Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

I was scheduled to make my pro debut on that card against Chris Gonzales. Just minutes before I was to fight I was told that my fight had been cancelled. Chris is the brother of Zeferino (Zeffie) Gonzlez, who fought and went the distance with Roberto Duran when Duran was moving up to the welters. We went to high school together. They were a grade or two below me.

A short time after that fight I went into the gym after a weekend of partying and was really worn out. Chris was working out at the gym that day and Mel had me spar several rounds with him. He landed a right hand that seemed to dislocate my jaw. I never said a word about it to Mel but I know I looked lousy that day because the first thing he said to me after I was done sparring was " It's good thing the fight was cancelled" and he wasn't joking. My jaw was out of whack for about a week.

Randy, I know just how it feels as I've had my jaw dislocated several times, never broken or anything seious, however.
It really feels strange, huh? Your teeth don't line up, but usually it settles back in place in time.
Maybe you were just having a bad day? You might have KOed him on fight night? Of course, Mel would make sure you felt like sh*t.
Dislocated jaws come when a boxer opens his mouth to breathe, instead of thru his nose.
If you aren't in good shape, or have a nasal problem, you are more likely to open the mouth to breathe in the ring, but that is a dangerous thing to do.

I was dissipating!

Don't admit a thing, Randy!
What if the great spirit of boxing sentences us to spend eternity in a small room with Mel's ghost, as punishment for our wayward behavior?
Now that would be pure HELL!

[Rick Farris]

Rick, Do you remember a fighter named Juan Diaz, Flyweight, boxed Charlie Magri here back in 1981 Diaz won by KO in 6.
I'll never forget it, Magri hit him with everything and the punches just bounced of Diaz. Another fighter always in a war Cornelius Boza Edwards, remember those fights with Bobby Chacon, Boza had another tough fight with Bazooka Limon when winning the WBC Super-Featherweight Title 1981, Stockton Cal....

I don't remember Diaz, but I'll never forget Boza Edwards. He had some great fights with Bobby.
Today I believe he lives in Las Vegas and works for Bob Arum?

[Rick Farris]

Bennie wrote:
Olivo dropped a split dcision to Korea's Myung-Woo Yuh in Korea in his first world title defence - and Yuh went on to make about a million defences. Olivo was desperately unlucky.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Desperately unlucky? Yes, he was.
Goes to show how easily a good fighter can slip thru the cracks.

[Rick Farris]

Ruben Navarro and a young, every young Tony Baltazar with a Japanese fighter whom name I can't remember right now, he fought Ruben I believe.

The Japanese boxer's name is Shinichi Kadota. Kadota was a good fighter. On October 2, 1969, Kadota stopped Juan Collado in an Olympic Auditorium main event. I scored a KO in an amateur bout that opened the show. I still have the L.A. Times clip from the next morning. A couple years later they would fight a second time at the Forum (Kadota & Collado) and I would once again fight on the undercard, this time as a pro.

[Rick Farris]

We have nearly 35,000 posts here. I am enjoying reviewing past posts from the very early days.

[Rick Farris]

Pug . . .

Brian Higgins (ExPug) will be at this year's CBHOF lunch, accepting for an all-time great inductee, Fritzie Zivic.
In addition to his Martial Arts skills, Brian really is an ex-pug.
As a young pro light-heavyweight, he retired undefeated after a half dozen professional matches.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brian Higgins

light heavyweight
stance orthodox
height 6′ 1″ / 185cm
alias Irish
Chicago, Illinois, United States
won 4 (KO 3) + lost 0 (KO 0) + drawn 1 = 5


1989-06-06 171 Terrence Wright 170 1-20-1
Park West, Chicago, Illinois, United States D PTS 4 4
referee: Stanley Berg

1989-05-02 176 Marcus Thompkins 170
Park West, Chicago, Illinois, United States W TKO 1 4
time: 1:47 | referee: Pete Podgorski

1983-04-25 153 Adrian Green 151 1-9-0
Congress Americana Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, United States W UD 4 4
referee: Brian O'Shea

