Boxing Thread

[wandshogun09]

Haha check this Hardman Hearn remix here; 

 

[Lord-Mountevans]

On 5/5/2018 at 5:12 AM, Porkchopcash said:

Fuck knows tbh! while i agree with everything Wandshogun has said, theres just something in the back of my mind that thinks Bellew may do it again. I think the fight will be similiar to last time in Haye winning the early rounds and Bellew coming back into it. I see it ending around 10-12 in Bellews favour. 

While Haye is the superior fighter i just dont see any momentum going in. Even in his last big fight before Bellew (Chisora 2012), he was blowing outer his arse when he got the knockout. Will be interesting.

Jamie Cox v Ryder should be a good toe to toe battle. 

You have to favour Joyce over Lenroy. Should be a good card. I heard Paul Butler didnt make weight first time, not sure if he did second.

To be fair to you, you pretty much called it here. I have not read any comments or seen any replays, as i have not been home since watching the fight live. It just seemed like Haye lacked real stamina? Bellew played it cool with a game of cat & mouse in the last few minutes of the fight because although Haye was totally there for the taking, he was still throwing the odd bomb.

I turned a £56 profit & really enjoyed the fight. Surely that is the end of Haye? Who would pay to see him now? 

[Rossman]

I don't think anyone would be silly enough to pay to see Haye fight anymore. If he does continue, it's going to be on Dave again.

In terms of boxing carny tricks to promote himself he's gone through the lot. He's had the surgery to get himself back to 100%, he's changed trainers, he's changed promoters. He's dined off his past accomplishments. Those 4 years of inactivity were what finished him. Doctors were telling him to retire after the Chisora fight and he wasn't having it. Then his 2 comeback fights lasted less than 10 minutes combined. Maybe those were papering over the cracks, if they did go longer, his body may have combusted.

That's one of the strangest things about boxing. It's two blokes talking bollocks for weeks, trying to deceive the other and maybe also the fans. It does make you wonder, how fit Haye was before the fight. Did he know, how slow he had become, how little punch resistance he had. Was he there to win or one last big pay-day.

[Egg Shen]

I have no doubt both Bellew fights were purely cash grabs...albeit one's he likely thought he could win. Bellew himself send countless times in the build up that Haye was only fighting him for the money. Bellew said that if Haye's real intentions were belts he would have contacted Al Haymon and setup a fight with Deontay Wilder. The whole comeback was a bit of a con (which was fun to watch, not knocking it).

Haye's a bit like Tito Ortiz in MMA. Lived off past glories but would do just enough or have enough of an excuse to convince fans fans that he had one run left in him.

[Lord-Mountevans]

40 minutes ago, Egg Shen said:

I have no doubt both Bellew fights were purely cash grabs...albeit one's he likely thought he could win. Bellew himself send countless times in the build up that Haye was only fighting him for the money. Bellew said that if Haye's real intentions were belts he would have contacted Al Haymon and setup a fight with Deontay Wilder. The whole comeback was a bit of a con (which was fun to watch, not knocking it).

Haye's a bit like Tito Ortiz in MMA. Lived off past glories but would do just enough or have enough of an excuse to convince fans fans that he had one run left in him.

I suppose it depends on what you class as a "cash grab"? So Haye had two high profile fights in big arenas for big money in fights he was expected to win. Surely that is what all professional boxers hope to achieve?

If i was to give an example of a "cash grab" it would be Mayweather multi million dollar cardio session with Conor McGregor

[wandshogun09]

13 years ago today, one of the greatest fights in Boxing history took place. Castillo vs Corrales 1. One of my favourite fights ever. I haven't seen it in years. Today seems as good a day as any to revisit it. 

Bit of background first just to set the scene. 

Jose Luis Castillo was the WBC champion heading into this fight. He'd won the vacant version of the belt a year earlier and successfully defended it against Joel Casamayor and Julio Diaz. He'd also fought a young man named Floyd Mayweather twice. The first of which was a controversial decision that many felt Castillo won. I haven't seen it since it happened but at the time I remember thinking Castillo was hard done by with the judging that night. To this day, it's the only fight in Mayweather's career where I think there's a strong case to be made that he lost. Castillo was coming into this fight with a record of 52-6-1 with 46 knockouts. 

