During my nightly 8-hour study of old fight footage I came across something I found pretty interesting.
There's obviously been non-stop discussion of the BMF title.. the meaning, the origin, the implications, the impact on the sport, etc. There's been discussion about "who are the true BMFs?", "who is the original BMF?", "who is the BMF in boxing?", etc.
One thing I haven't heard anyone mention is that boxing actually had a "BMF Title fight". Can you guess what it was?
Ward-Gatti 2 was for the Never Quit, Never Surrender, Blood and Guts Championship of the World. Or NQNSBG Title.
The first fight was regarded as one of the most anticipated fights ever to not have any "sanctioning-organization titles involved", as Jim Lampley put it before the fight. Which was an HBO Boxing After Dark main event. At which time Larry Merchant probably dropped his best(only) memorable quote: "To Gatti and Ward, the only title that means anything is 'Warrior'."
In the second fight Michael "The Better" Buffer announced the fight as The Never Quit, Never Surrender, Blood and Guts Championship of the World AND announced Mickey Ward as the Never Quit, Never Surrender, Blood and Guts Champion.
So he acquired this interim title in their first fight, and defended in the rematch. Just a little history.
Other notes:
-There was no official belt like the BMF. But the winner was actually guaranteed the shot at Kostya Tszyu(reigning light-welterweight champion) if they wanted it.
-We do the thread about "Best entrances in combat sports history" every couple months. I never see Gatti mentioned, specifically in Ward 2. His entrance was incredible. Hard to think of a fighter with a better entrance song than Thunder Gatti coming out to Thunderstruck. The hype of what was coming, the glory of the first fight, the lyrics, Gatti's demeanor, being back in his hometown after going to war in Lowell, Mass... maybe the best entrance of all time, imo.
-This Youtube upload put the entrances and announcements in an old school black and white look. Pretty cool.
I remember that, it was the most one sided beating I ever seen. Gatti couldn't touch floyd or defend himself. Never seen so many high numbered punch combinations ever
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