Classic American West Coast Boxing

[scartissue]

Fighters rock new arena


Carlos Baeza
Chris Arreola, left, would defeat Travis Walker in the third round of their heavyweight bout with a technical knockout.

Chris Arreola pummels way to heavyweight win and Paul Williams prevails at 154 pounds in the main card at venue in Ontario.

Bill Dwyre
November 30, 2008

It was a new place to practice their craft, but the two-headed monster promoted by Dan Goossen and named Arreola/Williams seemed to feel right at home Saturday night at the new Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario.

The crowd was listed as 5,400, in a new stadium that can seat 10,000 for events such as boxing, and that seemed a decent crowd for a sport that hasn't been featured in this region in some time.

The new arena has already played host to the likes of a Lakers exhibition game. But if fans thought that was a lot of action, they should have seen what went on in the boxing ring.

In a night of blood, guts and thunder, heavyweight Chris Arreola destroyed Florida fighter Travis Walker with so many huge punches in the second and third rounds that both the ring uprights and the arena were rocking.

Arreola finally finished Walker, after being down once himself in the second round and punching Walker to the ground twice himself in the same round, with a huge left hook. That left Walker crumbled in a corner, referee Jack Reiss hovered over him to make sure he had no ideas of getting up.

Which, as it turned out, was a good idea on Reiss' part.

"I wanted to continue," Walker said. "I didn't think I was hurt. . . . I was surprised I started to get hurt. He did get good shots in, all on point."

Three rounds of incredible action, and that wasn't even the main event.

In that one, the rubber man, Paul Williams, all 6 feet 2 and 154 pounds, with legs like twigs and hands like hammers, wore down 39-year-old Verno Phillips to the point that he remained in his corner after the eighth round.

Neither fighter had gone down, but Williams, who is lanky and has a reach that forces opponents to attack by wading through three or four shots just to get into range, beat up Phillips badly.

Paul Wallace, the ringside physician, who recommended to Phillips' corner that their fighter had had enough, said, "He was ready to go. He wasn't answering questions appropriately. The difference [in how Phillips was] between the seventh and eighth round was a lot."

Williams' main problem in this fight was the cut he suffered over his right eye in the first round. It did not come from a punch, but from a head butt, and if Wallace had ruled it was bad enough to stop the fight in the first four rounds, the result of the match would have gone to the judges' card.

But Williams survived it well.

"That's the first time I bled like that," said Williams, who has fought 37 professional matches and won 36. "I had blood in my eye a lot, but I did what I had to do."

Williams said he thought the third round was the turning point.

"I could feel Verno's legs leaving him," Williams said.

In the first round of the Arreola-Walker fight, Arreola could probably feel his unbeaten record (26-0), not to mention his quest to become the first Mexican heavyweight champion, leaving him.

Walker unloaded several times and even scored a rare knockdown against this tattooed block of granite.

"He's a strong guy," Arreola said. "In the first round, I wanted to see how much power he had."

Arreola, the frequent subject of criticism over the weight he carries into the ring -- 254 pounds Saturday night -- said afterward, "I'm not concerned about my weight. I just wanted to go to war."

He also admitted, however, that he would be back in training Monday.

Mentioned often in post-fight interviews were the names of the Klitschko brothers, Wladimir and Vitali, along with Antonio Margarito.

The Ukrainian Klitschkos, each holding a belt in separate heavyweight groups, seem to be the goal of Arreola and his promoter, Goossen.

Asked in the ring afterward whether he thought he was now ready to fight one of them, Arreola answered by saying, "Ask the fans."

Margarito is a world-class fighter who Williams beat a year ago at the Home Depot Center in a result that shocked the boxing world. Now, Williams and Goossen seem to be pushing for a rematch and the big payday that would come with it.

"I'll get in the ring with anybody," Williams said.

Getting in the ring too Saturday night was Shawn Estrada, the Olympian from East Los Angeles, who won his professional debut with a first-round technical knockout of Lawrence Jones in a middleweight bout.

[email protected]

I don't know if anyone caught the post fight interview in the ring with Arreola, but I laughed when he said after the fight that he was going for Menudo.

Scartissue

[scartissue]

The old sporting clubs are virtually all gone, Rick, and it is no bad thing. The clubs are private and its members all men, all rich men. Basically, after oysters in the morning and golf in the afternoon, these members have a lavish evening dinner and then watch some boxing. It is just an excuse for fat cats to drink too much and eat too much, and sleep it off in a fantastic hotel, although the clubs do (well, did) offer plenty of work to fighters. Ken Buchanan was reared in such clubs because his manager, Eddie Thomas, didn't work with the leading promoter of the day, Mickey Duff.
I attended a few of these clubs in the 1980s, up in the balcony with the other paupers. It was actually quite interesting to celebrity spot. I remember sitting directly above Michael Caine in 1983. He was with Dennis Waterman (a well-known British-TV actor and brother of the fighter Peter) and both were smoking huge cigars after their meal. This was at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, home of the Anglo-American Sporting Club. I went to the National Sporting Club several times at the Cafe Royale on Regent Street. It was great, that one, because you didn't have to wear a penguin suit and just made your way up to the balcony and got on with watching the boxing (and the celebrities). Leonard Rossiter was there one night, another well-known British-TV actor (he actually died just weeks later). On another night the entire Australian cricket team were there, drinking, eating and smoking the night away - the night before a test match with England. It certainly separated cricket from boxing. Jeff Thompson was one of the Aussies.
I also remember turning up at the Grosvenor House Hotel one night (The World Sporting Club) with a tie but not a bow tie (there was a strict dress code). Davey Jones organised the event and I knew I was going to cop some flak but I also knew Davey barked and growled a lot but that underneath he was a good dog, and sure enough, after he had jumped around for 10 minutes, I was given access to the balcony.
As for the boxing gyms, there are fewer and fewer gyms above pubs today but they used to be everywhere. The most famous would probably be the legendary Thomas A'Becket on the old Kent Road in South London, where Henry Cooper trained and which is now the domain of a property consultant (the first floor). Terry Lawless' gym above The Royal Oak in Canning Town is another famous one, as is The Wellington in Highgate, where Conteh trained.
The Finnegans used to train above a pub in Lavender Hill and down several pints of Guinness after training (and probably before).

Leonard Rossiter? Man, I was addicted to "The fall and rise of Reginald Perrin". Regarding the Thomas A'Beckett, Bennie, isn't that where Henry Cooper usually trained out of? Wasn't there a female proprietor of the pub who was also known as female promoter? I believe her name was Beryl. Help me out here, Bennie.

