Let's revisit what almost all boxing people consider an atrocious decision. The "draw" given in the first Lennox Lewis-Evander Holyfield fight. For the record, even in giving Holyfield the benefit of the doubt in close rounds, I had Lewis comfortably ahead at 116-112. Judge Stan Christodoulou was the closest to reality with a score for Lewis at 116-113. Larry O'Connell, normally an excellent judge and ref somehow had that fight 115-115 and judge Jean Williams turned in one of the most atrocious cards, favoring Holyfield at 115-113. That decision to this day remains the worst all-time decision ever for a major world championship fight. Even worse, Ms. Williams gave the 5th round to Holyfield, a round that saw Lewis on the verge of almost being KO'd. Ref. Arthur Mercante Jr. when interviewed said he would have given a standing 8 count in that round had the rules for it applied. But Association of Boxing Commission Rules under which the championship match was fought did not allow a standing 8 count. Ms. Williams also commented that "She could only score the blows she saw, and that Lewis' back was turned to her for most of the round." She claimed that her view was blocked, but on HBO's replay of the fight, their cameras show that there was nothing obstructing her view.
It's been a decade since that travesty. Post your scorecards and your reasoning behind them.
Jack
Full Version: Holyfield-Lewis I Scorecards Revisited
I'm working on a piece right now regarding some of the worst cards in the history of the sport. Eugenia Williams' card from that night is one of them. How she got 115-113 Holyfield is insane, but the 5th round was even more ridiculous than the cumulative card.
As part of the process, I'm going back and scoring each of the fights in question again and this one is one of them that I haven't done yet. I remember having it clear for Lewis at the time but have misplaced my card from that night.
On a sidenote, Williams has claimed all sorts of things. First it was the obstructed view, then when that was rebutted she claimed that she was having eye problems and shouldn't have been judging at the time in the first place. She got a nice break from the game to think about it (nearly 3 years, if memory serves) but is back to doing fights, of course. How she, Tom Kaczmarek, and Jose Guerra still work is beyond me. Then, there's always the curious case of Glen Hamada to throw in there as well.
As part of the process, I'm going back and scoring each of the fights in question again and this one is one of them that I haven't done yet. I remember having it clear for Lewis at the time but have misplaced my card from that night.
On a sidenote, Williams has claimed all sorts of things. First it was the obstructed view, then when that was rebutted she claimed that she was having eye problems and shouldn't have been judging at the time in the first place. She got a nice break from the game to think about it (nearly 3 years, if memory serves) but is back to doing fights, of course. How she, Tom Kaczmarek, and Jose Guerra still work is beyond me. Then, there's always the curious case of Glen Hamada to throw in there as well.
QUOTE (Romulus9 @ Aug 17 2009, 04:42 PM) 
I'm working on a piece right now regarding some of the worst cards in the history of the sport. Eugenia Williams' card from that night is one of them. How she got 115-113 Holyfield is insane, but the 5th round was even more ridiculous than the cumulative card.
As part of the process, I'm going back and scoring each of the fights in question again and this one is one of them that I haven't done yet. I remember having it clear for Lewis at the time but have misplaced my card from that night.
On a side-note, Williams has claimed all sorts of things. First it was the obstructed view, then when that was rebutted she claimed that she was having eye problems and shouldn't have been judging at the time in the first place. She got a nice break from the game to think about it (nearly 3 years, if memory serves) but is back to doing fights, of course. How she, Tom Kaczmarek, and Jose Guerra still work is beyond me. Then, there's always the curious case of Glen Hamada to throw in there as well.
As part of the process, I'm going back and scoring each of the fights in question again and this one is one of them that I haven't done yet. I remember having it clear for Lewis at the time but have misplaced my card from that night.
On a side-note, Williams has claimed all sorts of things. First it was the obstructed view, then when that was rebutted she claimed that she was having eye problems and shouldn't have been judging at the time in the first place. She got a nice break from the game to think about it (nearly 3 years, if memory serves) but is back to doing fights, of course. How she, Tom Kaczmarek, and Jose Guerra still work is beyond me. Then, there's always the curious case of Glen Hamada to throw in there as well.
Don't forget to throw Dalby Shirly in there! (Maybe under a moving bus if possible!) This guy has a noted history of house fighter favoritism and biased towards WBC champions that goes back 30 years. Didn't he finally retire? He damn well should be gone.
Other than his ridiculous one-sided card favoring Leonard over Hagler by eight points, (I thought Ray won, but not by that much.) I don't recall a problem with Guerra. Ken Morita having Tyson ahead of Buster Douglas is up there too for bad calls. And a veteran guy like him should have known better. He's been fair in other fights. Chuck Hassett, whom I usually respect had Holmes way ahead against Witherspoon, which was a very close fight and many believe Witherspoon should have won.
Burton-Augustus, one of the most biased hometown judging refs and judges that I have seen. The judge who had it almost a SHUTOUT for Burton when it should have been almost a shutout for Augustus! Unreal!
Jack
Don't even get me started on the three clowns from the Foreman-Briggs fight (Steve Weisfeld, Calvin Claxton, Lawrence Layton), but that was abysmal.
In terms of single horrible cards, Ronnie Ralston gets a mention. For the Junior Jones vs. Orlando Canizales fight on the undercard of Gatti-Wilson Rodriguez:
Larry Hazzard Jr. - 117-111 Jones
Tim Figley - 118-111 Jones
Ralston scores is 119-110 Canizales
One of the most insane cards I ever saw, especially considering the numbers for the other two.
In terms of single horrible cards, Ronnie Ralston gets a mention. For the Junior Jones vs. Orlando Canizales fight on the undercard of Gatti-Wilson Rodriguez:
Larry Hazzard Jr. - 117-111 Jones
Tim Figley - 118-111 Jones
Ralston scores is 119-110 Canizales
One of the most insane cards I ever saw, especially considering the numbers for the other two.
