My dinner with Conteh
10-23-2007, 04:11 AM
This was the fight report Pepping It said never existed. The New York Times, The Ring, World Boxing nor Boxing Illustrated covered the fight. So Pep’s thought I was just making it up. So as promised, albeit a little late, here it is in all its glory from the incomparable Boxing News:
NEW-LOOK MONROE HAMMERS HAGLER
By Nigel Collins, Philadelphia.
LOCAL middleweight contender Willie ‘The Worm’ Monroe turned in the finest performance of his career, thrashing Boston southpaw ‘Marvellous’ Marvin Hagler over 10 hard-fought rounds at the Spectrum.
The Worm proved that he was now willing to stand and punch with a world-class fighter, Hagler was game to the end but he was outfought at practically every turn.
Marvellous Marv, who was robbed of the decision in his Spectrum fight with Bobby Watts two months previously, faced a new Monroe. Gone for good, I hope, is Monroe’s old run-and-jab routine. It was a pleasure to see Willie firing combinations at close quarters.
Hagler (11-7) made the mistake of letting Monroe dictate the pace. Monroe’s damaging jab bloodied Hagler’s nose in the second round. It seemed to bother him throughout the bout.
The New Englander did not get into the fight until the fifth round, when both men exchanged good shots. At one point Monroe blasted Hagler’s mouthpiece into the press row. It ricocheted off my arm and disappeared under the ring.
Monroe remained in control until the eight round when a desperate Hagler broke through with a volley of hard punches to the head, winning his first round of the fight.
The remarkably fresh pair slugged it out down the stretch to the cheers of the fans. The official scorecards favoured Monroe: 47-44, 49-41 and 48-42. I agreed with the latter card.
It was an extremely satisfying fight for the Philadelphian and it pleased new trainer George Benton. “He was the complete fighter out there,” said Benton. “I wouldn’t be afraid to put Willie in with any middleweight in the world, even Monzon.”
Monroe explained his new philosophy: “I’ve got to fight this way to sell tickets. I’ve been a pro for seven years but it wasn’t until me and George talked that I learned selling tickets is the most important thing because that’s what they pay off on. You’ve got to give people their money’s worth.”
After the fight the dejected loser went home and took his anger out on his wife Bertha.
NEW-LOOK MONROE HAMMERS HAGLER
By Nigel Collins, Philadelphia.
LOCAL middleweight contender Willie ‘The Worm’ Monroe turned in the finest performance of his career, thrashing Boston southpaw ‘Marvellous’ Marvin Hagler over 10 hard-fought rounds at the Spectrum.
The Worm proved that he was now willing to stand and punch with a world-class fighter, Hagler was game to the end but he was outfought at practically every turn.
Marvellous Marv, who was robbed of the decision in his Spectrum fight with Bobby Watts two months previously, faced a new Monroe. Gone for good, I hope, is Monroe’s old run-and-jab routine. It was a pleasure to see Willie firing combinations at close quarters.
Hagler (11-7) made the mistake of letting Monroe dictate the pace. Monroe’s damaging jab bloodied Hagler’s nose in the second round. It seemed to bother him throughout the bout.
The New Englander did not get into the fight until the fifth round, when both men exchanged good shots. At one point Monroe blasted Hagler’s mouthpiece into the press row. It ricocheted off my arm and disappeared under the ring.
Monroe remained in control until the eight round when a desperate Hagler broke through with a volley of hard punches to the head, winning his first round of the fight.
The remarkably fresh pair slugged it out down the stretch to the cheers of the fans. The official scorecards favoured Monroe: 47-44, 49-41 and 48-42. I agreed with the latter card.
It was an extremely satisfying fight for the Philadelphian and it pleased new trainer George Benton. “He was the complete fighter out there,” said Benton. “I wouldn’t be afraid to put Willie in with any middleweight in the world, even Monzon.”
Monroe explained his new philosophy: “I’ve got to fight this way to sell tickets. I’ve been a pro for seven years but it wasn’t until me and George talked that I learned selling tickets is the most important thing because that’s what they pay off on. You’ve got to give people their money’s worth.”
After the fight the dejected loser went home and took his anger out on his wife Bertha.