Classic American West Coast Boxing

[bennie]

Khan is still only 21 so there is time to bring him back. He showed balls to try and beat the count after the second knockdown and it is easy to jump on the anti-Khan bandwagon (you should see the wackos on the British forum). This was a crushing defeat, however, his first fight for Cuban trainer Jorge Rubio and his debut on Sky Box Office (pay-per-view). Prescott is either really good or Khan 'chinny'. Time will tell.

[Randyman]

Amir Khan of Great Britain (L) lays on the canvas after being knocked out by Breidis Prescott (R) of Colombia during their Commonwealth lightweight championship boxing match at the MEN Arena, Manchester, north-west England on September 6, 2008. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images)

A real tough loss for Khan. Hr got caught alright. Right on the button. It can happen to any fighter. I like the way he got up. That says more about a fighter. But he was out of it. You can see the legs just wouldn't respond.

I do think that overall, a knockout like this is easier (relatively speaking) to recover from, mentally, then say, Miguel Cotto's beating from Antonio Margarito. Some knockouts can ruin a fighters psyche. Khan's young and should be able to put the loss behind him.

[Randyman]

Thought you would all like to know that Alex Ramos is out of the hospital, and is walking with a cane, although he has a ways to go. He is blown away by all of the email and phone calls and cards. It is hard for me to believe that one week ago this minute, he was coming out of a 48 hour coma!!! He will be getting home health assistance (nursing) and he will also have home physical therapy. He got amazing care at Simi Valley Adventist Hospital and the nurses were sad to see him go. Alex thanks you all for your love, prayers and support, and asks that you continue through his recovery. His feet are still very painful when he walks, but that does not stop him!

Alex IS a fighter and we are all grateful for his miraculous recovery. Like I said, he's too mean to die and he is to determined to beat this thing, and I believe he will. As you would expect, he wants to run but he has to walk, first.

I would also like to thank you all for the moral support. We could not have gone through this alone. We needed to multiply our own
prayers and you were there for us. THANK YOU!

If you want to call Alex, feel free to call him on his cell phone at (805) 390-7334.

Love and hugs,

Jacquie Richardson
Executive Director
RETIRED BOXERS FOUNDATION

That's real good news Frank. A little prayer goes along way. Tough guy that Alex Ramos!

[Randyman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWE8I9pzOz0
Amir Khan vs Breidis Prescott

Frankie is on the ball, as ever. It looks like the rumours about Khan's chin were right. All over in 54 seconds. Nervous breakdown time. Khan had just signed a deal with Sky-TV over here, for whom this was his first fight.
Ouch!

Hopefully he doesn't lose heart like Hamed. A loss in today's market seems to spell gloom and doom for fighters. Years ago it was dealt with a shrug of the shoulders and 'get me a rematch'. If the chin is definitely his achilles heel, let's hope Team Khan can get him to lose the invincibility tag and start keeping the chin protected. Otherwise we're looking at the second coming of Errol Christie.

Scartissue

As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again.

[Randyman]

Check the date guys, this edition of the Los Angeles Times came out fifty-years-ago today. Exactly half a century since Basilio KOed Aragon. Where were you exactly fifty years ago today? Me, I was about to enter the first grade in Burbank, California.

-Rick

I was still in my "Terrible twos", we were living in Santa Fe Springs.

[Randyman]

Rocky Castellani didn't miss anybody, he fought them all, there is lots of big names on his record that I recognize from that great era, 1940's-1950's.

Once upon a time, the great ones actually fought each. (sigh)

[kikibalt]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

[Randyman]

The Olympic today...

The Olympic Today . . .

Ironically, I passed by the Olympic Auditorium very early this morning, about 2am on my way home from work. I was tired, but hadn't seen it since it's conversion to a church, so I pulled off the freeway and circled the place. It was kinda sad. On the west wall, A huge sign had been painted that reads, "Jesus Saves Lives!" On the north wall, a big electric sign is exposed to those passing on the freeway, advertising it as a Christian church, in both English and Korean. The walls looked scrubbed clean. Of course, the Olympic of old had lost it's original luster to me in the early 90's, when it's new owner Jack Needleman renovated the old girl, removing seats, painting over the huge mural of a boxer that had adorned it's walls since it's opening in 1926.

It had been renamed, "The Grand Olympic Aud." about 15-years-ago. Grand??? Hell, we know it was grand, anybody who ever sat ringside on thursday nights didn't need to be reminded of that reality. Also removed in the '90's renovation was that legendary marquis, the one that used to have the names of the weeks boxing wrestling main-eventers. However, no longer a "girl", the old broad almost looked as if she were laughing, as if enjoying a bad joke society was trying to play on it. Something kept going thru my mind, like, the building was saying, "You can paint me, change me, call me what you want, but I know who I am, I'm the Olympic, America's last great boxing venue . . . and one day, when somebody comes to their senses, I'LL BE BACK!"

