Classic American West Coast Boxing

[bennie]

Photos by Scarface

Sorry Dan, but Bennie said that was your name from now on.....


The bout that made history. Yori Boy Campas defending his IBF Jr.
Middleweight title against Pedro Ortega and the first world title fight
being officiated by a female referee. Gwen Adair.



Carlos Ortiz and Rick Farris


Rick Farris and Gwen Adair


Marvin Johnson and Yaqui Lopez

Scarface?! Well, it's a litle beat up but I didn't think it was that bad. Maybe you were looking too hard at Yori Boy Campas. Now that face is like a well-chewed caramel. Incidentally, I can't take credit for these photos, these were the work of Dawn Paradis, Rick's cousin who lives in Florida. An outstanding photographer and an even nicer person.

Scartissue

It was Frankie, Scar (What a snitch I am!). He once posted something you sent him and, doped up on all that coffee, he called you Scarface. He noticed his mistake after a couple of minutes but not before several million people were rolling around.

[kikibalt]

Thanks for the posts on ortiz, Frank. he was the first former champion that I ever met and actually got to spend time with talking boxing. Super nice guy outside the ring.

I liked what he said about boxers: "outside the ring, they're all cupcakes." I think that true. Some of the nicest guys I've ever known are boxers. In fact, in many cases, the bigger the name, the nicer the guy.

Tom,

I never had the chance of meeting Ortiz, though I did see him fight live more then once when he was just a young fighter (Late 1950's-early 1960's), I always thought he was a great fighter.

You both are right in that most boxers are cupcakes, I too have found out that about 99% of the fighters that I have met are the nicest people you can ever hope to meet.

So how do you like your new computer?

[kikibalt]

Photos by Scarface

Sorry Dan, but Bennie said that was your name from now on.....


The bout that made history. Yori Boy Campas defending his IBF Jr.
Middleweight title against Pedro Ortega and the first world title fight
being officiated by a female referee. Gwen Adair.



Carlos Ortiz and Rick Farris


Rick Farris and Gwen Adair


Marvin Johnson and Yaqui Lopez

Scarface?! Well, it's a litle beat up but I didn't think it was that bad. Maybe you were looking too hard at Yori Boy Campas. Now that face is like a well-chewed caramel. Incidentally, I can't take credit for these photos, these were the work of Dawn Paradis, Rick's cousin who lives in Florida. An outstanding photographer and an even nicer person.

Scartissue

It was Frankie, Scar (What a snitch I am!). He once posted something you sent him and, doped up on all that coffee, he called you Scarface. He noticed his mistake after a couple of minutes but not before several million people were rolling around.

Bennie,I thought you were my buddy......

[bennie]

Hi guys i have a question which I hope the posters on this page can give some answers to

Ruben Castillo was mentioned on another thread recently and it gave me reason to wonder if he was an unlucky fighter not to get a world belt.

great hand and footspeed, skills, decent chin and plenty of guts, to me he was partly unlucky due to challenging for world championships against very, very good- actually, mostly superb- champs. Arguello, Sanchez, Chavez, reads like a murderer's row of boxer-punchers. and his 4th shot was against decent Rocky Lockridge I think.... I mean, boza edwards got a world title and castillo didnt....?

I often compare him to Bobby Chacon and here is where my question lies i guess. firstly, look at the guys chacon took world belts off, compared to those Castillo challenged, and it seems to me Chacon had a much easier ride, is this correct?

secondly, was a fight between them ever in the offering? it would seem quite an obvious one as both were by all accounts very popular in Cali. my suspicion is that they weren't quite at their peaks at the same time, although as both fought well past their respective peaks i would still think a fight could possibly have been made

and, of course, how would you see a fight between them going? i would think it would be a superb, fast, tehcnical Boxing 101 which i would see chacon's superior power seeing him, narrowly, through...

thanks for any insight you can give me here 8)

Castillo was outboxing Arguello for much of the way but the Nicarguan thin man finally wore him down and got to him in the 11th (from memory). He was too small for Arguello, really, and then dropped down to feather and gave Sanchez a fabulous fight before dropping a close 15-round decision. Laporte came next, also at feather, and the heavy handed Puerto Rican dropped Ruben twice on the way to a sparkling decision. A great display from Laporte, and Castillo's best chance to win a world title was gone. Finally, back at super-feather (junior-light), Chavez proved too strong and stopped Castillo in seven or eight. Really, Castillo was a featherweight and boxing there when Chacon won back the super-featherweight title on that unbelievable night against Limon. Boza then fought Chacon because he was the mandatory and because he earned it (in my opinion), belting Arturo Leon in four, winning the European title by making a tough Spaniard quit, belting Johnny Verderosa, outscoring Blaine Dickson in a war... Boza went on a brilliant run up to the rematch with Chacon (whom he had previously stopped).
Ultimately, Castillo lost a few 10-rounders he should have won and that cost him mandatory shots and possibly a shot at Bobby, although he was challenging Laporte when Bobby was surviving about 20 cuts to get past Boza. Incidentally, I'm not sure Chacon ever had it easy; that is the last thing that comes to mind with Bobby. The only break Bobby ever really got was NOT fighting Camacho in 1983. Bobby didn't need that after the Limon and Boza wars, even though he was still unfairly stripped.

