Favorite Fighter (not a knife)

[rudechuck]

Rover's thread in the Fixed Blade/Folder section got me thinking of my favorite boxer of all time. Jersey Joe Walcott (http://www.ibhof.com/walcott.htm).

My dad was a boxer (still thinks he is:spin: ) and is passionate about boxing. I still go over to watch the Pay-Per-View fights at his house (including UFC events). Jersey Joe was his favorite fighter and, as a result of years of conditioning, became mine as well. Walcott's fights with Louis and Marciano rank among the greatest bouts of all time. Louis v. Walcott I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YsJOltRPew).

Growing up, I spent some time in the ring with my dad and when I watch these old fights, I see the similarities between Jersey Joe and my dad, especially in the footwork, even though my dad boxed as a bantamweight.

My dad turned 74 this year, and despite the deep lines in his face, appears to be 10-15 years younger than he is. He still works full time, spends his weekends running errands, doing chores or riding his Harley. Obviously, my admiration of Jersey Joe Walcott has more to do with my feelings towards my dad than his being "the greatest" fighter of all time.

http://www.jerzeedevil.com/gallery/files/6/5/0/walcott-jersey-joe-77.jpg

So who's your favorite fighter (not necessarily the best) and why?

[ded i]

I kinda like Sugar Ray Robin- duh - LEONARD! (Thanks Rudechuck!) just because I won so much fucking money on him when he fought Marvin Hagler in Vegas and ... I HAD to bet on him because WE BOTh had eye issues and doctors at Johns Hopkins ... and that sucker did it and I won enough to pay for the whole Vegas trip including flying first class and the $500 tickets for the fight ... (the odds were 8-1 for Hagler.)

And then, the next day, when my husband and I were spending some of the money, I saw Gene Hackman in his tighty whities. :heart: And he looked GOOD in them ... :heart: My husband was in a store at Caesar's Palace trying on trousers and I asked him how they fit and he told me to come in the dressing room "There's nobody in here ... " So I walked in and Gene Hackman was in there with him and they were playing a joke on me and it was pretty funny. I said, "Hi Gene!"

I still have the two tickets, programs, and a tee shirt from that fight. :D:

[xrayzebra]

DD was afraid nobody would believe her (as if this was her most unlikely story) so she asked me to scan her tix...

http://xrayzebra.com/images/leonardhaglertickets.jpg

http://xrayzebra.com/images/leonardhaglerprogram.jpg

[Stabber]

Butter Bean:bwah:

Rocky Marciano!

[tubtar]

Now that there is a story !
Deadeye....we have to hang out some.
I always liked Boom Boom.
And Chuck Wepner for his nick name.....the Bayonne Bleeder.
I liked that crazy fucker Tyson at first......he was a bad motherfucker
Local guy Brian Brunette had promise...got rushed along too fast I think.
There was another local guy named Pat O'Connor , actually from Rochester , Mn. who was a good middleweight back in the late 60's - early 70's and I saw him later as a bartender in Minneapolis in the mid 80's. Still a tough guy.
That is easily the toughest sport on the planet !
J.S.

[Tinysd]

I must pick Terry Norris. I am friends with him and his brother Orlin and we had some great times back in the day.

I hated Sugar Ray and to watch Terry beat his ass for twelve rounds made my day.

I loved watching Tyson in his early fights and can't believe he fucked it all up.

I really have not followed boxing since my dad died in 2000. It was something we shared and was never the same without him. :ssad:

[BennytheBlade]

Boxing was my grandpas sport. He was a gold glover early in his life.
that got me hooked.

Jake LaMotta is probably my all time favorite, probably reinforced by Raging Bull.

Theres a lot fights that come to mind, but favorite fighters are few and far between. So many of them just didnt last.

I guess Tommy Hearns is another favorite.

[inkster]

Rocky and Mr. T was my favorite :jdwink2: :bwah: :bwah:

[txkaratedude]

I have to sat Ali was one of my favorites. I also liked Foreman in his prime.
These days I mostly watch UFC. My favorite is a hometown boy named Mike Swick. Also like Matt Hughes. He's badass!

