Classic American West Coast Boxing

[bennie]

Amir Khan takes on New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi in New York in the Spring.
Bolton man Khan hammered another New Yorker, Brooklyn’s Dmitriy Salita, in just 76 seconds in December, but the quick, flashy Malignaggi poses more of a threat, coming off a big win over Houston’s Juan Diaz as he does, although Paulie is not a puncher and suffers from brittle hands.
This is crucial because Khan looks a bit ‘chinny’, as they say in the trade, and has the talent to beat non-punchers every night of the week. Malignaggi’s lack of power really showed - and really let him down - against Khan’s big Lancashire rival Ricky Hatton, with whom Khan is now inevitably linked, when he was pounded in 11 unpleasant rounds in 2008. Malignaggi just couldn’t keep the Manchester Hitman away.
It should be said he was never off his feet against Hatton and has rebounded exceptionally well, culminating in that impressive decision over “Baby Bull” Diaz in Chicago last month on a unanimous 12-round decision. He possesses plenty of skill, guts and confidence (and chat) but really trades on his speed and Khan is one of the fastest fighters in the world today.
This match, Khan’s long-awaited American debut, will give him real exposure in the States, where he is now trained and apparently managed, promoted and spoon-fed by Freddie Roach out of California. Even in the other man’s hometown, Khan looks the hot favourite.

[dagosd2000]

Frankie Crawford

[dagosd2000]

Did any of you guys catch the fights last night?Saw a nice kid,Jose Benavidez. 125 amateur fights,Golden Glove Champ. The commission gave him a waiver to turn pro when he became 17. Tall kid.Long reach. Super welter right now. Great poise for a 17 year old. Freddie Roach is training him.First fight last night. One round KO win.

[dagosd2000]

Johnny Cash

[Rick Farris]

It looks like Amir Khan has switched to Golden Boy promotions. The word is Khan takes on Paulie Malignaggi next in the States and then Ricky Hatton in an all-British extravaganza in Britain. Hatton recently announced his comeback but would never have fought under F rank Warren, Khan's ex-promoter.

I would like to see Amir Khan retire both Paulie M. and Ricky Hatton.
Thanks for the update, Bennie.

[Rick Farris]

Did any of you guys catch the fights last night?Saw a nice kid,Jose Benavidez. 125 amateur fights,Golden Glove Champ. The commission gave him a waiver to turn pro when he became 17. Tall kid.Long reach. Super welter right now. Great poise for a 17 year old. Freddie Roach is training him.First fight last night. One round KO win.

Roger . . . I saw the fight and I was going to comment. Benevides sports a 120-5 amateur record. As Freddie Roach mentioned, he'll soon be a welter and eventual middleweight. He's still pretty young, but I liked what I saw against a very weak opponent. I'll keep my eye on him. The fight only lasted two minutes last night and he really didn't have much in front of him, but that's good for a kid of seventeen in his pro debut. The kid's got a lot of potential and the right people moving his career. We'll see what happens?

[Rick Farris]

Frankie Crawford

Frankie Crawford was one of those guys who thought nothing of dropping a guy in the street, if had it coming.

Frankie had a "tell", a certain thing he would do right before he fired on a guy (usually somebody much bigger).
Frankie had his two front teeth knocked out in a street fight when he was a kid. He'd wear two false teeth to fill in the gap.
If Crawford knew he was going to be in a street fight, and thought the guy might be tough or give him trouble, he'd remove his false teeth before cold cocking the guy.
If he thought it would be easy, he'd just leave the teeth in.

Mando Ramos told me that he thought Crawford was crazy, but really amazed him on more than one occasion.
One such occasion took place in a bar in Las Vegas. Crawford and Ramos were talking with a nice cocktail waitress.
The young girl had come from Frankie's hometown of Cleveland, so Crawford treated her exceptionally nice, like a big brother.

At the other end of the bar is a group of wanna-be cowboys, and Frankie heard one of them say something out of line to her.
As Mando told me the story, his eyes got big when he described the guy who insulted the waitress.

