Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

"Here's Lookin' at you kid"

Hey Frank
Seriously,that's got to be the most beautifull dog I've ever seen. Who picked him out? You or your wife?

She belongs to my son James, they both live here with us, he bought her when she was about 10 weeks old, had her fix when she was 5 months old, so no puppys.

[dagosd2000]

I might have told ya' about my cousins Frankie and Joey. My father's sister's kids. Frankie and his little brother Joey. Joey died in some strange motel back in Chicago. They don't know if it was an accident or not. That's all I'll talk about about that. But I remember those two. Always gettin' into trouble. Small stuff. Mostly stealing. Growing up on the West Side of Chicago meant that stealing was a part of your life. You either stole things or things got stolen from you,or both. It was taken for granted. If you didn't steal,you had a hard time making it through life. Irony is ,you wound up like my cousin Joey. Dead. Or maybe jail. That was on a lot of resumes on the West Side. Dead and jail.

Anyway here's the story. Frankie and Joey decide to come out to California for a visit. Frankie and Joey reminded my father of the old neighborhood ,so that made him happy. Well the first thing these two ask me is if there's a race track in the vicinity.
"Sure. Del Mar's season just opened."
We're in the car and we're off to the races.

We're sittin' in the bleachers and I'm goin' to the window bettin' small. My cousins are making bets,but after several races I notice they're gettin' hot under the collar.
"What's wrong,"I ask them. "Losin'?"
"That's not the issue,"says Frankie."Me and my brother can't figure how they're fixin' the races."
"I don't follow."
"Come on. All the races are rigged. We just can't figure how they're doin' it."

That was the way with those two . Everything was crooked. You could bribe anybody for the right price.The whole world was on the take.

Like I explained. Joey died in some motel. Frankie got drunk later and fell off a ledge and is in a wheel chair. Sounds like the odds were stacked against those guys.

[dagosd2000]

"Here's Lookin' at you kid"

Hey Frank
Seriously,that's got to be the most beautifull dog I've ever seen. Who picked him out? You or your wife?

She belongs to my son James, they both live here with us, he bought her when she was about 10 weeks old, had her fix when she was 5 months old, so no puppys.

Gee Frank
You wouldn't want to make another dog that looks like Chata? I'm never taking you to the Boom Boom Club.

[bennie]

Marvin Hagler, Bob Arum & Tommy Hearns

Hagler did a great job in keeping Don King at arm's length. To me, his legacy gets better and better.

[bennie]

Ive always been interested in Bobby Cassidys career.
He fought alot of good fighters.
Anyone of you guys ever see him fight?
He was a little before my time.

Mine too. He got chinned by Jorge Ahumada, I remember. That probably cost him shots at Conteh and Galindez.

[bennie]

Brian London is 74 on Thursday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7457725.stm

[bennie]

Where is Frankie?

[Rick Farris]

One of the Best Athletes of All time May Have Been a Boxer

By Ted Sares:
Jim Brown was a great all-around athlete who played lacrosse, football, basketball, and even ran track at Syracuse University. He may have been the greatest lacrosse and football player ever). Of course, he went on to professional football immortality. It’s pretty difficult to argue that he was not the greatest athlete in American history. Jackie Robinson, Gene Conley, Deion Sanders, Dave DeBusschere and Bo Jackson (Bo could DO!), were pretty darn good all-around athletes as well. So were Jackie Jensen, Bob Mathias and, of course, Jim Thorpe. There were many other high-profile athletes who were multi-sports stars.

But one who flew under the radar for whatever reason was a 6'4" 230 pounds, well-muscled, strong, and fast athlete who graduated from San Diego High School in 1952. He quickly became the youngest player in the history of the National Football League. He was one of the few who made it to--let alone star in- the NFL without playing college football (which may account for his low profile). Amazingly, prior to playing football, he had signed up with the old St. Louis Browns as a power hitting outfielder and spent the summer playing Class B ball for the Stockton Ports of the California League before forsaking baseball for football..

