Classic American West Coast Boxing

[CNorkusJr]

Back in the 40's and 50's and who knows if its still going on, trilogy fights are a big tip off to shenanigans. Before a title fight was booked in some cases, "the boys" would invite the possible contender out for lunch or dinner and say to him, "This is how we are going to work it". "You fight the Champ and lose to him in first fight, then a rematch, you beat the Champ and then to top it off, you fight again and he wins back title". Every one wins. You get the title for a month, and lots of money exchanges hands over the three fights. Make them look close enough to draw the fans back.

Only what happens, Champ wins the first one, and no second fight appears on the radar screen. Always something comes up courtesy of Norris and the IBC. Contender screwed again. No laughing matter, but it reminds me of a joke I once heard,

A guy goes duck hunting in the fields near his home. He walks all day without seeing one duck. Finally at dusk he sees a duck fly over a barn of a neighbor he happens to be nearby. Feeling that this is his only chance of the day and not to go home empty handed, he gets lucky and hits the duck in one shot. The duck falls out of the sky, hits the roof of the barn and rolls dead onto the ground.

The barns owner comes running out after hearing the shot and sees the hunter picking up the duck. The farmer runs over and says " Hey, wait a minute, thats my duck, you shot it on my property without permission and I own it !". The hunter says, "listen, I been hunting all day, I'm tired, its only one duck, what do you say, how about letting me keep it ?". The farmer thinks and says"I know a way on how to settle this- we will take turns kicking each other in the b---ls until one or the other cant stand anymore. The guy left standing keeps the duck". Desperate, the hunter agrees. The farmers says " Its my property, I go first kicking you ". The hunter nods and braces himself with legs open. THe farmer puts all his leg strength into a mighty blow right square, sending the hunter down to kis knees and then rolling in pain for 5 minutes. He manages to rises and gets his wind and says "Okay its my turn". The farmer quickly says " Never mind, you win, keep the duck" and walks away.

Mobsters are like property owners and challengers are hunters who were crapped on many times.

[BoxBuzz]

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

[dagosd2000]

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

[dagosd2000]

Parting Of The Sea

"Every time I suggest something my wife contradicts me,"said Jeff.
Jeff was sitting behind the desk in the office of the gym .I had pulled up a chair on the other side of the desk. I usually shoot the breeze with Jeff before I began my workout.It was his old man's gym,but the old man was letting Jeff run the place.
"Why don't you stand up to her?"I asked. It wasn't the first time I'd suggested this.
"My wife under minds me in front of our daughter. My daughter sees this. That's why she hits me when she doesn't get her way."
"You shouldn't let her get away with that."
"I thought when I married a Mexican national ,she'd be subservient."
"She's aristocracy,"I said."They can be worse than the spoiled ones in this country."
Jeff grew up on Long Island. Jeff and his old man were Jewish. His old man owned and ran the gym before he put Jeff behind the desk.The old man was an arrogant prick. He'd get into it with you if you made too much noise or didn't bring a towel. He'd push himself on any young thing who walked in. He was divorced.People didn't take to him and he didn't know how to relate very well. He drove a lot of people off.He knew all this.That's why he put Jeff behind the desk.
"My dad doesn't help either,"said Jeff."He's always telling my daughter that if me and my wife get divorced,he'll pay for her collage. My wife doesn't like him to talk like that."
When Jeff came across with his marital problems ,I always tried to not make much of it. I'm not a home wrecker. Jeff had enough to deal with. I tried to change the subject.
"So are you gearing up for Christmas?"I asked.
Jeff let out a grunt.
"Come on man. I celebrate Hannukah."
"I know that. I know your dad pays for your daughter's Hebrew school."
Mike righted himself in his chair.
"You guys with this Jesus thing. To hell with that guy."
I was looking at Jeff beginning to work himself up.
"Now you guys say Jesus was a Jew.,"said Jeff getting more angry."He wasn't the savior...the son of God."
"I ain't saying nothing Mike."trying to diffuse the situation.
"Hell,we killed the guy."
"Well,I think I'll get in my workout,"I said rising from my chair.
"All those superstitions you talk about. Our savior is coming. Jesus wasn't the savior."
"How's your savior coming? From a helicopter?"
I wanted to get away from Jeff. As I walked inside the workout room,I heard Jeff begin to sob. I turned around. Jeff had his hands over his face crying.
"It's not good when a wife and husband don't share the same faith,"said Jeff still covering his face with his hands.
I walked inside the workout room and then sat on one of the exercise benches and began doing leg lifts.