I hope you are right, baby. Damn, I miss you!

-Rick Farris

I passed by the Olympic yesterday. My heart sank. My wife saw me staring and caught the sadness. She knows how I feel about the Olympic. Now I am a Christian, but I'm sure God will understand and forgive my next statement. Seeing the once proud Olympic Auditorium, relegated to a Korean church with all the writing on the wall, seemed almost sinful. Nothing against Koreans, It could have been in Spanish, German or Italian, I would have felt the same way. The Olympic was a boxing arena and should be again. It is the only boxing arena in America built expressly for boxing. That made it one of a kind. In the world of boxing, it is hallowed ground. They didn't even give the grand old building a decent paint job.

[Randyman]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

I think the reason they lose heart is because everyone tells them their career is over and they believe it. They start to fight like old men at 22 years old.

One reason they don't want fight each other is the money. I saw it when Chavez was fighting and again with De La Hoya. The cable companies, promoters, managers and the fighters are afraid they will lose to another fighter and miss a big payday. So who loses? Boxing fans. The ones that pay good (too good) money to see a good fight, and we don't expect every fight to be great, we just want good decent fights, the way it used to be.

[dagosd2000]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

You're right Frank. Fighters egos are very fragile today. When Ricky Hatton lost to Mayweather ,Ricky went into a depression. Get out there and get another fight under your belt. The problem is today they often fight only one time against each other. If there is a trilogy,it's often something ridiculous like Leonard/Duran III.

I know there are tremendous risks with fighting. If you can fight less and make your money,that's what it's all about. I don't blame them. They're the ones getting hit in head. But for a fighter to wash out after a defeat when he's a prospect doesn't have to happen if he just stays active.

[Randyman]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

I think the reason they lose heart is because everyone tells them their career is over and they believe it. They start to fight like old men at 22 years old.

One reason they don't want fight each other is the money. I saw it when Chavez was fighting and again with De La Hoya. The cable companies, promoters, managers and the fighters are afraid they will lose to another fighter and miss a big payday. So who loses? Boxing fans. The ones that pay good (too good) money to see a good fight, and we don't expect every fight to be great, we just want good decent fights, the way it used to be.

I don't know if I explained that right. What I meant was that all the other boxers won't fight each other for fear of losing a chance to fight the Chavez' and De La Hoya's of the world.

[Randyman]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

You're right Frank. Fighters egos are very fragile today. When Ricky Hatton lost to Mayweather ,Ricky went into a depression. Get out there and get another fight under your belt. The problem is today they often fight only one time against each other. If there is a trilogy,it's often something ridiculous like Leonard/Duran III.

I know there are tremendous risks with fighting. If you can fight less and make your money,that's what it's all about. I don't blame them. They're the ones getting hit in head. But for a fighter to wash out after a defeat when he's a prospect doesn't have to happen if he just stays active.

Let's not forget Arturo Gotti vs Mickey Ward and Manny Pacquiao, Erik Morales , Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez. They were the exception to the rule. By todays standard they are amazing.

[dagosd2000]

The Olympic today...

The Olympic Today . . .

Ironically, I passed by the Olympic Auditorium very early this morning, about 2am on my way home from work. I was tired, but hadn't seen it since it's conversion to a church, so I pulled off the freeway and circled the place. It was kinda sad. On the west wall, A huge sign had been painted that reads, "Jesus Saves Lives!" On the north wall, a big electric sign is exposed to those passing on the freeway, advertising it as a Christian church, in both English and Korean. The walls looked scrubbed clean. Of course, the Olympic of old had lost it's original luster to me in the early 90's, when it's new owner Jack Needleman renovated the old girl, removing seats, painting over the huge mural of a boxer that had adorned it's walls since it's opening in 1926.

It had been renamed, "The Grand Olympic Aud." about 15-years-ago. Grand??? Hell, we know it was grand, anybody who ever sat ringside on thursday nights didn't need to be reminded of that reality. Also removed in the '90's renovation was that legendary marquis, the one that used to have the names of the weeks boxing wrestling main-eventers. However, no longer a "girl", the old broad almost looked as if she were laughing, as if enjoying a bad joke society was trying to play on it. Something kept going thru my mind, like, the building was saying, "You can paint me, change me, call me what you want, but I know who I am, I'm the Olympic, America's last great boxing venue . . . and one day, when somebody comes to their senses, I'LL BE BACK!"

