Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

John L. Davis fought and beat some good fighters of the 1940s-50s

John L Davis

Alias Chocolate Ice Cube
Country USA
Global Id 26399
Birthplace El Dorado, AR, USA
Division Lightweight
Born 1926-04-06


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1951-03-23 Eddie Giosa New York, USA D PTS 10
1951-03-06 Philip Kim Honolulu, USA W PTS 10
1951-02-27 Nick Moran Los Angeles, USA D TD 8
1950-12-15 Charley Salas Hollywood, USA L UD 10
1950-12-05 Freddie Herman Los Angeles, USA W MD 12
1950-11-15 Freddie Dawson Oakland, USA W SD 12
1950-10-31 Bernard Docusen Los Angeles, USA W TKO 3
1950-09-26 Art Aragon Los Angeles, USA W UD 12
1950-08-29 Carlos Chavez Los Angeles, USA W UD 12
1950-08-08 Harold Jones Detroit, USA L PTS 10
1950-07-21 Irvin Steen Hollywood, USA W UD 12
1950-06-30 Harold Jones Hollywood, USA W MD 10
1950-06-16 Joe Brown Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1950-05-10 Sammy Angott Emeryville, USA W UD 10
1950-04-05 Gene Burton Oakland, USA W MD 10
1950-03-15 Giuseppe Colasanti Oakland, USA W PTS 10
1950-02-27 Ike Williams Seattle, USA L SD 10
1950-01-20 Nick Diaz Hollywood, USA W TKO 3
1949-12-30 Baby Neff Ortiz Hollywood, USA W KO 1
1949-12-06 Bill Eddy Seattle, USA W KO 2
1949-10-18 Harold Jones Seattle, USA W MD 10
1949-09-30 Art Aragon Hollywood, USA L MD 10
1949-09-20 Joey Velez Seattle, USA W UD 10
1949-07-26 Tommy Campbell Los Angeles, USA L TKO 5
1949-06-24 Tommy Campbell Hollywood, USA L MD 10
1949-05-02 Chucho Llanes Ocean Park, USA W TKO 5
1949-03-30 Mario Trigo Oakland, USA W TKO 6
1949-03-08 Enrique Bolanos Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1949-02-15 Raul Esqueda Campos Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1949-01-19 Irvin Steen Oakland, USA W PTS 10
1948-11-17 Bernard Docusen Oakland, USA L PTS 10
1948-11-03 Maxie Docusen Oakland, USA L UD 10
1948-09-29 Benny Walker Oakland, USA W UD 10
1948-07-21 Art Aragon Oakland, USA L PTS 10
1948-06-23 Art Aragon Oakland, USA W PTS 8
1948-05-14 Tommy Campbell Hollywood, USA L TKO 8
1948-03-10 Mario Trigo Oakland, USA W UD 10
1948-02-18 Rudy Cruz Oakland, USA L PTS 10
1948-01-07 Enrique Bolanos Oakland, USA L UD 10
1947-12-17 Dave Hernandez Oakland, USA W TKO 4
1947-10-08 Al Medrano Oakland, USA W TKO 4
1947-09-10 Joe Kelly Oakland, USA W PTS 6
1947-08-20 Darnell Carter Oakland, USA W PTS 8
1947-07-23 Jimmy Florita Oakland, USA W PTS 6
1947-07-16 Joe Kelly Oakland, USA W TKO 1
1947-06-25 Johnny Miller Oakland, USA W PTS 6
1947-06-04 Maxie Ankele Oakland, USA W TKO 1
1947-05-16 Leroy Willis San Francisco, USA L PTS 6
1947-04-11 Henry Paz San Francisco, USA D PTS 6
1947-03-17 Jimmy Florita Stockton, USA L TKO 2
1947-02-05 Leroy Willis Oakland, USA L TKO 1
1947-01-17 Paul Guerrero San Jose, USA W KO 1
1946-12-11 Hammo Kazarian Oakland, USA W TKO 2
1946-11-12 Frankie Gallardo San Jose, USA W TKO 3
1946-10-15 Emil Barao San Jose, USA W KO 3

Record to Date
Won 36 (KOs 14) Lost 16 Drawn 3 Total 55

Look at the names he fought, and beat. Very impressive.

