By Jack Hirsch
AUGUST 18, 1969 would be the fifty fifth anniversary of after I attended my first skilled boxing present. Sadly, I’ve not saved an actual depend of what number of I went to since, however it’s protected to say not many individuals have gone to extra.
There have been legendary fights that this author has considered from the stands such because the Battle of the Century between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Roberto Duran lifting the world light-weight title from Ken Buchanan, and Diego Corrales’ miracle comeback in stopping Jose Luis Castillo. However it’s the first present and the lads who boxed on it which can at all times maintain a particular place in my coronary heart.
The brand new Madison Sq. Backyard had opened up a little bit over a yr prior. It was nonetheless the Mecca of Boxing on that Monday night in August. However not all exhibits within the hallowed enviornment had been massive. Many relied solely on the reside gate, even some at MSG.
The entire males boxing that evening had goals. For some, destiny can be form. Others later went down the unsuitable path. However on that evening, all had one factor in widespread, which was to permit them to go so far as their ring abilities allowed. What would later grow to be of a few of the fighters on the present is fascinating once we look again on it.
George Foreman makes an extended left jab at Chuck Wepner within the second spherical of their battle, August 18th. Wepner’s eye opened up barely within the first, and was dangerous sufficient by the start of the third spherical to provide Foreman a TKO.
There have been 7,000 folks in attendance at MSG that evening, the higher balcony closed which means even a budget seats weren’t dangerous. Tickets ranged from $3-10. I sat within the $3 seats, a contented teenager who was simply completely happy to be within the world.
The primary occasion featured George Foreman towards Chuck Wepner. Extra on that later. However it’s the first skilled match I noticed that stands out, between heavyweights Randy Neumann and Jeff Marx. It was received on a first-round knockout by Neumann who was making his debut that evening. Neumann would go on to have a stable profession, by no means fairly reaching contender standing, however mixing in good firm. He misplaced two of three to Chuck Wepner, defeated Jimmy Younger when he was on the best way up, and was brutally stopped in 4 rounds by Duane Bobick.
Neumann’s profession spotlight was in all probability when he essential evented in MSG towards Jerry Quarry on Jan 5, 1973 and was stopped in seven rounds. He completed with a report of 31-7, 11 KOs. Neumann would go on to attain notoriety as a referee, working some high-profile matches. Amongst my memorabilia is an autographed image from Neumann of him standing over Marx with the phrases inscribed “You had been there.”
As for Marx, he by no means boxed once more, ending up at 2-1, 2 KOs. Many years later I used to be partaking in dialog with creator Ron Ross and realized he had managed Marx. Ross had a victory celebration deliberate for Marx after the battle that didn’t happen for apparent causes.
I don’t bear in mind the precise order of the bouts, however of the six on the present there’s one I’ve completely no recollection of. It was a 4 rounder between welterweights Angel Jose Ortiz and Juan Rueda which led to a draw. Being that I arrived at MSG on time, I’ve to imagine it was the walkout bout after the principle occasion, one thing widespread on the time. Maybe I noticed it, however don’t bear in mind. In any occasion, neither went far of their careers.
New York light-heavyweights Angel Oquendo and Charley Satan Inexperienced engaged in a spirited eight-rounder which was a rematch from two years earlier than. Oquendo received that one and appeared to win this one as properly, however the judges’ thought in any other case. Inexperienced rocked Oquendo at one level, however appeared to me like he was being outworked. Fights in New York had been scored on the rounds foundation on the time. I had it 5-2-1 for Oquendo, however Inexperienced escaped with a majority resolution by margins of 4-3-1, 4-3-1, and 4-4.
As for Oquendo, he grew to become a revered journeyman, boxing 19 instances within the subsequent seven years earlier than calling it a profession 27 -20-1, 6 KOs. Oquendo combined in elite firm towards the likes of Victor Galindez, Vicente Rondon, and Marvin Camel, going the space extra instances than not.
It’s questionable whether or not Inexperienced ought to have been allowed to field Oquendo on the present. Only one month earlier he was knocked out in two rounds by Jose Torres beneath weird circumstances. Inexperienced was an emergency substitute for Jimmy Ralston that evening who left the world to go again to Buffalo whereas the present was in progress.
Inexperienced adopted up on the Oquendo victory with a few extra which propelled him right into a essential occasion at MSG towards former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson. Inexperienced was stopped with a physique punch in 10 rounds. That started a disastrous slide in each his skilled and private life. He by no means received one other match, shedding his final 9.
The ultimate one being towards Larry Holmes who stopped Inexperienced in a single. Inexperienced’s ultimate ledger was a deceptive 13-15, 8 KOs report, having misplaced his final 9 bouts. Outdoors of the ring issues had been worse. A drug-crazed Inexperienced was convicted of a triple homicide in 1983. He spent the remainder of his life in jail, passing away on the age of 75 in 2014.