[dagosd2000]

Merry Christmas to everyone and their families and love ones.

[scartissue]

Merry Christmas to everyone and their families and love ones.

You too, Rog and to everyone here on this board. Merry Christmas.

[Randyman]

Merry Christmas to my friends on CAWCB!! All the best to the best!

[dagosd2000]

Naturally

"They're going to have a boxing tournament Friday,Saturday,and Sunday.That's what all the wood is for. It's to put the chairs on,"replied my grandson Adam to my question.
"Well,you take the Christmas week off after today. Just sit around and eat like a pig,"I said."You need to get more strength,but that will come in time."
Adam had just finished his workout with Tiger Small's beginning adult boxing group. Adam is the youngest kid. Just turned 14,but he's coming along. While I was waiting for Adam to put his gear in his bag,Tiger came over to talk with me.
"What are you showing Adam?"asked Tiger."That guy he was sparring with tonight knows how to fight. He's going to be the captain of my amateur group.Adam was right in there with him."
"He's progressing nicely. He's got a lot of natural ability. Right now he has to get a little stronger,but that will come naturally."
The little kids' group had just finished their workout also with Tiger's son,Prince as their trainer.A Mexican kid walked over to a man sitting next to me. I could hear the man talk to the boy in Spanish. He was evidently the boy's father. The father was telling his son what time the boxing tournament was to begin the next day.
"How old is your son?"I asked the father.
"He's nine years old."
"How long has he been here?"
"Six months,"answered the father
Tiger turned his attention to the boy and his father. Tiger directed his words to the dad.
"Look,about tomorrow.I don't care if your son wins or loses. Of course I want him to win.but he has to use the skills that I've been showing him.Too many kids that age just get in there and swing wildly. This is not what I want him to do."
The father just looked at Tiger impassively.
"Tell him to forget this Money Mayweather stuff. I want him to use what I've shown him."
The father still didn't say anything. He just had this blank look on his face.I tried to interject some levity.
"Tiger,the kid is Mexican. He ain't gonna' be Floyd Mayweather,"I said tapping the father on the shoulder.
The father finally turned his head towards me and smiled a little.Adam then said he was ready to go.
"You want your six tacos?"I asked him.
"Yes please."
As we were driving to Jack In The Box I told Adam that he was progressing along nicely.
"By summer you'll hit another growth spurt. I wouldn't mind you getting into those weekend tournaments then,but right now you have to get stronger. That's something we'll have to wait for,but that will come naturally."
"I know abuelito,"said Adam."Do you think I could have eight tacos?"

[dagosd2000]

Billy Graham

[dagosd2000]

A Thousand Years

Once a long time ago I remember there was a gym in San Diego owned and ran by an old guy and his wife. They were nice people and they had a son who they wanted to be a fighter.The boy's father was his trainer and manager. I remember watching the son fight at the old San Diego Coliseum.I think he was a lightweight.He would lose more fights than he won.He didn't have any strong points like a big punch,fast hands,or great boxing ability. He had blond hair and fair skin and would get cut up a lot. The boy was strictly an undercarder. The talk around the boxing circles in town was that his father shouldn't let him get in there anymore.But his father saw something in his son and he kept getting him fights.

I got away from the local boxing scene for quite a while. While I was coaching football at my high school alma mater,I ran into a local fighter who was working at the school as an aide. We became friends. He told me he was to meet another fighter at the old guy's gym. I said I'd like to see them workout. I drove downtown and saw that the gym was named after the old guy's son.I went upstairs and saw the father talking to another fighter. There were old newspaper clippings on a wall of some of his son's fights. I heard the father say to the fighter that no one could hit the speed bag like his son or have the stamina when doing roadwork.

When my friend arrived with the other fighter I watched them spar. The other fighter was very good. He would later became a champion.After the workout I walked downstairs with them. I remarked that the old owner was praising his son's abilities.My friend from school told me that after a KO loss,the son was working out at his father's gym and afterwards collapsed in the shower and died. I was taken aback. The way the father was talking was like his son was still alive.