-Rick

Frank . . . I notice that John Davis fought a "Joe Kelly" in Oakland in 1947.
Could that be the same Joe Kelly from the Teamsters Gym?

-Rick

Don't think so, in the 50s Joe Kelly had to have been in his late 70s.

[Rick Farris]

Young Sanford . . .

Hey guys, anybody remember late 70's heavyweight, "Young Sanford"?
He was managed by comedian Redd Fox. Fought at the Olympic.


-Rick Farris

Fred Houpe-(spelling)

He was a Chicago heavyweight Golden Gloves champ who came to Cal make his pro debut.
I was curious if Scar or Pug knew him as an amateur?

He put together a pretty good win streak, mostly KO's before losing a decision to Duane Bobick.
As Bennie mentioned, a KO loss to Larry Holmes sent his career downward.

In the mid 90's, he and Leon Spinks fought twenty years after their prime, with Sanford taking a decision.
One more loss, in his next fight, ended his career for good.


-Rick

[Rick Farris]

Jimmy Robertson, Duran and "Gordon Shaw's Gym" . . .

In the 1960's-70's, there was a well known boat dealership in Hawthorne, California.
"Shaw's Boat & Marine" was located on Rosecrans Ave. just east of the (405) Fwy.

Shaw was one of the South Bay's most successful businessmen. He was also a boxing manager.
One of Shaw's boat mechanics had been his best fighter, lightweight Jimmy Robertson.
Robertson was one of those tough, raw boned warriors who had an unorthodox style, a big punch and strong chin.
He would be the first lightweight contender to challenge the great Roberto Duran for the World title.

I didn't meet Jimmy Robertson until after he and I had both quit boxing, although he fought my stablemate, Ruben Navarro, twice.
In 1976, I was living in Manahatten Beach and a friend of mine wanted to try boxing as an amateur.
Manhatten Beach was right next to Hawthorne, and I remembered that Shaw had a boxing gym behind his boat store.
I located the gym for my friend and we drove down to check it out.

Shaw's Marine was easy to find and after parking we went around back and found the entrance to the gym.
When I stepped thru the door of the small gym, I see a good sized ring, a couple of heavy bags hanging, two speed bags, a double-end bag, room to jump rope or shadow box in front of mirrors on the walls.

The gym had a good feel to it. It was the real deal. Posters on the walls, many featuring the bouts of Shaw's greatest boxer, Robertson.
It was swept clean and maintained, but still had that "sweat on the walls" atmosphere.
I liked it, and I liked Shaw's chief amateur trainer, a guy named Jim Walsh.
This would be a good place for my friend to learn, and if he wanted to have a couple amateur bouts, he could do so thru this club.

I knew that his career would be a short one, so no use taking him to the Main Street Gym. No use breaking his heart on day one.
After setting my friend up with Jim Walsh, I looked around the gym and saw a sign painted on the wall in big letters:

"MR. SHAW WILL PROVIDE EVERYTHING BUT THE GUTS & THE GAS"
Yeah, this was a boxing gym.

I see a guy step in thru the back door wearing a mechanics uniform, I recognized him immediatly.
It was "Irish" Jimmy Robertson.

i walk over to the former lightweight contender and introduce myself. "I remember you", he tells me.
We fought on a couple Olympic cards together a few years back.
Jimmy and I talk awhile, and I introduce him to my friend, who was working as a bouncer in a Manhatten Beach Bar.

A couple weeks later, my friend and Jimmy have struck up a friendship.
My friend gets Robertson a job working as a bouncer at "Brennan's Pub", which happened to be my watering hole of the day.
This gives me a chance to visit with Jimmy Robertson, who shares a great story about his title fight with the great Duran in Panama.

Robertson said he felt anything but welcome when he was in Panama.
His memores of the title fight are simple . . .
"In the second round, Duran and I exchange rights. His lands, mine doesn't."
"The last thing I remember is laying in a hospital bed with my front teeth knocked out."

Jimmy then said, "look at this . . ."
He pulled his two flase front teeth out of his mouth and suddenly looked like a vampire with fangs.
"That's what Duran did. 'Hands of Stone' is no joke. Nobody hits like Roberto Duran."

