ibro-journal-114

Issue 114
June 2012
Inside this issue:
 Member Forum
Journal
 Featured Articles
J. Karel de Vries and Harry C. Shaffer
Memorial Issue
J. Karel de Vries passed away on April 10, 2012 in Cape Town,
South Africa. He was 89. Karel was born in Worcester, Cape
of Good Hope, South Africa on December 27, 1922. He is
survived by his wife Hermien and two stepdaughters.
****************************************************
Harry Clinton Shaffer Jr. passed away on June 7, 2012. Born
November 15, 1947 to Audrey E. Shaffer and Harry C. Shaffer
senior, Harry will be remembered not only for his great
intellect, but also his kindness and generosity. He is survived by
his children and grandchildren.
 Book Recommendations
 Career Records
 Additions & Corrections
 Classic Flashbacks
 Boxing Obituaries
 Miscellaneous
May They Rest in Peace!
New Members
I am pleased to welcome four new members: Kelly Emhoff,
Kelsey McCarson, J. Russell Pultz and Gordon Marino.
Issue Features
 Articles by Austin Killeen (Mike McCallum), Bobby
Franklin (Marion Conner), Dan Cuoco (Paolo Rosi), Mike
Casey (Billy Conn), Rob Snell (Wally Thom), Don Cogswell
(Royalty’s Rite of Passage), Jim Amato (RIP Eddie Perkins,
Danny Lopez and Robert Cleroux).
 Book Recommendations and Book Reviews.
 Boxing records, additions and corrections, nostalgic articles,
obituaries and newspaper clippings submitted by several
members.
Special thanks to Jim Amato, Johnny Bos, Bob Caico, Tracy
Callis, Steve Canton, Mike Casey, Doug Cavanaugh, Don
Cogswell, Bob Collins, James Curl, Sean Curtin, Luckett
Davis, John DiSanto, Mickey Finn, Bobby Franklin, Henry
Hascup, Barry Hugman, J.J. Johnston, Austin Killeen, Rick
Kilmer, Harry Shaffer, Mike Silver, Rob Snell, Tony Triem,
Bob Yalen and Roger Zotti for their contributions to this issue
of the journal.
Keep Punching!
Dan Cuoco
International Boxing Research
Organization
www.ibroresearch.com
Dan Cuoco
Director, Editor and Publisher
ibro.dir@comcast.net
The IBRO Journal is published quarterly
(March, June, September and December).
Annual membership dues are $63.00 for
members residing within the United States
and $90.00 for members residing outside
the United States. We also offer a reduced
annual membership fee option of $45.00 for
those who prefer a greener approach to
membership. Back issues are sold only to
members. All material appearing herein
represents the views of the respective
authors and not necessarily those of the
International
Boxing
Research
Organization (IBRO).
© 2012 IBRO (Original Material Only)
CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS
3
5
6
118
Member Forum
New Member Profiles
IBRO Member Collector’s Corner
Final Bell
FEATURES
7
13
16
27
34
43
46
47
49
Mike McCallum: The Body Snatcher by Austin
Killeen
Marion Conner, An Appreciation by Bobby
Franklin
Remembering Paolo Rosi by Dan Cuoco
Sometimes a Great Notion: Billy Conn by Mike
Casey
Wally Thom Biography by Rob Snell
Royality’s Rite of Passage by Don Cogswell
Rest in Peace Eddie Perkins by Jim Amato
Danny “Little Red” Lopez: 1970s Icon by Jim
Amato
Canada’s Robert Cleroux Beat Chuvalo Twice by
Jim Amato
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS & REVIEWS
50
Tex Rickard: Boxing’s Greatest Promoter by
Colleen Aycock and Mark Scott
51
Jersey Joe Walcott: A Boxing Biography by
James Curl. Book Review by Austin Killeen
52
In Africa’s Hono: Dick Tiger Vs. Gene Fullmer IIIA Blast From Nigeria’s Past by Justina Ihetu
53
The Greatest Champion That Never Was: The
Life of W.L. “Young” Stribling by Jaclyn Weldon
White. Book Review by Tracy Callis
55
The Triumph and Tragedy of “Irish” Jerry
Quarry by Steve Springer and Blake Chavez.
Book Review by Jim Amato
56
Writers’ Fighters & Other Sweet Scientists, by
John Schulian. Book Review by Roger Zotti
RESEARCH
57
Barry Hugman’s History of World Championship
Boxing (1871-Present) on BoxRec
CAREER RECORDS
59
Chico Cisneros
62
Carlos Malacara
65
Tony Mar
68
Davis Velasco
71
Lon Beckwith
72
Art Simms
73
Mike Farragher
74
Squirrell Finnerty
75
Johnny Van Heest
CLASSIC FLASHBACKS
78
Georges Carpentier-Ted Kid Lewis (NY Times 5-12-1922)
79
80
81
81
82
82
83
85
85
85
86
86
87
88
88
89
91
91
91
92
92
93
93
93
93
94
95
95
96
98
98
98
99
100
100
101
101
102
103
103
104
104
104
105
107
108
109
109
109
110
110
111
111
112
113
114
115
115
115
116
117
Luis Firpo- Jack Herman (NY Times 5-14-1922)
Bill Brennan-Jim Tracey (NY Times 5-17-1922)
Benny Leonard-Soldier Bartfield (NY Times 5-20-1922)
Joe Lynch-Midget Smith (NY Times 6-2-1922)
Augie Ratner-Frank Carbone (NY Times 6-4-1922)
Pancho Villa-Abe Goldstein (NY Times 6-7-1922)
Benny Leonard-Jack Britton (NY Times 6-27-1922)
Benny Leonard-Buster Brown (NY Times 4-12-1932)
Gorilla Jones-Young Terry (NY Times 6-28-1932)
Benny Leonard-Willie Garafola (NY Times 5-3-1932)
Kid Chocolate-Mike Sarko (NY Times 5-17-1932)
Mickey Walker-Paulino Uzcudun (NY Times 5-27-1932)
Primo Carnera-Larry Gains (NY Times 5-31-1932)
Kid Chocolate-Lew Feldman (NY Times 6-2-19320
Benny Leonard-Andy Saviola (NY Times 6-9-1932)
Jack Sharkey-Max Schmeling II (6-22-1932)
Fred Apostoli-Jo Mulli (NY Times 4-5-1942)
Lulu Costantino-Harry Jeffra (NY Times 4-18-1942)
Ray Robinson-Harvey Dubs (NY Times 4-19-1942)
Charley Burley-Phil McQuillan (NY Times 4-21-1942)
Chalky Wright-Lulu Costantino (NY Times 5-8-1942)
Fritzie Zivic-Lew Jenkins (NY Times 5-26-1942)
Chalky Wright-Harry Jeffra (NY Times 6-20-1942)
Freddie Mills-Jock McAvoy (NY Times 6-2-1942)
Melio Bettina-Harry Bobo (NY Times 6-26-1942)
Ray Robinson-Marty Servo (NY Times 5-29-1942)
Jake LaMotta-Norman Hayes (NY Times 4-10-1952)
Gil Turner-Chico Verona (NY Times 4-15-1952)
Ray Robinson-Rocky Graziano (NY Times 4-17-1952)
Rocky Marciano -Gino Buonvino (NY Times 4-22-1952)
Irish Bob Murphy-Reuben Jones (NY Times 4-22-1952)
Rocky Marciano-Bernie Reynolds NYT Times 5-13-1952)
Lauro Salas-Jimmy Carter (NY Times 5-15-1952)
Rocky Castellani-Billy Graham (NY Times 5-17-1952)
Tommy Collins-Fabela Chavez (NY Times 5-23-1952)
Johnny Bratton-Del Flanagan (NY Times 5-29-1952)
Kid Gavilan-Frtizie Pruden (5-29-1952)
Jersey Joe Walcott-Ezzard Charles IV (6-6-1952)
Randy Turpin-Don Cockell (NY Times 6-11-1952)
George Araujo-Arthur King (NY Times 6-15-1952)
Rocky Castellani-Johnny Bratton (NY Times 6-19-1952)
Larry Watson-Johnny Holman (NY Times 6-24-1952)
Archie Moore-Clarence Henry (NY Times 6-27-1952)
Joey Maxim-Ray Robinson (NY Times 6-6-1952)
Dick Tiger-Henry Hank (NY Times 4-1-1962)
Paul Pender-Terry Downes III (LA Times 4-8-1962)
Brian Curvis-Guy Sumlin (NY Times 4-11-1962)
Kenny Lane-Louis Molina (NY Times 4-15-1962)
Cassius Clay-George Logan (NY Times 4-24-1962)
Ingemar Johansson-Wim Snoek (NY Times 4-16-1962)
Joey Giambra-Florentino Fernandez (NYT 4-29-1962)
Duilo Loi-Roger Harvey (NY Times 4-30-1962)
Eder Jofre-Herman Marquez (NY Times 5-5-1962)
Harold Johnson-Doug Jones (NY Times 5-13-1962)
Cassius Clay-Billy Daniels (NY Times 5-20-1962)
Terry Downes-Don Fullmer (NY Times 5-23-1962)
Archie Moore-Willie Pastrano (NY Times 5-29-1962)
Pone Kingpetch-Kyo Noguchi (NY Times 5-31-1962)
Howard Winstone-Harry Carroll (NY Times 5-31-1962)
Bobo Olson-Lennert Risberg (NY Times 6-4-1962)
Ingemar Johansson-Dick Richardson (NYT 6-18-1962)
2
MEMBER FORUM
J. Karel de Vries
IBRO Boxing Historian and famed Marine photographer
J. Karel de Vries passed away on April 10, 2012 in Cape Town,
South Africa. He was 89.
Karel was born in Worcester, Cape of Good Hope, South
Africa on December 27, 1922. As a Marine photographer Karel
loved ships and created a magnificent 50 year record of shipping
at the Cape. His other great love was boxing. He had a rare
collection of boxing magazines, The Ring, that dates back to
1922. He was a long standing member of the International Boxing
Research Organization (IBRO) and was their resident boxing
historian on all aspects of boxing in South Africa.
He took pictures of ships on arrival and their crews. “He
would develop the film, hand print the photograph (now a rare
craft) and sell the pictures to those on board. In the liner
companies heyday (1950s and 1960s) he made a reasonable living
as many seafarers wanted photographs of their ships,“ wrote
shipping columnist Brian Ingpen.
A friend and former shipping reporter Ian Shiffman, now
business manager of Sunday Times Travel Weekly, said that he
knew de Vries from back in the 1950s. “I took photographs as a
hobby and later was a shipping reporter from 1992 to 1999 for Weekend Argus, when the paper dedicated an
entire back page to shipping. He said de Vries went on a voyage along the coast of South Africa after World
War II with an American ship called Robin Line Freighter, and took pictures of the crew. “After the trip, her
captain asked Karel to take pictures of the ship. That was how he got started.” He said that Karel used a big
box camera back then. “He developed his own negatives at an office he rented on the Foreshore. But in later
years the rent became too high, so he worked from home. Later his eyesight deteriorated and he stopped taking
pictures.”
Once a month the shipping fraternity would meet and watch a slideshow of pictures taken of ships
visiting the port. They were called themselves the A Berth Gang. Karel was exceptionally knowledgeable
about American Cargo ships.
His wife Hermien de Vries said, “We often entertained members of ships’ crews… He made many
friends who invited us to come and stay in America. Well, we finally took them up on that offer in 1983. We
were in the States for five weeks and only stayed in a hotel for two nights…” Karel’s father was a portrait
photographer. When Karel matriculated from Sacs he joined the business.”
Of his passion for boxing, his wife said: “He has every copy of The Ring from when it was first
printed in the year he was born – in 1922 – bound in foles, year by year. He also enjoyed cricket, but stopped
playing because matches were usually on a Saturday and this coincided with ships leaving the port.”
His stepdaughter Pamela Burns said, “He was a loving stepfather to me and my sister, Sheila. He and
my Mom, Hermien, married in 1958 and had an amazingly good marriage. He also loved jazz, he would
thump away to the music, old vinyl, of course. He kept a huge correspondence going with all the buddies he
made through shipping and boxing. It was amazing to go through the letters, cards, cuttings and
paraphernalia that people sent to him. He did not throw any correspondence away and treasured the
friendships that he had made through boxing and shipping. He was like a kid when he went to the post office
to see if his magazines, books or, especially, a letter from a friend had arrived. This correspondence was a
blessing as he often complained that all his friends in Cape Town had died. He loved banging out a letter to
someone (often a letter of complaint that the “Ring” magazine had failed to arrive on time) on his old
dilapidated typewriter – no modern stuff like and electric one! I would like him to be remembered as a truly
upright person, a man of integrity, a loyal friend and a great husband and father.”
Karel is survived by his wife Hermien and stepdaughters Pamela Burns and Sheila Addison.
Melanie Peters and Pamela Burns contributed to this article.
3
Harry Shaffer
Hello, this is Harry´s oldest daughter, Scarlett. I am forwarding my father’s obituary. Thank you for your
kind words. Regards, Scarlett Shaffer
The world has lost Harry Clinton Shaffer Jr. Born November 15, 1947 to Audrey E. Shaffer and Harry C.
Shaffer Sr., Harry will be remembered not only for his great intellect, but also his kindness and generosity.
He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and the legacy of a life well lived. Private memorial service
held on Saturday June 16. Please contact family for details @ phenox_11@hotmail.com. Scarlett A.
Shaffer, 6810 Hardwood Drive, Galloway, Ohio 43119; Telephone: 336-386-6001
African American Boxers
Dear fellow IBRO members, I'm super excited to say I'll be beginning a joint PhD program in
American and African American studies at Yale in the fall. The research area I proposed is African American
boxers from Jack Johnson through Ali/Frazier/Foreman (though mostly from Joe Louis on). I'm planning to
explore the intersection of affect, violence, and racialized masculinity -- that is, how black boxers presented
themselves in and out of the ring, beginning at a time when it was dangerous for black men to be anything but
deferential, and ending at a time when black masculinity was more militant and individualized, and "authentic"
blackness more fraught.
I'm sure I'll occasionally send out more specific calls for help, but if in the course of research you find
interesting tidbits about African American boxers acting or presenting a certain way purposefully and with an
intended effect (whether or not it worked), I'd love to hear! I'm focusing for now on heavyweights, but I'm also
interested in other weight classes. For cultural impact, I'm mostly looking at more well known figures...
though please feel free to send me anything.
Thanks, and best to you all! Tina Post @ tinapost@gmail.com
Justina Ihetu (Dick Tiger’s Daughter)
Dear Mr. Cuoco, How are you? It's a pleasure to be able to make contact with you once again. I had been busy
writing a book to encapsulate an epochal event in Africa's history - the Dick Tiger vs. Gene Fullmer III fight is
the first of its kind in Africa's history, and I felt compelled to document that event for posterity. It is my great
honor to announce the release of the book to this membership; I hope that members of this noble organization
will support this work in any way that they can; to help keep the legacy of a comrade. The book's title and
access is included in the attachments. Thank you very much, Mr. Cuoco, for your time. Please stay in touch.
Sincerely, justina Ihetu @dicktigerfoundation.org [The book’s product details are contained in the Book
Recommendation section of the journal]
Barry Hugman's History of World Championship Boxing
BoxRec is pleased to announce Barry Hugman's History of World Championship Boxing is now posted on the
BoxRec website. This is the product of a lifetime's research and consists of 14,000 pages of information. Full
details appear on pages 57-58 of the Journal. [John Sheppard]
Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame
The Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame announced their 2012 class of inductees. The nine inductees boxers
Johnny Carter, Eddie Corma, Dorsey Lay, Steve Little, Frank Moran, Joe Rowan, Jesse Smith, and non
boxers Nigel Collins and Joe Hand Jr. were welcomed at the Hall's annual banquet dinner on Sunday, May
20
at
Romano's
Catering
in
Philadelphia.
Inductee
profiles
are
contained
@
http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/ John DiSanto johndisanto@comcast.net
New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2012
On April 11, 2012, The New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame announced their 2012 class of inductees. This year’s
class of inductees include: ring announcer Joe Antonacci, judge Lynne Carter, junior lightweight/lightweight
Sal Cenicola, heavyweight Lou Esa, junior welterweight Ricky Meyers, bantamweight Don Nisivoccia,
junior middleweight/middleweight Pat Prisco, judge John Riley, junior welterweight & welterweight Ivan
Robinson, the Originator of the Modern Boxing Belt Ardash Sahaghian, lightweight Tony Santana and
light heavyweight James Scott. Referee Mark Conn and Judge Robert Grasso will be inducted
4
posthumously. In addition, for the 27th time, the HALL OF FAME will be honoring the Amateur and
Professional Boxer of the Year as well as the Amateur Official and Coach of the Year, plus the “2012 Man of
the Year.” This year’s 43rd Annual Dinner and Induction Ceremonies will be held on Thursday evening,
November 8, 2012 at the Venetian Restaurant, located at 546 River Drive, Garfield, New Jersey starting at
7:00 p.m. Tickets are priced at ONLY $80.00 per person. For additional forms, tickets or information, contact
NJBHOF President, Henry Hascup at: 59 Kipp Ave., Lodi, NJ 07644; or call him at 973-471-2458; or fax
him at 973-470-8301. Email: hhascup@yahoo.com,
Buffalo Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2012
Buffalo Veteran Boxers Association Ring 44 members selected their 2012 inductees for hall of fame honors.
The induction ceremony and annual dinner will be held in August at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens. The five new
members to be enshrined are: Lt. Colonel Matt Urban - Had a distinguished amateur career where he won
numerous collegiate championships in the early 1940’s. When Urban was drafted into the Army he helped
coach the enlisted men to championships during WWII. After the war he moved to Michigan and was on many
Olympic and Golden Gloves boxing committees. Sam Bruce - Bruce was born in Tennessee and moved to
Buffalo in 1928. The welterweight fought many of the top fighters from 1928-1933. He compiled a 47-30-8
record with wins over Gorilla Jones, Jack Britton and a loss to Jackie Fields at the Broadway Auditorium, all
champions at one time. George Lampshire - Lampshire was a trainer, manager and matchmaker from the
1940’s through the 1960’s. He managed such Buffalo fighters as Joe Muscato, Henry Brimm, and others
during that era. In the 1960’s he was the matchmaker for Monsignor Kelliher when the Golden Gloves was
going strong in the area. Herman Smith - “Uncle” Herman was a main stay in the featherweight and
lightweight divisions from 1910 to 1922. He finished with a recorded record of 42-21-9. John L. Sullivan
refereed his battle with Lockport Jimmy Duffy at Harmonia Hall in Buffalo. In November of 1911 Smith
fought featherweight Champion Abe Attell at the International AC on Genesee St. in Buffalo and dropped a
ten round newspaper decision. He was a long time trainer and member of Ring 44. Paddy Lavin - Lavin
fought from the early 1900’s until 1914 and collected an impressive 55-16-17 record mostly in the
welterweight division. Paddy (born Patrick Cleary) fought a who’s who of the division including Jack Dillon
and Jimmy Clabby during his time in the ring winning more than his share. Bob Caico @ wsbuf@aol.com
NEW MEMBER PROFILES
Kelly Emhoff
I have been actively involved in the sport as a manager and attorney since the mid-1990's. I was a member of
the Boxing Writers Association of America and on the voting committee of the Boxing Hall of Fame for a few
years (when I was writing regularly for Maxboxing.com and Secondsout.com) and I was an original member
of the independent media poll of Boxingranks.com. I was a frequent contributor of articles to the on-line
publications www.ESPN.com, www.maxboxing.com, www.secondsout.com and www.sportingnews.com. I
have been quoted in The Ring, KO Magazine and Boxing Monthly, as well as the on-line publications
www.boxingtalk.com, www.fightnews.com and www.thesweetscience.com. In college, I managed to win the
Ring Magazine boxing trivia championship (and $50.00!) and I have lectured on lawyering in the boxing
industry at Boston University School of Law as well as the New York County Lawyer Association. As well as
being an attorney in the sport, I am also a licensed boxing manager in the state of New York. I've represented
some of the best fighters on the planet including the following: Winky Wright (I've done his endorsement
contracts for years), Cory Spinks (who I co-managed when he was the Undisputed Welterweight Champ),
Paulie Malignaggi (who I co-managed with IBRO member Johnny Bos for about the first 17/18 fights of his
career), Dmitriy Salita (I've managed him since 2004), Travis Simms (who I guided to the WBA Jr.
Middleweight title), Peter Manfredo, Jr, Derrick Gainer, Kermit Cintron, Luis Collazo, Giovanni Lorenzo,
Tarvis Simms, Terronn Millett, Louis DelValle, Jeffrey Resto (again co-managed with Bos), Darling Jimenez .
. . just to name a few. I love the work you guys do and I'd love to help or contribute in any way I can.
Kelsey McCarson
Kelsey McCarson is a feature writer for TheSweetScience. He graduated from the University of Houston in
2007 with a bachelor's degree in English and has covered boxing ever since. Kelsey lives just outside of
5
Houston, Texas with his kindergarten-teacher-turned- boxing-photographer wife, Rachel. You can follow
Kelsey on twitter @TheRealKelseyMc.
J. Russell Peltz
Born December 9, 1946. Armed with a degree in journalism from Temple University, Peltz had secured a job
at the sports desk of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. However, his future wasn't in journalism. Dubbed "The
Boy Wonder," the 22-year old promoted his first bout on September 30, 1969 featuring Bennie Briscoe in the
main event at the Blue Horizon. Since then, Peltz has become one of boxing's most consistent promoters and is
synonymous with Philadelphia boxing and, in particular, the Blue Horizon, where he promoted bouts for 32
years. Peltz also served as director of boxing at the Philadelphia Spectrum from 1973-1980. Among the
fighters who boxed on Peltz promoted cards include Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts, Eugene "Cyclone" Hart, Willie
"The Worm" Monroe, Stanley "Kitten" Hayward, Marvin Johnson, Mike Rossman, Billy Douglas, Antonio
Tarver and Hall of Famers Jeff Chandler, Matthew Saad Muhammad, George Benton and Marvelous Marvin
Hagler. Peltz was honored with the James J. Walker Award for "Long and Meritorious Service to Boxing" by
the Boxing Writers Association of America in 1999. Noted for his ingenuity for making great matches, Peltz
follows in the great tradition of Philadelphia boxing promoter Herman Taylor. In addition to promoting, Peltz
is an avid boxing historian and archivist.
IBRO MEMBERS COLLECTOR’S CORNER
Freddie Steele Framed Photograph
Hi Dan, I have a large photograph of Freddie Steele
that used to hang over the bar he owned and operated
in Westport, WA in retirement. It has been sitting in
my closet for some time and I thought it might be time
to try and find a buyer for it. It has a nice old wooden
frame and including the frame is 39 3/4" high and 34
3/4" wide. In the lower right hand corner of the photo
it has what must have been the photographers name
and location: "J.R. Eyerman, Tacoma." The photo
frame isn’t encased in glass. I've attached a couple of
scans of it. If anyone is interested in it my asking price
is $700 plus shipping. I'd have to obtain a shipping estimate. Thanks Clay Moyle @ cmoyle@aol.com
Swedish Programs and IBRO Publication Olympic Games Record Book
Dear Dan, I have, for sale, the programs (text in Swedish, many photos, each 18 A4 pages) from:

Gothenburg Sep. 14, 1958, main feature: Ingemar Johansson vs. Eddie Machen $40.00

Gothenburg Jun 17, 1962, main feature: Dick Richardson vs. Ingemar Johansson for the
European title. $40.00

Solna Jul 5, 1964, main feature: Eddie Machen vs. Floyd Patterson. $50.00
(The programs are in very good condition, close to excellent)

IBRO publication Olympic Games Boxing Record Book (edited by John Grasso, 1984).
$50.00 (This publication is in good condition)
Prices include postal costs. Ove Karlsson (SWE)/ Email address: ove@torsdag.com
Bobo Olson
I am looking for early Bobo Olson photos, fight photos, programs or newspaper clippings that members would
be willing to sell, or trade. From: Jack Sheehan @ supjac@hotmail.com
6
MIKE MCCALLUM: THE BODY SNATCHER
By Austin Killeen
It is a typical hot summer day on the Island, where ocean breezes act as
the only air conditioning for most inhabitants in the early 70’s. Two young
boys are boxing in a make shift ring in the Tower Hill section of Kingston,
Jamaica. This is a popular activity for young Island natives where most of
the participants lack any formal training in the sport. Errol Corinthian, a
former pro, watches the willing participants as they gamely toss leather at
each other. When they finish Corinthian approaches one of the
combatants and pronounces; “son you’re a natural.” Short of breath the
boy replies; “what does that mean?” The confused but inquisitive boxer
goes by the name of Mike McCallum.
It was not long before McCallum found himself training at the famous Dragon Gym in Kingston. His
instructor was Austin 'Tealy' Taffe, a Cuban expatriate. Like Corinthian, Taffe saw raw natural talent in the
youngster before him. Tall and lean he was taught balance, how to slip and counter and to work
effectively on the inside. An enthusiastic learner, it did not take young Michael long to employ his new
found skills in the amateur ranks. The presence of Bunny Grant and Percy Hayles in the gym, two of the
greatest fighters to come out of Jamaica, also contributed to the nurturing process of the young lad.
Although he was a boxing neophyte, McCallum looked anything but in the ring. At fifteen years of age
and only three months experience he was matched with the best fighter in his weight class. Vincent
Sutherland was in his mid twenties and had nine years amateur experience. Sutherland was All Island
champion and figured to be out of young Michael’s class. The old adage you play the game because the
favorite does not always win proved true in this contest. McCallum outclassed his more experienced rival,
winning convincingly. In both 1972 and 1973 the young prodigy won the All Island championship of
Jamaica. Additionally he was selected to represent his Island in international competition.
As a result of his representing Jamaica on the world stage, he had to switch trainers. Austin “Tealy” Taffe
was replaced by Emilio Sanchez who was the trainer for the Island National Team. He continued his
success in the amateur ranks but had difficulty with American Clint Jackson, losing decisions to him in the
1974 World Championships in Havana, Cuba and the 1975 North American Continental Championships.
Outside of the ring McCallum and Jackson became good friends, resulting in the Jamaican moving to
America in the late seventies to further his boxing career. In 1976 Michael won the Central American &
Caribbean Games Champion, winning a berth on the Olympic team competing in Montréal, Canada.
Aspirations of winning Gold started well for Mighty Mike, winning a decision over Damdinjav Bandi of
Mongolia. Robert Dauer of Austria lost on points to him in the next round of competition. Reinhardt
Skricek of West Germany was next for the Caribbean hit man. It appeared that he did enough to win yet
another decision but the West German was awarded a controversial verdict to the shock of the audience.
Two judges voted for each boxer with the fifth scoring it a draw. As draws are not allowed in amateur
competition the fifth arbitrator sided with Skricek. The dream of gold had turned into a nightmare of
bitter disappointment.
Following the 76 Olympics McCallum was faced with the decision of turning pro or trying for gold in Russia
in four years. Although Montreal had not made him a worldwide name, he clearly had proven himself to
be an outstanding prospect; a prospect capable of making serious cash at the pro level. However, if he
stayed an amateur and won Olympic gold he could name his own price for turning pro. The caveat; there
are no guarantees in life, and a gold medal would not just be handed to him for showing up in the former
republic of the USSR. He finally opted to remain an amateur and shoot for a gold medal.
7
Taking advantage of his friendship with the aforementioned Clint Jackson, Mike moved his base of
operation to Tennessee to continue his amateur career. In 1977 he won the National AAU Welterweight
Championship, defeating Marlon Starling and Roger Leonard in the process. In the case of Leonard it was
the right family but the wrong brother. He also captured the National Golden Gloves Welterweight
Champion that year.
Although criticized by some islanders for training in the United States, McCallum continued to represent
Jamaica in world competition. Traveling to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada he won the gold medal in the
welterweight division at the Commonwealth Games in 1978. The prized jewel of the Caribbean also
repeated as National Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion in 79’. In claiming the title he beat two
pretty good opponents in Doug DeWitt and Robbie Sims. In Sims case, once again it was the right family
but the wrong brother.
In his final tune-up for Moscow, Mike traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the 1979 Pan American Games.
Blowing through the competition, McCallum scored two KO’s and a decision to advance to the
championship round against Cuban Andres Aldama. If he thought it was his pre-ordained destiny to
collect gold he received a rude awakening. Carrying his right hand dangerously low, McCallum walked
into a left hook from his southpaw opponent in the second round. The shocked Jamaican found himself in
an unusual position, prone on the canvas. Saved by the bell he was helped back to his corner but ruled
unfit to continue.
Disappointed but determined to win gold in Russia, Mike traveled to Moscow in the summer of 1980.
There appeared to be only one obstacle in his way; Cuban Andres Aldama. The eagerly awaited rematch
never happened. While training at the Olympic Village he was knocked out by acute appendicitis. With
his Olympic dreams shattered it was time to turn pro.
Under the tutelage of Emmanuel Steward, he trained at the Kronk Gym. His style was similar to a safe
cracker patiently listening to tumblers fall, until he hears the unique sounds needed to open the door. On
January 14, 1981, a calm but confident McCallum made his professional debut against Rigoberto Lopez.
Michael bided his time until he figured out Lopez’s defense, scoring a fourth round knockout in Las Vegas.
Traveling to Tampa, Florida, he faced 10-1-1 Rocky Fabrizio. In what was supposed to be a step up in
competition, he placed Rocky on the canvas for a much needed rest in the first round. It was abundantly
clear the Jamaican was having no problem adjusting to the pro style of fighting.
After eighteen months as a pro, Mighty Mike (as he was called in Jamaica) was fourteen and zero with all
his victories coming by KO. In his biggest test to date he was matched with hard hitting Kevin Perry out of
Joe Frazier’s gym in Philadelphia. Like McCallum, all of Perry’s wins had come by the short route. This
fight virtually guaranteed a knockout. Although stung by Perry in the early rounds, McCallum controlled
the action most of the way using a punishing left jab. After ten hard fought rounds McCallum was
awarded a unanimous decision. He had passed his first big assignment.
Following his win over Perry, McCallum stopped Carlos Betancourt in three rounds. This led to the biggest
fight of his career against former junior middleweight champion Ayub Kalule. McCallum completely
dominated Kalule, dropping his valiant foe with an uppercut. Kalule had no answer for Mike’s stinging
jabs and hooks to both the head and body. “The Body Snatcher” as he was now being called by the
media, finally stopped the former champ at the end of the seventh round. Allegedly the “Body Snatcher”
nickname was the result of a sparring session between McCallum and Tommy Hearns. When the fighters
finished sparring Hearns dubbed his stable mate the “body snatcher.”
8
Four more wins, three by KO and McCallum was declared the mandatory challenger for Roberto Duran’s
WBA Junior Middleweight Title. The Panamanian was given until April 10, 1984 to meet McCallum or face
being stripped of the crown. Although the “Body Snatcher” was a dangerous challenger he was not a
super star in the eyes of the boxing public. Like Wall Street, boxing is all about risk versus reward. For
Duran this meant a fight with McCallum’s teammate at the Kronk Gym, Tommy Hearns made more sense.
Facing Hearns would be risky for the WBC champ but, worth three times as much at the box office as
facing McCallum.
Adding to the Jamaican’s predicament was Emmanuel Steward. As trainer of both Hearns and McCallum
he would make far more money from his cut of the purse if Hearns faced Duran. McCallum was odd man
out, as Duran elected to face the “Hit Man” instead of the “Body Snatcher.” Stripping Duran of his title,
the WBC declared that Mike McCallum would face number two contender, Sean Mannion for the vacant
WBC title. On October 15, 1984, Mike McCallum became the first Jamaican to win a world championship
in the Island’s history. Mannion showed he had a tremendous chin and courage but not the skills in losing
a unanimous fifteen round decision at Madison Square Garden in New York City. When McCallum
returned to Jamaica it was to a hero’s welcome and a national holiday of celebration. Needless to say the
business relationship between Steward and the new WBC champ was over when Duran agreed to face
Hearns. McCallum signed with Duva Promotions and acquired a new trainer in George Benton.
It was boxer versus brawler when the new champ traveled to Milan, Italy for the first defense of his title
against Italian Luigi Manchillio. Fighting before 10,000 fans at the Milan Sports Palace, skill topped muscle
when Manchillio failed to answer the bell for the start of the fourteenth round. The Italian who went by
the nickname “the warrior” fought out of a crouch, trying to land crushing blows to the body in close. But
punishing left jabs by the champ kept Manchillio at bay most of the match. McCallum to reporters, “the
fight plan was to keep out of the corners and in the center of the ring as much as possible.”
Continuing his reign of terror on the junior middleweight division, the “Body Snatcher” faced challenger
and former Kronk teammate David Braxton. Abandoning his usual strategy of attacking the body the
champ went headhunting. The match was stopped at 2:26 of the eighth round with Braxton suffering cuts
around both eyes. The cut on the left eye went through the eyelid, leaving referee Roberto Ramirez little
choice but to stop the proceedings. "This was our strategy," said McCallum. "They all thought I'd work his
body but instead I just kept putting the left jab in his face. From previous fights I knew he'd cut."
McCallum felt he was bypassed for any title shot while training at the Kronk Gym in favor of stable mate
Thomas Hearns. "Beating one Kronk fighter was great, but now I want another," said McCallum. "I want
Tommy Hearns next. Beating him would be retribution."
In his third title defense, McCallum faced Julian Jackson of St.
Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands at the Miami Beach Convention
Center. A murderous puncher with either hand, Jackson
exploded out of his corner at the opening bell. Caught by
surprise, the “Body Snatcher” was nailed by an overhand right to
the head driving him to the ropes. McCallum found himself in a
squatting position but refused to fall. Jackson was relentless
going for the knockout. Each time the Jamaican appeared to be
getting back into the fight, Jackson would score with a terrific
punch to the head or body. Getting his wits about him during Mike McCallum stops Julian Jackson in
the second round.
the rest period, Mighty Mike was ready when Jackson continued
his assault in the second stanza. The St. Thomas banger while throwing wild punches at McCallum was
leaving himself wide open. The champ was quick to take advantage of the situation, staggering Jackson
9
with an overhand right to the head, followed by a left hook to the side of the face. The force of the
punches sent Jackson to the floor for an eight count. Rising on unsteady legs, Jackson was defenseless
and taking a battering along the ropes. The Virgin Islander was saved by the referee at 2:03 of the second
round. This was a sensational victory for McCallum over an extremely dangerous opponent. A victory that
resonated with hard core boxing aficionados but failed to reach the casual fan like Duran, Hagler, Leonard
or Hearn’s victories.
Three more wins, all by stoppage, and the “Body Snatcher” was matched with the “Ice Man” Milton
McCrory. McCrory was the former WBA welterweight champ having lost his title to Donald Curry in a
brutal stoppage in two rounds. Having gained weight, the “Ice Man” was on a mini comeback having won
four in a row. Adding to the drama, McCrory represented the Kronk Gym and would have Emmanuel
Steward working his corner. If McCallum thought this would be an easy title defense he was in for a big
surprise.
Taking advantage of McCallum’s habit of starting slow, McCrory was leading after four rounds. Throwing
overhand lefts and rights the challenger rocked his opponent on several occasions. Clearly he was
throwing more punches which were catching the eyes of the officials. The champ was content to throw
one or two punches at a time but make them count. The champ was digging hard punches to the body
and inflicted a bloody nose on his challenger.
In rounds five through eight the “Body Snatcher’s” punches started to deliver dividends, but McCrory’s
punch volume never stopped. The eighth stanza was the best of the fight with each fighter taking turns
inflicting punishment. This caused ringside analyst Alex Wallau to call it “one of the greatest rounds we’ve
seen this year.” A visit by the ringside physician to the challenger’s corner confirmed he had a broken
nose in addition to a cut over the left eye and a partially closed right eye.
The ninth was painful for McCrory as the champ opened up on the facial injuries. With blood dripping
into his eyes the challenger refused to surrender, firing back with both hands. His punches were finding
their mark but lacked the power of earlier rounds. With the encouragement of Emmanuel Steward
ringing in his ears, McCrory charged out for the tenth. Unfortunately for the Kronk fighter, McCallum
looked as fresh as he did in the first. Methodically going about his business the “Body Snatcher”
continued to land wicked shots to both the head and body. An overhand right sent the former champ
into the ropes and a series of punches sent him tumbling to the canvas. With blood streaming from
Milton’s left eye the referee stopped the contest at 2:20 of round ten. In the post fight interview the
champ called out Tommy Hearns but it would be Donald Curry next on his dance card.
I spoke to Mike about the Curry fight when we met in Las Vegas.
“Going into the fight I knew he had a terrific left jab, overhand right,
left hook combination. He was using this combination to knockout
fighters his entire career. But he was mechanical in throwing it, almost
like hitting the heavy bag. I knew if he missed with an overhand right,
he’d be off balance and vulnerable to a right uppercut to the body.
That’s what happened, he grunted when I landed the uppercut and my
left hook was just for show.” Watching video of the bout, Mike’s
description of what took place seems fairly accurate. For the record,
the champ reenacted the KO in the dining room of the Texas Station
Hotel. Unfortunately I got to play the role of “The Cobra”, much to the
shock of the dining patrons.
Curry is counted out in the fifth.
I asked if he was nervous trying to pull this off against one of the best
10
fighters of that era? Mike responded; “when I tried it in the second round, I got hit by an overhand right
and almost went down.” Curry was ahead on the score cards going into the fifth. When the “Body
Snatcher” landed his one-two, referee Richard Steele had the honor of administering the count at 1:14 of
the fifth. The bout took place at Caesars Palace, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Icing Curry captured the attention
of the world boxing community but failed to bring about a match with the “Hit Man.”
Having cleaned up the junior middleweight division, McCallum vacated the title for a chance to face
Sumbu Kalambay for the vacant WBA middleweight title. The bout was held in Pesaro, Italy. For
whatever reason Mike appeared listless, stalking his opponent but landing few punches. When the “Body
Snatcher” attacked his favorite part of the anatomy, he was cautioned by referee John Coyle to keep his
punches up. For his part, the transplanted African landed his left jab most of the fight, often following it
up with overhand rights. After twelve rather boring rounds, Kalambay received a close but unanimous
decision.
Bouncing back with three quick wins, McCallum was granted a second chance at the title when Kalambay
was stripped of his title for fighting IBF king Michael Nunn. (As the reader can plainly see the alphabet
boys were up to speed, filling their coffers with sanctioning fees, for pretty title belts.) The slick, switch
hitting southpaw Herol Graham was his opponent. The bout was held at Royal Albert Hall, Kensington,
London. McCallum took an eight count in the fifth when he slipped on water. Fortunately none of the
judges counted it as such having correctly seen what had actually taken place. As the fight was extremely
close this could have likely changed the outcome of the fight. After twelve rounds Jamaica had a reason
for declaring a national holiday, Mike McCallum was now middleweight champion of the world.
Seven months later the “Body Snatcher” traveled to Boston, Massachusetts to face Irishman Steve Collins
in the first defense of his title. Outside of Ireland there are probably more Irishmen per square mile in
Boston than any place in the world. Perhaps that is why Collins never got discouraged after falling way
behind in the bout. With the cries of Irish Americans every time the challenger took a breath, Collins
staged a furious rally over the last third of the fight. But it was too little too late, and the judges correctly
gave the decision to the champ.
Two months later on April 14, 1990 McCallum traveled to Royal Albert Hall in England to face red hot
contender, Michael Watson. Watson was fresh off an upset of previously undefeated Nigel Benn,
stopping him in six rounds. At thirty three years of age, the “Body Snatcher” was starting to look old and
the betting odds reflected that. Michael Watson was installed the betting favorite. Perhaps this is why
the much younger Watson started talking trash. Apparently he never heard the axiom let the sleeping
dogs lie. Seething on the inside, Mighty Mike was determined
to turn back the clock on his upstart twenty five year old
challenger. With the great Eddie Futch working his corner, the
plan was patience and discipline.
Watson started fast but the champ mixed solid defense with
aggression to hold his own in the opening round. Warming to
the task McCallum systematically took Watson apart each
round except for the fourth when the challenger landed some
good jabs and a thunderous overhand right. Like French
composer Maurice Ravel’s musical composition Bolero, the
fight was building to a crescendo. The climax took place in the
eleventh when the exhausted Watson fell against the ropes.
Using every punch in his arsenal, the wily champ dropped his
challenger for the ten count, silencing his critics in the process.
McCallum is sent to a neutral corner after
exploding a thunderous right off the chin
of Watson.
11
As for the “Four Kings”, as writer George Kimball had called them; McCallum had failed in his attempt to
get any of them into the ring. Marvin Hagler retired in 1987 after losing a disputed decision to Sugar Ray
Leonard. Leonard was inactive in 1990 and would lose to Terry Norris by lopsided decision the following
year. Roberto Duran, like Sugar Ray was also inactive in 1990, and would lose by TKO due to a shoulder
injury to the infamous Pat Lawlor the following year. Tommy Hearns won a decision over Michael Olajide
fourteen days after the Watson fight for his only activity of 1990. Did the “Four Kings”, duck the “Body
Snatcher” or was he just a victim of timing. Boxing historians can debate the merits of that charge for the
ages, but we can only speculate what would have happened if McCallum had been able to get any of
them into the ring.
After his destruction of Watson, McCallum continued to box for seven more years at a world class level.
Unlike Roy Jones who relied on exceptional reflexes, the “Body Snatcher” relied on basic skills; counter
punching, slipping blows, blocking punches and timing. When Jones’s reflexes abandoned him he became
hittable. McCallum’s fundamentals never deserted him; allowing him to avenge Sumbu Kalambay in a
rematch and win the WBC light heavyweight title from Jeff Harding. Additionally he faced James Toney
(3), Fabric Tiozzo and Roy Jones. In 2003, Mike McCallum was inducted into the International Boxing Hall
of Fame in Canastota, NY. He was an exceptional talent, whose skills would have made him competitive in
any era of the sweet science.
I met with Mike last month in Las Vegas at Johnny Tocco’s Gym. The gym was loaded with main event
boxers working at their trade, with several pugilists eagerly accepting advice from the “Body Snatcher”.
McCallum was preaching balance and knowing proper distance versus strength and power as the bases of
success when working inside the square circle. Although he is frustrated that he never had the
opportunity to face any of the “Four Kings” in the ring he never disparaged their talents. In spite of the
failure of his business relationship with Emmanuel Steward, he regards his former trainer as helping him
to reach his full potential. In discussing his defeats McCallum never offered excuses, feeling when you
climb into the ring you should not be making any.
Mike McCallum was an extraordinary talent who
would have been competitive with the greats of
any generation. It was a pleasure talking with this
straight shooting road warrior who was willing to
face any of his contemporaries in any location in
the world.
Today, Michael resides in Henderson, Nevada
with his lovely wife Verona and his daughter
Brenna and son Michael, Jr. I had the pleasure of
meeting both his children who I found to be both
personable and respectful. Apparently Michael’s
parenting skills are just as good as his skills inside
the ring.
12
Marion Conner, An Appreciation
by Bobby Franklin
I first met Marion Conner in 1965. I was a ten year old boy,
and my father had taken me to some sort of sporting show.
At the time I was a very shy kid, but for some reason loved
to watch boxing on TV. When my father asked me if I would
like to meet a real boxer in person, though a bit nervous, I
jumped at the chance. He brought me over to this very
handsome fellow with the friendliest smile. It was such a
thrill for me to meet Marion Conner, and he made me feel
like his friend. We squared off for a photo, and I never
forgot that moment and the really nice person who made
me feel so important.
About two years later
I would attend my
first
professional
boxing card. It was on December 18, 1967. My
father brought me to the Boston Garden where we
were seated a couple of rows behind former
Governor Foster Furcolo. As I sat there I got to see
my old friend Marion Conner step into the ring with
the number one heavyweight contender Joe Frazier.
I now had a personal connection right into that ring,
and I was so proud of how my friend handled
himself. Outweighed by thirty pounds and in with
one of the all time greats, Marion did not give an
inch. He was not an opponent. He was in there to
win and go on to become world champion.
Unfortunately, he had run into one
of
boxing’s greatest
fighting
machines. Not only had Marion been
decked, but the referee went down
as well. When you look at a picture
taken right after the fight you can
see the disappointment etched in
Marion’s face. He had come to win
and felt he had let everyone down.
Well, he hadn’t let me down. He
showed this now 12 year old what
courage and determination was all Upper: 1965, Bobby Franklin and Marion Conner.
about. To me he was a winner and a
Lower: 2012, Marion Conner and Bobby Franklin.
champion, and I was proud of him.
13
Forty-five years later I would meet Marion Conner once again when he came to Boston to
receive the Ring 4 Warrior Award. We got to have another picture taken, and you can still
see that wonderful smile on his face. We got to talk about his boxing career and how it
still pains him that he never became a world champion. How thrilled he was to have met
such greats as Joe Louis, Ezzard Charles, and Jersey Joe Walcott. His time living in
Roxbury and training at the New Garden Gym, a gym I would later work out at as I tried
my hand at a boxing career. His friendship with Larry Carney and how much he respected
Larry.
When I asked him about his fighting style
he told me he was an aggressive body
puncher with a very strong good left hook
to the head, who wore his opponents
down. As an amateur he had competed as
a southpaw and was then turned around
when he became a pro. In his first fight
with Tom McNeeley, Marion credits a part
of that win to the fact that he switched to
lefty midway through the bout. Boxing
scribe Mike Marley remembers the bout
that way as well.
One thing that surprised me is when
Marion relayed to me the fact his handlers
told him to trade left hooks with Joe
Frazier. I don’t think that was very wise
advice. I believe Marion’s best chance
would have been to use his speed and a
sneak right hand.
Joe Frazier and Marion Conner
Up until his fight with Greatest Crawford, Marion had a very respectful record of 30
fights, 23 wins, 6 losses, and 1 draw. On November 16, 1966, he met rugged Greatest
Crawford of Brooklyn, NY at the Canton Memorial Auditorium. Crawford who was 26 years
old was knocked out in the ninth round and was taken to a hospital after efforts to revive him
failed. He underwent surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain but succumbed to the injury
on November 17, 1966. The tragedy of that night took the fire out of Marion. Emma Conner
tells me he was never the same after that fight. He would now let up when he had an
opponent hurt. In his rematch with Herschel Jacobs, Marion had Jacobs cut but then
backed off out of fear of hurting him. His post Crawford record of 7-17-1 shows just what
an effect the sad outcome of that fight had on him.
During his career Marion Conner fought many of the top names in an era when boxing
was still a sport with many great fighters. Look at his record and along with Joe Frazier
you will see many familiar names. Henry Hank, Herschel Jacobs, Tom McNeeley, Jimmy
Dupree, Levan Roundtree, Mark Tessman, Billy Tisdale, Billy Douglas, and Ronnie Harris
14
to name just a few. It is also something to note that Joe Frazier had 37 bouts against 30
different opponents. Only two of them were light heavyweights, one being Bob Foster and
the other Marion Conner. Quite an exclusive club to be in.
Today Marion is living in
East Canton, Ohio with his
lovely wife Emma. I had
been trying to locate
Marion for a number of
years, and not long ago my
good friend Tom Marino
gave me a call and said he
had found him. I was then
put in touch with his
wonderful Daughter Vivian
who
lives
in
South
Carolina. I told her Mickey
Finn and the folks at Ring 4
wanted to send Marion an
award to show him how
much he was loved and
remembered in Boston.
Emma and Marion Conner, April 2012
Well, when Emma and
Marion heard about it they said they wanted to
come out for the banquet. Along with Marion’s
sister Evelyn and nephew Lamont, the Conner
clan made the long drive from Ohio. It was a thrill
to have them all here and we were all so pleased
to be able to spend time with them. Emma is the
best and Marion is lucky to have such a woman
standing with him.
It has been a long time since that ten year old boy
first met the boxer with the warm smile, but he is
still the man I remember so well from that day.
Marion should have no regrets about not winning
a world title because he is a World Champion in
the truest sense of the word. You can see that by
his smile and by the smiles he gets in response to
it. He never gave up and has come out a winner.
Marion Conner was awarded
Ring 4’s Warrior Award
15
Remembering Paolo Rosi
By Dan Cuoco
There are many stories of past greats and famous boxers that have
been written and rewritten over the years. But what about the many
who fought and made a name for themselves but seem to be forgotten
as the years pass. Paolo Rosi is one of them.
Paolo Rosi depended on aggressiveness, solid punching and deceiving
punching power to forge a name for himself in the lightweight division
from 1951 to 1962. He was a world rated lightweight contender from
February 1957 until July 1962, his highest rating number one. A
tendency to cut around his jutting eyebrows handicapped him
throughout his career. Four of his five stoppage losses were the direct
result of cuts. The most heartbreaking being his eighth round stoppage
loss to lightweight champion Joe Brown in their world title fight on
June 3, 1959. At the time of the stoppage, Paolo was even on the
official scorecards.
Paolo Rosi was born in Rieti, Italy on January 28, 1929 to Duilio and Emilia Rosi. He was an only son
with four older sisters. His father owned a fireworks factory and his childhood was relatively comfortable.
He graduated high school in 1945 at age 16 and moved to Rome to work as a hair dresser. Unsatisfied
with his line of work he returned home two years later and went to work in his father’s factory.
In 1947, Paolo went to Genoa to visit his sister Bruna. During his visit he passed a gym and saw boxers
working out. He liked what he saw so he decided to give boxing a try. He entered the amateurs and over
the next three years won 28 of 29 fights.1 In 1949 and 1950 he won the Liguria State amateur lightweight
championship.
He turned pro in Albano, Italy on January 18, 1951 winning a six round decision over Nicola D’Amato.
Over the next 16 months fighting in Albano, Rieti, Genoa, Bergamo, Milan and Rome he compiled a
record of 12-1 with 4 kayos. After winning a six round decision over Roy Ryan in Rome on April 12,
1952, Paolo was offered an opportunity to fight in the United States. He jumped at the chance to advance
his career by fighting in the United States and signed with booking agent Carmine Tarantino. Tarantino
had a successful track record of importing fighters from Italy such as Italo Scortichini and Livio Minelli.
Paolo settled in the Bronx and made his U.S. debut on December 19, 1952 with a third round stoppage
over Jimmy Wilde at Madison Square Garden in a six rounder. In January 1953, he stopped Jose Morrell
in the third round at Madison Square Garden. That earned him a match on March 27, 1953 with battle
tested veteran Sonny Luciano (62-20-5). Rosi scored a technical knockout over Luciano in the 4th round
of a scorching eight round semi-final at Madison Square Garden. Paolo dropped Luciano twice in the 1st
round, once in the 2nd, and opened a cut over his left eye in the 2nd. The cut was aggravated in the 4th and
Referee Teddy Martin stopped the fight. Rosi also suffered considerable damage including a cut at the
bridge of his nose, but had the best of the rough going. He showed a beautiful left-right combination with
which he scored the knockdowns in the opening round.
In April of 1953, Paolo met Bronx native Barbara DeSantis when Barbara and her mother sailed to Italy
for a visit. Paolo met Barbara on board and forty days after their first meeting they married on May 28,
1953. Five months later, the couple returned to New York, where Paolo resumed his ring career.
16
He returned to the ring on December 18, 1953 against 27-year-old veteran Eddie Compo (74-7-4). They
met in a eight round semi-final at Madison Square Garden and Paolo won a convincing decision.
In March 1954, Paolo travelled to Boston and stopped Danny Josephs in two rounds at the Boston
Garden. A month later, he headlined his first main event in a return match with Eddie Compo at the St.
Nicholas Arena. This time he stopped Eddie in the 6th round of a scheduled ten round bout. Compo was
dropped by a long right to the jaw in the 3rd round and then dodged out of harm’s way until the bell. Paolo
had Compo in trouble in the 4th, but he weathered the storm again. In the 5th, Paolo cut Compo’s left eye.
He also landed a series of left hooks to the chin, a hard right to the face and had Compo staggering badly
at the end of the round. In the 6th, Rosi closed the show forcing Referee Al Berl to halt the fight.
The win over Compo earned Paolo, now sporting a record of 18-1-0 with 9 KOs, a fight with 2nd ranked
lightweight contender Orlando Zulueta of Cuba (51-19-9) at the St. Nicholas Arena. Zulueta, favored at
13-5, was too experienced for Paolo and stopped him in the 8th round after opening cuts over his left
eyebrow and the bridge of his nose. Zulueta was fully in command for all but the 3rd and 7th rounds. The
action was hot and heavy in the 2nd when one of Zulueta’s jabs opened a cut over Paolo’s left eyebrow.
Paolo’s cut was reopened in the 3rd and during every round thereafter. Zulueta flashed left jabs to the
target area, followed with hard left hooks and rights to the head and body. Paolo fought back hard with
blistering two-handed spurts whenever he got a chance. But, once the cut on the left side of Paolo’s brow
was open it was apparent he was beaten. Three times – at the end of the 2nd, 4th and 7th rounds – Dr.
Vincent Nardiello examined the injury before he allowed the contest to continue. But Referee Al Berl
watched the cut closely and when the cut began bleeding profusely again in the 8th round he stopped the
fight.
The severity of the cut caused Paolo to have surgery to remove scar tissue from his eyebrows and kept
him out of action for a year. He returned on April 25, 1955, and dropped a ten round decision to George
(Curley) Munroe in Providence, RI. Then he was off for six more months, returning on October 21, 1955
to stop undefeated Eddie Corma (16-0-0) in 7 rounds at Madison Square Garden.
The impressive win over Corma led to a proposed fight with 4th ranking lightweight contender Frankie
Ryff. But, on November 18, 1955 the New York State Athletic Commission ruled that Paolo was not
good enough to meet Ryff in a bout scheduled for Madison Square Garden. The reason given was that
“Ryff was too far advanced for Rosi as a boxer.” 2
Paolo didn’t like the decision and was determined to
prove the commission wrong. He got his chance on
December 12, 1955 when he met Lulu Perez in a
nationally televised fight from the St. Nicholas Arena.
Paolo won a lop-sided upset decision over Perez (34-7-1)
in his TV debut. He had Perez on the verge of a knockout
in the 5th round, and Dr. Alexander Schiff examined the
badly battered Perez in his corner but permitted him to
continue. Perez, who was favored at 6 1/2 to 5, was
staggered by Paolo in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and
10th rounds. Lulu suffered such a beating that he decided
to take a long layoff after the fight.
Paolo travelled to Paterson, NJ on April 14, 1956 and won
an eight round decision over Sal DiGuardia.
Paolo Rosi catches Lulu Perez with a solid right cross.
Photo courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring.
17
On July 6, 1956, Paolo headlined a 10 round main event at Madison Square Garden and won a unanimous
decision over Sacramento lightweight Joey Lopes (37-10-2). The bout went at a brisk pace with both
fighters willing to trade blows at every opportunity. Paolo scored most of his points with long rights to the
head. Lopes was superior in the infighting. Paolo got off to a good start by beating Lopes to the punch in
their many exchanges during the first four rounds. Lopes sprang back in the 5th, turning aggressive and
outboxing Paolo in the 5th, 6th and 7th rounds. In the 8th, Lopes mixed his delivery, but his wildness cost
him the round. Paolo had trouble reaching Lopes in the 9th and absorbed punishment. In the 10th, Paolo
smashed Joey with solid rights to the jaw and staggered him just before the final bell. As the bell ended
the round, Lopes fell to the floor.
Paolo’s second nationally televised fight took place in Washington, DC on November 2, 1956 against
Philadelphia’s Henry (Toothpick) Brown (24-3-2). He ran his record to 23-3-0 (11 kayoes) with an 8th
round TKO victory. Paolo dropped Brown twice for 9 counts with solid rights to the jaw in the 8th round.
Referee Harry Volkman stopped the fight after Brown picked himself up weakly from the second
knockdown. All three officials had Paolo far in front at the time of the stoppage.
Just as Paolo was starting to make headway towards a world ranking, he suffered a major setback when
12-5 underdog Baby Vasquez (54-13-2) stopped him on cuts in the 7th round at Biscayne Arena in Miami
on December 28, 1956. The Mexico City native was making his nationally televised debut. In the 5th
round it looked like Vasquez might be knocked out. He was badly hurt early in the round by a left-rightleft combination to the face. Then a right uppercut buckled his knees. He was bombarded from rope to
rope, but did not drop. Vasquez rallied in the 6th, scoring with right counters and left hooks. His rally was
astonishing because of the battering he had taken in the 5th. It was in the 6th that Paolo suffered a cut on
his left brow and a deeper one on his right brow in the 7th. The second gash bled so profusely that Dr.
James McCormack asked Referee Mike Kaplan to stop the fight. Shortly before the fight was stopped
Paolo shook Vasquez with a right uppercut and a left and a right to the jaw. Then followed two furious
exchanges in which Paolo’s right brow was gashed.
Paolo and Baby Vasquez signed for a rematch scheduled for
March 1, 1957 at Madison Square Garden in New York. A
week before the fight Vasquez withdrew because of a back
injury and was replaced by 3rd ranked lightweight contender
Johnny Gonsalves (47-9-3). Gonsales entered the fight with
a 13 fight unbeaten streak dating back to April 4, 1954.
Paolo won a split decision by scores of 6-3-1, 8-1-1 and 4-51. The NY Times’ Joseph C. Nichols gave Paolo all ten
rounds. There was little action in the bout, mainly because
Gonsalves failed to mix it up with Paolo and held at every
opportunity. Paolo tried to lead and threw punches from all
angles. Many of his punches landed, but none too squarely.
Gonsalves boxed well in the first two rounds, but from the
third round on he did little except hold and clinch. His
pattern was to trade long lefts, pull Paolo into close quarters,
then hold until Referee Al Berl separated them. The most
spirited round was the 8th, in which Paolo succeeded in
punching so fast that Gonsalves had no chance to grab him.