There's a movie called "Quartet."It's four of Somerset Maugham's short stories made into a film. The second story is about a young man who has a coming of age party. He's from a wealthy family and they have high prospects for the boy,but he wants to be a pianist. Give his life to music.His family has reservations and thinks he's making a mistake,but the young man's girl friend comes up with the idea that his father should give him a chance and let him study abroad and then after two years he should be judged by a top rank pianist to see whether or not he has what it takes.

After two years the boy comes home after studying in France. The family brings to their home one of Europe's top pianists. In front of his family,she listens to the young man play.After he is done she asks him."What exactly do you want me to say?"He asks her if he has the capability of some day being a "pianist of the top rank."She looks at him sternly and says,"Never in a thousand years."

She goes on to tell the young man that it is evident that he has studied hard and has learned technique,but doesn't have "the magic which is a quality of soul and fire that without,no artist can reach the heights".She tells him he can only be a "competent amateur."Tragically,in the end he takes his life.


Something I thought about was that old guy's son who he kept putting in the ring.Why couldn't his father make him stop. Tell him the truth like the grand pianist told the young man in the movie.

I told the story about the boy and his father who wanted his son to be a fighter. I used real names. Later the boy's son PM'd me on the forum that I was wrong. He remembered the gym as being a happy place.He must have been very young when his father died. I apologized and said I wouldn't mention his father's name again.But I wrote about it again now. I didn't mention any names. But only if his father would have told his son that he couldn't be a great fighter. i But the boy died never being a great fighter just like the young pianist died never mastering the piano.

A thousand years wasn't in their futures.

[dagosd2000]

Bert Colima

[El Gallo]

Charlie Norkus reported on the up-coming Boxing Documentary “El Boxeo.”

On Nov 15th at The Harlem MIST Theatre (located at 46 W 116 St), NYC; The Boxing Documentary “El Boxeo ” will make its NY debut.

This documentary focuses on the Hispanic/Mexican nationality history in boxing and its longstanding roots coming out of Mexico into the US especially in the southern California area. Today’s fight cards are well staffed with Hispanic, Latino and Mexican nationals and are the future of todays Boxing History. This film produced by Oscar Winning Director and Producer Alan Swyer, and with grateful assistance of Rick Farris, Pres. of West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame premiered in Los Angeles, CA in Oct 2013 to a sold out crowd and attended by many West Coast Boxing Athletes and Hollywood Actors. This successful night saw a large donation made on behalf of My Swyer and Mr. Farris to The Retired Boxing Foundation headed by former NY born Boxer Alex Ramos, and was sponsored by the newly formed West Coast Boxing Hall Of Fame, operating out of Los Angeles, CA.

The film shows a insight to the Hispanic, Mexican heritage with interviews with present and past Boxing Greats which include in part Carlos Ortiz, George Benton, Carlos Palomino, Armando Muniz, Bobby Chacon, Art Aragon Jr, Juan Laporte and many others.

The film will now travel to the WBC Boxing Convention in Thailand on Nov 8th at the behest of Jose Sulaiman, Pres of WBC Boxing., then come to NY for its Debut on Nov 15th, 2013

This wonderful documentary will be shown in its entirety to the New York Audience stating at 8pm ,preceded by a lobby reception at 7pm as part of the Puerto Rican Film Festival Week in NYC.. The film will continue to be shown at several Film Festivals afterwards. There is no plan for national release at this time.

Tickets can be obtained by contacting the Harlem Mist Theater on W 116 St at 646-688-5886. The show is expected to Sell-out fast.

[CNorkusJr]

Thanks Rick-That was a report I gave in front to members of Ring 8 VBA in NYC last Nov.. I later had to correct it by saying George Benton and Carlos Ortiz was NOT in the film, as I got it confused with the other film project that you had been working on with those Greats. It is also before I met Ed Santiago, and found out how much he played in the making of the film. Certainly he deserves much credit also. Glad to hear Alan is still showing this wonderful documentary at various boxing strongholds.

Alan Swyer, Charlie Norkus Jr and Ed Santiago at the NJ Boxing HOF ;day before the showing of "El Boxeo" in NYC.

[dagosd2000]

Chiclets

I saw where Carlos Santana was inducted into The John F. Kennedy Center Hall Of Fame that recognizes entertainers for their lifelong contribution to the arts.The ceremony is held annually in Washington,D.C. The program was broadcast nationally and the President and Mrs. Obama were in attendance.I didn't watch the program,but was intrigued by the award for Santana. Shirley MacLaine and Herbie Hancock were also recognized. The honorees are usually a cross section of the entertainment industry.

