Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

Tony Baltazar vs Danny Vargas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FcAvm--oU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0sOq-aTptQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNxCBvUQHvg

[raylawpc]

Rick, Frank or anyone else,
There was some mention of middleweight Mike Nixon a ways back in this thread & if I remember correctly one of you knew him fairly well; I had always thought Mike started his career in San Francisco & thought I remembered him from Newman's Gym & I see by looking at his record he had his 1st & 2nd fights in the Bay Area; then the other night going I found a picture of him goofing around for the camera with Emile Griffith at Newman's Gym, so I called my father who reminded me that I lent my sparring gloves to Mike to box with Griffith once. So what's was his story, I know he was a New Yorker but did he get to So Cal through Nor Cal? What's the rest of his story?
Thanks,
Bobbin & Weavin
in Nor Cal

Bobbin . . . I was a stablemate of Nixon's for a couple of years. I've lots ofNixon stories, both in the ring and, more interesting, out of the ring. I knew the family, and his relationship with the Quarry's, etc. Man, I'll share some stories in dur course relating to Mike Nixon, but I haven't time tonight. I last ran into Mike, who had taken residence at the Santa Monica townhouse of the late actor, Chris Penn, in 1992.

Looking forward to discussing Mike Nixon here. Another piece of work.


-Rick

Rick, I always felt that Mike Nixon was the bravest boxer in Southern California.

After all, if he brought that Quarry girl home late from a date, he had Jack Quarry, Jerry Quarry and Mike Quarry waiting to greet him at the front door.

[Rick Farris]

Rick, I always felt that Mike Nixon was the bravest boxer in Southern California.
After all, if he brought that Quarry girl home late from a date, he had Jack Quarry, Jerry Quarry and Mike Quarry waiting to greet him at the front door. [/quote]




I have an answer for that one, but I best just keep it to myself

[Rick Farris]

Jackie Hayden
Was timekeeper at the Olympic and Hollywood

I spoke with Jackie a couple of years ago. He and his wife live in Huntington Beach.

-Rick

[bennie]

Tony Baltazar vs Danny Vargas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FcAvm--oU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0sOq-aTptQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNxCBvUQHvg

Exciting, controversial scrap. Tony just got fed up with low blows, elbows and headwork from Vargas. He bullied the bully. I like the way Frankie calmly consoles Vargas immediately after the stoppage, as if nothing had happened.
Good cornerwork.

[kikibalt]

Tony Baltazar vs Danny Vargas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FcAvm--oU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0sOq-aTptQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNxCBvUQHvg

Exciting, controversial scrap. Tony just got fed up with low blows, elbows and headwork from Vargas. He bullied the bully. I like the way Frankie calmly consoles Vargas immediately after the stoppage, as if nothing had happened.
Good cornerwork.

Bennie; just playing nice.....

[bennie]

Tony Baltazar vs Danny Vargas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FcAvm--oU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0sOq-aTptQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNxCBvUQHvg

Exciting, controversial scrap. Tony just got fed up with low blows, elbows and headwork from Vargas. He bullied the bully. I like the way Frankie calmly consoles Vargas immediately after the stoppage, as if nothing had happened.
Good cornerwork.

Bennie; just playing nice.....

Frankie, I recognised Jimmy Montoya in there with you. Who was the other guy? Cheatham?

[kikibalt]

Jackie Hayden
Was timekeeper at the Olympic and Hollywood

I spoke with Jackie a couple of years ago. He and his wife live in Huntington Beach.

-Rick

Rick,


Here is Jackie Hayden at Mando Ramos's service's with Bobby Chacon and Randy De La O

[kikibalt]

Frank, I put Tony's fight with Vargas on my website. I created a playlist so all three videos automatically play. This is the url for the page, http://boxing-ring.blogspot.com/2008/08 ... argas.html

It's easier than playing all three one after the other. Use this when giving someone a link.

Randy

[kikibalt]

Frankie, I recognised Jimmy Montoya in there with you. Who was the other guy? Cheatham?

yeah Bennie, its Jerry Cheatham alright! the guy playing tiger is a friend of Tony, Greg, the guy is a cop...

[kikibalt]

[sockdolager]

Frank, I put Tony's fight with Vargas on my website. I created a playlist so all three videos automatically play. This is the url for the page, http://boxing-ring.blogspot.com/2008/08 ... argas.html

It's easier than playing all three one after the other. Use this when giving someone a link.

Randy

Nice site, I was in there for an hour or so when I decided it was probably a good idea for me to get back to work. :)

[Rick Farris]

Im with ya Bennie.
The amateur scene doesnt really interest me anymore either.
I havent followed it in awhile.

I'm with you guys also, I don't watch amateur boxing myself.

