Classic American West Coast Boxing

[bennie]

Unbeaten Norfolk hope Liam Walsh defends his Commonwealth super-featherweight title against Manchester's once-beaten Jon Kays in Wigan on March 19.
Walsh, 24, won the title with an impressive, unanimous if hard-earned 12-round decision over Ghanaian tough guy Maxwell Awuku at York Hall last October, and Awuku holds a clear 12-round decision over Ricky Burns's WBO title challenger in Glasgow next month, Joseph "Mandingo" Laryea, so it was some win for southpaw Liam, a pro of only two years going in (Awuku turned pro in 2002) and of only nine fights. Plus, it was the first time he had gone past six rounds. The new champion performed marvellously well.
Walsh, 10-0 (7), now sets his sights on the classy, energetic Kays, 13-1 (4), who has been working on his power in recent months, after a non-punching start to his career. The loss came on points to Derbyshire's useful and more experienced Craig Johnson in a six-rounder in 2008, since when Kays has rattled off seven wins and stopped seasoned Welshman Dai Davies last time out, although Davies has been going out quite a bit lately and Kays is best advised to stick to his busy boxing against the stiff-hitting Walsh. Kays enjoys a bit of height and reach on the champion, and virtual home advantage in Wigan, although Walsh is bound to bring up an army of support from Wurzel territory in Cromer, but Kays, who goes by the colourful tag of "Two Smokes" and live and breathes his native Lancashire, will give it everything on the night and definitely has the skill, the fitness and the maturity at 27 to make it very interesting indeed.
Nevertheless, Liam is the most talented of three pro boxing brothers and looks stronger than Kays - the stronger man and the stronger puncher - and he is no slouch in the boxing stakes either. He also showed he could deal with the pressure of a 12-round championship fight against Awuku, whereas Kays is stepping up and we just don't know. Jon has yet to do more than eight rounds.
Everything considered, one sides with the champion.

[kikibalt]

Sept 18,1962 (Los Angeles CA): Joe Louis & Mexican screen star Cantinflas

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April 29,1949 (Detroit MI): (from left) Art Aragon, Joe Louis & Bobby Dykes

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Chico Vejar & Ricardo Pajarito Moreno...1958

[bennie]

Art Frias:I shed a tear today. I lost my Manager, and one of my best friend Mr. Norman Kaplan. He was a great man. Mr Kaplan had a great deal to do with me becomming a world champion. I will miss him dearly.

With Frias and Kaplan is trainer Al Lira

Wow, it's rare to hear an ex-fighter speak so fondly of his old manager! Mr Kaplan must have been some man.

[kikibalt]

2009 CBHOF
By Randy De La O

http://boxing-ring.blogspot.com/2009/09 ... -fame.html

[Randyman]

Rick, here’s a video of your old stablemate, Jerry Quarry, sparring at the Main Street Gym in 1966. I’m not sure who he is sparring with, you might know. In fact, you might even be in the crowd. Also, one of the guys standing on the ring apron looks like Johnny Flores. It’s a little dark and fuzzy but it sure looks like him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh_k4Mwp6bU

[Randyman]

Left to right,

* front row,

__ Johnny Trombino, Sean Curtin, Louie Lomeli, John Collins, Luis Mateo, Terry McGroom,Marc Randazzo

* second row, Johnny Heard, Fred Houpe, Nate Jones, Mike Joyce Ernie Terrell, Johnny Lira, Mike Landini,____, Bernard Hightower
* third row, Nick Petrecca, Luke Capuano, Pat La Cassa, Primo LaCassa, David Diaz, Rocky DiFazio, Mike Garcia, ____Pete Podgorski, ___, Alfonso Ortiz, Bobby Hitz
* back row, Mike DiBenedetto, Lenny LaPaglia, John Nocita, Ken Corcoran, Brian O'Shea, Tom O'Shea, Rory O'Shea, Lee Roy Murphy, Danell Nicholson, Henry Sims

Love it! Sims is the man who cracked expug's ribs in sparring. I think some photoshopping would have been in order, Frankie.

Wow! great shot Frank. Yep Bennie,he sure did. Johnny Heard busted my nose too.
I know almost every guy in that picture and am friends with a few of them. Boxed with some others such as Lapaglia,Lira and Mateo. Louoe Mateo fought Randy Shields. Sean Curtin refed a few of my fights. So did Pete Podgorski. I am friends with both.
Thanks for posting that picture Frank.

Sims and Heard, any man that can put a dent on you Brian, has my respect. Johnny Lira was a tough guy. What a great classic photo of Chicago fighters .

[Randyman]

Frank, you've been pulling some really great photos out of your hat lately. Classic stuff.

[kikibalt]

Frank, you've been pulling some really great photos out of your hat lately. Classic stuff.

Thanks Randy. Just been lucky to find these great photos lately....

[kikibalt]

Love it! Sims is the man who cracked expug's ribs in sparring. I think some photoshopping would have been in order, Frankie.

Wow! great shot Frank. Yep Bennie,he sure did. Johnny Heard busted my nose too.
I know almost every guy in that picture and am friends with a few of them. Boxed with some others such as Lapaglia,Lira and Mateo. Louoe Mateo fought Randy Shields. Sean Curtin refed a few of my fights. So did Pete Podgorski. I am friends with both.
Thanks for posting that picture Frank.

Sims and Heard, any man that can put a dent on you Brian, has my respect. Johnny Lira was a tough guy. What a great classic photo of Chicago fighters .

Fred Houpe was on my 1973 Los Angeles National Golden Glove team....

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Tony baltazar and his two daughters, Nakojua (L) and Chanelle...Circa 2000

[Rick Farris]

Historically correct beats politically correct. My opinion.

