Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

[bennie]

Former WBA featherweight champion Raul Rojas passed away last Sunday in his native California with barely a word in the boxing press. He was 70 and had long suffered severe pugilstic dementia.
Stocky, fierce, often brutal: Rojas dished it out in a golden era for boxing in Los Angeles in the 1960s and developed into a major box-office attraction as he feasted on men of the calibre of Antonio Herrera, Ricardo "Pajarito" Moreno, Kang-Il Suh and Chucho Garcia, among many others.
He went unbeaten in his first 24 fights (16 early) to secure a crack at undisputed world featherweight champion Vicente Saldivar in front of a huge crowd at the Coliseum in LA in May 1965. Rojas, just 23, taking part in his first 15-rounder, piled into the Mexican southpaw great and both men busted up; however, it was Saldivar who proved too savvy and he stopped an exhausted Rojas with 10 seconds remaining in the fight.
Rojas bounced back with 10 straight wins, including a brace of toe-to-toe stoppages of Moreno, before capatalising on Saldivar's retirement when he captured the vacant WBA title with a 15-round decision over Colombia's Enrique Higgins at the Olympic Auditorium in LA in March 1968. (Here, Howard Winstone captured the vacant WBC featherweight title with a cuts win over Mitsunori Seki.)
Sadly, Rojas was never able to cash in on the belt which he lost in his first defence to Japan's vastly underrated Shozo Saijyo at the Coliseum in September 1968, dropping a unanimous 15-round decision to a man who had previously whipped him in a non-title 10-rounder.
Rojas came back with a few wins but then suffered four defeats in a row to Sugar Ramos, Ruben Navarro, Yoshiaki Numata and Mando Ramos respectively. He was beating Numata in a stab at the WBC super-featherweight title in Japan when the home man launched a right uppercut from the floor and, amazingly, landed it. Rojas was counted out. Raul's final fight came in a grudge match with California bad boy Ramos, who proved too young and finished Rojas with a left hook in the sixth round. "All I ever was was tough," Rojas said later.
There was a disturbing postscript to Raul's boxing career when he was discovered living in a rusty old car in Los Angeles, clinging to life. Boxing fans rallied and the fighter spent his last years in a care home in Long Beach.




Saldivar and Rojas compare bruises.

[Expug]

The Last Milestone.....

Today marks the 31st anniversary of my father's death on May 7, 1981. A lifetime ago, and yet in some ways it is like yesterday for our family. There are events and dates by which we mark time in this world. My father's death is one of those marks. My father was 57 when he died from prostate cancer. I am 57, and as of September of last year I have lived on this Earth longer than my father. My father died the day before my 27th birthday. Tomorrow, I'll be 58, an age my father never reached. I will officially be older than my father. It is a day that I have thought about for so many years. Still trying to wrap my head around that concept.

This photo of my father was taken a couple of years before his death. We were in the backyard of my parents home. I remember that day well. I was no longer boxing but as was my father's way, he continued to instruct my brother and I on the value of the jab and his belief that every other punch worked off the jab. He wasn't wrong.

Nice tribute to your Father Randy.
Sorry I missed this earlier. Gets me thinking how life is a little short.
I'm gonna make a pitch. Maybe we can get the ball rollin again. Bring back a couple guys from the past and see if we can resurrect some of the good fellowship. Rog,Rick,I'm in if old pals are in...

[Zelley]

Thanks for the input Rick

Mando Ramos vs Raul Rojas

I opened the show that night with a win in a four rounder.

[Zelley]

CALIFORNIA BOXING HALL OF FAME

Have a blast in October and congratulations to all the new inductees.
california boxing has always been a touch of gold in the treasure chest
of boxing's golden memories.

[kikibalt]

RIP Johnny Tapia

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

[dagosd2000]

Brian,I once in a while look at the thread. Always good to hear from you. Rick keeps in touch. So does Randy and Dan.

See where Johnny Tapia passed away. You say sometimes life can be short. For Johnny ,he lived a thousand years in a brief time on this earth.



The Last Milestone.....

Today marks the 31st anniversary of my father's death on May 7, 1981. A lifetime ago, and yet in some ways it is like yesterday for our family. There are events and dates by which we mark time in this world. My father's death is one of those marks. My father was 57 when he died from prostate cancer. I am 57, and as of September of last year I have lived on this Earth longer than my father. My father died the day before my 27th birthday. Tomorrow, I'll be 58, an age my father never reached. I will officially be older than my father. It is a day that I have thought about for so many years. Still trying to wrap my head around that concept.

This photo of my father was taken a couple of years before his death. We were in the backyard of my parents home. I remember that day well. I was no longer boxing but as was my father's way, he continued to instruct my brother and I on the value of the jab and his belief that every other punch worked off the jab. He wasn't wrong.

Nice tribute to your Father Randy.
Sorry I missed this earlier. Gets me thinking how life is a little short.
I'm gonna make a pitch. Maybe we can get the ball rollin again. Bring back a couple guys from the past and see if we can resurrect some of the good fellowship. Rog,Rick,I'm in if old pals are in...

[Expug]

Good to hear from you Rog..hope alls well my friend.

[raylawpc]

[bennie]

RIP Johnny Tapia

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

Johnny used up all his nine lives. I was never a big follower of Johnny but there is no doubt he could really fight - quick hands, great movement, good chin.

