Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Frankie Baltazar, my grandson Rocky and Art Frias

How tall is that grandson of yours, Frank? That's one big kid.

Rocky is 6'5, big boy for sure.

[raylawpc]

Bennie,

Both Carlos and Mando are doing well, Carlos seem to be in good health, Mando other then his back, seem to be doing real good.

It was me that asked, but that's okay. Carlos looks in good shape from the pictures. Do you know what he does for a living these days? I think I remember reading that he has a college degree, and went into teaching somewhere. Or I may have confused him with Mando Muniz. I would be coincidental, I suppose, if both became teachers.

One thing for sure: I bet Mando Muniz has NO discipline problems in his classes!!

[kikibalt]

Bennie,

Both Carlos and Mando are doing well, Carlos seem to be in good health, Mando other then his back, seem to be doing real good.

It was me that asked, but that's okay. Carlos looks in good shape from the pictures. Do you know what he does for a living these days? I think I remember reading that he has a college degree, and went into teaching somewhere. Or I may have confused him with Mando Muniz. I would be coincidental, I suppose, if both became teachers.

One thing for sure: I bet Mando Muniz has NO discipline problems in his classes!!

Tom,

Sorry about that, I apologize, both Mando and Carlos have college degrees, I don't know what Carlos does, but I don't think he is a teacher, Mando has a master degree in Spanish from U.C.L.A. and teaches Spanish in a high school.

[raylawpc]

Bennie,

Both Carlos and Mando are doing well, Carlos seem to be in good health, Mando other then his back, seem to be doing real good.

It was me that asked, but that's okay. Carlos looks in good shape from the pictures. Do you know what he does for a living these days? I think I remember reading that he has a college degree, and went into teaching somewhere. Or I may have confused him with Mando Muniz. I would be coincidental, I suppose, if both became teachers.

One thing for sure: I bet Mando Muniz has NO discipline problems in his classes!!

Tom,

Sorry about that, I apologize, both Mando and Carlos have college degrees, I don't know what Carlos does, but I don't think he is a teacher, Mando has a master degree in Spanish from U.C.L.A. and teaches Spanish in a high school.

No need to apologize!! Thanks for the info.

[kikibalt]

Frank Falcon and Frank Jr. with Bonnie and Danny "Lil Red" Lopez

[raylawpc]

Frank Falcon and Frank Jr. with Bonnie and Danny "Lil Red" Lopez

Danny Lopez - what a magnificent, gutsy fighter!!

[kikibalt]

Frank Falcon and Frank Jr. with Bonnie and Danny "Lil Red" Lopez

Danny Lopez - what a magnificent, gutsy fighter!!

Yes! he was!!

[Expug]

Frank Falcon and Frank Jr. with Bonnie and Danny "Lil Red" Lopez

Danny Lopez - what a magnificent, gutsy fighter!!

Yes! he was!!

Danny and the aforementioned Carlos Palomino are
Two of my favorite all time fighters.
Watching those guys on tv in the seventies got me hooked on boxing.
Carlos was an actor for awhile I remember seeing him in the tv show "Taxi" and in the movie "Geronimo" with Wes Studi.

[kikibalt]

Bernard Docusen at the podium receiving his award from Joey Olmos and Don Fraser

Photo courtesy of my friend Pat Docusen-Maddox

[kikibalt]

Bernard Docusen walking from the podium with his family after receiving his award.
Look at the smile on Pat and her brother (R), you can see how proud they are of their dad.

Photo courtesy of my friend Pat Docusen-Maddox

[kikibalt]

A beautiful couple, Bernard & Ernestine Docusen

Photo courtesy of my friend Pat Docusen-Maddox

[kikibalt]

Bernard Docusen showing one of his awards

Photo courtsey of my friend Pat Docusen-Maddox

[bennie]

Bennie,

Both Carlos and Mando are doing well, Carlos seem to be in good health, Mando other then his back, seem to be doing real good.

It was me that asked, but that's okay. Carlos looks in good shape from the pictures. Do you know what he does for a living these days? I think I remember reading that he has a college degree, and went into teaching somewhere. Or I may have confused him with Mando Muniz. I would be coincidental, I suppose, if both became teachers.

One thing for sure: I bet Mando Muniz has NO discipline problems in his classes!!

Tom,

Sorry about that, I apologize, both Mando and Carlos have college degrees, I don't know what Carlos does, but I don't think he is a teacher, Mando has a master degree in Spanish from U.C.L.A. and teaches Spanish in a high school.

Yeah, sorry Tom. I threw Frankie off there.

[bennie]

It seems like yesterday Carlos and Danny were world champs. To me, they were simply never going to lose their titles. On and on they reigned. When Danny finally lost to a virtually unknown Salvador Sanchez in 1980, I was in a state of disbelief. I couldn't fathom how anyone could shrug off Lopez's punches and box him to a standstill like that. I would soon find out, of course, as Sanchez quickly proved himself a modern great.
When the legendary Mexican died in 1982, a few words from Lopez stuck out among all the other tributes. "I thought I was a pretty good fighter," said Danny, "but he sure proved he was better than me."
Class.

[bennie]

Frank Falcon and Frank Jr. with Bonnie and Danny "Lil Red" Lopez

Danny Lopez - what a magnificent, gutsy fighter!!