I remember Carlos Santana during the mid 1960's when he was playing in a band in Tijuana. Later,after reaching fame as a great rock guitarist he would return to San Diego and Tijuana once in a while to perform. When I was a teacher in San Ysidro(the last town before crossing the border into Mexico)all the Hispanic kids were talking about Santana's concert,I believe that was going to take place in an amphitheater in Chula Vista,a city located just north of San Ysidro.

Before that concert Santana was interviewed by a news reporter for a little local rag.The reporter was a Mexican gal.Her interview was very poignant. Carlos Santana let his hair down and gave a touching account of how he started playing the guitar with his family as a street musician in Tijuana. During the mid 60's Santana's parents moved to San Francisco. Later,Carlos would follow his family north and he would launch his career in the bay area. That's where his website said it all began. I tried to look up his beginnings in Tijuana on the internet,but the Mexican border town was just a whisper. However the interview he gave that girl in San Diego 20 years ago was something that few people knew about. I remembered Carlos Santana from that time.

He said his family was poor and to earn money ,they would stroll the streets of Tijuana at night with his family of musicians walking in and out of the bars wanting to perform. Mostly traditional songs like Cielto Lindo or more contemporary ditties like La Bamba. I was probably in one of those bars on Revolution Street or in the Zona Norte when the Santanas or one the many "musicos"would walk in,strum a few bars on the strings of a guitar or blast a note on the trumpet to let the patrons know they were ready to perform.If interested,someone would motion them over to play at their table. I never wanted to do that. I would spend all my money on the girls and booze. Besides,I could always hear the "free" music by sitting closer at one of those tables.

But I said I remembered Santana from those days back then when that was the Santana families' meal ticket.The first time I saw the name was when he was in a band at a cantina called the Convoy Club on Revolution Street. The place was next to the Hotel Nelson near 1st and Revolution.Santana reminisced to that Mexican girl reporter about the Convoy Club.At the time he enjoyed playing in that club. He didn't want to go to the U.S. with his family. In Tijuana he wasn't bothered.He did what he pleased. When the girls would walk onto the stage to dance,the band would play.Maybe not together,but with plenty of emotion. I went to the Convoy Club a few times. It had a ship's bow protruding over the front door. The Convoy Club wasn't one of the "hottest" spots in town. On the weekend there were other bars and cantinas that did better.Many years later after Carlos played his last notes at the Convoy Club,I took my wife there for New Years. The Convoy Club had changed its name. It was a night club then,no bar girls,but still was kind of dingy and empty.

But Santana said he liked the Convoy Club. Later he performed with his own group at Mike's Bar up the street that was a dance club. In those days it was hard to find a girl on the U.S. side to go to a club with you to dance. A local Mexican girl?... that was impossible. Any decent girl wouldn't be caught dead in a joint like that.

Times are different now. Unescorted girls ,local and U.S., go to dance clubs in TJ. It's very common.But back in the 60's Carlos Santana was free to do what he wanted. He talked about how the girls that worked in the clubs were just trying to put food on the table for their kid or send some money south to their mother.During the day these women would appear in their neighborhoods walking their kids to school and shopping at the stores.The neighborhoods were they lived were very common.These women were on their own like the young Santana. After the bars would close at sunrise,he said they would all go out and eat breakfast somewhere. Santana said that he respected the women like they were royalty.He understood them. They were very close.

Coming out from those clubs,the sun rising,they'd see little kids selling chiclets in the streets. They knew that the money those kids made selling the gum would go back to their families. No wonder when sitting next to one of those girls they would always be chomping on gum.Now,every time I see one of those little street vendors,I think of their families.Carlos Santana said the same thing in that newspaper article many years ago. I bet he gave that a thought when he received his award at the Kennedy Center.



Carlos Santana

[CNorkusJr]

http://on.aol.com/video/1906-san-franci ... d%3D424916

A little on the San Francisco Eartquake history.

[dagosd2000]

To everyone that can read this today...HAPPY NEW YEAR. You made it another year.

[El Gallo]

Chiclets

I saw where Carlos Santana was inducted into The John F. Kennedy Center Hall Of Fame that recognizes entertainers for their lifelong contribution to the arts.The ceremony is held annually in Washington,D.C. The program was broadcast nationally and the President and Mrs. Obama were in attendance.I didn't watch the program,but was intrigued by the award for Santana. Shirley MacLaine and Herbie Hancock were also recognized. The honorees are usually a cross section of the entertainment industry.

