Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Frank
I saw a kid who looked like he was 28. Drawing that guy to him and then LEADING with his right hand. Knew how to throw the straight left. Uppercut counters. Slipped punches,in very good condition. More importantly,was an underdog against a more experianced pro who had a punch. Frankie was a little shaken in the middle round and then fought back out of it to take command. Finished the guy off when he had him in trouble. Cruz knew he had taken a lickin'.

It must be very satisfying for you to watch. You looked very proud and happy in the ring that night.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You're right Rog, I was very proud of Frankie that nite, that nite Frankie fought with a poise that no fighter 18 years old and only 5 pro fights under his belt has a right to have, that win made Frankie a star in L.A. boxing if not anywhere else.

[bennie]

The dream is on, "Thunderbirds are go": two men with star appeal and yet the common touch, Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquiao, face off over 12 rounds in Las Vegas on May 2.
There had been talk of this one taking place at a giant stadium in Britain but Pacquiao, hugely popular in the States and a total icon in his home country of the Philippines, is probably too popular to concede home advantage to the Manchester Hitman, although Hatton is just as popular on these shores and a massive crowd would have been guaranteed at, say, Wembley Stadium. Ricky drew a crowd of 55,000 to the City of Manchester Stadium earlier this year (one of them Mike Tyson) for a routine pasting of faded Mexican-American Juan Lazcano. Many of those fans will travel to Las Vegas.
Managed by his father Ray, Hatton has cashed in well in the States recently against the likes of Floyd Mayweather Junior, Paulie Malignaggi and Jose Luis Castillo. Only the gifted Mayweather has beaten the aggressive, all-action Brit in eight appearances there (and 46 career fights to date), prompting Ray Hatton to dispense with the services of his son's long-time trainer Billy "The Preacher" Graham for Floyd Mayweather Senior. 'If you can't beat them, join them' seems to be the motto, and Ricky's first fight under the tutelage of the celebrated American trainer saw him punch out a one-sided 11-round stoppage of brash New Yorker Malignaggi in Las Vegas last month.
He looked good, he looked very good. In fact it was probably Hatton's best performance since he walked into, wore down and retired the great Kostya Tszyu on a warm, heady night in Manchester in June 2005 (11 rounds). Hatton showed much better defensive awareness, which is important. He bangs up and cuts and was picked apart by Mayweather Junior last December in Las Vegas before crumbling in the 10th round. Now firmly re-established at light-welterweight (the Mayweather fight was at welter), the 30-year-old Hatton looks big and strong and seasoned and, courtesy of Mayweather Senior, seemingly much improved. He goes in as division No. 1.
Pacquiao is also 30 and goes in as pound for pound No. 1 after his stunning eight-round dismissal of "Golden Boy" Oscar De La Hoya earlier this month in Las Vegas. Unlike Hatton, Pacquiao moved up to welterweight successfully - and spectacularly - to outclass De La Hoya in a way few had expected beforehand, most of all Oscar. Manny moved up TWO divisions, having won the WBC lightweight title with an equally dazzling nine-round stoppage of Chicago's gutsy David Diaz in his previous fight. Five years on from his breakthrough stoppage of Marco Antonio Barrera in Texas, 10 years on from his first world title win at flyweight, Pacquiao is boxing better than ever.
Clearly, we have two fighters right at the top of their games here, in a division which suits them. Pacquiao only has to drop down from welterweight, where he looked surprisingly lean and mean. This was a big factor in making the fight, by all accounts. "Pac Man" didn't fancy dropping down two divisions, as Roy Jones had once done, with disastrous consequences. He will also have witnessed Hatton's recent struggles in the States with Luis Collazo and Juan Urango - southpaws like Manny. Hatton faded in both 12-rounders but hung on (literally) for the points. Moreover, Pacquiao showed what a quick, punishing southpaw he can be last time. It all boils down to talent, and Pacquiao looks the better fighter of the two, as simple as that. Yes, Hatton brings tempo, workrate, hunger and that man Mayweather but Pacquiao brings consistency, top-level experience, sharpness and the equally celebrated Freddie Roach - accomplished fighter, accomplished trainer.
In England Hatton might have had a shout at an upset. In the States Pacquiao looks a bit special, a bit of 'a given'. "The Bruce Lee of Boxing" forces a late-round stoppage.

