Boxing

[rowan]

From the Trivia thread: Should be a cinch for you guys

Name a New Zealander who played against the Springboks and also fought for the heavyweight boxing championship of the world, and a South African who played a Currie Cup final and fought an elimination bout for the heavyweight boxing championship of the world...

[Lizard]

Kevin Skinner was the NZ heavyweight champ before sorting out both Boks props in '56, but I don't think he ever fought internationally.

[rowan]

No, well before Skinner - and that's a massive clue. Skinner was brought in as the "enforcer" in 56 as the All Blacks battled to their first EVER series win over the Boks.

[Lizard]

Ah. I've just read your question properly. I was only thinking about All Blacks. Did Tom Heeney play provincial rugby?

[rowan]

Correct answer! It was Heeney. Despite being only 5'10 (1.8m) he played lock for Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay against the 1921 Boks tourists, then 7 years later went 11 rounds with Gene Tunney for the world heavyweight title before losing on a TKO. Known as the 'Hard Rock from Down Under, he also fought a draw with future world champ Jack Sharkey and lost twice on points to another future world champ, Max Baer (James Braddock's nemesis in the Cindarella Man).

How about the South African?

[rowan]

Correct answer! It was Heeney. Despite being only 5'10 (1.8m) he played lock for Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay against the 1921 Boks tourists, then 7 years later went 11 rounds with Gene Tunney for the world heavyweight title before losing on a TKO. Known as the 'Hard Rock from Down Under, he also fought a draw with future world champ Jack Sharkey and lost twice on points to another future world champ, Max Baer (James Braddock's nemesis in the Cindarella Man).

How about the South African?

Do we actually have any Saffas on board? I'm sure most South Africans of reasonable vintage would be able to answer the other half of the question without difficulty. I actually remember this guy - though I was just a kid at the time and never saw any of his fights (just read about them). & that's a big clue.

I'd like to see someone compile a list of resident nationalities, because I'm pretty sure this forum is mostly Brits with significant Irish & Kiwi minorities - and almost no Saffas or Ausssies. Members from non-English speaking nations such as France, Italy, Argentina and Georgia also appear scarce, though other forums have them.

[Numbers]

Correct answer! It was Heeney. Despite being only 5'10 (1.8m) he played lock for Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay against the 1921 Boks tourists, then 7 years later went 11 rounds with Gene Tunney for the world heavyweight title before losing on a TKO. Known as the 'Hard Rock from Down Under, he also fought a draw with future world champ Jack Sharkey and lost twice on points to another future world champ, Max Baer (James Braddock's nemesis in the Cindarella Man).

How about the South African?

Do we actually have any Saffas on board? I'm sure most South Africans of reasonable vintage would be able to answer the other half of the question without difficulty. I actually remember this guy - though I was just a kid at the time and never saw any of his fights (just read about them). & that's a big clue.

I'd like to see someone compile a list of resident nationalities, because I'm pretty sure this forum is mostly Brits with significant Irish & Kiwi minorities - and almost no Saffas or Ausssies. Members from non-English speaking nations such as France, Italy, Argentina and Georgia also appear scarce, though other forums have them.

Let's stick to the boxing Rowan, you can start a trivia thread if you like....

[Numbers]

So I watched the Canelo v Chavez Jr fight on the weekend, a complete shutout for Canelo, Cahvez Jr wasn't at the races and didn't even seem to be trying, tho I think that may have been due to Canelo's counterpunching expertise.

[rowan]

Correct answer! It was Heeney. Despite being only 5'10 (1.8m) he played lock for Hawkes Bay-Poverty Bay against the 1921 Boks tourists, then 7 years later went 11 rounds with Gene Tunney for the world heavyweight title before losing on a TKO. Known as the 'Hard Rock from Down Under, he also fought a draw with future world champ Jack Sharkey and lost twice on points to another future world champ, Max Baer (James Braddock's nemesis in the Cindarella Man).

How about the South African?

Do we actually have any Saffas on board? I'm sure most South Africans of reasonable vintage would be able to answer the other half of the question without difficulty. I actually remember this guy - though I was just a kid at the time and never saw any of his fights (just read about them). & that's a big clue.

I'd like to see someone compile a list of resident nationalities, because I'm pretty sure this forum is mostly Brits with significant Irish & Kiwi minorities - and almost no Saffas or Ausssies. Members from non-English speaking nations such as France, Italy, Argentina and Georgia also appear scarce, though other forums have them.

Let's stick to the boxing Rowan, you can start a trivia thread if you like....

It is boxing, Numbers. The athletes I refer to were both known primarily for boxing and much less so for their exploits on the rugby field. In fact, I can hardly think of a couple of trivia questions more relevant to a boxing thread on a rugby forum than these. So I'm a little mystified as to where you're coming from on this - unless, of course, you're just covering your embarrassment at not being able to answer them

[Numbers]

Do we actually have any Saffas on board? I'm sure most South Africans of reasonable vintage would be able to answer the other half of the question without difficulty. I actually remember this guy - though I was just a kid at the time and never saw any of his fights (just read about them). & that's a big clue.

