Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (Part 1 of 2)

Matt Franklin vs. Eddie Gregory
1977-03-11 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Before either guy had made a name for himself. Literally. I can't for the life of me find a full broadcast of this fight, but I got the first four rounds, and thought it was worth putting up.
If anybody has the full fight, please let me know.

[@trentcleghorn6840]

I have A collection of over 💯 thousand fights on DVD and VHS and have never seen this before. Thanks A million!!!

[@jameshampton2899]

Doing this time that's when light heavyweight was at it's best ever ..You had Sadd Muhammad,a Eddie Muhammad,Dwight Muhammad ,Marvin Johnson and Michael Spinks..I don't that weight class would ever be that hot again..

[@marcxopoco]

Their names were Matt Franklin and Eddie Gregory at the time they fought here.

[@havrisen6620]

Pasty pale is beautiful.

[@phelpsmarc]

They were scheduled to fight a unification fight in Feb. 1981 but the MAPS promoter Harold Rosefields Smith had stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars from Wells Fargo Bank and the whole card was cancelled. I think Saad would have outworked Eddie for a decision. Eddie was more talented but Saad had the intangibles, heart stamina, work ethic. They both had great chins and great punching power.

[@videor44]

I wish this fight was available complete!

[@TheMarcusMarcs]

Ditto this sentiment. I've gotten to know Eddie plenty while working boxing from a media perspective and he's a class act for sure.

[@BozJust]

Eddie the Flame is a great person. Very generous and humble. And he was a really good fighter in his prime, but sadly his prime time was shrot. Saad is also a great guy.

[@peelebry]

Never got a chance to see this entire fight. I just knew that they fought fought earlier in their careers. Great too actually see it. Thanks for sharing :)

[@TheMarcusMarcs]

Mustafa confided in me a couple of years ago that Matthew Saad hit him harder than anyone during his career.

[@tlig]

Fighters always say that about opponents they beat. I'm waiting for the day a boxer will credit someone who ko'd him as hitting him harder than anyone else.

[@apomtaylor8054]

@@tlig I almost agree'd until I remember recalling Joe Louis say that Marciano hit him harder than anyone he fought. I think the quote is something like, "He was the hardest punchers I have ever fought, bumping into him was like running into a brick wall" Something like that anyways

[@H.K.5]

Matthew Saad Muhammad vs Either of the Spinks or Holyfield would have been great fights.

[@himawalincat9350]

No. Matthew Saad Muhammad has got knocked out by Mike Spinks with 16oz gloves in 1977 at Joe Frazier's gym.

[@Odawg96]

One of those fights at from the golden age of the light-heavys. I wonder if their becoming buddies had something to do with why they never tried to unify the titles. It's interesting to see Saad as the "boxer" that he was known as before his 1st fight with Marvin Johnson. Right away I notice more movement from him. This is the definitely the "Franklin" version of "Saad the Slugger."

[@MadAngel209]

Odawg96 They were supposed to unify the titles, but Michael Spinks beat Eddie Mustapha Muhammad, and a year later, Dwight Braxton ( later changed his name to Dwight Muhammad Qawi) beat Matthew Saad Muhammad.

[@Bdog1277]

Damn I didn't even know they fought.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

While their styles are quite different, both fighters were great slippers with heavy counter punches.

[@MyRobertallen]

Circa .20. The absolute essence of sportsmanship. We're going to settle it. May best man win. God bless 'em both. What a fight!

[@johnshell2480]

Great fight but Matthew Franklin won this fight. He got jobbed right in Philly which occasionally happens like with Tyrone Everett vs Alfredo Escalera in 76. Saad changed his style after this. I mean listen to the announcer who is telling you round by round how Saad is giving EG a boxing lesson. Oh well, great fight.

[@MrCrystalcranium]

I would love to see either one of these guys take on Kovalev or Ward to show what a fraud boxing is today...ruined by too many champs and too much money. The reason big bouts are usually awful today is because the fighters and their management teams have so much to lose that they are dominated by caution. It nauseates me to hear commentators talk about Kovalev's awesome power and his telephone pole jab when all he looks like to me is a classic, stand up/too tall European amateur who punches in volume to score points. Eddie or Matthew would have waded through him and knocked him cold with aggression and real power. Matt would laugh off those so called powerhouse jabs.

[@peelslowly28]

How many Boxers became Muhammad in this era?

[@strangerintown3676]

This was the first in a series of fights in a Tournament. I think it was called North American Boxing Championship, it came on the heels of that scam Don King/ABC Network /Ring Magazine garbage tournament. It had great matchups, the fights aired 11pm on Saturday nights, sadly halfway into it checks started bouncing & it was halted. Vito Antuofermo vs Eugene ( Cyclone ) Hart was co-main event on this card, it was non stop action all the way.

[@snapfinger1]

It had to happen the public demanded it.

[@shadicalplayz8932]

Why would they fight? They’re brothers

[@BozJust]

I wonder why Spinks never fought Saad?

[@paultrigo2184]

Saad lost the WBC title to Braxton 5 months after Spinks won the WBA title. Saad opted for a rematch with Braxton and got Ko'd again. There wasn't any real interest in a Spinks- Muhammad fight by then.

[@DANVIIL]

I saw Mathew Franklin before he became Mo fight in Philly. He was always entertaining. He was an arm puncher but since he was strong as hell, he could hurt a lot of other boxers. He had muscles on top of muscles. Eddie Gregory was kind of the opposite. He threw very tight, hard counter punches with his whole body behind every shot but not was out of position.

[@havrisen6620]

Franklin clearly isn’t an arm puncher.

[@wavethatcrashed9155]

@@havrisen6620 well he is a bit. I mean he doesnt sit down on his punches and throws it from his shoulder. Just because he twists his hips doesnt mean he isnt an arm puncher.

[@Robstailey]

is this james toney's trainer?

[@Kali4Action]

Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. Eddie Mustafa Muhammad The Philadelphia Arena March 11, 1977... I was there, we were all there, the Muslims came out to see our brothers. But, I didn't watch it then, still not going to watch it! Mustafa and Saad were very close friends, we were all close to each other. Some time went by before they agreed to fight there were a lot of discussions, went all the way up to Imam Warith Deen Muhammad, the Imam, Herbert Muhammad, and Muhammad Ali gave good advice regarding the fight...

[@paultrigo2184]

Gregory said years later that he had sex 2 hours before this fight and that his legs weren't there as a result.

[@FijneWIET]

..I'd put my money on Muhammad....