I remember Carlos Santana during the mid 1960's when he was playing in a band in Tijuana. Later,after reaching fame as a great rock guitarist he would return to San Diego and Tijuana once in a while to perform. When I was a teacher in San Ysidro(the last town before crossing the border into Mexico)all the Hispanic kids were talking about Santana's concert,I believe that was going to take place in an amphitheater in Chula Vista,a city located just north of San Ysidro.

Before that concert Santana was interviewed by a news reporter for a little local rag.The reporter was a Mexican gal.Her interview was very poignant. Carlos Santana let his hair down and gave a touching account of how he started playing the guitar with his family as a street musician in Tijuana. During the mid 60's Santana's parents moved to San Francisco. Later,Carlos would follow his family north and he would launch his career in the bay area. That's where his website said it all began. I tried to look up his beginnings in Tijuana on the internet,but the Mexican border town was just a whisper. However the interview he gave that girl in San Diego 20 years ago was something that few people knew about. I remembered Carlos Santana from that time.

He said his family was poor and to earn money ,they would stroll the streets of Tijuana at night with his family of musicians walking in and out of the bars wanting to perform. Mostly traditional songs like Cielto Lindo or more contemporary ditties like La Bamba. I was probably in one of those bars on Revolution Street or in the Zona Norte when the Santanas or one the many "musicos"would walk in,strum a few bars on the strings of a guitar or blast a note on the trumpet to let the patrons know they were ready to perform.If interested,someone would motion them over to play at their table. I never wanted to do that. I would spend all my money on the girls and booze. Besides,I could always hear the "free" music by sitting closer at one of those tables.

But I said I remembered Santana from those days back then when that was the Santana families' meal ticket.The first time I saw the name was when he was in a band at a cantina called the Convoy Club on Revolution Street. The place was next to the Hotel Nelson near 1st and Revolution.Santana reminisced to that Mexican girl reporter about the Convoy Club.At the time he enjoyed playing in that club. He didn't want to go to the U.S. with his family. In Tijuana he wasn't bothered.He did what he pleased. When the girls would walk onto the stage to dance,the band would play.Maybe not together,but with plenty of emotion. I went to the Convoy Club a few times. It had a ship's bow protruding over the front door. The Convoy Club wasn't one of the "hottest" spots in town. On the weekend there were other bars and cantinas that did better.Many years later after Carlos played his last notes at the Convoy Club,I took my wife there for New Years. The Convoy Club had changed its name. It was a night club then,no bar girls,but still was kind of dingy and empty.

But Santana said he liked the Convoy Club. Later he performed with his own group at Mike's Bar up the street that was a dance club. In those days it was hard to find a girl on the U.S. side to go to a club with you to dance. A local Mexican girl?... that was impossible. Any decent girl wouldn't be caught dead in a joint like that.

Times are different now. Unescorted girls ,local and U.S., go to dance clubs in TJ. It's very common.But back in the 60's Carlos Santana was free to do what he wanted. He talked about how the girls that worked in the clubs were just trying to put food on the table for their kid or send some money south to their mother.During the day these women would appear in their neighborhoods walking their kids to school and shopping at the stores.The neighborhoods were they lived were very common.These women were on their own like the young Santana. After the bars would close at sunrise,he said they would all go out and eat breakfast somewhere. Santana said that he respected the women like they were royalty.He understood them. They were very close.

Coming out from those clubs,the sun rising,they'd see little kids selling chiclets in the streets. They knew that the money those kids made selling the gum would go back to their families. No wonder when sitting next to one of those girls they would always be chomping on gum.Now,every time I see one of those little street vendors,I think of their families.Carlos Santana said the same thing in that newspaper article many years ago. I bet he gave that a thought when he received his award at the Kennedy Center.



Carlos Santana

Wow! Great Rog.