[Randyman]

As he does with his words, Rog captures the soul of his subjects. It's in the eyes. My feeling about Manny Pacquiao is that he will reign as pound for pound champ until he decides too hang them up. I just don't see anyone on the horizon yet that I feel can beat him and that includes Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather Jr. If he hangs on too long though.......

Randy

[bennie]

George Chuvalo vs Doug Jones

Doug Jones should have got a rematch with Ali for the title.

This is the write-up on this fight, which I took from Boxrec's 'open book'. Great photos and one of Chuvalo's better wins.

Scartissue


1964-10-02 : George Chuvalo beat Doug Jones by TKO in round 11 of 12
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USA
Referee: Arthur Mercante

"George Chuvalo of Toronto staged a major upset by flooring Doug Jones of New York once while winning a TKO in the 11th round of their heavyweight elimination fight at Madison Square Garden. Chuvalo floored the higher rated Jones with a left hook in the 11th round. Jones rose groggily to his feet at the count of '5' and took the remaining three counts on his feet. Chuvalo immediately barraged him with smashes to the head. Referee Arthur Mercante intervened and stopped the fight at 1:28 of the 11th." -United Press International

Retrieved from "http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Fight:73873"

Clearly this cost him a shot, then.

[raylawpc]

Remembering 1966, Joe Frazier and Tony Baltazar . . .

This was the Joe Frazier I saw when he came to L.A. in the mid 60's with only eight pro fights, all KO's. I watched him workout at the Main Street Gym and remember how strong his legs were. When he'd pound the heavy bag the whole building would shake. I watched him fight on two consecutive thursdays at the Olympic. He KOed a good local club fighter named Chuck Leslie in three rounds, and the following week iced Al Jones in one round. I was a Jerry Quarry fan, but this guy was something special, no doubt. A REAL fighter, a REAL heavyweight champ in the making.

Hey Frank, remember when Frazier was here in the sixties? It was right about the time little Tony, age 5, shadow boxed on TV to publicize the following nights Jr. Golden Gloves Championships. BTW, the night Tony did that, Mando Ramos had just KOed Jerry Stevens in a scheduled six round semi to the Eddie Machen-Joey Orbillo main event. Tony came on during the intermission and had the sold out crowd of 10,000 on their feet. It would be the first of many standing ovations the Baltazar family would generate at the Olympic.

-Rick

Hey, Rick, that's the second time in as many days that you've mentioned a fighter's name that brought back memories for me.

I was in Memphis Al Jones' corner in Dallas back in 1974 when he nearly decapitated Boone Kirkman with as hard a right hand as I've ever seen. (I think I've written about it before. I thought that Al had literally killed Kirkman with that shot.)

I worked with him for his next fight against Chuck Olivera (He was undefeated with me in his corner. . . ).

Tom . . . The Joe Frazier-Memphis Al Jones fight would be the first in which Eddie Futch would work with Smokin' Joe. Yank Durham, Frazier's trainer phoned Futch from Philly, wanting to check out West Coast competition for his unbeaten '64 Olympic champ. Durham was concerned about Futch's choice of Al Jones as an opponent for Frazier. As you know, Jones was 6'5" and had more experience than Joe, and despite a losing record he could fight, having just lost a close ten rounder to Jerry Quarry. Durham was most concerned about the 6" height difference. Futch assured Durham not to worry and worked with Frazier on a way to overcome Jones' height advantage. The result was a one round KO for Frazier and a permanent job for Eddie Futch, who at the time was working for the post office in L.A. and also training Detroit welterweight, Hedgeman Lewis. I'd like to hear about your experience with Memphis Al Jones and other fighters. You really know boxing from the inside.