"You shoulda seen how big this guy was. He was a giant next to Frankie, and I wouldn't have wanted to fight him."
Mando said when Frankie heard the comment he stands up and slowly makes his way down to the bar where the big guy was standing.
Mando started to laugh when he told me, "I see Frankie pull out his front teeth and I knew it was too late."
Frankie slipped the teeth into his pocket, and then hit the guy with a left hook to the chin.

Mando again started to laugh, "You shoulda seen the guy. His eyes roll up in his head and he crashes to the floor, out cold!"
Crawford then pulled his teeth from his pocket, slipped them back into his mouth and returned to finish his drink.

That was pretty typical of a night out with Frankie Crawford.
Frankie only weighed in the low 130's at his heaviest, yet he'd fight a gorilla with a fly swatter.


-Rick Farris

[Randyman]

Happy Birthday Champ

Muhammad Ali

What can I or anyone else say about Muhammad Ali that hasn’t already been said countless times in every language, in every country and medium imaginable. Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) was the 1962 gold medalist at Rome. Muhammad Ali, three time Heavyweight Champion of the world, defeating Sonny Liston, George Foreman and Leon Spinks to win the heavyweight titles. Muhammad Ali, a Muslim, a member of The Nation of Islam and a civil rights activist, who was thrust into the turbulent political battlefield of the 1960’s when he refused to be inducted into the U.S. military. Muhammad Ali, one half of the greatest rivalry in boxing’s rich history, the other half of course, being “Smoking” Joe Frazier. Their trilogy may be the greatest rivalry in sports, period.


I was just a kid but I knew who Muhammad Ali was early on, he was still Cassius Clay then. My father a former boxer in the U.S. Army was still a fan of the sport so I always picked up bits and pieces of the sport just by listening to him. I knew Ali was big when I saw a photo spoof of him and Sonny Liston on the back of a Mad Magazine. I mean, if you’re in Mad Magazine you have to be somebody, right? I thought so.

I don’t know if my father actually hated Ali but he sure as hell didn’t like him. Not too many did back then. Ali, the master of bombastic verbal assault, could infuriate anyone within earshot. My father was old school and Ali was definitely something new. Ali was not afraid to say what was on his mind, whether it was about himself, boxing or race in America.

In the ring Ali was something else. He was 6’ 4” and averaged around 220 pounds but he moved like a middleweight. His type of speed had never been seen before. If the truth be known, Ali never learned to box correctly, or as his long time trainer Angelo Dundee once said “Ali does everything wrong, he just does it better than anyone else”. The guy fought with his hands down, brought his feet together, pulled back from a hook and rarely slipped a punch, preferring to throw his head back to avoid them. Yet, he kept winning and he kept talking.

At the time, 1962, I really didn’t understand the significance of Ali’s fight with Archie Moore. I didn’t know who Moore was other than another boxer, nor did I know that Moore was an old man when Ali fought him. Looking back, it was not one of Ali’s finest moments, I think he realizes that now. I know he has expressed some deep regret over much of his behavior during his career. He predicted he would stop “Moore in four” and he did.

Ali had a much stiffer test the following year in a tough fight with Henry Cooper, when Coop knocked him down in the fourth round before he was stopped on cuts in the next round. They would fight again a few yews later, this time Ali would stop him in the sixth round, again on cuts.

I don’t think anyone gave Ali a chance against Sonny Liston. Despite his gold medal and a string of victories leading up to his challenge, no one took him serious. This fight would change everything. The fight was stopped in the seventh round when Liston remained on his stool. Ali displayed skills and a maturity in the ring that no one, especially Sonny Liston, expected. Ali stopped Liston in the first round of their rematch.

Ali ran up a string of victories over Floyd Patterson, the always tough Canadian, George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, Karl Mildenberger, and “The Big cat” Cleveland Williams before fighting Ernie Terrell in February of 1967, at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. Again Ali showed his penchant for cruelty to an opponent when he punished Terrell over 15 rounds, for refusing to recognize him as Muhammad Ali. For some reason, Terrell refused to recognize him as Ali, instead he referred to him as Cassius Clay. I listened to the fight that night on the radio with my father.