QUOTE (Romulus9 @ Aug 17 2009, 04:42 PM)
I'm working on a piece right now regarding some of the worst cards in the history of the sport. Eugenia Williams' card from that night is one of them. How she got 115-113 Holyfield is insane, but the 5th round was even more ridiculous than the cumulative card.
As part of the process, I'm going back and scoring each of the fights in question again and this one is one of them that I haven't done yet. I remember having it clear for Lewis at the time but have misplaced my card from that night.
On a sidenote, Williams has claimed all sorts of things. First it was the obstructed view, then when that was rebutted she claimed that she was having eye problems and shouldn't have been judging at the time in the first place. She got a nice break from the game to think about it (nearly 3 years, if memory serves) but is back to doing fights, of course. How she, Tom Kaczmarek, and Jose Guerra still work is beyond me. Then, there's always the curious case of Glen Hamada to throw in there as well.
As part of the process, I'm going back and scoring each of the fights in question again and this one is one of them that I haven't done yet. I remember having it clear for Lewis at the time but have misplaced my card from that night.
On a sidenote, Williams has claimed all sorts of things. First it was the obstructed view, then when that was rebutted she claimed that she was having eye problems and shouldn't have been judging at the time in the first place. She got a nice break from the game to think about it (nearly 3 years, if memory serves) but is back to doing fights, of course. How she, Tom Kaczmarek, and Jose Guerra still work is beyond me. Then, there's always the curious case of Glen Hamada to throw in there as well.
didnt one of the judges have tyson up at the time of the stoppage?...put that in your peice that you are working on...
Newton Campos gave Ramirez something like a 118-113 in his first fight with Whitaker.
He should have been shot dead there and then.
On topic, Lewis clearly won that first fight, I can't remember how I scored it but it was pretty wide and I was stunned by the ineptitude of the judges that night.
He should have been shot dead there and then.
On topic, Lewis clearly won that first fight, I can't remember how I scored it but it was pretty wide and I was stunned by the ineptitude of the judges that night.
QUOTE (JLUVBABY @ Aug 17 2009, 06:33 PM)
didnt one of the judges have tyson up at the time of the stoppage?...put that in your peice that you are working on...
If you're talking about the Douglas fight, yes. Ken Morita had Tyson up 87-86. Masakazu Uchida had the fight 86-86. Larry Rozadilla had it 88-82 Douglas.
QUOTE (Maxy @ Aug 17 2009, 06:37 PM)
Newton Campos gave Ramirez something like a 118-113 in his first fight with Whitaker.
He should have been shot dead there and then.
On topic, Lewis clearly won that first fight, I can't remember how I scored it but it was pretty wide and I was stunned by the ineptitude of the judges that night.
He should have been shot dead there and then.
On topic, Lewis clearly won that first fight, I can't remember how I scored it but it was pretty wide and I was stunned by the ineptitude of the judges that night.
That one is in my piece as well, along with Jose Guerra's 118-110 Leonard over Hagler. Absolutely nuts.
An underrated bad card is Angelo Poletti's card from Duran-Leonard I. He scored it 148-147 Duran, which comes out to 3-2 Duran with TEN ROUNDS EVEN!
QUOTE (Romulus9 @ Aug 17 2009, 05:58 PM)
If you're talking about the Douglas fight, yes. Ken Morita had Tyson up 87-86. Masakazu Uchida had the fight 86-86. Larry Rozadilla had it 88-82 Douglas.
That one is in my piece as well, along with Jose Guerra's 118-110 Leonard over Hagler. Absolutely nuts.
An underrated bad card is Angelo Poletti's card from Duran-Leonard I. He scored it 148-147 Duran, which comes out to 3-2 Duran with TEN ROUNDS EVEN!
That one is in my piece as well, along with Jose Guerra's 118-110 Leonard over Hagler. Absolutely nuts.
An underrated bad card is Angelo Poletti's card from Duran-Leonard I. He scored it 148-147 Duran, which comes out to 3-2 Duran with TEN ROUNDS EVEN!
what are you writing this peice for rom?.. is it for school or sumthin?
QUOTE (JLUVBABY @ Aug 17 2009, 08:42 PM)
what are you writing this peice for rom?.. is it for school or sumthin?
Nope...
FightHype.
Got another one finished, two in progress, a Diaz-Malignaggi preview, and the look at awful scores.
I'm hoping to do something that is interactive/collaborative with some of our board members at some point, something that could be a lot of fun for everyone. Details on that to come.
Did you read the Tapia-Romero Flashback a while back? That was me.
QUOTE (Romulus9 @ Aug 17 2009, 07:50 PM)
Nope...
FightHype.
Got another one finished, two in progress, a Diaz-Malignaggi preview, and the look at awful scores.
I'm hoping to do something that is interactive/collaborative with some of our board members at some point, something that could be a lot of fun for everyone. Details on that to come.
Did you read the Tapia-Romero Flashback a while back? That was me.
FightHype.
Got another one finished, two in progress, a Diaz-Malignaggi preview, and the look at awful scores.
I'm hoping to do something that is interactive/collaborative with some of our board members at some point, something that could be a lot of fun for everyone. Details on that to come.
Did you read the Tapia-Romero Flashback a while back? That was me.
damn thats cool man... i like the idea of that interactive piece with the board members too... good luck with it...
how many other board members write for the site or other sites?
I scored Lewis-Holyfield 115-113 for Lewis, and I don't think it was any closer than that. I remember I gave Holyfield most of the late rounds, but I thought Lewis clearly won the fight, especially when he banked the 12th.
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