[Randyman]

Tony baltazar and his two daughters, Nakojua (L) and Chanelle...Circa 2000

Daddy's little girls!It doesn't get any better than that!

[Rick Farris]

Tony baltazar and his two daughters, Nakojua (L) and Chanelle...Circa 2000

Beautiful kids! I wish I could show them a video of their dad boxing when he was their age. Now that was impressive!

[Rick Farris]

Wow! great shot Frank. Yep Bennie,he sure did. Johnny Heard busted my nose too.
I know almost every guy in that picture and am friends with a few of them. Boxed with some others such as Lapaglia,Lira and Mateo. Louoe Mateo fought Randy Shields. Sean Curtin refed a few of my fights. So did Pete Podgorski. I am friends with both.
Thanks for posting that picture Frank.

Sims and Heard, any man that can put a dent on you Brian, has my respect. Johnny Lira was a tough guy. What a great classic photo of Chicago fighters .

Fred Houpe was on my 1973 Los Angeles National Golden Glove team....

He fought as a pro under the ring name of "Young Sanford", managed by entertainer Redd Foxx.

[Randyman]

Photo Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times and the Daily Mirror
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedail ... t-g-1.html


One more photo of the Main Street Gym. This one has been around for a while but I know there a few of you that are not familiar with the exterior of the gym.

[Randyman]

Sims and Heard, any man that can put a dent on you Brian, has my respect. Johnny Lira was a tough guy. What a great classic photo of Chicago fighters .

Fred Houpe was on my 1973 Los Angeles National Golden Glove team....

He fought as a pro under the ring name of "Young Sanford", managed by entertainer Redd Foxx.

I do remember "Young Sanford". That's going back a few years. Was he Redd Foxx's only fighter?

[kikibalt]

Tony baltazar and his two daughters, Nakojua (L) and Chanelle...Circa 2000

Beautiful kids! I wish I could show them a video of their dad boxing when he was their age. Now that was impressive!

Nakojua, now married will be a mommy later on in the year...It going to be a first for Tony, his first grandchild....

[Randyman]

Tony baltazar and his two daughters, Nakojua (L) and Chanelle...Circa 2000

Beautiful kids! I wish I could show them a video of their dad boxing when he was their age. Now that was impressive!

Nakojua, now married will be a mommy later on in the year...It going to be a first for Tony, his first grandchild....

Congrats to Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar and to you and Connie too, great grandparents!!

[kikibalt]

Randy, the baby will be our fourth great-grandchild....

[Rick Farris]

Rick, here’s a video of your old stablemate, Jerry Quarry, sparring at the Main Street Gym in 1966. I’m not sure who he is sparring with, you might know. In fact, you might even be in the crowd. Also, one of the guys standing on the ring apron looks like Johnny Flores. It’s a little dark and fuzzy but it sure looks like him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh_k4Mwp6bU

Jerry Quarry - In the gym in 1966 . . .

Randy . . . Thanks for posting this. That's definitly Johnny standing on the ring apron and there's a chance I might have been watching as well?
I don't know for sure who Jerry was boxing with, might have been Chuck Leslie? I had the chance to watch Jerry boxing many, many times in those Main Street Gym rings. It was always a big deal, and you can bet that people watched. Even when he was just working out, and there were no reporters or fans present (which was rare, once Jerry was well known) there was always people moving close to the ring because you never knew what Jerry might do. Quarry wasn't afraid to drop bombs in the gymOnce in awhile Jerry looked a little lazy, kind of playing in ring, but most of time he was going to let his hands go and man that left hook really slammed the body with a thud. He boxed with Dave Centi, a club fighter who took his shots like a man and hung with Jerry. There was Eddie "Boss Man" Jones, a cagey vet light heavy contender who also was a sparring partner for Ali & Ken Norton. I saw him drop Jerry to one knee with a hook to Quarry's liver. As I have mentioned before, I saw him drop Ken Norton with a short chopping right hand. Norton couldn't continue and Bill Slayton assisted him afterwards. My buddy Al Boursse' worked with Jerry for both the Buster Mathis and first Joe Frazier fights. Al took his shots, but had a great defense and somehow avoided the fate of many, he managed to stay on his feet in every encounter with Jerry. Jerry also worked with Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez on several occasions for speed. I told of the time he attempted to go easy on Ray "Windmaill White", but White thought he'd have some fun with Jerry and hit him with a behind the back punch while holding Jerry's head. Damn! That was the first time I remember seeing Jerry mad, and he was pissed off! Windmill pulled awat with a smile on his face. Jerry walks right into him and pushes Ray into a corner, he then uloads the hook to his body, and White sinks to the canvas doubled up, moaning. White had to go to the hospital with cracked ribs. I remember Jerry sparring with Matt Blow, Wayne Kindred, his poor brother Mike, an amateur at the time and weing just 160 lbs. Jerry used to torcher his little brother, he'd hurt him bad in the gym and that's why I'm sure Mike was an outside fighter who used to move around a lot. He had learned to keep his distance from his brother. I remember he boxed with Billy Stephan, Amos "Big Train" Lincoln and Manuel Ramos. He had a light-heavy sparring partner named Joe "Shot Gun" Shelton. There were many more, but these are all that come to mind at the moment.

[Rick Farris]

Beautiful kids! I wish I could show them a video of their dad boxing when he was their age. Now that was impressive!

Nakojua, now married will be a mommy later on in the year...It going to be a first for Tony, his first grandchild....

Congrats to Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar and to you and Connie too, great grandparents!!

Congrats to you, Connie & Tony!

[kikibalt]

Boxing Greats

[Rick Farris]

Boxing Great