In 1967, Ali refused induction into the U.S. Armed Forces and was subsequently arrested, tried and found guilty of draft evasion. He was stripped of his title and his boxing license was revoked. Ali did not fight again until 1970 when he defeated “Irish” Jerry Quarry and Oscar Bonavena, setting up “The Fight of the Century” with Smoking Joe Frazier, who had become heavyweight champion by beating everyone that mattered in the heavyweight division. Frazier was no mere token champion waiting for Ali to return. He was the real deal, a legitimate champion and he was eager to prove it to Ali, the world and to anyone who doubted him.

Frazier got his chance on March 8, 1971 when he won a hard fought decision against Muhammad Ali at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It was the pinnacle of Joe Frazier’s career, his finest moment. The fight is one of the greatest in the heavyweight division and one of my personal favorites.

Ali was far from through though, he would fight Ken Norton twice, splitting a pair of split decisions, the first a loss, in which Ali suffered a broken jaw, the second ended in a controversial win for Ali. He had one more tune-up fight with Rudi Lubbers, winning a 12 round decision, before fighting Joe Frazier for the second time.

Ali vs. Frazier II seemed to lack the excitement of the first fight, neither fighter was undefeated now, and no title was on the line, with Frazier having lost his title to George Foreman and much of his invincibility with it. Still, whenever the two met there was magic in the air, even if it was just in anticipation. Ali got the nod and a shot at George Foreman’s title. The fight which was to take place in Kinshasha, Zaire in Africa was billed as “The Rumble in the Jungle” As with his first fight with Sonny Liston, no one gave Ali a chance. Who could blame them? George Foreman was knocking everyone out and had won the Heavyweight title in a devastating fashion by knocking Frazier down six times before the referee stopped the fight.

Ali won the title from George Foreman by knocking him out in the eighth round, using his now famed rope a dope tactic to wear down the hard punching Foreman. Foreman never left room for a plan B, in the event he did not knock out Ali early and it cost him his title. Ali again shocked the world. Foreman would shock the world himself when he won the championship from Michael Moorer on November 5, 1994, twenty one years after losing his title to Ali. The heavyweights of that era were exceptional!

Ali KO’ed Jean Pierre Coopman in five and remained undefeated in his next five fights, posting victories over the likes of Jimmy Young (a controversial win), Richard Dunn, a third win over Ken Norton, Alfredo Evangelista and Ernie Shavers before facing the lightly regarded Leon Spinks in defense of his title on February 15, 1978.

This one caught everyone off guard. Spinks, a member of the 1976 Olympic team and a gold medal winner had only seven fights prior to his challenging Ali, none of them against quality opponents, yet, due to circumstances and Ali’s declining physical condition, Spinks won this fight. Ali would regain the title the following September winning a 15 round decision. Ali never won another fight. His next two fights were losses against Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick, two fights that never should have happened.

The night that Ali lost to Spinks, on February 15, 1978, my wife Jeri and I were busy moving into our house in Whittier, my friends, Ken Robledo, Mike Teran and Sergio Billings came by after the fight to help. When they told me that Ali had lost to Spinks, I was in complete disbelief. We all were. With the exception of the period when Ali was stripped of his title and came back to defeat George Foreman to regain the heavyweight title, Ali had been the heavyweight Champion for most of my childhood, my teen years and all my adult years up to that time. It seemed that Ali would be champion forever. It was tough finding out that he was human, just like the rest of us. Well, maybe not exactly like the rest of us, Ali was an extraordinary human being but he was human nonetheless. I still miss those days.

In 1991 I met Ali. He signed his book Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times and we had a chance to speak with him. He was decent to my family, hugging my wife and kids and planting a (soft) right hand on my chin. I consider it an extraordinary day in my life and my family has never forgotten it.

There was a time when Muhammad Ali roared like a lion, a king of his domain. Muhammad Ali is quiet now. Silenced by Parkinson’s disease. He talked a lot of smack and he backed up everything he ever said. He ducked no one in his career. Love him or hate him, Ali was unlike any heavyweight champion before him.