[bennie]

Randy's dad is bang on about the left jab. I like the shorter guys who deploy a great jab - someone like Dwight Braxton, a stocky light-heavyweight who jabbed the head off bigger fighters.

[bennie]

What do you guys make of Carl Froch's win over Lucian Bute here?

[Randyman]

[Randyman]

What do you guys make of Carl Froch's win over Lucian Bute here?

Well deserved and should serve as a warning to anyone else it the division. There is nothing to dispute.

[Randyman]

CALIFORNIA BOXING HALL OF FAME

Have a blast in October and congratulations to all the new inductees.
california boxing has always been a touch of gold in the treasure chest
of boxing's golden memories.

[Randyman]

The Last Milestone.....

Today marks the 31st anniversary of my father's death on May 7, 1981. A lifetime ago, and yet in some ways it is like yesterday for our family. There are events and dates by which we mark time in this world. My father's death is one of those marks. My father was 57 when he died from prostate cancer. I am 57, and as of September of last year I have lived on this Earth longer than my father. My father died the day before my 27th birthday. Tomorrow, I'll be 58, an age my father never reached. I will officially be older than my father. It is a day that I have thought about for so many years. Still trying to wrap my head around that concept.

This photo of my father was taken a couple of years before his death. We were in the backyard of my parents home. I remember that day well. I was no longer boxing but as was my father's way, he continued to instruct my brother and I on the value of the jab and his belief that every other punch worked off the jab. He wasn't wrong.

Nice tribute to your Father Randy.
Sorry I missed this earlier. Gets me thinking how life is a little short.
I'm gonna make a pitch. Maybe we can get the ball rollin again. Bring back a couple guys from the past and see if we can resurrect some of the good fellowship. Rog,Rick,I'm in if old pals are in...

I miss the old days here, no doubt about it. Good to hear from you Brian. Doing okay?

[Randyman]

Randy's dad is bang on about the left jab. I like the shorter guys who deploy a great jab - someone like Dwight Braxton, a stocky light-heavyweight who jabbed the head off bigger fighters.

Braxton was a monster. He was an intimidater like Mike Tyson. He used the jab to get inside and then went to work. Thanks for reminding us about him!

[Randyman]

[Randyman]

RIP Johnny Tapia

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_ ... &cat=boxer

Johnny Tapia 1967 - 2012 R.I.P.

[Randyman]

Brian,I once in a while look at the thread. Always good to hear from you. Rick keeps in touch. So does Randy and Dan.

See where Johnny Tapia passed away. You say sometimes life can be short. For Johnny ,he lived a thousand years in a brief time on this earth.



The Last Milestone.....

Today marks the 31st anniversary of my father's death on May 7, 1981. A lifetime ago, and yet in some ways it is like yesterday for our family. There are events and dates by which we mark time in this world. My father's death is one of those marks. My father was 57 when he died from prostate cancer. I am 57, and as of September of last year I have lived on this Earth longer than my father. My father died the day before my 27th birthday. Tomorrow, I'll be 58, an age my father never reached. I will officially be older than my father. It is a day that I have thought about for so many years. Still trying to wrap my head around that concept.

This photo of my father was taken a couple of years before his death. We were in the backyard of my parents home. I remember that day well. I was no longer boxing but as was my father's way, he continued to instruct my brother and I on the value of the jab and his belief that every other punch worked off the jab. He wasn't wrong.

Nice tribute to your Father Randy.
Sorry I missed this earlier. Gets me thinking how life is a little short.
I'm gonna make a pitch. Maybe we can get the ball rollin again. Bring back a couple guys from the past and see if we can resurrect some of the good fellowship. Rog,Rick,I'm in if old pals are in...

DD

[CNorkusJr]

Randy, I cant begin to tell you what an Honor it is to have my father Inducted into the CA BHOF in Oct. alongside you.

August 10, 1949 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

My father's 11th pro bout had him fighting on undercard of Ezzard Charles-Gus Lesnevich NBA title bout.
My father KO'd Tommy DiGiorgio in 4th and final Rd.
(It should be noted that the proper name is DiGeorgio,not Georgio as printed in Program).

Though my father started his Pro boxing career with (two) 2 dec. loses in 1948, in 1949, he turned it all around and went into this fight with a 8-3, 5 Ko's record.
Before the year was out, my father would add another 7 wins, 5 by KO (incl. the DiGiorgio KO) to his career.
The Newark Star-Ledger paper article labeled him "The Bayonne Bomber" after that, a knick-name that stuck for the rest of his career, including the time he ended up fighting out of Port washington, NY after 1953.

[kikibalt]

Sad news, my boyhood hero Enrique Bolanos died today.

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=44&cat=boxer

[CNorkusJr]

Sad news, my boyhood hero Enrique Bolanos died today.

http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=44&cat=boxer

That is sad news Frank. Enrique was one of the greats from the 40's. Lulu Constantino is considered here on the East Coast as one of those guys you didnt want to face in the ring. Much like Jake LaMotta was with middleweights. Bolanos backed up Constantino into the ropes all night. Thats saying something. Same with Terry Young, who fought tough fights here as well.The LA Fans must have loved him every time he stepped into the ring.
Bolanos should be considered one of the first top-contenders into the Intl HOF if they ever open it up to guys who never wore a national belt.

Did he ever talk to you about his fights with Ike Williams, Frank ? At 5'8 , I would be pretty sure Williams reach had alot to do with Enrique's punch effectiveness. But to go three 3 fights with Ike Williams had to be something.