Joey Giardello vs Carl "Bobo" Olson

[Raging B(_)LL]

Joey G was next in line for a shot at Bobo Olson`s middleweight title until he blew his chance by assaulting a gas station attendant and getting sent away for a year as a result. But what if the fight had taken place? Who do you think would have won and why?

Joey was the better mover and boxer from long-range by far, but Bobo was the better in-fighter by a considerable margin and he knew how to get inside on slicksters to get his own work done in close. Both men were also very strong physically and used their strenght to good effect in clinches, but Bobo was very strong moreso than Joey even and he would have tried to use that strenght to wear and slow him down the stretch

I think Joey`s legs would have seen him one step ahead of Bobo in the early going and would have allowed him to jump to an early lead behind his jab and some occasiaonl right hands down the middle to stun Bobo, but as the fight progresses into the second half I think Bobo`s pressure and roughhousing tactics in close would start to slow Joey down and make him more stationary thus allowing him to get back in the fight.

But I don`t think that it would have been enough to overcome Joey`s early lead and knowing how badly Joey wanted that title he would have fought back furiously even if he was tired and Bobo was coming on. I see Joey surviving some hairy moments in the last 5-6 rounds but doing just enough during those rounds to secure a close but clear decision victory.

Any thoughts?

[Sweet Pea]

The footage I have seen of Olson was his win over Kid Gavilan, though by that time the Kid was a bit past his prime. Your description fits pretty well from what I remember. I don't think he'd have beaten an outboxer and a slickster like Giardello though, given his ability to box so well against those types of stylists. Tiger wasn't really a pressure fighter in that he wouldn't really cut off the ring, but if you got within range he would do you damage. Same with guys like Hank and Carter(though he was more of a boxer-puncher I thought). Would you say Bobo has a better style of working his way to his opponent that would give him a better chance than those guys?

[Raging B(_)LL]

[quote=Sweet Pea;1233]

Would you say Bobo has a better style of working his way to his opponent that would give him a better chance than those guys?

Yes I would. Carter as you say was indeed more of a boxer-puncher and was not the type of fighter to close the gap between him and his foe quickly with speedy footwork, neither was Hank for that matter. But Bobo on the other hand while not someone known or talked about for his footwork was actually very adept at closing the distance between himself and his opponent, and he was very good at cutting off the ring too with short side-steps if his opponent tried to outmaneuver him with lateral movement. Very underrated a fighter is ol` Bobo in my opinion, this guy was some fighter and very clever in the ring.

[teeto]

Giardello imo, i think the analysis' given already in this thread are very good, and Bobo would have good success close up, but i really like the jab of Giardello here, stiff and accurate, it may just do the extra bit of scoriing in a close one imo