Scartissue

[scartissue]

Ernie Lopez's record

Alias Indian Red
Country USA
Global Id 11406
Division Welterweight
Born 1945-09-23


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1987-07-07 Kenny Louis Memphis, USA L KO 1
1974-10-29 John H Stracey Kensington, United Kingdo L TKO 7
1973-07-26 Armando Muniz Los Angeles, USA L TKO 7
1973-02-28 Jose Napoles Inglewood, USA L KO 7
WBC Welterweight Title
WBA Welterweight Title
1972-11-10 Jose Luis Baltazar Los Angeles, USA W KO 5
1972-10-12 Manuel Gonzalez Stateline, USA W RTD 5
1972-03-30 Emile Griffith Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1972-01-20 Sal Martinez Los Angeles, USA W TKO 3
1971-10-28 Oscar Albarado Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1971-09-16 Manuel Fierro Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1971-07-08 Danny Perez Los Angeles, USA W KO 2
1971-05-03 Emile Griffith Las Vegas, USA L MD 10
1971-01-20 Peter Cobblah Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1970-10-10 Cipriano Hernandez Woodland Hills, USA W UD 10
1970-08-03 Ruben Rivera Sacramento, USA W KO 6
1970-07-08 Manuel Avitia Las Vegas, USA W KO 8
1970-02-14 Jose Napoles Inglewood, USA L TKO 15
WBC Welterweight Title
WBA Welterweight Title
1969-10-04 Hedgemon Lewis Los Angeles, USA W TKO 10
1969-07-10 Hedgemon Lewis Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1969-03-13 Chucho Garcia Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1969-02-18 Brad Silas Los Angeles, USA W KO 1
1969-01-30 Raul Soriano Los Angeles, USA W TKO 9
1968-08-01 Polo Corona Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1968-07-18 Hedgemon Lewis Los Angeles, USA W TKO 9
1968-04-30 Gabe Terronez Fresno, USA W UD 12
1968-03-03 Raul Soriano Mexicali, Mexico L UD 10
1968-02-08 Bob Murray Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1967-11-20 Doug McLeod Las Vegas, USA W KO 4
1967-10-12 Jose Valenzuela Los Angeles, USA W TKO 10
1967-08-08 Musashi Nakano Nagoya, Japan W KO 3
1967-07-06 Andy Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W KO 7
1967-06-13 Phil Robinson Honolulu, USA W PTS 10
1967-05-22 Ed McGruder Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1967-04-20 Frank Jennings Los Angeles, USA W TKO 8
1967-03-27 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1967-03-06 Benito Juarez Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1966-12-12 Adolph Pruitt Las Vegas, USA L UD 10
1966-09-19 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA L PTS 10
1966-08-22 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1966-06-21 Tito Marshall Las Vegas, USA W UD 10
1966-05-09 Jose Stable Las Vegas, USA W UD 10
1966-04-04 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA W PTS 12
1966-02-28 Al Grant Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1966-02-14 Mel Fields Las Vegas, USA W KO 3
1966-01-31 Memo Lopez Las Vegas, USA W KO 6
1966-01-17 Al Andrews Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1965-12-20 Pulga Serrano Las Vegas, USA W TKO 4
1965-12-06 Armand Laurenco Laurinco Las Vegas, USA W KO 1
1965-11-09 Armand Laurenco Laurinco Las Vegas, USA D PTS 6
1965-11-01 Billy Marsh Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6
1964-12-22 Don Minor Las Vegas, USA L UD 12
1964-10-19 Chappell Funnye Santa Monica, USA W KO 8
1964-09-29 Bernie Magallanes Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6
1964-07-04 Jesse Armenta Hermosillo, Mexico L KO 9
1964-06-12 Joe Clark Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6
1964-03-30 Andres Herrera Santa Monica, USA W PTS 6
1964-03-10 George Green Las Vegas, USA W KO 5
1964-03-03 Trini Lopez North Hollywood, USA W PTS 4
1964-02-13 Mickey Davitt Los Angeles, USA W KO 1
1964-02-04 Carl Moore Las Vegas, USA W KO 3
1964-01-21 Armand Laurenco Laurinco Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6

Record to Date
Won 47 (KOs 23) Lost 13 Drawn 1 Total 61

I'm disappointed in Jimmy Heair.

When you consider Jommy Heair fought for so long, so often and so often out of his weight class, he probably thought suggesting this pickup fight was as common as waking up for breakfast.

Scartissue

[bennie]

Ernie Lopez's record

Alias Indian Red
Country USA
Global Id 11406
Division Welterweight
Born 1945-09-23


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1987-07-07 Kenny Louis Memphis, USA L KO 1
1974-10-29 John H Stracey Kensington, United Kingdo L TKO 7
1973-07-26 Armando Muniz Los Angeles, USA L TKO 7
1973-02-28 Jose Napoles Inglewood, USA L KO 7
WBC Welterweight Title
WBA Welterweight Title
1972-11-10 Jose Luis Baltazar Los Angeles, USA W KO 5
1972-10-12 Manuel Gonzalez Stateline, USA W RTD 5
1972-03-30 Emile Griffith Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1972-01-20 Sal Martinez Los Angeles, USA W TKO 3
1971-10-28 Oscar Albarado Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1971-09-16 Manuel Fierro Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1971-07-08 Danny Perez Los Angeles, USA W KO 2
1971-05-03 Emile Griffith Las Vegas, USA L MD 10
1971-01-20 Peter Cobblah Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1970-10-10 Cipriano Hernandez Woodland Hills, USA W UD 10
1970-08-03 Ruben Rivera Sacramento, USA W KO 6
1970-07-08 Manuel Avitia Las Vegas, USA W KO 8
1970-02-14 Jose Napoles Inglewood, USA L TKO 15
WBC Welterweight Title
WBA Welterweight Title
1969-10-04 Hedgemon Lewis Los Angeles, USA W TKO 10
1969-07-10 Hedgemon Lewis Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1969-03-13 Chucho Garcia Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1969-02-18 Brad Silas Los Angeles, USA W KO 1
1969-01-30 Raul Soriano Los Angeles, USA W TKO 9
1968-08-01 Polo Corona Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1968-07-18 Hedgemon Lewis Los Angeles, USA W TKO 9
1968-04-30 Gabe Terronez Fresno, USA W UD 12
1968-03-03 Raul Soriano Mexicali, Mexico L UD 10
1968-02-08 Bob Murray Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1967-11-20 Doug McLeod Las Vegas, USA W KO 4
1967-10-12 Jose Valenzuela Los Angeles, USA W TKO 10
1967-08-08 Musashi Nakano Nagoya, Japan W KO 3
1967-07-06 Andy Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W KO 7
1967-06-13 Phil Robinson Honolulu, USA W PTS 10
1967-05-22 Ed McGruder Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1967-04-20 Frank Jennings Los Angeles, USA W TKO 8
1967-03-27 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1967-03-06 Benito Juarez Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1966-12-12 Adolph Pruitt Las Vegas, USA L UD 10
1966-09-19 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA L PTS 10
1966-08-22 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1966-06-21 Tito Marshall Las Vegas, USA W UD 10
1966-05-09 Jose Stable Las Vegas, USA W UD 10
1966-04-04 Johnny Brooks Las Vegas, USA W PTS 12
1966-02-28 Al Grant Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1966-02-14 Mel Fields Las Vegas, USA W KO 3
1966-01-31 Memo Lopez Las Vegas, USA W KO 6
1966-01-17 Al Andrews Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1965-12-20 Pulga Serrano Las Vegas, USA W TKO 4
1965-12-06 Armand Laurenco Laurinco Las Vegas, USA W KO 1
1965-11-09 Armand Laurenco Laurinco Las Vegas, USA D PTS 6
1965-11-01 Billy Marsh Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6
1964-12-22 Don Minor Las Vegas, USA L UD 12
1964-10-19 Chappell Funnye Santa Monica, USA W KO 8
1964-09-29 Bernie Magallanes Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6
1964-07-04 Jesse Armenta Hermosillo, Mexico L KO 9
1964-06-12 Joe Clark Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6
1964-03-30 Andres Herrera Santa Monica, USA W PTS 6
1964-03-10 George Green Las Vegas, USA W KO 5
1964-03-03 Trini Lopez North Hollywood, USA W PTS 4
1964-02-13 Mickey Davitt Los Angeles, USA W KO 1
1964-02-04 Carl Moore Las Vegas, USA W KO 3
1964-01-21 Armand Laurenco Laurinco Las Vegas, USA W PTS 6

