Underrated Performances By Old Fighters

[Russell]

I always thought Mike Weaver decisoning Bert Cooper at the age of 40 was impressive. Weaver had been through hell throughout his career and he still handily won a decision against a very dangerous fighter who wasn't that far removed from the Holyfield fight.

Speaking of Holyfield, I thought he fought a very simple yet extremely effective fight against Valuev, and deserves a lot of credit. Boring slow paced fight or not, that was how Holyfield was going to win that fight... Slowing down the pace against a guy who's slow to begin with and using his ring smarts. I think he deserves credit for that. Not to mention he was fucking what... 45? 46?

[TheGreatA]

Roberto Duran vs Jorge Castro. He was 46 years old against a 29 year old former middleweight titlist who went onto beat JD Jackson again and challenge twice for the cruiserweight title.

[Russell]

Great choice actually.

Then there's an equally ancient Duran being screwed against Pazienza and Camacho.

[Dempsey1238]

Johnson Willard.

Johnson was still a top fighter when he lost to Jess.

[mcvey]

A tubercular Jim Driscoll winning all the early rounds against Charles Ledoux before his 40yr old body betrayed him.Like wise Fitz against Jeffries in their second fight.

[SuzieQ49]

Archie Moore TKO 10 Alejandro Lavorante- Lavorante was a 6'4 212lb # 4 rated Heavyweight contender in the division coming off a huge knockout victory over Zora Folley. Archie Moore was 45 1/2 years old, came into the fight, and beat up Lavorante so badly that he had to be carried off the ring in a stretcher!

[mcvey]

Archie Moore TKO 10 Alejandro Lavorante- Lavorante was a 6'4 212lb # 4 rated Heavyweight contender in the division coming off a huge knockout victory over Zora Folley. Archie Moore was 45 1/2 years old, came into the fight, and beat up Lavorante so badly that he had to be carried off the ring in a stretcher!

Add to this Moore's lazarus like comeback against Yvon Durelle,after being flattened early:good

[PowerPuncher]

People forget Lewis was nearly 38 when he beat Vitali and nearly 37 when beating Tyson

Virgil Hill beating Tiozzo for WBA Cruser title at 36 and regaining the same belt at 42 (although the latter was an interim belt)

[Russell]

Archie Moore TKO 10 Alejandro Lavorante- Lavorante was a 6'4 212lb # 4 rated Heavyweight contender in the division coming off a huge knockout victory over Zora Folley. Archie Moore was 45 1/2 years old, came into the fight, and beat up Lavorante so badly that he had to be carried off the ring in a stretcher!

Didn't Lavorante die shortly after that? Two fights later I think.

[Drew101]

Didn't Lavorante die shortly after that? Two fights later I think.

Yeah, he took an even bigger ass-kicking against Ali, and then died in his next fight.

[Russell]

Uuuuuugh. I wonder how much Ali and Moore had to do with killing him...

[Drew101]

Probably didn't help, given that Lavorante didn't leave the ring under his own power in either fight.

On a slightly lesser scale, Saoul Mamby inflicting the first losses on the records of Larry Barnes and Glenwood Brown was a pretty decent accomplishment, even if both decisions were disputed. It should be noted that Mamby still had both of them in trouble during the course of the fight, and peformed pretty well, anyway.

[natonic]

I was thinking Saoul Mamby too but against a still workable Gary Hinton.

[lefthook31]

James Douglas vs Quinne Navarre. For Douglas to come out of a coma lose 150 pounds, and fight like he did against a decent journeymen was pretty amazing.
The Duran Pazienza fights were pretty entertaining too.

Larry Holmes Oliver Mcall, he almost did it

[natonic]

Marvin Johnson in the first fight with Leslie Stewart comes to mind also.

[Russell]

James Douglas vs Quinne Navarre. For Douglas to come out of a coma lose 150 pounds, and fight like he did against a decent journeymen was pretty amazing.
The Duran Pazienza fights were pretty entertaining too.

Larry Holmes Oliver Mcall, he almost did it

Yeah, people excuse Jeffires completely but no one even much cares about what Douglas did.

He was over 400 pounds when he went into that coma so he actually lost more then a 150 pounds.