I hope you are right, baby. Damn, I miss you!

-Rick Farris

I passed by the Olympic yesterday. My heart sank. My wife saw me staring and caught the sadness. She knows how I feel about the Olympic. Now I am a Christian, but I'm sure God will understand and forgive my next statement. Seeing the once proud Olympic Auditorium, relegated to a Korean church with all the writing on the wall, seemed almost sinful. Nothing against Koreans, It could have been in Spanish, German or Italian, I would have felt the same way. The Olympic was a boxing arena and should be again. It is the only boxing arena in America built expressly for boxing. That made it one of a kind. In the world of boxing, it is hallowed ground. They didn't even give the grand old building a decent paint job.

You know Randy 'ol Pal,it wouldn't be so bad if the people who now have the old building would remember what they are inheriting. Leave some pictures on a wall of Aragon,Bolanos,and Indian Red. That's what Jerome did when he turned the old Coliseum into a furniture warehouse. There's pictures on the wall of Moore,Norton,and Hafey.Some old fight posters too. It's a show of respect. If it has to be a furniture warehouse,because the Coliseum couldn't keep up with Don King,so be it. But show a little respect. I'm sure even Don King would have left some old fight pictures on the wall .

[dagosd2000]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

Hey Frank
Didn't Langford and Wills fight each other 22 times? Some fighters don't have 22 fights.

[kikibalt]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

Hey Frank
Didn't Langford and Wills fight each other 22 times? Some fighters don't have 22 fights.

Hell, I don't know, I wasn't around back then, I'm old, but not that old, maybe Don Fraser would know....

[Randyman]

I passed by the Olympic yesterday. My heart sank. My wife saw me staring and caught the sadness. She knows how I feel about the Olympic. Now I am a Christian, but I'm sure God will understand and forgive my next statement. Seeing the once proud Olympic Auditorium, relegated to a Korean church with all the writing on the wall, seemed almost sinful. Nothing against Koreans, It could have been in Spanish, German or Italian, I would have felt the same way. The Olympic was a boxing arena and should be again. It is the only boxing arena in America built expressly for boxing. That made it one of a kind. In the world of boxing, it is hallowed ground. They didn't even give the grand old building a decent paint job.

You know Randy 'ol Pal,it wouldn't be so bad if the people who now have the old building would remember what they are inheriting. Leave some pictures on a wall of Aragon,Bolanos,and Indian Red. That's what Jerome did when he turned the old Coliseum into a furniture warehouse. There's pictures on the wall of Moore,Norton,and Hafey.Some old fight posters too. It's a show of respect. If it has to be a furniture warehouse,because the Coliseum couldn't keep up with Don King,so be it. But show a little respect. I'm sure even Don King would have left some old fight pictures on the wall .

Rog, the current inhabitants can't remember something they never knew. They probably don't even have a clue. All the sadder.

[Randyman]

"As soon as a guy loses a fight, sports writers start to write him off. Then the fans jump on the bandwagon, and then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. In the past losing a fight was just part of the game. You moved on and fought again."

It use to be that way, Randy, 40-50 years ago, but no more, back then top ten fighters would each other all the time, so a lost really didn't mean anything, now days fighters are built up by fighting nobodys-hasbeens-neverwas, so the first time they lose, they not only lose the fight but also lose heart, and they are never the same.

Hey Frank
Didn't Langford and Wills fight each other 22 times? Some fighters don't have 22 fights.

Hell, I don't know, I wasn't around back then, I'm old, but not that old, maybe Don Fraser would know....

Hold still Frank, while I take that knife out of your back. Did it hurt?

[kikibalt]

Connie and I are of to have Manudo with pata.

[Randyman]

I'm sure even Don King would have left some old fight pictures on the wall .

Yeah, but he would charge a pretty penny just to see'em.

[Randyman]

Connie and I are of to have Manudo with pata.

Ah, man, now you're talking!! Enjoy your breakfast. Where are you going?

[kikibalt]

Hold still Frank, while I take that knife out of your back. Did it hurt?

Just a bit Randy, ol' rog thinking that I was around back in the Langford/ Willis day was funny, I showed it to Connie and she says, "you see, I'm not the only one who thinks you're old, even your friends think so"

[kikibalt]

Connie and I are of to have Manudo with pata.

Ah, man, now you're talking!! Enjoy your breakfast. Where are you going?

To a restaurant in beautiful downtown La Puente, best Manudo in town.

