TONY AYALA JR

[overhand_right]

prospect in the early 80s in the one of the lighter divisions, undefeated, but how good was he? how far do you think he could have gone?

i ask this because a while ago i saw one of his fights. he was old and fat, yet he still looked like a real hard headed, tough bastard with big power.

the guy was locked up for some 17 yrs for a rape case that people never seem to want to get into specifics about because it was so horrendous.

fill me in on this guy, im interested in what you think about him and how far he could go in his original career, and in his current form. obviously this guy seems like a pretty repulsive character that makes people feel uneasy but he does look like a fella who could give any middleweight a rumble, but maybe i'm wrong.....?

[crooked nose]

Ayala was probably the hottest prospect in boxing back in '81-'82. Ran off a string of spectacular KO victories. His level of competition was rising in late '82 and he was on the verge of a match-up with Duran at 154 when he was arrested for a home invasion rape in New Jersey. Ayala was always a head case, so his self-destruction wasn't a great surprise. Much like Tyson, he was his own worst enemy and people around him did not make him face the consequences of his actions. He was accused of an assault on a girl before he turned pro, but Bob Arum stepped in, spread around some money and put the matter to rest. Ayala's violent temper was bound to make him unravel at some point, so I don't know how far he could have gone. If he found himself losing to a skilled boxer, I expect he would implode like Liston, Duran or Tyson.

[wsbuf]

I remember watching a fight where he was fighting someone who spoke bad about Tony's father. He was an animal in that fight, knocked the guy down in the corner and then spit on him. Had the rage and fury to be a crowd favorite. Too bad that same rage was outside the ring too.

[Steve M]

If he had managed to secure the fight with Duran he was looking for then most likely what would have happened is Duran would have brutalised him and ruined his career like he did Davey Moore.

[Alister]

the guy was locked up for some 17 yrs for a rape case that people never seem to want to get into specifics about because it was so horrendous.

He was referred to as "the sock rapist" by former policeofficer, now boxingwriter, Pedro Fernandez (http://www.ringtalk.com). I don't know what that is supposed to mean, but it doesn't sound very good.

Alister

[knockout artist]

I remember watching a fight where he was fighting someone who spoke bad about Tony's father. He was an animal in that fight, knocked the guy down in the corner and then spit on him. Had the rage and fury to be a crowd favorite. Too bad that same rage was outside the ring too.

That was against Robbie Epps.

He and Ayala trained together as amatuers under the tutelage of Ayala Snr, whilst Epps father was posted in San Antonio with the USAF.