-Rick Farris

Hi Rick. I was brought in at the last minute to work in Memphis Al Jones’ corner against Kirkman. I never met him before that night. He showed up in Dallas without a cornerman and, when that happened, I generally had to work the corner. Al, of course, was just an opponent for Kirkman that night, and I remember Pat O’Grady telling me to do my best to get Al into the fifth round. Kirkman dropped Al twice in each of the first two rounds, as I recall, and when I sent Al out for the third, I thought it would be the last round. That turned out to be a correct prediction, but not in the way I imagined.

If memory serves, Kirkman decked Al early in the round. But as Kirkman moved in for the finish, Al landed the hardest punch I have ever seen in person – an absolutely devastating right hand. It was like the punch Bob Foster landed on Mike Quarry, except a right instead of a left. And the effect on Kirkman was the same as Foster’s punch on Mike – out cold for about 5 minutes and another 10 or 15 minutes before they could get him out of the ring. When he first went down, I thought the punch had literally killed him. I specifically remember thinking, “My God, I’ve actually seen a man killed in the ring.”

Not long ago, Kirkman gave an interview in which he stated that he was only knocked off balance against Al, and really knocked out when his head hit the canvas. With all due respect to Kirkman, that is just complete and total bull shit. I was there, sitting not 10 feet away in Jones’ corner. I saw what happened. Kirkman’s head did hit the canvas, but he was out before he ever got there.

Despite his record, Jones actually had some natural ability and a few skills. (In 1969, for example, he stopped a good young fighter named Tony Longoria in LA, but I don’t know the circumstances of that win. Maybe Frank remembers.) And, of course, Al had that right hand. But he was thrown to the wolves so often early in his career that he had absolutely no self-confidence. If he had gotten off to the right start, I think he could have been a pretty good fighter.

Oh, one more thing - Jones may have been listed somewhere at 6' 5" But he was really about 6' 3".

[raylawpc]

Don't nobody tell me it don't get f :x :x king cold where I live.
These photos I shot this morning when I want outside to get the newspaper.

Ha! That's how my car looks just about every morning from December to February here in St. Louis.

[kikibalt]

Don't nobody tell me it don't get f :x :x king cold where I live.
These photos I shot this morning when I want outside to get the newspaper.

Ha! That's how my car looks just about every morning from December to February here in St. Louis.

Yeah! but I don't live in St. Louie, I live in what it is suppose to be Sunny California...

[Expug]

Tom, thats a great story about Memphis Al Jones.
Thats what ya gotta love about this sport. Underdog comes into town expected to lose, only to stretch the hero.
Its also funny that no sport has the level of revisionist history that boxing has.
Kirkman saying he wasnt really kod etc , after being dropped like a ton of bricks, is just the way fighters roll I guess.
They dont like to admit any vulnerability. Publicly at least.
However, when you are lying in your bed at 3 in the morning staring at the ceiling, the reality of the situation has a way of setting in.

[kikibalt]

Courtesy of Bruce


Howdy

I found this beautiful winter poem and thought it might be a comfort to you. It was sent to me and it's very well written and I hope that you enjoy it too.

' WINTER '
by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre


Shit It's Cold

The End

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

Tony Canzonire & Bernard Docusen
Ringside Gym, Chicago, 1949

[dagosd2000]

Tom, thats a great story about Memphis Al Jones.
Thats what ya gotta love about this sport. Underdog comes into town expected to lose, only to stretch the hero.
Its also funny that no sport has the level of revisionist history that boxing has.
Kirkman saying he wasnt really kod etc , after being dropped like a ton of bricks, is just the way fighters roll I guess.
They dont like to admit any vulnerability. Publicly at least.
However, when you are lying in your bed at 3 in the morning staring at the ceiling, the reality of the situation has a way of setting in.

Very well put. Fighters,as much as I love 'em,always have the reason why they didn't win. You're right about the vulnerabilty thing in public. Randy or Rick,I think said it,it keeps them going dealing with it.

I remember Indian Red after his 2nd fight with Napoles on television almost crying with frustration.
"I just can't beat him. Everything I do ,I can't beat him. "
After that, he disappeared off the face of the Earth.

