Great Outdoor Fight 1987

From The Great Outdoor Fight

While nothing inside the Acres distinguished 1987 from any other "Fight" during the 80s Slump (apart from Derick Fina's notable penta-roundhouse kick and future champion Marc Burkett's first "sad smile" fight) something outside, in Tower One, almost made 1987 the year when the biggest fight in town was outside the Acres. Bob Raffles, long-time commentator on the Great Outdoor Fight, and Young Jude Surrency, longer-time unofficial commentator, almost came to blows. After years of verbal put-downs and intimidation, Raffles lost his trademark cool with the former Champion following an exchange regarding the "spiffiness" of Raffles' hair. While no transcript exists of the conversation (it occurred during a five-minute equipment maintenance period), something like the following is said to have been spoken: (Please note that this is a composite of several reluctant depositions.)

RAFFLES: No! You... you son of a bitch!

SURRENCY: What did you jus' call me, Bob?

RAFFLES: Son of a bitch! Sonuvabitch!

SURRENCY: (laughter) You fixin' for a fight?

RAFFLES: I'm sick of you, old man! My belly burns with the fires of a thousand unrequited moments of malice I've suffered at your callused maw! Ruinous indignation! Here, now, I want the world to know that "Young" Jude Surrency can (unintelligible purple prose) up your ass!

SURRENCY: (confused) What in tarnation... ?

RAFFLES: What? Are you an idiot AND a coward?

It took the entirety of Tower One's crew, several former fighters and Champions, as well as the maintenance team present to hold back the two men. Following ejection of the two commentators from the Tower at the behest of the Ruling Body, 1978 Champion and Fight Historian Wilton Rowley took over the mike from the remainder of Day 2. Raffles and Surrency returned for Day 3, but since then neither man has commented on the incident.