My father started taking me to local stuff and Golden Gloves when I was a little kid, saw my first live fights some time in the late 70s. Took me to Detroit to see Tommie Hearns fight a couple times in the early 80s, I'll never forget Aretha Franklin singing the national anthem before one of those fights. I trained as a teen at a local gym, but never had any real fights.
Of course I was a Hearns fan, but I always liked the slick boxers, the guys who were hard to hit and were out thinking their opponents. Other than that, I always favored our Olympians when they went pro. Wining a medal for the US meant that I was going to follow your whole career. Liked fighters from Michigan, my home state so I followed many of them too. Had many favorites throughout the years. SRL, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Pernell Whitaker, Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Berrera, Oscar, James Toney, Floyd Mayweather etc.
So I've basically got 40 years of fandom. Rarely missing a big fight over that time. I still try to make it to the Golden Gloves every couple years. I've seen some great fights and some great fighters. Seen some crazy things and some amazing things.
Best Fight- Hearns-Hagler
Craziest fight- Holyfield-Tyson II
Best Heavyweight- Lennox Lewis or Larry Holmes
Hardest Puncher- Julian Jackson
Best fighter- Floyd Mayweather
Biggest physical freak- Roy Jones Jr.
Most hyped fight- Mayweather vs Osca
Worst decision- The Lewis-Holyfield draw was insane to me, it was a 10-2 fight.
Boxing is strong and isn't going anywhere. A ton of great fights are about to happen. People think the close fights that get judged against their guy are ruining boxing, that's the opposite, when you've been watching for 40 years, you know that the close fights that people disagree with the decision only make the sport bigger, it's all people talk about.
Of course I was a Hearns fan, but I always liked the slick boxers, the guys who were hard to hit and were out thinking their opponents. Other than that, I always favored our Olympians when they went pro. Wining a medal for the US meant that I was going to follow your whole career. Liked fighters from Michigan, my home state so I followed many of them too. Had many favorites throughout the years. SRL, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Pernell Whitaker, Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Berrera, Oscar, James Toney, Floyd Mayweather etc.
So I've basically got 40 years of fandom. Rarely missing a big fight over that time. I still try to make it to the Golden Gloves every couple years. I've seen some great fights and some great fighters. Seen some crazy things and some amazing things.
Best Fight- Hearns-Hagler
Craziest fight- Holyfield-Tyson II
Best Heavyweight- Lennox Lewis or Larry Holmes
Hardest Puncher- Julian Jackson
Best fighter- Floyd Mayweather
Biggest physical freak- Roy Jones Jr.
Most hyped fight- Mayweather vs Osca
Worst decision- The Lewis-Holyfield draw was insane to me, it was a 10-2 fight.
Boxing is strong and isn't going anywhere. A ton of great fights are about to happen. People think the close fights that get judged against their guy are ruining boxing, that's the opposite, when you've been watching for 40 years, you know that the close fights that people disagree with the decision only make the sport bigger, it's all people talk about.
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