Fighters We Never Talk About

[dagosd2000]

Just talking to Pug about this guy. Irish Bob Murphy.

[Seamus]

Here's a guy seldom mentioned on the BOTP forum, though a couple of us just picked him for the HOF. http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/phot ... ity_02.jpg

Now I'll list some of his accomplishments.

Had 48 pro victories before his 18th birthday, including 3 wins over world class Willie Davies (a guy he would beat 3 more times in his career), and another over soon to be World Flyweight Champion Corporal Izzy Schwartz.

Schwartz was one of 7 former or future World Champions that Wolgast defeated. The rest were Juan Zurita 3 times, and Johnny McCoy, Pete Sanstol, Jackie Brown, Lou Salica, and Small Montana once each.

In addition, Wolgast also defeated the World class Cuban Black Bill. Speedy Dado (fought for World titles at Fly, Bantam and Featherweight) 3 times, Archie Bell (fought for World Bantam and Featherweight titles twice each) World class Young Tommy twice. Was the victim of a horrendous decision scored as a draw verses the outstanding Jackie Wilson, and beat top contenders Rodolfo "Baby" Casanova, Frankie Covelli and Joe Conde (coming off a win over Henry Armstrong) once each.

Wolgast was a World class Flyweight, Bantamweight and Featherweight, but at only 5-3 and well past his best, he managed to beat a couple of fringe contenders like Norment Quarles at Junior Welterweight, and George Daly at Welterweight !

[Ezzard]

Hope you don't mind me pitching in with a hometown favourite of my own...

How about 'The Fearless' Owen Moran

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?hu ... r&pageID=1

Quite a fighter... One of Britain's best who had a lot of success over the pond. Almost never gets a mention.

[TheOneIsHere2008]

Why don't more people talk about Brian London?

How many fighters have had a city named after them and a major won at that? :P

[Expug]

There are lots of fighters who Id like to talk about.
The Some of the carachters of the sport are more interesting than the bigger names in my opinion.
Guys like,
Bobby Halpern
Frankie Depaula
Angel Robinson Garcia
Eddie Melo
Scrapiron Johnson
Bummy Davis
Artie Levine
Spider Webb
Lew Jenkins
Bobby Cassidy
Young Griffo
Ray Elson
Johnny Turner
Tough Tony Suero
Vampire Johnson
Johnny Locicero
Many many more.
The contendors and clubfighters sometimes are more interesting to talk about then some of the all time greats.

[Ezzard]

There are lots of fighters who Id like to talk about.
The Some of the carachters of the sport are more interesting than the bigger names in my opinion.
Guys like,
Bobby Halpern
Frankie Depaula
Angel Robinson Garcia
Eddie Melo
Scrapiron Johnson
Bummy Davis
Artie Levine
Spider Webb
Lew Jenkins
Bobby Cassidy
Young Griffo
Ray Elson
Johnny Turner
Tough Tony Suero
Vampire Johnson
Johnny Locicero
Many many more.
The contendors and clubfighters sometimes are more interesting to talk about then some of the all time greats.

Totally agree... As an ex-fighter, with lots of knowledge of other boxrs up close, you've posted some of the most memorable posts on the forum. For a fan like me that's gold bullion... i really appreciate the stories you've shared with us...

[Expug]

There are lots of fighters who Id like to talk about.
The Some of the carachters of the sport are more interesting than the bigger names in my opinion.
Guys like,
Bobby Halpern
Frankie Depaula
Angel Robinson Garcia
Eddie Melo
Scrapiron Johnson
Bummy Davis
Artie Levine
Spider Webb
Lew Jenkins
Bobby Cassidy
Young Griffo
Ray Elson
Johnny Turner
Tough Tony Suero
Vampire Johnson
Johnny Locicero
Many many more.
The contendors and clubfighters sometimes are more interesting to talk about then some of the all time greats.

Totally agree... As an ex-fighter, with lots of knowledge of other boxrs up close, you've posted some of the most memorable posts on the forum. For a fan like me that's gold bullion... i really appreciate the stories you've shared with us...

Thankyou for those kind words Ezz.
There is alot of humor in boxing.
Some really outrageous funny people.
Alot of stuff that goes unpublicized I guess.
In the West Coast thread, the posters in there have some really great stories too.

[Ezzard]

There are lots of fighters who Id like to talk about.
The Some of the carachters of the sport are more interesting than the bigger names in my opinion.
Guys like,
Bobby Halpern
Frankie Depaula
Angel Robinson Garcia
Eddie Melo
Scrapiron Johnson
Bummy Davis
Artie Levine
Spider Webb
Lew Jenkins
Bobby Cassidy
Young Griffo
Ray Elson
Johnny Turner
Tough Tony Suero
Vampire Johnson
Johnny Locicero
Many many more.
The contendors and clubfighters sometimes are more interesting to talk about then some of the all time greats.

Totally agree... As an ex-fighter, with lots of knowledge of other boxrs up close, you've posted some of the most memorable posts on the forum. For a fan like me that's gold bullion... i really appreciate the stories you've shared with us...

Thankyou for those kind words Ezz.
There is alot of humor in boxing.
Some really outrageous funny people.
Alot of stuff that goes unpublicized I guess.
In the West Coast thread, the posters in there have some really great stories too.

look forward to reading the West Coast thread every morning I log on... Don't check the news, the weather, my email... check what's been posted...

