Tiger Flowers vs Joey Giardello is a close fight that will go the distance. Joey had a good chin but he was not a good puncher. Tiger "The Georgian Deacon" Flowers is a southpaw with great speed will give Joey a hard time. If Tiger can beat Harry Greb for the title, i believe he can decision Joey Giardello as well. Tiger by unanimous decision.
The Man of Steel vs The Hawaiian Swede. Bobo Olson was a good puncher. Tony Zale is as tough as they come but he can be hit. This will be a war with Bobo land the hard punch hurting Tony early in the fight like the Zale vs Graziano 1st fight with Zale weather the storm and come back and TKO Olson later in the fight. Tony Zale by 10th round TKO.
The Tacoma Assassin vs Giovanni "Nino" Benvenutti Both of these guys were good boxers. The difference here is the punching power. Freddie Steele was a hard hitter. That combine with the fact that Nino start out as a welterweight. I don't think he can take Freddie Steele punching power for 15 rounds. Steele by 12th round KO.
The Illinois Thunderbolt vs The Leamington Licker. This is a pick them fight. Billy Papke has win over Stanley Ketchel and Randy Turpin has a decision win over Sugar Ray Robinson. I don't like either one of these guys. Turpin committed suicide but he also tried to shoot his daughter before that and Papke also committed suicide after shot and killed his wife. Any men who shot women and children are coward to me. So it is hard for me to pick a winner here since both are losers. But if I have to pick one then I pick Billy Papke by split decision since I like his nickname better.
Now the semifinal.
This will be an unpopular pick but I believe that his southpaw stand and his speed will allow The Georgian Deacon to outpoint the Man Of Steel. Tony Zale can punch and he was as tough as nail but he was easy hit and he was a slow starter. When I watched the Zale vs Graziano trilogy, I notice that Tony can take a punch but Rocky hit him often and Rocky always win the early rounds. Tony was easy hit and because he was old, it alway took a few rounds for him to get going. Tiger was fast and he was a fast starter. Tiger will win the first half of the fight on points, Tony will try to catch up in the second half of the fight but Tiger was too smart to engage and continue to use his speed to box and win a majority decision.
Freddie Steele prepared well for this fight. He watched all 4 fights of Billy Papke vs Stanley Ketchel. The only fight Billy won was the second fight where he cheat by punching Stanley in the face while they touch gloves. He won't make the same mistake. The Tacoma Assassin batter the Illinois Thunderbolt and beat him up so much that his wife won't reconize him.Freddie Steele by 14th round TKO.
The Final.
Freddie Steele throw hard body shots to slow down The Georgian Deacon and win by unanimous decision with a knock down along the way. The Tacoma Assassin is the middleweight champion.
I used to live in Bremerton, WA near Tacoma so it is a bit objective here.
Flowers vs Giardello: Flowers might have a slight edge in strength. That's debatable. What's a bit less debatable is that he would fail to get Giardello out of there. Giardello would come from behind on points to the final bell, winning the last few rounds.........and the bout.
Giardello W15
Zale vs Olson: This might be the easiest bout to call. Zale is simply too tough for Olson who has nothing to offer The Man of Steel or to stop him from doing what he does.
Zale by TKO in 11
Group B
Steele vs Benvenuti: This fight would go in three stages. Stage 1, Nino would outbox Steele in the beginning. Steele would grind out the middle rounds. Nino would box carefully towards the end leaving many to wonder if he really deserved the close decision.
Benvenuti W 15 Split
Turpin vs Papke: Papke had a series of notable scraps with Stanley Ketchel. However, Turpin is a classic boxer, the worst thing Papke can hope to face. He just didn't have that problem in his era of grabbing and clinching. Turpin takes this one easily.
Turpin W 15
Semi Finals
Giardello vs Zale: This is a barn burner. Everything Giardello can do, Zale has an answer for it. Joey's bravery is his undoing. It's a War!
Zale by TKO in 14
Benvenuti vs Turpin: Again, a close one and again a razor thin decision in favor of Benvenuti. Turpin bores in the later rounds but Benvenuti is able to ward him off using his boxing ability. Turpin comes close to scoring a knockdown but Nino escapes...Again, the crowd wonders if the decision is fair.
Benvenuti W15
Zale vs Benvenuti: Zale vs Turpin would be more exciting as Benvenuti boxes carefully. However, Zale does not allow Nino much room to box. He plants his head in Nino's chest, who lacks the foot work to keep Zale away from him. This one isn't so close as Nino's luck runs out.
Zale W15
Champion: Tony Zale
Flowers vs Giardello: Flowers won two disputed decisions over an ageing Harry Greb but was knocked out a fair few times, including to an almost blind Sam Langford. Giardello was a solid champion and gets underrated I say he takes a decision from Flowers.
Zale vs Olsen: I would pick the man of steele to KO Olsen before the halfway stage. Zale was a top class fighter who lost his best years to the War.
Steele vs Benvenuti: Pick em. I would edge toward Steele who only lost five of over 100 fights and is underrated. Steele by decison.
Turpin vs Papke: The strong Papke would be too crude to outpoint Turpin so barring a haymaker I say Turpin takes a decision.
Zale vs Turpin: I would pick Zale by decision.
Benvenuti vs Giardello: Giardello by decision.
Zale vs Giardello: I would pick Zale to outpoint Giardello in a gruelling contest and win the championship.
flowers over giardello. ud.
zale over olson. ud.
benvenuti over steele. ud.
turpin over papke. sd.
flowers over benvenuti. sd.
zale over turpin. ko 12.
flowers over zale. sd.
Group A
Tiger Flowers vs Joey Giardello
Tony Zale vs Bobo Olson
Group B
Freddie Steele vs Nino Benenuti
Randy Turpin vs Billy Papke
All fights are 15 rounds. Group A winners Group B winners for Championship.
