JOHN HENRY LEWIS with 15 LEN HARVEY
November 9, 1936
HARVEY doesn’t seem to have checked in with many attendees of this weekend’s event but he is a true British great from last year.
As was the case with many active boxers back then, his profile on today’s website, BoxRec, only tells part of the story. At the time of his death in 1976, Reuters reported that Harvey, who had boxed in every weight class from flyweight to heavyweight during his 23-year career, had lost only 10 of his 414 fights. BoxRec lists his stats as 122-14-10 (57).
There’s no question that Harvey, likely on the decline and losing to British rival Jack Peterson in the recent past, is simply not good enough to claim the crown of stellar champion Henry Lewis. In fact, Harvey – also acting as a promoter for the event – did a great job hearing the final bell inside Wembley’s Empire Pool.
With his father, Henry Lewis arrived in Southampton in October after arriving in the UK aboard the SS President Roosevelt, a decommissioned ocean liner after World War II.
The champion injured his eye in practice and it flared up again during the game but it was never really a concern. Harvey, who had taken quite a few hits, ended the match with a puffy eye, a broken nose and a big loser.
November 9, 1936: Len Harvey and John Henry Lewis weigh in before their game at Wembley Stadium (David Savill/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
FREDDIE MILLS with 15 GUS LESNEVICH
July 26, 1948
LESNEVICH had been pushed by Mills in a world title defense at Haringey Arena two years earlier.
Mills, in his 15-month first bout, bounced back from falling three times in the second round, breaking the champion’s nose and causing him to close his left eye before collapsing severely in the 10th inning.
The rematch took place in front of more than 46,000 fans at White City Stadium and the feeling was that this time Mills had a better chance.
Lesnevich – now 33 years old and a “Russian Lion” (he is of Russian and American ancestry – has not competed in the 175 lbs category since his first match against Mills and looked tired in the weight.) got Mills nervous in his dressing room before a comedian arrived to help tackle him and he made a breakthrough in the first seconds of the fight, cutting a cut above his right eyebrow. of Lesnevich with a counterattack.
Mills quickly made a cut in the champion’s remaining eye and it became clear that Lesnevich was not a boxer like him. The right hand that repeatedly landed on Mills in the first teamfight appeared to be slower and Mills was able to pick his timing to win the quiet rounds.
Twice the referee asked both fighters to hit more and Mills punched each other in the 10th round to knock Lesnevich twice.
He got up and was able to score his 13th before Mills sped up in the final two innings to secure the winning goal.
May 14, 1946: Gus Lesnevich shakes hands with Freddie Mills in London (Davies/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)
BOB FOSTER with 14 CHRIS FINNEGAN
September 26, 1972
FOSTER is an outstanding champion. The 6 ft 3 ½in boxer became a champion when he knocked out Dick Tiger with a left hook in May 1968 and went to London for his 11th defense.
At the Empire Pool (now Wembley Arena), British champion Finnegan was tipped to follow the same path as Foster’s 10 previous opponents and there were times when the opening rounds seemed to be just a matter of time. time before the one going south from Iver Heath, the Bucks, fell from Foster’s right hand.
Finnegan continued to shoot and return fire to draw the crowd at Wembley Arena behind him and there were loud roars as he held out with Foster in a seventh inning exchange and placed him for the first time. We take the position on the back foot in the next round.
Foster responded with some clean right at the end of the eighth round and it was the punch that knocked Finnegan out in the 10th round. As he did throughout the fight, Finnegan punched back when he was injured and he successful, although Foster’s blows were more effective.
There were boos as Foster went on tiptoe in rounds 11 and 12 and as he stood firm in round 13, Finnegan, by then slashed in both eyes and bleeding from his nose, started throwing punches again.
Finnegan remained in the fight until the 14th when he transported a right arm and landed in his ark seat.
Crushed, bloody, and wounded, Finnegan remained motionless during the countdown.
September 26, 1972: Chris Finnegan and Bob Foster (Roger Jackson/Central Press/Getty Images)
JOHN CONTEH with 15 JORGE AHUMADA
October 1, 1974
HARRY CARPENTER told BBC viewers in round 14 that they were watching what was “considered the greatest night in British boxing history in over 20 years.”
At that stage, Conteh was up against the Argentinian, just as the colorful Liverpudlian had predicted.
The 23-year-old had been in Albuquerque four months earlier to watch Ahumada challenge Foster. That fight was scored a draw after Foster’s late rally, but Conteh isn’t alone in thinking Ahumada deserves more.
Foster was clearly unhappy with his performance, and announced his retirement a few weeks later. Although he later reversed the decision, the WBA and WBC belts were vacated and the latter will be here.
Conteh imagined he could outlast the Argentinian at Wembley’s Empire Pool and that’s how it turned out. There were some grueling first-half innings before Conteh was able to get past his slick leading hand and score with left hooks that left Ahumada’s left eye swollen from the spot.
Conteh still delivered a few solid shots in the 14th half before dominating the final round.
He later said it was his “spirit” that “pulled me through” to win the five rounds and he celebrated in style.