You guys are 110% spot on about amateur boxing. It's all CRAP!!!!!! For one thing, people talk about the politics and prejudice involved in pro boxing, and the devils that run it, such as Don King, etc. Well, the truth is amateur boxing (amateur sports, that is) is the most politically corrupt, senseless reality on the face of the earth. The "white uniformed" USA boxing officcials are "tipped off" prior to a match to always favor the kid on the USA Team, as opposed to the young American who is not "on the team". The scoring and rules are offensive and unrealistic. Computors??? What the Hell does a computor know or understand about a hurt boxer, or what punch would have changed the course of a bout. Pain and injury do not always decide who wins a real fight, there are more imoortant factors, such as spiriti, instinct, courage, loyalty and just plain charactor. Show me a computor that understands hunger in the individual, desire. It's all CRAP!!!!! And I would not ruin a real fighter by subjecting him to the BS he'll encounter in today's amateur boxing. At most, I'd take a kid and turn him lose, explaining that what we were learning in the gym is not accepted by the officials, and that if he didnt take his opponent out quick, he was likely to be disqualified. In that case I'd warn him, "don't take your disqualification tomean anything. The idea is justg to get a little ring experience before an audience. Don't plan on winning, if we do, consider it a bonus. The rules are stacked against boxers who can "fight".

One more thing, although boxing is today suffering due to these stupid rules, this type of amateur athlete crap, the politics, etc. has been around for decades. My friend and former brother-in-law, Olympic Pole Vault champ Bob Seagren, fought the monsters for years. The IOC (International Olympic Commitee) was upset that Bob had challenged them during the four years since winning gold on his 21st birthday in Mexico City. Four years later, Bob broke the world record again, for the 12th time, during the '72 US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon. Bob broke the record by nearly five inches, using his fiberglass "Sky pole". The IOC said nothing, and waited until the day before the Pole vault comp was to begin to inform Bob his pole had been banned. It was their way of teaching him a lesson. Bob was vaulting over 18' in those days, and he was forced to borrow a pole from a decathelon athlete, Bill Toomey, who in his "events" was only a 16' vaulter. Using a small, unfamiliar pole not designed for a man to vault over 16', Bob somehow managed to garner a silver medal and reach the height of 17'10''. amazing considering. The next day, the front page picture on the sports section of the L.A. Times showed Seagren handing the small pole to Avery Brundage of the IOC, after the event. As he presented Brundage with the Pole, Bob made us proud telling the guy, "Shove this up your ass!."

-Rick

[Expug]

Great post as usual Rick.
My impression of the amateurs these days is I dont know what the future holds.
The last few years here in the Chicago Golden Gloves, there has been a huge dropoff in the amount of fighters entering the tournament.
There are hardly any fighters in the 126 and below divisions.
Back in the seventies when I fought in this tourny, these divisions as well as all the others were stacked.
The other thing is , I dont know who is fighting who, but Ive always been VERY skeptical of am. fighters claiming these 700 - 0 records.
You know as well as I do that in the ams, if you fight often, your gonna drop some.
Ive been involved with amateur Judo for some years now and we face many of the same political headaches.
Ive fought alot of tournaments in that sport, but I lost track of my won - loss record a long time ago.
Ive won alot but lost plenty also.
Not as much emphasis on keeping track.
More emphasis on the placement in a particular tournament.

[Rick Farris]

Rick, Frank or anyone else,
There was some mention of middleweight Mike Nixon a ways back in this thread & if I remember correctly one of you knew him fairly well; I had always thought Mike started his career in San Francisco & thought I remembered him from Newman's Gym & I see by looking at his record he had his 1st & 2nd fights in the Bay Area; then the other night going I found a picture of him goofing around for the camera with Emile Griffith at Newman's Gym, so I called my father who reminded me that I lent my sparring gloves to Mike to box with Griffith once. So what's was his story, I know he was a New Yorker but did he get to So Cal through Nor Cal? What's the rest of his story?
Thanks,
Bobbin & Weavin
in Nor Cal

A Mike Nixon-Jerry Quarry story . . .

A few years after their careers had ended, in the late 1980's, Jerry Quarry lived in a nice home in Agoura Hills, California, on the edge of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Unlike most of us of Irish decent, Jerry liked to take a little drink now and then, and so did his former bother-in-law Mike Nixon. The two had hung up their gloves and no longer fought in boxing rings, leaving their fist fights to places such as restaurants, bars, in the middle of busy highways and, in this case, a golf course.

Mike had joined Jerry and two buddies at the golf course and by the ninth hole, they were starting to get drunk. Jerry was in an arrogant mood and began to belittle Nixon, who finally had enough. Nixon stands up to Jerry and asks him, "how would you like to be KOed by a middleweight?" Jerry was furious and immediatly took a shot at the smaller Nixon, who ducked the assault and cracked Jerry right on the chin with his hardest punch, knocking the former heavyweight contender down. The two began to wrestle on the green and before things ended, Mike Nixon was in pretty bad shape. An ambulance was called, Nixon sobered up in the Emergency room, and the next day the two former brothers-in-law finished the last nine holes of their game. Of course, they had to finish at another course, because for some reason, the two had been banned from the Agoura Hills Golf Course. They must have been prejudiced against Irish-Americans? Go figure?