High School

He was one of the greatest high school athletes in American sports history and was recruited by the Harlem Globetrotters for his basketball skills. When they came to town, they all but begged his parents to let them take him with them. He was the only baseball player folks can recall hitting balls out of Balboa Stadium on a consistent basis, shots that reportedly even made Hall of Famer Ted Williams take notice. He was scouted by the NFL during high school. What’s more remarkable, he accomplished this during a time when Jackie Robinson was breaking the color barrier in professional baseball. He recalled during an interview with the late Reggie Grant:

“But baseball and track were during the same season, so I’d go to the track meet, maybe put the shot a couple of times, and then change in the car and go to play baseball.… And every now then and I’d fill-in and run the relays” (Reggie Grant, “Mr. Versatility: the youngest player in NFL history,” undated, http://www.afrogolf.com/ FeatureCharliePowell.html

All in all, he won twelve varsity letters. Among other things, he ran the 100-yard dash in a blazing 9.6 seconds. He high jumped 6 feet and put the shot 57 feet 9–1/4 inches (a San Diego High School record that may still stand).

He was Southern California’s "Prep Player of the Year" in 1950-51 and named on All-America High School team.

Football

His professional football career began in 1952 when San Francisco 49er Coach Buck Shaw showed up at his home in San Diego, contract in hand. His parents had to sign the contract, and he made a whopping $10,000.00 that first year. He was a world-class athlete long before players were fairly compensated for their skills. He credited his success as a football player (and later as a boxer) to his superior conditioning. As a nineteen-year-old, his chance to play came during training camp when the starter was injured, and he made the most of it.

In his first game, he played against the then world champions, the Detroit Lions. It was a team loaded with several all-pros and future Hall of Fame players. He sacked quarterback Bobby Layne an astounding ten times – yes 10 times- for sixty-seven yards in losses. His performance was so inspirational that his teammates awarded him the game ball. It was the first time a 49er rookie was so honored. All this before the NFL kept official stats on things like sacks. He quickly became an NFL star, and a younger brother eventually would play in the AFL for the New York Jets. He and the great Joe “The Jet” Perry were the only black players on the 49ers at that time and sometimes had to stay in different hotels than their white teammates.

He played five seasons for the 49ers (1952–53 and 1955–57) and two for the Oakland Raiders (1960–61). In between, he boxed.

Boxing

He started boxing at the age of eleven or twelve. As a youngster, he would get up early before school and jog down to Archie Moore’s home. He would then train with the Mongoose, go back home, shower, eat, and go to school. He earned extra money for his family during WWII by boxing at military bases near San Diego.

He started off his boxing career with a draw against one Fred Taylor, but then reeled off ten straight knockout wins. But, as often is the case in the less-than-scrupulous world of boxing, his managers and promoters moved him too fast, and he was taken out by Charlie Norkus in 1954 in a pier six brawl in which both fighters were down. Powell, 11-0-1 at the time, was young and naive to the all-too-familiar, sleazy elements surrounding him. Norkus was 24-12 and had already beaten tough Danny Nardico twice—the first time in a thrilling cult classic involving 8 knockdowns. He was one of those exciting types. If he didn’t t get you, you would get him.

The highlight of his boxing career happened in March 1959 when he knocked out the number-two ranked boxer in the world, 6'4" Cuban Nino Valdes who was 46-16-3 coming in. Nino, who was on a 6-fight win streak, was decked three times. Another great win was a redemptive one over the rugged Norkus in a 1958 rematch.

He fought Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) in 1963 in Pittsburgh before 17,000 fans, and like so many of Ali’s other opponents, felt the sting of his insults. Ali predicted he would KO him in round three and did just that, but he earned $12,000 more than he’d ever been paid for an entire season as a pro football player. In 1964, he was paid $10,000 to fight Floyd Patterson, to whom he lost in six.

Eventually, he would finish with a record of 25-11-3 (19 KOs). Among his opponents were Norkus, Harold Carter, Patterson, Roger Rischer, Mike DeJohn, Johnny Summerlin, Roy Harris, and, of course, Ali. It was an imposing list, to say the least. He never fought an amateur fight.

Arguably, he did not reach his full potential because of that which distinguished him; namely, being a two-sport man. Going back and forth between football and boxing, he would put on weight for one and lose it for the other. Had he been able to focus on boxing, there is no telling how far he could have gone.

Yes, Jim Brown was a great all-around athlete. However, CHARLEY POWELL never served his apprenticeships. He never boxed amateur, nor did he attend college. He simply jumped from high school to professional stardom. In any discussion of who was the greatest athlete, I submit Charley Powell’s name should be included.

Known as “Mr. Versatility,” he was never really picked up by the public or the press, but I knew about him. If you are ever in San Diego, visit the Breitbart Hall of Champions and look for the Powell brothers, Art and Charlie. Art was a four-time all-star for the New York Jets in the AFL.