1983-03-28 155½ Oscar Juarez 154
Congress Americana Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, United States W KO 2 4
referee: Al Prislinger

1983-03-07 154 Leslie Mixon 159
Americana Congress Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, United States W KO 1 4
referee: Stanley Berg

[Expug]

Hi guys, well....the seasons over. We took Vancouver to seven games. Down three -zero in the best of seven series the guys battled back hard to tie the series but lost in overtime in game seven. Vancouver fans were beside themselves with joy as they shed the demon of us eliminating them the last two seasons in the playoffs.
It was a great season and it was great seeing my pals at the Staples center earlier this year.

[Rick Farris]

Hi guys, well....the seasons over. We took Vancouver to seven games. Down three -zero in the best of seven series the guys battled back hard to tie the series but lost in overtime in game seven. Vancouver fans were beside themselves with joy as they shed the demon of us eliminating them the last two seasons in the playoffs.
It was a great season and it was great seeing my pals at the Staples center earlier this year.

Maybe next year, Brian?
Regardless, I will always remember what happened last year, and that great photo of you standing on the ice, hoisting the Stanley Cup.
Monica, the De La O's, and myself had a great time at the Staples Center.
I would like to do it again next season

[Randyman]

Mel Epstein

He was at worst, an ill tempered old curmudgeon, set in his ways, at his best he was a loyal friend and defender who would give you the shirt off his back. Boxing was his life and he had no use for the fools that would wander in and out of the old Main Street Gym, or anywhere else for that matter. He spoke his mind and pulled no punches, consequences be damned.

Two of his favorite words were dissipating and bastid (bastard), some times he would use them in the same same sentence, as in "Maybe if that bastid over there would get a fighter's hair cut and stop dissipating he might win a fight or two"". He was usually looking at me dead in the eyes when he said something like that,.....a hint perhaps?

Because of his moods and temperament it was difficult to eat at a restaurant with Mel. If thee was the slightest thing wrong with his food or the service, real or imagined, he wanted to walk out. It didn't matter if you were enjoying your meal, whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner, once he made up his mind that things were not right he was walking out, there was no stopping him. All you could do was shrug your shoulders at the waitress and catch up with him. he would be mumbling under his breath something about the "f---ing bastids'. However, when things were good, we had a good time. He loved Clifton's in downtown L.A., on Broadway. He had a few favorite places where he would flirt with the waitresses.

Mel loved to talk, mostly about his fighter "Young Firpo" or the boxers of the past like Dempsey or Ketchel, or his days in Butte, Montana. Mel was an anachronism, a man out of his time. He knew this, he hated Elvis and the Beatles and anything or anyone remotely resembling a hippie. "They're ruining the country" was his battle cry. Still, the constant frown on Mel's face was preferable to the smile, that, if you were not prepared would cause your hair to stand up straight.

Mel was one of the men that taught me to cook, as well as to box. I never had an omelet till Mel made one for me one day, same with a swiss steak. He got me to eat cole slaw and drink buttermilk, two things I hated and two things I enjoy to this day. I think of him often.He was a "Runyunesque" character from another time. I take a lot of pride in being one of his fighters.

[Randyman]

Hi guys, well....the seasons over. We took Vancouver to seven games. Down three -zero in the best of seven series the guys battled back hard to tie the series but lost in overtime in game seven. Vancouver fans were beside themselves with joy as they shed the demon of us eliminating them the last two seasons in the playoffs.
It was a great season and it was great seeing my pals at the Staples center earlier this year.

Looking forward to seeing you again next month at the CBHOF. You know the old saying "You cant win'em all". Thy did there best so they can stand tall! A tough sport, not for the faint of heart.

[CNorkusJr]

Hi guys, well....the seasons over. We took Vancouver to seven games. Down three -zero in the best of seven series the guys battled back hard to tie the series but lost in overtime in game seven. Vancouver fans were beside themselves with joy as they shed the demon of us eliminating them the last two seasons in the playoffs.
It was a great season and it was great seeing my pals at the Staples center earlier this year.

