Remember Marlon " Magic Man " Starling ?

[mr. magoo]

I grew up watching a lot of this guy's fights during the 80's. His bouts with Mark Breland Loyd Honeyghan and a few others were classics. He always showed up in sculpted conditioning, and utilized a well developed peak "O" boo defense that was usually effective. Starling was definately an all time great in my opinion, but seems to have been forgotten by a lot of folks.

Thoughts?

[Bo Bo Olson]

A very good fighter and I haven't thought of him or Breland or Honygan in a long time.
Which fight did Honygan win by hitting some one just after the bell....6-7-8th round?

[Thread Stealer]

I loved watching Starling school and beat down Honeyghan.

Starling's reaction after getting KO'd (later ruled a no-contest) on a late punch by Molinares was classic. He didn't remember anything.

"He didn't hit me!"

[Tony]

I often call Starling the original Winky Wright. His defense was extremely tough to get through.

I don't know if Honeyghan won any fights with punches after the bell, but Starling lost one like that. In a title fight against Tomas Molinares, he had been fighting his usual style, keeping his gloves up in front of his face and not getting hit with anything major through six rounds. At the end of the sixth, the bell rang and Starling dropped his gloves just as Molinares was winding up with a big right hand. It landed on Starling's jaw, he fell like he'd been shot, and was counted out.

He woke up and didn't remember a thing, producing one of the funniest post-fight interviews ever. Starling was complaining to the reporter (Larry Merchant, I think) about the fight being stopped -- saying things like, "I don't understand why they would stop it!"

The reporter's answer: "Uh, Marvin, you were knocked out."

Starling: "Knocked out?! I wasn't even knocked down!"

Reporter: ------- [WTF?!]

If I remember right, the WBA or the local commission changed the result to no contest and ordered a rematch, but Molinares couldn't make 147 any more, and never fought for that title again.

[Tony]

I loved watching Starling school and beat down Honeyghan.

Starling's reaction after getting KO'd (later ruled a no-contest) on a late punch by Molinares was classic. He didn't remember anything.

"He didn't hit me!"

Beat me to it!

[mr. magoo]

I often call Starling the original Winky Wright. His defense was extremely tough to get through.

I don't know if Honeyghan won any fights with punches after the bell, but Starling lost one like that. In a title fight against Tomas Molinares, he had been fighting his usual style, keeping his gloves up in front of his face and not getting hit with anything major through six rounds. At the end of the sixth, the bell rang and Starling dropped his gloves just as Molinares was winding up with a big right hand. It landed on Starling's jaw, he fell like he'd been shot, and was counted out.

He woke up and didn't remember a thing, producing one of the funniest post-fight interviews ever. Starling was complaining to the reporter (Larry Merchant, I think) about the fight being stopped -- saying things like, "I don't understand why they would stop it!"

The reporter's answer: "Uh, Marvin, you were knocked out."

Starling: "Knocked out?! I wasn't even knocked down!"

Reporter: ------- [WTF?!]

If I remember right, the WBA or the local commission changed the result to no contest and ordered a rematch, but Molinares couldn't make 147 any more, and never fought for that title again.

The fight against Thomas Molinares was very disappointing. Starling was winning that fight handedly, before Molinares launched that missile. Starling argued with the medics about being carried out of the ring on a stretcher but eventually gave in.

[Duodenum]

The problem with Starling had to do with how he squandered away his first match with Don Curry. He'd secure a beautiful position on the inside, then simply do nothing, rather than let his hands fly (as Gil Clancy pointed out repeatedly). Otherwise, he'd just cup his hands around his mouth and make those goofy bird calls with a foolish grin on his face, or perform that silly skipping stomp of his from time to time.

If he was reading Malcolm Gordon's boxing newsletter (as many boxers were at the time), it probably didn't help Marlon's attitude towards boxing that "Flash" wrote, "On January 9, 1980, Charles Newell was killed by Marlon Starling in Hartford, Connecticut."

His principle legacy in boxing sometimes seems confined to exploding the myth of Mark Breland, but while many would describe him as a definitive underachiever, it's more amazing to me that he had as much success as he did, after continuing despite such a tragedy. If it hadn't been for something like the Newell disaster, I'm convinced that Starling would have been a lock for HOF induction the instant he became eligible.

Like Max Baer, I suspect his heart was never really in boxing after his sixth professional bout, yet his incredible talent carried him to a number of championships through his career. Others might lament what he could have achieved and failed to, but I'll always marvel at how he managed to overcome what must still be a nightmarish episode for him to live with, as much as he managed to do.

[TBooze]

His bouts with Mark Breland were classics.

:scaredas: I wanted to commit suicide three rounds into the Breland/StarlingII hugfest, did anyone land a punch in that fight?

