Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

The Only Show In Town

Rick Farris gave me a jingle the other day to let me know that his West Coast Boxing Hall Of Fame banquet was set to go in October.We got to talking and he let me know that his group will be the only boxing show in LA this year.The California Boxing Hall Of Fame has turned off their lights. The World Boxing Hall Of Fame folded years ago. It's about the money,or I should say the lack of it.

You think of some of these fighters(and now ex pugs)who are cashing in like Rockefeller when it comes to doing their thing inside the ring and you'd think there'd be plenty of cash to keep these boxing entities above water. Throw in the promoters and you know they ain't starving to death.

But now I'm talking about a very thin ply.Think of all the men who've laced the gloves and their savings net wouldn't fill a thimble.James"The Heat Kinchen" said he made over a million dolars fighting.At the end he was living out of his broken down van with his family with 40 bucks in his pocket.But that's a common story.Easy come.Easy go.

When I went to track down Jose Napoles in Ciudad Juarez he was living in a rented place in a sordid part of the city.Jose Sulaiman was paying his rent. You can at least give him credit for that.So where do the Don Kings and Bob Arums of the world stand after they can't suck another dime from their charges? The Uncle Mikes who dupe the Joe Louises and then put them on the pay no mind list when they can't put together a full sentence?

Sure.I'l be there up in LA in October. And part of the talk will be about how so and so is more punchy than he was the last time.Even if he had some money saved what how would it help him?Putting them into a Hall Of Fame I guess is the least one can do. Rick Farris knows that's part of his role.


Jose Napoles smoking a Cuban stogie in front of his place in Ciudad Juarez

[dagosd2000]

They Tried Everything

It used to get me how the fans in LA would root for the Mexican national fighter over the Chicano. Now we're talkin Mexican fans and it was a lead pipe cinch that if a Chicano was fighting a Mexican national the crowd would be doing their "chifles" thing at the LA born fighter.

For me I didn't care.Sometimes I'd want one or the other. The only time the Chicano fighter had the backing was when he was fighting a white guy. Guys like Alberto Sandoval,Alberto Davila,Bobby Chacon,the Ruelas and Baltazar brothers for example would maybe add a vowel at the end of their last names to gain favor but that went over like a cold taco. Now don't get me wrong. Some of these fellas were born in Meheeco but their parents brought them to El Norte when they were kids and the families established roots in LA. Thus they morphed into being Chicanos.

The irony of all this was that the Mexicans who were cheering for the native son were mostly Chicanos! So why does this happen? Well,the Chicanos start feeling their roots.They want to be "real" Mexicans so for the moment they're pulling for the guy south of the border.

The only two Chicanos that got away with it were Mando Ramos and Armando Muniz. Muniz maybe because there weren't a lot of Mexican nationals at 147 pounds. Bobby?Well,Bobby was one hard nose little dude who didn't give a s--t about anything and he always did it with a smile on his face.

Before ending this I want to talk about Alberto Davila's fight with "Kiko" Bejines. You've probably seen death in the ring one way or another but this one stuck in my mind. The fight was razor close.Of course the aficianados at the Olympic Auditorium were behind the native son, Bejines.I thought Davila was out boxing the cruder Bejines and then in the 15th round Davila caught up with him. Bejines fell ,,the back of his head hitting the lower ring rope.It was over for "Kiko" but then when he tried to get to his feet he had trouble keeping his balance.He started shaking out his legs but he was still tipsy. He knew something was wrong. The expression o the kid's face was pure panic.No one at that time thought he was going to die.I'll never forget that.


Bobby Chacon

[dagosd2000]

Prelude To A Bum Call

I remember when Carlos Zarate was climbing through the ranks.He was something like 45 and O and had knocked out everyone they put in front of him.He was tall for a bantamweight and could punch with both hands to the body and then go up top and finish off with rights and hooks.He was murderous.

The showdown for Mexican bragging rights was his fight with Alfonso Zamora who was also unbeaten. It wasn't close.Alfonso couldn't stay in there 4 rounds with Zarate before Richard Steele had seen enough. Zamora's old man then jumped into the ring looking for a fight.He's lucky he didn't find Zarate.

Zarate had cleaned out the division and now the talk was him moving up to featherweight,a group he was rapidly growing into.Waiting for him was the Puerto Rican Wifredo Gomez who also never lost a fight and had flattened every pug who dared to do battle.

