Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Greatest sports figures in L.A. history, No. 13: Walter O'Malley

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_ ... alley.html

[CNorkusJr]

WBC Declares a Technical Draw in Fight Hopkins- Dawson.


"In regards to the championship defense of the light heavyweight WBC world champion between Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson, held in Los Angeles, California, in which the referee declared a KOT2 against champion Hopkins, as he could not continue due to an injury after a push by challenger Dawson, the head offices of the WBC sent videos, medical reports and the WBC corresponding Rules to the Board of Governors that unanimously declared a Technical Draw on the fight; therefore, Bernard Hopkins is still the WBC Light heavyweight champion of the world."

[CNorkusJr]

Just heard from Don Fraser. Said his surgery went well, but that he won't know till he sees his surgeon next week as to what was actually found in his arm...

Thank You Rick & Frank. Sounds like Good News for now. Thank God.

[raylawpc]

Just heard from Don Fraser. Said his surgery went well, but that he won't know till he sees his surgeon next week as to what was actually found in his arm...

Good news Frank. Thanks for the update.

[kikibalt]

Greatest sports figures in L.A. history, No. 12: Wayne Gretzky

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_ ... tzky-.html

[CNorkusJr]

Family and friends,


Triple Threat TV and Tollin Productions present "The Real Rocky" - airing on Tuesday 10/25 at 8pm on ESPN. To borrow from ESPN's website:

The "Real Rocky" is Chuck Wepner -- a liquor salesman from Bayonne, N.J., who drives a Cadillac with "Champ" vanity plates. A former New Jersey state heavyweight boxing champion, he was christened with the nickname "The Bayonne Bleeder" for the abuse he suffered at the hands of Sonny Liston. In 1975, Wepner fought Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title. In the 15th round, Ali knocked out Wepner after breaking his nose and opening cuts over both eyes. Sylvester Stallone wrote a screenplay, and starred in and won three Academy Awards (including best picture) for the film "Rocky," based on Wepner's gutsy challenge. Wepner was left out of the "Rocky" glory, and his career took turn after strange turn as he worked to stay in the spotlight. He went on to fight Andre the Giant as "The Assassin" and boxed a 900-pound Kodiak bear. Twice. Using too-good-to-be-true footage, Jeff Feuerzeig ("The Devil and Daniel Johnston") and Mike Tollin will explore the colorful life and bloodied career of this unique New Jersey character in their 1-hour ESPN film.

Here is a link to the 30-second promo http://vimeo.com/30908748

Please tune in or set your DVRs because this is another film that we are VERY proud of. We hope you enjoy the ride!

Best,

Matt

--
Matthew McDonald
Senior Producer
Triple Threat TV
o:203-682-6100
c:732-713-4811

[kikibalt]

Family and friends,


Triple Threat TV and Tollin Productions present "The Real Rocky" - airing on Tuesday 10/25 at 8pm on ESPN. To borrow from ESPN's website:

The "Real Rocky" is Chuck Wepner -- a liquor salesman from Bayonne, N.J., who drives a Cadillac with "Champ" vanity plates. A former New Jersey state heavyweight boxing champion, he was christened with the nickname "The Bayonne Bleeder" for the abuse he suffered at the hands of Sonny Liston. In 1975, Wepner fought Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight title. In the 15th round, Ali knocked out Wepner after breaking his nose and opening cuts over both eyes. Sylvester Stallone wrote a screenplay, and starred in and won three Academy Awards (including best picture) for the film "Rocky," based on Wepner's gutsy challenge. Wepner was left out of the "Rocky" glory, and his career took turn after strange turn as he worked to stay in the spotlight. He went on to fight Andre the Giant as "The Assassin" and boxed a 900-pound Kodiak bear. Twice. Using too-good-to-be-true footage, Jeff Feuerzeig ("The Devil and Daniel Johnston") and Mike Tollin will explore the colorful life and bloodied career of this unique New Jersey character in their 1-hour ESPN film.