Record to Date
Won 47 (KOs 23) Lost 13 Drawn 1 Total 61

I'm disappointed in Jimmy Heair.

When you consider Jommy Heair fought for so long, so often and so often out of his weight class, he probably thought suggesting this pickup fight was as common as waking up for breakfast.

Scartissue

True, Dan.

[kikibalt]

"Ahhhhh the Irish"

An armed and hooded robber bursts into the Bank of Ireland and forces the tellers to load a sack full of cash.
On his way out the door with the loot, one brave Irish customer grabs the hood and pulls it off revealing the robber's face.
The robber shoots the guy in the head without hesitation! He then looks around the bank to see if anyone else has seen him. One of the tellers is looking straight at him and the robber walks over and calmly shoots him in the head also. Everyone by now is very scared and looking down at the floor.
'Did anyone else see my face?' calls the robber.
There is a few moments silence than one elderly Irish gent, looking down, tentatively raises his hand and says:
'I think me wife may have caught a glimpse….'

[bennie]

The old sporting clubs are virtually all gone, Rick, and it is no bad thing. The clubs are private and its members all men, all rich men. Basically, after oysters in the morning and golf in the afternoon, these members have a lavish evening dinner and then watch some boxing. It is just an excuse for fat cats to drink too much and eat too much, and sleep it off in a fantastic hotel, although the clubs do (well, did) offer plenty of work to fighters. Ken Buchanan was reared in such clubs because his manager, Eddie Thomas, didn't work with the leading promoter of the day, Mickey Duff.
I attended a few of these clubs in the 1980s, up in the balcony with the other paupers. It was actually quite interesting to celebrity spot. I remember sitting directly above Michael Caine in 1983. He was with Dennis Waterman (a well-known British-TV actor and brother of the fighter Peter) and both were smoking huge cigars after their meal. This was at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, home of the Anglo-American Sporting Club. I went to the National Sporting Club several times at the Cafe Royale on Regent Street. It was great, that one, because you didn't have to wear a penguin suit and just made your way up to the balcony and got on with watching the boxing (and the celebrities). Leonard Rossiter was there one night, another well-known British-TV actor (he actually died just weeks later). On another night the entire Australian cricket team were there, drinking, eating and smoking the night away - the night before a test match with England. It certainly separated cricket from boxing. Jeff Thompson was one of the Aussies.
I also remember turning up at the Grosvenor House Hotel one night (The World Sporting Club) with a tie but not a bow tie (there was a strict dress code). Davey Jones organised the event and I knew I was going to cop some flak but I also knew Davey barked and growled a lot but that underneath he was a good dog, and sure enough, after he had jumped around for 10 minutes, I was given access to the balcony.
As for the boxing gyms, there are fewer and fewer gyms above pubs today but they used to be everywhere. The most famous would probably be the legendary Thomas A'Becket on the old Kent Road in South London, where Henry Cooper trained and which is now the domain of a property consultant (the first floor). Terry Lawless' gym above The Royal Oak in Canning Town is another famous one, as is The Wellington in Highgate, where Conteh trained.
The Finnegans used to train above a pub in Lavender Hill and down several pints of Guinness after training (and probably before).

Leonard Rossiter? Man, I was addicted to "The fall and rise of Reginald Perrin". Regarding the Thomas A'Beckett, Bennie, isn't that where Henry Cooper usually trained out of? Wasn't there a female proprietor of the pub who was also known as female promoter? I believe her name was Beryl. Help me out here, Bennie.

Scartissue

Yeah, Beryl Cameron-Gibbons or Beryl of "the Becket".

[kikibalt]

Rick,
A pic. of Deports Viking, courtesy of Diego.

Thanks to both Roger and Frank. To be honest Rog, back in the 60's Viking Deportes really didn't have a lot to choose from either. I expected they would have more. I used to find what I wanted and needed, but I ended up getting a better deal and selection on equipment from a guy who would bring up it up from Mexico. He lived in South L.A. and I could get Casanova training gloves for $10 a pair, so why drive to TJ?

Hey Frank, do you remember a lady named Margo who sold equipment near the gym. For awhile she sold equipment out of a gym on Washington Blvd. then she got her own store. Randy might remember her, she started her business around the time he was fighting.

-Rick

Rick, yes I remember Margo, I also remember how she got the store, the store was on the left side of the entrance to the Main St. Gym, that store was own by a guy named Cesar Perez who also had a fighter or two, Margo used to work for Perez and after a while they had a thing going, they started talking about getting married, but Margo wouldn't married Perez unless he sign the store over to her first, he was in love so he did, the ink wasn't dry on the papers when she threw him out. He later had the Olympic Gym that was on Hope St. behind the Olympic Aud., he also lost that one, to Jimmy Montoya, Perez always used to tell me that he was a business man, not a very one good, methink.


This the luggage store that Margo got from Cesar Perez, Perez used to
sell boxing equipment out of this store, as did Margo after she took the
store from Cesar, after the store was closed down she was selling from
some where out of South LA, then she opened another store downtown.

[Expug]

"Ahhhhh the Irish"

An armed and hooded robber bursts into the Bank of Ireland and forces the tellers to load a sack full of cash.
On his way out the door with the loot, one brave Irish customer grabs the hood and pulls it off revealing the robber's face.
The robber shoots the guy in the head without hesitation! He then looks around the bank to see if anyone else has seen him. One of the tellers is looking straight at him and the robber walks over and calmly shoots him in the head also. Everyone by now is very scared and looking down at the floor.
'Did anyone else see my face?' calls the robber.
There is a few moments silence than one elderly Irish gent, looking down, tentatively raises his hand and says:
'I think me wife may have caught a glimpse….'