I shared my experience with Duran at the Main Street Gym.
After all that, it was time for a drink. We toasted Roberto Duran.


-Rick Farris

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Watson Jones

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[bennie]

Just on the theme of young, relatively unknown fighters making that essential breakthrough against all the odds (as in another thread), what is one that stands out for you? For me it was Jeff Fenech battering Steve McCrory in 14 rounds in Oz in the 1980s. Fenech was defending his IBF bantamweight title against a man who had won gold at the 1984 Olympics and was unbeaten as a pro. More than that, Fenech had got nowhere in the same Olympics as McCrory and at the same weight (flyweight). I was convinced McCrory would trounce Fenech and yet Fenech dominated.
It was one of those 'Fenech can fight' moments.

[kikibalt]

Manny Pacquiao is poised to be the new golden one

With Oscar De La Hoya's retirement, the Filipino hard puncher is set to take over as the world's most popular active fighter. He is already considered the best pound for pound.

By Lance Pugmire
April 16, 2009

On the day after Oscar De La Hoya retired, the man best poised to succeed him as the world's most popular active boxer made it clear he knows his drawing power comes not from his smile or magnetic personality but from his work in the ring.

"I try to focus only on training and fighting," Manny Pacquiao said Wednesday inside Hollywood's Wild Card Gym in a news conference in advance of his May 2 junior-welterweight fight against England's Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Riding the heights of his unexpected battering of De La Hoya in December and feted to a hero's welcome in his native Philippines, Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 knockouts) has been confronted by what his business manager describes as "the double-edged sword of stardom," where endorsement and media requests beckon at new levels but the grunt work of training remains his most important task.

"Manny overextends himself with kindness; he can't say no," Michael Koncz said. "We all knew the torch was passed when Manny beat Oscar . . . how he'd be the face of the sport now. So even though there are times he's overwhelmed, he's focused here in the gym. He's back in his zone now."

Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said he worried about Pacquiao's conditioning habits before taking a December trip to the Philippines to celebrate the boxer's birthday.

"No one could keep up with him," Arum said. "He was running, playing basketball just like always, and he's having his best training camp ever. He did not allow himself to get out of shape." Even though Pacquiao has been sporadically distracted by celebrities visiting his gym -- actors Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg have stopped by to say hello -- the Filipino star said his strength is peaking for his first fight at 140 pounds.

"This fight will give more action," Pacquiao said when asked how it'll differ from his hammering of De La Hoya. "I feel the same intensity."

Now, however, Pacquiao finds himself as the favorite against Hatton and is regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He has heard the warnings that it's harder to stay on top than to get there. "I keep myself on an even keel," he said. "I just always believe in God and say my prayers."

His trainer, Freddie Roach, has pushed sparring partners to ensure that Pacquiao's not slipping. Roach offered unbeaten super-featherweight Urbano Antillon and junior-welterweight Mike Alvarado (each 25-0 with 18 KOs) a $1,000 bonus if they could knock down Pacquiao in sparring. No one has been paid.

Roach said he has been pleased with Pacquiao's training -- which also includes advice from the Wild Card's new assistant trainer, former heavyweight world champion Michael Moorer -- and said the boxer's training has resulted in improved strength.

"This will be a quick fight," Roach said. "Ricky's a tough guy, but we'll knock him out. I'll bet my house on it."

Arum, who for years has relied on his skills to sell bouts, admits Pacquiao's ring performances (nine consecutive victories over the likes of De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales) are the fighter's most attractive selling points.

"That's why people are becoming fascinated with him," said Arum, who also promoted most of De La Hoya's fights. "Manny's looked at as an exotic, and once people see him fight they are looking up information about him to help transcend the lefts and rights and jabs. It's why CNN is out here today, why Time magazine has listed him one of the 100 most influential people in the world."

That influence is due to take him to AT&T Park in San Francisco on Tuesday, where he'll throw out the first pitch of the San Francisco Giants game and visit with the players while fans receive a Pacquiao bobblehead doll on Filipino Heritage Night. The Giants expect a crowd that will include 10,000 Filipino Americans.