So this was a matchmakers dream.Two undefeated champs.One a Mexican and the other a Puerto Rican.The stoic and the flamboyant. Somebody was gonna' fall.

Well,they put Zarate in Gomez's backyard, Roberto Clemente Stadium.I don't know what the feeling was with Gomez in Puerto Rico but the Mexicans thought Carlos had the fight in the bag.I went along with that notion too. Carlos had trouble making weight.Later,he'd say that affected his performance. I don't really buy that. Zarate who pretended he was Superman in his previous fights looked like Lois Lane this time out. I mean he got crushed. Me and the Mexicans were left speechless.No one saw that coming.

But Zarate was still champ at 118.He fought a couple of stiffs before he took off his pants to fight Lupe Pintor.He was an OK contender.He hadn't been in there with a big name boy.It was thought that you'd get the ol' Carlos back and life would be back to normal. But instead of Zarate disposing of Pintor like in the good ol' days he looked flatNo eye of the tiger..He had Lupe down in the 4th but couldn't follow up. The fight went the distance and the nod went to the challenger.

A lot of people griped about the decision.They thought Zarate had done enough to get his hand raised.But I think the loss to Gomez affected the prisms of the judges. You didn't see the Zarate of old. You saw an old Zarate.The Gomez loss was still in his mind and in the minds of the aficianados.

So they'll go till the end of time about how Carlos got his pocket picked against Lupe.After that loss Carlos went to fighting guys who had their faces on wanted posters.He ended up losing to Daniel Zaragoza and called it career. Funny how that one loss screwed up everything he did after that.



Carlos Zarate

[dagosd2000]

The Local Boy

Before boxing started to disintegrate from all sides every burg had their local hero.LA had a slew of Chicano fighters like world champs Bobby Chacon and Mando Ramos.Mando Ramos and Jerry Quarry filled the bill.Carlos Palomino,the conquer of Stracey, qualified.So did Armando Muniz and the Lopez brothers,Danny and big bro Ernie.And the the two Golden Boys,Aragon and De La Hoya had huge ocal followings. Not all their mothers gave birth to these fellas in the Southland but when you said their names Los Angeles popped into you head.

San Diego had two legit local heroes that went into battle mostly at the old Coliseum-Kenny Norton and Art Hafey. Norton,after upsetting Ali, went on to bigger paydays and bigger venues. Hafey hit the wall when he couldn't physically match up with the great "Little Red" Lopez. Art was having problems with nerve damage at the time and it was only a matter of time when he couldn't go on.

Ronnie Wilson,born in Canada, certainly had the San Diegans in his corner, but the kid was mismanaged fighting too often against the same guys he had handled before.Ronnie would cut easy and Flaherty would have him in the ring as soon ad the stiches were taken out.Then again Wilson couldn't get by Mike Quarry in three tries. Before he finally called it quits he was a burned out fighter.

Then there was a homegrown boy who went to the high school down the street Kearny, ,David Love,who was loaded with talent but if you looked up the word "Inconsistent" in the dictionary you'd see his face.San Diego never caught on with him.

Today in San Diego there are no more local heroes. Several years ago Prince Smalls,who was managed by his father,was beginning to breath but then he lost a crossroads fight in Las Vegas to Xavier Marinez.Both boys were undefeated.Prince left the ring tagged with his first lost.After that he was fighting in those rinky dink bars in Tijuana.He hasn't had a fight in two years.

Speaking of TJ. There were some kids training at the CREA who were making a name for themselves:Luis Nery,Jaime Munguia,and Leo Santa Cruz, but they've left Dodge when the promoters knew they didn't belong in those rinky dink bars in the city.

So the local heroes of the Southland have pretty much dried up. If you want to put Chris Arreola and Mikey Garcia in that category go ahead.Beggars can't be choosers.


Danny Lopez

[dagosd2000]

It Will All Come Back To You

Pete the cop played it out so that he retired when he turned 55 ,the minimum age he could throw in the towel.He put in 30 years and had had enough of being a cop. He never sniveled about being a cop.He did his job and followed orders,but when the time came, he didn't hesitate a day.He got his real estate license and does OK.His wife is one of those car closers at a popular dealership in North County. They live in a nice condo right in back of PetCo Park.