[dagosd2000]

Empty Ring

"How was the crowd last night?",I asked Ed as he was wiping off the bar.
"Each New Years Eve it gets more lonely in here."
"People consider this a place for the old timers."
"They're right. The younger crowd doesn't want to come in here. There's no appeal for them."
Champs Bar used to be pretty active when Burke and Shirley were still in their prime. But Burke started suffering from the dementia. All the shots he took in the ring had made him sort of simple. Everyone thought Shirley would outlast him even though she was older than Burke,but then she died of pneumonia. When she fell and broke her hip she went fast. It always seems that when someone that age breaks their hip they get pneumonia and then it's not long after that.
"Did anyone go out to visit Burke at the home?"I asked Ed still wiping off the bar.
"His grandchildren."
There was an old picture in black and white of Burke in the ring standing over a fighter that he had knocked to the canvas.
"Ed,when was that picture taken?"
"I don't know. Sometime when Burke was still fighting in Canada I guess."
"That was a long time ago."
Ed stopped wiping off the bar.
"Rog,any big fights coming up in the New year?"he asked.
"I don't know,but then again I don't keep up with it like I used to."
"I don't either,"said Ed.
"There's so many different divisions now and everyone has a title.Funny,with all that I can't name many champions."
"Doesn't Mayweather have a title?"
"I think he does."
"And how about Pacquiao?"
"I think so."
"So who's the heavyweight champ?"asked Ed.
"It's one of the Klitschkos."
"You mean there's more than one?"

[dagosd2000]

Joe Louis

[kikibalt]

I was going thru some stuff and I ran into this classic old story written by my late friend Greg Beyer when we were talking about our best boxing memories in some long forgotten boxing web site. His words and writing.

"i am a little like frank. there are a lot of memorable nites. too many to choose from but i can tell you the funniest. my friends and i all being LA harbor rats piled into my 62 chevy one nite to go to the olympic to see two harbor area fighters face each other....mando ramos- raul rojas.

great card that nite. rick farris opened the show in a four rounder. mando muniz scored a quick KO and then came the semi-main, frankie crawford and a guy i think named garcia whom he had KO'ed before. this time garcia goes the distance and it must have really frustrated frankie because when the bell ending the tenth sounded garcia dropped his hands and frankie let fly with a hook and knocks him cold. they announced that frankie won a UD while this guy garcia is flat on his back. the crowd was going crazy and frankie was thumbing his nose at them, actors chuck conners and joey bishop jumped into the ring and did a heroic improv which prevented a riot. after that mando ended rauls career by KO and we with our bellies full of ninty cent beers hit the freeway without stopping at the restrooms.

heading down the harbor freeway my buddy riding shotgun starts bitching he is so full of piss he is about to explode and tells me to get off the freeway.....no way am i in a car full of white boys pulling over in watts for you to take a piss..."hold it". well he couldn't. so as we are driving down the freeway he throws his feet up on my dash board, positions his body so that he can hang it out the window with his torso on the top of the seat and with both windows down lets fly, too drunk or stupid to realize that he is about to piss in his own face. too full of piss to stop pissing he starts sort of a mumbled yell, trying not to get it in his mouth, to stop the car. i sped up and made sure to honk as we passed other cars so they could get a good look at our piss soaked buddy with his dick in the wind. a great nite of boxing
greg"

[dagosd2000]

Punch Drunk

"You held the title. What happened to all the money?"I asked the former bantamweight champion.
"I didn't even know how to sign my name.They told me to draw an X on the contract and then they put my fingerprint next to it. All I wanted to do is fight,"said the ex fighter.
I was in Tijuana at the Crea boxing gym watching the fighters work out when I bumped into Genaro. I had met him years ago through one of the players when I was coaching American football at CETYs,a private prep school east of the city.The kid's father managed Genaro from the start of his pro career.
"I used to train here a lot," said Genaro leaning his arms on the ring rope.We were watching a couple of the locals in a sparring session.
"You had a big following here,"I said.
"After I won the title against the Panamanian,I never had to buy another drink."
"You defended the title a couple of times."
"I should have held the belt a lot longer."
I knew the story of what happened,but I acted dummied up.
"After I married my manager's daughter,I didn't know how to act."
"I heard some things."
"Like I said,I never had to buy a drink for myself. But that doesn't mean I didn't buy everyone else one,"said Genaro laughing.
"Running around with the wrong people?"
"After the baby, it got worse. I stayed out all night. Sometimes I wouldn't come home for days."
"Your manager went his own way I remember."
"I lost everything. The title and my family."
"You don't see them anymore?"
"They don't want to see me. They live in LA. My wife is remarried.She has more kids with her new husband."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't feel sorry for me.I got caught up with the fame and glory. I wouldn't listen to reason."
The two kids were finished working out. The kid's trainers gave him a drink out of the water bottle.
"That kid reminds me a lot of myself when I was young,"said Genaro.
"He's tall like you."
"He's got a long reach too."
"Has he got good people around him?"
"He's got good people with him,but lets see what happens when he moves up in class and keeps winning."
"I'll keep an eye on him,"I said walking away from the ring.
Genaro climbed up inside the ring and put his arm around the young fighter.
"Genaro,"I yelled up at him."It was good to see you again."
I don't think Genaro heard me because I could see him talking to the young fighter as he was pulling off his gloves.