[email protected]

[Dongee]

Watson Jones

Watson Jones, aka Alex Watson. Next to heavyweight Turkey Thompson, Watson Jones had the best left hook in the business back in his heyday. He was a promising young middleweight at the time with a bright future in sight. But he was also one of the most unpredictable punchers active i;n those days.

His meetings with Fitzie Fitzpatrick, among others, were absolute classics for as long as they lasted, principally his one round kayo over the very capable Fitzie. In a match wth Bobby Zander at the Olympic Auditorium, Jones suddenly dropped his hands and invited Zander to belt him openly, receipting for a half dozen solid punches to the face, then smiling before launching his own attack.

hap navarro

[kikibalt]

Watson Jones

Watson Jones, aka Alex Watson. Next to heavyweight Turkey Thompson, Watson Jones had the best left hook in the business back in his heyday. He was a promising young middleweight at the time with a bright future in sight. But he was also one of the most unpredictable punchers active i;n those days.

His meetings with Fitzie Fitzpatrick, among others, were absolute classics for as long as they lasted, principally his one round kayo over the very capable Fitzie. In a match wth Bobby Zander at the Olympic Auditorium, Jones suddenly dropped his hands and invited Zander to belt him openly, receipting for a half dozen solid punches to the face, then smiling before launching his own attack.

hap navarro

Hap...I remember seeing Jones ko Abel Fernandez at the Olympic in 1950-51?.

[TNT Robledo]

I am the son of Canto Robledo the only blind manager and trainor in the sport of boxing to hold a licensen in the states of CA,and NEV. I would like to post some great pictures of Canto and many fighters of the past.Please send me the information how i can download or upload this pictures.
Also, there is a move to have a statue of Canto trainning fighters at a place in Pasadena,CA. More information on this subject can be obtain by going to the Pasadena Weekly, and the writer is Andre Colemen.
Thank you ,
Joseph Robledo

[kikibalt]

(L-to-R) Joe Stanley, Fitzie Fitzpatrick and Harry Gordon

What most people now days don't know is that Fitzpatrick was a deaf/mute

[Dongee]

Watson Jones

Frank:
That bout had to be one of he worst mismatches of all time. I was seated at press row with Lou Magana and Rudy Garcia for that fight and felt lousy when Abel was dropped right in front of us; I will never forget the glassy look in the kid's eyes as he tried to focus on his surroundings. It was a terrible moment for all of us who knew Abel and had high hopes for his boxing career. Lousy. Lousy. There is another similar experience that still stays with me involving a world class fighter taking on a young prelim kid in a gigantic mismatch. I'll post that sometime soon, here.

hap navarro


Watson Jones, aka Alex Watson. Next to heavyweight Turkey Thompson, Watson Jones had the best left hook in the business back in his heyday. He was a promising young middleweight at the time with a bright future in sight. But he was also one of the most unpredictable punchers active i;n those days.

His meetings with Fitzie Fitzpatrick, among others, were absolute classics for as long as they lasted, principally his one round kayo over the very capable Fitzie. In a match wth Bobby Zander at the Olympic Auditorium, Jones suddenly dropped his hands and invited Zander to belt him openly, receipting for a half dozen solid punches to the face, then smiling before launching his own attack.

hap navarro

Hap...I remember seeing Jones ko Able Fernandez at the Olympic in 1950-51?.

[kikibalt]

I am the son of Canto Robledo the only blind manager and trainor in the sport of boxing to hold a licensen in the states of CA,and NEV. I would like to post some great pictures of Canto and many fighters of the past.Please send me the information how i can download or upload this pictures.
Also, there is a move to have a statue of Canto trainning fighters at a place in Pasadena,CA. More information on this subject can be obtain by going to the Pasadena Weekly, and the writer is Andre Colemen.
Thank you ,
Joseph Robledo

On this "Boxers of the Past" section, go to page 2 look for "Need Help With A Posting Problem" you'll fine what you need to know about posting pictures.

