HAMBURG, Germany -- Mexico's Julio Gonzalez won the WBO light heavyweight title on a split decision Saturday, handing Poland's Dariusz Michalczewski his first loss in 49 fights.
Michalczewski failed in his bid to match Rocky Marciano, who was unbeaten in 49 fights between 1947 and 1955 before retiring with an unblemished record.
An American judge scored the fight 116-112, and a Canadian judge had it 115-113 in favor of Gonzalez. A German judge scored the bout 115-113 Michalczewski.
"I listened to what my corner said," said Gonzalez, who improved to 35-1 with 22 knockouts.
The fight ended with Gonzalez, looking exhausted, tying up Michalczewski, who was desperately seeking a knockout blow in his 24th title defense.
"This time it wasn't enough," said Michalczewski, 35. "It's too early to say if I will fight again."
Gonzalez's only loss came to Roy Jones Jr. in a one-sided decision.
Michalczewski, who had 41 knockouts in his 48 wins, last went the distance in 1997, when he beat Virgil Hill to briefly unite the WBA, IBF and WBO titles. -----------------------------------------------------------
It's worth noting that Gonzalez had only lost a fight to Roy Jones, now he's beaten Michalczewski on his own turf. Like Roy says "They aren't nobodies, I just make them look like nobodies."
“To get ass, you’ve got to bring ass." -- Roy Jones Jr.
"Your input has been noted. I hope you don't take it personally if I disregard it." -- Guru Zim
That's a shame. One part of the story stands out though:
An American judge scored the fight 116-112, and a Canadian judge had it 115-113 in favor of Gonzalez. A German judge scored the bout 115-113 Michalczewski.
Christ, are we talking about boxing or Olympic figure skating here? When it looks like the judges are picking the winner by hemisphere, it's time to redirect the river and clean the stables out completely. I mean, I can sort of understand a judge being corrupted by a brown paper bag passed under the table by Don King, but this?
Or maybe it only looks bad, and the state of boxing is much more healthy.
"Now let me correct you on a couple of things, okay? Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself'. And the London Underground is not a political movement."
I'd say it's HARDLY a "shame". It would've been a shame if he had won and retired undefeated and if people would've tried to put him up there with Marciano, when clearly he was never, EVER, the best fighter even in his own weight class. I'd suspect that if there was any question about the scoring it would be to how the German judge saw the scoring for the European fighter, and I'd bet you could go back and find some fights Dariusz was winning on the scorecards due to some hometown judging as well. That's why they have three judges from three different areas.
“To get ass, you’ve got to bring ass." -- Roy Jones Jr.
"Your input has been noted. I hope you don't take it personally if I disregard it." -- Guru Zim
Originally posted by JayJayDeanI'd say it's HARDLY a "shame". It would've been a shame if he had won and retired undefeated and if people would've tried to put him up there with Marciano, when clearly he was never, EVER, the best fighter even in his own weight class.
Eh. Boxers never retire nowadays, so I'm sure he would've come back for "just one more payday" in the future anyways, and maybe got the stuffing knocked out of him. Plus, I'm not sure how many people would have tried to equate him with Rocky Marciano even if he did retire undefeated ... and even if they tried history does tend to separate the wheat from the chaff eventually (or so I'd really like to think).
Still, if a football team was 15-0 and going for an undefeated season, I think I'd cheer for them to do it, even if it was, say, the Dallas Cowboys A part of my personality, I suppose.
Originally posted by JayJayDeanI'd suspect that if there was any question about the scoring it would be to how the German judge saw the scoring for the European fighter, and I'd bet you could go back and find some fights Dariusz was winning on the scorecards due to some hometown judging as well. That's why they have three judges from three different areas.
You're entirely right. I wasn't implying that the Yank and Canuck judges robbed Michalczewski ... more likely the German was too generous to him in his scoring. The geographic breakdown does make me shake my head though ... it's a direction that professional boxing does not want to even look at, much less go down.
"Now let me correct you on a couple of things, okay? Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not 'every man for himself'. And the London Underground is not a political movement."
Funny how so many still say that if Roy Jones Jr. had balls he'd go over and fight Michalczewski to shatter any doubts that Dariusz was the guy who could take him.
Maybe now that Dariusz doesn't have the "record" to protect he'll show his mettle and come over to fight RJJ on North American soil. I think between Jones' recent performance at heavyweight and this loss by Michalczewski to a former conquest of Jones', we'd see another classic taunting performance by RJJ en route to a savage knockout.
/tarnish...
It is what it is. You are what you it. There are no mistakes. --Tom Robbins
I'm glad that that's over with already. No more talk about Roy going to Germany. Now Michalczewski(?) has to come here if he "wants some". But we all know he won't. I didn't give Gonzales much of a chance but I knew he had heart. That fight he had with Letterlough is one of my all time favorites. I'm glad it was a dude that Roy had already clowned so we can just close the chapter on that guy.
"NOW YOU GET YOUR WHININ ASS OUTTA HERE!!" Sid Vicious after slapping Bret Hart
Originally posted by tarnish Maybe now that Dariusz doesn't have the "record" to protect he'll show his mettle and come over to fight RJJ on North American soil. I think between Jones' recent performance at heavyweight and this loss by Michalczewski to a former conquest of Jones', we'd see another classic taunting performance by RJJ en route to a savage knockout.
I doubt we'll ever see Roy and Dariusz in the same ring. Roy has already shown a distaste for fighting guys he's already proven he can beat, and since Dariusz (1) is 35, and (2) just lost to a guy that Roy basically toyed with, I think that put Dariusz in Roy's "brings nothing to the table" category.
“To get ass, you’ve got to bring ass." -- Roy Jones Jr.
"Your input has been noted. I hope you don't take it personally if I disregard it." -- Guru Zim
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