Was Joe Savage legit?

[mario]

Anyone remember Joe Savage? Was he really a bare-knuckle fighter? He was supposed to be the bare-knuckler champion of the U.K. with 41-0 record. He got knocked out by my boy Smokin' Bert Cooper in his only pro-fight. Anyone have any info on him, the fight with Cooper and what he is up too now?

[GazOC]

I remember reading about the fight with Cooper in Boxing News, IIRC it was part of some sort of larger competition.

Sorry I can't be more helpfull, it was a looong time ago.

[mario]

yeah there was the "People's Choice" One - Nite Heavyweight Tournament in 1993, he was supposed to be in the tournament, he got hurt and had to bail out but fought Cooper in '94, and he lost by 1rd KO, is he well known in the UK?

[nulty]

Well I've never heard of him so i wouldn't say he's well known. But maybe others have heard of him and I'm just ignorant.

[Mendoza]

Well I've never heard of him so i wouldn't say he's well known. But maybe others have heard of him and I'm just ignorant.

Savage had a bottle in bar fights, but was a fish out of water in the boxing ring.

[CANNONBALL]

i was a nightclub doorman years ago on a club in the west midlands and joe came in from time to time.i got chattin to him and he was a pleasant enough chap,very polite and softly spoken.never saw him with alcohol.i did mention the heavyweight tournament to him and he said he pulled out with a busted hand. asked him about the cooper fight and he said they stopped it too soon. of course,he wasnt gonna admit 2 being mullered by a damn good pro was he? he claimed he had 2 more fights in the states,both wins,but i cant verify these bouts took place. more than likely they were toughman contests-if trhey ever took place at all.joe may have been a handful in a bar brawl but was way outta his depth against the likes of cooper.reckon he would have struggled against anyone who "did boxing " for a job,if you know what i mean

[Bigcat]

Joe was a stubborn brawler, he went to a las vegas gym once and saw Bonecrusher Smith sparring with TNT Tubbs, he was scared to death by what he saw, It made him think twice about that tournament..........

[mario]

can anyone testify to his 41-0 (40ko's)record in bare-knuckle fights?

[Mark55]

Don't know about his bare knuckle record but the record books say just the 1 pro fight.

I noticed whilst looking at Smokin's record he got beat by a guy called Joe Mesi whose record was 35-0 with 28 stoppages......some record.

Anyone know anything about him?

[GazOC]

Mesi was/ is a pretty good fighter with a padded record, last I heard he was still fighting against medical advice after failing a brain scan after a fight.

[crash]

funny i was thinking only about him the other day,saw him on the back of a fight mag yrs ago,billed as the english bare knucle champ,,,,didnt know copper destroyed him,

[mario]

if ring magazine did an article on him he musta been a legitimate brawler, albeit at streetfighter level,

[Raggamuffin]

funny i was thinking only about him the other day,saw him on the back of a fight mag yrs ago,billed as the english bare knucle champ,,,,didnt know copper destroyed him,

I believe it was KO Magazine

[nulty]

Don't know about his bare knuckle record but the record books say just the 1 pro fight.

I noticed whilst looking at Smokin's record he got beat by a guy called Joe Mesi whose record was 35-0 with 28 stoppages......some record.

Anyone know anything about him?

He was okay but his record was padded, basically a white american hope, he did have potential though. He suffered a brain bleed after the Jirov fight and was suspended but he appealed and has been able to fight on but he hasn't looked the same since coming back

[NoHomeJerome]

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Way out of his depth.

[Flea Man]

I think Cooper sparking him is on the tube.

[brown bomber]

can anyone testify to his 41-0 (40ko's)record in bare-knuckle fights?Joe can, but nobody else- funny that.:lol:

[TBooze]

can anyone testify to his 41-0 (40ko's)record in bare-knuckle fights?

I can testify as London Prize fights are fights to a finish, you cannot have a 41-0 (40) record...

[p.Townend]

I remember him entering some kind of early prize fighter show.I dont know if the vid posted is from that or not.He is clearly just a street fighter though,Cooper takes him apart.

[ApatheticLeader]

I can testify as London Prize fights are fights to a finish, you cannot have a 41-0 (40) record...
ah, touché.

[davidjay]

Joe was a stubborn brawler, he went to a las vegas gym once and saw Bonecrusher Smith sparring with TNT Tubbs, he was scared to death by what he saw, It made him think twice about that tournament..........

That's the story I read. He went over for the tournament, saw the quality of sparring, to which he was told, "This is these guys job" and had second thoughts.