[dagosd2000]

Frank
Is it possible to post any of those stories by the writers listed in that magazine? They were great writers of boxing. Rog

[kikibalt]

Frank
Is it possible to post any of those stories by the writers listed in that magazine? They were great writers of boxing. Rog

No Diego, I just received that via e-mail from a friend, Kevin Igoe.....

[dagosd2000]

Courtesy of Bruce


Howdy

I found this beautiful winter poem and thought it might be a comfort to you. It was sent to me and it's very well written and I hope that you enjoy it too.

' WINTER '
by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre


Shit It's Cold

The End

TRAINING CAMP

That drawing made me flash on something. You hear stories of how fighters go up to the mountains to train for a fight. Chopping down trees,waking up at 4 in the morning to run along mountain roads with three or four sweat shirts shadow boxing as they run. Eating steak and eggs for breakfast washing it all down with pitchers of whole milk. Playing cards at night with your sparring partners. Maybe there's a piano. The trainer at the keyboard. The boys singing a song or two. Then it's to bed. Lots of blankets because it's snowing outside . A black sky with white stars.

You see this in movies. I've seen this. The Sayonoviches had a camp like this in the mountains in East County. Saw "The Heat" Kinchen work and sweat in those surroundings getting ready for Hearns.

Also Sid Flaherty and Danny Rodriguez had a similar work place for fighters in the same vicinity as Sayonovich's place. Pine trees ,streams of cold mountain water.Snow blanketing the forest . Coyotes and deer as neighbors. Great environment to get ready?Not so with Denny Moyer and Ronnie Wilson. At least not at the end of their careers.

Sure, they'd go up there. I think they thought by being there it was doing them some good. But beer trucks could go up those mountain roads and I don't ever remember a sign at the gate that read,"No Beer Trucks Allowed."

I don't know if it was the beer trucks that got the booze up there.Moyer and Wilson probably had it in the trunk of the car. Anyway with all that isolation up there in the mountains,those boys became friendly with anything that moved. After sitting around the 'ol fireplace popping off the bottle caps they'd go out to the kennell Flaherty had and play with his Malmutes. After playing with man's best friend , they'd play with the best friend a man can have on a cold winter night. And her name wasn't Spot.

Oh what a camp they'd turn it into. A nudist camp would have been a better name for it.

[kikibalt]

Oscar De La Hoya

By Diego

[Rick Farris]

Hi Rick. I was brought in at the last minute to work in Memphis Al Jones’ corner against Kirkman. I never met him before that night. He showed up in Dallas without a cornerman and, when that happened, I generally had to work the corner. Al, of course, was just an opponent for Kirkman that night, and I remember Pat O’Grady telling me to do my best to get Al into the fifth round. Kirkman dropped Al twice in each of the first two rounds, as I recall, and when I sent Al out for the third, I thought it would be the last round. That turned out to be a correct prediction, but not in the way I imagined.

If memory serves, Kirkman decked Al early in the round. But as Kirkman moved in for the finish, Al landed the hardest punch I have ever seen in person – an absolutely devastating right hand. It was like the punch Bob Foster landed on Mike Quarry, except a right instead of a left. And the effect on Kirkman was the same as Foster’s punch on Mike – out cold for about 5 minutes and another 10 or 15 minutes before they could get him out of the ring. When he first went down, I thought the punch had literally killed him. I specifically remember thinking, “My God, I’ve actually seen a man killed in the ring.”

Not long ago, Kirkman gave an interview in which he stated that he was only knocked off balance against Al, and really knocked out when his head hit the canvas. With all due respect to Kirkman, that is just complete and total bull shit. I was there, sitting not 10 feet away in Jones’ corner. I saw what happened. Kirkman’s head did hit the canvas, but he was out before he ever got there.

Despite his record, Jones actually had some natural ability and a few skills. (In 1969, for example, he stopped a good young fighter named Tony Longoria in LA, but I don’t know the circumstances of that win. Maybe Frank remembers.) And, of course, Al had that right hand. But he was thrown to the wolves so often early in his career that he had absolutely no self-confidence. If he had gotten off to the right start, I think he could have been a pretty good fighter.

