One of the Boxing HOT BED's!!

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Amateur Boxing Powerhouse St. Louis, Missouri: By John "Iceman" Scully
There are many cities in this country that can boast very strong products of their amateur programs. I mean, New York gave us names like Mark Breland (my choice as the greatest amateur, pound for pound, ever to put on gloves), Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Kevin Kelley and Junior Jones while Detroit saw the McCrory brothers (Milton and Stevie), the Tate brothers (Frank and Thomas), and Ricky Womack, among many others, reach the highest levels of amateur boxing. Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Atlanta can boast similar line ups.

Many boxing fans talk about those cities (most recently, Las Vegas, has been included in similar discussions) as "the places to be" for boxers. Maybe so. They have all produced some great talent over the years, that's undeniable, but I will tell you this much right now: It is highly unlikely that any amateur program in this country over the last thirty years can match the list of top ranked and highly accomplished amateurs that St. Louis, Missouri has compiled over the same time period.

Put it this way: If Bernard Mayes was the Earl Manigault of amateur boxers then the greater St. Louis area is the Earl Manigault of amateur boxing cities. I mean, I can't even think of all the good boxers that came from those programs under Myrl Taylor and the other coaches from in and immediately around that city because from the mid to late 70's uprising of 139 pound Lemuel Steeples and the Spinks brothers, Leon and Michael, on up to the mid-1990's emergence of Leon's son Corey Calvin (much better known to you as Corey Spinks), there were a ton of good amateur boxers out of St. Louis based programs.

I won't even be able to name them all, I am sure, but I can try.

Writing about Kick Kakouris in this chapter sparked something inside of me that brought back so many names to my brain from his hometown of St. Louis. Nick led the pack there for a good while but there were so many others that deserve a mention, too. Like 1988 U.S. Olympian Arthur Johnson, for example. And the Finger brothers, twins Terrel and Lavell, future 130 pound IBF champion Ed Hopson, Boris Powell, 1983 Pan-American Games welterweight Champion Louis Howard, and WBA Bantamweight Champion Eddie Cook. 139 pound Randy Cross boxed out of "the Lou" as did 132 pound Darrick Robinson. 1988 USA/ABF National 125 pound Champion -and future WBA 154 pound Champion- Carl Daniels hails from St. Louis and so doesn't former top 119 pound amateur Stevie Young. Light heavy weight Paul Carlo, 165 pounder Arthur Jimmerson, welterweight Michael Goodeau, 139 pounder Tony Martin, featherweight Patrice Brooks, and 132 pounder Marvin Chambers also made big names for themselves while representing the St. Louis region in amateur boxing.

Future IBF Light heavyweight Champion William Guthrie won the National Golden Gloves in 1984, qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in both 1984 and 1988, and captured the Ohio State Fair title in 1985.

St. Louis is also the home of former National Silver Gloves silver medalist (and future IBO 168 pound champion) Willie Ball.

In 1981 you had Brian Westmoreland (heavyweight), William Trendly (165), Vincent Webb (139), Billy White (132), James Cooper (125), Ronald Freeman (112), and Dolphin Moody (106) all break into the top ten amateur national rankings at one point or another.

Anthony Dean went all the way to the finals of the 1982 Ohio State Fair where he lost a decision to fellow St. Louis boxer Tony Pruitt at 119. Pruitt had won the Fair's 112 title just one year earlier when he defeated yet another St. Louis boxer, David Wade, in the finals.

1986 saw 178 pound Damon Saulberry advance to the finals of the National JO's while 1988 saw St. Louis native Stanley Lee qualify for the Olympic Trials in my 165 pound class by way of the U.S. Marines. Coincidentally, Lee lost a decision there to fellow St. Louis boxer-and future world champion- William Guthrie.

The only man to ever beat Mark Breland as an amateur boxed out of St. Louis. Darryl Anthony became the one and only at the 1981 USA Nationals on a decision.

