BOXING: CHAMPIONS & CONTENDERS - 1950 - 1959

[Zelley]

Decade of great TV fights from MSG.

Best of the best Fifties fighters - Sugar Ray Robinson.

[Zelley]

For some, the Fifties was the age of innocence, but not in the boxing ring.

It was the age of rock and roll, And there was a lot of rock and plenty of roll in the squared circle and who could forget old Jersey Joe Walcott score the perfect one punch knockout of Ezzard Charles. But, then came the real deal in ROCK with the destructive Rocky Marciano
blasting his opponents. After their fights, many of the opponents including Ezzard Charles,
Don Cockell and Roland LaStarza looked like stand-ins for an episode of shock theatre.

Then there was the old man of boxing Archie Moore. Who could forget that war
with Canada's own Yvon Durelle in 1958 and his heavyweight losses to Marciano and
Floyd Patterson, but then came the Ingo's hammer from Sweden.

Sugar Ray Robinson was still the best one to watch for classy moves or dazzling knockouts.
And his fights with Fullmer, Basilio, Turpin put the word fantastic in the
Fantastic Fifties of boxing.

They called him "old bones", but Joe Brown was one old man that could shake rattle and roll in bouts with the likes of Ralph Dupas, Kenny Lane and Dave Charnley.

Then again, there was a new kid on the block with Sandy Saddler and his bouts
with Willie Pep.

There were contenders, many contenders, that made the Fifties so interesting.
Ralph Jones, Wilfie Greaves, Gil Turner and Rex Layne were but a few.

And from the land down under came Jimmy Carruthers. Just pop over to
South Africa and ask those that remember their own Vic Toweel.

For the average North American teen it was a malt at the small cafe while listening to those old rock and roll tunes. But for many folks, they remember those old time televised fight
on the old black and white TV from New York's M. S. G. And the good guys didn't where
the white cowboy hats, but boxing boots and boxing shorts of different shades.

In London town, it could be pie and mash and green peas, but the men folk could always see a fight or two in places like Harringay Arena in North London and the kids could go to Southend-on-Sea to watch a "punch and judy" show. Then there was the great upset when England's
own, Randy Turpin rocked the world with a victory over Sugar Ray Robinson.
And who could forget Islington's lad Terry Allen.

[telboy66]

For some, the Fifties was the age of innocence, but not in the boxing ring.

It was the age of rock and roll, And there was a lot of rock and plenty of roll in the squared circle and who could forget old Jersey Joe Walcott score the perfect one punch knockout of Ezzard Charles. But, then came the real deal in ROCK with the destructive Rocky Marciano
blasting his opponents. After their fights, many of the opponents including Ezzard Charles,
Don Cockell and Roland LaStarza looked like stand-ins for an episode of shock theatre.

Then there was the old man of boxing Archie Moore. Who could forget that war
with Canada's own Yvon Durelle in 1958 and his heavyweight losses to Marciano and
Floyd Patterson, but then came the Ingo's hammer from Sweden.

Sugar Ray Robinson was still the best one to watch for classy moves or dazzling knockouts.
And his fights with Fullmer, Basilio, Turpin put the word fantastic in the
Fantastic Fifties of boxing.

They called him "old bones", but Joe Brown was one old man that could shake rattle and roll in bouts with the likes of Ralph Dupas, Kenny Lane and Dave Charnley.

Then again, there was a new kid on the block with Sandy Saddler and his bouts
with Willie Pep.

There were contenders, many contenders, that made the Fifties so interesting.
Ralph Jones, Wilfie Greaves, Gil Turner and Rex Layne were but a few.

And from the land down under came Jimmy Carruthers. Just pop over to
South Africa and ask those that remember their own Vic Toweel.

For the average North American teen it was a malt at the small cafe while listening to those old rock and roll tunes. But for many folks, they remember those old time televised fight
on the old black and white TV from New York's M. S. G. And the good guys didn't where
the white cowboy hats, but boxing boots and boxing shorts of different shades.