Oh, one more thing - Jones may have been listed somewhere at 6' 5" But he was really about 6' 3".[/quote]
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Tom . . . Thanks for the info on Memphis Al Jones and I agree that he was much better than his record indicates. You really brought back a personal memory of Jones KOing Pat O'Grady's Texas heavyweight, Tony "Kid" Longoria. I was at the fight which took place at the Forum on a card that featured Ruben Olivares. Longoria was unbeaten and a KO hitter, favored to whip Jones, just like Kirkman had been. I'd been reading about Longoria for a couple of years and was wondered how he would fare against some of our L.A. heavyweights. However, after seeing him easily KOed by Jones, I realized that Longoria would have been killed if matched with the likes of Jerry Quarry and company. Never saw Longoria again.

The reason Yank Durham was so concerned over Frazier facing a very tall heavyweight was Joe's '64 Olympic Trials loss to Buster Mathis, who was about 6'3" and nearly 300 lbs. when he defeated Frazier in the Olympic trial finals. Mathis broke his thumb before the Tokyo games, thus putting team alternate Joe Frazier as our heavyweight rep and the rest is history. Thanks for the heads up on Al Jones incorrectly being listed at 6'5". I can understand Durham's concern, but Eddie Futch had Frazier primed to bomb Memphis Al's body before leveling him with a "cherry picker" left hook to the chin.

-Rick

[kikibalt]

I believe the Jones fight was Longoria's last fight.

Btw I seen Longoria fight before the Jones fight in L.A. 2-3 times live.

[dagosd2000]

A BLIND EYE

I'm blind in my right eye. Not a blackness,but a blur. Everything is a blur. If the left was like the right,I wouldn't be typing this. I wouldn't be driving my car. All I do all day is squint.
"Are you all right? Have you been to the eye doctor?"they say.
Yeh,I went. Have a big cataract in my right eye. They'll do surgery to get it removed and replace the lense. Makes me think I'm a camera.

I don't like seeing doctors,but living with one good eye is becoming a drag. Besides my "good" eye ain't that good 'cause I've always worn glasses.

Well I've got a Japanese surgeon and a Jewish corneologist. That makes me feel good. I may be considered somewhat artistic ,but I'll leave the paintin' and the writin' to the dreamers like myself. When it comes to eye surgery,I'll take a guy who thinks art is Elvis on black velvet.

[dagosd2000]

Just read where Evander lost a decision to a 7 foot tall Russian who had 100 pounds on him and was 11 years younger. The way the writers described it ,Evander lost at a rigged game of Russin Roulette. So this is Heavyweight boxing as it stands today. Last week it was Vladimir tiring out Rahman. Today it's a tired Evander against Andre The Giant. I get tired just thinking about it.

[raylawpc]

Hi Rick. I was brought in at the last minute to work in Memphis Al Jones’ corner against Kirkman. I never met him before that night. He showed up in Dallas without a cornerman and, when that happened, I generally had to work the corner. Al, of course, was just an opponent for Kirkman that night, and I remember Pat O’Grady telling me to do my best to get Al into the fifth round. Kirkman dropped Al twice in each of the first two rounds, as I recall, and when I sent Al out for the third, I thought it would be the last round. That turned out to be a correct prediction, but not in the way I imagined.

If memory serves, Kirkman decked Al early in the round. But as Kirkman moved in for the finish, Al landed the hardest punch I have ever seen in person – an absolutely devastating right hand. It was like the punch Bob Foster landed on Mike Quarry, except a right instead of a left. And the effect on Kirkman was the same as Foster’s punch on Mike – out cold for about 5 minutes and another 10 or 15 minutes before they could get him out of the ring. When he first went down, I thought the punch had literally killed him. I specifically remember thinking, “My God, I’ve actually seen a man killed in the ring.”