[Counter-puncher]

thanks bennie 8)

[bennie]

thanks bennie 8)

You raise a good point, Counter-puncher. It does seem strange that Chacon and Castillo didn't cross paths at some point. Both had LONG careers.

[bennie]

Hey, Frankie, I weighed up all the options first. Dan is a big guy; you know a lot of bikers; Dan rolls up with Expug; you roll up with the fighting Baltazars (with you in front) and big Rog and the bikers...

What really swung it is the fact Dan seems to 'know' a lot of shady people in England.

[raylawpc]

Thanks for the posts on ortiz, Frank. he was the first former champion that I ever met and actually got to spend time with talking boxing. Super nice guy outside the ring.

I liked what he said about boxers: "outside the ring, they're all cupcakes." I think that true. Some of the nicest guys I've ever known are boxers. In fact, in many cases, the bigger the name, the nicer the guy.

Tom,

I never had the chance of meeting Ortiz, though I did see him fight live more then once when he was just a young fighter (Late 1950's-early 1960's), I always thought he was a great fighter.

You both are right in that most boxers are cupcakes, I too have found out that about 99% of the fighters that I have met are the nicest people you can ever hope to meet.

So how do you like your new computer?

I really like it. One of the nice things about Dell is that they didn't force me to convert to Vista when I bought the new laptop. They give you a choice of Vista or Keeping Windows XP. I kept XP, so no learning curve there. However, I did upgrade Office 2007. I haven't used any of the other programs in the Office 2007 Suite, but I really, really like Word 2007. This is good because I'm what's called a "transaction lawyer" (other lawyers are litigation lawyers - some do both, but generally not very well), and we create dozens of documents everyday.

Well, enough about computers.

of the fighters I knew, I can count on one hand the boxers that I really didn't like, and I can only think of one "name" fighter that a disliked.

When I was in college, some of the fighters used to visit me on campus and I'd introduce them to my college friends. Almost everytime, one of my college friends would tell me later: "He's really a boxer? He seems like such a nice guy."

[bennie]

Photos by Scarface

Sorry Dan, but Bennie said that was your name from now on.....


The bout that made history. Yori Boy Campas defending his IBF Jr.
Middleweight title against Pedro Ortega and the first world title fight
being officiated by a female referee. Gwen Adair.



Carlos Ortiz and Rick Farris


Rick Farris and Gwen Adair


Marvin Johnson and Yaqui Lopez

Ortiz sure knew what he was doing in a ring. Crafty dude. Gave Battling Torres fits. Same with Laguna. Like a guy that knows the art of boxing.

Rog, In 1972, Carlos came to L.A. for one of his last bouts, a ten round decision win over Greg Potter at the Forum. Ortiz was well past his prime, however, during a light sparring session at the Main St. Gym, he rocked me with a left hook. After I stepped out of the ring following the workout, my trainer, Mel Epstein, looked me in the eyes and asked, "what did you do today before you came to the gym?" When I tried to answer, I couldn't remember. In fact, I'd lost memory of the the past couple of days. I called my girlfriend to tell her I was on my way over, and discovered that she and I were in the middle of a big dispute and she didn't want to see me. "Don't you rememebr what you told me last night?", she asked. "Hell, I don't rememebr a thing", I answered. Eventually my memory returned, thanks to a little help from friends, but man it was a strange experience. Not even Duran, who floored me in a workout the following year, had that effect on me.

-Rick

Ortiz is someone I wish I knew more about. He came over to England as quite an inexperienced fighter and dished out a boxing lesson to one of our greatest ever, Dartford's Dave Charnley. Some older fans still remember his use of the jab that night.
Sadly, his last fight came against Buchanan.

[bennie]

Marvin Johnson! He won his first world title in Europe against Mate Parlov, lost it to Matthew Saad Muhammad in eight brutal rounds, came back to beat Galindez for the title (breaking Victor's jaw), lost it again to Eddie Gregory, who counterpunched him to a standstill, and then got poleaxed by Mike Spinks in four rounds from a fantastic left uppercut in a non-title fight.
It was all over, surely.

Nope.

[kikibalt]

Hey, Frankie, I weighed up all the options first. Dan is a big guy; you know a lot of bikers; Dan rolls up with Expug; you roll up with the fighting Baltazars (with you in front) and big Rog and the bikers...

What really swung it is the fact Dan seems to 'know' a lot of shady people in England.

