis comes in to match fire with fire, and his superior speed sees him take the 6th, 7th and 8th. In the 9th it heats up nicely, in what could be a pick 'em round, but by the 10th Vitali, whilst not necesarily in trouble, looks by far the worse for wear. Lewis clinches the final two rounds with his jab and over-hand right. His victory is emphatic, but not thrilling.

[binnie]

Quarter Final 3: Louis-Foreman

Foreman is the bigger man, but Louis is th faster and more accurate. The 'Brown Bomber' seems unfazed by Foreman's power, and consistently beats Big George to the punch in the first 4 rounds, landing savage combinations. In round five, Foreman begins to get closer, and Louis tastes his power. The middle rounds sees Foreman look to tire the smaller fighter out, but his corner is concerned by just how many unanswered shots he's taking. At the end of the 8th, however, he pulls himself back into it by sending Louis to the canvas with a vicious left-right. Louis makes it out of the round, but still looks dazed in the 9th, which Foreman takes. In the 10th, Louis's handspeed again edges him ahead, and by the 11th Foreman is out of ideas. The 12th is a classic, as Foreman chucks everything at it, but Louis rocks him with crisper, shorter punches. Louis takes clear UD. The pundits who thought the 20lbs weight disadvantage would be too much are pleased to be wrong.

[binnie]

Quarter final 4: Ali-Holmes.

The build up is legendary. Ali casts himself as hero and Holmes as villain, a role which the latter is only too happy to play. 'I'm gonna dance', 'he's going to heaven in seven' and 'he's too ugly' fly all over the media, and everyone expects Ali to be too fast for a game Holmes. But what shocks everyone is how unstuck Ali becomes early on - everyone commented on how Ali has beaten the better fighters, but all of the greats he beat (Foreman, Liston, Frazier) were crude sluggers, massively powerful but limited boxers. Holmes provides a different challenge. His jab causes Ali a world of problems, timing 'The Greatest' coming in and keeping his attacks at bay while racking up the points. Like Ken Norton, Holmes has a purer boxing style which Ali's speed can't capitalise on as easily as elsewhere. By round 6, Ali's corner are worried. Ali begins to goad a now confident Holmes, who foolishly trades with him and loses the handspeed battle in the process and brings Ali back into the fight in the middle rounds. By round 10, however, Holmes has recognised his mistake and goes back to working behind his jab, as Ali becomes frustrated. The closing rounds are close, but Holmes edges a close decision. The arena is silent - 'The Greatest' is out!

[binnie]

Semi-finals:

Tyson-Lewis

Louis-Holmes

[katina]

Pacquiao destroyed Algieri.

[binnie]

Yeah, I'm not sure what to make of it though. There was a lot of hype around the fight, but does beating Aligeri (who is relatively untested) tell us much about Pacman? He fought well, but there's not much more to say than that.

[katina]

Probably a Mayweather vs Pacquiao $uperfight and $uperpurse in 2015

[binnie]

Tyson Fury beat Derreck Chisora easily. TKO10.

Looks like he'll get a shot at Wlad next year. Fury looked good - he showed a look of discipline.

[vandeleur]

The audience boo'd. Didnt the ref say start fighting or were going home lol

[binnie]

Chisora was just in over his head. If you're fighting someone that much taller than you then you have to be faster, and he isn't. He was a sitting target all night.

[binnie]

Curious to know what people think about Amir Khan-Devon Alexander on Saturday. Pretty sure the winner will get a shot at Floyd.