I'd like to see someone compile a list of resident nationalities, because I'm pretty sure this forum is mostly Brits with significant Irish & Kiwi minorities - and almost no Saffas or Ausssies. Members from non-English speaking nations such as France, Italy, Argentina and Georgia also appear scarce, though other forums have them.

Let's stick to the boxing Rowan, you can start a trivia thread if you like....

It is boxing, Numbers. The athletes I refer to were both known primarily for boxing and much less so for their exploits on the rugby field. In fact, I can hardly think of a couple of trivia questions more relevant to a boxing thread on a rugby forum than these. So I'm a little mystified as to where you're coming from on this - unless, of course, you're just covering your embarrassment at not being able to answer them

You're talking about the denominations of the people who post on the board, that isn't either boxing or rugby, your rugby based boxing question is ok but don't derail the thread with nonsense please.

[rowan]

Oh, well that was just an aside. I wasn't aware the rules were so strict over here. Please accept my grovelling apologies.

Meanwhile, we're still looking for a South African who played in a Currie Cup final and also fought an elimination bout for the world heavyweight boxing title . . .

[bruce]

Oh, well that was just an aside. I wasn't aware the rules were so strict over here. Please accept my grovelling apologies.

Meanwhile, we're still looking for a South African who played in a Currie Cup final and also fought an elimination bout for the world heavyweight boxing title . . .

Rowan, you've got another Trivia thread with same questions. As no one has responded on the other thread I'm guessing they either don't know it was Kallie Knoetze or have little to no interest.

[rowan]

Oh, well that was just an aside. I wasn't aware the rules were so strict over here. Please accept my grovelling apologies.

Meanwhile, we're still looking for a South African who played in a Currie Cup final and also fought an elimination bout for the world heavyweight boxing title . . .

Rowan, you've got another Trivia thread with same questions. As no one has responded on the other thread I'm guessing they either don't know it was Kallie Knoetze or have little to no interest.

Very good, Bruce, despite the inaccurate and slightly juvenile tone of your aside, Knoetze is the right answer. He played flanker for the winning Northern Transvaal team in the Currie Cup final in 1974, but was better known for his boxing exploits, which included a number 3 world heavyweight ranking at one time, and what basically amounted to a semi-final elimination bout against John Tate, who stopped him in the 8th in 1979 (I think this was after Ali retired and left the title vacant). Knoetze had a long-running battle with fellow South African Gerrie Coetzee, who briefly held the WBC title in the 1980s and thus technically became the only white heavyweight champ between Johannson and Klitschko.

[Numbers]

Josh Warrington is fighting Kiko Martinez on the weekend in a hope that it'll set him up for a go at Lee Selby, it'll be interesting to see how Warrington deals with Martinez.

Joseph Parker fought on the weekend and failed to stop a Romanian who took the fight at two weeks notice, he doesn't look like he's going to go much further in the division.

Gervonta Davies fights against Liam Walsh the following weekend, Davies looks like he could become a superstar from the albeit limited footage I've seen of him.

[paddy no 11]

Watched 2 minutes of the parker fight it was shocking bad, unwatchable

[Big D]

Josh Warrington is fighting Kiko Martinez on the weekend in a hope that it'll set him up for a go at Lee Selby, it'll be interesting to see how Warrington deals with Martinez.

Joseph Parker fought on the weekend and failed to stop a Romanian who took the fight at two weeks notice, he doesn't look like he's going to go much further in the division.

Gervonta Davies fights against Liam Walsh the following weekend, Davies looks like he could become a superstar from the albeit limited footage I've seen of him.

Whyte and Bellew are desperate to get to Parker 1st. I think either has a chance but Parker would still be favourite.

[Numbers]

Josh Warrington is fighting Kiko Martinez on the weekend in a hope that it'll set him up for a go at Lee Selby, it'll be interesting to see how Warrington deals with Martinez.

Joseph Parker fought on the weekend and failed to stop a Romanian who took the fight at two weeks notice, he doesn't look like he's going to go much further in the division.

Gervonta Davies fights against Liam Walsh the following weekend, Davies looks like he could become a superstar from the albeit limited footage I've seen of him.

Whyte and Bellew are desperate to get to Parker 1st. I think either has a chance but Parker would still be favourite.

I agree either of those two could give him a run for his money.

Have you seen Davies fight yet?

[Big D]

Do we actually have any Saffas on board? I'm sure most South Africans of reasonable vintage would be able to answer the other half of the question without difficulty. I actually remember this guy - though I was just a kid at the time and never saw any of his fights (just read about them). & that's a big clue.