If that is a classic then I suggest you review Nelson/Deleon and Nelson/Warring they would rate five stars on the criteria you used for Starling/BrelandII;)

[Duodenum]

:scaredas: I wanted to commit suicide three rounds into the Breland/StarlingII hugfest, did anyone land a punch in that fight?

If that is a classic then I suggest you review Nelson/Deleon and Nelson/Warring they would rate five stars on the criteria you used for Starling/BrelandII;)I suspect a number of fans never lived to see Breland/Starling II, because they committed suicide during Curry/Starling I.:wall

[mr. magoo]

I suspect a number of fans never lived to see Breland/Starling II, because they committed suicide during Curry/Starling I.:wall

I enjoyed watching a lot of those fights regardless of what others thought. One fight that I'll agree was boring was one of his later matches against Michael Nunn. That fight was a real sleeper. other than that, I thought Starling was a great fighter to view.

[Thread Stealer]

Anyone else score the first Curry-Starling fight in favor of Marlon?

[Bo Bo Olson]

It's been a lot of decades since I watched that Ko....got the wrong guy.

[Duodenum]

I enjoyed watching a lot of those fights regardless of what others thought. One fight that I'll agree was boring was one of his later matches against Michael Nunn. That fight was a real sleeper. other than that, I thought Starling was a great fighter to view.Yeah, but Curry/Starling I was like Tyson/Smith. The winner only won because the loser refused to punch, and when the intrinsically superior fighter chooses to lose, that drives me nuts! (In contrast, I have no problem with the outcome of Curry/Starling II. Don was clearly superior in the rematch.)

[brownpimp88]

He beat Honeyghan and breland at welterweight, the man should be in the HOF. He is better than cuevas, palomino,etc.

[Raggamuffin]

Honeygan decked Johnny Bumphus directly after the bell had sounded.
He ran across the ring and belted him outta there.
The tantrum Lou Duva threw was a classic

[JohnThomas1]

Starling was the second best Welter of his era, which was post Leonard/Hearns. He was never better than Curry, but gave him a good fight second time around and i reckon he would have been beaten by Curry in fight 1 no matter what he did. Curry was definitely a small rung above. Starling beat an emerging Brown, Breland, Honeyghan and some other half decent guys on top. He was on the cusp of greatness but i am not quite sure if he got there, or not. Certainly more forgotten than he deserves.

[ron u.k.]

i'm expecting redrooster on here.he says starling was a bum!i believe he detests him more than leonard

[JohnThomas1]

i'm expecting redrooster on here.he says starling was a bum!i believe he detests him more than leonard


You had me until the last bit, that's simply impossible

:lol:

[mcvey]

I grew up watching a lot of this guy's fights during the 80's. His bouts with Mark Breland Loyd Honeyghan and a few others were classics. He always showed up in sculpted conditioning, and utilized a well developed peak "O" boo defense that was usually effective. Starling was definately an all time great in my opinion, but seems to have been forgotten by a lot of folks.

Thoughts?
A very good rather than great fighter IMO,remember the "stomp"? he certainly beat up Honeyghan,but an arrogant little shit.

[ron u.k.]

You had me until the last bit, that's simply impossible

:lol:
believe me pal.it was in a thread a while back concerning starling and i got the impression starling must have shagged his missus or something.

[JohnThomas1]

believe me pal.it was in a thread a while back concerning starling and i got the impression starling must have shagged his missus or something.
I got the impression Leonard did it to his whole family, then the family dog. As well as The Rooster of course.

:yep

[Titan1]

I grew up watching a lot of this guy's fights during the 80's. His bouts with Mark Breland Loyd Honeyghan and a few others were classics. He always showed up in sculpted conditioning, and utilized a well developed peak "O" boo defense that was usually effective. Starling was definately an all time great in my opinion, but seems to have been forgotten by a lot of folks.

Thoughts?

He was a very good fighter, remember hearing about him giving Hearns fits during sparring, also saw him take out Kevin Morgan for the USBA crown.Knew he would lose to Curry, but never figured out why him and McCrory never hooked up.

[enquirer]

I heard hearns broke starlings jaw in sparring with 16 oz gloves.....

[JohnThomas1]

I heard hearns broke starlings jaw in sparring with 16 oz gloves.....


Yeah, legend has it Starling was doing ok prior. Little doubt Hearns would have decimated the best Starling let alone this raw version tho. Maybe he did do ok and Hearns stepped it up.

[Titan1]

I heard hearns broke starlings jaw in sparring with 16 oz gloves.....

Don't know about the gloves, but Hearns did break his jaw.

[enquirer]

Most sparring is with 16 oz gloves and headgear as far as i know.