Me in front? no way, Rog, the bikers and the Baltazar boys in front, I stay behind, shady people? let me tell you that most of my family is shady, I don't trust or turn my back on them.....

[dagosd2000]

Hey, Frankie, I weighed up all the options first. Dan is a big guy; you know a lot of bikers; Dan rolls up with Expug; you roll up with the fighting Baltazars (with you in front) and big Rog and the bikers...

What really swung it is the fact Dan seems to 'know' a lot of shady people in England.

Me in front? no way, Rog, the bikers and the Baltazar boys in front, I stay behind, shady people? let me tell you that most of my family is shady, I don't trust or turn my back on them.....

Frank

Remember Luca Abrasi in the Godfather? I'm your Luca Abrasi. Dagos

[kikibalt]

Hey, Frankie, I weighed up all the options first. Dan is a big guy; you know a lot of bikers; Dan rolls up with Expug; you roll up with the fighting Baltazars (with you in front) and big Rog and the bikers...

What really swung it is the fact Dan seems to 'know' a lot of shady people in England.

Me in front? no way, Rog, the bikers and the Baltazar boys in front, I stay behind, shady people? let me tell you that most of my family is shady, I don't trust or turn my back on them.....

Frank

Remember Luca Abrasi in the Godfather? I'm your Luca Abrasi. Dagos

diego,

With all the shady people that Dan knows from the U.K, I'm going to need Luca Abrasi (you).

[kikibalt]

I was fortunate to have seen the great Ortiz in his early days, I was at the the Legion in Hollywood when he fought Mickey Norhtrup, Lou Filippo twice, I also seen him fight Joey Lopes, Phil Kim, Cisco Andrade and Battling Torres, I miss his fight at the Forum vs Greg Potter.

[bennie]

That is good fortune, Frankie. What was he like to watch?

[kikibalt]

SAYING GOODBYE TO MOTHER......

You Don't Have To Own A Cat To Appreciate This One! You don't even
have to like 'em!

We were dressed and ready to go out for the New Years Eve Party. We
turned on a night light, turned the answering machine on, covered our
pet parakeet and put the cat in the backyard.

We phoned the local cab company and requested a taxi. The taxi arrived
and we opened the front door to leave the house.

The cat we put out in the yard, scoots back into the house.
We didn't want the cat shut in the house because she always tries to eat the bird.

My wife goes out to the taxi, while I went inside t o get the cat. The
cat runs upstairs, with me in hot pursuit. Waiting in the cab, my wife
doesn't want the driver to know that the house will be empty for the
night.. So, she explains to the taxi driver that I will be out soon,

'He's just going upstairs to say Goodbye to my mother.'

A few minutes later, I get into the cab. 'Sorry I took so long,' I
said, as we drove away. That stupid bitch was hiding under the bed.
I had to poke her with a coat hanger to get her to come out! She tried to take off, so I
grabbed her by the neck. Then, I had to wrap her in a blanket to keep
her from scratching me. But it worked! I hauled her fat ass downstairs
and threw her out into the back yard!'

The cab driver hit a parked car.

[Rick Farris]

3-Time World Champion Carlos Ortiz Discusses His Boxing Career with RSR
Interview by Dan Hernandez
Ringside Report.com

“I am always thankful to all the great fans that I’ve had and all the backing that they gave me. The opportunities they gave me and so forth, I can’t forget that.” -–Carlos Ortiz

Carlos Ortiz, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on September 9, 1936, was a 3-Time World Champion, first in the junior welterweight division and twice in the lightweight division. A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, as are many of his opponents, he is still actively enjoying the fruits of a successful career, marriage, and clean life.

I was reminded of Carlos when I received a notice from Bruce Silverglade, respected author and proprietor of Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, regarding its famous annual “Fantasy Boxing Camp,” which is taking place August 29th through September 1st, 2008 at Kutsher‘s Country Club in the magnificent Catskill Mountains.

The camp features intensive boxing discussions, coaching sessions, ring craft, sparring and training drills. At the end of the camp, the attendees will have an opportunity to display their newfound skills in the Fantasy Camp Sparring Show. The camp gives the participants a chance to learn from excellent trainers such as Hector Roca, Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion, Mark Breland, 3-Time World Champion Carlos Ortiz, and 2-Time World Champion Juan LaPorte and other top boxing people.

Hector Roca, Mark Breland, Juan LaPorte and Carlos Ortiz? Give me a break, where do I sign up?! I could not resist. I contacted Bruce and requested aid in contacting Carlos and he fortunately complied. Upon contact, Ortiz was open and even grateful for the communication. I was humbled by his graciousness, here was a man that had a career record of 61-7-1, 30 KO’s (1 NC). He fought in divisions that had future Hall of Fame residents, Joe Brown, Ishmael Laguna, Ken Buchanan, Sugar Ramos, Nicolino Locche, Duilio Loi, and Gabriel “Flash” Elorde…a virtual who’s who of fistic greats.