Besides boxing Brian, I enjoy my hockey games as well being raised in the Northeast.
Before the Islanders were around, enjoyed Villemure & Giacomin as they backed up the Rangers. We also had The Long Island Ducks of the EHL back then,minor league team who played on ice surrounded by steel screen fencing at the ends of ice. My father brought me to those games in Commack, Long Island as The Rangers virtually sold-out every game and tixs were hard to come by.

When the Islanders hit town, I converted and saw all my heroes play-Orr,Esposito,Hull,Mikita
Courneyer and so on.

I followed the Chicago-Vancouver series on Versus Channel here, and Montreal-Boston another Gm 7 series. This years shaping up to be a beauty of a finish for the cup.

Better luck next year for your Hawks-hopefully they will face the Islanders in next years finals.

Brian, When the Hawks come to Long Island-do they stay at the Marriott hotel next to The Nassau Coliseum , or do they go to New York city to stay as they probably play the Rangers during the same time period ?

[Rick Farris]

Heavyweight legend Henry Cooper dies aged 76


Former British and European heavyweight champion Sir Henry Cooper died on Sunday.

Former British and European heavyweight champion Sir Henry Cooper, who famously knocked down Muhammad Ali in a controversial fight in 1963, died on Sunday aged 76.

He passed away at his son's house at Oxted in Surrey, just two days short of his 77th birthday.

The London-born Cooper met Ali -- then known as Cassius Clay -- at Wembley in 1963, with the British fighter famously flooring the great American in the fourth round.

Many fans were convinced Cooper had been robbed of victory by some ringside trickery.

Towards the end of the fourth round of that non-title bout, Cooper floored Clay with a trademark left hook known as 'Enry's hammer'.

Ali, who later said the punch "not only shook me, it shook my relations in Africa," was saved by the bell and then aided by some quick thinking from trainer Angelo Dundee, who noticed a tear in Ali's gloves that he then opened up and brought to the attention of the referee.

In the time it took for new gloves to arrive from the dressing room, Ali recovered and in the next round stopped Cooper.

Three years later, with Ali now the world heavyweight champion, the pair met again in London and Cooper's face was a bloodied mess when the fight was halted in the sixth round.

Recalling the glove incident from their first bout, Cooper, who won the British, European and Commonwealth titles but never became a world champion, said: "I always say if the boot had been on the other foot Jim (Wicks, Cooper's manager) would have done something like that for me.

"He (Dundee) noticed the stitching on the right glove had stretched so he just stuck his thumb in and ripped the glove open.

"They had to send back to the dressing room (to replace it), which was 150 yards away at Wembley, so he had a two-and-a-half-minute interval, which to a fit guy is all you want.

"I'm not bitter about it at all. It's many years ago now," Cooper insisted in an interview in 2007.

Cooper, who became a cult figure inside and outside the ring, was a British, Commonwealth and European champion and was the first sportsman to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award twice (in 1967 and 1970).

He never won a world title and retired from the ring in 1971 after a defeat to Joe Bugner.

Cooper, who lost his wife and twin brother in recent years, fought 55 times as a professional.

[Rick Farris]

R.I.P. Sir Henry Cooper

[Rick Farris]

Mel Epstein

He was at worst, an ill tempered old curmudgeon, set in his ways, at his best he was a loyal friend and defender who would give you the shirt off his back. Boxing was his life and he had no use for the fools that would wander in and out of the old Main Street Gym, or anywhere else for that matter. He spoke his mind and pulled no punches, consequences be damned.

Two of his favorite words were dissipating and bastid (bastard), some times he would use them in the same same sentence, as in "Maybe if that bastid over there would get a fighter's hair cut and stop dissipating he might win a fight or two"". He was usually looking at me dead in the eyes when he said something like that,.....a hint perhaps?