Pete the cop used to live across the street from my sisters in a real nice house but he wanted to unload it because his wife is Mexican and has this big family who are always sponging off her and Pete is afraid if he goes before his wife she'd have all those freeloaders living in the house.I'm sure there was a heated discussion about the move to the condo.The condo is a like a box and if Pete goes before his wife she wouldn't be able to fit anyone else into the digs.But then again I wouldn't put it by her to sell the condo and move back into a house.But what do I care?

Me and Pete have lunch about once a month at this pretty nice deli in my neighborhood.They have a sandwich counter and we make the most of it.Pete's from New Jersey just on the other side of New York and he grew up a sports nut.Give him the Yankees and he's satisfied.He talks all sports and so do I but as I get older I could care less what team or athlete is on the front page of the sports section.Pete stays up on things in the sports world and for being 55 has a pretty good knowledge of what happened in the post.But I've got more info in my brain only because I lived and died sports when I was younger and I have 20 years on him.The other day at the Deli we got into our usual discussion of what it's like to have a Mexican wife and all the trimmings, and sports.

"You know Pete I didn't watch much of that All Star Game the other day.Half those guys selected opted out.They said they needed the rest. or they were hurt.They pay these guys all this money and they're always hurt.When I was a kid the players played hurt.They didn't tell anyone.They didn't want to lose their job."
"But you have to admit the athletes are better today than back in your day."
"Those guys like Mantle and Mays wouldn't put up numbers today like they did back then.I'll go along with that."
"The pitchers throw a lot harder."
They do but half these guys today don't lay because of some injury."
"The owners have a lot invested in these guys. and don't want o lose them."
"But if they don't play what's the point?"
"You've got to admit the athletes today ae bigger,stronger,and faster."
"I agree.But I'll tell you one sport that's gone downhill-boxing.These guys today- the good ones you can count on one hand.Athletes today aren't as tough as those guys back in my day.They may have more talent but they're not as tough."
"Your problem is that you live in the past."
"One day you'll live in the past and your past will be what's going on today.I'm glad I won't be around to talk about it."


Babe Ruth.He never had to see a hundred mile an hour fastball.

[dagosd2000]

Lean Lena

I was watching that movie Stormy Weather on TCM that was made in 1943.It had an all black cast and the film's stars were Bill"Bojangles" Robinson,Cab Calloway,Dooley Wilson,and Lena Horne.

There wasn't much of a storyline.It was focused on these black entertainers trying to put together a musical to take around the country but in order to do that they were constantly finding angles to raise the dough.What kept the movie going was watching the various artists do their schticks.

Lena Horne got top billing and I remember some people referring to her as the most beautiful black woman in the world. Now I try to imagine myself as being black and how would I have seen Lena through my eyes. The basis of that opinion of her being the most beautiful black woman in the world was conceived by white people.You see if you looked through the ecru skin of Lena she could almost pass as being white. She had no black facial features.She ,like her peers, made sure she used plenty of lye on her air to straighten it out.

Lena knew she was hot stuff not only in Harlem but also at the Waldorf Astoria.One of her paramours was Joe Louis.Lena was definitely career driven and for all the racial roadblocks put up against black entertainers Lena probably had the most success breaking through them. Joe Louis may not have been classified as "career driven" but for 12 years there wasn't another heavyweight of any color that could beat him.Their relationship was short lived.Louis later said that Lena's mother interfered a lot.

There's a closing dance number in the picture featuring the Nicholas Brothers. Fred Astaire,who threw around compliments like manhole covers, said this act called "Jumpin' Jive" was the greatest dance number ever in a motion picture.Believe it or not it was filmed in a single take. :bow




Lena and Joe

[dagosd2000]

Bobby In Town

Very seldom did any of the hot fighters from LA ever fight in San Diego.The venue down here was too small for what they were earning in Los Angeles.Never saw "Little Red" or his big bro "Big Red."Jerry Quarry was a no show. Mando Ramos never made it to town.Davila and Sandoval were absent.Armando Muniz ?I never saw his name on a local fight poster."Gato" Gonzalez I'd see sitting ringside at the fights sometimes with his manager Jackie McCoy,but never inside the ring.I think Hedge Lewis fought once at the Sports Arena on an undercard. I see he also fought once at the Coliseum looking at the BoxRec records.

I remember when Bobby Chacon was scheduled to fight at the Coliseum.This was when he was still in the mix as a world class fighter. I decided not to miss this one. I can't remember who he fought but he had the guy outclassed from the opening bell. His opponent was a Mexican fighter.Like I said I don't recall the name but I think he was from Tijuana.