[Rick Farris]

Happy Birthday to Muhammad Ali.

I consider myself lucky to have grown up in boxing during his era.
The 20's had Dempsey, the 30's & 40's had Joe Louis. The 50's had Marciano. And the 60's & 70's had Ali!

There has not been a truly great all-time heavyweight champ since. Nothing of legendary proportion. Never will be!
That's a sad reality. How lucky for us, we saw the last of the best.


-Rick Farris

[Randyman]

Happy Birthday to Muhammad Ali.

I consider myself lucky to have grown up in boxing during his era.
The 20's had Dempsey, the 30's & 40's had Joe Louis. The 50's had Marciano. And the 60's & 70's had Ali!

There has not been a truly great all-time heavyweight champ since. Nothing of legendary proportion. Never will be!
That's a sad reality. How lucky for us, we saw the last of the best.


-Rick Farris

We were lucky but it wasn't only Ali that made the era great. There was Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ken Norton and even Light heavy champ bob foster threw his name in the hat. Even the guys that were on a lower level might have been champs in this era. Guys Jerry Quarry, George Chuvalo, Jimmy Ellis, Ernie Terrell, the "Big cat" Cleveland Williams and on and on. Hell, even an old Archie Moore might have been a heavyweight champ in this era.

My hope for the heavyweight future? That there is some young guy hitting the bag, skipping rope, sparring, listening and learning from a real trainer. He has a gleam in his eye and a dream in his heart. We'll know him when we see him Rick!

Yup Rick, we were lucky!

Randy

[Rick Farris]

Speaking of Today's heavyweights . . .

Last year I was at the Goossen Gym in Van Nuys. Joe was working with an unbeaten heavyweight named Maleek Scott.
I'm not sure of his first name spelling. The guy was training for a bout in Dubai, which ended up cancelled.

The guy may have had the athletic skills, but he was so sloppy. He'd jab with his chin in the air, and then drag it back low.
He's a body waiting to fall, and if hasn't caught that big punch yet, he will.
Of course, Joe Goossen could fix a few obvious problems, but I don't think Joe's eye can see it.
Anybody who ever looked at an opponent across the ring from him, would see that something was wrong.
However, if you never fought, how would you know?

A lot has to do with society today, and of course, most depends on the teachers.
People are born with natural boxing talent and capabilities, but they do not box naturally. They must be taught.
Those with natural talent will pick-up on their lessons easily, those without don't have much chance anyway.

[Randyman]

Speaking of Today's heavyweights . . .

Last year I was at the Goossen Gym in Van Nuys. Joe was working with an unbeaten heavyweight named Maleek Scott.
I'm not sure of his first name spelling. The guy was training for a bout in Dubai, which ended up cancelled.

The guy may have had the athletic skills, but he was so sloppy. He'd jab with his chin in the air, and then drag it back low.
He's a body waiting to fall, and if hasn't caught that big punch yet, he will.
Of course, Joe Goossen could fix a few obvious problems, but I don't think Joe's eye can see it.
Anybody who ever looked at an opponent across the ring from him, would see that something was wrong.
However, if you never fought, how would you know?

A lot has to do with society today, and of course, most depends on the teachers.
People are born with natural boxing talent and capabilities, but they do not box naturally. They must be taught.
Those with natural talent will pick-up on their lessons easily, those without don't have much chance anyway.

Agreed. The flip side of that is a fighter has to learn to listen. A fighter that talks over his trainer or has his own ideas and thinks he knows more than his trainer will never learn.

Randy

[dagosd2000]

THE WAY HE WAS GOING TO BE

It's Ali's birthday. They're showing highlights of his career on ESPN Classic. Classic Ali? For the first part of his career before the forced retirement. Oh,he rose to the occasion for some super human efforts later.Pushed to the very brink. Using every ounce of guile and reserve within his aging body and mind.