I recalled watching Ortiz soundly defeat two of my favorite fighters at the time, longtime lightweight titleholder Joe Brown, in gaining the Lightweight Championship and knocking out Raymundo “Battling” Torres, a former champion, in defense of his lightweight title. Ortiz was one of the best all-around fighters that I had ever seen and it was my pleasure to sit down and speak with him regarding his career, motivations, and philosophies of life.

DH: First thing, I have to tell you that you were one of the best fighters that I ever saw…however you beat one of my favorites, Battling Torres.

Thank you. Battling Torres was a good fighter and a tough fighter. The only thing is that I was a little bit better than him.

DH: I think you were a lot better than him from what I remember.

(Laughs)

DH: That is nice of you to say that.

Yeah, well he really was a good fighter, you know. He was a good puncher, he was a fairly good boxer, but not good enough, you know.

DH: That’s what did him in, the boxing, wasn’t it?

That’s what did him in, the boxing. I was too smart for him with the jabs and he was very slow in the way he threw his punches…so, I was a little bit faster than he was.

DH: It sounds like you’re doing real well, are you?

I’m doing terrific; I’m 73 years old now. I am very strong, you know, and I go to the gym once in awhile. I walk a lot and I keep busy. I’m going with life, whatever life brings over, I’m taking.

DH: Are you married?

Oh yeah, of course. I’ve been married for 35 years already and I have five children. They are all healthy and no one is a boxer. That’s the main thing.

DH: Tell me about the Fantasy Boxing Camp.

I’ve been doing this with Bruce since he got the idea and we started it and we haven’t stopped yet. Every year we have a full house and it just gets better and better.

DH: Do you enjoy working with the attendees?

I get a big kick out of it, yeah. That’s why I go; I go because it reminds me of my training periods and how much I enjoyed them. I enjoy it very much.

DH: I spoke with one of your contemporaries, Gaspar Ortega.

Oh yeah, no kidding. What’s he doing?

DH: He’s doing very well and still training young boxers, like Elvin Ayala in Connecticut.

Oh, he’s still in Connecticut?

DH: Yes, and he’s your age and apparently can still box circles around most of the young fighters.

Yeah, he’s got a lot of guts.

DH: I am sure pleased to be able to speak with you.

Well, you people are the ones that keep me going. I get a lot of calls from different people asking for autographs and pictures and things. It keeps me going.

DH: What do you remember most from your fighting days?

There never can be a more impressive highlight than winning a championship. The first championship I fought, I won, and I never forget it. The Junior Welterweight Title, against Kenny Lane, and then I finally got a chance for the lightweight title, I came down to 135 pounds and I fought Joe Brown. I beat him, won the title, and I kept the title for approximately 6 years. I am so proud of that and I wonder how I was able to accomplish that, it was amazing.

DH: I used to think Joe Brown was a terrific fighter.

Oh gosh yes. I’m glad that I had a good jab when I fought him, when I started jabbing him and found out that he was a sucker for a left jab, that’s all I threw for fifteen rounds…jab, jab, and jab!

I was gonna stick with this jab for as long as it gets me and it took me fifteen rounds and that’s it…I won the fight.

DH: Did he land any solid shots during that fight?

Oh, he hit me with a few right hands and a few good lefts; he was a good left hooker. He was a great boxer and a great puncher. But, he never got that big punch in against me, the one that he needed. In fact, with my left jab working so well, I didn’t let him get that punch in. Because I was always with the jab in his face, in his face, in his face, the jab in his face, in his face, he was going crazy.

DH: Most fighters today seemed to have forgotten about the jab, don’t you think?

The jab was my specialty. I can’t imagine not having a good jab. It was my lucky charm.

DH: Any thoughts on Kenny Lane?

Next to Joe Brown, he was the smartest fighter that I fought. He was a very smart fighter, the only thing that I had a knack for fighting southpaws and he gave me a hard time because he was a good fighter but I read him out and I used to get the best of him. It was the jab and left hook that got him.

DH: Did you have an amateur career also?

Oh gee, I had about 80 fights. That got me ready for the pros. I had eighty fights and I only lost one fight in the amateurs…just one. I don’t remember the name of the guy I lost to, but it was a great experience for me.

DH: You won a title 3 times and the last title fight you had was a losing effort to Carlos Teo Cruz, is that correct?

Yes, Teo Cruz in Santo Domingo. I don’t even like to talk about it. Teo Cruz was a nice guy but I went to Santa Domingo and I fought, they cheated me out of my title. It’s something that I don’t like to discuss

DH: I saw Teo lose his title to Mando Ramos and I remember thinking, “How did this guy beat Carlos Ortiz?” However, he did last the fifteen rounds with you.

Yeah, he went fifteen rounds, and it was just a case of me fighting in the wrong place at the wrong time.

DH: Did you know that Mando Ramos just passed away?