You know, I don't think there was a better sight in boxing than Danny sporting an Indian head-dress after another knockout victory. His 15-round stoppage of Mike Ayala is surely one of the greatest fights of the 1970s.

[dagosd2000]

Sad to say that Henry Cooper's beloved Italian wife Albina died of a heart attack a few days ago. The two were married 47 years. Henry was on his way to a function when he got the news and is said to be devastated.

My Condolences to the Cooper family.

Just read this. My sympathies are with you Henry.

[dagosd2000]

The Baltazar table, close to the bar...

Frank
Did Rocky look like that all night? If he did,I bet you didn´t have many visitors.

[dagosd2000]

Just to let you know,Mexican women have the edge on Spanish women. For looks(Que chulada es el maiz prieto) and temperment.(Just my opinion)These Spanish dames can sure fly off the handle. Keep posting those wonderfull shots of the banquet. You really captured the feel of the event. Wish I could have been there with you. Rog

[bennie]

Regarding Brian London he is responsible for two of my favourite quotes from a fighter:

Prior to fighting Ingemar Johansson in Sweden, Johansson had given a radio interview claiming that his sister could beat Brian London, at the end of the fight with Johansson having been flattened (though the bell rang to save him from a KO) London leant over him and shouted 'You should have brought your f*ck*n sister!'

Long after his retirement London was apparently giving an after dinner speech and one of the guests stood up and asked London how he could talk about boxing positively when his most famous opponent (Ali) was in such bad physical condition. London shot back immediately with 'Well don't blame me pal, I never laid a glove on him'. Classic!

London certainly had a way with the gruff one-liners. My old served in the RAF and remembers when London, presumably on a stint of National Service, marched into a busy RAF gym with his boxing gear and a couple of sparring partners and barked "Everybody out!"
Nobody was going to argue with him.

[kikibalt]

The Baltazar table, close to the bar...

Frank
Did Rocky look like that all night? If he did,I bet you didn´t have many visitors.

No, Rocky was cool!!

[kikibalt]

Bernard Docusen with his daughter Pat and Don Fraser

[raylawpc]

Regarding Brian London he is responsible for two of my favourite quotes from a fighter:

Prior to fighting Ingemar Johansson in Sweden, Johansson had given a radio interview claiming that his sister could beat Brian London, at the end of the fight with Johansson having been flattened (though the bell rang to save him from a KO) London leant over him and shouted 'You should have brought your f*ck*n sister!'

Long after his retirement London was apparently giving an after dinner speech and one of the guests stood up and asked London how he could talk about boxing positively when his most famous opponent (Ali) was in such bad physical condition. London shot back immediately with 'Well don't blame me pal, I never laid a glove on him'. Classic!

London certainly had a way with the gruff one-liners. My old served in the RAF and remembers when London, presumably on a stint of National Service, marched into a busy RAF gym with his boxing gear and a couple of sparring partners and barked "Everybody out!"
Nobody was going to argue with him.

The Johansson story, I suspect, is an urban legend. Part of the legend is that London flattened Johansson and Ingemar was saved by the bell, flat on his back. Not true. The film shows he got up at four and was on his feet as the bell rang. The AP reported: "The count had reached four and Johansson had just lurched to his feet when the final bell rang." So the idea that London leaned over the flattened Ingemar and shouted at him is poppycock. Brian's a witty fellow, but it turned out Ingemar didn't need his sister. Ingemar got the W.

[bennie]

Interesting, Tom.

[kikibalt]

Bernard Docusen with Dr. Joe Noriega

[Flump]

Regarding Brian London he is responsible for two of my favourite quotes from a fighter:

Prior to fighting Ingemar Johansson in Sweden, Johansson had given a radio interview claiming that his sister could beat Brian London, at the end of the fight with Johansson having been flattened (though the bell rang to save him from a KO) London leant over him and shouted 'You should have brought your f*ck*n sister!'

Long after his retirement London was apparently giving an after dinner speech and one of the guests stood up and asked London how he could talk about boxing positively when his most famous opponent (Ali) was in such bad physical condition. London shot back immediately with 'Well don't blame me pal, I never laid a glove on him'. Classic!

London certainly had a way with the gruff one-liners. My old served in the RAF and remembers when London, presumably on a stint of National Service, marched into a busy RAF gym with his boxing gear and a couple of sparring partners and barked "Everybody out!"
Nobody was going to argue with him.

The Johansson story, I suspect, is an urban legend. Part of the legend is that London flattened Johansson and Ingemar was saved by the bell, flat on his back. Not true. The film shows he got up at four and was on his feet as the bell rang. The AP reported: "The count had reached four and Johansson had just lurched to his feet when the final bell rang." So the idea that London leaned over the flattened Ingemar and shouted at him is poppycock. Brian's a witty fellow, but it turned out Ingemar didn't need his sister. Ingemar got the W.

Very interesting, I've never seen the film and every account I've read has Johansson flat out as the bell rings, including the interview I read with London in the Boxing Monthly from about 6/7 years ago, which is where the quote comes from.

I've heard Henry Cooper say in person that the break between rounds in the 'torn glove' fight with Ali was 4 minutes, where the film shows it was more like 10 seconds. I guess the old saying 'never let the truth get in the way of a good story' comes to mind.