When I was a kid, you couldn’t get me out of a gym. Now, you can’t get kids in a gym. I wish I could think of a way to get kids in gyms instead of drifting toward guns and drugs. Burn up that energy in a gym. Boxing’s great that way.
—Charlie Powell

Nice article on Charley Powell. See the Powell brothers once in a while at various youth functions in the area. High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame Induction for San Diego coaches for example. They take after Archie Moore in a way. They're the last of the old guard. Gentlemen,respected. Treat people with respect. A time when Southeast San Diego was a fun place to hang out. Friendly guys,and by the way,they're still imposing men.[/quote


Dagos, the L.A. Times ran a great story on Charley Powell a few years ago. What an AMAZING all-round athlete! Your quote . . . "Friendly guys, and by the way, they are still imposing men." defines what I consider the hallmark of greatness.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

"Here's Lookin' at you kid"

Hey Frank
Seriously,that's got to be the most beautifull dog I've ever seen. Who picked him out? You or your wife?

That ain't Fank's dog, it's me after my last fight at the S.D. Coliseum. C'mon Frank, I thought you weren't going to show this one.

[Rick Farris]

Brian London is 74 on Thursday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7457725.stm

Cheers Mr London. I still remember Brian London in L.A. for the Quarry fight. Most memrable about that fight wasn't what happened in the ring that night, but Mrs. London screaming at ringside, challenging the Quarry women. Everybody talks about the the Quarry "brothers", however, the toughest Quarry's were the women. When Arawanda Quarry (Jerry's mother) stood up, you knew all Hell was going to break loose. Let's just put it this way, the action in the ring paled by comparison to what went on at ringside with Mrs. London and "Ma Kettle" Quarry going toe-to-toe.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Brian London is 74 on Thursday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7457725.stm

Cheers Mr London. I still remember Brian London in L.A. for the Quarry fight. Most memrable about that fight wasn't what happened in the ring that night, but Mrs. London screaming at ringside, challenging the Quarry women. Everybody talks about the the Quarry "brothers", however, the toughest Quarry's were the women. When Arawanda Quarry (Jerry's mother) stood up, you knew all Hell was going to break loose. Let's just put it this way, the action in the ring paled by comparison to what went on at ringside with Mrs. London and "Ma Kettle" Quarry going toe-to-toe.

-Rick

By the way, thanks Bennie, what a great interview. Consider the difference between Brian London today, and Muhammad Ali, Frazier, Patterson, etc. Brian still has his health and still has his marbles.

-Rick

[granberry]

Pug
My father also told me the syndicate asked Ray Robinson to carry Charlie Fusari in their title match in Jersey City. I looked at the tape of that fight a few times. It did look like Robinson could take him out whenever he wanted,but it went 15.

Sonny Francese gave Robinson the directions to do that.

Freddie Archer told me that George Gainsford came into Fusari's dressing room before the fight (Archer had the same manager and trainers as Fusari and was also fighting on that card).

Gainsford said to Fusari's manager, "If your boy behaves tonight, it'll go 15."

[dagosd2000]

Frank wanted to know where Charley Powell is living. I called the Jackie Robinson Center and they told me he's in Northern California. I'll see if I can't narrow that down more. BTW,Charley is 77 years old! Man ,how time flies.

[kikibalt]

Frank wanted to know where Charley Powell is living. I called the Jackie Robinson Center and they told me he's in Northern California. I'll see if I can't narrow that down more. BTW,Charley is 77 years old! Man ,how time flies.

diego,

Powell is living here in SoCal. (Altadena) a friend of mine wanted to know so I make a few calls and found him, even got his (Powell) phone #

[scartissue]

Brian London is 74 on Thursday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7457725.stm

Cheers Mr London. I still remember Brian London in L.A. for the Quarry fight. Most memrable about that fight wasn't what happened in the ring that night, but Mrs. London screaming at ringside, challenging the Quarry women. Everybody talks about the the Quarry "brothers", however, the toughest Quarry's were the women. When Arawanda Quarry (Jerry's mother) stood up, you knew all Hell was going to break loose. Let's just put it this way, the action in the ring paled by comparison to what went on at ringside with Mrs. London and "Ma Kettle" Quarry going toe-to-toe.

-Rick

By the way, thanks Bennie, what a great interview. Consider the difference between Brian London today, and Muhammad Ali, Frazier, Patterson, etc. Brian still has his health and still has his marbles.