Unbeaten in 19 fights, Backyard matchmaker Teddy Brenner had massive plans for Puerto Rican heavyweight Pedro Agosto. These plans evaporated to a big extent when one time prospect Forest Ward landed a brief proper to the facet of Agosto’s jaw dropping him to a knee. Agosto bought up very shakily, bounced up and down attempting to get his legs so as.
However when the motion resumed, he went down once more the second Forrest attacked. At that time, the referee Davey Feld stopped the match a lot to the chagrin of Brenner who felt he pulled the plug on it a lot too early. I bear in mind pondering that it was stopped faster than it ought to have been, however not outrageously so.
Brenner by no means forgave Feld. When he realized that the referee was assigned to work the Patterson-Inexperienced match, he used his affect with the fee to have him changed. A furious Feld would have none of it and actually took issues into his personal palms, strolling towards the ring in his referee’s apparel decided to work the battle. Nonetheless, safety intercepted Feld and carried him away from ringside. He by no means labored one other battle.
Ward by no means constructed on the end result. Two months later he was stopped by Canadian Invoice Dover and retired with an 8-2-2 report.
As for Agosto, he was by no means the identical, shedding to Wepner earlier than the yr was out, however he did get to combine in elite firm being stopped by Foreman, Patterson, and Leon Spinks amongst others. Agosto’s ultimate tally was 28-14-1, 22 KOs.
An eight-rounder of top of the range noticed Jeff Merritt outpoint Henry Clark over eight rounds by scores of 6-2, 6-2, and 5-3 (identical as me). The yr earlier than Clark had been a contender who some had been tipping to beat Sonny Liston once they fought, however he bought dominated and was stopped in seven rounds.
From there, the California heavyweight grew to become a gatekeeper-journeyman kind, scoring some helpful wins reminiscent of icing Merritt in 47 seconds of their rematch in 1974, however not with the ability to compete with the elite males within the division reminiscent of Ken Norton and Earnie Shavers. Clark retired with a 32-12-4, 9 KOs report.
Merritt’s profession turned out to be an enormous tease. Promoted by Don King and serving as a sparring accomplice for Muhammad Ali, Merritt was a heavyweight with nice potential who by no means fairly broke by means of. 4 years later he would cease Ernie Terrell in a spherical at Madison Sq. Backyard, however substance abuse points had been his reported downfall. He by no means grew to become a critical contender, ending his profession with a 22-3-1, 17 KOs report. Merritt type of simply pale away, a real underachiever.
Which brings us to the principle occasion of Foreman vs Wepner. It was Foreman’s fourth battle since he had turned professional simply two months earlier. Wepner was already a seasoned professional having boxed 25 instances, successful most, however being outclassed towards the higher opposition reminiscent of Buster Mathis who halted him in three.
Predictably, each met head on from the opening bell of their scheduled eight-rounder. Foreman was very uncooked, however his expertise degree was clearly above Wepner’s who on the time was the prototype membership fighter. Dwelling as much as his nickname because the ‘Bayonne Bleeder’, Wepner was stopped in three rounds.
Foreman (76-5, 68 KOs) would, after all, go on to win the heavyweight twice in dramatic trend. First knocking out Joe Frazier in 1973 in what was thought-about an enormous upset on the time. His lack of the title to Ali in Zaire in 1974 is taken into account one of many extra legendary fights -events in boxing historical past.
And Foreman’s comeback after a 10-year absence from the ring, which culminated in him regaining the heavyweight title at age 45, is an inspiring story that’s second to none. Who would have thought that the large, uncooked heavyweight solely 20 on the time would benefit from the standing and recognition that he finally obtained. Mockingly, Foreman would make more cash outdoors the ring as a pitchman for his grilling machines than he ever made in it, promoting his share within the firm for a reported $137 million.
Wepner’s propensity to chop haunted him in succeeding fights the place he was stopped by Sonny Liston and Joe Bugner. Chuck was nonetheless considered a membership fighter when he was unexpectedly given a shot on the heavyweight crown towards Ali in 1975. Rising to the event, Wepner fought the battle of his life, however got here up quick, being stopped with a mere 19 seconds to go within the fifteenth spherical.
Sitting within the stands was a younger actor named Sylvester Stallone. He was so impressed by Wepner’s effort, that based mostly on it he wrote a screenplay that become the academy award successful film “Rocky.” If Wepner had not boxed Ali and provide you with the trouble that he did, then it’s extra possible than not the Rocky films ever would have existed. That in itself makes Wepner’s contribution to boxing legendary.
There’s something very particular concerning the first boxing present any of us have attended. It stays with us for a lifetime.