Diego 'Chico' Corrales was WBO champ. He'd won the title the previous August with a TKO over Acelino Freitas. He was coming into this one with a record of 39-2 with 32 knockouts. A big hitter, lanky and rangy. He had kind of that Tommy Hearns build. Chico had also fought Mayweather, back in 2001. But unlike Castillo's fights with Floyd, it wasn't even close. It wound up being Corrales' first career defeat, having gone 33-0 previously. And it was one of Mayweather's finest performances back when he was 'Pretty Boy Floyd' and before the 'Money Mayweather' era. Mayweather knocked Corrales down 5 times before stopping him. 

So the stage was set. Time to unify the titles. 

JOSE LUIS CASTILLO vs DIEGO CORRALES

WBC & WBO Lightweight Titles

May 7th, 2005

Las Vegas, Nevada

Mandalay Bay

Showtime commentators are Steve Albert and Al Bernstein. Castillo makes his ring walk with Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez among his entourage. 

"The square jawed Castillo, never down in 59 pro fights, 15 years of action. But he's never gone up against the power of Diego Corrales" - Steve Albert

Corrales makes his entrance with trainer Joe Goossen (now working with Amir Khan), who is wearing a wonderfully shit loud shirt and a look on his face that makes me think he'd been out on the piss the night before and hadn't had chance to sleep it off or even get changed. 

Goossen there on the right. Looking like he was lifted right out of GTA: Vice City. With his hangover face and his best 'on the pull' shirt. I like Goossen. 

"His power can simply change a fight. He said he'd walk through hell to beat Castillo. That may truly have to happen" - Steve Albert 

Tale Of The Tape. Jimmy Lennon Jr intros. And we're off. 

Round 1: They don't waste any time getting straight to it. Castillo was known as an excellent inside fighter but right away it's clear that Corrales is happy to fight him in close, despite being the taller, lankier man. Corrales going to the body early and Castillo is tagging him back. 

"This is going to be a great fight, I can tell you right now. Corrales is making it have to be a great fight" - Al Bernstein 

Both trade as the round ends. Good opening round. No such thing as a feeling out process here. Not the easiest round to score as both had success. Leaning towards Corrales 10-9. Ah, fuck scoring it. 

Goossen with some good, clear and calm advice in the corner between rounds. 

Round 2: Straight back at it, no fucking about. They're having the old 'fight in a phone booth' here. Both ripping in wicked body shots. Castillo is getting the better of it though, mixing in head and body attacks. And Chico's decision to fight inside seems like a bad one. 

"This is a strategic nightmare, I think, right now for Diego Corrales" - Al Bernstein 

Almost no sooner had Al said this though, Corrales was right back in it, landing meaty shots of his own. A bit of a war breaks out in the closing minute when Corrales stuns Castillo with a hard left hook and Castillo is forced to fire back.

Awesome exchange in the last few seconds again. 

Round 3: Corrales is going to town early here. Especially with the signature left hook. Again though, Castillo always answers with something. He takes over the second half of the round and unleashes a big flurry at the end. 

Just brutal stuff already. There's been more action in these first three rounds than you get in most 12 rounders. 

Corrales' right eye is swelling up. 

Round 4: Corrales still content to slug it out in close quarters. Back and forth exchanges of vicious combinations again here. It's almost like they're agreeing to take it in turns and then trying to one-up each other. 

"The war of attrition, as advertised, rages on" - Steve Albert 

Another bruising round. I've already lost track of scoring this but at this point, to me at least, it feels like the momentum is with Castillo. 

Round 5: Corrales has switched it up here and is trying to create a little bit of distance to throw punches and jabs. But it's not long before they're back killing each other on the inside again. Castillo bleeding above the left eye, according to referee Tony Weeks it was from an accidental clash of heads. 

Round 6: For the first time in the fight the pace slows just a tiny bit and there's a smattering of booing from the crowd. Fuck off. By midway through the round though, they're back to just blasting away to the body and head. It's savage to watch and to hear the thud of the blows. Both men just flat out refusing to give an inch. Castillo hurts him in the final seconds and they've got the crowd back big time. 

