Festive boxing trivia quiz.

First topic message reminder :

Let's see if we can revive this old chestnut while we're still enjoying the festive season and, presumably, in light hearted mood. You know the score ; somebody asks a question and the person who provides the correct answer asks the next question, and so on.

I'll get the ball rolling with a fairly easy one :

One of the most controversial title fights in heavyweight history is linked to a true legend of boxing ( not a heavyweight, ) by a major US city and a relative who is not yet famous but will become famous immediately after the fight in question.

Who are the relatives, which is the city and which is the title fight?

Your q Windy. Am impressed Ghosty. You've corrected me on a fixed wrong fact in my head.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:It is indeed Fitzsimmons, the contentious issue is also Dixon often wrongly being regarded as the man.

Well, it took me long enough to get there so I don't feel much as though I answered correctly.

Will be more than happy for you to set another one if it's okay by everybody else.

Fine by me. Will see if I can do better this time.

Thing is Oxy if we allow for Dixons bantamweight title we can end up in an even trickier situation that is Daniel Mendoza.

My lineage could well be wrong but believe the gloved title started with a fight between Moran and Kelly in 1889 with it going through Plimmer, Pedlar, Mcgovern and a few others before Dixons more legitimate claim in something like 1903.

Which former world champion lost more title fights than any other?

World title?

World title fights yes.

Its not Duran is it? 9 title losses?

Not the answer i've got Oxy, did Duran really lose that many world title fights?

Leonard*2, Hearns, Hagler, Benitez and Joppy are the only ones I can think of.

I'm being Flexible and counting Camacho and Vinnie Paz (x2) - both for the IBC I believe.

OK - it was tenuous - but they are still "world" titles, if not recognised world titles...

Am I looking for more or less than 9?

9 I believe.

I know its wrong then - but Sugar Ray Robinson lost 7 title fights.

Just thought it was worth mentioning.

As many as that?

Turpin, Basilio, Fullmer*2, Maxim and that whats his name twice as well?

Pender as well. Might have miscounted. Twas a lot in any case.

That's the one, I make it 7 as well, always forget about Pender.

Holyfield?

Nope.

Thought that was a big hopeful.

He has lost 8 I think - Bowe (2), Moorer, Byrd, Lewis, Ruiz, Ibragimov, Valuev

I'll go away and think some more. Is this obvious or obscure?

Johnny Ruiz? He's 8/9 - depending on whether you count the IBO?

Very obvious, one of the Bowe fights was a non title affair I believe.

Final guess - Glen Johnson?

Is it not Fritzie Zivic, am sure he lost a fair number.

Both are no's

I'll give you a very straight forward clue, he lost to a man named Beryl.

Tony Canzoneri.

Not sure whether Glen Johnson may have tied the title, however.

Johnson has Bute, Froch, Cloud, Dawson (2), Woods, Tarver, Ottke, Hopkins - which is 9 and if you count the WBU - Branco, 10.

Canzoneri has Ambers (2), Ross (2), Jadick (2), Mandell, Routis and Taylor for the NBA title - 9 (I always forget Taylor).

Given the propensity for modern titleists to "prove" their championship worth over fading names - I wouldn't put it past Johnson to be the most defeated man in history with one more loss (assuming I'm right with Canzoneri, of course)

I make it 8 for Johnson, there's too much confusion over who the lineal champion at 175lbs was for me to include the Tarver loss but you are correct with Canzoneri.

I'd give you another question - as you had to practically give the answer away at the end...

What did David Tua do twice that Mike Tyson did once?

cuddled in a bad way Desiree Washington

Swear filter win.

I think I know the answer Oxy but will give someone else a chance to answer.

John Bloody Wayne wrote:Swear filter win.

Swear filter win, question fail

Although I suspect you knew that

Its 30 second knockouts isn't it oxy?

See - I don't come up with nearly as tough questions as you. Kimbo Slice is in on the action now as well.

On a different note - the fastest KO in history (according to boxrec) is allegedly Russell Rees' 4-10 second stoppage of Des Sowden.

Guinness' world records, however - have it as one in a Golden Gloves tournament at Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on 4 Nov 1947, when Mike Collins floored Pat Brownson with the first punch and the contest was stopped, without a count, 4 seconds after the bell.

However - that's amateur boxing - but they haven't separated the 2.

Which brings the next question - what the hell happened to Russell Rees? He never fought again after that stoppage - and I can't find any record of him either...

Only easy if you know the answer

Not got a clue, looks like he retired, Sowden fight 6 years after his previous one looks strange though.

Not my turn, but just to get the momentum going again :

Who was the first fighter to be recognised by the National Sporting Club of London as lightheavyweight champion of the world?

Interesting question, Windy. Not sure where to begin!

Jack Root would seem the obvious answer, but there were a lot of back and forth arguments over what the weight limit should be in the division's early years. I'll take a guess and go with Jack Dillon.

Nice one, Chris, but incorrect, I'm afraid.

Hhhhhmmmm.....Carpentier, perhaps? I believe his fight with Lewis was the first time a Light-Heavyweight title bout was staged in Britain?

Lonsdale belt right Windy?

Afraid not, Chris.

It's a swine of a trick question, so I'll provide a little clue. He was a close friend of the reigning heavyweight champion, whom he challenged for the title.

Imperial Ghosty wrote:Lonsdale belt right Windy?

World title, Ghosty.

Tommy Burns? I believe his first Heavyweight title defence against O'Brien was under the stipulation that O'Brien's 175 lb title was on the line, too? Confusing, this one, particularly as they drew!

Jack O'brien

Daft is the word for me. Mis-read Windy's clue as a friend of the reigning Light-Heavyweight champion, rather than Heavyweight which is what Windy put - hence my totally nonsensical answer.

Sorry, Chris, not Burns.

Since it is a trick question, I'll provide another clue. He was managed by a gambler and racketeer of the 1930s who became very important to baseball's Negro Leagues as a commissioner.

Not O'Brien, Ghosty.

You'll probably want to kick me when you identify him but, as a consolation, this might make for a great trivia question in the future.

John Henry Lewis, bloody hell.

There you go, Ghosty.

The National Sporting Club had no lightheavyweight division right up till their dissolution in 1938. Neither did the BBBC, who succeeded them in handling British boxing sometime before the dissolution. They referred to the 175lb. division as the cruiserweight division until 1937, at which point they came into line with the Americans and renamed it lightheavyweight.

Very well done, Sir.

Very easy one

Only three men have ever simulataneously defended world titles in two or more weight classes, who are they?

Some sources have the Armstrong v Feldman fight as being for both the lightweight and welterweight titles, and Tony Canzoneri defended light and lightwelter titles against Barney Ross.

I'll take a stab at Ross, ( in the rematch, ) for the third.