Here is a link to the 30-second promo http://vimeo.com/30908748

Please tune in or set your DVRs because this is another film that we are VERY proud of. We hope you enjoy the ride!

Best,

Matt

--
Matthew McDonald
Senior Producer
Triple Threat TV
o:203-682-6100
c:732-713-4811

Thanks Charlie...

[Randyman]

Monroe Brooks


Monroe Brooks vs Roberto Duran


Monroe Brooks vs Bruce Curry

These last two pics are of Monroe and I sparring during the filming of Rocky, at the Main Street Gym, in 1976

[kikibalt]

Great pictures, Randy...

[Randyman]

Great pictures, Randy...

Thanks Frank. Monroe Brooks was a good fighter back in the day. I know he was a trainer at the Hoover Street Gym but he has pretty much stayed under the radar. Under rated and under appreciated by West Coast fight fans. He lost a couple of high profile fights but always gave a good account of himself, win, lose or draw. I hope he's doing well.

[kikibalt]

[raylawpc]

Frank,

[CNorkusJr]

Monroe Brooks


Monroe Brooks vs Roberto Duran


Monroe Brooks vs Bruce Curry

These last two pics are of Monroe and I sparring during the filming of Rocky, at the Main Street Gym, in 1976

Nice job Randy... Thanks for sharing.

[CNorkusJr]

This is my last post on my father's California Boxing experience. It is what I have on his fights with the 2nd Charlie powell fight held in San Diego Coliseum in 1958- 4 yrs after their first fight in SF.
This is my father's 51st fight in his 52 fight in 12 yr pro career.He would fight one last time in Camp Lejeune in Feb 1959. The fight didnt intend to be his last fight, he was working towards a fight with either Johannsen or Patterson (nothing solid on that). My father would be hired by Johannsen to be one of his chief sparring mates at Grossinger's in NY for his fight vs Patterson I. When Patterson started to hit his sparmates too much (showing off for the media) my father warned him in a clutch to" knock it off"- Patterson didnt, and my father laid him out with a left hook. Needless to say, he was told to pack it up and go, much to the pats on the back by the other sparmates. (The newspapers article on this is on my fathers thread on this forum page). Later on in 1959,my father would be shot bartending in NYC,(moonlighting after Stillman's gym workout-that effectively ended his career).
The story and pictures for that is on his thread also.

Getting back to this Norkus-Powell II fight, probably the biggest noteworthy article besides Powell win is, that Powell received no money for this fight. Powell wanted my father so bad-his new mgr Robinson signed away the house to my father.(Article posted here).

[kikibalt]

Great job, Charlie...Thanks for taking time to post all those great articles ...

[raylawpc]

Pardon me for saying it, but Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson . . . and ALBERT PUJOLS!! St. Louis is proud tonight!

[kikibalt]

SD @ NYJ....

[CNorkusJr]

SD @ NYJ....

Sanchez beats Rivers !!!

Defensive Points again though.(Key interceptions). Plaxico Burris is finely finding his hands.,too. Bye week next week,then we Shuffle off to Buffalo.

[Cholo]

Frank..

[Cholo]

Monroe Brooks


Monroe Brooks vs Roberto Duran


Monroe Brooks vs Bruce Curry

These last two pics are of Monroe and I sparring during the filming of Rocky, at the Main Street Gym, in 1976

Randy, Great photos, the Main Street Gym is that the same gym where the great Duran fooled about with Stallone in Rocky 2?..

[Cholo]

This is my last post on my father's California Boxing experience. It is what I have on his fights with the 2nd Charlie powell fight held in San Diego Coliseum in 1958- 4 yrs after their first fight in SF.
This is my father's 51st fight in his 52 fight in 12 yr pro career.He would fight one last time in Camp Lejeune in Feb 1959. The fight didnt intend to be his last fight, he was working towards a fight with either Johannsen or Patterson (nothing solid on that). My father would be hired by Johannsen to be one of his chief sparring mates at Grossinger's in NY for his fight vs Patterson I. When Patterson started to hit his sparmates too much (showing off for the media) my father warned him in a clutch to" knock it off"- Patterson didnt, and my father laid him out with a left hook. Needless to say, he was told to pack it up and go, much to the pats on the back by the other sparmates. (The newspapers article on this is on my fathers thread on this forum page). Later on in 1959,my father would be shot bartending in NYC,(moonlighting after Stillman's gym workout-that effectively ended his career).
The story and pictures for that is on his thread also.