You also had 125 pound featherweight Lamont Buchanon who won the 1982 Ohio State Fair by beating future (1988) U.S. Olympic middleweight Anthony Hembrick in the finals.

Light middleweight was a HOT class to be in during the 80's in St. Louis with several 156 pounders getting ranked in the national top 10, guys like Roy Richie, Paul James, L.C. Robinson, Steve Erhart, Ray Lathon, Alfred Mayes and Michael Cross. DeLancey Ray also excelled at 156, winning the National JO's in 1986.

119 pound Tony Hollis and 112 pound David Wade both advanced far into the 1981 Ohio State Fair tournament and at one point in 1987 St. Louis had THREE 139 pounders in the USA Top 10 in Nick Kakouris, Lavell Finger and Tony Robinson.

* In the December 1985 edition of The Amateur Boxer magazine St. Louis boasted FOUR weight classes with a homegrown kid in the USA's #1 spot: Arthur Johnson at 106, Eddie Cook at 112, Darrick Robinson at 132 and Nick Kakouris at 139. One city. FOUR # 1 rated amateurs at the same exact time.

* The 1980's saw St. Louis, Missouri boxers Alfred Mayes, Louis Howard, Arthur Jimmerson, Marvin Chambers, Arthur Johnson, William Guthrie, Lavell Finger, Carl Daniels, Ray Lathon and Boris Powell all take home National Golden Gloves titles.

I am sure I am even missing a few names but, any way you cut it, I think it is very clear to see that very few regions of this country have ever had the success that the greater St. Louis area did over the course of the late 1970's and 1980's and if this list doesn't solidify that fact than nothing will.

[bennie]

John, your work is always exceptional and usually immensely shrewd but I have to disagree this time with your opinion of Mark Breland (and everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course). The guy lost one amateur bout, as you point out, but Canada's Wayne Gordon have him a standing count in the '84 Olympics, already exposing frailties around the chin department, and surely Mark needed to win two or even three golds to herald such a mighty statement.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

To counter your claim :) Mark wasnt the best amateur because Gordon gave him an 8 count?? Teo and Savon have both been KO'd as amateurs....and have lost at different times to MUCH lesser competition. Mark cleanly beat Gordon outside of the one shot that produced a standing 8, not even a knockdown...Also, those guys won more than one gold medal, yes, but like I said after the first one they won their championships over KIDS... Sometimes it was a thing where Teo would be 28 years old and his opponents would be 17 or 18. Mark was 17 and knocking out top rated opposition.

ICE

[bennie]

Nobody is convinced against their will, John, and I just cannot see how Mark Breland can be hailed as the greatest amateur fighter ever (and never will). He didn't do enough as an amateur, and won his gold medal in an Olympic Games nicely set up for American boxers and blighted by a mass boycott of the most powerful boxing nations (America apart).
No.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Stevenson won one of HIS golds at a boycotted games, too. Mark, for the record, cleanly defeated both the best Cuban and the best Russian in 1983. I dont think it is ther NUMBER of fights a boxer has....I mean, 100, 200, 300...not much difference....your skills etc will be clear to see after a certain amount of bouts....Stevenson, for example, had 18 losses...so does that count against him or no? If Mark wasnt the best and most dominant then who in your opinon was? Also, as I pointed out earlier, mark was a kid beating other kids AND GROWN men, experienced boxers....some of the other greats were in their mid 20's beating 17 year olds.

[Robert in NYC]

John,
Would you share some of your memories of your bout against Rocchigiani ?