Aye

Here another.
An Irishman is walking through the hills of Galway when he comes upon a half mile long funeral procession.
At the front of the long line of walkers is a guy with a fierce looking bulldog on a leash and behind him is the pall bearers with a casket , behind them must have been five thousand mourners walking along.
The guy strolls up to the front and asks the guy with the leash, "who died?"
The guy with the dog says "My Mother in Law"and this is the dog that bit her resulting in her death.
The guy listens and starts scheming.
"Do you think I might be able to borrow that dog?'
The guy with the dog says "get in line".

[scartissue]

The old sporting clubs are virtually all gone, Rick, and it is no bad thing. The clubs are private and its members all men, all rich men. Basically, after oysters in the morning and golf in the afternoon, these members have a lavish evening dinner and then watch some boxing. It is just an excuse for fat cats to drink too much and eat too much, and sleep it off in a fantastic hotel, although the clubs do (well, did) offer plenty of work to fighters. Ken Buchanan was reared in such clubs because his manager, Eddie Thomas, didn't work with the leading promoter of the day, Mickey Duff.
I attended a few of these clubs in the 1980s, up in the balcony with the other paupers. It was actually quite interesting to celebrity spot. I remember sitting directly above Michael Caine in 1983. He was with Dennis Waterman (a well-known British-TV actor and brother of the fighter Peter) and both were smoking huge cigars after their meal. This was at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, home of the Anglo-American Sporting Club. I went to the National Sporting Club several times at the Cafe Royale on Regent Street. It was great, that one, because you didn't have to wear a penguin suit and just made your way up to the balcony and got on with watching the boxing (and the celebrities). Leonard Rossiter was there one night, another well-known British-TV actor (he actually died just weeks later). On another night the entire Australian cricket team were there, drinking, eating and smoking the night away - the night before a test match with England. It certainly separated cricket from boxing. Jeff Thompson was one of the Aussies.
I also remember turning up at the Grosvenor House Hotel one night (The World Sporting Club) with a tie but not a bow tie (there was a strict dress code). Davey Jones organised the event and I knew I was going to cop some flak but I also knew Davey barked and growled a lot but that underneath he was a good dog, and sure enough, after he had jumped around for 10 minutes, I was given access to the balcony.
As for the boxing gyms, there are fewer and fewer gyms above pubs today but they used to be everywhere. The most famous would probably be the legendary Thomas A'Becket on the old Kent Road in South London, where Henry Cooper trained and which is now the domain of a property consultant (the first floor). Terry Lawless' gym above The Royal Oak in Canning Town is another famous one, as is The Wellington in Highgate, where Conteh trained.
The Finnegans used to train above a pub in Lavender Hill and down several pints of Guinness after training (and probably before).

Leonard Rossiter? Man, I was addicted to "The fall and rise of Reginald Perrin". Regarding the Thomas A'Beckett, Bennie, isn't that where Henry Cooper usually trained out of? Wasn't there a female proprietor of the pub who was also known as female promoter? I believe her name was Beryl. Help me out here, Bennie.

Scartissue

Yeah, Beryl Cameron-Gibbons or Beryl of "the Becket".

Beryl Gibbons, thanks, dude. I have an article of her in an old Boxing Illustrated which begins with a splash page-like shot of her sweater-bunnies hanging out of the dress. Was she involved with promoting or was it a marketing ploy, using her as eye-candy so-to-speak?

Scartissue

[Rick Farris]

Off the top of my head, Ernie's last fight (in the ring) came with our own John H. Stracey.

http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php?t ... ght:248831


"Kenny Louis vs. Ernie Lopez
From Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia
(Redirected from Fight:248831)
Jump to: navigation, search
1987-07-07 : Kenny Louis beat Ernie Lopez by KO in round 1 of 6
Location: Omni-Daisy Theatre, Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Ernie Red Lopez was a truck driver at this time, he read in the papers that there was a show and went with his old friend Jimmy Heair When he got to the arena Heair and the promoter Red Fortner talked him into fighting. "

Barmy. Lopez had no business fighting in 1987.

Like Ernie, Danny made the same mistake long after he had retired following the loss of his title to Sal Sanchez. Danny, in his early 40's stepped into the ring with a losing prelim kid. Boxrec can provide you with the official result, but what basicly happened was Danny got floored early in the opening round, and I believe was stopped in the second. In another time, the winner would not have been an adequate sparring partner for the great "Lil Red". We all get older. Boxers forget the pain as years progress, they miss the money and excitement, the attention. They give it another go upon watching the quality of boxers deteriorate from what they were in the past. Sadly, even the sub-par competition is too much for an ancient prizefighter. Best to just enjoy events like the Hall of Fame where they can relive the past with a few of us who remember it as well as they do.

-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

The old sporting clubs are virtually all gone, Rick, and it is no bad thing. The clubs are private and its members all men, all rich men. Basically, after oysters in the morning and golf in the afternoon, these members have a lavish evening dinner and then watch some boxing. It is just an excuse for fat cats to drink too much and eat too much, and sleep it off in a fantastic hotel, although the clubs do (well, did) offer plenty of work to fighters. Ken Buchanan was reared in such clubs because his manager, Eddie Thomas, didn't work with the leading promoter of the day, Mickey Duff.
I attended a few of these clubs in the 1980s, up in the balcony with the other paupers. It was actually quite interesting to celebrity spot. I remember sitting directly above Michael Caine in 1983. He was with Dennis Waterman (a well-known British-TV actor and brother of the fighter Peter) and both were smoking huge cigars after their meal. This was at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, home of the Anglo-American Sporting Club. I went to the National Sporting Club several times at the Cafe Royale on Regent Street. It was great, that one, because you didn't have to wear a penguin suit and just made your way up to the balcony and got on with watching the boxing (and the celebrities). Leonard Rossiter was there one night, another well-known British-TV actor (he actually died just weeks later). On another night the entire Australian cricket team were there, drinking, eating and smoking the night away - the night before a test match with England. It certainly separated cricket from boxing. Jeff Thompson was one of the Aussies.
I also remember turning up at the Grosvenor House Hotel one night (The World Sporting Club) with a tie but not a bow tie (there was a strict dress code). Davey Jones organised the event and I knew I was going to cop some flak but I also knew Davey barked and growled a lot but that underneath he was a good dog, and sure enough, after he had jumped around for 10 minutes, I was given access to the balcony.
As for the boxing gyms, there are fewer and fewer gyms above pubs today but they used to be everywhere. The most famous would probably be the legendary Thomas A'Becket on the old Kent Road in South London, where Henry Cooper trained and which is now the domain of a property consultant (the first floor). Terry Lawless' gym above The Royal Oak in Canning Town is another famous one, as is The Wellington in Highgate, where Conteh trained.
The Finnegans used to train above a pub in Lavender Hill and down several pints of Guinness after training (and probably before).