The owner of a nearby nightclub sent champagne to the new champion’s dressing room, and he recalls: “We drank champagne and used ice to calm the swelling on my face.”
John Conteh attacks Jorge Ahumada at Wembley on 1 October 1974 (Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
JEFF HARDING with 12 DENNIS ANDRIES
September 11, 1991
HARDING won their first game in Atlantic City, Andries leveled in Melbourne and the decider went on at Hammersmith Odeon – in the end.
The layout had to be rearranged before health and safety officials said the game could go ahead and on the night, on Wednesday, Andries made a wrong turn into the changing room, causing him to be late. Andries and Harding had no trouble finding each other when the opening bell rang.
Harding tried to fight – but had to fight just to keep Andries away from him.
“Every round is a fight,” promoter Mickey Duff then said and acted back and forth for 11order BBC commentator Harry Carpenter gasped: “Have you ever seen anything like it?”
The 12th round would decide their trio on the scoreboard and Harding won to make the decision by majority. There are those who think Andries did the hard work and Harding doesn’t look like a winner then.
He had both eyes slashed, and about an hour after the battle, he could hardly remember what had happened.
“Yes, I took a few punches,” he said, “but that’s okay. It is not ping pong.”
Years later, in conversation with boxing news, Harding reflects on his rivalry with Andries: “He’s like your worst nightmare,” he says, “like some diabolical Duracell rabbit. He keeps coming to you.
September 11, 1991: Dennis Andries receives a left hook from Jeff Harding during their WBC light-heavyweight title match in London
CLINTON WOODS with 12 GLEN JOHNSON
September 2, 2006
WOODS was thinking about changing careers after Johnson gave him “a little paste” in their rematch. He was also considered lucky to get a draw in their first game.
But after several weeks spent decorating his home, Woods rethinked and eventually beat Rico Hoye to the IBF title vacated by Johnson, who instead hit a more lucrative match with Antonio Tarver.
He shared two fights with Tarver and a back-to-back victory after a rematch defeat helped Johnson, 38, beat Woods for the title.
“Our styles clashed,” is how Woods recalls the fight. “It was brutal.”
The ninth inning was particularly fierce for the champion from Sheffield. He went back to his stool and prayed that Johnson didn’t have the same three minutes.
He failed to do so, and as was the case in many of his games, Woods finished as strong as possible. Johnson was so tired when the final bell rang, he couldn’t even raise his hand and his work in the championship rounds led Woods to go home by split decision.
Johnson and Woods in a 2006 match (Photo by John Gichigi/Getty Images)
SERGEY KOVALEV with rsf 4 SMART NATHAN
August 17, 2013
CLEVERLY said he was “very impressed” by what he saw of Kovalev before they fought.
He was even more impressed as the fight progressed.
“I can feel it [Kovalev’s power] on my shoulder and arm and I said to myself: ‘Whatever you do, don’t get caught…’”
The dexterity has been wiped clean – and the WBO strap has changed hands.
That is the expectation of US broadcasters HBO when they arrive in Cardiff, while Frank Warren hopes he will see a repeat of high-class Joe Calzaghe-Jeff Lacy as an over-hyped challenger is brought in. in his place.
There was ice-cold confidence about Kovalev smirking during the referee’s pre-match instructions and when the bell rang, the Russian got to work.
He took the center of the ring and delivered three punches.
Cleverly stood his ground and tried to make his stab work, but the weight and mass of the challenger’s punches caused him to stumble.
Cleverly left a line under Kovalev’s right eyebrow in the second round, but the Russian still won the round and knocked the champion down with a smooth combination in the third round.
Brave deftly waved him forward and Kovalev brought him to his knees with a pair of fists. Never leaving her feet, Cleverly was quick to get to her feet and was quickly punched in the knee again.
Kovalev again put him on rubber feet to the sound of the bell and dropped him a third time before it waved a fourth time.
Kovalev and Cleverly fight in 2013 (Scott Heavey/Getty Images)
DMITRY BIVOL with 12 CRAIG RICHARDS
May 1, 2021
TO SEE where Bivol is today – conqueror Canelo Alvarez, sole competitor Beterbiev claims to be the top light-heavyweight in the world and one of the best boxers in any weight class – feeling it was strange that he fought inside an empty corner of the Manchester Arena as recently as 19 months ago.
The Russian tennis player’s talent has been known to die-hards, and Richards is seen as a thoroughly deserving outsider of Bivol’s WBA belt, as the pandemic leaves fans unsettled. However, Bivol did not impress much tonight.
Whether fighting under his belt as a result of the lively atmosphere or – more likely – satisfied that he did enough to win, Richards worked hard to get away from his corner. with the belief that he has done enough to win.
Far from being a memorable or enjoyable fight, Richards took the time to regain confidence that he truly belonged in Bivol, right arm raised and ready to fire when asked, helping him rise soon. lead ahead. The Londoner certainly improved in the second half of the game but most members of the media felt that the 118-110 scoreline from referee Giuseppe Quartarone in favor of Bivol more accurately reflected what had been. played against the much closer scores of 115-114 and 115 -113 from Steve Gray and Yury Kopstev respectively.
Bivol and Richards in 2021 (Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