Not long ago, Kirkman gave an interview in which he stated that he was only knocked off balance against Al, and really knocked out when his head hit the canvas. With all due respect to Kirkman, that is just complete and total bull shit. I was there, sitting not 10 feet away in Jones’ corner. I saw what happened. Kirkman’s head did hit the canvas, but he was out before he ever got there.

Despite his record, Jones actually had some natural ability and a few skills. (In 1969, for example, he stopped a good young fighter named Tony Longoria in LA, but I don’t know the circumstances of that win. Maybe Frank remembers.) And, of course, Al had that right hand. But he was thrown to the wolves so often early in his career that he had absolutely no self-confidence. If he had gotten off to the right start, I think he could have been a pretty good fighter.

Oh, one more thing - Jones may have been listed somewhere at 6' 5" But he was really about 6' 3".

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Tom . . . Thanks for the info on Memphis Al Jones and I agree that he was much better than his record indicates. You really brought back a personal memory of Jones KOing Pat O'Grady's Texas heavyweight, Tony "Kid" Longoria. I was at the fight which took place at the Forum on a card that featured Ruben Olivares. Longoria was unbeaten and a KO hitter, favored to whip Jones, just like Kirkman had been. I'd been reading about Longoria for a couple of years and was wondered how he would fare against some of our L.A. heavyweights. However, after seeing him easily KOed by Jones, I realized that Longoria would have been killed if matched with the likes of Jerry Quarry and company. Never saw Longoria again.

The reason Yank Durham was so concerned over Frazier facing a very tall heavyweight was Joe's '64 Olympic Trials loss to Buster Mathis, who was about 6'3" and nearly 300 lbs. when he defeated Frazier in the Olympic trial finals. Mathis broke his thumb before the Tokyo games, thus putting team alternate Joe Frazier as our heavyweight rep and the rest is history. Thanks for the heads up on Al Jones incorrectly being listed at 6'5". I can understand Durham's concern, but Eddie Futch had Frazier primed to bomb Memphis Al's body before leveling him with a "cherry picker" left hook to the chin.

-Rick[/quote]

Hi Rick: I can tell you a bit about Longoria, whom I heard a lot about through my association with the O’Gradys. Longoria was Pat O’Grady’s hope for a world champion, and Pat really believed Longoria would make it to the top. Longoria was like a son to O’Grady. Tony came from a bad family situation, and actually lived with the O’Gradys from the time Longoria was about 14 or 15-years-old until he lost to Jones. Pat was his legal guardian.

On one occasion, O’Grady set up the 8 mm film projector and showed me several films of Longoria in action. On film, he appeared to have a lot of potential. He was not a terribly big heavyweight, but he looked quick and appeared to have good power with both hands. He had very good fundaments. On film, it looked like he took a good punch. Frank, who saw him live, confirmed to me a year or so ago that Longoria appeared to be the real deal, and was a potentially good fighter. (I hope I'm quoting you correctly, Frank.) Pat thought so much of Tony’s chances that he moved the whole family to LA for the sole purpose of advancing Tony’s career.

Something happened before the Jones fight that soured Longoria on boxing; what it was I either don’t remember or O’Grady never told me. But Pat always said Longoria’s head wasn’t right for the fight, and he made a very poor effort. After the loss, Longoria quit boxing and moved back to Texas. He also severed all contact with the O’Grady’s, which deeply hurt both Pat and Jeannie on a personal level.

Over the first several years that I knew him, O’Grady kept track of where Longoria was and what he was doing. Remember, Longoria was only about 20-years-old when he lost to Jones, and Pat hoped Longoria would decide to get back into boxing but, of course, he never did.

[raylawpc]

A BLIND EYE

I'm blind in my right eye. Not a blackness,but a blur. Everything is a blur. If the left was like the right,I wouldn't be typing this. I wouldn't be driving my car. All I do all day is squint.
"Are you all right? Have you been to the eye doctor?"they say.
Yeh,I went. Have a big cataract in my right eye. They'll do surgery to get it removed and replace the lense. Makes me think I'm a camera.

I don't like seeing doctors,but living with one good eye is becoming a drag. Besides my "good" eye ain't that good 'cause I've always worn glasses.

