ESPN Ringside Rivalries
by Espn
List Price:
Our Price: $23.50
You Save: $4.45 (16%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $21.95 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: BoxersDirector: Espn
Brand: Espn
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 263 minutes
Published: 2008-05-01
DVD Release Date: 2008-05-27
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: ESPN . com
DVD Reviews of ESPN Ringside Rivalries
DVD Review: the only classic ring rivalry missing here is Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed
Summary: 5 Stars
Glad to finally have this DVD, having enjoyed the show on ESPN Classic some years ago. Brian Kenny serves as moderator to a panel of boxing experts: analyst Al Bernstein, boxing legend Carmen Basilio, trainers Angelo Dundee and Bill Clancy, New York Times writer Dave Anderson, author Pete Hamill, and colorful, cigar-chomping raconteur Bert Sugar. These guys shoot the $#it about some of the Sweet Science's most memorable and historic rivalries. The chit chat runs around four and a half hours but spans decades in terms of material covered. Peppered with rare classic fight footage, documentary pieces, and interview clips, this DVD treats boxing fiends with a familiar cast of dramatis personæ. The rivalries are discussed in chronological order, with Bert Sugar regaling us with the best behind-the-scene anecdotes. Here are the gents touched on:
Jack Dempsey, the savage-punching Manassa Mauler, was prize fighting's first rock star, drawing extraordinary crowds back in the 1920s. Next to Dempsey, Gene Tunney paled in popularity in the people's eyes. Tunney was an accomplished boxer, but he just wasn't as exciting as Dempsey even though he took the heavyweight title from Dempsey in 1926. Nowadays, Tunney is associated more with the infamous long count incident in their 1927 rematch. Fifteen minutes of fame? More like fifteen seconds.
In terms of relevance on a world stage, what bout tops Joe Louis's rematch with Max Schmeling? Joe Louis engaged in two rivalries, the one with Max Schmeling being more significant socially, racially, politically. Their fisticuffs were regarded as a showdown between American democracy and the Nazi ideology. And much like Jesse Owens, Louis did Adolf wrong. Thing of it is, Max Schmeling was a reluctant player in this politically charged backdrop. All he wanted to be, really, was an honest fighter. He had nothing against Joe Louis or America. In two fights, Louis and Schmeling took turns knocking each other out. But Adolf probably felt the pain more keenly.
Billy Conn was a slick light-heavyweight champ who relinquished his title and moved up to heavy to scrap with Joe Louis. Weighing in at 174 pounds, Conn was outweighed by the 199-pound Joe Louis. Amazingly, Conn was actually on his way to winning the fight on sheer slickness when he got too cocky and got stretched by Louis in the 13th round. And so we get the rematch, in preparation of which Joe Louis was heard to originate that famous saying: "He can run but he can't hide." Truer words...
Then there's the brutal trilogy between Rocky Graziano and Tony Zale. The DVD presents their rock 'em, sock 'em third fight, in which you can see Rocky get seriously hurt a grip of times but still keep on trying. For more color on their first two fights, look up Paul Newman's very entertaining bio-flick SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME. Note that Paul Newman is more pleasant on the eyes than Rocky Graziano. But Rocky probably takes a better punch.
It's too bad that footage of featherweight master boxer Willie Pep is so rare. This guy is one of the best defensive fighters the universe had ever seen. That didn't keep him from getting knocked out by the hard-punching Sandy Sadler, which launched their rivalry, comprised of four fights and no end of dirty tactics and grudge holding. I wish the boxing panel had covered this one more. I liked hearing the story about how, in one fight, Willie Pep won a round without throwing a punch, that's how good he was defensively. I'd love to see him, Pernell Whitaker, and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. playing dodgeball.
Adamantium-jawed bully Jake LaMotta and Sugar Ray Robinson's epic sixth and final fight - a.k.a. the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" - is the only one of the six ever captured on film, and the DVD gives that to us. LaMotta won one of those six fights; it's just not this one. While Robinson is widely heralded as the world's best pound-for-pound boxer in history, LaMotta was immortalized in the movie RAGING BULL. Which one do you think Joe on the street recognizes more?
Ezzard Charles and savvy old Jersey Joe Walcott, two underrated pugilists, engaged in four fights, three of which went the full fifteen rounds. The panel discusses them, but not long enough for my taste.
Carmen Basilio sits in on the panel during his own segment as he talks about his rivalries with Tony DeMarco, Ray Robinson, and Gene Fullmer. This segment's highlights - other than having a living legend participating in the studio and telling it like it is - are the clips of the telling latter rounds of Basilio's first fight with Robinson.
Emile Griffith and Benny Paret skirmished three times in the ring, and these guys had no love for each other. Paret's taunts at Griffith's sexual orientation had to have gotten under Griffith's skin, and so, tragedy. In the twelfth round of their final fight, Griffith cornered Paret and took it to him. For the interested ghouls, the closing moments of round 12 is shown as Griffith connected 18 times in 6 seconds while Paret lay defenseless on the ropes. Paret lapsed into a coma and died ten days later, becoming a cautionary figure in boxing's history. Emile Griffith? He'd never be the same after that night.
Ali vs. Frazier is next, and their rivalry is so well-documented there's really nothing left to say.
Lastly, there's fleeting mention (but no fight clips) of the Evander Holyfield / Riddick Bowe trilogy, both of whom were undefeated when they first faced each other.
ESPN: RINGSIDE RIVALRIES has two discs and the following bonus material: the "Thrilla in Manila" and the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre," complete and uncut, and also Rocky Graziano briefly discusses the "St. Valentine's Day Massacre" and George Gainford (Ray Robinson's manager) promotes Robinson's then upcoming bout with Randy Turpin.
More ESPN Ringside Rivalries reviews:
1
1
Bestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Joe Louis - Joe Louis: America's Hero... BetrayedHBO Home Video; Release date: 2008-07-29; DVD
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops:
Boxing's Greatest Fightersby Bert Randolph Sugar
Lyons Press; Published: 2006-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.34
Price in other shops:
Champions Forever - The Latin LegendsImage Entertainment; Release date: 2000-04-04; Published: 2000-04-01; DVD
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops:
Muhammad Ali - The Greatest CollectionRelease date: 2001-10-30; DVD
Best price: $42.00
TysonSony; Release date: 2009-08-18; DVD
Best price: $6.00
Price in other shops:
45 Fantastic Fights of the CenturyRelease date: 2005-12-27; DVD
Best price: $11.99
Ringside - The Best of Mike TysonTeam Marketing; Release date: 2006-10-31; DVD
Best price: $27.99
Price in other shops:
Facing AliLGF; Release date: 2009-12-29; DVD
Best price: $5.21
Price in other shops:
45 Fantastic Fights Of The CenturyTango; Release date: 2006-05-04; DVD
Best price: $2.05
Price in other shops:
ESPN Classic Ringside: Top 10 HeavyweightsEspn; Release date: 2007-09-25; DVD
Best price: $11.89
Price in other shops: