Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Expug]

Frank,Rick,the guys in Chicago.
How about another Mexican heavyweight,Fernando Montes? The reason I asked Scar and Pug is that Montes fought in Chicago. Montes reminded me of the fighter in Requiem For A Heavyweight:Mountain Rivera, played by Tony Quinn.

Ive never seen Fernando fight.
Looking at his record I see he beat Chuck Warfield who I mentioned a little earlier in this thread.
However he was stopped in the first round by Ed "Too Tall "Jones.
Jones who played for the Dallas Cowboys.

[Expug]

Cheto's Boxing Gym is in Plaza Santa Cecelia,a block up of Revolution behind the Hotel Nelson. At one time Julio Cesar Chavez owned the gym,but I never noticed any difference. It's a small place with a ring,heavy and speed bags,wall mirror. One of the many boxing gyms you see in Mexico. They're in the colonias,pueblos,cities big and small. Chiapas to Tijuana,fighters of all ages are trying to see if they can rise above their struggle to attain a better life for themselves. Now they learn they have to struggle in the gym. Some have the talent,but even less have the will to endure the struggle. Some can make a living at it,but few can save what they make or even make enough so they can enjoy life after their bodies aren't capable of fighting in the ring. But you see many that are still fighting when you know they shouldn't be in there any more.
Even if you are or were a champion doesn't mean that boxing hasn't won the decision over the fighter in the end. Not many fighters listen,and even less are there to tell them the truth.

Mexico has more licensed fighters than any country in the world. I sit outside Cheto's Boxing Gym and watch the fighters train. The gym is open in the front. Usually the gym is not very full. I often see young kids wearing big boxing gloves and head gear getting instructions from a trainer. Down the street a ways there's a video arcade. There are kids there too. They have one game where the floor has these squares that light up to the rhythm of the music. You have to step on the square that lights up to the beat to win. Maybe they should put this game in Cheto's Boxing Gym. It would be good for developing footwork. There's a "primaria" (grammar school) around the corner from Cheto's. There's kids there also.

I look inside Cheto's Boxing Gym and sometimes think what is better. Boxing gym,video arcade,school? I guess you can do all three, or none at all. Maybe it is all equal ,or what you put into it. I don't think it's worth trying to figure that out. The last time I passed by Cheto's they had built a wall in front of the inside of the gym. You couldn't see what was going on inside from the street. I tried to go inside. There was a guy at the door. He said only members were allowed to go inside. A membership was now 500 pesos($50)a month. I'm 61. The money wasn't a problem for me. It was my age. I just like to watch now.

500 pesos is a lot of money for the person who is struggling in Mexico. I wonder how many fighters were inside Cheto's Boxing Gym that day?

Very nice description of that gym Dagos.
I always pictured the boxing gyms in Mexico to be full with fighters.
Too bad this one is trailing off a bit it sounds.
I bet that every fighter in there had a good left hook to the body though.
Or maybe the Mexican fighters are just born with that thing.

[kikibalt]

Paolo Rosi & Flash Elorde...1959

[dagosd2000]

Cheto's Boxing Gym is in Plaza Santa Cecelia,a block up of Revolution behind the Hotel Nelson. At one time Julio Cesar Chavez owned the gym,but I never noticed any difference. It's a small place with a ring,heavy and speed bags,wall mirror. One of the many boxing gyms you see in Mexico. They're in the colonias,pueblos,cities big and small. Chiapas to Tijuana,fighters of all ages are trying to see if they can rise above their struggle to attain a better life for themselves. Now they learn they have to struggle in the gym. Some have the talent,but even less have the will to endure the struggle. Some can make a living at it,but few can save what they make or even make enough so they can enjoy life after their bodies aren't capable of fighting in the ring. But you see many that are still fighting when you know they shouldn't be in there any more.
Even if you are or were a champion doesn't mean that boxing hasn't won the decision over the fighter in the end. Not many fighters listen,and even less are there to tell them the truth.

Mexico has more licensed fighters than any country in the world. I sit outside Cheto's Boxing Gym and watch the fighters train. The gym is open in the front. Usually the gym is not very full. I often see young kids wearing big boxing gloves and head gear getting instructions from a trainer. Down the street a ways there's a video arcade. There are kids there too. They have one game where the floor has these squares that light up to the rhythm of the music. You have to step on the square that lights up to the beat to win. Maybe they should put this game in Cheto's Boxing Gym. It would be good for developing footwork. There's a "primaria" (grammar school) around the corner from Cheto's. There's kids there also.

I look inside Cheto's Boxing Gym and sometimes think what is better. Boxing gym,video arcade,school? I guess you can do all three, or none at all. Maybe it is all equal ,or what you put into it. I don't think it's worth trying to figure that out. The last time I passed by Cheto's they had built a wall in front of the inside of the gym. You couldn't see what was going on inside from the street. I tried to go inside. There was a guy at the door. He said only members were allowed to go inside. A membership was now 500 pesos($50)a month. I'm 61. The money wasn't a problem for me. It was my age. I just like to watch now.

500 pesos is a lot of money for the person who is struggling in Mexico. I wonder how many fighters were inside Cheto's Boxing Gym that day?

Very nice description of that gym Dagos.
I always pictured the boxing gyms in Mexico to be full with fighters.
Too bad this one is trailing off a bit it sounds.
I bet that every fighter in there had a good left hook to the body though.
Or maybe the Mexican fighters are just born with that thing.

Pug
Most of the gyms I've seen in Mexico have dried up lately. Some have gone out of business,others converted to martial arts. What is beginning to hurt boxing in Mexico is the lack of good amateur programs. Because of the economy,fighters want to turn pro right away or too soon. If they can stay in the U.S.,it's better for their careers. Even a kid like J.C. Chavez Jr. did not have one amateur fight. That's why many fighters down below have had so many fights. They fight other fighters who have had one or two fights. Their pro fights are like their amateur experience.

Tijuana is a town that is coming apart at the seams. Kidnappings are now being targeted at Americans. Kidnappers have even crossed the border to the U.S. side to snatch people. Chiefs of Police, district attornies,judges,newspaper editors,businessmen,anybody who might be worth some dough is a mark in TJ. Killings,kidnappings,people being yanked off the street is common.

Here's a case. A while back my mother in law had cancer. We would put her in a clinic for treatment when it was necessary. One day we visited her. She told us that the previous evening there was a big commotion in the neighborhood. A four year old girl was missing. Her mother was a"Maria"(An Indian woman). The whole neighborhood went looking for her. They couldn't find her. A week later we visited my mother in law again. She said that the little girl was returned and left on the steps of the clinic. She had bandages around her eyes. The kidnappers had taken out her eyes and sold them on the black market. I wish those boxing gyms could get back in business again.

[kikibalt]

[bennie]

Here's a link to a story I wrote on Jerry Quarry. I knew Jerry, Mike and his family very well. At times, I will read comments from fans or on-line experts , regarding Quarry, and it's very obvious that these people have no clue as to why Jerry lost fights that he "should" have won easily. Or, "why" he would upset heavy favorites in matches he was expected to lose. Reading the speculations of fans who believe they can qualify what they "Guess?" to be true, is really quite humorous.

Here is a little of what I saw in Jeyy Quarry, up close & personal . . . .

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/b ... htm#quarry


-Rick

A wonderful tribute, Rick.

[bennie]

Quarry, of course, came out with one of the more memorable boxing quotes when asked if he found Britain's Jack Bodell awkward in the 64 seconds it took him to stop Bodell.
"Well," said Jerry, trying to be magnaminous, "he fell awkwardly."

[bennie]

[bennie]

To the victor, the headdress.

[kikibalt]

Hector Lopez, Mando Ramos and ?

[bennie]

Hector Lopez, Mando Ramos and ?

Rod Sequenan, at a guess.

[kikibalt]

Thanks Bennie.

[bennie]

Hector Lopez could have been a world champ if he'd controlled his weight (and his temper). He won Olympic silver at bantam, excelled in the featherweight ranks in his early years as a pro but then jumped up to lightweight and finally light-welterweight. I saw him really hurt Kostya Tszyu in a 10-rounder in 1994, and he looked a little unlucky not to get the verdict.
He had talent.

[kikibalt]

Joe Bugner

[bennie]

Aussie Joe on the beach.

Best place for him.

[kikibalt]

Ralph Gambina & Robert Conrad

[bennie]

Hagler-Geraldo

[bennie]

Hector Lopez, Mando Ramos and ?

That's an interesting shot, by the way, Frankie. Mando looks really well (he's put on a lot of weight since, but haven't we all), as do the two fighters.
The Filipino southpaw, Sequenan, was approaching the end of a long, hard career, but you wouldn't know it.

[bennie]

Joe Bugner boxed much of his career in Britain, of course, and proved a big disappointment. He could take a shot and did 'have a go' against Joe Frazier in London (every dog has its day). But overall, Bugner was a big heavyweight who didn't punch his weight and came to survive. Joe barely threw a punch in the world title fight with Ali. It was the same against a 'shot' Ron Lyle. Earnie Shavers busted him up in two.
Need I go on?

[bennie]

Classic Bugner pose

[scartissue]

Joe Bugner boxed much of his career in Britain, of course, and proved a big disappointment. He could take a shot and did 'have a go' against Joe Frazier in London (every dog has its day). But overall, Bugner was a big heavyweight who didn't punch his weight and came to survive. Joe barely threw a punch in the world title fight with Ali. It was the same against a 'shot' Ron Lyle. Earnie Shavers busted him up in two.
Need I go on?

Bennie, I thought he had all the tools in the world but you had to set a fire under his arse to get him to throw punches. What a waste, but he must've made some money. Wonder if he kept it.

Scartissue

[scartissue]

Frank,Rick,the guys in Chicago.
How about another Mexican heavyweight,Fernando Montes? The reason I asked Scar and Pug is that Montes fought in Chicago. Montes reminded me of the fighter in Requiem For A Heavyweight:Mountain Rivera, played by Tony Quinn.

Ive never seen Fernando fight.
Looking at his record I see he beat Chuck Warfield who I mentioned a little earlier in this thread.
However he was stopped in the first round by Ed "Too Tall "Jones.
Jones who played for the Dallas Cowboys.

Pug, the other loss in Chicago was to Walter Moore. I don't know if you recall him but he was really being touted as something else. Ryan O'Neal managed him at one time, but I remember when he hooked up with Ernie Terrell, who was promoting him. Terrell was really excited about him,and was bringing him along, but I heard Moore wasn't satisfied with the speed his career was moving and jumped ship to fight on a Vegas card where he was promptly knocked out. That was the last I heard about him.

Scartissue

[granberry]

Hagler-Geraldo

Hagler and Leonard struggled to decision wins over Geraldo

At the very same time, Caveman Lee knocked Geraldo out for a ten count in the first round.

Figure that.

[Expug]

Frank,Rick,the guys in Chicago.
How about another Mexican heavyweight,Fernando Montes? The reason I asked Scar and Pug is that Montes fought in Chicago. Montes reminded me of the fighter in Requiem For A Heavyweight:Mountain Rivera, played by Tony Quinn.

Ive never seen Fernando fight.
Looking at his record I see he beat Chuck Warfield who I mentioned a little earlier in this thread.
However he was stopped in the first round by Ed "Too Tall "Jones.
Jones who played for the Dallas Cowboys.

Pug, the other loss in Chicago was to Walter Moore. I don't know if you recall him but he was really being touted as something else. Ryan O'Neal managed him at one time, but I remember when he hooked up with Ernie Terrell, who was promoting him. Terrell was really excited about him,and was bringing him along, but I heard Moore wasn't satisfied with the speed his career was moving and jumped ship to fight on a Vegas card where he was promptly knocked out. That was the last I heard about him.

Scartissue

Moore kinda just faded away didnt he?
He had a couple nice wins there.
I remember all those Ernie Terrell cards from The Aragon Ballroom back in the Seventies.
When I had my first couple pro fights, it was for a guy named Cedrick Kushner who kinda replaced Ernies cards in the early eighties although Ernie hung around awhile longer.

[Rick Farris]

Ralph Gambina & Robert Conrad

OK guys, this photo inspires a lot of great stories, about an actor, wanna-be fighter-coward named Bob Conrad. Conrad, managed "Irish" Frankie Crawford, and I will share some personal tales of a crazy featherweight and how he finally flattened his actor-manager.

I've been wanting to ads some of these Crawford stories to this thread, and now it's time. There is more than one story, all are true, and can be validated.

Anyway, I gotta go light a few "Desperate Actresses", then I shall return to my lap top and introduce you to a Frankie Crawford you never knew. What a piece of work! Frankie was a little crazy, but I miss the guy. I saw Frankie shortly before he took his life, he was completey paralized from a gun shot wound, could only move his head and left arm. My friend carried him from his seat in the car to his wheel chair. He was very depressed.

I'll get back to this later.

-Ricardo