[Randyman]

From Fightnews:

"I've got no excuses, the better man won," said a disappointed Amir Khan following his shock 54 second KO loss to little-known Breidis Prescott. "He caught me cold in the first round, it was just one of those fights where I got caught cold. I lost in the amateurs and came back, and I will do the same again. I am going to come back stronger. I am going to take a week off, and then work on all the mistakes. I will be back to the gym, work hard, train a lot harder and come back a totally different fighter." Khan (18-1, 14 KOs) is scheduled to return to the ring on December 6 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. He also commented he plans to remain with trainer Jorge Rubio, whom he worked with for the first time in preparation for this fight.

That's the way I like to hear a fighter talk. No excuses, no finger pointing. Guys like that always come back. Usually with a better disposition and attitude too.
Randy

[Randyman]

From Fightnews.com:

"I've got no excuses, the better man won," said a disappointed Amir Khan following his shock 54 second KO loss to little-known Breidis Prescott. "He caught me cold in the first round, it was just one of those fights where I got caught cold. I lost in the amateurs and came back, and I will do the same again. I am going to come back stronger. I am going to take a week off, and then work on all the mistakes. I will be back to the gym, work hard, train a lot harder and come back a totally different fighter." Khan (18-1, 14 KOs) is scheduled to return to the ring on December 6 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. He also commented he plans to remain with trainer Jorge Rubio, whom he worked with for the first time in preparation for this fight.

That's the way I like to hear a fighter talk. No excuses, no finger pointing. Guys like that always come back. Usually with a better disposition and attitude too.
Randy

[Rick Farris]

I passed by the Olympic yesterday. My heart sank. My wife saw me staring and caught the sadness. She knows how I feel about the Olympic. Now I am a Christian, but I'm sure God will understand and forgive my next statement. Seeing the once proud Olympic Auditorium, relegated to a Korean church with all the writing on the wall, seemed almost sinful. Nothing against Koreans, It could have been in Spanish, German or Italian, I would have felt the same way. The Olympic was a boxing arena and should be again. It is the only boxing arena in America built expressly for boxing. That made it one of a kind. In the world of boxing, it is hallowed ground. They didn't even give the grand old building a decent paint job.[/quote]


You know Randy 'ol Pal,it wouldn't be so bad if the people who now have the old building would remember what they are inheriting. Leave some pictures on a wall of Aragon,Bolanos,and Indian Red. That's what Jerome did when he turned the old Coliseum into a furniture warehouse. There's pictures on the wall of Moore,Norton,and Hafey.Some old fight posters too. It's a show of respect. If it has to be a furniture warehouse,because the Coliseum couldn't keep up with Don King,so be it. But show a little respect. I'm sure even Don King would have left some old fight pictures on the wall .[/quote]

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Respect? When the Olympic was bought by Jack Needleman, he contacted all of those whose pictures hung on the wall at the Olympic. John Thomas picked up his big portrait and Mando Ramos got his, Jerry Quarry's family picked up his, the rest? Who got those classic shots of Henry Armstrong arriving in L.A.'s Union Station via the railways before his fight with Ceferino Garcia at Gilmore Stadium? Andy Heilman got his picture, Raul Rojas never claimed his, so Mando Ramos claimed it for him. When I was in Mando's home, I saw the shot of Mando, posed in his red trunks hanging above the fire place. Mando told me he got the pictures before they repainted the walls, he told me he gave Rojas his portrait, but the former featherweight champ "lost it, somewhere". A couple years ago, I'm in Venice and stop by the Barber Shop where Frankie Duarte was working. I happen to tell Frankie the story of Rojas losing the portrait and "El Huero" started to smile. He stood up, led me to the back room, and showed me Rojas's portrait. I was amazed, I had randomly mentioned the photo and Duarte produces it. Frankie, and the shops's owner, former boxer Phil Barba, said some addict wandered in off the street and tried to sell them the portrait for ten bucks, knowing the shop had lots of boxing memorabelia. "Don't tell Mando", Frankie said with a smile, "but the photo is in good hands." That portrait once hung on the the Olympic's east wall, right along with the portraits of Jackie McCoy's other boxer's, Ramos and Heilman.

You mention respect, Roger. Forget the Koreans, they owe boxing nothing, but Neddleman? He was a clothes manufacturer who "saved" the Olympic once, but he stripped it of as much of it's past as he could when he painted over the exterior mural, got rid of the marquis which should have been restored, and stripped the walls of those pictures. I used to love those photos, and sometimes would stand for long periods just staring at them. Those photos were a visual tour of more than half a century of L.A. Boxing history.


-Rick