No kidding! How old was he?

DH: He was 59.

59? He was a young kid.

DH: Yes, but he chose a tough road and didn’t take care of himself the way he should have.

Oh, I don’t drink, I don’t touch the stuff.

DH: That’s probably why you have a long marriage too.
(Laughs)

DH: Who were your toughest opponents?

I’ve got to say Kenny Lane, Joe Brown, for sure. Ismael Laguna, Sugar Ramos…these guys were tough and good punchers. You had to really be careful with those guys. I just happened to be lucky that I had the wares to beat these guys.

DH: You were very good. It even shows in how clearly you think and speak today. You didn’t get hit too much, did you?

You know, I practiced always that I hit you but you’re not gonna hit me. That was my idea all the time in going into that ring, “I’m gonna hit you, but you’re not gonna hit me, and I’m gonna win the fight.”

DH: Well you were very successful in reaching that goal.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I loved my career, I loved that I did it. There are some things that you regret for a time, but, you know, that’s life.

DH: Sugar Ramos was a good fighter; he was involved in the fight where Davey Moore passed away after the fight. You managed to knock him out twice.

Sure. He was good, I was a little stronger. I fought him twice. I met Davey Moore; he was a very nice guy. All fighters seem to be nice guys, out of the ring they are cupcakes.

DH: You’re in the Hall of Fame.

Oh yeah, I was inducted in ‘91 and that was my coup de grace, you know. It’s something that you always wish that you’re going to get and finally I got it and I said: “Boy, that’s it!”

DH: I feel privileged in being able to speak with you.

Oh wonderful, it’s a great thing that you called me. It’s nice that you called me and I understand that my fans want to get in touch with me and talk to me because they were my fans and I’m not gonna say no to them. I am always thankful to all the great fans that I’ve had and all the backing that they gave me. The opportunities they gave me and so forth, I can’t forget that.

DH: Did you ever have to work at something else besides boxing?

No, I never worked a day in my life. It was all boxing.

DH: Do you use the Internet?

I had a computer for a bit, it got messed up and I threw the darn thing away. I don’t have a computer any more.

DH: Fine, I’ll mail a copy of the interview and thanks a lot.

Great, that will be great and take care of yourself!

Last year, Dan Hanley and I both had a chance to interview Carlos Ortiz in a little studio we set up at the WBHOF banquet. We will do so again this year, expanding on the info we took in last time out. Carlos is present every year, along with his wife Maria. Keep in mind guys, Dan and I don't just ask questions to satisfy our own knowledge and curisority, we ask questions that YOU want answered. Feel free to pose these questions to either Dan or myself, and we'll get the answers.

Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

Hi guys i have a question which I hope the posters on this page can give some answers to

Ruben Castillo was mentioned on another thread recently and it gave me reason to wonder if he was an unlucky fighter not to get a world belt.

great hand and footspeed, skills, decent chin and plenty of guts, to me he was partly unlucky due to challenging for world championships against very, very good- actually, mostly superb- champs. Arguello, Sanchez, Chavez, reads like a murderer's row of boxer-punchers. and his 4th shot was against decent Rocky Lockridge I think.... I mean, boza edwards got a world title and castillo didnt....?

I often compare him to Bobby Chacon and here is where my question lies i guess. firstly, look at the guys chacon took world belts off, compared to those Castillo challenged, and it seems to me Chacon had a much easier ride, is this correct?

secondly, was a fight between them ever in the offering? it would seem quite an obvious one as both were by all accounts very popular in Cali. my suspicion is that they weren't quite at their peaks at the same time, although as both fought well past their respective peaks i would still think a fight could possibly have been made

and, of course, how would you see a fight between them going? i would think it would be a superb, fast, tehcnical Boxing 101 which i would see chacon's superior power seeing him, narrowly, through...

thanks for any insight you can give me here 8)

Counter, Ruben Castillo had great skills. Unfortunatly, he came up at a time when guys like Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez and Alexis Arguello. That pretty much says it all. Ruben was very, very good in an era of several all-time greats.

-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Rick ...

Freddie Steele's real name was Frederick Earle Steele Burgett. I have a Freddie Steele Scrapbook packed away in my boxes somewhere. I'll dig it out a make a copy of the entire scrapbook for you. It is quite good.

In my taped interview of Freddie Steele in either 1981 or 1982, I asked him, "How do you think you'd do with the current crop of middleweights, Mr. Steele?" He replied, "Oh Jeeez. It would be like stealing candy from a baby."

John

[raylawpc]

3-Time World Champion Carlos Ortiz Discusses His Boxing Career with RSR
Interview by Dan Hernandez
Ringside Report.com

“I am always thankful to all the great fans that I’ve had and all the backing that they gave me. The opportunities they gave me and so forth, I can’t forget that.” -–Carlos Ortiz

Carlos Ortiz, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on September 9, 1936, was a 3-Time World Champion, first in the junior welterweight division and twice in the lightweight division. A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, as are many of his opponents, he is still actively enjoying the fruits of a successful career, marriage, and clean life.