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

1997...10 rounds... I remember getting there and being led to believe he was a very strong hitter, I had seen him on tape and thought he was a strong guy...when we fought, though, I never felt any of his punches and, truth be told, of the bigger name guys I fought he was one of the ones who least impressed me with his punching power. Maybe he was a big puncher, I dont know, I am just saying that he ddint catch me with anytihng note worthy. I think I fought a careful fight, though, too careful at the end of the day...I hurt him to the body once around the 6th or 7th and I knew it and I could hear my corner screaming but I wasnt able to jump on him like I wanted to or should have. Not that he was in big trouble or anytihng but he definitely showed the effects of the punch and retreated because of it. I think I actually felt very comfortable in there for all 10 rounds but didnt put out enough to win, I realize that now. It probably wouldnt have mattered anyway....there was one round in particular -I forget the actual one- where I kept track of the round in my head and at the end of the round I felt that he didn't hit me with one even decent shot in the round but afterwards I found out they gave him that particular round. So with it being a 10 rounder and not a 12 (no neutral judges) it was probably a mistake to go over there

[Expug]

Thanks for the description of that fight with Rocchigianni John.
By the way I enjoy the fight commentating you do .
Are you going to do more of this?

[bennie]

Stevenson won one of HIS golds at a boycotted games, too. Mark, for the record, cleanly defeated both the best Cuban and the best Russian in 1983. I dont think it is ther NUMBER of fights a boxer has....I mean, 100, 200, 300...not much difference....your skills etc will be clear to see after a certain amount of bouts....Stevenson, for example, had 18 losses...so does that count against him or no? If Mark wasnt the best and most dominant then who in your opinon was? Also, as I pointed out earlier, mark was a kid beating other kids AND GROWN men, experienced boxers....some of the other greats were in their mid 20's beating 17 year olds.

Jerzy Kulej was better than Breland ever was, as was Dick McTaggart. I think you are missing the word 'potentially' with Breland.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Stevenson won one of HIS golds at a boycotted games, too. Mark, for the record, cleanly defeated both the best Cuban and the best Russian in 1983. I dont think it is ther NUMBER of fights a boxer has....I mean, 100, 200, 300...not much difference....your skills etc will be clear to see after a certain amount of bouts....Stevenson, for example, had 18 losses...so does that count against him or no? If Mark wasnt the best and most dominant then who in your opinon was? Also, as I pointed out earlier, mark was a kid beating other kids AND GROWN men, experienced boxers....some of the other greats were in their mid 20's beating 17 year olds.

Jerzy Kulej was better than Breland ever was, as was Dick McTaggart. I think you are missing the word 'potentially' with Breland.

Well, I guess we will just agree to disagree on that one, my man

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Thanks for the description of that fight with Rocchigianni John.
By the way I enjoy the fight commentating you do .
Are you going to do more of this?

Thanks a lot. I appreciate that. I am hoping I will get called to do more...I have been approached at least four or five times in the last year by some pretty big outlets but so far nothing has clicked... I am always available if you have a network u want me on LOL :)

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

http://www.petitiononline.com/tim3210/petition.html << I didnt make that petition...but I think it was a pretty good idea :) U never know right??

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

Jerzy Kulej was better than Breland ever was, as was Dick McTaggart. I think you are missing the word 'potentially' with Breland.

Who is Jerzy and what are his claims to fame? Did he have a record like Mark's...did he conquer the same level of comp??

[raylawpc]

I would suggest that Laszlo Papp is due some consideration as the greatest amateur boxer of all-time. He won the gold medal as a middleweight in the 1948 games, and as a light-middleweight in the '52 and '56 games. If I recall correctly, the fighter he beat for the Gold in '56 was Jose Torres - the future world light-heavyweight champion. I have read that he had a 288-12 amateur record and scored 55 first-round KOs.

Papp went undefeated as a professional until Communist Hungary pulled the plug on his career when it refused him an exit visa to fight.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

The ONLY negative, if you can call it that, in calling someone from back in the are the best is that as near back as 1964, Olympics and amateur boxing was not considered as big of a deal as it is now...1976 especially did a lot to change that...I remember reading about members of the 19860 U.S. Olympic team and they were saying how sometiMES guys would be in college or had jobs and that was their priority...they didnt get big contracts to turn pro if they did well etc...it was a different time...from what I know, guys back in thw 1950's and 60's didnt get to compete against other countries champions on a regular basis like guys like Breland did...