The Scene: Grimy Boston Garden, Monday night January 22.
The Event: 40 rounds of live local boxing followed by the closed circuit T.V. showing of the Frazier Foreman fight from Jamaica.
"Aw jeese wadja think of that last decision, huh?"
"Yeah, I know it. They felt sorry for Boston after that clown from Waltham got whupped by that crazy colored guy from Brooklyn in the last match. Boston's gotta win somethin' tonight, ya know it?"
"FIX! BUM CALL! GET THAT SLOB OUTA HERE!!"
As the jeering died down, and Cliff McDonald of South Boston was ushered out under bombardment from irate boxing fans after winning a tainted ten round decision over Ned Edwards of Long Island, the closed circuit T.V. screens were lowered for the feature bout.
"Who do ya like in this one, huh?"
"I've gotta like Frazier, ya know it. He can take alotta crap and jeese, he can really dish out more than he gets, ya know. Aw yeah, I'll go with Smokin Joe any day."
"Yeah, but that Foreman guy has a punch like a Bobby Orr slapper. He can really pack one in there! I don't know, if he gets one right on, it's all over!"
The lights dimmed, the inaudible speaker system came on and the crowd roared as Smokin Joe flashed onto the screen, doing a little light footwork and some shadow boxing.
"That's my man. So long George! Jeese, Joe's gonna punish you!"
The camera then flashed to Foreman looking big and mean as he got himself psyched for the big fight. The fans went wild, they seemed to sense an upset, and although most of them had their money riding on Frazier, they were looking for something big from the corny kid from Texas who had waved an American Flag after winning the Olympic Gold Medal.
"Look out Smokin Joe, George's gonna put out your fire tonight!"
Foreman, at 6-3 and 217 pounds, seemed to dwarf Frazier not just in size but in strength as well. Joe charged right in as the fight got under way and scored with a couple of jabs and a hook. But that was about all he would get in, as Foreman unleashed his big guns. The Garden crowd went berserk.
The second round began and it was more of the same for Smokin' Joe. Foreman continued to lace into him with some solid punches and Joe was decked another three times. The Garden fans were again on their feet. The ref finally stopped the fight and the place went wild.
The roar eventually died down except for brief bursts during the replays and when Howard Cosell, trying to reach Foreman, was shown being pushed away by a helmeted Jamaican policeman. As the post-fight hoopla ended and the picture faded from the screen, the lights came on, the fans began to file out. John Kiley started up on the organ and Boston Garden changed back from the scene of a glamorous prize fight into its old grimy self.
"Aw jeese, it was a helluva fight, ya know it."
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