Well I've got a Japanese surgeon and a Jewish corneologist. That makes me feel good. I may be considered somewhat artistic ,but I'll leave the paintin' and the writin' to the dreamers like myself. When it comes to eye surgery,I'll take a guy who thinks art is Elvis on black velvet.

Have the surgery Roger; you'll be glad you did. My step-mother and about a half-dozen of my clients have had it done, and every one of them was thrilled with the outcome.

[raylawpc]

Just read where Evander lost a decision to a 7 foot tall Russian who had 100 pounds on him and was 11 years younger. The way the writers described it ,Evander lost at a rigged game of Russin Roulette. So this is Heavyweight boxing as it stands today. Last week it was Vladimir tiring out Rahman. Today it's a tired Evander against Andre The Giant. I get tired just thinking about it.

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP - Dec. 20) - Nikolai Valuev ended any hope of Evander Holyfield winning a fifth heavyweight title, narrowly defending his WBA title by majority decision on Saturday.

The 46-year-old American started the fight brightly, moving around the ring to neutralize Valuev's long reach advantage. The 7-foot Russian, the tallest and heaviest champion ever, struggled to close down Holyfield but began asserting his jab as the fight wore on.

One judged scored the bout a draw, while the others had Valuev winning 116-112 and 115-114.

"Of course I am disappointed," Holyfield said. "I thought I had done enough to get the win. Now I have to go home and think about my future."

Holyfield (42-10-2) was attempting to become the oldest heavyweight champion. He had not fought since losing a one-sided decision to then-WBO champ Sultan Ibragimov more than a year ago.

Holyfield was criticized for this latest comeback attempt, but the "Real Deal" looked in great shape and was never seriously hurt by Valuev (51-1), who has avoided the top heavyweights and did little to improve his standing in the division. He was vulnerable to Holyfield's right hooks, even if the Russian also was never stunned.

"He made me work very hard for the win," said Valuev, the overwhelming favorite and underwhelming winner. "Holyfield was unbelievable with his speed. The fight was fought at a great tempo for the whole 12 rounds."

Holyfield was the busier fighter from the start, and his footwork did much to reduce Valuev's few punches to little effect at Hallenstadion.

The Russian carried a weight advantage of almost 100 pounds (45 kilograms), and planted himself in the center of the ring, failing often to cut off Holyfield or unleash punches of power.
Holyfield appeared to accept the decision. Still, he offered only grudging praise of his conqueror.

"His hands are not as slow as everyone thinks they are," Holyfield said.

For Valuev, his first defense of the WBA title was the biggest win on a resume that includes no fights against the Klitschko brothers, who hold the other major heavyweight belts.

Holyfield's manager, Ken Sanders, asked Valuev to offer a rematch. The Russian's management said it was possible sometime next year.

Holyfield, 0-4-1 in his last five title fights, said he hoped for another chance at a title.

"I'm not really interested in fighting just to fight," he said. "I'm interested in being the undisputed champion again."

He was last the undisputed champion - owner of the WBC, WBA and IBF titles - in 1999.

Struggling with financial problems, Holyfield may try to use this better-than-expected result to score a big payday against another champion or Riddick Bowe, who has made a comeback.

Holyfield won one of three epic battles against Bowe in the 1990s, and beat James "Buster" Douglas, George Foreman and Mike Tyson twice to become a dominating figure in boxing.

The fight was in front of 12,500 largely pro-Holyfield fans, who gave his entrance a standing ovation. He wore a red robe fit for a king. Valuev was booed, and there were even scattered whistles while the Russian national anthem played.

The fans similarly showed their displeasure when the judges' scorecards were read out.

[Rick Farris]

Just read where Evander lost a decision to a 7 foot tall Russian who had 100 pounds on him and was 11 years younger. The way the writers described it ,Evander lost at a rigged game of Russin Roulette. So this is Heavyweight boxing as it stands today. Last week it was Vladimir tiring out Rahman. Today it's a tired Evander against Andre The Giant. I get tired just thinking about it.

Ditto!