The other day I looked up the fight in the BoxRec archives.Bobby's opponent that night was a fella named Alejandro Lopez. And yes he was from TJ. The info on the back also stated that he still lived in Tijuana.Around ten years ago I dropped in to see Cheto Torres at his gym in Plaza Santa Cecelia. Lately it's been kind of quiet around there.All the good fighters from Mexico are now relocated in the U.S or at least head the cards up here.But Cheto was teliing me about a good looking kid he had in fold by the name of Alex Lopez. At the time he was undefeated and was making a name for himself fighting in what was left of the decent venues in town.He was on a card back east that was shown live on the cable station.He lost by a hair to Jorge Diaz in Key West Florida.He lost another close one to Aaron Garcia in Vegas, and then in TJ he lost a decision to a Colombian in the Tijuana Municipal Auditorium that was for some trumped up boxing title. He never fought after that.

I dropped by Cheto's later on and asked Mrs Torres how Alex Lopez was doing.She frowned and answered that he as home taking care of the babies.,This was back in 2014.

I bet that kid was the son of that Alejandro Torres who I saw lose to Bobby Chacon at the San Diego Coliseum.I think of all the sports and if you ever needed luck you sure had to catch some breaks in that sport.



Bobby Chacon

Alex Lopez training in Cheto's Gym

[dagosd2000]

No Love Nest

I don't think I ever went to a fight where I was thinking that what they had to offer to eat was something special. The soggiest hot dogs,the stalest popcorn,and the flattest beer were par for the course.But I had never gone to Vegas at a venue like Caesar's Palace to take in a big fight and sample the bill of fare. Maybe I missed something.

But leave it to those promoters who put together cards in those tank town arenas to buy the cheapest stuff for the paying customer. But I never heard an aficianado say he was never coming back because the food was lousy.

I remember when the snack bar got adventurous and began selling grub like nachos.Put on plenty of those chilis in the vinegar over that waxy melted yellow cheese and it was a fan's delight.But the bottom line was after consuming the hot dogs,poporn,and beer everyone made sure to throw their trash on the floor.Fight fans aren't supposed to have any etiquette.It's a rough sport so you have to do away with the manners.

Then again when buying a beer you had to project that if the fight was a drag or the decision stunk you had that half a beer in your hand and you could toss it at anyone that pissed you off in the ring or sitting near by.A lousy fight and food that was a step above what you'd feed your dog(or maybe not)kind of went hand in hand at those old boxing arenas.

Here's a good one.One night I was watching the fights at the Tijuana Municipal Auditorium. It was no Caesar's Palace. I had to go to the bathroom and when I walked in the head there were piles of s--t all over the floor.It happened that the plumbing wasn't working,I guess. But if you gotta' go you gotta' go.It never crossed my mind to ask a date to go to the fights.


Tijuana Municipal Auditorium

[chrisjs1985]

Prelude To A Bum Call

I remember when Carlos Zarate was climbing through the ranks.He was something like 45 and O and had knocked out everyone they put in front of him.He was tall for a bantamweight and could punch with both hands to the body and then go up top and finish off with rights and hooks.He was murderous.

The showdown for Mexican bragging rights was his fight with Alfonso Zamora who was also unbeaten. It wasn't close.Alfonso couldn't stay in there 4 rounds with Zarate before Richard Steele had seen enough. Zamora's old man then jumped into the ring looking for a fight.He's lucky he didn't find Zarate.

Zarate had cleaned out the division and now the talk was him moving up to featherweight,a group he was rapidly growing into.Waiting for him was the Puerto Rican Wifredo Gomez who also never lost a fight and had flattened every pug who dared to do battle.

So this was a matchmakers dream.Two undefeated champs.One a Mexican and the other a Puerto Rican.The stoic and the flamboyant. Somebody was gonna' fall.

Well,they put Zarate in Gomez's backyard, Roberto Clemente Stadium.I don't know what the feeling was with Gomez in Puerto Rico but the Mexicans thought Carlos had the fight in the bag.I went along with that notion too. Carlos had trouble making weight.Later,he'd say that affected his performance. I don't really buy that. Zarate who pretended he was Superman in his previous fights looked like Lois Lane this time out. I mean he got crushed. Me and the Mexicans were left speechless.No one saw that coming.

