Some people will never, ever forget the great Gerald McClellan, or his incredible displays of boxing brilliance, savagery and bravery. The former world middleweight king was, as fans know, permanently injured in his epic and brutal battle with British warrior Nigel Benn – the February 25, 1995 fight producing an indelible piece of modern day boxing history.
Boxing History
Boxing history articles
Naseem Hamed: If he hadn’t retired when he did?
Former featherweight king “Prince” Naseem Hamed celebrates his 44th birthday today. The super-powerful southpaw – long retired and long content to live a low-key existence, vastly overweight, in fact barely recognisable from his peak fighting days – by his own admission retired too soon.
Let Go of the “0”
By David Vaught, a family member of the great Archie Moore – Floyd Mayweather has become a very controversial figure in boxing. It seems like boxing fans either love him or hate him. He was a great defensive boxer, and he has now retired undefeated. The purpose of this article, however, isn’t to debate Mayweather’s skill, but to look at the way some fans judge a boxer on their boxing record alone.
“Retired” great Roy Jones beat John Ruiz to win a heavyweight title; he wanted to fight Evander Holyfield instead
Now that he’s officially retired from the sport (for now at least) the tributes are coming in for all-time great Roy Jones Junior – and deservedly so. One of the former multi-weight champ’s most lauded wins is his 2003 decision win over John Ruiz up at heavyweight; this Jones masterpiece seeing him crowned as a heavyweight champion.
Appeals and pleas still ongoing, posthumous pardon sought for heavyweight legend Jack Johnson
In the words of Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson was “a baaad man!” Way ahead of his time and having to fight rabid racism along with his opponents, “The Galveston Giant” was strong enough, mentally and physically, to be able to overcome odds that would seem unfathomable to a modern day fighter.
The sad end to a glorious career: Sugar Ray Leonard and the two fights he never should have taken
Even the cerebral Sugar Ray Leonard never knew when to quit. The toughest thing in the toughest sport of all, boxing, is being able to walk away; knowing when enough is enough. Time and again, great and special fighters fought that one fight too many. It was going to be different with Ray Charles Leonard, though – Sugar Ray was smart, very smart.
55 years ago today: The great Carlos Monzon makes his pro debut
55 years ago today, in Santa Fe, a 20 year old Carlos Monzon KO’d Ramon Montenegro in a couple of rounds to secure his pro debut. All these years later, and plenty of people refer to Argentina’s former middleweight world champion as THE best 160 pounder in boxing history.
Monzon himself famously said he was a better fighter at middleweight than was the legendary “Sugar” Ray Robinson. What is sure is the fact that Monzon at one time held the division record for most world title defences – 14 in all. During this time, from November of 1970 to his final fight in July of 1977, “Escopeta” was busy taking on and defeating the best.
Ike Ibeabuchi: What might have been
Though he was released from a US prison some months back (or is it years?) there will be no ‘George Foreman- style comeback’ for the man who turns 45 years old today. Nigerian powerhouse Ikemefula Charles Ibeabuchi: how great, how special might he have become had he not lost the plot and got himself put away for the charge of attempted rape, in Las Vegas in 2009?
Frank Bruno: A National Treasure
The eternally popular Frank Bruno is a national treasure in this country. Every time ‘Big Frank’ entered the squared circle to fight, the entire British nation was behind him. A true crossover star, Bruno became a household name after just a few pro bouts. But what was it like to fight Bruno, and try and knock him out in front of his partisan fans?
George Foreman and the time he fought five men in one night – imagine a top heavyweight doing that today!
“Muhammad ‘whatever he wants to call himself’ can’t beat no George Foreman,” Foreman after beating five guys in one afternoon in 1975.
Heavyweight immortal Jack Dempsey once took part in an exhibition where he fought five men in one night, but the only other former heavyweight king to have faced that many men in one afternoon – over one hour – is living legend George Foreman. As fans know, “Big George,” in an attempt at battling the demons he was tortured by after losing his unbeaten record and world title to the one and only Muhammad Ali, took on five fringe contenders/journeymen types in Toronto Canada in April of 1975.