[kikibalt]

I am the son of Canto Robledo the only blind manager and trainor in the sport of boxing to hold a licensen in the states of CA,and NEV. I would like to post some great pictures of Canto and many fighters of the past.Please send me the information how i can download or upload this pictures.
Also, there is a move to have a statue of Canto trainning fighters at a place in Pasadena,CA. More information on this subject can be obtain by going to the Pasadena Weekly, and the writer is Andre Colemen.
Thank you ,
Joseph Robledo

I knew your dad and mom, Connie.

[Dongee]

(L-to-R) Joe Stanley, Fitzie Fitzpatrick and Harry Gordon

What most people now days don't know is that Fitzpatrick was a deaf/mute

Fellas:
There is a heluva story with both Joe Stanley and Harry Gordon as the leading characters. Those two men were fixtures in southland boxing rings, so much so that Olympic publicity man Bill Miller christened them Weber and Fields, after the great vaudeville headliners of the early 20s, with Joe and Harry wearing spotless white sweaters with the entertainers' names on the backs.

Those two boxing men worked every major fight at the Olympic and sometimes at other arenas and always in opposite corners. Both men had boxed professionally years ago, with Gordon being more successful as a bantam than Joe as a featherweight.

The finale to their respective lives became a sad experience for all boxing folks who knew them and their dedication to the game.

hap navarro

[kikibalt]

Henry "Pappy" Gault

I was at the Hollywood Legion (1955) when Keeny Teran ko Pappy, don't remember the round,
but it was early in the fight.

[Dongee]

Henry "Pappy" Gault

I was at the Hollywood Legion (1955) when Keeny Teran ko Pappy, don't remember the round,
but it was early in the fight.

Kiki

That's when Keeny proved to me that he was championship material. I signed Gault as an opponent to test Keeny against a seasoned veteran of more than 60 fights and our favorite youngster took him out in less than two rounds.

That is really something when you consider that Gault had been in with top notch opponents and went on to go the distance against Willie Pep, not once, but twice. Keeny began to show his true worth when he also handled Buddy Bagget, with ease, at the Legion Stadium. There is little doubt in my mind, in retrospect, that Keeny Teran was developing into a classic performer.

hap navarro

[kikibalt]

Henry "Pappy" Gault

I was at the Hollywood Legion (1955) when Keeny Teran ko Pappy, don't remember the round,
but it was early in the fight.

Kiki

That's when Keeny proved to me that he was championship material. I signed Gault as an opponent to test Keeny against a seasoned veteran of more than 60 fights and our favorite youngster took him out in less than two rounds.

That is really something when you consider that Gault had been in with top notch opponents and went on to go the distance against Willie Pep, not once, but twice. Keeny began to show his true worth when he also handled Buddy Bagget, with ease, at the Legion Stadium. There is little doubt in my mind, in retrospect, that Keeny Teran was developing into a classic performer.

hap navarro

Thanks, Hap, I seen the Teran/Bagget live also, was there also for Keeny's last fight vs Memo Diaz

[Rick Farris]

(L-to-R) Joe Stanley, Fitzie Fitzpatrick and Harry Gordon

What most people now days don't know is that Fitzpatrick was a deaf/mute

My friend, Karl Nelson, was a friend of Fitzie Fitzpatrick and told me a lot about him. He explained that Fitzie was completely deaf prior to his first trip in an airplane. After the plain ride, he had partial hearing, but often misunderstood what people were saying, and this more than once led to a street fight.

Naturally, Fitzie's speech was affected by his hearing. Karl's wife was named "Gladys", Fitzie would call her "Lettuce".
When Fitzpatrick and Karl went to Palm Springs, Fitzie would pronounce it "Plum Springs".

There was a time when Fitzpatrick held the record for the quickest one round KO ever at the Olympic. I don't know if the record still stands, but he was one helluva hitter, according to Karl. He would tell me stories of Fitzpatrick in street fights, including one where he fought two wrestlers on the streets of Arcadia, outside a bar near the Santa Anita Race Track. Although Fitzie didn't drink, he'd often accompany his friends into a bar. Occasionally, a drunk customer would make the mistake of challenging Fitzie. Fitzpatrick, sitting at the bar, would watch people's reflections in the mirror behind the bar, and then could read their lips. Spotting trouble before it started.