Two of the three at press row have it 58-56 for Castillo after 6. The third had it 57-57. Bernstein also has it even. Even sounds about right to me, really hard to separate. But if anyone's ahead I do feel it's Castillo at this stage. Just by a pube. 

Round 7: Corrales out swinging but he's still insisting on fighting Castillo's fight. Man, I always forget but Castillo's chin was cast iron in his prime. Some of the shots he's eaten here are deadly and he doesn't even take a step back or seem to even register it. Just constantly coming forward like a machine. 

"Both showing badges of courage on their faces. Back comes Chico Corrales! And now Castillo!!" - Steve Albert 

Just as he says this Corrales fucking CRACKS Castillo with a left hook and Castillo's knees buckle a bit. Finally, Corrales has made a breakthrough and put a dent in that cement jaw. Castillo has to hold on and the bell saves him. Crazy round. 

Goossen again in the corner with the words of wisdom. "IT'S ALL BALLS NOW". Total calm and deadpan with it as well. 

Round 8: Corrales clearly smells blood in the water and he's swarming all over Castillo immediately. Castillo looks good again though. Both landing massive shots.

It's all out war now. Don't know how neither have hit the deck yet. Another incredible round. 

Round 9: Phone booth battle continues. Some dirty stuff from Castillo with hitting low but Corrales answers with big combos. BIG shots by both again. This is unbelievable. Even better than I remembered. Big right by Chico at the bell and that's another round in the books. 

Buckle up for Round 10: Here we go. They pick up where they left off in the 9th. And within seconds...

Castillo lands a left to the chin that puts Corrales down. He beats the count but because he spat his mouthpiece out, he bought himself more time as Goossen takes his sweet time putting it back in. 

The fight continues and Castillo lands two more HARD left hooks and Corrales goes down again! This was an even heavier knockdown than the first and Diego looks proper fucked this time. 

He takes the mouthpiece out again. Just about gets up at 9 and Tony Weeks takes a point off him for spitting out the mouthpiece again. Goossen again has to get up on the ring apron and put it back in. And this is one of my favourite little in-fight moments ever...

"YOU GOTTA FUCKIN' GET INSIDE ON HIM NOW!" - Joe Goossen

You have to see the video really. And in the context of the 9 and a half rounds of mayhem before it. But Goossen's line here is almost as memorable as the fight itself to me. With Corrales having been knocked down twice and docked a point in this round, they're looking down the barrel of a 10-6 round. Basically, chances are they CAN'T win a decision now. They have to get the stoppage over a man who's never been put down. There's desperation in Goossen's voice but still with cool delivery and a stern look. Pisses all over Teddy Atlas' outbursts to motivate Michael Moorer, IMO. 

Anyway, the atmosphere is electric and the drama here is off the charts as Goossen sends Corrales back out. 

Castillo jumps all over him and is looking for that big left again. They trade and Diego hurts him twice with right and left hooks! He's got Castillo backed onto the ropes but they're both still unloading. Corrales again with left hooks then a huge combination that snaps Castillo's head back...

AND IT'S OVER! 

Winner - Diego Corrales by TKO. Round 10 - 2:06 

Castillo still never went down but he was done. Tony Weeks had to save him. He just looked lifeless at the point of the stoppage. 

"That might be the single most extraordinary comeback, within a round, to win a fight, that has ever happened" - Al Bernstein 

Such a great, great, great fight. Every bit as good as any of the Gatti vs Ward fights or the Barrera vs Morales fights or any other you want to measure it against. I hate the overuse of the word 'epic' to describe things but as far as boxing matches go, this absolutely was epic. 

Here's a really good interview with Joe Goossen talking about the fight years later in 2014; 

"Diego was determined to win that fight...it's hard to beat a guy when he's got his mind made up to win, and Diego had his mind made up to win that night, and thank God he did because it really went down as one of the great comebacks and one of the great fights" - Joe Goossen 

Amazingly, they had a rematch just 5 months later in October 2005. Too soon? I think so. They basically picked up where they left off but this time Castillo had missed weight, the fight became a non title match and Castillo stopped Corrales in 4 rounds. 