Because of his moods and temperament it was difficult to eat at a restaurant with Mel. If thee was the slightest thing wrong with his food or the service, real or imagined, he wanted to walk out. It didn't matter if you were enjoying your meal, whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner, once he made up his mind that things were not right he was walking out, there was no stopping him. All you could do was shrug your shoulders at the waitress and catch up with him. he would be mumbling under his breath something about the "f---ing bastids'. However, when things were good, we had a good time. He loved Clifton's in downtown L.A., on Broadway. He had a few favorite places where he would flirt with the waitresses.

Mel loved to talk, mostly about his fighter "Young Firpo" or the boxers of the past like Dempsey or Ketchel, or his days in Butte, Montana. Mel was an anachronism, a man out of his time. He knew this, he hated Elvis and the Beatles and anything or anyone remotely resembling a hippie. "They're ruining the country" was his battle cry. Still, the constant frown on Mel's face was preferable to the smile, that, if you were not prepared would cause your hair to stand up straight.

Mel was one of the men that taught me to cook, as well as to box. I never had an omelet till Mel made one for me one day, same with a swiss steak. He got me to eat cole slaw and drink buttermilk, two things I hated and two things I enjoy to this day. I think of him often.He was a "Runyunesque" character from another time. I take a lot of pride in being one of his fighters.

Mel . . .

Randy, you could not have painted a more vivid picture of Mel Epstein.
And yes, "Dissipate" and "Bastid" were often said by Mel.
I also was served omelets at Mel's apartment. He once cooked for both myself and my girlfriend, Karla.
Mel liked Karla, thought she came from a good family. But our relationship was a nightmare for a guy like Mel.
Once he almost put oysters in my omelet, and then thought better of it. "You don't need oysters." He thought I was over-sexed.
Young Firpo was his greatest fighter. He loved Firp like a son, and today Mel's best fighter is a Hall of Famer.
Maybe that is something that would lead Mel to crack a smile. You know the smile, Randy. Like the one he gave you when you did good.
"Runyunesque"? He certainly was. And like you, Randy, I value my memories of Mel Epstein.

[Rick Farris]

Mel's dietary recommendations . . .


Cole slaw? OK.
Butter milk? No way!

Buttermilk should be labeled "Heart attack in a bottle".
It has been successfully shortening lives for centuries (even in Butte, Montana).
Absolutely 0 nutritional value. Milk alone is bad enough for an adult, add butter? Might as well start picking out a casket.
Guaranteed to create coronary and digestive challenges.

[Expug]

Hi guys, well....the seasons over. We took Vancouver to seven games. Down three -zero in the best of seven series the guys battled back hard to tie the series but lost in overtime in game seven. Vancouver fans were beside themselves with joy as they shed the demon of us eliminating them the last two seasons in the playoffs.
It was a great season and it was great seeing my pals at the Staples center earlier this year.

Besides boxing Brian, I enjoy my hockey games as well being raised in the Northeast.
Before the Islanders were around, enjoyed Villemure & Giacomin as they backed up the Rangers. We also had The Long Island Ducks of the EHL back then,minor league team who played on ice surrounded by steel screen fencing at the ends of ice. My father brought me to those games in Commack, Long Island as The Rangers virtually sold-out every game and tixs were hard to come by.

When the Islanders hit town, I converted and saw all my heroes play-Orr,Esposito,Hull,Mikita
Courneyer and so on.

I followed the Chicago-Vancouver series on Versus Channel here, and Montreal-Boston another Gm 7 series. This years shaping up to be a beauty of a finish for the cup.

Better luck next year for your Hawks-hopefully they will face the Islanders in next years finals.

Brian, When the Hawks come to Long Island-do they stay at the Marriott hotel next to The Nassau Coliseum , or do they go to New York city to stay as they probably play the Rangers during the same time period ?

We stay in Times square when playing the Rangers Charlie.
We will be out in Long Island next season to play The Islanders and stay there.
Lets get together eh?

[Randyman]

R.I.P. Sir Henry Cooper

[Rick Farris]

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

[CNorkusJr]

Hi guys, well....the seasons over. We took Vancouver to seven games. Down three -zero in the best of seven series the guys battled back hard to tie the series but lost in overtime in game seven. Vancouver fans were beside themselves with joy as they shed the demon of us eliminating them the last two seasons in the playoffs.
It was a great season and it was great seeing my pals at the Staples center earlier this year.