Getting back to this Norkus-Powell II fight, probably the biggest noteworthy article besides Powell win is, that Powell received no money for this fight. Powell wanted my father so bad-his new mgr Robinson signed away the house to my father.(Article posted here).

Charlie, Great clippings about your dad, he fought some great fighters Archie Moore for one. Did your dad ever mention his fight with Moore and what it was like to be in there with him, Moore was known for his mind games as well as his KO power. I saw a clip of Willie Pastrano talking about his fight with The Ole Mongoose where they were having there prefight medical and Archie couldn't read the eye chart, Archie turned to the doctor and said "Willie won't be that far away" and then walked out wearing Willie's shoes Willie said "he was playing with my mind"..

[kikibalt]

Q & A: Manny Pacquiao is ready to settle things

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-pug ... 7096.story

[kikibalt]

This is my last post on my father's California Boxing experience. It is what I have on his fights with the 2nd Charlie powell fight held in San Diego Coliseum in 1958- 4 yrs after their first fight in SF.
This is my father's 51st fight in his 52 fight in 12 yr pro career.He would fight one last time in Camp Lejeune in Feb 1959. The fight didnt intend to be his last fight, he was working towards a fight with either Johannsen or Patterson (nothing solid on that). My father would be hired by Johannsen to be one of his chief sparring mates at Grossinger's in NY for his fight vs Patterson I. When Patterson started to hit his sparmates too much (showing off for the media) my father warned him in a clutch to" knock it off"- Patterson didnt, and my father laid him out with a left hook. Needless to say, he was told to pack it up and go, much to the pats on the back by the other sparmates. (The newspapers article on this is on my fathers thread on this forum page). Later on in 1959,my father would be shot bartending in NYC,(moonlighting after Stillman's gym workout-that effectively ended his career).
The story and pictures for that is on his thread also.

Getting back to this Norkus-Powell II fight, probably the biggest noteworthy article besides Powell win is, that Powell received no money for this fight. Powell wanted my father so bad-his new mgr Robinson signed away the house to my father.(Article posted here).

Charlie, Great clippings about your dad, he fought some great fighters Archie Moore for one. Did your dad ever mention his fight with Moore and what it was like to be in there with him, Moore was known for his mind games as well as his KO power. I saw a clip of Willie Pastrano talking about his fight with The Ole Mongoose where they were having there prefight medical and Archie couldn't read the eye chart, Archie turned to the doctor and said "Willie won't be that far away" and then walked out wearing Willie's shoes Willie said "he was playing with my mind"..

Paul...

[CNorkusJr]

Paul, My father had nothing but high praise for Archie when he fought him.
He didnt mention that Archie played mind games with him, probably not needed on a few levels.:

I would think that Willie Pastrano posed more of a threat to Archie and the LtheavyWeight title for each. My father did not pose a threat to Archie's LtHeavy Wt. title as they fought as Heavies.
Archie actually weighed-in more than they father for their fight.
Archie probably wanted to get into Pastrano's head more at that time.
Archie did have a sense of humor too,and it could be just a little "funning" before the media also,that Pastrano didnt like.

And secondly, my father's fight with Archie occurred in 1958,at the close of my father's career. My father was a far cry from his prime in 1954, and this fight along with the Pastrano fight was seen as a "payoff" for the years he put on a good show.
Still possessing a KO punch,and can still draw tickets to his matches,and followers on TV (both fights on National TV) the IBC put the fights together to give my father a big "payday" for playing the game over the years,and making money for the organization. My father still was claiming a shot for Patterson if he could get by Moore or Pastrano, and would probably get one(my father and Patterson were close friends), but realistically was a huge uphill battle to get by Moore & Pastrano at this time in his career. He was relying on one lucky shot or left hook to either's head, both of them knew that and did well to prevent that from happening.