[TheGreatA]

37 year old Michael Moorer rallying to stop Vassiliy Jirov in the 9th round.

Eder Jofre winning the WBC featherweight title at 37 years of age.

40+ year old Bob Fitzsimmons beating George Gardner for the light heavyweight title and drawing with Philadelphia Jack O'Brien.

Archie Moore must have been nearly 50 when he drew with Willie Pastrano who won the light heavyweight title a year afterwards. He also made the 175 lb limit and went 15 rounds effortlessly when he avenged the earlier loss to Giulio Rinaldi.

Dick Tiger was nearly 40 years old when he beat the reigning middleweight champion Nino Benvenuti.

Tony Tubbs was 46 when he won a decision over undefeated heavyweight prospect Brian Minto.

[Russell]

I hear Tubb's was giving Wlad and Vitali absolute hell in sparring around that age too. He beat, in my opinion, Bowe a few years before that as well.

I always thought the Moorer win was a good one. Underrated. Jirov was headbutting the shit out of Moorer. Knocked him DOWN with a headbutt it was so hard.

[Chris Warren]

George Foreman vs Shannon Briggs

[My2Sense]

Any of Harold Johnson's fights in the early '60s, particularly his complete asskicking of Doug Jones.

Floyd Patterson beating Bonavena, and then giving Ali a pretty solid fight.

Lupe Pintor winning his second title vs. Juan Meza.

[lefthook31]

Thomas Hearns over Virgil Hill

[MAG1965]

Thomas Hearns vs. Virgil Hill. He never got the credit for beating Virgil when Virgil was undefeated and had 10 title defenses. And Hearns was 5 years older. I think this was a great win.

[Russell]

:lol: at the last two posts.

[DFW]

Joey Giardello winning the middleweight title from Dick Tiger and then defending against Rubin "Hurricane" Carter is quite an accomplishment for a fighter who by 1963 was way past his best fighting days. Tiger and Carter were two very tough hombres.

[MAG1965]

You know what is interesting. I did not even see LeftHook31's comment before mine that Thomas Hearns vs. Virgil Hill was his choice also. Total coincidence. I always felt Tommy never got the credit for that win.

[Thread Stealer]

You think Julio Cesar Chavez in the rematch with Oscar De La Hoya qualifies? Or does he get his due credit for fighting admirably for 8 rounds with the younger, larger Oscar before surrendering on his stool with a grotesque cut?

[My2Sense]

Joey Giardello winning the middleweight title from Dick Tiger and then defending against Rubin "Hurricane" Carter is quite an accomplishment for a fighter who by 1963 was way past his best fighting days. Tiger and Carter were two very tough hombres.

Good ones.

Tiger himself then turned in a string of great performances - vs. Carter, Giardello(rematch), Torres, Rouse, Benvenuti, DePaula, and Kendall.

[Drew101]

Glen Johnson's near upset of Chad Dawson
Leo Gamez winning his fourth world title at an advanced age (think it was 36 or 37)
Ricardo Lopez's torching of a much younger Zolani Potelo in his final fight.

[DoinDamage]

Daniel Zaragoza at 39 years of age outpointing Wayne McCullough, handing him his first loss. It was scored a close split decision, but Zaragoza really put on a clinic that night.

[BritInvasion]

40 year old Carl Thhompson beating future HW Champ David Haye. The fight often gets put down to the green HAye gassing, which he clearly did, but I think Thompson doesn't get the credit he deserves for taking all that Haye could throw and then getting rid of the young buck. Its a massive right hand that sends Haye flying into the corner before towl comes in. Good stuff from a 40 year old.

[My2Sense]

40 year old Carl Thhompson beating future HW Champ David Haye.

Hehe, clever. :D

[GPater11093]

Daniel Zaragoza at 39 years of age outpointing Wayne McCullough, handing him his first loss. It was scored a close split decision, but Zaragoza really put on a clinic that night.

is that the fight where a fan ran into the ring and got attacked by Larry Merchant

[DoinDamage]

is that the fight where a fan ran into the ring and got attacked by Larry Merchant

You are correct.

[GPater11093]

You are correct.

thats hilarious that interview havent saw the fight though