Besides boxing Brian, I enjoy my hockey games as well being raised in the Northeast.
Before the Islanders were around, enjoyed Villemure & Giacomin as they backed up the Rangers. We also had The Long Island Ducks of the EHL back then,minor league team who played on ice surrounded by steel screen fencing at the ends of ice. My father brought me to those games in Commack, Long Island as The Rangers virtually sold-out every game and tixs were hard to come by.

When the Islanders hit town, I converted and saw all my heroes play-Orr,Esposito,Hull,Mikita
Courneyer and so on.

I followed the Chicago-Vancouver series on Versus Channel here, and Montreal-Boston another Gm 7 series. This years shaping up to be a beauty of a finish for the cup.

Better luck next year for your Hawks-hopefully they will face the Islanders in next years finals.

Brian, When the Hawks come to Long Island-do they stay at the Marriott hotel next to The Nassau Coliseum , or do they go to New York city to stay as they probably play the Rangers during the same time period ?

We stay in Times square when playing the Rangers Charlie.
We will be out in Long Island next season to play The Islanders and stay there.
Lets get together eh?

You Bet! It will be nice to meet you.

[CNorkusJr]

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

The F**K is Dead ! God Bless Our Troops and America !

[bennie]

R.I.P. Sir Henry Cooper

Henry hailed from Bellingham in South London and was an ordinary working class boy made good. Make no mistake about this, Henry did not mess about in a boxing ring, a dangerous, spiteful man in there and a complete gentleman outside of it, which is the way it should be. Nobody can take away his knockdown of Clay.

[Rick Farris]

Osama Bin Laden is dead.

The F**K is Dead ! God Bless Our Troops and America !

[Rick Farris]

R.I.P. Sir Henry Cooper

Henry hailed from Bellingham in South London and was an ordinary working class boy made good. Make no mistake about this, Henry did not mess about in a boxing ring, a dangerous, spiteful man in there and a complete gentleman outside of it, which is the way it should be. Nobody can take away his knockdown of Clay.

What a left hook! . . .

Last night in conversation with Dan Hanley, we discussed the devistating left hook that Cooper brought with him into the ring.
I was trying to remember the name of the guy Henry nearly beheaded with that hook way back, and Dan had the answer, Joe Erskine.
Rest in Peace, Sir Henry.

[telboy66]

I spent most of the 50s & the 60s watching Henry Cooper box,His fights with Joe Erskine Brian London,Dick Richardson for the Lonsdale belt were not to be missed, once Henry had them on the Hook they rarely got off, I was lucky to be at both his fights with Clay/Ali in 63 & 66& regularly get the old programs out to read.
It could be very frustrating to see him winning fights only for cuts to rob him of victory,he always came in totally fit ready to give his best shot.Much loved by the British Public be they boxing fans or not he would always stop & talk, he had for a time a green grocers shop in Wembley & if he was there serving the shop would be heaving but not many buying they were just there to talk with "Our Enery". I have many great memories of a great man & true Gent RIP Champ

[Bobbin & Weavin]

Mel's dietary recommendations . . .


Cole slaw? OK.
Butter milk? No way!

Buttermilk should be labeled "Heart attack in a bottle".
It has been successfully shortening lives for centuries (even in Butte, Montana).
Absolutely 0 nutritional value. Milk alone is bad enough for an adult, add butter? Might as well start picking out a casket.
Guaranteed to create coronary and digestive challenges.

Strangely funny post Rick, though a good warning to us all. I can never get enough of the post from you and Randy about Mel, today Mel would have his own reality show and I would be his biggest fan. I would like to know more about him, his history, I know he spent some time in the Bay Area it appears on his way to L.A. I use the word "bastid" all the time, people just look at me when I say it and I just tell them it's an inside joke with myself.
Bruce

PS So energized today about the news about Osama's death...Long time coming!
We must remember though, "Protect yourselves at all times".