I have been working on a project on boxing in the 90's. One fighter as I am doing research that keeps coming up time and time again as having been involved in tremendous fights is Kevin Kelley.
So this got to me looking at his career a little closer and comparing him to say some other modern day action fighters who have recently been inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY. Specifically those being Arturo Gatti and Ray Mancini. Both fighters whom I feel very strongly belong in the Hall.
As I watch more and more old fights of Kevin Kelley from that same general era, I have begun wandering why he is not in the Hall. And I can't find a good answer. He belongs in Canastota.
The rational is simple. Gatti and Mancini are both in due to the non-stop action fights they had during their respective careers. They were both champions and had their share of memorable wars that none of us will forget.
But Kelley was also a champion who fought a lot on television and was involved in so many classics. His skill level was above both Gatti's and Mancini's and he had more fights than either that were just all out knock down drag em out wars. When he fought, you never knew what would happen other than he would lay it all on the line and certainly entertain.
Kelley's fight for example with Troy Dorsey is one of the most grueling all out wars I have ever seen. But there are so many more and I hate to start to mention them because there are many I will leave out. Alejandro Gonzalez in a loss (both Gatti and Mancini had there share of memorable losses), the first Derrick Gainer fight, the Hamed fight, etc.
But one fight in particular I ran across that honestly I had forgotten about but upon reviewing showed the type of Hall of Fame fighter Kevin Kelley should be. And that was his fight following the loss to Gonzalez against Ricardo Rivera. This was a slugfest and war that in the beginning Kelley was losing. Kelley was dropped and hurt in the second and taking a pounding through the middle rounds while giving back enough to let Rivera know he was still there. In the 6th, Kelley was being battered by Rivera when he was out on his feet and issued a standing eight count. He looked down but somehow found a way to himself rally back later in the round. It was incredible. A couple more rounds of give and take action and then in the 9th Kelley dropped Rivera. Rivera tried to make it up but was out and the fight called.
This fight in my opinion exceeds any Ward-Gatti fight (fights that I absolutely love). It is incredible and just a remarkable will from Kelley to rally from behind. He was involved in all sorts of wars during his career and was a solid champion during his day. He belongs in the Hall and needs to be put in this coming year in my opinion.
Here is a video of the Rivera fight. If you have not seen it, I promise it is something all boxing fans should see.
So this got to me looking at his career a little closer and comparing him to say some other modern day action fighters who have recently been inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY. Specifically those being Arturo Gatti and Ray Mancini. Both fighters whom I feel very strongly belong in the Hall.
As I watch more and more old fights of Kevin Kelley from that same general era, I have begun wandering why he is not in the Hall. And I can't find a good answer. He belongs in Canastota.
The rational is simple. Gatti and Mancini are both in due to the non-stop action fights they had during their respective careers. They were both champions and had their share of memorable wars that none of us will forget.
But Kelley was also a champion who fought a lot on television and was involved in so many classics. His skill level was above both Gatti's and Mancini's and he had more fights than either that were just all out knock down drag em out wars. When he fought, you never knew what would happen other than he would lay it all on the line and certainly entertain.
Kelley's fight for example with Troy Dorsey is one of the most grueling all out wars I have ever seen. But there are so many more and I hate to start to mention them because there are many I will leave out. Alejandro Gonzalez in a loss (both Gatti and Mancini had there share of memorable losses), the first Derrick Gainer fight, the Hamed fight, etc.
But one fight in particular I ran across that honestly I had forgotten about but upon reviewing showed the type of Hall of Fame fighter Kevin Kelley should be. And that was his fight following the loss to Gonzalez against Ricardo Rivera. This was a slugfest and war that in the beginning Kelley was losing. Kelley was dropped and hurt in the second and taking a pounding through the middle rounds while giving back enough to let Rivera know he was still there. In the 6th, Kelley was being battered by Rivera when he was out on his feet and issued a standing eight count. He looked down but somehow found a way to himself rally back later in the round. It was incredible. A couple more rounds of give and take action and then in the 9th Kelley dropped Rivera. Rivera tried to make it up but was out and the fight called.
This fight in my opinion exceeds any Ward-Gatti fight (fights that I absolutely love). It is incredible and just a remarkable will from Kelley to rally from behind. He was involved in all sorts of wars during his career and was a solid champion during his day. He belongs in the Hall and needs to be put in this coming year in my opinion.
Here is a video of the Rivera fight. If you have not seen it, I promise it is something all boxing fans should see.
Kevin Kelley - Hall of Famer?
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