[Seamus]

Is there footage or news photos of the round where Artie Levine came very close to KO'ing a prime Sugar Ray Robinson ?

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Al (Bummy) Davis: the Welterweight from New York; he was a great boy, with one of the best left hook of all time. He KO'ed Tony Canzoneri (in 3 rds, 1939), Tippy Larkin (in 5r, 1939), Joe Ghnouly (in 7r, 1940) and Bob Montgomery (in 1r, 1944)... What a puncher!

Thanks to Expug for remains of this great, who may be in the HOF

[Collins2000]

Hi Expug,

I asked about Halpern a while back and someone posted a bit about him. I seem to recall he'd spent a long time in chokey before he resumed his career in the 70's. I also think he managed to somehow blow off several fingers with a handgun and that finally ended his career. There was a few articles in Boxing News on him by their New York correspndent. Sounded like an interesting character.

[Expug]

Hello Collins.
Halpern was a real live one.
From a rough area in the Bronx New York.
He started his career and won his first few fights and was then sent to the joint for a long stretch.
He resumed his career in his mid forties and had a nice little run before getting stopped by Guy Casale.
He was hit with a shotgun blast in what sounds like a hit job and messed up bad.That ended his boxing , but not other extracurricular antics.
Halpern was in trouble with the law his whole life.
For awhile some writer was trying to locate him as he had seemed to dissappear.
The writer sought out Chuck Wepner who said Bobby was dead.
Low and behold, Halpern turned up shortly after that at a function in the Bronx.
The guy had one of the wildest most colorful lives of any fighter ever.
Someone could make a movie about him.
I first heard about him in a story that Sports Illustrated did right before he fought Casale.
Its a great article.It must have been about 1978.
Maybe it can be found somewhere on line.

[John Galt]

Here is a link to one of the SI stories on Bobby Halpern. There were some more stories linked to this including one about when he was shot.

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ ... /index.htm

[Expug]

Thanks for the link John.
A great article.
At the end of that article is another great one titled "Down but not for the count ". It details Halperns shooting.

[John Galt]

You are welcome Pug. I have always liked to read about Halpern. I talked to a guy recently who knew Halpern and was trying to find him. I hope Halpern is doing well.

[AngryGoon38]

leo randolph
lionel butler
rocky mattioli
booker t word
mickey goodwin
ricardo cardona
chan-hee-park
orlando canizales
louie espinoza
juan roldan
tony "the tiger" lopez
james "hard rock" green
Butterbean
Ike Ibeabuchi
David Tua
Zack Padilla
Ricky Myers
john collins
dwight davidson
curtis parker
tony chieverini
"terrible" teddy sanders
patrick ford
andy ganigan
mike ayala
carlos zarate
alfonso zamora
Mullet dude that went the distance with Lennox Lewis 8)

[elmersalsa]

How about Paddy DeMarco? We seldom talk about him.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Nino LaRocca. When he burst on the scene in 83' with an electrifying stoppage of Bobby Joe Young he was incredible...he a ton of fights, though, and burned out almost as quickly and dramatically as he appeared

[Zelley]

How about former lightweight champion AL SINGER managed by Hymie Caplan.

[Zelley]

Why don't more people talk about Brian London?

How many fighters have had a city named after them and a major won at that? :P

Where is "Brian" town DD

[raylawpc]

Al (Bummy) Davis: the Welterweight from New York; he was a great boy, with one of the best left hook of all time. He KO'ed Tony Canzoneri (in 3 rds, 1939), Tippy Larkin (in 5r, 1939), Joe Ghnouly (in 7r, 1940) and Bob Montgomery (in 1r, 1944)... What a puncher!

Thanks to Expug for remains of this great, who may be in the HOF

Check out the illustration of Bummy on page 339 of the Classic American West Coast Boxing, and you see maybe why folks don't talk about Bummy anymore . . . ;;-) ;;-) ;;-)

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Hi, Ray!

I said as Expug: If I'm Bummy Davis, I'm gonna have a word with that cartoonist

[Zelley]

Al (Bummy) Davis: the Welterweight from New York; he was a great boy, with one of the best left hook of all time. He KO'ed Tony Canzoneri (in 3 rds, 1939), Tippy Larkin (in 5r, 1939), Joe Ghnouly (in 7r, 1940) and Bob Montgomery (in 1r, 1944)... What a puncher!
Thanks to Expug for remains of this great, who may be in the HOF

Another well known bout was his foul-filled bout with Fritzie Zivic.

It is a shame that Davis was gunned-down at the age of 25.

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Hello, Zelley!

You're right! I'm sure Bummy would be a good World Champion

[Zelley]

MANUEL (Manny) GONZALEZ, Welterweight, Houston' Texas

In 1972, I met Manny when he came to Vancouver to fight in the semi-main event
of the Muhammed Ali - George Chuvalo main event. During his stay a few of us had a chance to
get to know him and trainer Billy DeFoe, We talked about Joe Brown, Cleveland Williams,
Willie Pep, Emile Griffith, Garland (Ripper) Randall (killed in Vietnam) and others.

Some time later, I was sent an autographed photo of Manny.

Looking back to Manny's boxing days in the Sixties he was a classy boxer and once defeated Emile Griffith. Of interest, "Boxing Illustrated" had an article on him in the
November 1964 issue An interesting quote:
"Manny was considered to be strictly a fancy-dan boxer until he startled the
fight world by kayoing highly-ranked Rip Randall""