Bennie, thanks for the information about those sporting clubs. I also appreciate the info on the gyms. When I was in London, I never had a chance to get away and explore the boxing world. I'll be back in due course, and I plan on doing just that. I have a few more questions for you as well.

-Rick

[kikibalt]

"Tommy Burns"

By Diego

[dagosd2000]

THE BROKEN GYM


If you walk on the the Mexican side in the Zona Norte, there's the rise and the the fence that runs parallel along the U.S. side. A hundred feet from the U.S on the Mexican side is a municipal park. The old ball field at one time was home to a Japanese baseball team. This was before the War. It was a league of Japanese /Americans. They were farm workers mostly. The league disbanded when the War started and most the ball players were interned in camps.

The park has a youth league ball field named after Esteban Loiaza who lived in Tijuana,but played baseball in high school in San Diego,and then had a good stint in the Majors. There's also,to the far end of the complex,a boxing gym. Above the door is written "Gimnasio Indio Ortega." Ortega lived in Tijuana while he was fighting professionally. He was a number one contender and had a crack at Emile Griffith's title. Griffith TKO'd "Indio" in the Garden. After that "Indio" fought mostly in various pueblos in Mexico. He finished his career fighting over 160 times.

The facility is pretty rundown. I never see any employees working the center nor do many residents in the area use the ball fields,the basketball courts,and the boxing gym. The ball field are full of rocks and glass. Used needles are everywhere on the ground. There are no nets on the basketballl rims. The "Indio" Ortega gym has a padlock on the door. Windows are broken and walls have grafitti written all over. Dust where there should be grass on the ball fields. Rust on the basketball posts. Weeds growing through the cracks in the pavement.

I saw Gaspar "Indio " Ortega at the WBHOF Banquet in Los Angeles. I introduced him to my wife. My wife,I told him, lived in Canon Jhonson. "Indio" had lived in Colonia Morelos. At one time they were neighbors. The neighborhoods are side by side,

I asked "Indio" when was the last time he visited TJ. He shook his head and waved his finger.
"Two years ago. But I don't go back. Very dangerous now,"
"Indio" lives in Connecticut with his wife. His son is a referee in New York. I told him of his gym in Tijuana. He gave a laugh.
"It is the way now. Young boys want to make easy money. The trainers are gone. Amateur fighting is a memory."
I wished I hadn't told him about the gym,but he didn't seem surprised. He knew it would happen that way. It was inevitable.
"We used to go to Tijuana when we came out to California."
"Indio's" wife was ordering something from the Starbicks in the hotel. She asked if her husband wanted anything. He said he wasn't hungry. I asked him to take a picture with my wife. He was more than happy to.
"Thank you,"I said. "I'll be seeing you tonight."
"Of course,"said the old fighter with a big smile. Then the smile went away.
"Do me a favor amigo. When you go back to Tijuana don't go by the boxing gym. They should take my name off it. I won't be going back."

[kikibalt]

British Olympic boxer questioned in cocaine probe

LONDON (AP)—A British Olympic boxer has been questioned by police on suspicion of dealing cocaine.

Bradley Saunders, a 22-year-old light welterweight, was detained Monday after a police sniffer dog found what was believed to be more than 300 grams of cocaine worth $18,200 in his back garden in northeast England.

Saunders and his girlfriend were held overnight by police and released on bail Tuesday.

Saunders was a gold medal prospect at August’s Beijing Olympics, but lost his second fight.

[Boxingnut]

By the way, I also would read about bantam Alan Rudkin, how he was from Liverpool and supposedly went to school with a couple of the Beatles(?). I followed Rudkin's career from afar and finally saw him in person as he trained for his title fight with champ Ruben Olivares here in L.A. Although outgunned by the great Olivares, I liked what I saw in Rudkin and wonder if you have any memories or info on him. Is he around the boxing world at all today? Any updates?

-Rick

[/quote]

Hi Rick

Although Alan Rudkin is before my time I know that he still lives in his (and mine) home city of Liverpool in an area called Anfield. Sadly Alan is not in the best of health nor is he financially well off. I know a few years ago a low level crook offered him £10,000 for his Lonsdale belt. Thankfully Alan said no. As far as I know he has no involvement in boxing, which is a shame. What a great little champion though.

Rob[/quote]

When Rudkin fought Olivares, in the dressing room afterwards the electricity in the Inglewood Forum failed prompting Rudkin to say "That's the second bloody time that the lights have gone out on me tonight!"

[kikibalt]

Floyd Sr. faces a different foe
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

Floyd Mayweather Sr. was unusually solemn Saturday after helping Ricky Hatton to an 11th round technical knockout victory over Paulie Malignaggi in their super lightweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden.

The colorful boxing trainer has never met a camera or a tape recorder that he doesn’t like, but after most reporters had left the media center on Saturday, he turned down the volume and was far less outrageous than the public persona he portrays.

He said he plans to continue to train boxers for no more than two years, and perhaps as little as just another year, as he battles the disease sarcoidosis.

Though Mayweather Sr. considers his greatest gift his ability to teach young boxers, he said he isn’t interesting in taking on a challenge like that at this stage of his life.

“I just don’t have the time to do that now,” Mayweather Sr., 56, said.

According to the Sarcoidosis Research Institute’s web site, it is “a complex disease for which the cause and cure are unknown. Sarcoidosis involves inflammation that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body. The lumps are called granulomas because under the microscope they look like grains of sugar or sand. When these granulomas invade the body they can cause permanent damage to the affected organ.”

Mayweather said his lungs are affected and that physical exertion often exacerbates his condition. He said he’s not looking for a large group of boxers to train, nor does he want to try to teach a young fighter from scratch.

“I’m going to see how it goes,” said Mayweather, who taught his son, one-time pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., the basics of the game at an early age. “But I know it’s not going to be long. I am pretty sure I’m not going to be doing this more than two years. This lung disease is what I have to worry about.”

we wish Mayweather the best of luck and health in his fight against sarcoidosis,

[kikibalt]

Paul "Fancy Pants" Reguejo

[Rick Farris]

By the way, I also would read about bantam Alan Rudkin, how he was from Liverpool and supposedly went to school with a couple of the Beatles(?). I followed Rudkin's career from afar and finally saw him in person as he trained for his title fight with champ Ruben Olivares here in L.A. Although outgunned by the great Olivares, I liked what I saw in Rudkin and wonder if you have any memories or info on him. Is he around the boxing world at all today? Any updates?