-Rick

Bennie, I echo Rick on the state of Brian London, a really nice piece on him and he obviously still has a tremendous wit. I was doing a bit of researching on him and I came across something interesting. Remember when I asked you why didn't Henry Cooper just go ahead and defy the BBBC and fight Jimmy Ellis for the title when the opportunity presented itself and you said Cooper just wasn't that type of person. Well, apparently Brian London was because the BBBC also refused him the opportunity to fight Floyd Patterson for the title. He went ahead with it and got beat down pretty good, but this was for a shot at the crown and I don't blame him one bit for giving it a go. Funny, the stewards of the BBBC called a hearing to impose a fine and/or suspension on London for defying their edict but London declined to attend as he was going on Holiday and didn't want to interrupt them. I had to laugh, thumbing his nose to the bitter end. I wonder how they penalized him?

Scartissue

[BoxBuzz]

Kid Pambele

I met Antonio in Honolulu, a great human being, humble and fun loving. Thankfully he had someone in his entouraged that spoke fluent spanish and english and we carried on a pretty good conversation thanks to the "middleman". It was at the NightClub Infinity owned by the guy named Phillips who owned all the Dry Cleaners on the Island. We had a great time and crossed paths with Dione Warwicke on the same night. Since that day I became a big fan of his and dropped him a few lines by post card in spanish back in the 70's. He responded each time.

Good man.

[dagosd2000]

Frank wanted to know where Charley Powell is living. I called the Jackie Robinson Center and they told me he's in Northern California. I'll see if I can't narrow that down more. BTW,Charley is 77 years old! Man ,how time flies.

diego,

Powell is living here in SoCal. (Altadena) a family of mine wanted to know so I make a few calls and found him, even got his (Powell) phone #

Nice job Frank
Maybe he will join the forum. Attend some of the boxing events. Good work.

[kikibalt]

Frank wanted to know where Charley Powell is living. I called the Jackie Robinson Center and they told me he's in Northern California. I'll see if I can't narrow that down more. BTW,Charley is 77 years old! Man ,how time flies.

diego,

Powell is living here in SoCal. (Altadena) a family of mine wanted to know so I make a few calls and found him, even got his (Powell) phone #

Nice job Frank
Maybe he will join the forum. Attend some of the boxing events. Good work.

Thats friend not family, boy am I tired or what!

[kikibalt]

Monshipour vs. Nakazato: Savagery in Marseille

By Ted Sares:

The Setting: On April 29, 2005, Frenchman (but Iranian-born) Mayhar Monshipour, 26-2-2, met Japan’s Shigeru Nakazato in the nourish city of Marseille. At stake was the WBA super bantamweight crown. This one promised to be a clash of two in-coming brawlers who never take a step backward. It turned out to be far more.

Nakazato, 24-7-1, was challenging for the world title for the third time, while the heavy handed Monshipour was making his fourth defense of the title. The Japanese fighter had lost two bouts by UD to tough Oscar Larios, both held in Japan..

The Fight

The first round was something that had to be seen to be believed. Reviewing the footage, I counted over 250 punches being thrown, most of which seemed to find their mark. Nakazato threw quadruple and quintuple hooks, something I have not seen very often. No jabs were thrown and there were no clinches.

In the second stanza, The Champion unleashed an all-out assault on Nakazato hitting him with hooks, uppercuts and straight shots, but again neither fighter threw a jab. This was trench warfare pure and simple. Both took heay punishment but at the end of the round, Nakazato seemed the more tired.

In the third, Monshipour sustained a cut requiring a look from the doctor. When the fight resumed, he attacked with crunching shots that had evil intention written all over them. Nakazato was staggered at the end of the round, another in which well over 200 punches had been thrown. .

The fourth round featured Monshipour connecting with a number of jarring uppercuts, but then midway into the round, Nakazato caught him with a volley of rattling lefts and rights backing him up and hurting him with malefic straight punches. Somehow, Monshipour, whose face was bloodied over the right eye, shook them off and came back to stagger Nakazato. He uncorked a tremendous number of blows during the last 30 seconds that all but put the warrior from Okinawa on the canvas.

Both guys were doing a convincing imitation of Henry Armstrong as the punch volume went over the top. I have never seen so many punches thrown in four rounds of any fight in my entire life. But what is even more remarkable, I have never seen so many hit their mark. I was witnessing something very special. Neither guy had quit in his DNA, but when the bell rang, both slowly walked back to their corner.

The fifth round was more of the same and featured more bruising uppercuts and some punishing hooks to the body and head combinations from The Frenchman who was still throwing triple hooks of his own. However, the Japanese kept coming back and landed several decent hits on Monshipour and keeping matters in doubt with the non-stop warfare. Still, Monshipour was now dictating the pace.