I'd like to see someone compile a list of resident nationalities, because I'm pretty sure this forum is mostly Brits with significant Irish & Kiwi minorities - and almost no Saffas or Ausssies. Members from non-English speaking nations such as France, Italy, Argentina and Georgia also appear scarce, though other forums have them.

To answer your question quickly so we don't side track the thread. There used to be a decent number of English speaking nationalities with a few French and Italian posters, then there was a phase where the board jumped over a few different platforms and website changes and interest dropped across the board during this time. This forum seems to be kept active by a relatively small amount of people and through UKHamlets goodwill (I guess). There is no real advertising so unless one stumbles across it or is told about it you may never find the site.

[Big D]

Josh Warrington is fighting Kiko Martinez on the weekend in a hope that it'll set him up for a go at Lee Selby, it'll be interesting to see how Warrington deals with Martinez.

Joseph Parker fought on the weekend and failed to stop a Romanian who took the fight at two weeks notice, he doesn't look like he's going to go much further in the division.

Gervonta Davies fights against Liam Walsh the following weekend, Davies looks like he could become a superstar from the albeit limited footage I've seen of him.

Whyte and Bellew are desperate to get to Parker 1st. I think either has a chance but Parker would still be favourite.

I agree either of those two could give him a run for his money.

Have you seen Davies fight yet?

Not yet. I hopefully will soon.

[rowan]

Thanks for the low-down. This forum has a very different feel to it than most of the others I've visited, which all seem to be patrolled by the same extended crowd of self-important idiots.

Meanwhile, here's an easy one: Which is the only continent (aside from Antarctica) never to have held any of the recognized world heavyweight boxing titles?

[Big D]

Thanks for the low-down. This forum has a very different feel to it than most of the others I've visited, which all seem to be patrolled by the same extended crowd of self-important idiots.

Meanwhile, here's an easy one: Which is the only continent (aside from Antarctica) never to have held any of the recognized world heavyweight boxing titles?

We are like one extended dysfunctional family.

I can think of several North American and European champions, there's been a couple of Saffer champs (Sanders being one), Chagaev has been a "regular" champion so covers Asia, Browne and Parker for that part of the world.

I would suggest South America, I can think of a Jamaican champion but none further south in the Americas.

[rowan]

Thanks for the low-down. This forum has a very different feel to it than most of the others I've visited, which all seem to be patrolled by the same extended crowd of self-important idiots.

Meanwhile, here's an easy one: Which is the only continent (aside from Antarctica) never to have held any of the recognized world heavyweight boxing titles?

We are like one extended dysfunctional family.

I can think of several North American and European champions, there's been a couple of Saffer champs (Sanders being one), Chagaev has been a "regular" champion so covers Asia, Browne and Parker for that part of the world.

I would suggest South America, I can think of a Jamaican champion but none further south in the Americas.

Correct. If we talk about recognized geographical regions in sporting terms, Jamaica falls into North America, where the vast majority of the champs have come from, of course, and Uzbekistan falls into Asia, leaving South America as the only continent never to have held any of the recognized belts, in spite of their successes in some of the lighter weight divisions. I seem to recall there was an Argentine challenger at one stage but could find no record of that on Wiki so it might have been another weight division too.

[rowan]

I seem to recall there was an Argentine challenger at one stage

I associated that memory with Ali, and in fact the great man defeated three Argentineans during his pro career, but none of them in title fights. Two were prior to his first title, and one - a 15th round TKO over Oscar Bonavera in 1970 - was on the comeback trail after suspension. He did meet one South American in a title fight, however - Uruguay's Alfredo Evangelista, winning on a UD in 77. Given I had started to take an interest in boxing by then (insomuch as Ali's fights were often on TV), that may be the one that triggered the memory.

[Numbers]

I seem to recall there was an Argentine challenger at one stage

I associated that memory with Ali, and in fact the great man defeated three Argentineans during his pro career, but none of them in title fights. Two were prior to his first title, and one - a 15th round TKO over Oscar Bonavera in 1970 - was on the comeback trail after suspension. He did meet one South American in a title fight, however - Uruguay's Alfredo Evangelista, winning on a UD in 77. Given I had started to take an interest in boxing by then (insomuch as Ali's fights were often on TV), that may be the one that triggered the memory.

What are your thoughts on the current situation in the heavyweight division Rowan?

[rowan]

I seem to recall there was an Argentine challenger at one stage

I associated that memory with Ali, and in fact the great man defeated three Argentineans during his pro career, but none of them in title fights. Two were prior to his first title, and one - a 15th round TKO over Oscar Bonavera in 1970 - was on the comeback trail after suspension. He did meet one South American in a title fight, however - Uruguay's Alfredo Evangelista, winning on a UD in 77. Given I had started to take an interest in boxing by then (insomuch as Ali's fights were often on TV), that may be the one that triggered the memory.

What are your thoughts on the current situation in the heavyweight division Rowan?

Don't rate most of them. Tyson was the last decent champion, but Ali would've danced around the guy for 12 rounds and won a decision.