I was reminded of Carlos when I received a notice from Bruce Silverglade, respected author and proprietor of Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, regarding its famous annual “Fantasy Boxing Camp,” which is taking place August 29th through September 1st, 2008 at Kutsher‘s Country Club in the magnificent Catskill Mountains.

The camp features intensive boxing discussions, coaching sessions, ring craft, sparring and training drills. At the end of the camp, the attendees will have an opportunity to display their newfound skills in the Fantasy Camp Sparring Show. The camp gives the participants a chance to learn from excellent trainers such as Hector Roca, Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion, Mark Breland, 3-Time World Champion Carlos Ortiz, and 2-Time World Champion Juan LaPorte and other top boxing people.

Hector Roca, Mark Breland, Juan LaPorte and Carlos Ortiz? Give me a break, where do I sign up?! I could not resist. I contacted Bruce and requested aid in contacting Carlos and he fortunately complied. Upon contact, Ortiz was open and even grateful for the communication. I was humbled by his graciousness, here was a man that had a career record of 61-7-1, 30 KO’s (1 NC). He fought in divisions that had future Hall of Fame residents, Joe Brown, Ishmael Laguna, Ken Buchanan, Sugar Ramos, Nicolino Locche, Duilio Loi, and Gabriel “Flash” Elorde…a virtual who’s who of fistic greats.

I recalled watching Ortiz soundly defeat two of my favorite fighters at the time, longtime lightweight titleholder Joe Brown, in gaining the Lightweight Championship and knocking out Raymundo “Battling” Torres, a former champion, in defense of his lightweight title. Ortiz was one of the best all-around fighters that I had ever seen and it was my pleasure to sit down and speak with him regarding his career, motivations, and philosophies of life.

DH: First thing, I have to tell you that you were one of the best fighters that I ever saw…however you beat one of my favorites, Battling Torres.

Thank you. Battling Torres was a good fighter and a tough fighter. The only thing is that I was a little bit better than him.

DH: I think you were a lot better than him from what I remember.

(Laughs)

DH: That is nice of you to say that.

Yeah, well he really was a good fighter, you know. He was a good puncher, he was a fairly good boxer, but not good enough, you know.

DH: That’s what did him in, the boxing, wasn’t it?

That’s what did him in, the boxing. I was too smart for him with the jabs and he was very slow in the way he threw his punches…so, I was a little bit faster than he was.

DH: It sounds like you’re doing real well, are you?

I’m doing terrific; I’m 73 years old now. I am very strong, you know, and I go to the gym once in awhile. I walk a lot and I keep busy. I’m going with life, whatever life brings over, I’m taking.

DH: Are you married?

Oh yeah, of course. I’ve been married for 35 years already and I have five children. They are all healthy and no one is a boxer. That’s the main thing.

DH: Tell me about the Fantasy Boxing Camp.

I’ve been doing this with Bruce since he got the idea and we started it and we haven’t stopped yet. Every year we have a full house and it just gets better and better.

DH: Do you enjoy working with the attendees?

I get a big kick out of it, yeah. That’s why I go; I go because it reminds me of my training periods and how much I enjoyed them. I enjoy it very much.

DH: I spoke with one of your contemporaries, Gaspar Ortega.

Oh yeah, no kidding. What’s he doing?

DH: He’s doing very well and still training young boxers, like Elvin Ayala in Connecticut.

Oh, he’s still in Connecticut?

DH: Yes, and he’s your age and apparently can still box circles around most of the young fighters.

Yeah, he’s got a lot of guts.

DH: I am sure pleased to be able to speak with you.

Well, you people are the ones that keep me going. I get a lot of calls from different people asking for autographs and pictures and things. It keeps me going.

DH: What do you remember most from your fighting days?

There never can be a more impressive highlight than winning a championship. The first championship I fought, I won, and I never forget it. The Junior Welterweight Title, against Kenny Lane, and then I finally got a chance for the lightweight title, I came down to 135 pounds and I fought Joe Brown. I beat him, won the title, and I kept the title for approximately 6 years. I am so proud of that and I wonder how I was able to accomplish that, it was amazing.

DH: I used to think Joe Brown was a terrific fighter.

Oh gosh yes. I’m glad that I had a good jab when I fought him, when I started jabbing him and found out that he was a sucker for a left jab, that’s all I threw for fifteen rounds…jab, jab, and jab!

I was gonna stick with this jab for as long as it gets me and it took me fifteen rounds and that’s it…I won the fight.

DH: Did he land any solid shots during that fight?

Oh, he hit me with a few right hands and a few good lefts; he was a good left hooker. He was a great boxer and a great puncher. But, he never got that big punch in against me, the one that he needed. In fact, with my left jab working so well, I didn’t let him get that punch in. Because I was always with the jab in his face, in his face, in his face, the jab in his face, in his face, he was going crazy.