The fight that was on the TV when I was scanning the channels was the Bonavena fight. It was Ali's second fight after his comeback. The Quarry fight ended on a cut early. We assumed Ali was his old self. With the Bonavena fight,we saw that he was just old. Howard Cosell's commentary was filled with questions about Ali's health. Was he injured? What was wrong with him? The 6 to 1 underdog was hitting him with haymakers. Ali was on the ropes. He was holding behind the head. He was gassed.

Ali's corner was pleading with him to fight. Yank Durham who was doing the color with Cosell said Ali wasn't going to finish the fight.Then in the 14th round Oscar walked into a left hook and Ali had won. From then on with his career it was a hope for a miracle that Ali would somehow pull out a victory. When it was all over we knew he wasn't a scared rabbit. He absorbed some terrible punishment. Fo ten more years he put it out there. Larry Holmes almost killed him. The Berbick fight was a Fellini act.

It's Ali's birthday. I won't go on the other threads on this site anymore to argue his worth as a fighter. I just want to wish him a happy birthday.

[dagosd2000]

Amir Khan takes on New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi in New York in the Spring.
Bolton man Khan hammered another New Yorker, Brooklyn’s Dmitriy Salita, in just 76 seconds in December, but the quick, flashy Malignaggi poses more of a threat, coming off a big win over Houston’s Juan Diaz as he does, although Paulie is not a puncher and suffers from brittle hands.
This is crucial because Khan looks a bit ‘chinny’, as they say in the trade, and has the talent to beat non-punchers every night of the week. Malignaggi’s lack of power really showed - and really let him down - against Khan’s big Lancashire rival Ricky Hatton, with whom Khan is now inevitably linked, when he was pounded in 11 unpleasant rounds in 2008. Malignaggi just couldn’t keep the Manchester Hitman away.
It should be said he was never off his feet against Hatton and has rebounded exceptionally well, culminating in that impressive decision over “Baby Bull” Diaz in Chicago last month on a unanimous 12-round decision. He possesses plenty of skill, guts and confidence (and chat) but really trades on his speed and Khan is one of the fastest fighters in the world today.
This match, Khan’s long-awaited American debut, will give him real exposure in the States, where he is now trained and apparently managed, promoted and spoon-fed by Freddie Roach out of California. Even in the other man’s hometown, Khan looks the hot favourite.

Bennie
You're in fine form with the reporting. Good to have you back.

BTW. I follow the Premier League over here. I like Manchester United with Hatton's pal Wayne Rooney. Which team do you lean towards? Rog

[Rick Farris]

MINNESOTA- 34
DALLAS- 3

Four TD's for Brett Favre!

I never cared much for the Vikings. But I'm a Brett Favre fan, which means that this year I'm a Vikings fan.
I'm also a Reggie Bush fan, which means I'm also a New Orleans fan.

I'm a Los Angeles sports fan, which means I'm loyal only to teams and players that win. Once they lose I'm done with them
I'm a little more loyal when it comes to friendships and boxers, but football teams? Nah.

USC ? No comment

[dagosd2000]

MINNESOTA- 34
DALLAS- 3

Four TD's for Brett Favre!

I never cared much for the Vikings. But I'm a Brett Favre fan, which means that this year I'm a Vikings fan.
I'm also a Reggie Bush fan, which means I'm also a New Orleans fan.

I'm a Los Angeles sports fan, which means I'm loyal only to teams and players that win. Once they lose I'm done with them
I'm a little more loyal when it comes to friendships and boxers, but football teams? Nah.

USC ? No comment

Rick
In about a half hour the Chargers are going to start off their playoff hopes. My sisters are having a "Charger Party." I could care less about watching the game,but if I don't go my name is "mud." I'll be pulling for the Chargers to let everyone know I'm a "loyal" fan,but if they lose it won't mean a damn to me.

[Rick Farris]

MINNESOTA- 34
DALLAS- 3

Four TD's for Brett Favre!

I never cared much for the Vikings. But I'm a Brett Favre fan, which means that this year I'm a Vikings fan.
I'm also a Reggie Bush fan, which means I'm also a New Orleans fan.

