FUNDAMENTALS By Anson Wainwright
LOST FIGHT: Archie Moore W 15 Nino Valdes » May 2, 1955 Cashman Field, Las Vegas Early on in Archie Moore’s light heavyweight championship reign, he fought a non-title bout with heavyweight contender Nino Valdes in March 1953. Although Moore won a 10-round unanimous decision, the popular Cuban gave him one of his toughest fights. Just over two years later, after some confusion that saw Moore have his license suspended because of an issue with his heart, forcing the cancellation of a March fight with Frankie Daniels, “The Old Mongoose”
MUST-WATCH: THE PROMISE Fast-rising super middleweight contender Osleys Iglesias enjoyed a breakout 2024. In The Promise , a documentary broadcast on Canadian networks TVA Sports and TVA Sports 2 in April, we got to learn a little more about him. It begins with Iglesias, who now lives in Bremen, Germany, talking on the phone to his mother, who still lives in Havana, Cuba, about his desire to be number one. The documentary goes back to when he was a child, and he talks about how he was lazy and didn’t like to study. He used sports as a vehicle to get away from school and soon afterward found boxing. Iglesias was a national champion
was back in the ring against the naturally bigger Valdes. Whereas Valdes weighed in at 209½ pounds for both fights, Moore came in at 180 for the first encounter but bulked up to 196½ pounds for the second. Renowned manager Doc Kearns was the promoter of the show, which is now seen as the first major boxing event to take place in Las Vegas, and proclaimed it to be the world heavyweight championship (at least in Nevada) – a dig at reigning champion Rocky Marciano, who he said refused to fight Moore or Valdes. Moore, who opened as a 2-to-1 betting favorite, again dealt with the bigger Valdes in a grueling
Moore (left) faced a big challenge in Valdes.
in his mid-teens and then joined the national team, which allowed him to travel and see the world. On one particular trip, he was told if he won a tournament in Germany, he would be selected for the national team at the upcoming World Championships. However, the powers that be reneged on that promise and elected to send the more experienced Arlen Lopez. The betrayal hit Iglesias hard, and having
FORGOTTEN CLASSIC: James Toney KO 12 Charles Williams » July 29, 1994 MGM Grand, Las Vegas A t just shy of 26 years old but already a 45-fight veteran, James Toney was in the thick of his prime and widely considered one of the pound-for-pound best fighters on the planet. Toney, the reigning IBF 168-pound titleholder at the time, was on a collision course with rising star Roy Jones Jr. However, the Michigan native was an old-school fighter who liked to stay active, so in the interim he opted for a dangerous title defense against “Prince” Charles Williams, who’d
held the IBF light heavyweight title from 1987 to 1993 and was dropping down to super middleweight for the opportunity. It would be Toney’s fourth fight of the year and his 19th since winning a middleweight title three years earlier – unthinkable by modern standards. For his part, the 32-year-old Williams’ only loss in the previous nine years was when he was controversially dethroned by Henry Maske in Germany. Against Toney, Williams was the aggressor early on, pushing the defending champion to the ropes. Always comfortable in the pocket, Toney tucked up and looked to counter, remaining calm in the heat of battle. The two fought much of the contest on the inside, with Williams looking to grapple and rough Toney up. The challenger was ahead on all three scorecards after five rounds. Toney lost a point in Round 8 for hitting after the bell and was dealing with considerable swelling around
his left eye, but he drew upon his formidable array of skills and upped his activity to seize control of the fight in the later stages. Williams wasn’t going to go lightly and came out for the 11th round with renewed purpose. The two fought at a frenetic pace, but the surging Toney landed 90 punches to Williams’ 59 in the penultimate round. Toney then sealed Williams’ fate in true “Lights Out” fashion, snapping the challenger’s head back with jabs while moving to his left to set up a perfectly timed right hand that almost bent Williams in half before he toppled heavily onto his back. Williams tried to get up but was counted out on his hands and knees by Joe Cortez with just 15 seconds remaining. Larry Merchant, who was on the HBO broadcast, said of Toney: “We’re watching a great fighter. This guy took the other guy’s best – his strength, his experience – a bigger man. He stuck in there with him and then when the time came, he finished him.
affair. Both showed signs of battle – Moore sporting a damaged left eye and bleeding from the nose and mouth while Valdes’ left eye was swollen shut – but Moore came on strong in the championship rounds to claim the victory. Former heavyweight champion Jim Braddock refereed the contest and was the sole judge, scoring in Moore’s favor, eight rounds to five and two rounds even. Valdes fought on for another four years but was never able to secure a heavyweight title shot. Meanwhile, Moore was able to face Marciano in September 1955 but was knocked out in nine rounds. He never quite made it as a heavyweight, losing in a second title attempt to Floyd Patterson (KO 5). However, Moore made nine world title defenses at light heavyweight, where he is widely regarded as one of the best in the division’s deep history.
seen a different side of life in Germany, he defected. He called his mother and said, “You’ll see me again when I’m champion of the world.” Since teaming up with Eye of The Tiger Management, Iglesias has been on something of a tear, stopping former world title challenger Marcelo Coceres in one round, then stunningly repeating the trick by scoring one of the most chilling knockouts of 2024 against Evgeny Shvedenko. Next was Sena Agbeko, who lasted into the second round, and then Petro Ivanov, who lost his unbeaten record in five. Iglesias’ vision is to become undisputed super middleweight champion. Fight by fight, he’s getting closer to that dream. A promise is a promise, after all.
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