DH: Most fighters today seemed to have forgotten about the jab, don’t you think?

The jab was my specialty. I can’t imagine not having a good jab. It was my lucky charm.

DH: Any thoughts on Kenny Lane?

Next to Joe Brown, he was the smartest fighter that I fought. He was a very smart fighter, the only thing that I had a knack for fighting southpaws and he gave me a hard time because he was a good fighter but I read him out and I used to get the best of him. It was the jab and left hook that got him.

DH: Did you have an amateur career also?

Oh gee, I had about 80 fights. That got me ready for the pros. I had eighty fights and I only lost one fight in the amateurs…just one. I don’t remember the name of the guy I lost to, but it was a great experience for me.

DH: You won a title 3 times and the last title fight you had was a losing effort to Carlos Teo Cruz, is that correct?

Yes, Teo Cruz in Santo Domingo. I don’t even like to talk about it. Teo Cruz was a nice guy but I went to Santa Domingo and I fought, they cheated me out of my title. It’s something that I don’t like to discuss

DH: I saw Teo lose his title to Mando Ramos and I remember thinking, “How did this guy beat Carlos Ortiz?” However, he did last the fifteen rounds with you.

Yeah, he went fifteen rounds, and it was just a case of me fighting in the wrong place at the wrong time.

DH: Did you know that Mando Ramos just passed away?

No kidding! How old was he?

DH: He was 59.

59? He was a young kid.

DH: Yes, but he chose a tough road and didn’t take care of himself the way he should have.

Oh, I don’t drink, I don’t touch the stuff.

DH: That’s probably why you have a long marriage too.
(Laughs)

DH: Who were your toughest opponents?

I’ve got to say Kenny Lane, Joe Brown, for sure. Ismael Laguna, Sugar Ramos…these guys were tough and good punchers. You had to really be careful with those guys. I just happened to be lucky that I had the wares to beat these guys.

DH: You were very good. It even shows in how clearly you think and speak today. You didn’t get hit too much, did you?

You know, I practiced always that I hit you but you’re not gonna hit me. That was my idea all the time in going into that ring, “I’m gonna hit you, but you’re not gonna hit me, and I’m gonna win the fight.”

DH: Well you were very successful in reaching that goal.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I loved my career, I loved that I did it. There are some things that you regret for a time, but, you know, that’s life.

DH: Sugar Ramos was a good fighter; he was involved in the fight where Davey Moore passed away after the fight. You managed to knock him out twice.

Sure. He was good, I was a little stronger. I fought him twice. I met Davey Moore; he was a very nice guy. All fighters seem to be nice guys, out of the ring they are cupcakes.

DH: You’re in the Hall of Fame.

Oh yeah, I was inducted in ‘91 and that was my coup de grace, you know. It’s something that you always wish that you’re going to get and finally I got it and I said: “Boy, that’s it!”

DH: I feel privileged in being able to speak with you.

Oh wonderful, it’s a great thing that you called me. It’s nice that you called me and I understand that my fans want to get in touch with me and talk to me because they were my fans and I’m not gonna say no to them. I am always thankful to all the great fans that I’ve had and all the backing that they gave me. The opportunities they gave me and so forth, I can’t forget that.

DH: Did you ever have to work at something else besides boxing?

No, I never worked a day in my life. It was all boxing.

DH: Do you use the Internet?

I had a computer for a bit, it got messed up and I threw the darn thing away. I don’t have a computer any more.

DH: Fine, I’ll mail a copy of the interview and thanks a lot.

Great, that will be great and take care of yourself!

Last year, Dan Hanley and I both had a chance to interview Carlos Ortiz in a little studio we set up at the WBHOF banquet. We will do so again this year, expanding on the info we took in last time out. Carlos is present every year, along with his wife Maria. Keep in mind guys, Dan and I don't just ask questions to satisfy our own knowledge and curisority, we ask questions that YOU want answered. Feel free to pose these questions to either Dan or myself, and we'll get the answers.

Rick Farris

Ask him if he remembers the long-haired kid who drove him all over Oklahoma City and asked him a zillion questions about boxing (every one of which he patiently and graciously tried to answer)!

[kikibalt]

That is good fortune, Frankie. What was he like to watch?

Bennie,

All I can say is we knew we were watching a future great fighter in action, I'll never forget that jab of his, like all great fighters he would work behind the jab.

[raylawpc]

That is good fortune, Frankie. What was he like to watch?

Bennie,

All I can say is we knew we were watching a future great fighter in action, I'll never forget that jab of his, like all great fighters he would work behind the jab.

Right on, Frank! The all-time greats from knew how to throw the jab, and they did everything off the jab.

[kikibalt]

That is good fortune, Frankie. What was he like to watch?