-Rick Farris

[Rick Farris]

I am the son of Canto Robledo the only blind manager and trainor in the sport of boxing to hold a licensen in the states of CA,and NEV. I would like to post some great pictures of Canto and many fighters of the past.Please send me the information how i can download or upload this pictures.
Also, there is a move to have a statue of Canto trainning fighters at a place in Pasadena,CA. More information on this subject can be obtain by going to the Pasadena Weekly, and the writer is Andre Colemen.
Thank you ,
Joseph Robledo

Hey Joe . . . I knew your dad and fought one his boxer's, Frankie Santillian a few times in the amateurs. I also remember crossing paths with you on a couple of occasions in Pasadena. Do you remember a beautiful young woman who lived in Alta Dena named, Robin? I forget her last name, were talking the early 70's. Canto Robledo's Crown City Boxing Stable was as much a part of Pasadena as the Rose Bowl, in my mind.

-Rick Farris

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Bobby Scanlon was once a very promising prospect

[kikibalt]

State to monitor USA Boxing events

California State Athletic Commission orders the monitoring for at least two months. The action stems from video that showed young children boxing without parental supervision at a USA Boxing amateur c

By Lance Pugmire

In November, a Bay Area television station aired footage of a USA Boxing amateur card at the exclusive Olympic Club in San Francisco where children as young as 8 boxed without parental supervision and grown men were heard gambling on the outcome.

Last month, the California State Athletic Commission stepped in to issue a cease-and-desist order to stop USA Boxing from sanctioning amateur fights in the state -- throwing legitimate youth boxing into limbo amid a threat to revoke the organization's future participation in the state.

But the situation moved toward resolution Monday when the commission ordered state inspectors to monitor all USA Boxing events for at least two months, after which an updated report will be filed about the amateur organization that sends U.S. fighters to the Olympics.

"Hopefully, it'll work out," said Karen Chappelle, the state's supervising deputy attorney general who brokered the agreement in an hourlong closed-door meeting with USA Boxing Chief Executive Jim Millman and an attorney for the U.S. Olympic Committee. "As you've seen from the turnout at this hearing, there's a lot of interest in amateur boxing in this state."

Javier Molina, a 2008 U.S. Olympian from Commerce, attended the hearing, along with former U.S. Olympic fighters Vicente Escobedo, Henry Tillman and Paul Gonzales.

Commissioners were told that it's unfair to punish 2,200 amateur boxers participating in USA Boxing events in Southern California with the cease-and-desist order.

Chappelle negotiated for USA Boxing to institute a mandatory safety plan for transporting injured fighters to medical facilities, and Millman has tightened guidelines to ban non-boxing clubs such as San Francisco's Olympic and City clubs from hosting USA Boxing events.

The U.S. Olympic Committee placed USA Boxing on probation in February for "fiscal" reasons, USOC attorney Rana Dershowitz told the commission Monday. She said USA Boxing "is moving in the right direction," although the California troubles only added to the organization's tarnished reputation after a dismal showing by U.S. boxers at the Beijing Olympics last summer.

"We were very concerned about our future here in California," Millman said after the hearing. "The single most frustrating issue is that we're talking about one event out of 200. By now defining what a boxing club is, we'll eliminate what happened at the Olympic."

Said Chappelle: "That one show at the Olympic put the spotlight on them, and we found other issues. I don't think all their events were bad, but they weren't responsible to the commission, and now they are."

In addition to the new mandatory safety plan and new club guidelines, USA Boxing must put coaches through background checks, make it easier for amateurs to file a grievance, improve training for coaches and upgrade record keeping for fighters to avoid dangerous mismatches.

[email protected]

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Shorty Hogue & Cliff Judd


Shorty Hogue

[Rick Farris]

Bobby Scanlon was once a very promising prospect

Bobby Scanlon . . .

When I was a kid, I saw picture of Bobby Scanlon on the cover of a boxing magazine with his first manager.
As he sat on a stool, his manager leaning in thru the ropes, the wording above read- "Face like an Angel, Heart of a Killer".
Bobby Scanlon had an interesting story, one that was quite tragic from the time he was a kid.
He fought some of the best in the world and beat many. He died at age 39.

