Let's Talk about Frank "the Animal" Fletcher.
Charles Beauchamp
early 1980's. The former Rahway State Penitentiary inmate won the ESPN
Middleweight title in the early days of the cable networks fight broadcasts
to get his "big break."
On the way up the Middleweight rankings he took on tough customers Tony
Braxton, Sammy NeSmith and Caveman Lee acquitting himself quite well. He
also had a win over very rugged Norberto Sabater.
For those who never saw the Animal he was highly entertaining if you like
watching a car wreck. He posessed no particularly special skills. He
really did not make a serious attempt to avoid getting hit. He did not
posess spectacular punching power. He was not a blaze of footwork or
punching rate. He bled....and bled....a lot. By the quarts. What he did
posess was an almost inhuman willingness to get hit in order to get close to
his opponent and wing his combinations. He usually succeeded and the
results were a string of wild Saturday afternoon fights over a 2 years
period in which Fletcher beat Ernie Singletary, Tony Braxton, Clint Jackson
and James Green.
The fight with Clint "the Executioner" Jackson is one of the craziest
matches I have ever seen. Jackson was highly skilled with an extensive
amature background. He had very solid punching skills and had a passable
defense. For 12 crazy rounds Fletcher and Jackson took turns running off
multi punch combinations. Usually the rounds would start with Fletcher
pounding on Jackson until Jackson got sick of it and opened up. Both
fighters were hurt early and often yet it went the distance. The Animal
won.
Later he took on destroyer James "Hard Rock" Green. Green was another
former amature star. Again Fletcher took a pounding to try to outpunch and
outlast an opponent. He did manage to stop Green in what I thought of as a
surprise at the time.
Four months later the Animal's streak ended. He faced highly rated Wilford
Scypion (possibly the hardest hitter in the Middleweight division at that
time). The Animal once again did his thing moving forward to trade
punches...for a while. Scypion was too strong by the middle rounds and went
on to take the United States belt from the Animal.
Fletcher was never quite the same after that fight. Blowout losses to Juan
Roldan, John Mugabi and Curtis Parker sent him into retirement by 1986.
This guy was nuts. I remember the crowd chanting ANIMAL ANIMAL ANIMAL. I
recall his mom jumping around chanting with the fans. I remember him in
repeated interviews with eyes puffy and blood streaming after successive
wins. He was a draw like few others in those days.
Today fans are wowed when a guy like Arturo Gatti or Angel Manfredy turn
boxing matches into brawls. The Animal did that times a million. It wasn't
pretty. He was never anywhere near the pound for pound ratings but in the
Boxing hall of fame there should be a mention of the Animal. The All-Time
Middleweight Champion of guts.
v/r Beau
Alister Scott Ottesen
Stallone's "Tiger Eye Boxing" back in 1985. That was the last I saw of him.
Whatever happened to him by the way? And what happened to Curtis Parker.
Would be interesting to know what they are doing these days.
Alister
"Charles Beauchamp" <cebea...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:vDOdnbMHucj...@comcast.com...
Loki
If I remember correctly, the Scypion fight was an elimination match
with the winner getting a shot at Hagler. I do not remember who the
favorite was, but I was sure that Fletcher would win it.
Loki
Charles Beauchamp
"Loki" <cubby...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:qlmnbvo7hcrqe3jrc...@4ax.com...
I am wagging a memory here but I think they were the top two ranking
Middleweights according to Ring magazine. Scypion really came of age in
that fight.
v/r Beau