I'm a Los Angeles sports fan, which means I'm loyal only to teams and players that win. Once they lose I'm done with them
I'm a little more loyal when it comes to friendships and boxers, but football teams? Nah.

USC ? No comment

Rick
In about a half hour the Chargers are going to start off their playoff hopes. My sisters are having a "Charger Party." I could care less about watching the game,but if I don't go my name is "mud." I'll be pulling for the Chargers to let everyone know I'm a "loyal" fan,but if they lose it won't mean a damn to me.

Frank . . . Next week will be as big a game for me as the Super Bowl.
The Vikings-Saints pits two of my favorite players in Favre and Bush.
I thought pro football was great this season. I'm going to watch the San Diego game also, but at home.
If I were watching it with you, I'd also root for San Diego. If I watched with my buddy Ralph, a New Yorker, I'd be for the Jets.
I understand your point of view.

[Randyman]

We know one thing, in his prime there was not a man alive that could talk over Muhammad Ali.

Randy

[Rick Farris]

We know one thing, in his prime there was not a man alive that could talk over Muhammad Ali.

Randy

Randy, I didn't think so either, that is, until I attended a WBHOF board meeting.
Everybody talked over everybody. All talked, nobody listened. These guys were masters of the "Talk Over".
Ali would have been challenged.

[kikibalt]

MINNESOTA- 34
DALLAS- 3

Four TD's for Brett Favre!

I never cared much for the Vikings. But I'm a Brett Favre fan, which means that this year I'm a Vikings fan.
I'm also a Reggie Bush fan, which means I'm also a New Orleans fan.

I'm a Los Angeles sports fan, which means I'm loyal only to teams and players that win. Once they lose I'm done with them
I'm a little more loyal when it comes to friendships and boxers, but football teams? Nah.

USC ? No comment

Rick
In about a half hour the Chargers are going to start off their playoff hopes. My sisters are having a "Charger Party." I could care less about watching the game,but if I don't go my name is "mud." I'll be pulling for the Chargers to let everyone know I'm a "loyal" fan,but if they lose it won't mean a damn to me.

Frank . . . Next week will be as big a game for me as the Super Bowl.
The Vikings-Saints pits two of my favorite players in Favre and Bush.
I thought pro football was great this season. I'm going to watch the San Diego game also, but at home.
If I were watching it with you, I'd also root for San Diego. If I watched with my buddy Ralph, a New Yorker, I'd be for the Jets.
I understand your point of view.

Rick....The Vikings/Saints game will in deed be the "SUPER BOWL" Game

[kikibalt]

Watching the Jets/Chargers, so far its not the game I thought it was going to be

[Rick Farris]

Watching the Jets/Chargers, so far its not the game I thought it was going to be

I see it as a contest to determine who the Colts will eliminate next week?

[kikibalt]

Watching the Jets/Chargers, so far its not the game I thought it was going to be

I see it as a contest to determine who the Colts will eliminate next week?

True!

[Rick Farris]

Watching the Jets/Chargers, so far its not the game I thought it was going to be

I see it as a contest to determine who the Colts will eliminate next week?

True!

Frank, it just occured to me that it's now guaranteed that one of my favorite two teams will be in the Super Bowl.
I think I'll take it as a spiritual sign of prosperity for 2010. That's correct today, right? DD

Yeah, one of my favorite two teams will lose to the Colts in the Super Bowl?
Maybe not? However that's my prediction, Colts win it all. I really hope I am wrong. I likely just put the hex on Indianapolis.

[Rick Farris]

Another Theo Ehret photo . . . Rodolfo Gonzalez vs. Ruben Navarro-I . . .

This first of two fights took place at the Anaheim Convention Center. It was close. A majority decision for Gonzalez.
I have a great Theo Ehret action photo of this bout. Mano y Mano, you bet!

I have an idea. Before posting this photo, I'll e-mail it to both Ruben and Rodolfo.
I'll ask them to comment freely on their memories of the fight, which was a good one, I was there.
With the boxer's permission, I'll post memories of this fight.


-Rick Farris