Frank and/or Hap, would you guys have anything to relate about Scanlon.
Frank, I know he fought Alfredo Urbina at the Olympic in the late 50's, losing a decision.
At one time, he was a stablemate of Joey Giambra and moved to California with Joey and a couple other fighters from Buffalo.
I remember in conversations with Jory Giambra, his bringing up Bobby's name, but I forget what was said.


-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Bobby Scanlon
From Boxrec Boxing Encyclopaedia

Bobby Scanlon

Name: Bobby Scanlon
Career Record: click
Nationality: US American
Birthplace: Buffalo, NY
Hometown: San Francisco, California, USA
Born: 1936-01-02
Died: 1975-06-23
Age at Death: 39
Height: 5′ 6″
Managers: Art Benjamin, Nick Kobseff and Lou Sabella (circa, 1960)

Bobby Scanlon had a very difficult childhood growing up in Father Baker's orphanage. Possessing choirboy looks, Scanlon was frequently the target of tougher kids. Scanlon turned to boxing and became the orphanage champion. He began his pro career in mid 1954. During the first two-and-a-half years of his career, he was undefeated in 22 fights. He competed mainly in New York City, with occasional stops in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Erie, Pennsylvania.

His sister, Carol, remembers her brother driving his powder-blue Thunderbird around the First Ward. He is also remembered as a very generous brother who returned home during the Christmas season to buy gifts for his sisters. Bobby Scanlon's manager, Mike Scanlon (no relation), then moved Bobby and his other three fighters--Rocky Fumerelle, Richie Todaro and Joey Giambra--to San Francisco in 1957. After a brief stay Todaro returned to Buffalo. The remaining three fighters occupied the same house along with Mike Scanlon, and they all became top contenders in their divisions. Scanlon improved his winning streak to 32 in California. He defeated such top fighters as Lauro Salas, Wallace (Bud) Smith, Joey Lopes and Dave Gallardo.

Following the March 1957 fight with Davy Gallardo, Scanlon broke with his manager Mike Scanlon. Bobby was already showing a dislike for the tough training techniques utilized by Mike. His contract was purchased by Art Benjamin, and later by Nick Kobseff and Lou Sabella. Fred Apostoli, former middleweight champion, would later become Bobby Scanlon's trainer.

According to Rocky Fumerelle, "Bobby Scanlon was his own worst enemy." Scanlon was good-looking and a good fighter. He was very popular among the Irish of San Francisco. If he would have remained in better shape and maintained a regular training schedule, "I have little doubt that Bobby Scanlon would have been the Lightweight champion of the world."

From late 1958 to early 1960 Scanlon not only saw his winning streak come to an end, but he also lost five of seven fights. Scanlon's winning streak came to an end when he suffered a third-round knockout to Paolo Rosi. Prior to this fight Scanlon was rated third in the Lightweight Division behind Rosi and Carlos Ortiz. Soon after his initial loss to Rosi, Scanlon lost another ten-round decision to Paolo. Scanlon also lost a pair of ten-round decisions to Johnny Gonsalves, as well as a decision to Al Urbina. But Scanlon did win a big ten-round decision over Orlando Zulueta.

Scanlon then returned to Buffalo to fight fellow Buffalonian Jackie Donnelly. In a hard-fought 12-round fight, Scanlon won the New York State Lightweight championship. It was one of Scanlon's biggest paydays, as he collected $4,937 for the fight.

Following the first Johnny Gonsalves fight, Scanlon began to suffer double vision. It got worse as he prepared for the second fight with Gonsalves. The problem continued through the Jackie Donnelly fight, as well as an August fight with Francisco Santos. Scanlon laid off from boxing for a year before he returned to fighting again in 1962. Things were not the same. In addition to the double vision, Scanlon had suffered a serious kidney and liver infection. He changed managers four times, and saw his level of competition go down, losing seven of his last thirteen fights.

Although Scanlon was fighting less frequently in 1965 and 1966, he was still experiencing eye problems. He retired from boxing in mid-1966. After he retired from the ring everything went downhill. Early in his boxing career Scanlon had been offered a job in public relations with the Oakland Raiders football team, but now there were few job offers. Although he became deeply religious, his physical and mental health began to deteriorate. Scanlon was struggling to adjust to life without boxing, struggling to restore some meaning to his life, when he died in a fire at the Hotel Lackawanna on June 23, 1975. He was only 39 years old. His final record was 42-12-1.