In the sixth and last stanza, Monshipour positioned Nakazato for the end by throwing the first jabs of the fight (and they were stiff and punishing ones) followed by some picture perfect hooks to the body. Sensing the end, he went for the kill with a series of jarring right crosses the last of which floored the valiant Nakazato with 23 seconds left. Referee Raul Caiz wisely stopped the fight as Nakazato just made it up at the count of 10. Judges Philippe Verbeke and Chalerm Prayadsab had it 49-46, and Ruben Garcia had it 49-45--all for the Champion.

The Aftermath

After stopping Julio Zarate just two months later, Monshipour would lose his belt in 2006 to Somsak Sithchatchwal in the Ring Magazine fight of the Year after which he announced his retirement. However, the 33-year-old has revealed to 'L'Equipe' in May of this year that he has started training again with a view to compete in four fights over the next two years. He explained, "…today I miss the adrenaline of the ring. I was looking for things outside of boxing. I haven't found them, so I've come back."

Shigeru Nakazato has not fought since.

But on April 29, 2005, both men took it to the edge. Thankfully, both came back.

[Expug]

Charley Fusari, Ray Arcel & Tony Marsilo

When I see Fusari, it reminds me of Johnny Bratton and the old Chicago Stadium."The Madhouse on Madison.
A great venue that closed up in 94.
Lots of great fights there .
Fusari dropped a dec. in a NBA title fight to "HoneyBoy" Bratton at the Stadium.
Bratton later on wound up homeless and wandering the streets of Chicago.

Pug
It's interesting that you brought that up about"Honeyboy" Bratton. The wiseguys in Chicago used him up pretty good. My father told me he'd see him once in a while. Bratton had lost a lot of his memory. If my father saw him,he'd slip him a twenty to get by. Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis would help him out once in a while also.

John Schulian wrote a sad story in his book 'Writers Fighters" about Bratton.
I guess he was a regular wandering the Rush Street area many years after his career ended.
He was in pretty bad shape.
I recommend that book by Schulian .

[kikibalt]

Carmen Basilio

"Carmen"
By Diego

[kikibalt]

Here I am with Chata, or is it Rick?

[Rick Farris]

Frank wanted to know where Charley Powell is living. I called the Jackie Robinson Center and they told me he's in Northern California. I'll see if I can't narrow that down more. BTW,Charley is 77 years old! Man ,how time flies.

diego,

Powell is living here in SoCal. (Altadena) a friend of mine wanted to know so I make a few calls and found him, even got his (Powell) phone #

Altadena is where Powell has lived for years. He owns his own furniture making business near Watts. Do you know, one of Powell's California high school records, I believe in the shot put, still stands. Could be wrong, but it stood for several decades. He could do it all, and everything on the highest level athletically. How many football players can fight? Let alone box? He had his choice, NFL, major league baseball, basketball, world class heavyweight boxing in an era where everybody could fight, and more important WOULD fight! Charlie Powell is in a league of his own, as well as everybody elses.

-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Kid Pambele

I met Antonio in Honolulu, a great human being, humble and fun loving. Thankfully he had someone in his entouraged that spoke fluent spanish and english and we carried on a pretty good conversation thanks to the "middleman". It was at the NightClub Infinity owned by the guy named Phillips who owned all the Dry Cleaners on the Island. We had a great time and crossed paths with Dione Warwicke on the same night. Since that day I became a big fan of his and dropped him a few lines by post card in spanish back in the 70's. He responded each time.

Good man.

Hey Gato . . . I remember your fight with Antonio Cervantes at the Olympic on December 17, 1970. The previous thursday, Mando Ramos bombed out Raul Rojas in the same ring, but on this night, you had your way with Cervantes. I remember it well because I was scheduled to fight in a six-rounder that night, a rematch with a guy I'd beaten the previous week on the Ramos-Rojas card. My opponent was a "no show", however you floored Cervantes and were way ahead on the scorecards when you suffered a cut that ended the bout. What are your memories of this great Columbian? Do you feel his power at all. He seemed to have trouble with your side-to-side, bob & weave, hooking offense. I remember the whistling left hook to the chin that put Kid Pambele on his back. His boxing mastery was absent the night you two met, but one could still see his quality under pressure. Sadly, a cut interfered with your hanging his scalp on your championship record. Let us in on those memories that can exist only in the mind of a man who faced Antonio Cervantes in the ring, and more important, introduced him to the canvas.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Here I am with Chata, or is it Rick?

No, Rick has more fleas.