[dagosd2000]

Frankie Crawford

[El Gallo]

El Boxeo Trailer - Final
http://vimeo.com/83398275

Hi everyone,

This is the final version of our El Boxeo trailer. There will be others I'm sure but this is what we're going to market with.

Enjoy!

Love to hear your thoughts.

Abrazos,
Rick

[dagosd2000]

Se Vende

You've probably read the horror stories about Mexico the last few years. Since Calderon was president there have been more than 70,000 violent deaths revolving around the cartels,the police ,and the federales.That's more human beings that were killed than in Nam. And Nam was ten years. Calderon was in office for eight. Recently the state of Michoacan has been in the news a lot. You probably know that my wife and I have a house there.

In the beginning the problems in Michoacan were in the eastern part of the state. Our house is in the small town of Jiquilpan,,located in the northwestern part of the state.But now the problems are everywhere.

The last few times we've been down there we've seen some pretty bad stuff. For example ,our neighbors grandson was missing for a week. Yeah,he was running around with the drug traffickers. What he was doing...I never asked. But later they found the kid in a field with his arms,legs,and head cut off,and his genitals stuffed in his mouth.When the cartels kill someone they like to make it as gruesome as possible.It enhances the fear factor.

My brother in law's wife's sister was kidnapped of the street walking home. She had a big enough family so the kidnappers demanded 10 g's.The family pooled their money and paid the ransom. i guess they paid it too fast so the kidnappers shook them down for another 10 thousand. The family never bothered to go to the police with this. I stopped taking my grandchildren down there anymore.

My nephew owns a garage a little outside of town. One afternoon three black Mercedes came rolling inside his place. Some guys jumped out of the cars with Uzi's.They told my nephew too hide the cars. They were listening to the police scanners and knew the army was following them. Of course my nephew complied.A few days later the cartel guys returned to my nephew's place with a case of shrimp. After that the army came around and stripped down my nephew's garage for his tools. Now my nephew is paying off the cartel for protection from the federales and in turn the fedrerales are helping themselves to anything in my nephew's garage.By the way,all my nephew's help has quit. They didn't want to get caught in the middle of something.

I won't be going back anymore to Michoacan. I told you that I threw my brother in law(the guy who calls himself the Mummy)out of our house because he got drunk one night and started a scene.Well he lost face because he thinks he's a big macho dude with everyone and has them all fearing him. After I told him to leave in front of the family,he came back later with a machete. He knew I wasn't home because my car wasn't there. I'd gone into town. But the Mummy,I know, is brooding about what happened. I never saw him again after that,but I know he's thinking about it. If I go back I'm in a lose lose situation.Either he kills me or I kill him.And if I kill him(even in self defense).Well,I really don't have to explain the obvious do I?

Well my wife is going to Jiquilpan in February with our daughter. I told her to sell the house even if we lose money on it. Everyone wants out of Mexico anyway. No jobs. No money. Crime running wild. Vigilantes taking over towns.It's hard to believe that a country like that is on our border. You never hear shit like that happening in Canada.

Many of entertainers like Vicente Fernandez have moved to the U.S. Texas is big with Mexicans who want to get away from all the problems. If you have money,like they have,they and their families aren't safe.That richest guy in the world,Carlos Slim, who controls the telecommunications in Mexico?Well he makes payments to people to insure his safety and his family. And when he leaves the house he has about a half dozen cars around him with armed bodyguards.Nice way to live.


So the next time some gringo gets all bent out of shape because he sees so many Mexicans here,remember this,they are happy to be here. I can't blame them.




My sister in law,wife ,and my son. Jiquilpan,Michoacan back in the day.

[Cholo]

El Boxeo Trailer - Final
http://vimeo.com/83398275

Hi everyone,

This is the final version of our El Boxeo trailer. There will be others I'm sure but this is what we're going to market with.

Enjoy!

Love to hear your thoughts.

Abrazos,
Rick