Bennie,

All I can say is we knew we were watching a future great fighter in action, I'll never forget that jab of his, like all great fighters he would work behind the jab.

Right on, Frank! The all-time greats from knew how to throw the jab, and they did everything off the jab.

You're so right on that, Tom.

[kikibalt]

Los Angeles Times file photo

April 1963: Bo Belinsky and fiancee Mamie Van Doren skip the Baseball Writers Annual Awards banquet to go dancing.
August 20, 1968
By Keith Thursby
Times staff writer

Bo Belinsky would have been something in the era of YouTube. A left-handed pitcher who loved the limelight, he'd probably even have his own blog.

Belinsky had a short, wild career that was filled with potential and problems. He pitched the first no-hitter in Los Angeles major league history for the Angels in 1962 and started his rookie season 5-0.

Ross Newhan, The Times' longtime baseball writer, wrote in 2001 about his first encounter with Belinsky in Palm Springs in 1962.

"There he was sitting by the Desert Inn pool, wearing shades to deflect the sun, a drink in his hand, perfectly at ease in the sparkling environment, as if he was already the toast of the town and this was just one more introductory news conference."

But the bright lights were too much for Belinsky, who dated actresses and got lots of publicity, little of which apparently had to do with his ability to throw a baseball. His photo file in The Times' library has as many shots of nightclubs, press conferences and publicity appearances as pictures of Bo actually pitching. After starting 5-0, he finished 10-11 in 1962. In 1964, he knocked out Braven Dyer, the Times' baseball writer who was 64 at the time, and the Angels had seen enough. They suspended and ultimately traded him to Philadelphia.

Photograph by Gary Ambrose /
Los Angeles Times
June 1992: Bo Belinsky and Mamie Van Doren appear with Angels owner Gene Autry before a Legends of Baseball game.

By 1968 Belinsky was back in the minor leagues, pitching for Hawaii. The Times ran a short story about his no-hitter in a Pacific Coast League game over Tacoma. Even then, the wire story referred to him as "the playboy pitcher."
Left-handers with potential get plenty of opportunities, and Belinsky made a few more stops before his career ended in 1970. The Angels even purchased his contract in 1969 but soon sold him to the Pirates.

Belinsky died in 2001 at the age of 64 after battling bladder cancer for years. He had struggled with alcohol and drugs but had found peace in his last years, becoming active in a Las Vegas church.

The Times' Chris Foster reported that Belinsky, ever the colorful quote, said of his religious conversion: "Can you imagine? I had to come to Las Vegas to discover Jesus Christ."

[email protected]

[scartissue]

[quote="bennieCastillo was outboxing Arguello for much of the way but the Nicarguan thin man finally wore him down and got to him in the 11th (from memory). He was too small for Arguello, really, and then dropped down to feather and gave Sanchez a fabulous fight before dropping a close 15-round decision. Laporte came next, also at feather, and the heavy handed Puerto Rican dropped Ruben twice on the way to a sparkling decision. A great display from Laporte, and Castillo's best chance to win a world title was gone. Finally, back at super-feather (junior-light), Chavez proved too strong and stopped Castillo in seven or eight. Really, Castillo was a featherweight and boxing there when Chacon won back the super-featherweight title on that unbelievable night against Limon. Boza then fought Chacon because he was the mandatory and because he earned it (in my opinion), belting Arturo Leon in four, winning the European title by making a tough Spaniard quit, belting Johnny Verderosa, outscoring Blaine Dickson in a war... Boza went on a brilliant run up to the rematch with Chacon (whom he had previously stopped).
Ultimately, Castillo lost a few 10-rounders he should have won and that cost him mandatory shots and possibly a shot at Bobby, although he was challenging Laporte when Bobby was surviving about 20 cuts to get past Boza. Incidentally, I'm not sure Chacon ever had it easy; that is the last thing that comes to mind with Bobby. The only break Bobby ever really got was NOT fighting Camacho in 1983. Bobby didn't need that after the Limon and Boza wars, even though he was still unfairly stripped.[/quote]

Bennie, totally agree with your assessment on Castillo-Arguello. I had Castillo leading until, I believe two body shots took the wind out of Castillo's sails in the 11th. And for the record, I had Castillo-Sanchez dead even after 15 rounds. The LaPorte and Chavez fights shouldn't haunt him, as he was past his best by then. Regarding Chacon/Camacho/Edwards, Chacon was the champ and Boza was his #1 contender and had an offer to fight him for $450,000. However, the Don King controlled Camacho camp (who was usually Carl King) offered the Chacon people $250,000. Now, this is sort of a no-brainer, isn't it? But no, the WBC mandated Chacon fight Camacho over their #1 contender, which was obviously turned down and they stripped Bobby of the title. The fight went ahead and Chacon sued on anti-trust grounds, I believe, but he no longer had the title. I wonder if he saw anything out of that.

Scartissue