But to answer your question, Moore was a gentleman throughout and my father conveyed that too me.I think Archie understood why this fight was put together, and obliged. The fight game was always a complex study of who was fighting who for the biggest $$$$$$
all around. It's the only thing that remains constant between ALL eras of boxing.
And in ALL of boxing history-perplexes all those involved in boxing on how a Pac-man vs Mayweather fight is not happening as we speak. It goes against all the heavy tide in the sports industry.

Bottom line here: Boxing as well as all sports is a ENTERTAINMENT industry. Matches are put together that will draw the biggest dollars out there from the public and everyone goes home happy." Names & titles are interchangeable"-to paraphrase a quote by Frankie Carbo.
Even more money is made on rematches and trilogies.It boggles ones mind on how Mayweather (Mr. so-called Money) isnt playing to the logic here. My personal belief is that he might feel in his heart he is going to relinguish his titles to him and doesnt want to do that right now. In the fifties,when boxers were NOT as rich as boxers of today,some boxers would sell their souls for a fat pay day.Hence,the business of Carbo and the boys.Unfortunely, they were an untruthful-unreliable bunch who stole boxers blind of their purses.

[Cholo]

Paul, My father had nothing but high praise for Archie when he fought him.
He didnt mention that Archie played mind games with him, probably not needed on a few levels.:

I would think that Willie Pastrano posed more of a threat to Archie and the LtheavyWeight title for each. My father did not pose a threat to Archie's LtHeavy Wt. title as they fought as Heavies.
Archie actually weighed-in more than they father for their fight.
Archie probably wanted to get into Pastrano's head more at that time.
Archie did have a sense of humor too,and it could be just a little "funning" before the media also,that Pastrano didnt like.

And secondly, my father's fight with Archie occurred in 1958,at the close of my father's career. My father was a far cry from his prime in 1954, and this fight along with the Pastrano fight was seen as a "payoff" for the years he put on a good show.
Still possessing a KO punch,and can still draw tickets to his matches,and followers on TV (both fights on National TV) the IBC put the fights together to give my father a big "payday" for playing the game over the years,and making money for the organization. My father still was claiming a shot for Patterson if he could get by Moore or Pastrano, and would probably get one(my father and Patterson were close friends), but realistically was a huge uphill battle to get by Moore & Pastrano at this time in his career. He was relying on one lucky shot or left hook to either's head, both of them knew that and did well to prevent that from happening.

But to answer your question, Moore was a gentleman throughout and my father conveyed that too me.I think Archie understood why this fight was put together, and obliged. The fight game was always a complex study of who was fighting who for the biggest $$$$$$
all around. It's the only thing that remains constant between ALL eras of boxing.
And in ALL of boxing history-perplexes all those involved in boxing on how a Pac-man vs Mayweather fight is not happening as we speak. It goes against all the heavy tide in the sports industry.

Bottom line here: Boxing as well as all sports is a ENTERTAINMENT industry. Matches are put together that will draw the biggest dollars out there from the public and everyone goes home happy." Names & titles are interchangeable"-to paraphrase a quote by Frankie Carbo.
Even more money is made on rematches and trilogies.It boggles ones mind on how Mayweather (Mr. so-called Money) isnt playing to the logic here. My personal belief is that he might feel in his heart he is going to relinguish his titles to him and doesnt want to do that right now. In the fifties,when boxers were NOT as rich as boxers of today,some boxers would sell their souls for a fat pay day.Hence,the business of Carbo and the boys.Unfortunely, they were an untruthful-unreliable bunch who stole boxers blind of their purses.

Charlie, Thanks so much for the Info on your dads career, I love to watch the old-timers they were well schooled fighters who fought hard and often..