[Tinysd]

I liked watching Foreman when he was making a come back. He would walk around the ring with his right hand cocked, just waiting for the right moment.

[tubtar]

That was no hand....it was a hammer !

[L33731]

I am a VERY big boxing fan thanks to Mike Tyson, I have seen 6 of his fights up until his last one here in my home town. Mike fucked his life and career up but make no mistake about it, in his prime he was almost unbeatable. And ofcourse I am a Mohammed Ali fan because he is also from me home town and one if not the greatest of all time.


From a tactical standpoint I like Micky Ward, especially from his Arturro Gatti fights. Those were the best goddamn fights I had seen in years.


And on the issue of fights has anyone seen this big fucker yet ??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolay_Valuev

[Mr.LaBella]

Tyson back in the day!

[RoadFish]

Hagler and Hearns.

[Towelie]

i like a lot of fighters, but now a days i'd have to go with mma fighters instead of boxers. Julio Cesar Chavez was probly my fav growing up. Now a days, i don't see that much boxing aside from Pacquiao. I'd probably say Anderson Silva, but Manny and BJ Penn are right there too.

[RNST]

:threadjacked:


Somebody is still in love with Maverick :bwah:




Never saw Jake LaMotta fight other than the old b & w news reals and Raging Bull. He was tougher than nails IMO.

I was pretty young when Clay became Ali and I heard the "Greatest of All Time" quote. Stuck with me. I always wanted to see Ali win even in his last years. The Larry Holmes fight just made me sick and I just wanted him to live to see the end of that fight.

[DaBird]

For me it is Benny "The Jet" Urquidez ----- Between 1974 and 1993, he amassed a record of 58-0-0 (win-loss-draw) with 49 knockouts and three controversial no-contests (The Star System Computer Ratings listed Urquidez as 56-1-1, 47 knockouts in 1984 & 1985).

In Boxing it would be John L. Sullivan (October 15, 1858 – February 2, 1918)
also known as the Boston Strong Boy, was recognized as the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing from February 7, 1881 to 1892, and is generally recognized as the last heavyweight champion of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize Ring rules. He was the first American sports hero to become a national celebrity and the first American athlete to earn over one million dollars.

Depending on the modern authority, Sullivan was first considered world heavyweight champion either in 1888 when he fought Charley Mitchell in France, or the following year when he knocked out Jake Kilrain in round 75 of a scheduled 80-round bout.

Com'on ---- EIGHTY ROUND BAREKNUCKLE FIGHTS --- the Great John L. was a fucking KILLER :devilzeek

[Clydetz]

I'm not into boxing but I did notice Floyd Patterson wasn't mentioned... first name that came to mind after reading this thread.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floyd_Patterson

[Poolshark]

Ali is predictable, perhaps but for me he is my favorite. My Dad didn't go in for sports and never took me to a ballgame. But everytime Ali fought on tv he would watch with me. Those memories, listening to Howard Cosell, that as much as Ali fighting (and the Ali cartoons I watched as a kid) make him my favorite.

Locally my favorite is "Irish Pat" Lawlor. 1991 middleweight champ and SF local who fought with green gloves.

[RoadFish]

Ray "Windmill" White used to be an interesting fighter in L.A.. Famous for his behind the back punch.

[Iceman]

I was always a Joe Frazier guy. I remember all of those epic Frazier vs Ali fights.

[hunter s thompson]

My favorite boxer of all time is probably Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker. In his prime I never saw a slicker defensive fighter. The sad part was watching his decline, he was still damn near impossible to hit but in the words of Rick James " That cocaine is a helluva drug.

rVPXllSAJ6g





Still unbelievable to me :ross:

[snufferoo]

Kimbo Slice.

[TacoMan5000]

Chuck Liddell.

[Parker]

For me it is Benny "The Jet" Urquidez ----- Between 1974 and 1993, he amassed a record of 58-0-0 (win-loss-draw) with 49 knockouts and three controversial no-contests (The Star System Computer Ratings listed Urquidez as 56-1-1, 47 knockouts in 1984 & 1985).




Yeah, that!