-Rick

Hi Rick

Although Alan Rudkin is before my time I know that he still lives in his (and mine) home city of Liverpool in an area called Anfield. Sadly Alan is not in the best of health nor is he financially well off. I know a few years ago a low level crook offered him £10,000 for his Lonsdale belt. Thankfully Alan said no. As far as I know he has no involvement in boxing, which is a shame. What a great little champion though.

Rob[/quote]

When Rudkin fought Olivares, in the dressing room afterwards the electricity in the Inglewood Forum failed prompting Rudkin to say "That's the second bloody time that the lights have gone out on me tonight!"[/quote]

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Rob . . . Thanks for the info on Alan Rudkin, and I agree he was a special fighter during a very tough era in the bantam division. Guys like Jofre, Harada and the Mexican legends were all in their prime. I believe Alan was a British and Commonwealth champ and I can visualize his portrait in a boxing stance wearing that Lonsdale Belt. Thankfully, he kept it. Rudkin had that youthful face and British heart. Judging by his comment after the power failure, he revealed a sense of humor as well. He did boxing proud.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

THE BROKEN GYM


If you walk on the the Mexican side in the Zona Norte, there's the rise and the the fence that runs parallel along the U.S. side. A hundred feet from the U.S on the Mexican side is a municipal park. The old ball field at one time was home to a Japanese baseball team. This was before the War. It was a league of Japanese /Americans. They were farm workers mostly. The league disbanded when the War started and most the ball players were interned in camps.

The park has a youth league ball field named after Esteban Loiaza who lived in Tijuana,but played baseball in high school in San Diego,and then had a good stint in the Majors. There's also,to the far end of the complex,a boxing gym. Above the door is written "Gimnasio Indio Ortega." Ortega lived in Tijuana while he was fighting professionally. He was a number one contender and had a crack at Emile Griffith's title. Griffith TKO'd "Indio" in the Garden. After that "Indio" fought mostly in various pueblos in Mexico. He finished his career fighting over 160 times.

The facility is pretty rundown. I never see any employees working the center nor do many residents in the area use the ball fields,the basketball courts,and the boxing gym. The ball field are full of rocks and glass. Used needles are everywhere on the ground. There are no nets on the basketballl rims. The "Indio" Ortega gym has a padlock on the door. Windows are broken and walls have grafitti written all over. Dust where there should be grass on the ball fields. Rust on the basketball posts. Weeds growing through the cracks in the pavement.

I saw Gaspar "Indio " Ortega at the WBHOF Banquet in Los Angeles. I introduced him to my wife. My wife,I told him, lived in Canon Jhonson. "Indio" had lived in Colonia Morelos. At one time they were neighbors. The neighborhoods are side by side,

I asked "Indio" when was the last time he visited TJ. He shook his head and waved his finger.
"Two years ago. But I don't go back. Very dangerous now,"
"Indio" lives in Connecticut with his wife. His son is a referee in New York. I told him of his gym in Tijuana. He gave a laugh.
"It is the way now. Young boys want to make easy money. The trainers are gone. Amateur fighting is a memory."
I wished I hadn't told him about the gym,but he didn't seem surprised. He knew it would happen that way. It was inevitable.
"We used to go to Tijuana when we came out to California."
"Indio's" wife was ordering something from the Starbicks in the hotel. She asked if her husband wanted anything. He said he wasn't hungry. I asked him to take a picture with my wife. He was more than happy to.
"Thank you,"I said. "I'll be seeing you tonight."
"Of course,"said the old fighter with a big smile. Then the smile went away.
"Do me a favor amigo. When you go back to Tijuana don't go by the boxing gym. They should take my name off it. I won't be going back."

Powerful story, Roger. At last years WBHOF banquet, Dan Hanley and I were able to get more than a half dozen great interviews from several of the legends present. We had hoped to get both Emile Griffith and Gaspar Ortega, however, Emile was unable to attend last year and we ran out of time before coming across Ortega. My cousin Dawn, who was our still photographer, met El Indio and was taken by his class and amazing appearance for a man who campaigned in the ring for so long. She began to photograph him and came away with some great shots. It was Dan's and my goal to get Ortega on camera this year, however, lack of time prevented Dan and I from conducting interviews.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Rick,
A pic. of Deports Viking, courtesy of Diego.

Thanks to both Roger and Frank. To be honest Rog, back in the 60's Viking Deportes really didn't have a lot to choose from either. I expected they would have more. I used to find what I wanted and needed, but I ended up getting a better deal and selection on equipment from a guy who would bring up it up from Mexico. He lived in South L.A. and I could get Casanova training gloves for $10 a pair, so why drive to TJ?

Hey Frank, do you remember a lady named Margo who sold equipment near the gym. For awhile she sold equipment out of a gym on Washington Blvd. then she got her own store. Randy might remember her, she started her business around the time he was fighting.

-Rick

Rick, yes I remember Margo, I also remember how she got the store, the store was on the left side of the entrance to the Main St. Gym, that store was own by a guy named Cesar Perez who also had a fighter or two, Margo used to work for Perez and after a while they had a thing going, they started talking about getting married, but Margo wouldn't married Perez unless he sign the store over to her first, he was in love so he did, the ink wasn't dry on the papers when she threw him out. He later had the Olympic Gym that was on Hope St. behind the Olympic Aud., he also lost that one, to Jimmy Montoya, Perez always used to tell me that he was a business man, not a very one good, methink.


This the luggage store that Margo got from Cesar Perez, Perez used to
sell boxing equipment out of this store, as did Margo after she took the
store from Cesar, after the store was closed down she was selling from
some where out of South LA, then she opened another store downtown.

Our Los Angeles . . .

Frank . . . Classic picture and classic story! The luggage store was next door to a barber college. Also just across the breezway leading to the back parking lot was a pawn shop and skid row dive bar. Across the street a vintage 20's Burlesque House, and that greasy fast food fish stand where I'd buy a soft drink for the bus ride home. One block south was a great Mexican restaurant where a lot of boxing legends would eat, and a basement pool hall next door. Depression era strip joints, pawn shops, Rescue Missions, stores selling every kind of crap imaginable. The Rosslyn and King Edward Hotels, Olvera St. three blocks away, City Hall down the block, The L.A. Times building around the corner, The Olympic Auditorium a little more than a dozen blocks away, the Teamster's Gym a couple miles south-east, busy 6th St. two blocks south, leading to the the Bus Depot where more than one pug landed in L.A. en route to the Main Street Gym, where somebody like Duke Holloway would take them in. Across from Olvera Street is the Union Train Station, where Hall of Famer's such as Dempsey, Armstrong, Walker, Williams and scores more arrived by train to reveal their greatness in L.A. rings.