With them tied at 1-1, the rubber match was supposed to go down in June 2006. Castillo missed weight yet again, coming in over 4lbs heavy, and the fight got cancelled altogether. Crazy to think that had the third fight happened, they'd have fought each other 3 times in 13 months. That's ridiculous. 

Sadly, on 7th May 2007 (2 years to the day since the first Castillo fight) Diego Corrales died at just 29 years old in a motorcycle crash. 

OK, I've gone on long enough. I'll leave the final word to Al Bernstein; 

The bout between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo was the best fight I ever covered...their first fight. Then Hagler-Hearns. But Corrales-Castillo was Hagler-Hearns times three.

[jimufctna24]

1 hour ago, wandshogun09 said:

The first of which was a controversial decision that many felt Castillo won. I haven't seen it since it happened but at the time I remember thinking Castillo was hard done by with the judging that night. To this day, it's the only fight in Mayweather's career where I think there's a strong case to be made that he lost.

Nice post. I remember watching that fight at the time. I wasn't that clued in about boxing back then beyond the Heavyweights, Hopkins/De Le Yoya, and the British scene, so I didn't know who either were.

Castillo should have gotten the nod against Floyd in their first bout or at least a draw. Castillo was certainly the one who came closest to beating Floyd. Maidana also ran him very close in their first meeting, but I felt Floyd did just enough to edge that one. I scored it 115-113 to Floyd. 

The judges were very generous to De Le Hoya against Floyd. I had Floyd winning that one clearly. A few have said that Floyd vs Pacquiao fight was close, but I can't really see where they are coming from. I felt Floyd won that one comfortably as well. 

Edited May 7, 2018 by jimufctna24

[Egg Shen]

brilliant post wand.

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

That is a super post wand. I must watch that fight a couple of times a year, and that last round probably once a month. The sheer savagery of it is breathtaking, Joe Goosen with possibly the greatest bits of advice in a boxing match. As you say it's the calmness of the delivery that makes it. 

Then at the end as the ring fills with people there is just a moment where the camera lingers on Castillo. The look of hurt in his eyes is not just from the physical beating he took but from tbe fact that he had victory snatched from him when it was so clearly in his grasp. 

 

A shame we didn't get to see Corrales fight Hatton. That would have been some fight. 

[wandshogun09]

Yeah there's a few Hatton fights that got away that I really wish we'd seen. Hatton vs Corrales is one I've never even really thought of but now you've mentioned it, that could've been amazing. Hatton vs Gatti was another one. And even Hatton vs Katsidis. And I really wanted to see Hatton vs Juan Manuel Marquez around 2007-2009ish. We got Hatton vs Castillo but sadly, by the time it happened Castillo was nowhere near the fighter he was against Corrales. And it was only 2 years later. 

Like Goossen said in that video I posted, Corrales vs Castillo 1 was like 30 fights rolled into one and neither guy was ever the same after. 

Edited May 8, 2018 by wandshogun09

[Egg Shen]

first WBSS Season 2 announcements was today. There'll be 3 tournaments starting in September this time. I think everyone was expecting 2 again.

First division announced is Bantamweight, with 3 of the 4 major belt holders involved, Ryan Burnett, Zolani Tete & Manny Rodriguez.

Tremendous.

Lots of talk of Groves being pulled from the final against Callum Smith as well, not confirmed but it seems to be pointing towards a Callum Smith/Chris Eubank Jr. final.

[jimufctna24]

Aye, Kalle seems to be pushing for Eubank Jr to be the replacement. He said on IFL that it only makes sense for a boxer who has already boxed in the tournament to replace Groves. 

 

[Egg Shen]

as much as it would suck for Groves to drop out, im all for seeing Eubank/Smith too. Guess its a fallback of the tournament format, but if you aint fit to continue you forfeit your spot, i do kind of like that they are being strict about it.

[d-d-d-dAz]

Looks as if Eddie Hearn is about to get PAID tomorrow. Be interesting to see the division of labour if he starts setting up a proper US stable and how that impacts on the U.K. stable.

[Egg Shen]

he must have some big names on tap, he seems uber-confident when talking about the deal.