Best Swan Song's

This isn't that easy a topic to come up with names for as so many fighters don't know when to call it day.

I read that Lennox Lewis defeating Vitali Klistchko is a bit of a rarity. It seems it doesn't really happen that the defending champion in his last fight defeats the man who go on to dominate the division. Initially I thought there must be a good few more but its turns out there isn't many if any.

Bit of challenge that one but in the absence of any answers throw out any memorable swan songs.

Monzon bowed out pretty well. Re-unified his division with two wins over Valdes before retiring, and in the aftermath Valdes picked up the title left vacant by Monzon, albeit he didn't hold it for very long. Valdes was fading by that stage after the death of his brother and the wars with Monzon and Briscoe.

Sal Sanchez over Nelson.

Ernesto Marcel retired after outpointing Arguello and Monzon retired after the second Valdez fight.

Sanchez certainly called it a day..

The Rock.....Left on a high..

Tunney kind of but his last fight was a bit meaningless.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Sanchez certainly called it a day..

The Rock.....Left on a high..

Archie Moore was no bum alright.

Lewis beating Vitali is a rarity.

I think you're all forgetting the great undefeated terry marsh and of course no ordinary joe Calzaghe. 

milkyboy wrote:I think you're all forgetting the great undefeated terry marsh and of course no ordinary joe Calzaghe. 

When Joe went down in that first round to Jones did your heart beat a little faster? I think Chris' did.

Brian Mitchell went out on a cracking little fight against Tony Lopez in their rematch (if we can ignore his short, non-descript comeback which added nothing to his career, that is). Very good performance and redemption for that controversial draw he had to make do with when they first boxed.

The fact that he was always pretty happy to leave Zoomy well alone throughout his reign means it's not quite in the same class as the guys above though, in terms of going out right at the very top.

Strongback wrote:

milkyboy wrote:I think you're all forgetting the great undefeated terry marsh and of course no ordinary joe Calzaghe. 

When Joe went down in that first round to Jones did your heart beat a little faster?   I think Chris' did.

I didn't watch it strongy. Joke fight.

Sounds macabre....But Johnny Owen an unheralded Euro champ from the Welsh Valleys giving the number 1 and great bantam Pintor a heroic battle before succumbing like those great Brit explorers Scott and Mallory and staying eternally young....

Not the swansong he wanted but a glorious way to go.....

I wouldn't call the European, British and Commonwealth champion a no name Truss but was to quote Haz a heroic showing and at the halfway stage he had a slender lead.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Sounds macabre....But Johnny Owen a no name from the Welsh Valleys giving the number 1 and great bantam Pintor a heroic battle before succumbing like those great Brit explorers Scott and Mallory and staying eternally young....

Not the swansong he wanted but a glorious way to go.....

Not sure about glorious - wasn't he showered in p iss as he was being stretchered out (while one of the men carrying his stretcher had his pocket picked)?

Glorious effort, though. McIlvanney wrote beautifully about it. Still chokes me up.

No name on a World scale Hammer


I didn't mean any disrespect to the kid..


Huge admiration for him and his classy family..

That might be so Truss but Johnny definitely deserves better than being referred to as such but not a massive gripe.

Well as long it's not a massive gripe..

Jimmy McLarnin retired on the back of successive wins against all-time greats in Ambers and Canzoneri.

He went out with a great record while still pretty young and with all his faculties intact, remained on good terms with the man who guided him Pop Foster (who left him everything when he went, as it goes), invested his ring earnings well so he could live comfortably without the cliché comeback and lived to the grand old age of 96 in good health on top of all that. Just about as successful as a career can get when you take everything in to account.

88Chris05 wrote:Jimmy McLarnin retired on the back of successive wins against all-time greats in Ambers and Canzoneri.

He went out with a great record while still pretty young and with all his faculties intact, remained on good terms with the man who guided him Pop Foster (who left him everything when he went, as it goes), invested his ring earnings well so he could live comfortably without the cliché comeback and lived to the grand old age of 96 in good health on top of all that. Just about as successful as a career can get when you take everything in to account.

A great boxer through hard work and talent....born in Ireland by the grace of God.

but being born in a stable etc.... eh strongy?

Besides he couldn't change his nationality quick enough when he left

Good pick from Chris though, will take some beating.

milkyboy wrote:but being born in a stable etc.... eh strongy?

Besides he couldn't change his nationality quick enough when he left

Good pick from Chris though, will take some beating.

He changed his nationality from Canadian to fight in America and make money. He always linked himself to Ireland like a lot of Jewish fighters did too, good for business. The Canadians have the main claim on McLarin.

Wee Jimmy was born on an island that offered him opportunities to make money he wouldn't have had coming out of other countries. He was a planter though.

He didn't win of course but Jim Watt had a great final bout against Alexis Arguello. A gruelling 15 rounder where he fought hard and gave a good account of himself. Retired with all his marbles intact allegedly and went on to a stellar commentating career with his now popular catchphrase "arrrrummm punches!'

Louis in his first retirement bout beat Walcott who went on to win the title.