Date Opponent Location Result
1966-05-24 Luis Molina San Jose, USA W TD 9
1966-04-14 Andy Gonzalez San Francisco, USA W UD 10
1965-09-11 Fraser Toweel Johannesburg, South Afric L PTS 10
1964-08-08 Frankie Narvaez San Juan, Puerto Rico L KO 3
1964-03-16 Paul Armstead San Francisco, USA L UD 10
1963-12-17 Luis Molina San Jose, USA L PTS 10
1963-11-11 Pancho Castaneda San Jose, USA W KO 6
1963-08-27 Eddie Perkins Sacramento, USA L PTS 10
1963-06-11 Paul Armstead Sacramento, USA L PTS 10
1963-03-26 Luis Molina San Jose, USA L PTS 10
1963-03-05 Benny Medina Fresno, USA W UD 10
1962-10-02 Alfredo Escobar Sacramento, USA W PTS 10
1962-08-07 Al Medrano Sacramento, USA W PTS 10
1962-05-10 Francisco Santos Oakland, USA W PTS 10
1960-08-16 Francisco Santos Richmond, USA W PTS 10
1960-05-03 Jackie Donnelly Buffalo, USA W UD 12
1960-04-05 Johnny Gonsalves Oakland, USA L SD 10
1959-09-03 Alfredo Urbina Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1959-06-24 Mario Vecchiatto Chicago, USA W UD 10
1959-04-09 Johnny Gonsalves Oakland, USA L MD 10
1959-03-12 Orlando Zulueta Sacramento, USA W UD 10
1958-12-08 Paolo Rosi San Francisco, USA L SD 10
1958-10-13 Paolo Rosi San Francisco, USA L KO 3
1958-08-26 Joey Lopes Sacramento, USA W PTS 10
1958-07-18 Gale Kerwin New York, USA W UD 10
1958-05-28 Bobby Rogers Chicago, USA W UD 10
1958-04-03 Luke Easter Richmond, USA W TKO 8
1957-12-19 Lauro Salas San Francisco, USA W UD 10
1957-10-31 Wallace (Bud) Smith San Francisco, USA W TKO 10
1957-09-10 Jack Parelli Richmond, USA W TKO 7
1957-04-23 Jorge Macias Richmond, USA W PTS 10
1957-03-21 Dave Gallardo Los Angeles, USA W RTD 6
1957-02-26 Manuel Baptista Richmond, USA W TKO 4
1956-11-27 Harvey Charles Buffalo, USA W PTS 8
1956-10-19 Mike Spataro New York, USA W TKO 6
1956-05-11 Jimmy DeMura Syracuse, USA W PTS 6
1956-01-25 Pete Kawula Norfolk, USA W PTS 8
1955-11-11 Al Tisi New York, USA W TKO 4
1955-10-24 Frankie Freese New York, USA W PTS 6
1955-09-26 Art Oubre New York, USA W PTS 6
1955-08-01 Willie Brown New York, USA W KO 5
1955-04-05 Celso Hidalgo Galveston, USA W PTS 6
1955-02-10 Henry Luera Dallas, USA W PTS 6
1955-01-17 Frankie Madison New York, USA W PTS 4
1954-12-20 Guadalupe Robledo New York, USA W TKO 5
1954-12-09 Charley 'Tiger' Smith Erie, USA W KO 4
1954-11-29 Don Grinton Hamilton, Canada W PTS 5
1954-10-26 Don Grinton Buffalo, USA W PTS 6
1954-10-09 Godofredo Laboy Rochester, USA W PTS 4
1954-09-28 Godofredo Laboy Buffalo, USA W PTS 6
1954-09-20 Frankie Madison New York, USA D PTS 4
1954-07-26 George Stephany New York, USA W PTS 4
1954-07-05 George Stephany New York, USA W PTS 4
1954-06-21 Gene Donaldson New York, USA W PTS 4
1954-05-31 Gene Donaldson New York, USA W PTS 4

Record to Date
Won 42 (KOs 11) Lost 12 Drawn 1 Total 55