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Great post as usual Rick.
My impression of the amateurs these days is I dont know what the future holds.
The last few years here in the Chicago Golden Gloves, there has been a huge dropoff in the amount of fighters entering the tournament.
There are hardly any fighters in the 126 and below divisions.
Back in the seventies when I fought in this tourny, these divisions as well as all the others were stacked.
The other thing is , I dont know who is fighting who, but Ive always been VERY skeptical of am. fighters claiming these 700 - 0 records.
You know as well as I do that in the ams, if you fight often, your gonna drop some.
Ive been involved with amateur Judo for some years now and we face many of the same political headaches.
Ive fought alot of tournaments in that sport, but I lost track of my won - loss record a long time ago.
Ive won alot but lost plenty also.
Not as much emphasis on keeping track.
More emphasis on the placement in a particular tournament.

Good post, Pug. I found the same politics during my experience with martial arts, etc. However, I somehow believed that boxing was different. Not so, in fact, it's probably worse. You make such a great point about these unbeaten "super records". When I see ANY fighter with an unbeaten record, I always ask myself, "just who have they fought?" You know, for example, we had certain kids in our Jr. GG's programs (when I was fighting in them during the mid-60's) that rarely lost becasue they were just so damn good, like the Balatzar boys, Davila, Duarte, etc. however, they ALL lost on occasion. If they were the best they won, but human nature and reality prevents human beings from always being at their best. You may be sick, have something on your mind, or just get up on the wrong side of the bed. Maybe one's opponent has all the stars lined up in his favor, who knows? If you fight all the time, you will not ALWAYS be at your best. Look at "Ike Williams record. Yes, he had over 100 wins, but also 20 losses. I've never seen better than Williams, only Duran I consider as good.

-Rick

[raylawpc]

Great post as usual Rick.
My impression of the amateurs these days is I dont know what the future holds.
The last few years here in the Chicago Golden Gloves, there has been a huge dropoff in the amount of fighters entering the tournament.
There are hardly any fighters in the 126 and below divisions.
Back in the seventies when I fought in this tourny, these divisions as well as all the others were stacked.
The other thing is , I dont know who is fighting who, but Ive always been VERY skeptical of am. fighters claiming these 700 - 0 records.
You know as well as I do that in the ams, if you fight often, your gonna drop some.
Ive been involved with amateur Judo for some years now and we face many of the same political headaches.
Ive fought alot of tournaments in that sport, but I lost track of my won - loss record a long time ago.
Ive won alot but lost plenty also.
Not as much emphasis on keeping track.
More emphasis on the placement in a particular tournament.

Good post, Pug. I found the same politics during my experience with martial arts, etc. However, I somehow believed that boxing was different. Not so, in fact, it's probably worse. You make such a great point about these unbeaten "super records". When I see ANY fighter with an unbeaten record, I always ask myself, "just who have they fought?" You know, for example, we had certain kids in our Jr. GG's programs (when I was fighting in them during the mid-60's) that rarely lost becasue they were just so damn good, like the Balatzar boys, Davila, Duarte, etc. however, they ALL lost on occasion. If they were the best they won, but human nature and reality prevents human beings from always being at their best. You may be sick, have something on your mind, or just get up on the wrong side of the bed. Maybe one's opponent has all the stars lined up in his favor, who knows? If you fight all the time, you will not ALWAYS be at your best. Look at "Ike Williams record. Yes, he had over 100 wins, but also 20 losses. I've never seen better than Williams, only Duran I consider as good.

-Rick

Yes, Rick, a great point!! Which I why I can't understand folks who trivialize Rocky Marciano's 49-0 record. Granted, early in his career, the opponents weren't all world-beaters. But even so, it is hard to imagine the focus and dedication it must have taken to go 49-0. He always figured out a way to win. He was always at his best. What a fighter!

[Chuck1052]

I feel that the big turning point in amateur boxing was when Roy Jones got such a raw deal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Instead of making a greater effort to ensure that the ring judges were honest and competent, they gave amateur boxing a complete makeover so that the sport is in an almost unrecognizable form at the present time.

- Chuck Johnston

[kikibalt]

I got sour on the amatuers because of the AAU, back when I was head coach of the L.A. Golden Glove team (1973-74) , the guy that had the L.A. franchise was Victor Bloom, he also had the Hawaiian franchise, when we would go to the national's everything was paid for, the boxers and coaches would have rooms, two boxers to a room, the two coaches would each have a room, we would get per dim, plus the figters and coaches would get team jackets (Letterman type), the fighters would also get trunks/robes.

Now the AAU, we had to pay our way 100%, and while the big shots had fancy suites and fancy food and drinks, our guys would be sleeping 5-6 to a room some would sleep on the floor, and how they hated our fighters, fought to much like pros they would say, in 1976 when Tony won the national's Jr Olympics, one of the big shots got piss because Tony was voted the outstanding fighter, said he fought to much like a pro, he won 3 out of 4 by ko, yeah, he fought like a pro back then. so I flip the AAU the bird and turn my guys pro as soon as they turn 18 years old.

[kikibalt]

Unknown and Bobby Jackson

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Where is Bennie?

[kikibalt]

Sandy Saddler vs Armand Savoie

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Jimmy Carter vs Ike Williams

[bennie]

Where is Bennie?

Lurking in the undergrowth, Frankie.