Lots of history surrounds 318 1/2 South Main Street, a parking lot since 1984. When I walk on that sidewalk where the gym's ground floor entrance was I can literally close my eyes and hear the distinct sound of a speed bags tapping out a rhythm of power, and the cracking sound of jump ropes brushing over the creeky hardwood floor. I can see Rip Roseboro or Duke Holloway holding court on the bleachers next to the gym floor entrance, and remember Howie Steindler sitting behind his desk in the office with a scowl on his face. Tony Marino, a former Filippino flyweight from the 20's was collecting admission from spectators who show up just to be close to some of the best fighters on earth as they did their gym work. The best show in town, I always thought. A lot of action on a Saturday morning for fifty cents for any true boxing fan. I see Johnny Villaflor standing on a ring apron, holding a plastic water bottle, and the Soto brothers pushing a shopping cart out of their ringside equipment room filled with gloves, head gear, cups, skip ropes, etc. The bell would ring and ring again in three minutes, and again in a minute, and then again in three minutes, and over and over.

Frank and Randy were there too. I can smell the place as I write this, I really can.

-Rick Farris

-Rick

[dagosd2000]

THE BROKEN GYM


If you walk on the the Mexican side in the Zona Norte, there's the rise and the the fence that runs parallel along the U.S. side. A hundred feet from the U.S on the Mexican side is a municipal park. The old ball field at one time was home to a Japanese baseball team. This was before the War. It was a league of Japanese /Americans. They were farm workers mostly. The league disbanded when the War started and most the ball players were interned in camps.

The park has a youth league ball field named after Esteban Loiaza who lived in Tijuana,but played baseball in high school in San Diego,and then had a good stint in the Majors. There's also,to the far end of the complex,a boxing gym. Above the door is written "Gimnasio Indio Ortega." Ortega lived in Tijuana while he was fighting professionally. He was a number one contender and had a crack at Emile Griffith's title. Griffith TKO'd "Indio" in the Garden. After that "Indio" fought mostly in various pueblos in Mexico. He finished his career fighting over 160 times.

The facility is pretty rundown. I never see any employees working the center nor do many residents in the area use the ball fields,the basketball courts,and the boxing gym. The ball field are full of rocks and glass. Used needles are everywhere on the ground. There are no nets on the basketballl rims. The "Indio" Ortega gym has a padlock on the door. Windows are broken and walls have grafitti written all over. Dust where there should be grass on the ball fields. Rust on the basketball posts. Weeds growing through the cracks in the pavement.

I saw Gaspar "Indio " Ortega at the WBHOF Banquet in Los Angeles. I introduced him to my wife. My wife,I told him, lived in Canon Jhonson. "Indio" had lived in Colonia Morelos. At one time they were neighbors. The neighborhoods are side by side,

I asked "Indio" when was the last time he visited TJ. He shook his head and waved his finger.
"Two years ago. But I don't go back. Very dangerous now,"
"Indio" lives in Connecticut with his wife. His son is a referee in New York. I told him of his gym in Tijuana. He gave a laugh.
"It is the way now. Young boys want to make easy money. The trainers are gone. Amateur fighting is a memory."
I wished I hadn't told him about the gym,but he didn't seem surprised. He knew it would happen that way. It was inevitable.
"We used to go to Tijuana when we came out to California."
"Indio's" wife was ordering something from the Starbicks in the hotel. She asked if her husband wanted anything. He said he wasn't hungry. I asked him to take a picture with my wife. He was more than happy to.
"Thank you,"I said. "I'll be seeing you tonight."
"Of course,"said the old fighter with a big smile. Then the smile went away.
"Do me a favor amigo. When you go back to Tijuana don't go by the boxing gym. They should take my name off it. I won't be going back."

Powerful story, Roger. At last years WBHOF banquet, Dan Hanley and I were able to get more than a half dozen great interviews from several of the legends present. We had hoped to get both Emile Griffith and Gaspar Ortega, however, Emile was unable to attend last year and we ran out of time before coming across Ortega. My cousin Dawn, who was our still photographer, met El Indio and was taken by his class and amazing appearance for a man who campaigned in the ring for so long. She began to photograph him and came away with some great shots. It was Dan's and my goal to get Ortega on camera this year, however, lack of time prevented Dan and I from conducting interviews.

-Rick

Thanks Rick.
You know I've heard it said that today's fighters may not have the stamina like the throwbacks(Ortega and Griffith),but it is the hand speed of today's fghter the compensates for everything else.

I disagree. I metioned I saw the replay of Griffith/Ortega I on ESPN CLASSIC. The hand speed of both boys was incredible. Put that with the way they forced the action,leading,countering,fighting their way out of clinches,and never taking a round off was refreshing to see. Too bad it was 48 years ago.

The other night I saw another Welter from this era,Paul Williams. He was fighting a tired old Verno Phillips. Williams didn't look as fast as Ortega and Griffith did almost half a century ago. Williams was pushing his jab and leaning into a lot of his punches. The fight was one sided. I turned it off before the end.

When I was at the WBHOF Banquet,I looked at fellas' like "Indio",Emile,and Marvin Johnson. Even Andy"The Kid". I saw his fight the other night with Emile. The one in New York. These dudes came to fight. If you weren't in shape you wouldn't go the distance.

We've talked about this before. Sorry to sound like a broken record,but when I think back, I like the sound of the music.

[dagosd2000]

Rick,
A pic. of Deports Viking, courtesy of Diego.

Thanks to both Roger and Frank. To be honest Rog, back in the 60's Viking Deportes really didn't have a lot to choose from either. I expected they would have more. I used to find what I wanted and needed, but I ended up getting a better deal and selection on equipment from a guy who would bring up it up from Mexico. He lived in South L.A. and I could get Casanova training gloves for $10 a pair, so why drive to TJ?

Hey Frank, do you remember a lady named Margo who sold equipment near the gym. For awhile she sold equipment out of a gym on Washington Blvd. then she got her own store. Randy might remember her, she started her business around the time he was fighting.

-Rick

Rick, yes I remember Margo, I also remember how she got the store, the store was on the left side of the entrance to the Main St. Gym, that store was own by a guy named Cesar Perez who also had a fighter or two, Margo used to work for Perez and after a while they had a thing going, they started talking about getting married, but Margo wouldn't married Perez unless he sign the store over to her first, he was in love so he did, the ink wasn't dry on the papers when she threw him out. He later had the Olympic Gym that was on Hope St. behind the Olympic Aud., he also lost that one, to Jimmy Montoya, Perez always used to tell me that he was a business man, not a very one good, methink.


This the luggage store that Margo got from Cesar Perez, Perez used to
sell boxing equipment out of this store, as did Margo after she took the
store from Cesar, after the store was closed down she was selling from
some where out of South LA, then she opened another store downtown.