The poor showing by Gonsalves caused him to tumble in the
ratings from 3rd place to 10th. Paolo’s impressive showing
enabled him to enter the world ratings in the 8th spot.
Rosi lands a hard right to Gonsalves’ body. Photo
courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring.
18
His next bout was in San Francisco on May 9, 1957 against number 10th ranked lightweight contender
Leo Alonzo of the Philippines. The 4,500 in attendance at the Cow Palace were treated to an all out war
which former junior-welterweight champion Willie Ritchie called “the most action packed battle between
lightweights he ever saw.” 3 Alonzo, a sharp counter-puncher, was able to land often on the forward
moving Paolo and twice put him on the deck. The Filipino dropped Paolo for a count of 7 in the 6th and no
count in the 9th. Paolo was also dishing it out and Alonzo was the worst battered of the two at the finale.
Referee Vern Bybee scored it for Alonzo 96-94; Judge Jack Downey had it 96-93 for Paolo; Judge
Frankie Carter called it even. The draw did not hurt Paolo’s 8th rating in The Ring.
On August 16, 1957, Paolo, now ranked 6th by The Ring, gained sweet revenge against 7th ranked Baby
Vasquez by winning a split decision in a nationally televised bout at the Exposition Center in Louisville,
KY. Paolo employed swarming tactics and bombarded Vasquez with uppercuts in the late rounds to finish
fast in a tough but unspectacular bout. The victory elevated Paolo to 5th in The Ring ratings.
He returned to Louisville on September 9, 1957 and pounded out a lopsided unanimous decision over
tough journeyman Ray Portilla. This fight ended his 1957 campaign.
Paolo started his 1958 campaign on January 3, 1958 winning a ten round split decision over Johnny Busso
(31-5-1) at Madison Square Garden. Paolo was the aggressor throughout the fight, but a good many of his
punches were wild in the early stages. He got his range
toward the close and it was this late surge that enabled him
to win. Busso appeared to good advantage at the outset as
he avoided Paolo’s rushes and scored with long right
counters to the head. Paolo’s aggressiveness started to pay
off in the 4th as he landed enough long lefts to earn him
close margins in the 4th through the 6th rounds. It was in the
4th that Busso first started to show an inclination to hold.
He gripped Paolo so hard that he drew a warning from
Referee Teddy Martin. Busso got off some sharp rights to
the head in the 7th and 8th rounds. But Paolo outpunched
him in the final two rounds to seal the victory. Teddy
Martin had the fight even in rounds at five each, but with 6
points for Paolo against Busso’s five. Judge Joe Agnello
favored Paolo, 6-4, but Judge Jack Gordon scored it for Johnny Busso blocks a right uppercut from Paolo Rosi.
Busso, 5-4-1.
The win over Johnny Busso coupled with Ralph Dupas’ loss to lightweight champion Joe Brown on May
7, 1958 elevated Paolo to 3rd in The Ring’s June 1958 ratings. However, his high rating didn’t last long
because Paolo was inactive from February 1958 through September 1958 due to surgery to remove scar
tissue from his eyebrows and he dropped to 6th in The Ring ratings.
After his long absence, Paolo returned to the ring to take on San Francisco’s unbeaten sensation Bobby
Scanlon in his hometown of San Francisco on October 13, 1958. Scanlon entered the fight with an
unbeaten record (31-0-1) and a number 8 world rating. Going into the fight, most experts figured Paolo’s
long layoff would make him rusty and an easy decision victim for the razor-sharp Scanlon. But Paolo
surprised everyone including Scanlon by handing the baby-faced 22-year-old his first defeat when he
knocked him out at 1:27 of a sensational third round. Paolo did in fact show ring rust in the first round
when he was staggered by a wide Scanlon hook and peppered with left jabs. To make matters worse, a cut
was opened above his left eye at the round’s midpoint when their heads collided. Paolo moved into
Scanlon in the 2nd hoping to keep Scanlon’s speedy left jab neutralized. It proved to be a wise strategy, for
Scanlon was no match for Paolo on the inside and the crowd booed Scanlon for holding. Paolo kept his
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pressing tactics in the 3rd and ripped lefts and rights to the head and uppercuts to the chin. Paolo pulled
out of a clinch early in the round and scored with a combination which dropped Scanlon. Scanlon jumped
up before the referee could start a count and caught Paolo with a right that floored him for a no count.
Scanlon then charged in for the kill, but Paolo used his superior strength and infighting ability to setup
Scanlon for a perfectly timed right cross which dropped him on his face. Scanlon managed to get to one
knee but much too late before referee Matt Zidich reached the count of 10.
Paolo met Bobby Scanlon again on December 8, 1958 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco and won a split
10 round decision. Paolo scored consistently with solid inside punches and right crosses to the head. A
right hand sent Scanlon to his knee in the 2nd for a no-count knockdown. The fight appeared even going
into the 7th round when referee Downey cautioned Scanlon for a low blow. Paolo was cut over the left eye
in the 8th round and bled throughout the last three rounds. Referee Jack Downey stopped the action in the
9th for the doctor to check the damaged eye. The doctor ruled that Paolo could continue. Despite the blood
streaming from the long gash over his left eye, Paolo won the final round decisively. Referee Downey
scored it 97-94 and Judge Matt Zidich 97-95 for Paolo. Judge Eddie James voted for Scanlon 98-95.
Paolo moved to 4th in The Ring ratings.
In his next start on February 23, 1959, again at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, Paolo made a strong
case for a title fight with lightweight champion Joe Brown when he took a narrow split decision over
southpaw Flash Elorde (48-14-2). Paolo won after shaking off the effects of three severe facial cuts which
hampered his fighting. The southpaw style of Elorde, coupled with the streams of blood from the 3rd
round on, bothered him. Paolo won the fight on the inside where Elorde was unable to cope. Paolo started
bleeding from a cut over his left eye in the 3rd round. In the 4th another cut opened over his nose. Despite
the bleeding, Paolo was the harder puncher throughout the fight. Elorde realized he was behind on points
as the final round started. He opened a furious two-fisted attack at Paolo’s body and then lifted his aim to
Paolo’s head. But Paolo countered several times in the
round with hard punches to Elorde’s head. Referee Frankie
Carter called Paolo the winner by 100-94. Judge Eddie
James scored it 98-97 for Paolo. Judge Jack Downey called
it 96-93 for Elorde. The loss was Elorde’s first in his last 16
starts. The win put Paolo in contention for a possible world
title fight.
Paolo’s next fight was a nationally televised go against
Frankie Ryff (30-6-0) at the War Memorial Auditorium in
Syracuse on April 10, 1959. Ryff was on a hot streak having
won 9 of his last 10 bouts. In his last fight Frankie proved he
was back in top form by outpointing Cisco Andrade at
Madison Square Garden. Frankie, like Paolo, was prone to
eye cuts and had undergone plastic surgery to remove scar
tissue over his eyebrows. Prior to surgery, two of his six
defeats were due to cuts. Paolo, now ranked 3rd in the
lightweight division, floored Ryff twice midway through the
third round and had Frankie defenseless when Referee Joe
Palmer stopped the fight. The win earned Paolo a world title
fight against lightweight champion Joe Brown.
Referee Joe Palmer steps in to save Frankie Ryff
from further punishment.
Paolo’s fight for the world lightweight championship took place at the Uline Arena in Washington, DC on
June 3, 1959 and ended at the end of the 8th round after ringside physicians Dr. Clark Halstead and Dr.
Jack Kneipp had agreed that a jagged cut over his left eye was too severe for him to continue. Thus
lightweight champion Joe Brown (85-20-10) retained his crown with a technical knockout in the 9th
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round. Under the rules in effect, a bout stopped between rounds is listed as a technical knockout in the
succeeding round. At the time of the stoppage Paolo was even on the scorecards. Judge Norvel Lee scored
75 points for each fighter; Judge Harry Volkman had Brown in front 77-75; Referee Charley Reynolds
favored Paolo, 74-71.
Experts had predicted that Paolo would have to protect
his face against the sharp combinations of the champion
because of his tendency to cut easily around the eyes.
Brown was well aware of that fact. Right from the start,
Brown went to work on Paolo’s face, shooting jabs to the
head and short chopping rights to the face. Whenever
Paolo brought his guard up, Brown went to work on the
body. But his primary target was Paolo’s features. In the
3rd round Brown opened a cut on the inside corner of
Paolo’s left brow. Paolo’s cutman, Johnny Sullo, was
able to stop the bleeding temporarily, but Brown soon
had the cut opened again in the next round.
The first three rounds were the champion’s as he
countered Paolo’s wild, lunging left hooks to the body
and head. Brown scored repeatedly with jolting right
uppercuts to the jaw and stiff jabs after Paolo missed.
Sullo’s excellent work kept Paolo out of eye trouble for
awhile and he began to take the offense strongly.
Challenger Paolo Rosi catches Champion Joe Brown
with a left jab early in the fight.
In the 4th round, Brown appeared to slow down somewhat and Paolo pressed
forward strongly, landing several good hooks on Brown’s chin and banging
long overhand rights to the body. Brown more frequently went into clinches
and did not return Paolo’s fire. In the 5th, Paolo halted Brown in his tracks
with a solid left-right combination to the body. In the 6th, Paolo blasted a hard
right off Brown’s jaw. Paolo continued his offense in the 7th, scoring well both
to the body and head with his hooks and long rights to the body. He pressed
forward so strongly that Brown was kept off balance, and was unable to use
his effective counters. Paolo’s sustained offense seemed on his way to beating
the champion.
But at the start of the 8th, the fight changed its pattern immediately. Brown
banged a hard right to Paolo’s left eye and a deep cut appeared. The blood
began to flow down the side of Paolo’s face and head. Paolo fought back
gamely, but his vision was impaired. It was then – at the end of the 8th – that
Reynolds halted the fight on advice of the two physicians. After the fight,
Paolo had to have eight stitches over his left eye. Joseph (Jocko) Miller, the
District of Columbia boxing commission chairman, said Paolo automatically
would be suspended for 90 days to allow his cuts to heal. 4
Paolo Rosi eyes Joe Brown
with blood flowing down the
side of his face.
Despite his disappointing loss to Joe Brown, Paolo retained his number 3 spot in The Ring world ratings.
In The Ring’s November 1959 world ratings, Paolo was elevated from 3rd to 2nd behind number 1 rated
Carlos Ortiz with the removal of number 2 rated Kenny Lane to the welterweight world ratings.
Paolo returned to the ring on November 17, 1959 and beat former victim Johnny Gonsalves by unanimous
decision at the Memorial Auditorium in Oakland, CA. Paolo was the aggressor throughout as he upped
his record to 32-5-1, 13 kayoes. Gonsalves was knocked down in the second round. After the fight
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Gonsalves said “He is the best puncher I ever met.” Even though Paolo won convincingly he was again
plagued by his vulnerable eyebrows. Despite several surgeries to replace some of his tender tissue he bled
profusely before the bout ended. The decisive point of the fight came in the second round when Paolo
dropped Gonsalves with a stinging right flush on the jaw. Gonsalves managed to survive the round as
Paolo bore in eagerly but inaccurately in hopes of a quick ending. Gonsalves almost went down again in
the 8th when Paolo caught him with a long right to the chin, but managed to stay upright with the aid of
the ropes at his back. Gonsalves adopted a hit and run style, and although landing several sharp uppercuts
in the final two rounds couldn’t make up the points deficit. Paolo was given a 96-94 edge by Referee Jack
Downey; Judge Matt Zidich gave the same margin; while Judge Eddie James scored it 98-94.
Three months later, on February 9, 1960, Paolo returned to the Bay area to take on Oakland veteran Art
Ramponi (24-13-1). He had little trouble disposing of Ramponi in the 3rd round at the Memorial
Auditorium in Sacramento, CA before a near capacity crowd of 3,771. The beginning of the end for the
outclassed Ramponi came in the 2nd round when Paolo connected with several good shots that had
Ramponi in real trouble against the ropes. Early in the 3rd, Paolo renewed his attack with a barrage of
hooks which buckled Ramponi’s knees. Another left hook put Ramponi down for the count at 1:52 of the
stanza.
In the March 1960 issue of The Ring, Paolo was elevated to number 1 over the inactive Carlos Ortiz who
slipped to number 2. However, in the April issue of The Ring, Carlos Ortiz’s impressive knockout of
undefeated knockout artist Raymundo (Battling) Torres lifted Ortiz back into first position as the leading
contender with Paolo exchanging posts with him, in second position.
On May 18, 1960, Paolo took on Chicago’s Eddie Perkins (17-7-0) at Chicago Stadium in a nationally
televised bout. The unranked Perkins outboxed and outpunched Paolo to score an upset unanimous 10
round decision. The 23-year-old Perkins switched his blows from the head to the body and back again as
he kept the more experienced and slower Paolo off
balance. Perkins tagged Paolo with three rapid-fire
left hooks in the first round to open a cut over Paolo’s
left eye. Paolo had his eye patched during the rest
period. The bleeding stopped, but the patching didn’t
help Paolo cope with the younger Perkins’s rushing
style. There were no knockdowns and neither fighter
was hurt. But Perkins had things in hand from the
beginning. Two long left hooks sent Paolo back on
his heels in the 6th round and again in the 9th. Perkins
won a 48-42 vote from Referee Joey White, a 48-44
edge from Judge John Bray and a 50-44 call from
Judge Harold Marovitz. The victory vaulted Perkins
into the lightweight rankings and dropped Paolo to Paolo Rosi winces as Eddie Perkins drives a left into his midthe 6th spot. It also ended Paolo’s hopes for a return section.
match with lightweight champion Joe Brown.
A month later, on June 28, 1960, Paolo was back in the Bay area to take on Sacramento’s Joey Lopes at
the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento. Paolo and Lopes had met four years before in New York with
Paolo winning a unanimous decision. This time they fought to a bloody draw in a sizzling fight. Referee
Pete Morelli called the fight 96-96; Judge Mario Deccini called it 97-93 for Paolo; Judge Fred Battaro had
it 97-96 for Lopes. The United Press International scored it 97-94 for Paolo. Lopes scored the only
knockdown when he and Paolo scored simultaneous left jabs in the 2nd round and Paolo went down on the
seat of his pants. He bounced up immediately, but had to take the mandatory eight count. Paolo was
22
bleeding slightly from both brows at the end of the fight. Lopes was bleeding from cuts around his left
eye and mouth. Consequently, the draw caused Paolo to drop from 6th to 8th in The Ring world ratings.
On November 1, 1960, Paolo and Joey Lopes met in a rubber match at the Memorial Auditorium in
Sacramento. Lopes was able to even the score by stopping Paolo on cuts in the sixth-round. The fight was
not lopsided, although Paolo was down or nearly down in three rounds. The fight was a slugfest in which
both fighters practically forgot to box. In the 1st round a Lopes left hook sent Paolo staggering backwards.
He landed on the seat of his pants, but Referee Pete Morelli ruled it was not a knockdown. Lopes floored
Paolo with a chopping right for an eight count in the 2nd round and opened a small cut over his left eye.
Again in the 3rd round a Lopes left hook staggered Paolo and he put his glove on the canvas to keep from
falling. This was not ruled a knockdown either. In the 6th round Paolo staggered Lopes with a roundhouse
right to the ribs. Lopes recovered and late in the round swung a left hook that opened a gash under the
right eye. Referee Morelli stopped the bout at the 2:57 mark. The loss dropped Paolo from The Ring’s
world ratings. Moreover, according to most ring experts his career had come to an end.
Not ready to call it a career, Paolo returned to the win column on February 13, 1961 with a unanimous
decision over spoiler Tommy Tibbs (55-54-3) at the St. Nicholas Arena. This was Paolo’s first bout in
New York in three years. Paolo outboxed Tibbs in an exciting fight. Although six years older than his 26year-old rival, Paolo demonstrated surprising stamina and a heavy punch with both hands. He used
accurate jabs to set up Tibbs for many good blows to the jaw and ribs. He stunned Tibbs briefly in the 5 th
round. In the 7th Paolo suffered a slight cut over his right eye. He complained to Referee Mark Conn that
Tibbs had thumbed him. In the 8th and 9th Tibbs tried to worsen the cut without success. Judge Jack
Gordon voted for Paolo 5-4-1; Judge Nick Gamboli scored it 7-2-1; Referee Mark Conn gave Paolo 9 of
the 10 rounds.
Madison Square Garden matchmaker Teddy Brenner was looking for a stepping stone for lightweight
contender Len Matthews (31-5-2) and approached Paolo’s manager Cy Cresci about his availability.
Most of the experts at that time felt that Paolo was no longer a prime time fighter. But Paolo, his manager
Cy Cresci and trainer Chick Vitti still felt that he was good enough to compete with the best in the
division. So they unhesitatingly accepted the nationally televised fight against the 4th ranked Matthews.
The bout took place at Madison Square Garden on May 27, 1961. Paolo, at age 33, gave away eleven
years to the 22-year-old Philadelphian who entered the fight the decided favorite at 13 to 5. Paolo
surprised everyone by handing Matthews a first-class boxing lesson in winning a lop-sided unanimous
decision. All three officials, Referee Jimmy Devlin and Judges Johnny Dran and Nick Gamboli voted all
ten rounds to Paolo.
Because of his youth and high ranking, Matthews seemed a logical choice before ring time. Matthews
started the fight in impressive fashion when he landed a left hook off Paolo’s jaw that sent him reeling.
Paolo almost hit the canvas, but his gloved fist on the floor saved him. Paolo quickly regained his balance
and it was not ruled a knockdown. But before the round was over Paolo cut loose with blows that had
Matthews standing on unsteady legs. From then on, Matthews absorbed a storm of punches. Paolo’s best
punch was a right uppercut which he landed at will throughout the fight. Paolo was cut over and under his
left eye, and over his right eye. He also suffered a bloody nose. Matthews, who absorbed terrible
punishment throughout the bout, began to bleed inside his mouth in the first round. Paolo’s early fast pace
caught up to him in the later rounds. He looked at the clock frequently in the final three rounds. After the
fight, the NY State Athletic Commission said that Matthews had been suspended for thirty days because
of the severe battering around the head that he received. 5 Paolo regained a place among the lightweight
elite, being listed 9th in the August 1961 issue of The Ring.
Riding high over his performance against Matthews, Paolo accepted a nationally televised fight in
Buffalo, NY on July 7, 1961 against Jackie Donnelly of Buffalo, NY for the vacant New York State
23
lightweight championship. Before a crowd of 6,500, Donnelly used in-and-out tactics to win an upset
majority decision over Paolo. There were no knockdowns although each fighter was shaken several times.
Paolo suffered a gash at the corner of his left eye in the 2nd round. Donnelly suffered a cut over his left
eye in the 7th and it bled more freely in the closing round. Donnelly forced the fighting in most of the
rounds. However, Paolo’s body shots tired his younger opponent after the 7th round. Paolo was effective
in the last three rounds with his left hooks and right uppercuts. On a rounds basis, Referee Mark Conn and
Judge Dick Fay favored Donnelly, 6-4. Judge Lou Goldstein called the fight even, 5-5. The UPI had Paolo
ahead, 5-4-1. Donnelly entered The Ring ratings at 9 while Paolo went down one peg to 10. A month later
a favorable mix-up in the hierarchy upped Donnelly to 8 and Paolo to 9.
The Rosi and Donnelly camps agreed to a rematch in
neutral Boston on September 23, 1961. Paolo felt that he
did enough in their first fight to win the decision and
planned to start much faster than he had in Buffalo.
Starting fast was an understatement. Paolo needed less than
two rounds to exact revenge, knocking Donnelly out in the
second round. The first round was uneventful and gave
little indication of the fireworks forthcoming in the second
round. The 2nd round opened with a fierce flurry of
infighting. Paolo was cut over the left eye when Donnelly
landed a vicious right-hand. Midway through the round
Donnelly was badly cut over his right eye. He began to
swing wildly and Paolo moved in and hit Donnelly, first
with a right cross, then with a jarring left hook that sent
him plunging to the canvas. Donnelly struggled to his
hands and knees, his mid-section only four inches above
the canvas, at the count of 7, bleeding freely from the right
eye. He slumped against the ropes as the count reached 10.
Referee Joe Zapustas held Donnelly back after the
knockout. Donnelly did not know the fight was over and
struggled to his feet as if to attack his opponent after the
count. Paolo advanced from 9th to 8th in The Ring ratings.
Paolo Rosi drops Jackie Donnelly for the full count.
Weeks after beating Donnelly in their return match, Madison Square Garden matchmaker Teddy Brenner
signed Paolo to fight top rated lightweight contender Carlos Ortiz (34-4-0-1) in a ten round elimination
fight at Madison Square Garden. Brenner stated that he had the word of world lightweight champion Joe
Brown that he would meet the winner in a title bout in March or April of 1962.
Ortiz entered their November 18, 1961 bout a 9-5 favorite. Carlos survived a 2-count knockdown in the
9th round to score a unanimous decision over Paolo. Ortiz made excellent use of his fast counter-punching
and superior boxing ability. Both Referee Ruby Goldstein and Judge Frank Forbes scored the fight 6-3-1
for Ortiz. The other Judge favored Ortiz, 6-4. The NY Times scored five rounds for each.
Ortiz held command through the first four rounds countering Paolo’s wild misses. Paolo drew first blood
when he opened a cut on Ortiz’ left eyelid. In the 5th, Paolo began to turn the fight his way. He forced
Ortiz to retreat constantly and landed several right-handed leads. Ortiz’ left eyelid bled again from Paolo’s
furious onslaught. Paolo continued to press the action through the next four rounds. He seemed stronger
in the infighting, although Ortiz was the faster puncher. In the 6th, Paolo cut the right eyelid of Ortiz. But
the quick corner work of Charlie Goldman stopped the cuts from hampering Ortiz. In the 7th, two rights
and a hook by Paolo opened the left eyelid of Ortiz again. Paolo had taken the crisp, quick punches of
Ortiz without visible damage. In the 8th, Paolo began to hit with more authority. A hook by Paolo flush to
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the chin shook Ortiz so that he grabbed the ropes to keep
from falling. But it was Paolo’s smashing blows in the 9th
that almost brought him victory. Ortiz got across two
hooks and a right, but Paolo countered with a sizzling left
hook to the chin. Ortiz went down to a sitting position,
shook his head quickly and rose at the count of 2. The
mandatory 8 count helped Carlos. Paolo tore into his foe,
but Ortiz fought back with a barrage of his own. In the
fast exchange of punches, Paolo came out of a clinch
bleeding from both eyebrows. Ortiz, the sharper
marksman, scored with straight rights to the head and
hooks and rights to the body as Paolo moved forward.
Paolo apparently had fought himself out in the 9th round.
Ortiz, boxing carefully, took the 10th easily. Paolo tried
desperately to stay away from the clinches of Ortiz and
fight at long range, but Ortiz beat him with short, snappy
blows inside. The decision for Ortiz brought many boos
from the crowd, but a poll of ringside writers revealed
nine favored Ortiz, four favored Paolo and three saw the
bout even. 6 Ortiz’ victory earned him a title fight with
Joe Brown, while Paolo retained his 8th world rating.
Carlos Ortiz catches Paolo Rosi with a right hand en
route to a unanimous decision in their title elimination
bout at Madison Square Garden. The victory earned
Ortiz a title fight with champion Joe Brown.
Next up for Paolo was a cross-road fight against 26-year-old Manuel Alvarez (68-8-17) of Argentina who
was making his U.S. debut. Paolo was now rated 7th due to Kenny Lane’s upset loss to Rip Randall. There
was a lot on the line for both fighters. Alvarez’ incentive was he needed to win in order to remain in the
U.S. and get big-money assignments. As for Paolo, a MSG spokesman declared, “He will be set way back
in his efforts to obtain another crack at the lightweight title if he fails against the Argentine.”
The Rosi-Alvarez fight took place at Madison Square Garden on March 3, 1962 and was televised
nationally. Although Paolo did plenty of missing, he managed to score often enough to win a unanimous
decision. The stocky Alvarez was fairly agile, both of foot and of hand, but too defensive minded and too
light a puncher. He spent most of his time back-tracking and trying to avoid Paolo’s lunging swings and
rugged body punching. This, most likely, influenced the officials in Paolo’s favor as he took fewer
backward steps than Alvarez. When Alvarez elected to take the initiative, he scored with stiff left jabs to
the face and two-fisted flurries to the body, but his aggressive outbursts were usually brief. Both fighters
were cut over their eyes, and Paolo also suffered a bloody nose, but neither was in serious trouble at any
time. All three officials scored the fight in Paolo’s favor. Referee Jimmy Devlin, 7-3; Judge Bill Recht, 72-1; Judge Artie Aidala, 5-4-1.
Hoping to get a title shot at new lightweight champion Carlos Ortiz, Paolo took on the division’s second
rated contender Carlos Hernandez, 26-1-3 (15), on June 16, 1962. A prefight report in the NY Times
stated, “Paolo Rosi, the Bronx lightweight whose eleven year professional career has been hampered by
tender facial tissue, will be subjected to the heavy fists of Carlos Hernandez tonight. Rosi, 34 years old,
and Hernandez of Venezuela, 22, will fight ten rounds or less in the Madison Square Garden ring. The
South American, with advantages in age, height, reach and punching power was installed an 8 to 5
favorite to score his seventh successive victory.”
Carlos Hernandez accomplished what 48 other ring rivals of Paolo had not been able to do in his eleven
year career. Hernandez floored Paolo three times in the first round of their nationally televised fight at
Madison Square Garden and scored a technical knockout at 2:11. The result surprised most of the fans
who apparently had expected Paolo to win because of his superior experience. Hernandez quickly put his
powerful right fist to work. Within seconds after the opening bell, Hernandez tested Paolo’s crouching,
25
bob-and-weave defense by landing three straight rights. All were high on the side of Paolo’s head. A
fourth, however, landed flush on Paolo’s left temple. Paolo bounced to his knees, his hands holding his
body off the ring floor. He got up at the count of 2 and took Referee Mark Conn’s mandatory 8 count. But
Paolo was in trouble. His eyes were glazed and his legs wobbly. Hernandez lost no time getting after him.
This time, three rights in succession thudded solidly on Paolo’s jaw. Again he sank to the lower strand of
the ring ropes. Again Conn tolled off the automatic 8-count. And again Hernandez moved to close range.
He caught Paolo in a corner, blasting away with both hands. Paolo sank lower and lower, his body coming
to rest on the lower ring rope with his head almost
between his knees. Hernandez rained punches off
the side of his face and the top of his head. Paolo
finally toppled off the rope to the canvas for the
third knockdown and the end of the fight. Paolo
said after the fight that Hernandez’ first right came
so fast he hadn’t seen it. The loss marked the first
time that Paolo had been bombed so unmercifully.
However, he maintained his record of never haven't
been actually counted out. 7
The loss dropped Paolo to 10th in The Ring ratings.
He was eventually removed from The Ring ratings
in their October 1962 issue, for the ratings period
ending August 20, 1962. Shortly after being
dropped from The Ring ratings, Paolo retired from
boxing to spend more quality time with his wife
Barbara and their two young sons Dwight and
Kenneth. His final ring ledger was 37-10-2, with 15
kayoes.
Paolo Rosi topples off the lower ring rope for the third
knockdown and the end of the fight.
Paolo Rosi passed away 8 days shy of his 76th birthday on January 20, 2004. Sadly, his passing went
generally unnoticed by the national boxing press. But, for those of us who were lucky enough to see him
in action and follow his career, this plucky warrior will never be forgotten.
I wish to express my thanks to fellow IBRO members Ric Kilmer, Harry Shaffer, Clay Moyle and
Miles Ugarkovich for providing me with several sources of research material and photos included
herein. DC
1
Eisenstadt, Fred, The Ring, July 1959
New York Times, November 19, 1955
3
Mullaney, Jerry, The Ring, August 1957, page 43
4
McGowen, Dean, New York Times, June 4, 1959
5
McGowen, Dean, New York Times, June 28, 1961
6
McGowen, Dean, New York Times, November 19, 1961
7
McGowen, Dean, New York Times, June 17, 1962
2
26
Sometimes a great notion: Billy Conn
By Mike Casey
We all have great ideas.The perfect excuse to pinch a
day off work that loses its credibility the second we get
on the phone to the boss. The get-rich-quick scheme
that melts into reality as soon as we’ve mailed the letter
and sobered up.
Billy Conn had a far grander notion. He got it into his
head that he could knock out Joe Louis; and as ace
announcer Don Dunphy famously said, “He was a cocky
young kid from Pittsburgh who very nearly did.”
Now we see Billy Conn trotting down a staircase in a
rare old photograph, looking handsome and dapper in
one of the snazzy, snappy outfits of the day. The striking
face beams contentedly, the lean and muscular body
tapers down into an almost womanly waist, the great and
wide shoulders bust out east and west like Jimmy Caan
as Sonny Corleone.
As a pin-up, Billy knocked Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Brad Pitt into the proverbial
cocked hat. Fighters aren’t supposed to look that good, but when Billy hung ‘em up after 77
fights against some of the toughest guys on the block, that mischievous matinee idol face
was still intact.
That achievement had a lot to do with the fact that Conn, at his sublime and evasive best,
was near impossible to hit. Some achievement indeed for a guy who was born in Pittsburgh
in the rough old days of 1917 and got into scraps virtually from the time he could stand up.
Boxing writer and analyst Mike Silver, who penned the excellent book, The Arc of Boxing:
The Rise and Decline of the Sweet Science, says: “In any discussion of Conn I think it’s
important to mention Johnny Ray, who was Conn’s trainer/manager throughout his career.
“They made a great team, this former outstanding Jewish featherweight contender and the
great Irish light heavyweight he helped to develop into one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Johnny Ray had about 150 pro fights during his own career some 20 years earlier. He not
only knew the game inside out—he knew how to teach it.
“Thinking about Conn and his trainer also reminded me of a line on the first page of
Hemmingway’s classic novel The Son Also Rises: ‘Spider Kelly taught all his young
gentlemen to box like featherweights, no matter whether they weighed one hundred and five
or two hundred and five pounds.’
“Spider Kelly was a real person. He was a legendary boxing coach at Princeton University
during the 1920s and 1930s (when inter-collegiate boxing was in full flower). I have no doubt
that Hemmingway knew him personally. I associate the line in the book to Conn’s spectacular
performance in his first fight against Joe Louis because the Pittsburgh Kid had to use his nifty
27
footwork and busy left jab just like a supersized version of Willie Pep in order to survive for 12
rounds against the greatest puncher and finisher in boxing history.
“But what impressed me also in that great fight was Conn’s ruggedness and his infighting
ability. The man was the complete package. Not just a superb boxer but someone who was
willing to fight and mix it up time and again--even against Louis. Billy was a real combination
fighter. I would have loved to have seen him against Gene Tunney or Ezzard Charles.
“After the Louis fight there was that famous quote by Conn: ‘What’s the use of being Irish if
you can’t be stupid?’, in explaining why he tried for the KO. But without that cocky Irish
attitude and his audacious, somewhat crazy belief that he actually could knock out the great
Brown Bomber, we would not have been witness to a fight for the ages.”
Mike Silver asked his friend Mike Capriano Jr., a true boxing expert, and the only person he
know who actually saw Conn fight in his prime, what he thought of Billy. Here is what
Capriano Jr. said: “I was only 13 years old when I saw Conn fight Tony Zale in Madison
Square Garden. This was about eight months after his fight with Louis. What I remember is a
great boxer with a good chin who was an exciting guy to watch because of his maneuvers.
Conn had fantastic instincts. He was built for the business.
“Against Zale he blocked punches, countered,
and moved the middleweight champion around
like he was an ordinary fighter. He was too good
for Zale. Nobody figured it would be that one
sided a fight. It appeared to me that he did not
want to knock out Zale, although he hit him with
clean punches. Conn was like a mechanic in
taking Zale apart. He just had him so outclassed.
That was my memory of the fight.
“Conn had so much drive and desire when he
fought Louis. Joe knocked out a great boxer in
Billy Conn—that’s how great Joe Louis was.”
Billy never did stop swinging. At the age of seventy-two, three years before his premature
death from pneumonia, the Pittsburgh Kid was taking a coffee and glancing at the newspaper
stand at his local convenience store in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill area. When a robber
suddenly punched the store manager, Conn answered the clang of the bell and did his bit. He
slugged and wrestled the young robber to the floor and was still giving a pretty decent
account of himself when the invader thought better of mixing it any further with the old timer
and made his escape.
Oh well, you can’t take the Irish out of an Irishman. Joe Louis tried his best on that famous
night at the Polo Grounds, but telling Billy Conn not to be brave or reckless was akin to telling
Stuart ‘The Kid’ Ungar not to play cards.
Rifling
It is too bad that the only film ever shown of Billy Conn in compilation clips these days is of
the Brown Bomber rifling him to the deck with that series of deadly shots that sent Billy into
dreamland in slow and almost theatrical fashion.
28
Conn was an unbeatable light-heavyweight at his glorious peak. Folks in the know will also
tell you that he could have been one of the great middleweights if fate and biology hadn’t
shaped a different destiny for him.
It was nigh impossible for Billy to follow any other path than that of a professional boxer.
Before beginning to ply his trade in the more traditional roped square, he had fought and
scrapped in the biggest ring of all, a sprawling ring of irony whose ethnical boundary lines
served as irresistible challenges for every fighting young tough who wanted to test his fists
and his mettle against opponents of every colour and creed. This was the ring of Pittsburgh
and Conn was an Irish-American with the usual fiery tendencies. The backdrop was tailormade, the script was perfect.
Billy, by his own modest admission, couldn’t even fight when he started brawling for the first
time. But he enjoyed the cut-and-thrust of a good battle and was eager to learn more. He also
possessed the curiously lovable logic of a fighting man. Why work for a living when you could
grind and sweat in the toughest game of all?
Conn didn’t want to spend his life sitting in an office or toiling for a pittance in a factory. He
wanted to become the best boxer he could possibly be and move himself into the far distant
world of big money, nice clothes and all the other pleasant luxuries that come from success.
Billy wanted it fast too and regarded amateur boxing as nothing more than an inconvenient
roadblock. He bypassed it completely after trying out at his local gym and making the
decision to commit to a professional career.
Billy quite literally made it up as he went along in his virgin soldier years. He was sixteen
when he joined the paid ranks and was playing a brave game of bluff against older and
tougher opponents. He knew that he needed experience and would have to take some hard
knocks before breaking free from the launch pad.
He dropped a decision in his pro debut to Dick Woodward at Fairmont in West Virginia, a
place of poor people living in quiet desperation. Conn was determined not to be knocked off
the ladder and settle for that kind of life. He knew he would improve if he kept punching and
learning and mixing with the best opponents his manager and trainer Johnny Ray could find.
Ray coached Billy constantly on the road and the youngster couldn’t have been in safer
hands. Ray had been a good class Pittsburgh lightweight who had crossed swords with such
titans of the game as Johnny Dundee, George (KO) Chaney and Johnny Kilbane.
Conn lost seven of his first fifteen fights as he soaked up Johnny Ray’s wisdom and tried to
transfer the knowledge into fluid and instinctive moves. But Billy was getting noticed as a
skilful and willing youngster who couldn’t hit with great force but could fight like a tiger when
the going got tough. He won a decision over Johnny Birek in a cracking six rounder at the
Motor Square Garden in Pittsburgh in January 1935, the year in which Conn really began to
take off.
Like a prisoner busting free of his chains, Billy shrugged off his novice’s garb and suddenly
became a consistent winner. In 1936, he won a couple of thrilling decisions over Louis Cook
at the Northside Arena and followed up with another quality win over General Burrows, which
drew the attention of the local media.
Conn was beginning to be hailed as a genuine talent who would go far. He was maturing into
a very clever boxer, who could move quickly and adroitly, possessed a fine repertoire of
29
moves and punches and had an excellent defence. He was speedy with his fists and a very
adept sharpshooter at his best. When Billy scored the first of five career victories over the
tough Honey Boy Jones at Greenlee Park, he seemed to come of age as a fighter and was
moving rapidly into the major league.
Playing the piano with Fritzie
Fritzie Zivic, future welterweight champion and a fellow Pittsburgher of Conn, Harry Greb and
a few other famous gents from that town, once famously said, “I used to bang ‘em pretty
good. You’re not playing the piano.”
In 1936, Fritzie was already banging ‘em pretty good, even though he was still five years
away from dethroning the great Henry Armstrong.
When Zivic met Conn at Duquesne Gardens in Pittsburgh, eighteen-year old Billy was
introduced to one of life’s classic individuals. With that wry affection that old fighters reserve
for each other, Conn would later recall that Zivic did everything but kick him. Fritzie, one of
the all-time great tough nuts, certainly saw nothing untoward in taking the handsome
youngster’s face and creatively smashing it in. Zivic also re-arranged any other part of Conn
that he could reach with the assorted implements of his mischievous toolbox. In thirty frenetic
minutes, Billy was given an entire university course on boxing by an old-fashioned lecturer
who worked to the theory that students learned much faster if they were repeatedly beaten
about the head and verbally abused.
Amazingly, Conn retained enough of his vital parts to win a split decision.
Billy was moving up fast and now mixing with the cream of a truly golden age in boxing. He
posted a couple of close but important decisions over Vince Dundee and the wonderfully
talented Teddy Yarosz, but the going got tougher as the quality of opposition became richer.
Billy always had trouble with Yarosz. He pipped Teddy in a return match over fifteen rounds
at Duquesne Gardens, rallying strongly over the last three rounds, but the fans didn’t
appreciate the decision. Teddy got his own back, winning a twelve-rounder at Forbes Field in
the final encounter between the two men.
The deep waters of a mightily impressive ocean of talent were providing Conn with a tough
but priceless boxing education. Billy was decked and outpointed by the sorely underrated
Young Corbett III in August 1937, but the Pittsburgh Kid learned from his mistakes and
clearly mastered Corbett in a return.
Then came another wise, bruising ring mechanic in Solly Krieger, who knocked Billy down in
the eighth round and won a wide decision in the first match of their trilogy. Billy was always
annoyed with himself over that one. He wasn’t in shape and Krieger just banged on The Kid
all night long. Solly could take a shot as well as he could give one, and Conn could only take
his punishment and chalk it up to experience.
But Billy was almost there. He was knocking at the door loudly and he wouldn’t be kept out
for much longer. From November 1938 to May 1939, he impressively won a quartet of fights
that would lead to a bout with Melio Bettina for the vacant NBA light-heavyweight
championship.
30
Conn avenged the loss to Krieger by winning a comfortable decision and then engaged in two
successive fights with the man he rated as his toughest opponent: the clever boxing bell hop
from San Francisco, Fred Apostoli. The fights were staged at Madison Square Garden and
Billy won them both by decision, but these are only the bare and respectable facts.
Conn had all the time in the world for Apostoli. He saw a man in clever Freddie who could
box, punch and do it all. After their second fight, a bruising fifteen rounder, Billy needed five
days in hospital to recuperate.
In the gloriously rich and candid language of more innocent and democratic times, Conn
described that battle to writer Peter Heller: “The thing I remember with Apostoli, in the second
fight I got in an argument with him. We stepped back and called each other all the names. I
said, ‘Listen, you dago bastard, keep your thumb out of my eye!’. He says, ‘Listen, you Irish
son of a bitch, quit beefin’ and c’mon and fight!’ We were hot at one another. I had two
paisans in my corner and a drunken Jew.
“So Apostoli hit me a left hook in the stomach just before the bell, and I go back to the corner.
They start hollering at me for calling Apostoli names. The put the microphone under the ring
because they could hear us swearing for nineteen rows back. It was being short-waved
around the world. I says, ‘Hey, listen. This dago just broke my spine. Do me a favour. Take
this drunken Jew and the whole three of you go over to that bastard’s corner and let me
alone’. Oh boy, he (Apostoli) beat the piss out of me. He could really fight!”
Billy Conn was the complete fighter by the time he completed his next assignment by
notching his second victory over Solly Krieger. Conn gave a brilliant exhibition of boxing as
he did pretty much as he pleased and almost pitched a shutout. The Pittsburgh Kid was
about to wear the crown.
Champion
It seems hard to believe that the battle hardened Billy Conn was still only twenty-one years of
age when he ruled the light-heavyweight roost after outpointing the tough Melio Bettina. But
there was no money to be made in the graveyard of that division and Billy knew it. He also
knew that he was in the form of his life and might as well go fishing for the sharks. And he
wanted the biggest shark out there in the mighty Joe Louis.
Conn was very confident of his chances
against the heavyweights and he continued on
his merry way, a fighter on a roll. He
decisioned Bettina again, made two defences
against the tough Gus Lesnevich, then moved
up to tackle the dreadnoughts.
Billy moved within the Brown Bomber’s sights
with a thirteenth round knockout of speedy Bob
Pastor and an emphatic points win over Lee
Savold. All the hard work had paid off. Now
there was only one clear and tempting target
on the horizon, one simple and impudent
ambition. Billy would take down the man
himself and rock the boxing world.
31
There is a gorgeous precocity to youth. We have all felt its wonderful rush at the time, yet we
see its frightening danger as older men. A kid at the wheel of a car plays chicken with a truck
coming the other way and only the worldly can see the imminent crash.
When Billy Conn climbed into the ring at the Polo Grounds on June 18 1941, he saw only one
winner and it wasn’t the truck. The truck was too slow, too methodical. Cocky Billy had said it
many times in his training, taunting Louis with predictions about how the fight would go. He
would tire Joe and then he would knock him out. Louis took it all with his typical and ominous
stoicism. Pretty boy Billy may have had his boxing and his silky skills, but Joe had been gifted
with a pair of fists that could devastatingly cancel out most inconveniences.
The Fight
For all his youthful gung-ho, Billy Conn was not a foolish man in his judgement of fellow
fighters, most especially the great Joe Louis. Billy had the utmost respect for Joe, which was
clearly apparent in the early going. The popular misconception of the fight is that Conn sailed
away from Joe from the opening bell and was a country mile ahead when the guillotine
dropped in the fateful thirteenth. This was not the case.
It is also a myth that Louis could not have won the fight on points. Billy was ahead by scores
of 7-5, 7-4-1 and 6-6 at the finish. A Louis sweep of the last three rounds would have got Joe
home by 8-7, 9-6 and 7-7-1.
In the first two rounds, it seemed that Conn might not get through five sessions. Billy could
always move, but how he moved in those opening six minutes. For all the reports that Joe
had looked sluggish in his training, the Bomber was all business as he forced Conn to beat a
hasty retreat. A big right from Louis at the end of the first round seemed to be a harbinger of
imminent doom for the challenger.
In the second, Billy’s nimble footwork couldn’t keep him away from Joe’s left hook, but it was
a right to the stomach from Louis that brought a gasp from the ringsiders. It was a painful,
perfectly placed punch, and Conn bent from its terrific force. Trainer Johnny Ray was urging
Billy to stick to his boxing, but the fancy stuff was getting the kid nowhere. Catching fire from
his frustration, Conn rattled Joe with a quick combination. It didn’t seem like much at the time,
but thereafter the pattern of the fight shifted dramatically in the brave challenger’s favour.
Billy was through with running. It simply hadn’t
worked. In the following rounds, he stood his
ground more and placed his faith in his reflexes
and quick punching. In effect, he became the
aggressor, but with careful thought and
intelligence
Conn brought a very effective uppercut into
play, which repeatedly caught Joe and clearly
threw him off his course. The champion
realised the seriousness of his situation and
knew that he couldn’t afford to allow Billy too
much more slack. Joe attacked earnestly in the
sixth, bringing out the heavy artillery to cut
32
Conn and kept him under pressure.
Noticeably, however, the cocky Pittsburgh Kid was not only standing up to the punishment
but also making Louis look ponderous and awkward. Joe was missing widely at times and
being outfought on the inside. It was a wonderfully intriguing and exciting battle, all action and
effort from two very contrasting craftsmen.
The crowd was seeing what every crowd loves to see. David was beating Goliath and edging
his way ever more tantalisingly towards the finish line. He was doing it in style too. Conn was
fearless. It was as if the gods themselves had given him the green light and told him that
nothing could go wrong.
In the eleventh and twelfth rounds, Louis seemed to be doubting his ability to lasso the
cheeky kid who was threatening to bump him off the throne. Joe was hesitant and unsure,
anything but the punching machine that had blasted and chopped its way through a
succession of other hopefuls. Billy just kept scoring with his stream of educated shots as the
crowd’s approval thundered around the Polo Grounds.
When Conn came out for the thirteenth, it was with three simple words from Johnny Ray in
his ears: “Don’t get careless.” And of course Billy did get careless. He simply couldn’t help
himself. He had been punching prudently, but suddenly he was just punching, convinced he
could take out one of the greats.
Louis, whether alert or snoozing, could
always sniff out a man in distress. Billy had
strayed out of safe distance and Joe took
the incoming fire and awaited his moment.
He drove Conn back with a powerful left
hook and the final act began to play out.
What normal people don’t see, fighters do.
Louis had seen the suddenly uncertain look
in Billy’s eyes, the uncertain little jig of his
legs as he retreated.
Joe opened up and Conn responded with
one last defiant burst of fighting courage.
But it was over for Billy. He had stumbled
into the minefield and he could no longer
tiptoe around the sleeping explosions. Suddenly, he wavered and wobbled, hit by a
paralysing left to the stomach. He seemed to hang there forever until Louis snapped his
strings and put him to sleep with a thunderous right to the jaw.
Years later, Billy Conn reflected on the curtain coming down on his great dream. Older, wiser
and more philosophical, he could even manage a chuckle as he spread his hands and said, “I
was doing it until wise guy me got fresh and tried to knock him out.”
Mike Casey is a freelance journalist, artist and boxing historian and a member of the
International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO).
(www.artgallery.co.uk/artist/mike_casey)
33
ROB SNELL’S BOXING BIROGRAPHY JOURNALS
Name: Wally Thom
Born: 1926-06-14
Nationality: United Kingdom
Hometown: Birkenhead, Merseyside, U. K.
Boxing Record: 42-11-1 (KO 19) = 54
The deeper you dig into the ring record of Birkenhead Wally
Thom the more impressive becomes the fight career of a man
who must rank very high on the list of Merseyside’s all time
boxing greats. As an amateur he was a junior ABA finalist on
two occasions, a senior ABA finalist, boxed internationally
against Denmark, reached the finals of the European
Championships in Dublin, and also won a Welsh title.
As a professional boxer he suffered greatly from cuts around
his eyes in the later stages of his career yet he met and beat
some of the top fighters in the world. He was a world rated
welterweight contender by The Ring from December 1951
until February 1956, his highest rating number four. He
reigned as the British and Empire welterweight champion and in a professional career lasting from
1949 to 1956 he won 42 of his 54 contests, with 11 defeats – mostly due to cuts - and one draw.
He was one of the most effective southpaws of all time, yet if the old Birkenhead club trainer Tommy
Murray would have had his way Wally would have been an orthodox boxer. Wally’s interest in boxing
was stirred by his father who bought him a speed ball from a sports shop in Grange road Birkenhead.
“I had great fun with it but had not thought of taking up boxing until one day at school – Tollemache
road, Birkenhead – a teacher called for volunteers to represent the school in the Birkenhead boys
championship for the Blake cup. I had a go and won through to the event at Byrne Avenue Swimming
Baths, Birkenhead, only to be declared half a stone under the weight required”.
“I eventually boxed in a specialist contest and although I lost to Jimmy Finch I treasured the medal I
received. The Birkenhead heavyweight Johnny Cooke was in my corner and he suggested I join the
Birkenhead club. I took his advice but trainer Murray wouldn’t let me box as a southpaw despite being
left handed”.
“Birkenhead was no different to any other club, as southpaws where discouraged everywhere. I was
12 years old at this time but when we lost our gym during the early wartime bombing we were allowed
to train with the pros at Alex Powel’s gym in Edgerton Street. Alex quickly allowed me to develop my
natural southpaw stance and I never looked back”.
In 1945 Wally, then 19, had returned from Army service in Belgium where his commanding officer
had entered him in the Welsh Championships. Although he was overweight for the welter title he
knocked out three opponents to become middleweight champion. The same year he stopped every
34
opponent to reach the ABA final at Wembley where he lost on points to Randy Turpin after dropping
him twice. The same thing happened in 1949 when he won at every championship stage but lost in the
final to Alex Buxton.
“We had a strong team in Birkenhead at that time which made it more difficult to get opponents. I felt
it would be degrading to box for money but after many offers I took the plunge at age 23 in 1949.”
Under the Birkenhead manager Johnny Campbell Wally had success after success winning his first 23
contests – most inside the distance. This run included a points victory over Jimmy Molloy for the
Central Area title and British title eliminator wins over Alf Danahar and Cliff Curvis.
However contest number 23 was to prove unlucky in bringing the first of the eye injuries which would
become more severe during his career. On 30 August 1951 he lost on cuts to Jimmy Malloy. Two
months later Wally, as the underdog, took the British title from Eddie Thomas, the Welsh miner,
beating him on points at Harringay.
He followed up this win with victories over Titi Clavel, Dutch champion Gil De Roode, Terry
Radcliffe, and a draw with Danny Womber. He lost his title, in his first defence, to the Welsh
southpaw Cliff Curvis who KO’d him in nine rounds at Liverpool stadium on 24 July 1952.
In 1953 he lost to fellow Birkenhead boxer Peter Fallon on points in a final eliminator but he went on
to win over Billy Wells, Bernie Newcombe and Kit Pomey. When Curvis relinquished the title Wally
was matched with Fallon for the vacant title at Liverpool stadium on 24 September 1952. Wally was to
win with the slimmest of margins over 15 rounds.
In 1954 Wally added the European title to his collection when he stopped the Frenchman Gilbert
Lavoine in 10 rounds. Two months later on 19 October 1954 he made the Lonsdale belt his own by
knocking out Lew Lazar in six rounds. This was Wally’s last championship victory. He was stopped on
cuts by American Jimmy King and by the South African Benny Nieuwenhuizen, then dropped his
European title to Frenchman Idrissa Dione on points at Liverpool.
Wally made a successful move up to middleweight to score a treble of great wins, but when cuts forced
him to retire in five rounds against Peter Waterman on 6 June 1956 he felt it time to hang up his
gloves. The call of the ring was so strong that he immediately applied for a referee’s license and got
this in 1957.
35
The Times
Wednesday December 5 - 1951
36
Boxing News
19 March 1952
Radcliffe Outclassed by Welterweight Champ
Any title aspirations which Terry Radcliffe may have had were swept aside by the British and Empire
welterweight champion Wall Thom, who knocked out the young Bristol boilermaker in the ninth
round.
Radcliffe went down from a flurry of blows to the body and although hurt and winded he was still in
command of all his faculties, but completely misjudged the count.
Thom had been on top throughout the contest so much so that we did not score a single round in favour
of his opponent. In the second session Thom whipped home a left to the jaw which put Terry on the
canvas for “nine” but he managed to keep his feet for the remainder of the round.
Wally kept up a steady attack driving home straight rights and lefts to the head and body. Ratcliffe had
no answer to Thom’s southpaw stance and despite the fact he improved a little as the fight progressed
he was sourly outclassed.
It looked like the end when Ratcliffe went down in the seventh from a left to the head. As he rose at
the count of “eight” Thom nailed him again with a left hook that sent him spinning to the canvas for
“nine”.
Wally pressed home his attack and
battered his opponent to the floor
once again from lefts and rights to
the body. It was lucky for Terry
that the bell sounded the end of the
round as the count reached “eight”.
Ratcliffe backpedalled a good deal
in the following round but scored
with straight lefts to the head, and
for the first time landed with a
good right hand punch.
Thom was quite confident as he
had been from the first gong, and
when the end came midway
through the ninth it caused no
surprise. Both boxers weighed
inside the stipulated 10st 9lb.
37
Boxing News
16 April 1952
Thom holds Womber to Draw
Full marks to Freddie Mills for providing a lively nights entertainment at the Empress hall, his second
venture as a London promoter. Wally Thom did not give quite enough to justify Freddie’s hopes that
he could be matched with Kid Gavilan, but our welter champion certainly made himself very popular
by the way he met the vigorous onslaughts of nonstop Bang-Bang Womber.
The verdict of a draw at the end of ten rounds favoured Thom a little, but Womber came in for several
cautions while he hit with an open glove at times. A percentage of the spectators thought the American
consistent attacking should have earned him the decision, but quite as many applauded Thom’s great
efforts in the last three rounds .Which undoubtedly influenced the referee’s decision.
Womber opened the fight with a fierce
attack, driving Thom to the ropes, where he
landed a succession of swings to the body.
Wally got clear, then surprised the
American by hanging a hefty left hook on
his chin.
As he reeled from the effects of the blow
Wally chinned him again with the left but
Womber was in grand condition and
recovered quickly after hanging on for a
few seconds. They punched away freely but
Thom’s blows carried more weight.
Danny took the second, beating Thom to the
punch with his left and then whaling away
at the body two fistedly. Wally hit back
fiercely but he was on the retreat and the
American made up his mind to keep it that
way.
Womber was the most versatile of the pair. He swung, hooked, jabbed and uppercut and although
Thom took the bulk of these on his elbows and gloves some proportion got through. When stung Wally
would sail into his man and punch away furiously to the delight of the onlookers, but these spells were
both infrequent and short lived.
Rounds four and five went to the American, who now and again changed to southpaw stance, at which
did look surprisingly well. It looked odd to see them jabbing at each other with the right, but Thom had
more practice at this art and Womber soon reverted to the orthodox stance.
38
THE American came in for several rebukes for resting his head on Thom’s chest while he banged
away to the body, but generally Danny showed great sportsmanship. Moreover, in the next two rounds
he did all the work and was always coming forwards.
Realising he was slipping behind, Thom made a great effort in the eighth. He moved in and slugged
Womber with vicious left hooks and jabbed him hard to the face with a long right. Several times danny
was sent reeling, but he came back to attack the body, although many of his punches were blocked or
went round the Britisher’s back.
The ninth was a great round with both belting away. Thom was now bleeding from the nose and had a
slight cut over his right eye. Womber was also bleeding from the nose and mouth, but he did not ease
up from his efforts, although for the first time he was forced to back up as Thom landed hurtful blows.
When they came up for the tenth the score was about even, but by going all out and pressing his rival
to the utmost , we thought this last session would go to Womber and with it the verdict. Thom was
tiring fast and on the defensive, but he stood his guns to the end and thus shared the decision. Both
weighed 10st 7 ¼ lb.
Boxing News
11 July 1951
In the final eliminating contest for the British welterweight championship Wally Thom (Birkenhead),
Central Area welterweight champion, beat Cliff Curvis ( Swansea), who was disqualified for hitting
before the referee had given the order to “box on “ in the ninth round.
This was a disappointing ending to a really excellent contest in which both boys had given a great
display of boxing and fast hitting. Curvis opened his account with a right to the head and a left to the
39
ribs. Thom sent both hands to the head and then Curvis smashed both gloves to the middle. The pace
was hot and Thom was shaken with blows to the head.
In round two both landed with rights to the face. Curvis missed with a right swing but rights to the
head caused Wally to move to the ropes. It was a keen battle of southpaws, ech jabbing with his right
to the head. In some close exchanges Thom hurt his rival with two terrific lefts to the stomach.
Curvis Is Hurt
In the third Curvis rushed at Thom only to take hard blows to the body. The boys pasted each other all
round the ring with the crowd yelling encouragement. Thom sent a left to the stomach and Curvis
caught him with a savage left hook to the mouth.
Curvis twisted his body as Thom sent a blow to the ribs and he was badly hurt, the effects showing in a
decided limp which disturbed him for the next two rounds.
Curvis was most dangerous with his fine left hooking, and he would cleverly draw Thom inside where
he would slam him in the middle. As Wally drew away Cliff would bring over his left to the head with
force. But Thom was punching hard and in round four a stiff right to the mouth sent Cliff’s head back.
Again Thom slammed with power to head and body.
Round five saw Curvis scoring well with both fists to the head. Thom rushed at him but was halted
with swift punches to the mid section. Wally fought back savagely a right to the head catching the
Welsh boy as he backed against the ropes.
Curvis did well in the sixth where he forced Thom into a neutral corner and slammed to the body.
Thom however quickly turned him around to punish Cliff with a body attack. In a general exchange
both boys fought strongly each taking a hammering in turn.
Cliff Takes Over
Thom appeared to have a lead in the early rounds but from the sixth Curvis was slowly wiping it off.
Those dangerous left hooks were landing to head and body, though Thom to did his share of “handing
it out” as he walked into Curvis with two handed blows to the head and ribs. Indeed it was a fight
which appealed to all as both refused to give way an inch.
True, there were times in which neither would lead, each eager for the other to come to him. But this
was strategically rather than otherwise.
Round eight was a hard affair, Thom jabbed with his right to the face, but a left hook to the stomach
hurt Wally and made him wince. Curvis seeing a chance moved inside but was met with a hard left to
the stomach.
In the ninth during a general exchange of punches a hard left to the stomach made Curvis wilt. Cliff
had Wally against the ropes and their heads collided, following which Curvis was pulled up and
warned for alleged butting. Thom was in great distress shaking his lowered head and in obvious pain.
Before the referee had given the usual “box on” command Curvis hit his rival with a hard left to the
head, whereupon the referee unhesitatingly awarded the contest to Thom.
40
Boxing News
16 July 1952
41
BATTLING SOUTHPAWS
CURVIS SHOULD BEAT THOM THIS TIME
For the first time in British boxing two southpaws will be meeting in a championship contest when
Wally Thom defends his British and empire welter titles against Cliff Curvis at Liverpool Stadium
tomorrow week. At one time right foot foremost boxers were a rarity, but of late they have become
more the mode and so it is not really remarkable that two of these unorthodox stylists be meeting under
championship conditions.
The pair are old enemies. Matched last in a final eliminator for the right to challenge Eddie Thomas a
year ago, their fight ended sensationally in the ninth round when the Welshman was ruled out for
hitting his opponent before the referee had given them the order to “box on”.
For the first five rounds Thom built up a slight lead but after that Curvis slowly wiped off all the
arrears and they were punching it out in a give and take fashion when the affair came to its untimely
end.
A COSTLY BLOW
There had been a collision of heads and Curvis was being cautioned when he decided to deal the
defenseless Thom another blow. This brought instant disqualification at a stage when it seemed as
though the Welshman’s extra experience might see him returned a point’s winner.
Cliff has been in near championship class for so long that it is about time he won a title. He lost a
featherweight eliminator to Al Philips in 1946, a lightweight eliminator to Harry Hughes in 1949 and a
welterweight title fight to Eddie Thomas in 1950. Now he gets a second crack at the 10st 7lb
championship – about his last chance to reach the top.
The Swansea lad is only 24 and has eight years of pro boxing behind him. Compared with Thom he is
a veteran in experience for Wally has been half that time in the paid ranks. Again Curvis has boxed in
far better company than that with which Thom has been asked to mingle. The Welshman should enter
the Liverpool Stadium ring next week as the pronounced favourite – will he let his admirers down
again?
TRAINING IN LIVERPOOL
Curvis will complete his training on Merseyside, using the Transport Gymnasium run by the Vairo
brothers , which the well known managers have placed at his disposal. This will enable him to get the
right atmosphere for the title bout and he could not wish for a better equipped headquarters.
The champion is getting down to it at his second home, the Haymarket Club in Birkenhead under the
able guidance of Manager Tommy Murray.
END OF PART ONE
42
don cogswell
on boxing
In the “King Must Die”, the laying to rest of the heavyweight division’s once-acknowledged
monarchs was framed as royalty’s elemental rite of passage.
Holmes would destroy a returning Ali.
Tyson would knock a previously-retired Holmes senseless.
Iron Mike, a rusting hulk, would be pounded beneath the waves by Lennox Lewis.
In contests that were not competitive, boxing’s palette was cleansed.
e King was dead.
Long live the King.
(UnCrowned Champions Johnston & Cogswell p.289)
ese bouts, to a great or lesser extent, cemented the new monarch’s reign, no questions asked. All
part of boxing’s down-and-dirty ritual of closing a career. In boxing, unlike the English royal line of
succession, fathers are not slain by their sons. Heroes are another matter . . . .
I had the pleasure of watching the Mayweather/Cotto fight as a guest of IBRO’s Ramiro Ortiz.
Always a gracious host, Ramiro’s get together included Rocky Young and fellow IBROs Carole Myer
and Enrique Encinosa. Also in attendance were Tommy Torino, Duane Simpson and Dr. Alan Fields.
e latter three, along with Ramiro and Enrique, are all Florida Boxing Hall of Famers. Longtime
trainer Orlando Cuellar brought his current charge Michael Oliveira to the evening’s viewing.
e historical angle of the card was Shane Mosley’s bout with Saul Alvarez for Saul’s WBC LightMiddleweight title. at Mosley was now in the role of opponent - in the words of Doc Kearns the
fighter who is not expected to win - was irrefutable. Once a potential bona fide hall of fame prospect, as
a lightweight Mosley had won and defended that title nine times, all by stoppage wins. Had he stayed at
135 he may have been an all-time great. Instead, growing by whatever means were at hand, Mosley
campaigned in the heavier and more lucrative divisions.
Shane’s foray was not without success, both in titles and lucre. As late into his career as 2010 and 2011
he was still bringing home boxing’s bacon. Against Floyd Mayweather (L-12) he was guaranteed $7
million, against Manny Pacquiao (L-12) $5 million. In tonight’s bout against 21-year old Saul Canelo
Alvarez (39-0-1) Mosley was guaranteed $600,000. Alvarez was in for $1.2 million.
43
What surprised me was that Joe didn’t have much of a right. ey told me he had lost some of his power, but
I didn’t expect nothing. at’s what his right hand was - nothing. Rocky Marciano on his fight with Joe
Louis (Rocky Marciano: e Rock of His Times Russell Sullivan p.101)
It is said the punch is the last to go but it was nowhere in evidence this night with Shane. His handspeed
lacked any snap or power. His career-long durability and heart kept him on his feet, as he took a 12round beating from the methodical Alvarez. e more generous judge gave Mosley two rounds, the
others one. e fighters’ quotes were classics from one of boxing’s oldest dynamics - the teeter-totter of
youth and experience.
When you get the kids starting to beat you up, you might need to start promoting.
and from the victor . . .
anks to Shane Mosley for giving me this experience.
with the inevitable . . . Mayweather, Cotto, Pacquiao - I’m ready.
Rocky Marciano was 23 years-old when he turned pro on March 17, 1947. Joe Louis was the reigning
heavyweight champion, an American institution whose unbreachable bronze was tarnishing with age.
Joe’s debacle with Walcott was just down the road. Louis would be 33 by then, an old man by classical
era standards. When Rocky and Louis met in October 1951 the younger man was just entering his
prime. Joe’s visage, like Sugar Shane’s, was puffy from ring wear, despite his excellent training camp and
what appeared to be his best-possible conditioning.
Everyone kept talking about the wonderful shape he was in during his training. He was knocking down
sparring partners right and le. Rocky Marciano (ibid p.99)
Sugar Shane Mosley had looked in outstanding shape prior to his bout with Mayweather. His chances of
success had been exaggerated as well. Of course no one had the reservoir of wins and social goodwill of
Joe Louis. e latter was enough to rekindle hope in the most seasoned ring scribe.
When Louis knocked Savold out (4 months prior to Marciano), I came away singularly revived - as if I,
rather than Louis, had demonstrated resistance to the erosion of time. As long as Joe could get by, I felt, I
had a link with an era when we were both a lot younger. (e Sweet Science A.J. Liebling Library of
America ed. p.26)
Louis was a 7-5 favorite at the bell.
e final round, the 8th, was Ring’s round of the year - out of respect for Joe. For Marciano it was a
bittersweet albeit necessary bit of business.
I’m glad I won, but sorry I had to do it to him. (Rocky ibid p.103)
44
Marciano’s stoppage of Louis was a step up in Rocky’s ring maturation, the style that Archie Moore
would call Rocky’s relentless pursuit.
is past, and perhaps Mosley’s, was now past.
Orlando Cuellar’s fighter-in-training, Michael Oliveira - the Brazilian Rocky - has been fighting since
2008. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, his ring idol is fellow Brazilian Acelino Popo Freitas.
An aggressive puncher with no-little defensive skills, Freitas turned pro in 1995. e all-time great and
fellow Brazilian Eder Jofre was Popo’s national hero. Freitas, undefeated, won the WBO’s super
featherweight title in 1999 and defended it ten times, adding the WBA title along the way. In his 2003
title defense against Jorge Rodrigo Barrios at the Miami Arena both fighters were officially dropped
twice. With the decision in question, Freitas stopped Barrios in the final round. irteen year-old
Michael Oliveira got to visit his hero in the post-fight dressing room celebration.
In 2004 Acelino defeated unbeaten (36 - 0) Artur Grigorian for the WBO lightweight title. His first
defense was against Diego Corrales (38 - 2). In a fight that remained close on the cards, Freitas quit on
his stool in the 10th. Despite taking a serious beating, Popo’s popularity and reputation were tarnished
as well.
A comebacking Acelino won the vacant WBO lightweight title, only to quit again in his corner in his
first defense in 2007 against Juan Diaz. He hasn’t fought since. His career mark stands at 38 - 2 with 32
kayos.
Michael Oliveira, now 22, with a record of 17 - 0 (12 KO) is scheduled to fight the 36 year-old Freitas
on June 2nd in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Jessie Abramson, framing Louis/Marciano in the NY Herald Tribune, wrote:
It is a proocative match - age against youth, experience against stamina, a classic stylist of the ring against
relatively raw power, an ex-champion against a possible champion-to-be meeting at the crossroads.
Few fights can or will match the magnitude of Marciano and Louis. e choice on how and when to
close a career is ultimately that of the fighter, from a faded former champion to a chewed up clubfighter.
Young fighters will always have their boyhood idols. In boxing the magic of a dressing room visit can
segue over time into a meeting in the ring.
Rites of passage, both royal and mundane . . . .
IBRO’s Ramiro Ortiz will be at ringside in Uruguay for Freitas/Oliveira.
Postscript: Acelino Freitas, now a Brazilian congressman, 5 years in retirement and 3 weight classes aboe
his prime, dismantled young Michael Oliveira inside the distance. TKO-9. e advantages of youth were
nowhere to be found on this night for an aging lion aroused in Punta del Este.
45
REST IN PEACE EDDIE PERKINS
In a career that spanned from 1956 to 1975, Eddie Perkins engaged in 99
professional fights. He won seventy five of those contests. He met
opponents in over twenty different countries. He truly was a " world "
champion.
Eddie lost three of his first five bouts but rallied to win seven straight. In
1958 he lost to Cleveland, Ohio's Cecil Shorts. He stopped Shorts in a
rematch and then he outscored rugged Franke Ryff. In 1959 Eddie won a
decision over Paul Armstead but lost to Carl Hubbard and was then halted
by Al Urbina. It would be the only stoppage loss of Eddie's career.
1960 was a good year for Perkins as he beat Larry Boardman, Paolo Rosi
and Joey Lopes. In 1961 Perkins lost a verdict to Youngstown, Ohio's L.C.
Morgan. He would bounce right back to outscore the hard hitting Carlos
Hernandez. That would lead to Eddie's first title shot and on October 21st
he met defending WBA junior welterweight champion Dulio Loi in Milan,
Italy. After fifteen rounds, the bout was judged a draw. They would meet
again eleven months later and this time Eddie won the decision and
captured his first world title.
Perkins reign lasted only three months as Loi won a decision in their rubber match. Loi decided to
retire and on June 15th, 1963 Eddie won his second title with a decision over Roberto Cruz for the
WBA and WBC titles.
Perkins would defend successfully against Yoshinori Takahashi and the slick Bunny Grant. He also
squeezed in five non title victories. On January 18, 1965 Eddie lost his crown to Carlos
Hernandez. Seven months later he would lose to future great Jose Napoles.
Eddie was bound and determined to regain his title. He scored an important win over Kenny Lane
but in 1966 he dropped a points call to Lennox Beckles. In 1967 he beat Adolph Pruitt and Paul
Armstead but was then outpointed by the classy Nicolino Locche. Perkins came right back to beat
Pruitt again. He finished the year with a draw against Joao Henrique.
Perkins put together a quiet win streak in 1968 but lost a decision in a rematch with Henrique. In
1970 Eddie re-established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He defeated Lion Furuyama, up
and coming Clyde Gray and Pedro Adigue. He then lost a return match to Bunny Grant. Eddie
then took out Johann Orsolics.
In 1971 Eddie defeated future champion Angel Espada but in 1972 he was upset by Victor Ortiz.
In 1973 Eddie put himself in line for a welterweight title shot as he beat the rough and tough
Armando Muniz to win the NABF welterweight title. Perkins would repeat his victory over Muniz in
1974.
Besides the two losses to Perkins and losses to Zovek Barajas, Marcos Geraldo and Angel Espada,
Muniz was awarded a 1975 title fight with the great champion Jose Napoles. In Muniz' defense
during that time period he did defeat Ernie Lopez and Hedgemon Lewis. Nevertheless in 1974
Eddie deserved a title shot especially after a win over Japan's Ryu Sorimachi. That would be
Eddie's last victory. After his failure to win the middleweight title from Carlos Monzon, Napoles
opted to fight a rematch with Hedgemon Lewis. This left the deserving Perkins out in the cold.
Perkins would lose a decision to future junior middleweight champion Rocky Mattioli. An aging and
discouraged Perkins would then lose verdicts to Maxwell Malinga and Shoji Tsujimoto. In 1975
Eddie had his last battle loing an eight rounder in Germany to Franz Czandl.
Perkins met seven world champions and countless contenders in his distinguished career. He
fought anyone, anywhere, anytime. Eddie is right where he belongs, in the Hall Of Fame!
Jim Amato
46
DANNY "LITTLE RED" LOPEZ; A 1970's ICON.
One of the most popular fighters of the talent filled 1970's was hard
hitting Danny "Little Red" Lopez. He was the younger brother of top
welterweight contender Ernie "Red" Lopez. When Danny turned
professional in 1971 he quickly became a West Coast favorite. He was
considered almost a sure thing to be a champion one day. Lopez
would find out that there were some bumps in road on the highway to
a title. Danny won his first ten bouts and then faced his first major
test. He was matched with (13-0) Tury "The Fury" Pineda. The Los
Angeles Olympic Auditorium was in a frenzy as Danny dispatched
Pineda in round four. Pineda would prove to be no slouch as would
later fight for the WBC lightweight title on two occasions.
Lopez continued to reel off victories but it was becoming clear that he was on a collision course
with another hot prospect. His name was Bobby "Schoolboy" Chacon. In 1974 Lopez entered the
Los Angeles Sports Arena ring with a sterling 23-0 record. Chacon was 23-1 with his only loss
coming against the great Ruben Olivares. On this night Chacon was on his game as he took
Danny to school. The bout was mercifully stopped in the ninth round. Although the loss to Chacon
diminished Danny's star, losing to Chacon was not the end of the world. Nevertheless over the
next few months the future would begin to look very bleak for Lopez. Later in 1974 Danny was
stopped in the eighth round by Japan's Shig Fukuyama. If that wasn't enough to stun the experts
a 1975 loss to rugged and clever Octavio "Famoso" Gomez sent the Lopez stock tumbling.
Just when it looked like Danny was an over hyped
media creation, he would mount a great comeback.
Lopez was on a mission as he put together a series of
knockouts that would establish him as the #1
contender for the featherweight title. He would halt
former bantamweight champion Jesus "Chucho" Castillo
in two rounds. Then he took out one time title
challenger Raul Cruz in six. Lopez would then score his
biggest victory to date stopping former bantamweight
and featherweight champion Ruben Olivares in seven.
It was a very impressive performance by Lopez as he
was now inching closer to a shot at the championship.
Danny then took on future lightweight champion Sean
O'Grady. Lopez overwhelmed the young O'Grady
posting a fourth round stoppage. Then it was sweet
Lopez kayoes Raul Cruz in the sixth round on
revenge for Danny as he pummeled Octavio Gomez in
July 26, 1975 to run his record to 26-3-0.
three rounds reversing his earlier loss. Lopez would
then put the icing on the cake of his storybook comeback. He would batter the tough and game
Art Hafey in seven rounds. Now it was time for Danny to challenge for the title.
On November 6, 1976 in Accra, Ghana Lopez would meet WBC featherweight champion David
Kotey. This fine champion had won the title from Ruben Olivares and sported a 33-2-2 record.
Kotey had his hometown crowd behind him but neither Kotey or the crowd could derail Lopez.
Danny gave Kotey quite a drubbing and only Kotey's tremendous courage allowed him to hear the
final bell. Danny Lopez was now the featherweight champion of the world.
The popularity of Lopez was now soaring and he was on his way to becoming a TV fan favorite.
His stotic approach to the task at hand coupled with the power of his right hand was enticing to
the masses. After two 1977 non title wins, Danny took down Jose Torres in seven rounds for his
first defense. In 1978 Lopez gave Kotey a shot at regaining his crown. This bout took place in Las
Vegas and Danny overpowered the former titleholder for a sixth round knockout. Next was a six
round beat down of Jose Francisco DePaula. In his fourth defense Lopez took on Juan Domingo
Malvarez at the Superdome in New Orleans. This was on the undercard of Muhammad Ali versus
47
Leon Spinks. Danny would halt Malvarez in the fourth. Then it was off to Italy as Lopez won on a
disqualification against Fel Clemente. Next in what was to be a stern test for Lopez turned out to
be a blowout as he ended the title hopes of Spain's Roberto Castanon in round two.
The next defense for Lopez would prove to be his shining moment. Danny took on the slick and
gutsy Mike Ayala and they would fight in Ayala's hometown of San Antonio, Texas. This was a
WAR with several shifts in momentum. It was the kind of bout that had you on the edge of your
seat throughout the contest. There was hardly a break in the action. Ayala was busier but Lopez
was by far the harder puncher. It became a war of attrition. Who would be the last man standing?
Finally after fourteen torrid rounds, Danny broke through in the fifteenth to end Ayala's game
stand. This would be the Ring Magazine 1979 Fight of the Year.
Lopez would make his eighth defense against Jose Caba winning in the third round. Danny's next
defense would be in 1980 against unheralded Mexican Salvador Sanchez. Although Sanchez had a
glossy 33-1-1 record he was little known outside of his native Mexico. On February 2nd the two
would meet in Phoenix, Arizona. On this day a legend would emerge. Sanchez fought a picture
perfect fight. While Lopez seemed stale and slow, Sanchez looked fast and sharp. He beat Lopez
to the punch throughout the fight but there was no quit in Lopez. The proud champion was finally
rescued in the thirteenth round. Sanchez would next turn back the challenge of (47-1) Ruben
Castillo by decision. The stage was now set for Sanchez - Lopez II. The rematch took place on
June 21st in Las Vegas. It was a carbon copy of their first match. Lopez had no answer for the
style of Sanchez. This time Lopez would be punished into the fourteenth round before his night
ended.
Lopez would retire after the losses to Sanchez. We will never know how great Sanchez would
have become as he lost his life at the age of 22 in a tragic 1982 auto accident. Danny would
make an ill fated comeback in 1992 and was defeated in two rounds by Jorge Rodriguez. This
should not reflect on the fine career of Lopez. In all Lopez had 48 bouts and finished with a 42-6
record. He was a knockout winner 39 times. He always stalked his opponents looking to land his
power laden right hand. If Danny did hit the canvas he would just get up and dust himself off.
Then it was back to stalking his foe. Lopez was pound for pound one of the hardest punchers of
that talent rich era. Lopez was a promoter's dream as he put "asses in the seats". Lopez was
finally inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 2010. It was long overdue but now
Danny is right where he belongs.
Jim Amato
48
CANADA'S ROBERT CLEROUX BEAT CHUVALO TWICE
No doubt the most well known heavyweight to come out of
Canada is George Chuvalo. For a while Lennox Lewis called
it his home and Trevor Berbick made his mark but George is
still #1 in Canada. Nevertheless there is a very overlooked
heavyweight contender from the 1960's who at one time
was closing in on a world title shot. His name was Robert
Cleroux. The fact is that "Big Bob" had a trilogy of bouts
with Chuvalo for the Canadian heavyweight title. Cleroux
won two of those contests.
Cleroux was born on February 23, 1938. He joined the
punch for pay ranks in 1957 after winning the Montreal
Golden Gloves title in 1956. At 6'1'' and weighing over 200 pounds, he was a fairly big
heavyweight in his era. He won twelve of his first thirteen contests. Only a draw with
Eddie Vick stained his record. He beat Eddie in a return go. Vick would go on to fight the
likes of Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson. Chuck Wepner, Jeff Merritt and Bob Foster twice
during his career. Bob invaded New York's Madison Square Garden in 1959 and suffered
his first loss. An eight round decision to veteran Buddy Turman.
Cleroux would regroup to win nine in a row including a decision over Willie Besmanoff
and a five round kayo against Roy "Cut-N-Shoot" Harris. In 1960 he won a close and
hard fought split decision over Chuvalo to capture the Canadian crown. Later in the year
he would drop a twelve round verdict to George losing the title. In between those two
battles, Bob halted Turman in two rounds to gain a measure of revenge.
1961 was a good year for Robert as he stopped Harold Carter, Harris again and the hard
hitting Alex Miteff. He then won another split decision over Chuvalo to recapture the
Canadian heavyweight championship. He defended that title by knockout over Cecil Gray
and then stopped rugged George Logan in seven. Then Bob hit a rough patch dropping
ten rounders to the highly rated Zora Folley and tough Mike DeJohn. He then won a close
points call against Tom McNeely. Cleroux followed that with four straight knockout
victories and was again paired with the clever Folley. Zora clearly outboxed Cleroux and
Bob stepped away from the ring for five years.
When Cleroux returned in 1968 he quickly won five straight bouts. He then outduked the
still dangerous Cleveland Williams to re-establish himself as a contender for world
honors. In 1969 he whipped Charlie Chase twice and Bob Felstein. It was now rumored
that Bob was going to challenge Jimmy Elis for the WBA version of the heavyweight title.
In July he met Billy Joiner in a tune up bout. Joiner,a former Ohio standout amateur
boxer and capable professional fighter upset the apple cart by winning a ten round split
decision. With this defeat Cleroux's hopes for a title shot were dashed and he retired for
good.
In 55 fights Bob posted a very respectable 48-6-1 record. He won 38 by knockout and
he was never stopped.
Jim Amato
49
Tex Rickard
Boxing’s Greatest Promoter
By Colleen Aycock and Mark Scott
About the Book
Whether opening saloons, raising cattle, or promoting sporting events,
George Lewis "Tex" Rickard (1870-1929) possessed a drive to be the
best. After an early career as a cowboy and Texas sheriff, Rickard
pioneered the largest ranch in South America, built a series of profitable
saloons in the Klondike and Nevada gold rushes, and turned boxing into a
million-dollar sport. As "the Father of Madison Square Garden," he
promoted over 200 fights, including some of the most notable of the 20th
century: the "Longest Fight," the "Great White Hope," fight, and the
famous "Long Count" fight. Along the way, he rubbed shoulders with
some of history’s most renowned figures, including Teddy Roosevelt,
Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, John Ringling, Jack Dempsey, and Gene
Tunney. This detailed biography chronicles Rickard’s colorful life and his
critical role in the evolution of boxing from a minor sport to a modern
spectacle.
About the Author
Colleen Aycock’s father was a professional fighter during the
Depression. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is a contributor
to other publications on the history of boxing.
Mark Scott, a novelist and former Golden Gloves boxer, lives in Austin, Texas. He is a contributor to other
publications on the history of boxing.
Tex Rickard: Boxing’s Greatest Promoter is for fans interested in the business side of boxing as well as the details of
the first Great Fights of the 20th century promoted by Tex Rickard, who virtually invented the idea of boxing as a
major business. His knowledge and use of ballyhoo to bring in the crowds and money, was legendary.
Lesser known about Rickard is how he earned the fortitude and endurance for the business. This biography follows
Rickard along the famous cattle drives of the Old West and into the Arctic wilderness during the Klondike Gold Rush
where made his first fortune as a saloon owner and gained political recognition as Nome's first nominee for mayor.
Rickard’s first boxing masterpiece was the 1906 fight in Goldfield, Nevada between Joe Gans and Battling Nelson.
The chapter on that bout describes from Rickard's point of view how the deals were made that “put Goldfield on the
map.” His second promotional coup was the “Great White Hope” fight between Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries.
Although much has been written on this historic event, the biography explains the machinations of the personalities in
and out of the ring. The rancor and reaction to this racially charged event was such that Rickard came close to saying
“goodbye” to boxing—setting up a profitable cattle ranch in South America, where Teddy Roosevelt became his
friend and confidant.
The politics of WWI convinced the hearty Rickard to rejoin the world of professional pugilism, and his greatest
monuments to the sport were the million-dollar Dempsey fights of the Roaring Twenties and the remaking of
Madison Square Garden. The Dempsey-Carpentier bout was the first large-scale radio broadcast and the largest
international sports event of the era. Contrary to conventional accounts, the French war hero put up a spirited fight
against the much bigger Manassa Mauler, Dempsey. The Dempsey-Tunney fights and the Long Count cemented
Rickard’s place as the greatest promoter of fistic events. Finally, Rickard left a re-generated Madison Square Garden
as the home of boxing for the coming decades. The book is available now at http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book2.php?id=978-0-7864-6591-0
50
*****JERSEY *****
JOE WALCOTT
A BOXING BIOGRAPHY
By JAMES CURL
Book Review by Austin Killeen
It was one month past my ninth birthday and I was watching the Friday
Night Fights by myself. Usually it was a shared activity with my father but
he was not home that evening. I was hooked on the sport since I saw
Ezzard Charles upset Joe Louis in September of 1949 on our 12-inch Admiral
TV. In my young mind Charles was unbeatable, which made his knockout
loss to Walcott even more amazing. Maybe it was the ability of first time
author James Curl’s biography of Jersey Joe Walcott to recapture that
moment in time, but I loved this book.
In writing this tomb, Curl did extensive research before writing one word of
text, and it shows. The reader finds himself transported in time back to the
first half of the last century to an old section of Pennsauken, New Jersey
called Homesteadville. Born into extreme poverty, Arnold Raymond Cream
(his birth name), was the fourth of twelve children. We learn of Joe’s early
exposure to the sport, boxing for candy in the backyards of his
neighborhood.
Married early in life and with a growing family to feed, Walcott tries boxing as a means to feed and clothe his
family. Undernourished, taking matches on short notice, fighting for small purses and constantly changing
management proved to be a receipt for failure. Always a step ahead of bill collectors and moving from one
dismal apartment to another, the Walcott’s as often as not found themselves on the public dole.
In 1944 Walcott’s fortunes finally take a turn for the better after a chance meeting with Felix Bocchicchio, a
well-known underworld criminal, gambler, and gangster. Eating good meals, preparing for fights, growing
purses and good management turned failure into success. In talking of Jersey Joe’s bouts, the author gives
clarity to events of the period. We not only learn about Walcott and his opponents but of the leading boxers
of that time period. Author Curl’s blow by blow description of Walcott’s fights put the reader at ringside. To
call it a visceral read would be an understatement. Ultimately we read of Joe’s spectacular victory over Charles
and the classic bouts with Louis and Marciano.
The final part of the book shows Walcott in retirement; as a sports personality, politician and grandfather and
as a person who gives back to society in thanks for the many blessing he has received in life. Jim Curl as a first
time author has written a wonderful tale of a person who raises from abject poverty to become a champion
both in and out of the ring.
I enjoyed this book very much and found it difficult to put down! I highly recommend that you add this book to
your boxing library.
This book is published by McFarland Publishing and can be ordered directly from McFarland Publishing,
Amazon.Com, or directly from the author @ curl88@hotmail.com
51
In Africa's Honor: Dick Tiger versus Gene Fullmer III-A Blast from
Nigeria's Glorious Past
By Justina Ihetu
Product Description
In the era of the American Civil Rights Movement, and
barely three years after Africa's most populous nation
celebrated her independence from colonial rule, the
Nigerian government brought her full weight to bear in a
world championship title bout-the first ever in Black
Africa. The Dick Tiger vs. Gene Fullmer III fight, held in
Liberty Stadium in Ibadan, Nigeria, on August 10, 1963,
was a forerunner for all the big fights in the African
continent. Westerners didn't believe that a newly
independent African nation could dare muster the
audacity, or financial backbone, to stage a world
championship event. In Africa's Honor chronicles this
groundbreaking fight while narrating the details of
Richard (Dick Tiger) Ihetu's life in and out of the boxing
ring. Presented as a play by Justina Ihetu, Dick Tiger's
daughter, and complete with archival photos, this drama
showcases the patriotism and heroism of a boxer who had
an inauspicious beginning. Ihetu provides insight into the wheeling and dealing behind
the match, and she humanizes the principle players-laying bare their innermost thoughts
and anxieties to help form a deeper understanding of the character, and circumstances
that reveal Africa's promise, of unity, dignity, and honor.
Product Details







Amazon Sales Rank: #2814327 in Books
Published on: 2012-03-23
Original language: English
Number of items: 1
Binding: Paperback
200 pages
Price $ 15.95, plus shipping
About the Author
Justina Ihetu is Dick Tiger's daughter. She earned a bachelor's degree in English
literature from Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee and a Masters degree in
Reading, from Brooklyn College, New York. She is currently a reading specialist
and has worked in the school system for more than two decades. Justina also
oversees the Dick Tiger Foundation Inc., a charitable organization instituted to
promote Dick Tiger's legacy of altruism and self-development. She lives in New
York with her two children, Alexis and Daniel.
This book is available at Amazon.com or directly from the author @ justina
Ihetu @dicktigerfoundation.org
52
The Greatest Champion That Never Was: The Life of W.L. “Young” Stribling
by Jaclyn Weldon White
Book Review by Clay Moyle
Many years ago I had the opportunity to read a biography about
“Young” Stribling written by an author named Jimmy Jones titled ‘King
of the Canebrakes.’ All I can remember about that book now is that
when I began reading it I thought that Stribling was a fascinating
subject and the book was very good in the beginning. Unfortunately,
the second half of the book lost some steam in my opinion and ended
up being a bit of a letdown. But, I never forgot what I learned about
Stribling so when I heard that there was a new biography out about
him I was anxious to read it.
The title of the new book is ‘The Greatest Champion That Never Was:
The Life of W.L. “Young” Stribling’ and Jaclyn White has done a
wonderful job writing the story of the life and career of this fighter
from Macon, Georgia. The book is published by Macon University
Press and is a 262 hardcover with dust jacket and loads of great
photographs. According to Jaclyn, the bulk of the research was done
by a long-time employee of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia by the name of Dr. James Bryant.
Bryant wrote several books for Mercer University Press in the mid-1990s. He became interested in
Stribling’s story and spent the next ten years compiling information with the intention of writing a
biography about him. But, before he could complete the task, Bryant passed away suddenly in 2008.
Not wanting to see her husband’s hard work go to waste, his widow, Marion, and the Stribling family
asked the publisher to recommend a number of authors who might be willing to handle the job and they
obviously chose the right person in Jaclyn. It’s not often that I come across a boxing book that I enjoy
enough to knock off over the course of a couple days but I had a hard time putting this one down.
When William Lawrence Stribling was born on December 26, 1904 his father rushed out and had birth
announcements printed that introduced the infant as the future heavyweight champion of the world. If
the boy’s father didn’t possess the qualities needed to become a world champion himself he was bound
and determined to see that his boy became one. He and his wife developed a vaudeville act that
included acrobatics and comedy and over the course of the next few years added their two sons to the
act. W.L.’s brother Herbert was just a little over a year younger than himself. By the time the boys were
seven and five year olds they were sparring with one another as a part of the family act.
When W.L. reached the age of ten, the family was touring the United States and W.L.’s father was
offering a $10 prize to any boy in his son’s weight class who could last three rounds of boxing with him.
Not many could. Shortly after his 17th birthday, W.L. made his professional debut on January 17, 1921.
Ultimately, he fought a total of 25 times during the year, losing only once. Over the course of the next 12
½ years Stribling would go on to fight almost 300 professional fights under his fathers management. The
appendix in the back of the book credits him with a total of 287 fights including 224 wins, 12 losses, 14
draws, 36 no-decisions and 2 no-contests.
53
When he was a couple of months shy of his 19th birthday and still in high school, Stribling fought for
Mike McTigue’s light-heavyweight title before a largely partisan in Columbus, Georgia on October 4,
1923. Upon the fights conclusion, the referee initially ruled the bout a draw. But, when the threatening
crowd voiced its displeasure, he consulted the newspapermen at ringside and awarded the contest to
Stribling. Then, once he was back in the safety of his hotel, the referee reversed his decision again and
declared the fight a draw, saying he had only declared Stribling the winner because he feared for his
safety. So, McTigue retained the title. Regardless, it was an impressive performance by the youngster.
Alas, Stribling never did win the world title his father predicted for him. While he would go on to defeat
McTigue in a newspaper decision in 1924 and future light-heavyweight champion Tommy Loughran on
two separate occasions, he lost to Berlanbach in June of 1926 with the light heavyweight title at stake
and also lost to Jack Sharkey in a heavyweight title elimination bout in 1929. He went on to fight his way
into a match for the N.B.A. heavyweight title against Max Schmeling in July of 1931 but suffered a 15th
round technical knockout in The Ring Magazine fight of the year. It turned out to be his last opportunity
to fight for a world title.
But, Stribling was a very interesting character and was involved in many interesting pursuits outside of
boxing. An all around athlete who excelled in basketball and acrobatics himself, he loved to golf, ride
motorcycles and became an accomplished aviator who owned a number of his own planes and opened
his own flight school. The story about him flying across the Pennsylvania border and performing a series
of aerial acrobatics over Max Schmeling’s training camp and then hollering at him while making a low
pass over the ring with the engine shut off a few short days before their fight is classic. Stribling loved
playing practical jokes and going fast whether it was on a motorcycle, boat or plane and he was greatly
admired by friends and foes alike for his good nature and love of life.
In fact, Stribling reminds me a lot of Billy Miske. Though neither man won a world championship, they
were both game courageous fighters who defeated world champions during their careers. And, like
Miske, Stribling died before his 30th birthday and left a wife and three young children. Stribling passed
away in 1933 as a result of injuries he suffered from a tragic traffic accident while riding his motorcycle
to the hospital to visit his wife and newborn son. Who knows, had he lived maybe he would have
managed to capture that elusive world title. After all, he defeated the reigning world light-heavyweight
champion, Maxie Rosenbloom, in a non-title fight slightly more than a week before his death.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t recommend it enough.
This book is available at Amazon.com and Mercer University Press www.mupress.com
Product Code: H828
ISBN: 9780881462524
Binding Information: Hardback
Price: $30.00
54
The Triumph and Tragedy of
“Irish” Jerry Quarry
By Steve Springer and Blake Chavez
Book Review by Jim Amato
I have always been a big fan of Jerry Quarry. He was
a mainstay in the talent laden heavyweight division
during the late 1960s and into the 70's. His multitude
of
fans
shared
in
his
triumphs
and
his
disappointments throughout his roller coaster career.
Whenever you counted Jerry out he would win a
major fight to propel himself back to the heavyweight
forefront. His victories over Floyd Patterson, Thad
Spencer, Buster Mathis Sr., Mac Foster, Ron Lyle and
Earnie Shavers always kept him in the thick of the
heavyweight title picture. Then there were the losses
to Ali and Frazier who both defeated Jerry twice.
There were the losses to Jimmy Ellis, George Chuvalo
and later in his career to Kenny Norton.
Much has been documented on Jerry's career and his
battle later in life with Dementia Pugilistica. A battle that would take his life in
1999. The authors of this book do a tremendous job of detailing Jerry's life and
career from the beginning to the bitter end. It brought back a lot of memories
both good and bad but it also reminded me of why I was such a fan of Quarry
and that era of heavyweight boxing.
This is more than a book on Jerry Quarry. It was like reading and reliving that
historic time frame in fistic history. Other then Muhammad Ali himself, no one
stirred the pot of controversy better then Quarry during that time frame. Along
with his great boxing ability Jerry had something else. He had loads of charisma
that most of today's heavyweight’s lack.
I highly recommend this book to all boxing fans. It is a great read. If you are a
Jerry Quarry fan...Well what are you waiting for?
In Hard Luck, “Irish” Jerry Quarry comes to life—from his Grapes of Wrath days
as the child of an abusive father in the California migrant camps to those as the
undersized heavyweight slaying giants on his way to multiple title bouts and
the honor of being the World’s Most Popular Fighter in ’68, ’69, ’70, and ’71.
This book is available at Amazon.Com
55
JOHN SCHULIAN’S WRITERS’ FIGHTERS
Reviewed by Roger Zotti
“To lace on a pair of eight-ounce gloves and climb into the square circle, face to face
with a man intent on relieving you of your senses, is to give the world irrefutable proof of your
courage before a punch is thrown.” So writes John Schulian in Writers’ Fighters & Other
Sweet Scientists, a compilation of his articles and columns written between 1974 and 1981.
Schulian writes about the sweet science in a way that his trenchant, often hilarious
observations surge off the book’s pages.
Schulian is relentless in his criticism of boxing promoter Don King. The title of one
piece, “Boxing Better Dead than Led by Don King,” conveys precisely the way Schulian feels
about him. In another article Schulian writes about the time King hosted a press luncheon
before the 1980 Holmes-Ali title bout. For lunch, guests were served ham and cheese
sandwiches. “It was a cheap meal,” Schulian writes. “The kind King prefers when he picks up
the tab.” There were problems, however. “Muslins don’t eat pork and Ali is a Muslim. ‘Heh-heheh,’ said King, nervously flicking the ashes from his cigar.” Clearly, Ali was angry “and the
Muslims who never leave Ali’s side seemed to be considering how the well-fed King would
look on a spit with an apple in his mouth.”
Leon Spinks is the subject of several columns. Schulian reminds us the ex-Marine
grew up on the mean streets of St. Louis, earned an Olympic Gold medal in 1976, and
dethroned Muhammad Ali in 1978 after only seven professional fights. He held the title for
seven months. “There are good points and bad points about being champion,” Spinks said of
his short reign. “The bad point is trying to be a human being, just an average human being
like everybody else.” What Spinks didn’t comprehend was “it is never easy for those in the
spotlight….He is hooked on trouble, both the headline-making kind that gets him arrested and
the insignificant kind that eats away at his self-respect.”
In the section titled “Beautiful Losers,” we read about heavyweight Ron Stander, who
can’t forget he once flattened Earnie Shavers but “can’t remember being humiliated
by…assorted tomato cans,” and Jim Beattie, who nourishes the misguided belief he can still
become heavyweight champion. There’s also LeRoy Diggs, heavyweight champion Larry
Holmes’ sparring partner for his 1981 title defense against Leon Spinks. Though Diggs
speaks glowingly of Holmes because “he gives you your respect,” the big drawback of being
a sparring partner is that, Schulian points out, after Holmes defeated Spinks by third round
TKO, “nobody will realize that LeRoy Diggs had anything to do with it.”
In the last section, “Champions Forever,” Schulian pays tribute to Gene Tunney, Jack
Dempsey, Jake LaMotta, Johnny Bratton, Archie Moore, Henry Armstrong, and Joe Louis.
The author’s conclusion about the great Louis is striking: “As a fighter and a human being,
he had been something that even death won’t erase. He was too big for it, just as he was too
big for life….The candle is out, but the light still shines.”
56
Barry Hugman's History of
World Championship Boxing
Having spent many years researching the history of world championship boxing from the
start of gloves (1871 to date), I am happy to present my findings, in association with
BoxRec, as you have never seen them before. This is due to the excellent research by
Harold Alderman MBE in covering the early days in Britain (English championships) and
my visits to various libraries around the world, as well as accessing thousands of
newspapers on the internet. Many people helped along the way and you will find them
under Acknowledgements.
To produce this work, which is long overdue, wherever possible all of the leading fighters
down the years since the early 1870s have had their known records analysed and cross
referenced against thousands of newspapers and magazines in order to find the weight
that their prime contests were made at. And work continues.
Current weight divisions have been maintained by flexing the weights from the early
1870s to those we know today and can be seen in the left-hand column as a point of
reference.
Fights (of ten rounds or more, other than where a title claim changed hands over a
shorter distance) that are listed in chronological order within those weight divisions are
those that were seen as title claims in Britain, America, Australia and the rest of the
world prior to standardized weights being in place, along with all recognised world title
fights since. Australian title fights are listed separately prior to 1909.
This is not just a list of fights, it is the history of world championship boxing, carrying a
fight report, the weights of the fighters, all manner of risk fights of less than ten rounds,
including no-decision contests, black title fights, politics, fights leading to championship
bouts where applicable, eliminators, etc, etc. Referring to the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO
(I go no further than those commissions, apart from recording The Ring magazine
champions since 2002), as far as I am concerned where there is a 'super' champion in
place the next level down is a 'second tier' champion followed by an 'interim' champion.
These are covered within the text.
To follow, initially go by (lbs) until you reach standard weights. You can then trace by
recognition; ie: WORLD, NBA, NY, IBU, WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, etc, which will allow you
to remain in sequence. In certain cases prior to full recognition, I have tried to separate
additional information relating to fights that happened in Britain and America at the
same weight.
After clicking on to a fight for relative details, a further click on any fighter mentioned
will take you to his record on BoxRec. You can then move from fighter to fighter,
biographies and pictures, etc. There are several early British fighters' records that are
still missing, but Harold Alderman will aim to produce them as soon as possible along
with additional fights for other men of the time.
57
If you wish to find all entries relating to a fighter right across the site, click on his name
within a fight report and then press on 'what links here' in the sidebar. You next click on
the fights listed for the requisite information.
To find the names of all those mentioned within a specific weight division, click on any
fighter from that division and then click on the Index.
As a work in progress, fight reports from 2006 onwards have still to be completed.
For further information on how to best understand the data go to the Introduction.
After working on this project for close on 20 years, having realised that listings of world
title fights did not add up in many cases, I dedicate this site to my Mother and Father
who gave me an excellent start in life. It was this that enabled me to pursue my dreams,
one of them being boxing, both inside and outside the ring.
Once I had analysed the work of Harold Alderman MBE, who had made a 40-year study
of British boxing and had recorded much of what he found, I realised that was the
missing piece of the jigsaw. Harold is the foremost expert on English championship
boxing which took place between 1870 and 1909. He is also a walking mine of boxing
information, having been involved in the sport for as long as he can remember.
Tracy Callis, of IBRO, has helped no end with information on the heavyweight division,
especially 'black' titles, and is a much valued researcher. Luckett Davis, who is
recognised as one of the leading record compilers and co-ordinators in America, gave me
much help in having a greater understanding of how boxing was in the early days in
America. It was key prior to my many visits to American libraries in the 1990s.
Andy Whittle, of Boxing News, has been invaluable more recently in enabling me to link
to BoxRec's records. Andy will continue to enter added information to the records and
make corrections where required, especially when Harold Alderman's records start to
arrive.
People who have helped in no small way include those listed in the acknowledgments.
Here's the link to the new site.
http://boxrec.com/hugman/index.php/Barry_Hugman%27s_History_of_World_Championship_Boxing
58
Chico Cisneros
Alias
Birth Name
Country
Hometown
Division
Record
Chicho Cisneros
Narciso Cisneros
Mexico
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Featherweight
78-30-13 (KOs 11) Total 121
Compiled by Bob Yalen and Luckett Davis with
assistance from Ric Kilmer, Mike DeLisa, Matt Tegen,
Wouter Van Alst, and Deepak Nahar.
Sources: From Excelsior, Mexico City (Bob Yalen); various newspapers.
1925
Jul
Aug
Aug
Aug
Aug
Sep
Sep
Oct
Nov
Nov
Dec
25
8
15
22
29
1
5
17
7
28
12
Felipe Serrano
Daniel Ortiz
Jose Medrano
Antonio Aquino
Jose Medrano
Daniel Ortiz
Daniel Ortiz
Henri DeWancker
Jose Valadez
Santiago Perez
Kid Nacho
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
L
W
W
D
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
DQ
PTS
TKO
PTS
PTS
4
6
6
6
8
4
8
5
4
6
6
Renato Torres
Mexico
Armand Dick
Mexico
Kid Ruiz
Mexico
Jose Medrano
Mexico
Ray Sanchez
Mexico
Daniel Ortiz
Mexico
Daniel Ortiz
Mexico
vacant Mexico Bantamweight Title
Nov 29 Daniel Ortiz
Mexico
Mexico Bantamweight Title
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
L
W
L
W
W
W
D
PTS 10
PTS 4
PTS 8
PTS 6
KO
6
PTS 10
15
1926
Jan
Feb
May
Sep
Oct
Oct
Nov
30
18
5
25
2
30
15
City, MX
W PTS 15
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
W PTS 10
W PTS 10
W PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 10
W PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
W PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
San Antonio, TX
W PTS 10
W PTS 8
ND-W 10
1927
Feb
Jun
Jul
Jul
Sep
Sep
Oct
Dec
5 Jose Medrano
Mexico Bantamweight
18 Bubby Seymour
9 Marcial Zavala
30 Mike Vasquez
Mexico Bantamweight
3 Felipe Escarcega
24 Felipe Escarcega
Mexico Bantamweight
1 Marcial Zavala
Mexico Bantamweight
3 Marcial Zavala
Mexico Bantamweight
Title
Title
Title
Title
Title
1928
Jan 14 Carlos Ruiz
Jan 29 Julian Villegas
Feb 21 Johnny Hughes
59
Mar
Apr
May
May
May
Jun
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Sep
Oct
Nov
6
5
1
10
14
21
26
26
14
11
18
6
3
Mike Vasquez
Kid Pancho
Kid Ruiz
Kid Ruiz
Kid Ruiz
Brooks Hooper
Jimmy Watts
Jimmy Watts
Bobby Fernandez
Chon Hernandez
Tony Herrera
Carlos Garcia
Joe Ruz
San Antonio
San Antonio
San Antonio
San Antonio
Galveston, TX
San Antonio
Little Rock, AR
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio
San Antonio
San Antonio
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
ND-D
L PTS
ND-D
W PTS
W PTS
W PTS
L PTS
D
ND-W
ND-W
ND-L
W PTS
W PTS
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Mexico City, MX
Hot Springs, AR
Little Rock, AR
Saint Louis, MO
Greenwood, MI
Saint Louis
Saint Louis
Greenwood
Greenwood
Greenville
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans
W PTS
L KO
ND-W
ND-W
D
ND-W
ND-L
W PTS
D
W TKO
W PTS
W PTS
10
8
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
5
10
10
Long Sing Que
Greenville, MI
Al Donnelly
Greenville
Billy DeFoe
Saint Louis, MO
Buster Moore
Greenville
Babe Ruth
Greenville
Johnny Farr
New Orleans, LA
Tony Leto
Birmingham, AL
Johnny Cook
New Orleans
Al Donnelly
New Orleans
Claude Wilson
Greenville
Manuel Villa I
Mexico City, MX
vacant Mexico Featherweight Title
Oct 25 El Espontanejo
Mexico City, MX
Nov 8 Pierre Pothier
Mexico City, MX
Nov 22 Pierre Pothier
Mexico City, MX
W TKO
D
ND-D
W KO
W PTS
L PTS
ND-W
L PTS
D
L PTS
W PTS
7
10
10
3
10
15
10
10
10
10
12
1929
Jan
Mar
Apr
May
Jul
Jul
Aug
Aug
Sep
Sep
Oct
Nov
26
22
1
3
11
22
13
22
19
24
7
4
Jose Estrada
Roger Bernard
Joe Lucas
Joe Lucas
Joe Cook
Johnny Kaiser
Cowboy Eddie Anderson
Phil Zwick
Pete Zivic
Al Rammy
Milton Manguna
Johnny Cook
1930
Jan
Feb
Feb
Mar
Apr
Apr
May
May
Sep
Sep
Oct
21
18
25
11
1
7
5
19
22
30
11
W PTS 10
L PTS 10
W PTS 10
1931
Jan
Jan
Feb
Feb
Mar
Mar
Apr
Jun
Nov
1
17
13
16
1
16
14
29
2
Kid Pancho
Kid Pancho
Jimmy Watts
Davey Abad
Joe Conde
Al Donnelly
Jackie Rodgers
Jackie Rodgers
Snooks Campbell
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Hot Springs, AR
Birmingham, AL
Mexico City, MX
New Orleans, LA
Cleveland, OH
North Braddock, PA
Miami
L PTS
W KO
W PTS
ND-L
L PTS
D
W PTS
L KO
W PTS
Little Rock, AR
W TKO
10
8
10
10
10
15
6
7
10
1932
Jan
1 Rube Johnson
60
Jan
Feb
Feb
Mar
Apr
Apr
Jun
Jun
Aug
Nov
4
1
25
24
7
14
23
24
8
3
Freddie O'Connor
Gilbert Castillo
Petey Sarron
Petey Sarron
Vernon Cormier
Eddie Burl
Jackie Wilson
Johnny Farr
Battling Gizzy
Harry Sankey
Miami
Miami
Miami
Miami
Miami
Miami
Millvale, PA
Cleveland, OH
Millvale
Savannah, GA
W
W
D
L
W
W
W
W
L
W
KO
6
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 8
PTS 10
PTS 10
1932
Nov 17 Texas Kid
Miami
W PTS 10
1933
Jan 21 Jesus Najera
Mexico Featherweight
Feb 11 Joe Conde
Mexico Featherweight
Mar 5 Eddie Cerda
May 6 Willie Davies
May 20 Willie Davies
Mexico Featherweight
Jun 24 Joe Conde
Mexico Featherweight
Mexico City, MX
Title
Mexico City, MX
Title
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Title
Mexico City, MX
Title
W PTS 12
L PTS 10
W PTS 10
L PTS 10
W DQ
8
L PTS 12
1934
Mar
Apr
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Aug
Aug
Sep
Oct
Oct
Nov
Nov
Nov
17
21
28
12
2
7
4
12
25
15
6
27
4
19
25
Kid Pancho
Eddie Trujillo
Little Dempsey
Joe Conde
Ricardo Manzanillo
Ventura Arana
Memo Zavala
Pedro Villanueva
Joaquin Arizona
Henry Jackson
Ricardo Manzanillo
Ricardo Manzanillo
Juan Zurita
Joaquin Arizona
Juan Zurita
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Torreon, MX
Torreon, MX
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Guadalajara,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Guadalajara,
Guadalajara,
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
W
W
W
W
L
L
W
W
W
W
W
W
L
D
L
KO
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
5
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
PTS 10
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
W
W
W
W
W
W
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
TKO
KO
Tepic, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Guadalajara, MX
W
L
W
L
PTS 10
PTS 10
TKO 4
PTS 10
1935
Jan
Feb
Apr
Jul
Aug
Oct
26
16
13
23
31
5
Rafael Hurtado
Chalky Wright
Timoteo Elizalde
Kid Pancho
Luis Del Angel
Chato Salas
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
10
10
10
10
10
1936
Jan 4 Foster Perez
Mar 7 Georgie Hansford
Mar 28 Foster Perez
May 17 Juan Zurita
61
Carlos Malacara
Alias
Country
Hometown
Birthplace
Division
Born
Height
Record
El Cargador
Mexico
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico
Lightweight
1920
5’ 7”
51-30-15 (KOs 10) Total 97
Compiled by Bob Yalen and Luckett Davis with
assistance from Ric Kilmer, Mike DeLisa, Matt
Tegen, Wouter Van Alst, and several BoxRec
editors. Sources: From Excelsior, Mexico City (Bob
Yalen); various newspapers.
1937
Mar
Mar
May
May
May
Sep
14
21
2
16
30
4
Jose Aranda
Kid White
Kid White
Kid Guanajuato
Kid White
Kid Guanajuato
Torreon,
Torreon,
Torreon,
Torreon,
Torreon,
Torreon,
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
W
D
L
L
W
W
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
DQ
5
TKO 6
KO
4
W
L
W
W
W
W
W
D
W
D
W
PTS 6
PTS 6
PTS 8
PTS 8
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
1938
Jan
Mar
May
Jun
Jul
Jul
Aug
Aug
Oct
Nov
Dec
22
19
21
18
20
27
10
24
15
5
10
Cipriano Vargas
Felipe Guzman
Manuel Briones
Foster Perez
Quintin Rangel
Lupe Gonzalez
Ray Campo
Ray Campo
Jose Gallardo
Joe Conde
Rodolfo Casanova
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Title
Mexico
Mexico
City, MX
City, MX
City, MX
W PTS 10
L PTS 10
W PTS 12
City, MX
City, MX
W PTS 10
L PTS 12
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
City,
City,
City,
City,
L PTS 10
L DQ
4
D
10
W PTS 10
1939
Jan 28 Juan Zurita
Feb 25 Tony Mar
Apr 1 Tony Mar
vacant Mexico Lightweight
May 13 Lew Jenkins
Jun 3 Tony Mar
Mexico Lightweight Title
Jun 24 Rodolfo Ramirez
Aug 12 Juan Zurita
Aug 26 Lupe Gonzalez
Oct 28 Clarence Enos
MX
MX
MX
MX
1940
Jan
Feb
Mar
May
May
20
17
16
11
25
Rodolfo Casanova
Kid Azteca
Harry Lane
Rodolfo Ramirez
Tony Mar
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
City,
City,
City,
City,
City,
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
W
L
W
D
L
PTS 10
PTS 10
TKO 4
10
PTS 10
62
Jun
Jul
Jul
Aug
Aug
Sep
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Dec
15
8
20
3
24
14
28
26
16
6
30
Saul Torres
Kid Osborne
Arnulfo Lopez
Joe Conde
Rodolfo Ramirez
Pedro Ortega
Ginger Foran
Clarence King
Tony Mar
Carmelo Fenoy
Guillermo Puentes
Mexico City,
San Antonio,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Havana, CUBA
Havana, CUBA
MX
TX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
W
W
W
W
D
L
W
W
W
W
D
PTS 10
KO
2
TKO 10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
W
D
W
L
W
D
L
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
TKO 7
PTS 10
10
PTS 12
1941
Mar
Apr
May
May
Jun
Aug
Oct
22
12
2
10
14
23
4
Sixto Morales
Havana, CUBA
Joe Pedroso
Havana, CUBA
Santiago Sosa
Havana, CUBA
Rodolfo Ramirez
Mexico City,
Rodolfo Ramirez
Mexico City,
Toby Vigil
Mexico City,
Rodolfo Ramirez
Mexico City,
Mexico Lightweight Title
Dec 8 Julie Kogon
Brooklyn, NY
Dec 22 Jimmy Tygh
Brooklyn
MX
MX
MX
MX
W PTS
W TKO
8
3
1942
Jan
Jan
Mar
Mar
Oct
Nov
Dec
16
30
6
31
17
28
18
Harry Hurst
Norman Rubio
Billy Marquart
Freddie Archer
Baby Al Brown
Young Finnegan
Young Finnegan
New York, NY
New York
New York
Bronx, NY
Panama City, PAN
Panama City, PAN
Colon City, PAN
W
L
W
L
W
W
W
PTS 8
PTS 8
PTS 8
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
KO
9
Oakland, CA
Oakland
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles
Mexico City, MX
Hollywood
Mexico City, MX
Hollywood
D
L
W
W
L
W
L
D
TKO
PTS
PTS
TKO
PTS
PTS
Mexico City, MX
Guadalajara, MX
Mexico City, MX
Ciudad Juarez, MX
Mexico City, MX
Panama City, PA
W
D
W
W
W
L
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas
W
D
W
W
W
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
KO
3
KO
9
1943
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Nov
Dec
24
17
13
11
5
30
13
3
Earl Turner
Max Hutchins
Cecil Hudson
Rodolfo Ramirez
Enrique Cardoso
Cecil Hudson
Rodolfo Ramirez
Jerry Moore
10
6
10
10
7
10
10
10
1944
Feb 19 Baby Coullimber
Apr 8 Lupe Gonzalez
May 6 Tony Mar
Jul 4 Eddie Quiroga
Aug 19 Enrique Cardoso
Oct 15 Young Finnegan
1945
Feb
Mar
Apr
Jun
Jul
10
10
18
13
4
Georgie Crouch
Pedro Ortega
Julio Cesar Jiminez
Mike Gamiere
MIke Santacruz
63
Jul
Sep
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
18
10
22
13
3
15
Matt Oglesby
Eddie Hudson
Kid Gavilan
Kid Bururu
Kid Gavilan
Pedro Ortega
Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas
Mexico City, MX
Havana, CUBA
Havana, CUBA
Mexico City, MX
W
L
W
D
L
W
KO
8
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
Mexico City, MX
Title
Mexico City, MX
Caracas, VE
Mexico City, MX
W PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
San Antonio
L TKO
NC
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Merida, MX
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
L
L
L
D
L
1946
Feb
Mar
May
Jul
Sep
Oct
9 Tony Mar
vacant Mexico Lightweight
16 Kid Filipino
30 Luis Monagas
20 Tony Mar
Mexico Lightweight Title
7 Kid Azteca
29 Tony Mar
Mexico Lightweight Title
W PTS 10
L PTS 10
L PTS 12
4
8
1947
Mar
Apr
Aug
Sep
Oct
29
14
21
6
11
Sandy Saddler
Julio Cesar Jiminez
Julio Cesar Jiminez
Nick Moran
Nick Moran
MX
MX
MX
MX
PTS 10
KO
8
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
1948
Jun 10 Luis Arguelles
Oct 9 Kid Filipino
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
L KO
L KO
7
2
1949-1950
(No activity)
1951
Feb 12 Lou Joseph
Tucson, AZ
L PTS 10
64
Tony Mar
Alias
Birth Name
Hometown
Birthplace
Division
Born
Record
Chino Mar & Ah Chu Man
Antonio Mar Martinez
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
Lightweight
1917
69-37-9 (KOs 37) Total 116
Compiled by Bob Yalen and Luckett Davis with
assistance from Ric Kilmer, Mike DeLisa, Matt
Tegen, Wouter Van Alst,
and several other BoxRec
editors.
Sources: From Excelsior, Mexico City (Bob Yalen); various newspapers.
Mar was of mixed Chinese-Mexican ancestry, his parents Martín Mar and Cleotilde
Martinez. His real name was Antonio Mar Martinez, he was born in Hermosillo,
Sonora, México in 1917. He boxed as Ah Chu Mah in 1937, while boxing in Los
Angeles.
1937
Nov 2 Umio Gen
Nov 16 Bobby Leyvas
Nov 30 Umio Gen
May
Aug
Sep
Sep
Oct
Nov
Nov
Dec
2
13
3
24
22
12
26
3
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
1938
Rodolfo Casanova
Joe Conde
Jose Gallardo
Jose Gallardo
Rodolfo Casanova
Ray Campo
Ray Campo
Juan Zurita
1939
Jan 08 Enrique Rodea
Feb 25 Carlos Malacara
Apr 01 Carlos Malacara
vacant Mexico Lightweight
May 01 Juan Zurita
Mexico Lightweight Title
May 17 Ray Campo
May 23 Jose Gallardo
Jun 03 Carlos Malacara
Mexico Lightweight Title
Jun 17 Pedro Ortega
Jul 01 Juan Zurita
Mexico Lightweight Title
Aug 05 Rodolfo Ramirez
Aug 19 Pedro Ortega
Sep 16 Lupe Gonzalez
Oct 11 Juan Zurita
Dec 18 Joe Conde
Hermosillo, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 10
W TKO 3
D
10
W
W
D
W
W
L
W
D
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
KO
3
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
Hermosillo, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Title
Mexico City, MX
W KO
4
W PTS 10
L PTS 12
Hermosillo, MX
Sonora, MX
Mexico City, MX
W PTS 10
W KO
4
W PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
W PTS 10
L PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Nogales, MX
Culiacan, MX
D
L
L
L
W
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
10
10
10
10
10
W
W
W
L
W
L
PTS
KO
KO
PTS
PTS
PTS
10
5
4
10
10
10
L PTS 12
1940
Mar
Mar
Mar
Apr
May
Jul
9
16
31
13
25
6
Rodolfo Ramirez
George Dixon
Muralia Herrera
Rodolfo Ramirez
Carlos Malacara
Joe Conde
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Monterrey, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
65
Jul
Aug
Aug
Nov
Nov
Dec
20
9
19
09
16
20
Panchito Campos
Koli Kolo
Panchito Campos
Saul Torres
Carlos Malacara
Casanovita de Ahome
Mazatlan, MX
Guaymas, MX
Los Mochis, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Pachuca, MX
W
L
W
W
L
W
KO
4
PTS 10
PTS 10
KO
4
PTS 10
KO
2
Mar
Apr
May
May
May
Jul
Aug
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
29
13
3
17
31
19
16
30
20
25
8
6
1941
Rodolfo Ramirez
Rodolfo Ramirez
Ray Campo
Raul de la Torre
Koli Kolo
Baby Chichi
Fermin Lopez
Baby Chichi
Joe Pedroso
Joe Legon
Santiago Sosa
Joe Conde
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Havana, CU
Havana, CU
Havana, CU
Havana, CU
Havana, CU
Havana, CU
Mexico City,
W
L
W
L
W
L
W
W
D
L
L
W
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
KO
3
KO
2
TKO 5
KO
4
TKO 4
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
Feb
Feb
Mar
May
May
Jun
Aug
Sep
Oct
Oct
Nov
Dec
7
28
21
7
30
27
29
12
21
28
12
12
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Aguascalientes, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Merida, MX
Merida, MX
Merida, MX
Mexico City, MX
W
L
L
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
D
W
KO
PTS
PTS
KO
KO
PTS
TKO
PTS
PTS
TKO
Ciudad Obregon, MX
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles
W KO
4
W PTS 10
W PTS 10
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Guadalajara,
Mexico City,
Guadalajara,
Mexico City,
W
W
L
W
W
W
L
1942
Raul de la Torre
Kid Azteca
Jose Mendoza
Enrique Rodea
Saul Torres
Jose Mendoza
Joe Conde
Pedro Ortega
Julio Cesar Jiminez
Baby Yucatan
Ramiro Orejitas Almagro
Jose Mendoza
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
7
10
10
4
4
10
3
10
10
4
10
PTS 10
1943
Feb 12 Fred Taylor
Jul 20 Jimmy Florita
Aug 31 Aldo Spoldi
1944
Lupe Gonzalez
Baby Coullimber
Carlos Malacara
Julio Izquierda
Julio Cesar Jiminez
Alejandro Vega
Rodolfo Ramirez
Mexico Lightweight Title
Nov 4 Santiago Sosa
Nov 17 Rodolfo Ramirez
Feb
Apr
May
May
Sep
Sep
Oct
Mar
Apr
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Sep
Sep
Sep
26
1
6
20
16
23
6
27
10
24
21
22
27
11
20
24
1945
Harry Lane
Paul 'Tennessee' Lee
Gene Spencer
Roy Lewis
Matt Oglesby
Eddie Hudson
Eddie Weller
Oliver Hamm
Lefty LaChance
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
KO
PTS
PTS
KO
PTS
KO
PTS
Mexico City, MX
Hermosillo, MX
W KO
D
San Antonio, TX
San Antonio
San Antonio
Houston
Hollywood
Hollywood
San Antonio
Laredo
San Antonio
W
W
W
W
L
W
W
W
W
6
10
10
2
10
7
12
7
10
KO
2
KO
3
PTS 10
KO
3
PTS 10
PTS 10
KO
4
KO
2
KO
3
66
Feb
Feb
Mar
May
Jun
Jun
Jul
Sep
Oct
Oct
1946
9 Carlos Malacara
vacant Mexico Lightweight
26 Jack Larrimore
19 Rudy Cruz
4 Kid Gavilan
8 Henry Majcher
18 Rudy Cruz
20 Carlos Malacara
Mexico Lightweight Title
28 Saul Torres
12 Saul Torres
29 Carlos Malacara
Mexico Lightweight Title
Mexico City,
Title
San Antonio
San Antonio
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
San Antonio
Mexico City,
MX
L PTS 12
MX
MX
W
L
W
W
L
W
MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
San Antonio
1947
Mar 22 Nick Moran
Mexico City, MX
Mexico Welterweight Title
Apr 15 Anthony Arnone
Houston, TX
May 3 Humberto Zavala
Mexico City, MX
May 13 Jose Luis Vera
Houston
Jun 17 Bob Ford
Ciudad Juarez, MX
Jul 1 Gordon House
San Antonio
Aug 25 Bob Ford
Ciudad Juarez, MX
Oct 22 Jorge Morelia
Merida, MX
Oct 29 Luis Arguelles
Merida, MX
1948
Mar 2 Enrique Bolanos
Los Angeles, CA
Apr 28 Eddie Bertolino
Galveston, TX
Aug 3 Tommy Campbell
Los Angeles
Sep 14 Robert Takeshita
Honolulu, HI
Oct 5 Robert Takeshita
Honolulu
Oct 20 Gordon House
Galveston
Texas State Lightweight Title
Dec 1 Eddie Bertolino
Galveston
1949
Jul 2 Enrique Bolanos
Sep 10 Raul Esqueda
Nov 19 Julio Cesar Jiminez
Mexico Lightweight Title
Dec 10 Chucho Ruiz
KO
PTS
PTS
KO
PTS
PTS
4
10
10
2
10
12
W KO
W KO
NC
3
4
8
W TKO
2
W
W
W
W
W
D
W
L
KO
3
TKO 4
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
KO
3
KO
8
L
W
L
L
L
L
TKO 8
KO
3
TKO 6
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 15
L PTS 10
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 10
L PTS 10
L PTS 12
Mexico City, MX
W PTS 10
Mexico City, MX
Houston, TX
Mexico City, MX
W PTS 10
L PTS 10
L PTS 10
Mexico City, MX
D
1950
Mar 11 Raul Esqueda
Mar 21 Joey Barnum
Jun 24 Chucho Ruiz
1951
Feb 17 Manuel Rivera
10
67
David Velasco
Country
Hometown
Division
Stance
Record
Mexico
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Welterweight
Southpaw
42-43-11 (KOs 9) Total 96
Compiled by Bob Yalen and Luckett Davis with
assistance from Ric Kilmer, Mike DeLisa, Matt Tegen,
Wouter Van Alst, and various BoxRec editors.
Sources: From Excelsior, Mexico City (Bob Yalen);
various newspapers.
1925
Nov 14 Julio Lopez
Dec 5 Henri DeWancker
Dec 12 Pompeyo Tellez
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
D
8
W PTS 10
D
6
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico
1926
Feb 20 Carlos Garcia
Aug 7 Julio Lopez
Sep 11 Rafael Rosas
Nov 20 Julio Lopez
City,
City,
City,
City,
MX
MX
MX
MX
L
W
W
L
PTS
DQ
PTS
PTS
6
6
8
8
Mexico City,
San Antonio,
Mexico City,
San Antonio
San Antonio
San Antonio
Mexico City,
MX
TX
MX
L PTS
ND-W
L DQ
ND-W
L DQ
ND-W
W KO
8
10
7
10
10
10
14
1927
Feb
Jun
Aug
Aug
Aug
Nov
Dec
5
14
7
23
30
22
10
Pedro Guerrero
Mickey Young
Kid Gilbert
Wildcat Monte
Mickey Young
Charlie Cobb
Battling Chico
Mexico Welterweight Title
MX
1928
Jan 14 Tommy White
Mexico City, MX
Mexico Welterweight Title
Jun 16 Arizona Joe Rivers
Mexico City, MX
Sep 1 Renato Torres
Mexico City, MX
Oct 14 Tommy White
Tampico, MX
Mexico Welterweight Title
L TKO 10
W PTS 10
W TKO 6
W PTS 12
1929
Feb 15 Ramon Vasquez
Mexico City,
May 1 Alfredo Gaona
Mexico City,
May 4 Santos Apara
Mexico City,
Sep 14 Hilario Martinez
Mexico City,
Mexico Welterweight Title
Oct 5 Jack Melrose
Mexico City,
Oct 12 Carlos Garcia
Mexico City,
MX
MX
MX
MX
W PTS 10
W PTS 10
W TKO 6
D
12
MX
MX
W KO
6
W PTS 10
68
1930
Jan 01 Hank Moravek
Mexico City, MX
May 01 Alfredo Gaona
Mexico City, MX
Mexico Welterweight Title
May 19 Ignacio Ara
Mexico City, MX
Jul 04 Louis Andrews
Greenville, MS
Aug 04 Meyer Grace
Little Rock, AR
Aug 25 Tommy Freeman
Little Rock
Sep 23 Tarzan Liggett
Greenville
Oct 08 Herbert Stribling
Little Rock
Oct 14 Dave Jackson
Greenville
Nov 15 Hilario Martinez
Tampico, MX
Dec 10 Duke Tramel
Nuevo Laredo, MX
W KO
2
W PTS 12
L
W
L
L
W
D
W
W
W
PTS
PTS
PTS
KO
PTS
10
10
10
10
10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
L
L
W
W
PTS 10
PTS 10
TKO 5
PTS 12
W
L
L
W
W
L
W
L
D
PTS
PTS
PTS
KO
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
10
10
10
6
10
10
10
10
10
L
L
L
L
L
L
L
W
W
L
L
L
L
L
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
DQ
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
PTS
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
4
10
10
10
6
6
12
1931
Jan 24 Armando Aguilar
Mexico City,
Jan 31 Hilario Martinez
Tampico, MX
Apr 11 Tonny Ruiz
Mexico City,
May 2 Luis Arizona
Mexico City,
Mexico Welterweight Title
Jun 1 Wildcat Monte
US
Aug 15 Tommy White
Mexico City,
Sep 1 Tommy Herman
Los Angeles
Sep 22 Charlie Sapko
Los Angeles
Oct 30 Vearl Whitehead
Hollywood
Nov 6 Tommy Herman
Hollywood
Nov 27 Charlie Cobb
San Diego
Dec 11 Meyer Grace
Hollywood
Dec 23 Charlie Cobb
San Diego
MX
MX
MX
MX
1932
Jan
Jan
Mar
Apr
Apr
May
May
May
Jun
Jul
Jul
Sep
Sep
Oct
15
26
4
8
21
6
13
20
10
1
25
7
14
23
Gaston LeCadre
San Diego
Ceferino Garcia
Los Angeles
Young Corbett III
San Francisco
Jimmy Evans
Hollywood
Young Corbett III
Sacramento
Ceferino Garcia
Pismo Beach
Swede Berglund
San Diego
Al Alicante
Pismo Beach
Al Alicante
Pismo Beach
Joey Goodman
Hollywood
Joe Glick
Los Angeles
Freddie Steele
Seattle
Sammy Santos
Seattle
Kid Azteca
Mexico City, MX
Mexico Welterweight Title
Nov 19 Alfredo Gaona
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 10
1933
Jan
Jan
Feb
Mar
May
Jun
Jun
Jul
Aug
1
14
4
25
27
18
24
9
19
Bulldog Gonzalez
Eloy Chavez
Eddie Frisco
Kid Azteca
Gorila Ramos
Luis Arizona
Martin Barbotteux
Luis Arizona
Relampago Saguero
Mexico City,
Merida, MX
Merida, MX
Tampico, MX
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
W
W
D
L
W
D
L
W
W
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
69
Oct 21 Ventura Zurita
Nov 18 Tonny Ruiz
Dec 16 Manuel Luna
Puebla, MX
Puebla, MX
Mexico City, MX
L KO
3
W KO
3
L PTS 10
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Mexico City,
Guadalajara,
Guadalajara,
Guadalajara,
Guadalajara,
L
W
L
D
L
W
D
1934
Jan
Feb
Mar
Mar
Mar
Mar
Oct
24
17
3
10
19
24
28
Relampago Saguero
Luis Alvarado
Gorila Ramos
Armando Aguilar
Felipe Orozco
Kid Torolon
Kid Oso
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
MX
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
10
1935
Jul 23 Cecilio Lozada
Oct 5 Ray Rodriquez
Mexico City, MX
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 6
W PTS 10
San Antonio
San Antonio
San Antonio
San Antonio
Dallas
Nuevo Laredo, MX
Torreon, MX
Chihuahua, MX
L
D
D
L
L
L
L
L
Mexico City, MX
L PTS 10
Tampico, MX
W PTS 10
1936
Feb
Mar
Mar
May
Jun
Aug
Dec
Dec
17
9
23
18
12
2
5
14
Ritchie Mack
Billy Deeg
Billy Deeg
Tracey Cox
Billy Deeg
Willard Brown
Mack Taylor
Chino Arciga
PTS 10
8
10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
PTS 10
1937
Jan 23 Ventura Arana
1938
Oct
1 Battling Shaw
1939-1940
(No activity)
1941
Feb 01 Tony Garcia
Tampico, MX
W KO
8
W PTS
4
1942-1943
(No activity)
1944
Jun 03 Alfredo Gaona
Mexico City, MX
70
Lon Beckwith
Hometown
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Division
Middleweight
Record to Date: Won 15 (KOs 12) Lost 26 Drawn 9 Total 52
Compiled by Doug Cavanaugh and various BoxRec editors. Sources: From Police
Gazette and various Ohio newspapers.
1886-11-10
1894-05-10
1894-06-09
1894-06-21
1894-06-28
1894-07-17
1894-09-05
1894-10-10
1894-10-15
1895-04-19
1895-05-01
1895-06-28
1895-06-28
1895-07-23
1895-10-25
1896-09-29
1896-11-10
1897-01-04
1897-03-13
1897-03-24
1897-04-30
1897-06-07
1897-06-19
1897-08-16
1897-08-23
1897-10-04
1897-11-18
1897-12-22
1898-02-15
1898-04-11
1898-08-23
1899-03-11
1899-04-03
1899-04-19
1899-06-05
1899-06-07
1899-11-03
1900-03-22
1900-04-25
1900-06-13
1901-04-15
1901-12-02
1902-03-17
1902-08-21
1902-11-29
1903-01-15
1903-01-22
1903-03-03
1903-04-14
1907-12-12
1907-12-26
1908-04-02
Jimmy Ryan
Tom Whalen
Jay Goode
Jack Hammond
George Brown
Cyclone Sweeney
Porter
Scott Lawler
Boo Gallagher
George Brown
John Reid
Jim Johnson
Troy Good
Robinson
Ed Blake
James E (Doc) Payne
Jim Ryan
Fred Morris
Julius Mack
George Byers
George Ryan
Nick Burley
Andy Walsh
Jim Janey
Harry Peppers
Jim Janey
Charley Johnson
Ed Johnson
Al Colwell
Jack Hammond
Jockey Brady
Unknown
Patsy Raedy
Tom McCarthy
Al Weinig
Jack McDonough
Mike Griffis
Jack McDonough
Joe Butler
Young Mahoney
Jack Bonner
George Cole
George Cole
George Cole
Joe Grim
Lew Dockstader
Jack McKenzie
Jack McKenzie
Jack McKenzie
George Krall
George Krall
Vernon Campbell
Nottingham, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Avon, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Columbus, US
Cleveland, US
Cleveland, US
Buffalo, US
Brooklyn, US
Brooklyn, US
Brooklyn, US
Troy, US
Brooklyn, US
Baltimore, US
Philadelphia, US
Baltimore, US
Buffalo, US
Cincinnati, US
Cleveland, US
Mount Clemens, US
Niagara Falls, US
Niagara Falls, US
Rochester, US
Ithaca, US
Buffalo, US
Rochester, US
Ithaca, US
Elmira, US
Phillipsburg, US
Youngstown, US
Shamokin, US
Shamokin, US
Shamokin, US
Philadelphia, US
Chester, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Chester, US
Chester, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
D
W PTS
W TKO
W PTS
D
L PTS
W KO
W TKO
D
W TKO
L KO
W KO
W PTS
D
W KO
NC
D
D
W TKO
L TKO
L KO
L KO
L TKO
W KO
L TKO
L KO
D
L KO
L PTS
L KO
W KO
W KO
L KO
L TKO
L KO
L KO
W TKO
L KO
L TKO
W KO
L TKO
NC
L KO
L NWS
D PTS
L NWS
L NWS
L NWS
L NWS
L NWS
L NWS
D NWS
10
4
5
4
13
6
4
4
4
3
1
1
3
10
11
7
10
2
4
5
8
2
2
5
5
4
10
3
4
3
6
9
17
4
2
5
3
3
1
3
5
2
9
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
71
Art Simms
Hometown
Division
Born
Height
Record
Akron, Ohio, USA
Lightweight
1878-06-22
5’ 8 ½”
Won 35 (KOs 19) Lost 15
Compiled by Doug Cavanaugh and various
Gazette and various Ohio newspapers.
1895-02-27
1897-11-24
1898-11-17
1898-11-22
1898-12-20
1898-12-23
1899-02-06
1899-03-17
1899-09-19
1899-10-23
1899-11-21
1899-12-11
1900-02-11
1900-02-17
1900-03-17
1900-04-05
1900-05-10
1900-05-29
1900-07-10
1900-08-10
1900-10-16
1900-10-22
1900-11-22
1900-11-26
1900-11-29
1900-12-06
1901-01-02
1901-01-15
1901-02-04
1901-06-07
1901-09-05
1901-10-25
1901-10-30
1902-01-22
1902-02-27
1902-03-27
1902-04-04
1902-05-26
1902-06-10
1902-10-17
1902-10-23
1903-01-30
1903-03-10
1903-03-26
1903-04-21
1903-06-15
1903-08-10
1904-01-16
1904-03-12
1904-04-10
1904-04-18
Harry Watts
Billy Watt
Mike Reddy
Jack Carner
Mike Reddy
Jack Carner
Matt Cooney
Charles O'Donnell
Jack Fotch
John Dennison
Boston Kid Lavigne
Tommy White
Tommy White
Loudon Campbell
Ole Olsen
Dick Green
Dick Green
Ole Olsen
Tony Hoffman
Tim Honan
Frank Stackhouse
Jim Popp
Gus Gardner
Johnny Whittaker
Joe Leonard
Squirrel Finnerty
Loudon Campbell
Eddie Gardner
Crocky Boyle
Jack Hamilton
Kid Thomas
Barney Furey
Martin Duffy
Martin Duffy
Jack Carrig
Otto Sieloff
Dick Green
Otto Sieloff
Curley Supples
Otto Sieloff
Willie Fitzgerald
Tim Kearns
Young Scotty
Kid Black
Young Scotty
George Schuh
Charles Berry
Battling Nelson
Ben Strapp
Curley Supples
Curley Supples
Drawn 11 Total 63
BoxRec
editors.
Akron, US
Akron, US
Cleveland, US
Cuyahoga Falls, US
Newburgh, US
Cuyahoga Falls, US
Akron, US
Akron, US
Massillon, US
Cleveland, US
Massillon, US
Cleveland, US
Akron, US
Niles, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Akron, US
Detroit, US
Akron, US
Youngstown, US
Akron, US
Erie, US
Canton, US
Canton, US
Massillon, US
Pittsburgh, US
Akron, US
New Britain, US
Cincinnati, US
Detroit, US
Detroit, US
Hot Springs, US
Oshkosh, US
Hot Springs, US
Saint Paul, US
Fort Erie, CA
Milwaukee, US
New Britain, US
Milwaukee, US
Milwaukee, US
Grand Rapids, US
Grand Rapids, US
Louisville, US
Minneapolis, US
Milwaukee, US
Sharon, US
Sharon, US
Sharon, US
Sources:
D PTS
W PTS
W PTS
W KO
W PTS
NC
W KO
W KO
W KO
W KO
W KO
D PTS
D PTS
W DQ
D PTS
W NWS
W PTS
W PTS
W PTS
W KO
W KO
W PTS
W PTS
W KO
W PTS
W KO
W KO
W PTS
W TKO
W KO
W DQ
D PTS
L PTS
L PTS
W KO
D NWS
W KO
L KO
L PTS
D PTS
D PTS
L TKO
W PTS
W KO
D PTS
W KO
D PTS
L KO
D NWS
L NWS
L NWS
From
Police
12
6
6
3
6
3
2
5
1
3
1
20
20
4
6
6
6
6
6
8
13
20
20
17
20
11
8
20
1
10
13
10
10
15
8
8
4
8
20
6
20
5
6
6
10
19
15
3
6
10
10
72
1904-11-22
1904-12-13
1904-12-20
1905-01-27
1905-02-13
1905-04-03
1905-11-06
1906-10-22
1906-12-27
1907-10-24
1910-01-10
1918-03-09
Bert Wing
Solly Stroup
Bernie Strapp
Kid Goodman
Jimmy Briggs
Clarence English
Billy Ryan
George Fraser
Maurice Sayers
Jim Bonner
Clarence Forbes
Phil Franchini
Cleveland, US
Sharon, US
Akron, US
Chelsea, US
Brockton, US
Omaha, US
Charleroi, US
Danbury, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Canton, US
Philadelphia, US
W KO
W KO
NC
L KO
L KO
L KO
L KO
W NWS
L KO
L KO
L PTS
W NWS
19
10
6
10
2
5
20
5
3
4
6
Mike Farragher
Hometown
Youngstown, Ohio, USA
Division
Lightweight
Died
1934-10-21
Record
Won 14 (KOs 9) Lost 12
Drawn 12
Total 38
Compiled by Doug Cavanaugh and various BoxRec editors. Sources: From
Police Gazette and various Ohio newspapers.
1894-06-08 Pat Trahey
US
W KO
1894-11-05 Jimmy Callagher
New Castle, US
D PTS 10
5
1895-01-31 Jimmy Callagher
Homestead, US
W DQ
1895-02-28 Jeff Powers
Cleveland, US
W PTS 25
1895-04-19 Johnny Lavack
Cleveland, US
D PTS 25
1895-07-10 John Parry
Wheeling, US
W KO
13
1895-09-04 Jimmy Callagher
Wheeling, US
W KO
25
1895-10-16 Billy Steffers
Cleveland, US
D PTS
8
1895-11-04 Paddy Smith
Wheeling, US
W DQ
7
1895-12-16 John Parry
Homestead, US
D PTS
6
1896-01-27 George Plante
McKees Rocks, US
D PTS
1896-02-25 Abe Kid Lloyd
New Castle, US
W KO
1896-04-25 Joe Mullins
New York, US
L PTS
1897-01-16 Spike Sullivan
New York, US
L TKO 11
1897-01-30 Tom Broderick
New York, US
W PTS 10
1897-02-03 Mickey McManus
Albany, US
L PTS 10
1897-03-20 Sammy Callahan
New York, US
D PTS 10
1897-03-27 Stanton Abbott
New York, US
W TKO
1897-04-03 Jack Williams
New York, US
D PTS 10
1897-04-10 Matty Matthews
New York, US
L KO
2
1897-06-11 Frank Garrard
Cleveland, US
L TKO
4
1897-06-29 Buck Stelzer
Wheeling, US
L RTD 13
1897-08-09 Joe Martin
Cleveland, US
D PTS 45
1897-09-27 Pete Sheehan
McKeesport, US
D PTS 10
1897-11-10 Ed Riley
Canton, US
W KO
1898-01-25 Buck Stelzer
Wheeling, US
D PTS 20
1898-03-22 Oscar Gardner
Columbus, US
L KO
3
1898-04-21 Joe Martin
Youngstown, US
L DQ
10
1899-01-23 Steve Butler
Troy, US
D PTS 10
1899-02-05 Eugene Reardon
Little Falls, US
D PTS 10
1899-03-07 Kid Hopkins
Little Falls, US
W KO
2
1899-03-23 Tom Broderick
Yonkers, US
L KO
12
1899-05-09 Jimmy Gorman
Troy, US
L KO
5
1899-05-22 Jimmy Reeder
Youngstown, US
W KO
15
1899-06-05 Loudon Campbell
Youngstown, US
L PTS 20
1899-12-28 Squirrel Finnerty
Niles, US
W KO
1900-04-26 Jimmy Reeder
Youngstown, US
L TKO
1912-02-26 Phil Cassidy
Youngstown, US
W NWS 12
23
8
17
8
8
6
13
6
73
Squirrel Finnerty
Birth Name James Joseph Finnerty
Hometown
Youngstown, Ohio
Birthplace Galway, Ireland
Division
Featherweight
Born
1879-07-02
Height
5’ 2 ½”
Record
Won 12 (KOs 7) Lost 14 Drawn 14 Total 43
Compiled by Doug Cavanaugh and various BoxRec editors. Sources: From Police
Gazette and various Ohio newspapers.
1895-10-01
1897-01-01
1897-02-11
1897-04-14
1897-05-29
1897-09-28
1897-10-26
1898-01-08
1898-03-07
1898-04-26
1898-05-27
1898-09-27
1898-10-02
1898-10-25
1898-11-30
1898-12-07
1899-01-01
1899-01-28
1899-03-06
1899-03-27
1899-03-31
1899-04-08
1899-05-28
1899-10-03
1899-10-09
1899-11-11
1899-12-07
1899-12-28
1900-01-12
1900-02-26
1900-04-09
1900-05-02
1900-06-19
1900-09-25
1900-11-01
1900-12-06
1901-03-28
1901-05-21
1902-02-12
1904-01-07
1904-03-05
1904-08-09
1916-05-29
James Smith
Harry Lemons
Jack McClelland
James Smith
James Smith
Kid Goulette
Kid Goulette
Jack Hamilton
Jack Hamilton
James Lyman
Jimmy Watson
Tommy Hogan
Tom McCarthy
Joe Hopkins
Emilio Sanchez
Emilio Sanchez
Freddie Green
Jimmy Reeder
Jack Hamilton
Kid Goulette
Jimmy Reeder
Joe Hopkins
Kid Goulette
Frank Stackhouse
Kid Kerwin
Kid Goulette
Emilio Sanchez
Mike Farragher
Crocky Boyle
Wiley Evans
Howard Smith
Emilio Sanchez
Barney Furey
Eugene Bezenah
Doc Irish
Art Simms
Kid Moore
Freddie Green
Adam Ryan
miller
John Parry
Cy Flynn
Kid Manuel
Harrisburg, US
Celoron, US
Niles, US
Jamestown, US
Jamestown, US
Elmira, US
Elmira, US
Binghamton, US
Syracuse, US
Dunkirk, US
Binghamton, US
Syracuse, US
Rochester, US
Rochester, US
Ithaca, US
Rochester, US
Sandusky, US
Youngstown, US
Youngstown, US
Sandusky, US
Altoona, US
Youngstown, US
Grand Rapids, US
Detroit, US
Toledo, US
Muncie, US
Rochester, US
Niles, US
Niles, US
East Pittsburgh, US
Wheeling, US
Newark, US
Marietta, US
Marietta, US
Canton, US
Canton, US
Tiffen, US
Tiffin, US
South Bend, US
Erie, US
South Sharon, US
Ridgeway, US
Youngstown, US
NC
D PTS
L TD
W DQ
L PTS
D PTS
L PTS
D PTS
D PTS
D PTS
W TKO
W TKO
W PTS
D PTS
D PTS
D PTS
NC
W PTS
W PTS
L NWS
D PTS
W PTS
D PTS
D PTS
W KO
D NWS
D PTS
L KO
L PTS
W TKO
W RTD
D PTS
L PTS
L TKO
W KO
L KO
L DQ
L PTS
L PTS
W KO
NC
L RTD
L TKO
27
10
6
13
25
12
25
8
20
15
6
1
20
20
20
15
20
20
20
10
20
8
10
3
15
15
13
20
8
2
10
12
7
10
11
7
20
10
3
10
4
7
74
Johnny Van Heest
Hometown
Birthplace
Division
Born
Died
Stance
Height
Record
Cincinnati, Ohio
Escanaba, Michigan
Featherweight
1870-10-20
1933-03-23
Orthodox
5’ 2 ½”
Won 63 (KOs 43) Lost 16
Drawn 32 Total 115
Compiled by Doug Cavanaugh and various BoxRec editors.
Sources:
From
Police
Gazette
and
various
Ohio
newspapers.
1887-10-01
1887-10-02
1887-10-03
1887-10-04
1887-10-05
1887-10-06
1887-10-07
1888-03-17
1888-08-28
1888-11-10
1889-01-12
1889-02-16
1889-03-03
1889-03-28
1889-04-01
1889-04-09
1889-04-29
1889-06-01
1889-07-12
1889-08-02
1889-09-04
1889-09-16
1890-01-01
1890-09-16
1890-10-17
1890-11-14
1890-12-23
1891-04-03
1891-04-10
1891-04-22
1891-05-01
1891-05-05
1891-05-08
1891-06-30
1891-09-24
1891-09-24
1891-12-03
1891-12-30
1891-12-30
1892-01-12
1892-01-13
1892-01-13
1892-01-26
1892-02-01
1892-04-27
1892-05-28
1892-12-29
1893-04-17
Harry Maxey
Charles Hawley
Paddy Welch Jr
Bob Chambers
Ed Roarke
Jim Mullen
Billy Rhodes
Frank Sutton
Tommy Warren
Charles Tolliver
John McGill
George Finney
Billy Welch
Billy Campbell
Jimmy Conley
Ed Hanley
John O'Brien
Doc Mack
Billy O'Brien
Billy O'Brien
Arthur Purcell
Tom Connors
Jim Tacker
Tommy Warren
Mike Coburn
Martin Neary
Tommy Hogan
Eddie Schoenborn
George Warner
Young Hogan
Danny Needham
Jack Campbell
Tom King
Dan Daly
William Harris
Billy Ricky
Tommy White
George Jeroux
Joe Roulo
Harry Finnick
Fred Clark
Pete Peterson
Jack Williams
Alex Ahearn
George Siddons
George Siddons
Solly Smith
Danny Russell
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Escanaba, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Hurley, US
Washburn, US
Hurley, US
Ironwood, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Ashland, US
Philadelphia, US
Buffalo, US
Tonawanda, US
Bradford, US
Minneapolis, US
Minneapolis, US
Minneapolis, US
Minneapolis, US
Minneapolis, US
Minneapolis, US
Minneapolis, US
Minneapolis, US
Ironwood, US
Ironwood, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
New Orleans, US
New Orleans, US
San Francisco, US
Brooklyn, US
W
W
W
W
W
W
D
W
L
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
D
W
D
W
W
W
W
W
W
L
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
D
W
W
W
W
W
D
L
W
KO
KO
KO
KO
KO
KO
PTS
KO
TKO
KO
KO
DQ
PTS
KO
PTS
KO
KO
KO
PTS
KO
KO
PTS
PTS
PTS
KO
PTS
KO
PTS
KO
KO
PTS
PTS
KO
KO
KO
KO
PTS
KO
KO
PTS
KO
PTS
KO
KO
KO
PTS
KO
TKO
5
1
2
7
11
5
6
4
4
2
5
3
116
3
0
5
6
6
10
23
1
4
5
11
13
7
22
6
1
4
4
6
6
12
1
5
6
2
2
4
2
4
5
6
7
46
14
3
75
1893-04-22
1893-05-30
1893-07-05
1893-07-11
1893-07-23
1893-09-20
1894-01-23
1894-03-29
1894-08-15
1894-10-20
1894-10-26
1894-11-24
1895-01-12
1895-03-30
1895-04-13
1895-04-20
1895-05-30
1895-06-25
1895-07-23
1895-09-02
1895-09-09
1895-09-11
1895-09-11
1895-09-14
1895-10-04
1895-12-02
1896-01-17
1896-01-27
1896-04-09
1896-06-04
1896-06-18
1896-07-14
1896-07-21
1896-08-30
1897-02-13
1897-02-24
1897-03-05
1897-03-20
1897-05-05
1897-06-14
1897-06-30
1897-07-26
1897-08-05
1897-10-06
1897-11-11
1897-11-19
1897-12-13
1897-12-23
1898-06-22
1898-08-08
1898-09-21
1898-11-26
1899-02-11
1899-03-04
1899-03-07
1899-03-20
1899-04-19
1899-05-16
1899-06-09
1899-10-16
1899-11-08
1899-11-16
Paddy McPhillips
Torpedo Billy Murphy
Jack Randall
Kentucky Rosebud
Kentucky Rosebud
Hughie Napier
Young Griffo
Oscar Gardner
Kid Vance
Mike Gillespie
Solly Smith
Jack Grace
Kentucky Rosebud
John Parry
Joe Gans
Fred Ross
John Parry
Jerry Marshall
Jerry Marshall
Billy Whistler
Jack McDonald
Oliver Lewis
Henry Mason
Billy Whistler
Tommy White
Oscar Gardner
John Parry
Eddie Campbell
Billy Burris
Fish Ferris
Reddy Connolly
Tommy White
Denver George Williams
Johnny Jones
Patsy O'Leary
Andy Powell
Andy Powell
Billy Layton
George Stout
Eugene Bezenah
Jack Dougherty
George Stout
Dave Seville
Oscar Gardner
Jack O'Keefe
Oscar Gardner
Jack Grace
Pete Boyle
Kid McCarthy
Eugene Bezenah
Tommy Hogan
Al Neist
Eugene Bezenah
Kid Ashe
Torpedo Billy Murphy
George Elliott
Kid Goulette
Kid Murphy
Eddie Gardner
Eddie Gardner
Frank Stackhouse
Jack Prince
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
New Orleans, US
Chicago, US
Minneapolis, US
Saint Joseph, US
Cincinnati, US
Buffalo, US
Buffalo, US
Philadelphia, US
Wheeling, US
Baltimore, US
Wheeling, US
Wheeling, US
Washington, US
Baltimore, US
Baltimore, US
Baltimore, US
Baltimore, US
Baltimore, US
Terre Haute, US
Excelsior Springs, US
Homestead, US
McKees Rocks, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Philadelphia, US
Albany, US
Syracuse, US
Toledo, US
Hot Springs, US
Hot Springs, US
Hot Springs, US
Hot Springs, US
Lexington, US
Covington, US
Columbus, US
Cincinnati, US
Columbus, US
Lexington, US
Zanesville, US
Dayton, US
Chicago, US
Chicago, US
Near Indianapolis, US
Fort Wayne, US
Louisville, US
Saint Louis, US
Indianapolis, US
Cincinnati, US
Dayton, US
Indianapolis, US
Sandusky, US
Cincinnati, US
Newark, US
Wheeling, US
Detroit, US
Anderson, US
NC
D NWS
D NWS
W NWS
D NWS
W KO
D PTS
D PTS
W KO
W TKO
D PTS
W KO
W NWS
D PTS
W PTS
L PTS
NC
D PTS
D PTS
W PTS
W PTS
W KO
W KO
D PTS
D PTS
NC
NC
W NWS
W PTS
W TKO
D PTS
L TKO
D PTS
D PTS
D PTS
W KO
W KO
L KO
W KO
D PTS
W PTS
D PTS
W PTS
L KO
D PTS
D PTS
D PTS
D PTS
W KO
D PTS
L KO
L PTS
L PTS
D PTS
W TKO
W PTS
D PTS
D PTS
D NWS
L TKO
L PTS
D PTS
4
4
4
4
4
28
8
41
5
1
15
3
4
6
9
10
6
31
21
25
8
5
5
10
20
6
0
0
6
6
6
5
6
6
15
2
3
8
14
20
10
10
12
11
20
20
6
6
5
20
17
10
10
10
6
10
10
6
20
17
0
10
76
1899-11-30
1900-01-19
1900-06-13
1901-02-26
1902-08-03
Charley Cross
Frank Stackhouse
Jimmy Reeder
Young Ownie
Torpedo Billy Murphy
Detroit, US
Lake Linden, US
Youngstown, US
Chicago Heights, US
Sioux City, US
L
L
L
W
L
NWS 10
PTS 0
RTD 2
KO
1
KO
4
IBRO members Dan Cuoco, Doug Cavanaugh and J.J. Johnston at Joe
Mantegna’s “Taste Chicago” in Burbank, CA on October 21, 2011.
77
New York Times - May 12, 1922
78
New York Times – May 14, 1922
79
Bill Brennan and Jim Tracey
New York Times – May 17. 1922
80
New York Times – May 20, 1922
81
New York Times – June 4, 1922
Joe Lynch (left photo) and Midget
Smith (photo above).
New York Times – June 7, 1922
New York Times – June 2, 1922
82
NY Time – June 27, 1922
83
Benny Leonard’s younger brother
Joey made his professional debut
in the first bout of the evening.
The Ring May 1962 – Ted Carroll Cartoon
84
85
86
Walker – Uzcudun (NY Times May
27, 1932)
Carnera – Gains (NY Times May 31,
1932)
87
Chocolate-Feldman (NY Times June 2, 1932)
Leonard-Saviola (NY Times June 9, 1932)
88
89
NY Times June 22, 1932
90
New York Times
April 5, 1942
April 14, 1942
April 18, 1942
91
NY Times, April 21, 1942
NY Times, May 8, 1942
92
New York Times Reports:
Zivic-Jenkins, May 26, 1942
Wright-Jeffra, June 20, 1942
Mills-Harvey, June 21, 1942
Bettina-Bobo, June 26, 1942
93
94
NY Times, April 10, 1952
and April 15, 1952
95
96
Photos courtesy of Antiquities of the Prize Ring
97
98
NY Times, May 15, 1952
99
Castellani-Graham (New
York Times, May 17, 1952).
Collins-Chavez (Boston
Herald-American, May 23,
1952)
100
NYT May 25 and 29, 1952
101
102
103
Rocky Castellani lands overhand
right to head of Johnny Bratton.
NY Times, June 19, 1952
NY Times, June 24, 1952
NY Times, June 27, 1952
104
105
Photos
courtesy
of Antiquities of
the Prize Ring.
NY Times 6-6-1952
106
107
Newspaperarchive.com –
Associated Press (LA Times)
April 8, 1962
108
109
New York Times, April 16, 1972
New York Times, April 29, 1962
110
111
112
113
114
Undercard results. Dai Corp, Cardiff,
stopped Eddie France, London, in
the fifth round of a bantamweight
bout. Terry Cummings, Cardiff,
reversed a previous defeat when he
outpointed Don Weller, Battersea,
in a bantamweight eight. John
Gamble, Berthyr, stopped Ivor
Evans, Bournemouth, in the second
of a middleweight bout. Dennis
Pleace, Cardiff, stopped Terry
Gardner, Croydon, in the second of
a welterweight bout. Brian Smith,
Porthcawl, outpointed Dave Croll,
Dundee, in a featherweight eight.
Dai Harris, Merthyr, outpointed
George Hands, Edinburgh, in a
featherweight eight.
Kingpetch and Noguchi.
115
Below: Risberg
cornermen.
being
assisted
by
his
New York Times, June 4, 1962
Photos from Boxing Illustrated.
116
New York Times, June 18, 1962
117
FINAL BELL
TEOFILO STEVENSON
Cuban Teofilo Stevenson, hailed as one of the best boxers of his time though he never turned professional, died on June
11, 2012 at the age of 60 of a heart attack. Stevenson dominated world amateur boxing for 14 years and became the first
fighter to win the Olympic gold medal in the same division three times. Competing in what is now known as the superheavyweight division, Jamaican-born Stevenson won his first gold at the 1972 Munich Games, and went on to win two
more golds at the 1976 Montreal and 1980 Moscow Games. He was, however, denied a chance of a fourth medal after
Cuba joined the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Stevenson finished his career in 1986 with a record of
302 victories in 321 bouts, and went on to join the Cuban boxing federation as a trainer and official, notably overseeing
Felix Savon, who mirrored his mentor in also winning three Olympic golds (1992, 1996, 2000). He refused to give up his
amateur status in the 1970s as the boxing world clamoured for a what would have been a highly lucrative bout against
then-world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali after the 1976 Montreal Games. Staying loyal to the Cuban
revolution, Stevenson reportedly said: "What is one million dollars compared with the love of eight million Cubans?"
Yahoo Sports.
ENRIQUE BOLANOS
Enrique Bolanos, a Mexican boxer who three times fought for and lost world
lightweight title fights in Los Angeles in the late 1940s, died June 4, 2012. He was 87.
Bolanos died of heart failure at a convalescent facility near his Pasadena home, said his
wife of 64 years, Ruby. The boxer's soft-spoken demeanor and ring skill made him the
most popular Mexican fighter in Southern California during the height of his career,
which closed in 1952 with a 79-22-5 record and 44 knockouts. "Good looking guy,
charming, very crowd-friendly style," longtime boxing publicist Bill Caplan said. "They
loved him to pieces." Bolanos, born Aug. 24, 1924, in Mexico, came to the United
States at 17 and engaged in three world lightweight title bouts at Wrigley Field in Los
Angeles against ferocious Ike Williams between 1946 and 1949. Bolanos lost the first
bout by eighth-round technical knockout, the second in a thrilling split decision in 1948,
and the third by fourth-round TKO, again at Wrigley, with 18,999 watching. Bolanos was otherwise unbeaten with just
one draw in 31 other bouts during that three-year stretch in the late '40s. "Enrique's dream — his whole purpose in life –
was to be champion of the world," Ruby Bolanos said. "He was groomed for it. When it didn't happen after the third
fight, he lost his spirit. It was very sad. And his heart truly wasn't in it again." Yet, Bolanos went on to major fights,
particularly a pair of TKO losses in 1950 to Art Aragon at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. "Aragon felt he'd be
the crowd favorite, but the fans booed him after each win," Caplan said. "Aragon thumbed his nose at the crowd after the
second one. Why were they booing? Because he beat their beloved Bolanos." In a 1992 interview with The Times'
longtime boxing writer Earl Gustkey while watching an Oscar De La Hoya workout, Bolanos reflected, "You know, I'll
never forget arriving at the Olympic … and seeing those long, long lines of people waiting to buy tickets to watch me
fight. I remember that as well as I remember the fights, the fact that people enjoyed watching me fight." Bolanos moved
on from boxing to a career in sales, for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and at Central Electric in Los Angeles, his wife said. By
Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times
CHARLIE ELS
Charlie Els, one of a select group of boxers who held three SA titles, has died in Durban on June 2, 2012 at the age of 74.
Charles William Els, was born in Boksburg on October 5, 1937. His fights against Ernie Baronet, Bennie van
Nieuwenhuizen, Mickey Pretorius, Bill Dollery and Fraser Toweel were part of a golden era in SA boxing. Els made his
professional debut on June 24, 1957 when he knocked out Steve Evenwell in the second round. He retired with a record
of 31-15-2, including 12 knockouts. Els was a better fighter than his record suggests because eight of his defeats came in
his last ten fights. Willy Locke, who trained Els for most said he was one of the best fighters he had ever handled. Ron
Jackson, Fightnews.
JOHNNY TAPIA
Johnny Tapia, the five-time boxing champion whose turbulent career was
marked by cocaine addiction, alcohol, depression and run-ins with the law, was
found dead May 27, 2012 at his Albuquerque home. He was 45. Authorities
were called to the house at about 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, spokesman Robert
Gibbs said. The death didn't appear to be suspicious, he said. Tapia won five
championships in three weight classes, winning the WBA bantamweight title,
the IBF and WBO junior bantamweight titles and the IBF featherweight belt.
He was regarded as the consummate underdog by his fans. The more trouble he
found outside the ring — including several stints in jail — the more they rallied
118
around him. In a 1990s-era feud with fellow Albuquerque boxer and former world champion Danny Romero, Tapia's
fans anointed him with the slang Spanish title of "Burque's Best." But his life was also marked by tragedy. He was
orphaned at 8, his mother stabbed 26 times with a screwdriver and left to die. In 2007, he was hospitalized after an
apparent cocaine overdose. Several days later, his brother-in-law and his nephew were killed in car accident on their way
to Albuquerque to see the ailing boxer. Tapia was banned from boxing for 3 1/2 years in the early '90s because of his
cocaine addiction. But he knocked out Henry Martinez to win the WBO bantamweight title in 1994, and won four more
championships over the next eight years. He last fought in June, outpointing Mauricio Pastrana in an eight-round
decision. He finished with a 59-5-2 record. Gibbs said an autopsy will be performed in the next few days. Associated
Press Release. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images).
THANTONG KIATTAWEESUK
IBF #1 122 pounder Thantong Kiattaweesuk was tragically killed May 26, 2012 in a car accident in Bangkok, Thailand.
Thantong’s wife and twin nephews were also killed in the car accident. Kiattaweesuk stopped South African Macbute
Sinyabi in ten rounds of an IBF elimination bout on May 18 in Thailand. He was scheduled to meet the winner of the
Nonito Donaire vs. Jeffery Mathebula WBO/IBF world title bout. Jimmy Chaichotchuang who was Thantong’s manager
and promoter said, “it is tragic news that Thantong has passed away in a car accident with his wife and nephews. He was
a hero of boxing fans and a role model in Thailand.” The local news reported that Thangthong lost his car’s control
during a heavy rain when he was driving to his hometown in the Trad Province. His car clashed with a big wayside tree,
instantly killing him, his wife and also his 2 nephews. In addition, two of Thangthong’s daughters got a severe wound
and they were immediately brought to provincial Hospital of Chantaburi. Source Ray Wheatley, FightNews
RAUL ROJAS
Former WBA World Featherweight Champion Raul Rojas died in Los Angeles, CA on
May 20, 2012 at the age of 70. He was born in San Pablo, CA on November 5, 1941 and
engaged in 47 professional fights from 1963 to 1970. Standing 5’ 4”, Raul was an
aggressive battler and a solid puncher. He won the WBA version of the featherweight title
in 1968. The State of California also recognized him as junior lightweight champion in
1967. Among those he defeated during his career were Ricardo (Pajarito) Moreno, Sergio
Gomez, Joey Olguin, Eloy Sanchez, Blackie Zamora, Chucho Garcia, Vicente Derado,
Kang-II Suh, Antonio Herrera, and Enrique Higgins. He also fought fighters such as
Vicente Saldivar, Mando Ramos, Sugar Ramos, Shozo Saijo and Ruben Navarro. His
biggest fight was a 15th round stoppage loss to defending champion Vicente Saldivar on
May 7, 1965 in Los Angeles for the lineal world featherweight title. He compiled a record
of 38-7-2 (24). He was stopped three times.
DONALD BOWERS
Jackson, Tennessee police found 52-year-old Donald Bowers dead in his home on May 15, 2012. The police said robbery
was a possible motive in the death of the former Golden Gloves champion. Police are investigating Bowers' death as a
homicide. Bowers won a national Golden Gloves championship in 1978 and the AAU national championship in 1980 in
the 156-pound class. He became a professional boxer in 1981. By 1984, he was ranked as the ninth best middleweight
boxer in the world. His pro record was 21-3-1 (14). Bowers also had a long local criminal history with most arrests on
charges of drugs, assaults, DUIs and weapons violations. Police said they do not have any suspects.
LLOYD ‘SHADOW’ GEORGE
Lloyd George died on May 15, 2012, only two days after ex boxer and trainer Bertram Legall was laid to rest. Eunice
George, Shadow’s wife said the boxer died at his Laventille Road, San Juan home from heart failure. He was 72 years
old. George who outclassed Venezuelan fighter Ricardo Croque in a lightweight clash in the 70s was a father of four
children — two boys and as many girls. Eunice yesterday described him as a family man. “The two things he loved the
most were his family and boxing. Walter Peters said ‘Shadow’ was a gentleman who taught him how to box. “He was
one of the most elusive boxers I have ever seen. You see him in front of you but when you throw your punch you just
could not hit him” Peter explained. “It was how Lloyd George got his name ‘Shadow,’ you could not hit him. He was an
absolute spectacle to watch” Peters added. Shadow’s career spanned some 20-plus years with his last bout being against
Fitroy Davidson of Guyana in 1980. His pro ledger was 14-9-1 (3). Trinidad and Tobago News.
GEORGE WRIGHT
George Wright, a former Washington state middleweight champion who remained prominent in the local boxing
community as both a trainer and coach, died May 10, 2012. The 2009 Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame
inductee was 76. Wright, a native of Savannah, Ga., learned to box while growing up in New York City. By the time he
settled down in Tacoma after serving at Fort Lewis, his days in the ring were seemingly behind him. But local sports
promoter Stan Naccarato persuaded Wright to resume boxing, and the Tacoma Golden Gloves star went on to become a
119
fixture on regional fight cards while working a full-time job with Nalley’s Fine Foods. Wright made his pro debut on
Aug. 18, 1961, at Cheney Stadium, where he beat Johnny Osborne on a fourth-round technical knockout. Three weeks
later, Wright won the state middleweight title with a third-round knockout of Ernie Gipson at the Tacoma Armory.
Wright finished with a career record of 19-3-2, with 16 knockouts. “Wright stayed in the game as a trainer for, among
others, Sugar Ray Seales – a Tacoma resident who first gained fame as the only American boxer to win a gold medal at
the 1972 Olympic Games. “He was a good trainer. He was always trying to help out the kids.” Norma Wright, who met
her future husband as a middle-school student in Harlem – they celebrated their 54th anniversary last September –
recalled only one match that gave her trepidation: Wright’s fight against heavyweight Bob McKinney in 1962. “Bob
McKinney was so much heavier,” she said, “that it scared me.” Wright knocked out McKinney in the seventh round.
(John McGrath, The Tacoma News)
EDDIE PERKINS
Hall of Fame junior welterweight Eddie Perkins, a two-time champion who fought in
more than 20 countries, has died. He was 75. Perkins, who suffered from dementia and
diabetes, died at home in the arms of his son Lawrence on May 10, 2012, according to the
family. Annie Perkins said her husband had just come home from the hospital. Born
March 3, 1937, in Clarksdale, Miss., Eddie Perkins compiled a 26-10 amateur record
before turning pro in 1956. Under the managerial eye of Hall of Famer Johnny Coulon,
Perkins developed a crafty style. He fought Italy's Duilio Loi three times in the early
1960s, the first bout ending in a draw. Perkins won the rematch and the junior
welterweight title, then lost it in the third bout. Perkins regained the title in 1963 with a
15-round decision over Roberto Cruz of the Philippines and defended his title twice
before losing a disputed decision to Carlos Hernandez. He retired in 1975 with a 74-20-2
record, including 21 knockouts, and was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.
PETER FULLER
Peter Fuller was a Harvard graduate and a Golden Gloves boxer. He ran his family’s successful Cadillac business and, in
his 50s, sparred with Muhammad Ali for charity. And he entered the history books when his horse, Dancer’s Image,
dramatically won the Kentucky Derby in 1968, only to be disqualified afterward. “He was sort of a character out of
Hemingway,’’ Richard Johnson, curator of The Sports Museum in Boston, said of Peter Fuller. Fuller died of cancer on
May 14, 2012 in the Edgewood Centre skilled care facility in Portsmouth, N.H. He was 89 and had lived in North
Hampton, N.H. A son of a former Massachusetts governor, he was born to wealth, but paid it little heed. Hobbled by
illness as a child, Fuller willed himself into excellent shape and became a wrestler in college. Stepping into the boxing
ring, he won the New England Amateur Athletic Union and Golden Gloves heavyweight divisions. Before becoming
president of his family’s thriving Cadillac dealership, which his family founded in the early 1900s, Fuller joined the
Marines, only to be discharged because of his flat feet. In the early 1950s, he turned to horse racing and groomed winners
at his Runnymede Farm in New Hampshire. In the late 1950s – early 1960s he managed heavyweight contender Tom
McNeeley. Though Fuller set boxing aside after his successes in his 20s, he returned to the ring 30 years later when
Muhammad Ali came to Boston to raise money for the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts through a series of short bouts in
Hynes Auditorium. “If you dreamed you hit me, even one time, you had better wake up and apologize,” Ali told Fuller to
the delight of the roaring crowd in 1977. Fuller wasn’t intimidated in the least. “He was trying to get something going,
and Ali said, ‘Take it easy, old man,’ ” his daughter Abigail recalled. “And Dad was kind of mad. You know, ‘Come on,
let’s mix it up.’ He was not a young guy at the time, but he was in good shape. It was Muhammad Ali, but he was not
afraid.” Source: Bryan Marquard of the Boston Globe
BERT SUGAR
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wearing his trademark fedora and brandishing a
cigar in his hand, Bert Sugar was a fixture on the fight scene, an historian
and commentator on boxing ever ready with an opinion and a wise crack,
and the prolific author of more than 80 books. The former publisher of Ring,
Sugar died in New York on Sunday at age 74, according to the International
Boxing Hall of Fame. He had been battling lung cancer. A lawyer who went
into advertising in New York, Sugar bought Boxing Illustrated magazine
more than 40 years ago to channel his keen interest in sports and he never
looked back. He went on to become editor and publisher of The Ring. A
throwback character who held court at boxing press conferences and in hotel
bars, Sugar had opinions on everything and was never shy about expressing them. He churned out books ranking the
greatest moments and performers in sport, many of them constructed with an eye toward settling bar room arguments or
perhaps fueling them. His books included “The 100 Greatest Boxers Of All Time,” “100 Years of Boxing,” and “Sting
like a Bee” (with José Torres). Though mainly associated with boxing, Sugar was a walking encyclopedia about other
120
sports including baseball, football and horse racing. Born in Washington, D.C., Sugar graduated from the University of
Maryland and earned a law degree at Michigan before coming to New York to work in advertising. Boxing gave the
flamboyant Sugar a chance to shine. He went on to work in TV and radio and appeared in numerous movies, including
“Night and the City, “The Great White Hype,” and “Rocky Balboa,” in which he played himself. (Reporting By Larry
Fine in New York; Editing by Paul Thomasch) Yahoo Sports March 26, 2012
ANDY GANIGAN
Boxer Andy Ganigan, a former world champion and member of the Hawaii Sports Hall
of Fame, died on May 2, 2012 in Las Vegas, according to his niece, Michell Shue.
Ganigan's death comes two years after an assault in his hometown of Waipahu left him
severely debilitated. He was 59. "Since the assault his body can't fight off diseases. He
never recovered," Shue said in a telephone interview with the Star-Advertiser. "His
body basically just shut down after two years of fighting." She said Ganigan died with
family members by his side. Ganigan was a boxing sensation in the 1970s and 80s, with
a 34-5 record, including 30 knockouts and a lightweight division championship. He was
named to Ring Magazines' list of "100 Greatest Punchers of All-Time" in 2003, 20
years after he retired. But the last two years of his life were spent as a near-invalid after
an apparently drunken and unprovoked attack on March 26, 2010. Five weeks ago,
Matthew M. Kupa, who pled no contest to first-degree assault, was sentenced to five
years probation and 18 months in jail with early release for substance abuse treatment
by Circuit Judge Glenn Kim. Deputy prosecutor Scott Bell had sought the maximum
penalty, a 10-year sentence. A witness told police she saw the 6-foot, 290-pound Kupa,
barefoot, shirtless, throwing repeated punches at the 5-foot-6, 160-pound Ganigan before two other men pressed Kupa
against a glass panel and instructed him to "stop already." A security guard said he saw Kupa standing over Ganigan.
Kupa told police he was drunk and did not remember anything. Las Vegas Star-Advertiser reporters Dave Reardon and
Ferd Lewis contributed to this report.
ROSS VIRGO
Ross Virgo of Rochester, NY died suddenly on June 29, 2011 in Delray Beach, Florida
at age 81. He was born in Rochester, NY on November 9, 1929. The Franklin High
School graduate won 46 of 48 amateur boxing matches and was the 1948 champion of
the U.S. Army and Air Force before turning pro. He rose to No. 5 (National Boxing
Association) and No.8 (The Ring) in the world welterweight ratings before abruptly
ending his career in 1953. He quit because he was weary of the politics outside the
ring and mostly at the urging of his fiancé. He decided to concentrate on his highly
successful restaurant that he opened in 1950. He remained in the restaurant business up
until the time of his death. His record was 26-2-2, with both losses coming by close
decision to Lester Felton and Bernard Docusen. Against Felton, Virgo was ahead on
points after six rounds but was floored in the seventh and twice in the ninth. The
Docusen fight was very close. Both fighters were cut in a classic matchup between two
master boxers. Among his 26 wins were Carmen Basilio, Fritzie Pruden, Tony Pellone,
Charley Salas, Rolly Johns, Chester Rico, Ted Bussey, Dave Andrews, Johnny
Kaufman, Cliff Hart, Al Hersch, and Johnny Cunningham. He fought a draw with
Chuck Davey who was 23-0-0 at the time. The Davey fight was a "gruelling and bloody" battle in which Davey was
badly cut near both eyes. The other draw on his record occurred in his last fight when Referee Ashton Donza, a former
National AAU bantamweight champion, and later a professional boxer, collapsed during the 6th round of his fight with
Jackie O’Brien and died of a heart attack. The fight was declared a six round draw. Tony Liccione, president of the
Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame said, “All due respect to Charles Murray and the other top local fighters, but Ross Virgo
was the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of this city’s history.” Source: Bob Collins
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE!
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