In London town, it could be pie and mash and green peas, but the men folk could always see a fight or two in places like Harringay Arena in North London and the kids could go to Southend-on-Sea to watch a "punch and judy" show. Then there was the great upset when England's
own, Randy Turpin rocked the world with a victory over Sugar Ray Robinson.
And who could forget Islington's lad Terry Allen.

Good post mate the sad thing for me is that I remember all those fighters, The Sugar man is still my all time greatest.The first fight I ever listened to was was the first Turpin bout As a ten year old & I have been hooked ever since

[Zelley]

I remember the ads for old time boxing 8 mm fights.
One of the ones that I got was a Sugar Ray Robinson knockout special.
However, it is in storage somewhere. Another one was the
Tony Zale vs Marcel Cerdan midleweight title fight.
A friend bought the Archie Moore vs Yvonne Durelle fight of 1958.

One of the first fights that I can remembering hearing about when I was a child
was the Sugar Ray Robinson vs Randy Turpin fight in London.

You must have been living in England when you heard the fight. If so, how close to London did you live.

[raylawpc]

I bought that SSR "Knockout Special" too. As I recall, its mostly Robby knocking out some hapless Europeans on a couple of his tours there; but, boy, it sure is fun to watch.

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Cesar Brion, who KO'ed Charlie Norkus and Tami Mauriello, and beat Jack Gardner in London in a great fight; Alex Miteff (won over Willie Besmanoff, Fernando Fala, Julio Mederos, Niño Valdes, Johnny Holman, Alonzo Johnson, Harold Carter)

Dogomar Martinez, Luiz Inacio, Atilio Caraune, Mauro Mina, Sonny Leon, Vicente Rivas, Rafael Merentino, Humberto Loayza, Eduardo Lausse (who beat Gene Fullmer, Jimmy Beau, Kid Gavilan, Ralph Tiger Jones), Martiniano Pereyra, Cirilo Gil, Antonio Frontado, Alfredo Prada, Jose Gatica, Jose Cucuzza Bruno, Ernesto Miranda, Pascual Perez

[Zelley]

CARL (BOBO) OLSON

When the discussion focuses on middleweights of the Fifties, the name Bobo Olson
is often overlooked. During the Fifties, he defeated Randy Turpin for the vacant title
and had a few title fights before being stopped by Ray Robinson.

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Bobo Olson and Ray Robinson avoided Eduardo Lausse

[elmersalsa]

I think that the 50s was the best era in boxing. I see more talent in that decade than any other.

Sugar Ray Robinson
Rocky Marciano
Archie Moore
Kid Gavilan
Pascual Perez
Carmen Basilio
Sandy Saddler
Joe Brown
Harold Johnson
Floyd Patterson
Flash Elorde
Bobo Olson
Gene Fullmer
Jimmy Carruthers
Raton Macias
Jimmy Carter
Paddy DeMarco
Tony DeMarco
Joey Giardello
Johnny Saxton

That is too many great fighters...Not to mention the other great contenders like Gil Turner, Bob Satterfield, Nino Valdez, Orlando Zulueta, Del Flanagan, Rex Layne, Roland LaStarza, Eduardo Lausse, Rocky Castenalli, Irish Bob Murphy, Billy Graham and others that I cannot mention because they were too many of them. It remind me of another great era: The 1980s.

[Zelley]

BOBBY DYKES

Looking at all the contenders in the Fifties one Bobby Dykes was interesting.
Following his big shot against welterweight champion Kid Gavilan, Dykes continued to be
an active warrior with numerous bouts against the likes of Gil Turner, Joe Miceli,
Joey Giambra, Tiger Jones, Holly Mims and many more.

Yes, the Fifties did have some excellent and interesting contenders such as:
Chuck Davey, Pappy Gault, Teddy Davis, Dai Dower, Kenny Lane and many more.