Frank,Rick
This was an era when the downtown areas of the city were full of life. There were no malls. If you wanted to go to the high end stores you went downtown. There were lots of local merchants who were in business for decades. The city had a style. It had pride. There were landmarks and institutions that gave the city a trademark. My uncle was in charge of mens' clothing at Desmonds Department Store. It didn't have to to be something grandiose like the Ambassador Hotel,but perhaps a watering hole like Julie's across from the Coliseum. After Ram or USC game,it was one for the road at Julie's. Every great athlete who performed on the grass at the Coliseum had their picture on the wall.

All that is gone now. There was a flight to the suburbs in California. With that abondonment,the insides of the city started to decay. Then factories in the areae closed down and went to China.

All I know is China doesn't have an Olympic Auditorium. We don't have it anymore either. But at least we have the memories.

[Rick Farris]

THE BROKEN GYM


If you walk on the the Mexican side in the Zona Norte, there's the rise and the the fence that runs parallel along the U.S. side. A hundred feet from the U.S on the Mexican side is a municipal park. The old ball field at one time was home to a Japanese baseball team. This was before the War. It was a league of Japanese /Americans. They were farm workers mostly. The league disbanded when the War started and most the ball players were interned in camps.

The park has a youth league ball field named after Esteban Loiaza who lived in Tijuana,but played baseball in high school in San Diego,and then had a good stint in the Majors. There's also,to the far end of the complex,a boxing gym. Above the door is written "Gimnasio Indio Ortega." Ortega lived in Tijuana while he was fighting professionally. He was a number one contender and had a crack at Emile Griffith's title. Griffith TKO'd "Indio" in the Garden. After that "Indio" fought mostly in various pueblos in Mexico. He finished his career fighting over 160 times.

The facility is pretty rundown. I never see any employees working the center nor do many residents in the area use the ball fields,the basketball courts,and the boxing gym. The ball field are full of rocks and glass. Used needles are everywhere on the ground. There are no nets on the basketballl rims. The "Indio" Ortega gym has a padlock on the door. Windows are broken and walls have grafitti written all over. Dust where there should be grass on the ball fields. Rust on the basketball posts. Weeds growing through the cracks in the pavement.

I saw Gaspar "Indio " Ortega at the WBHOF Banquet in Los Angeles. I introduced him to my wife. My wife,I told him, lived in Canon Jhonson. "Indio" had lived in Colonia Morelos. At one time they were neighbors. The neighborhoods are side by side,

I asked "Indio" when was the last time he visited TJ. He shook his head and waved his finger.
"Two years ago. But I don't go back. Very dangerous now,"
"Indio" lives in Connecticut with his wife. His son is a referee in New York. I told him of his gym in Tijuana. He gave a laugh.
"It is the way now. Young boys want to make easy money. The trainers are gone. Amateur fighting is a memory."
I wished I hadn't told him about the gym,but he didn't seem surprised. He knew it would happen that way. It was inevitable.
"We used to go to Tijuana when we came out to California."
"Indio's" wife was ordering something from the Starbicks in the hotel. She asked if her husband wanted anything. He said he wasn't hungry. I asked him to take a picture with my wife. He was more than happy to.
"Thank you,"I said. "I'll be seeing you tonight."
"Of course,"said the old fighter with a big smile. Then the smile went away.
"Do me a favor amigo. When you go back to Tijuana don't go by the boxing gym. They should take my name off it. I won't be going back."

Powerful story, Roger. At last years WBHOF banquet, Dan Hanley and I were able to get more than a half dozen great interviews from several of the legends present. We had hoped to get both Emile Griffith and Gaspar Ortega, however, Emile was unable to attend last year and we ran out of time before coming across Ortega. My cousin Dawn, who was our still photographer, met El Indio and was taken by his class and amazing appearance for a man who campaigned in the ring for so long. She began to photograph him and came away with some great shots. It was Dan's and my goal to get Ortega on camera this year, however, lack of time prevented Dan and I from conducting interviews.

-Rick

Thanks Rick.
You know I've heard it said that today's fighters may not have the stamina like the throwbacks(Ortega and Griffith),but it is the hand speed of today's fghter the compensates for everything else.

I disagree. I metioned I saw the replay of Griffith/Ortega I on ESPN CLASSIC. The hand speed of both boys was incredible. Put that with the way they forced the action,leading,countering,fighting their way out of clinches,and never taking a round off was refreshing to see. Too bad it was 48 years ago.

The other night I saw another Welter from this era,Paul Williams. He was fighting a tired old Verno Phillips. Williams didn't look as fast as Ortega and Griffith did almost half a century ago. Williams was pushing his jab and leaning into a lot of his punches. The fight was one sided. I turned it off before the end.

When I was at the WBHOF Banquet,I looked at fellas' like "Indio",Emile,and Marvin Johnson. Even Andy"The Kid". I saw his fight the other night with Emile. The one in New York. These dudes came to fight. If you weren't in shape you wouldn't go the distance.

We've talked about this before. Sorry to sound like a broken record,but when I think back, I like the sound of the music.

Great point, Rog. Sadly, contemporary boxing fans have it in their minds that Muhammad Ali invented hand speed. Dempsey may have been considerably faster at getting off and landing his block busters than "The greatest" could his flicking left jab, but it would be hard to prove. As for speed, speed alone is highly over rated. People are too ignorant to understand the importance of timing and distancing. Ali and Camacho for example were fast, but really couldn't break an egg. Martial Arts has falsly led people to believe that speed is power. I will credit hand speed as an element of power, but not a necessity. A puncher can lean on an opponent with his stiff arm and drive home more power than a speedster whose blows lack what I can best describe as "commitment". Conditioning? I'm with you, and there is that intangible element of "toughness" that seemed to radiate from anybody who attained public notice in previous eras. Today, we have speedsters who really don't know how to punch. A quick, well-timed short punch thrown at ideal distance with razor sharp timing beats just about anything to it's target. For a perfect demonstartion of such punching technique we need only watch a video of the Baltazar boy's in action.

Again, great post Roger. The kind of stuff you only find in this thread.

-Rick

[Expug]

Great posts on speed Rog and Rick.Way over rated in the total package of the fighter.
So much more plays into it than just hand speed . Ive been asked a million times about how great a fighter Bruce Lee would be because he was so fast on camera.So what? he wasnt a fighter, he was an actor.Ive sparred with these martial arts Karate guys over the years including the National Karate champion. Super fast, couldnt break an egg.

[Rick Farris]

Great posts on speed Rog and Rick.Way over rated in the total package of the fighter.
So much more plays into it than just hand speed . Ive been asked a million times about how great a fighter Bruce Lee would be because he was so fast on camera.So what? he wasnt a fighter, he was an actor.Ive sparred with these martial arts Karate guys over the years including the National Karate champion. Super fast, couldnt break an egg.

Brian, I hoped you would comment on this. You are a real fighter. You know. It's a no brainer for anybody who walked the walk.

-Rick