But Zarate was still champ at 118.He fought a couple of stiffs before he took off his pants to fight Lupe Pintor.He was an OK contender.He hadn't been in there with a big name boy.It was thought that you'd get the ol' Carlos back and life would be back to normal. But instead of Zarate disposing of Pintor like in the good ol' days he looked flatNo eye of the tiger..He had Lupe down in the 4th but couldn't follow up. The fight went the distance and the nod went to the challenger.

A lot of people griped about the decision.They thought Zarate had done enough to get his hand raised.But I think the loss to Gomez affected the prisms of the judges. You didn't see the Zarate of old. You saw an old Zarate.The Gomez loss was still in his mind and in the minds of the aficianados.

So they'll go till the end of time about how Carlos got his pocket picked against Lupe.After that loss Carlos went to fighting guys who had their faces on wanted posters.He ended up losing to Daniel Zaragoza and called it career. Funny how that one loss screwed up everything he did after that.



Carlos Zarate

Roger, I had dinner with Zarate not too long back and we went into detail on a lot of his biggest fights. He swears he was sick as a dog for this fight with Gomez. I always wrote it off as excuses, as most fighters can never accept they were bested. But, I did some digging and it was documented prior to the bout that Zarate wanted a postponement of the fight, as he was not feeling well. There's plenty of stories about fighters going to places like Panama, Puerto Rico, and getting "sick." Carlos Ortiz felt that way in Panama with Laguna, then ended up struggling to make weight, spent a while in the sauna. It's sort of confusing because Zarate claims he was sick, alluding to food poisoning, but then, he came in over weight? That might not add up, but Zarate did ask for the push back of the fight and he was told to postpone it to a later date would cost him more than he was making.

Zarate also said that he was made to feel very unwelcomed and an enemy in Puerto Rico. That doesn't surprise me for that era. There were fanatics and their man needed every edge he can get as he was a decided underdog. I actually buy that Zarate was not himself, that he was sick. The same way I buy into Gomez not being in tip-top condition for Sanchez, but that was his own volition, partying and underestimating Sanchez. I don't believe Zarate would beat Gomez at their bests but I'm convinced if the fight had happened somewhere more neutral like New York, or Las Vegas, it would have been a fight for the ages and a very competitive one.

[dagosd2000]

Roger, I had dinner with Zarate not too long back and we went into detail on a lot of his biggest fights. He swears he was sick as a dog for this fight with Gomez. I always wrote it off as excuses, as most fighters can never accept they were bested. But, I did some digging and it was documented prior to the bout that Zarate wanted a postponement of the fight, as he was not feeling well. There's plenty of stories about fighters going to places like Panama, Puerto Rico, and getting "sick." Carlos Ortiz felt that way in Panama with Laguna, then ended up struggling to make weight, spent a while in the sauna. It's sort of confusing because Zarate claims he was sick, alluding to food poisoning, but then, he came in over weight? That might not add up, but Zarate did ask for the push back of the fight and he was told to postpone it to a later date would cost him more than he was making.

Zarate also said that he was made to feel very unwelcomed and an enemy in Puerto Rico. That doesn't surprise me for that era. There were fanatics and their man needed every edge he can get as he was a decided underdog. I actually buy that Zarate was not himself, that he was sick. The same way I buy into Gomez not being in tip-top condition for Sanchez, but that was his own volition, partying and underestimating Sanchez. I don't believe Zarate would beat Gomez at their bests but I'm convinced if the fight had happened somewhere more neutral like New York, or Las Vegas, it would have been a fight for the ages and a very competitive one.

Chris
I remember hearing the same stuff from Zarate after that fight.He could have pulled out if he had wanted.That loss affected his fight with Pintor who was a mediocre challenger. Zarate was never the same after that ,loss to Gomez,and Gomez was never the same after losing to Sanchez. Those big punchers,when they taste defeat for the first time, often get psyched out. Joe Louis was an exception.

Pipino Cuevas was another one. He was building a legend in Mexico as being indestructible.They say he was in a car crash sitting on the passenger's side.He went through the windshield(so they say)and walked away unscathed as nothing had happened.. They were writing songs about him.When Tommy Hearns destroyed him Pipino's excuse was that his shoes were slipping on the canvas(and they did a little).After that loss he was never the same.Duran humiliaited him.

Those big punchers have too much false pride invested that winds up devastating them when they lose ,and it's usually a defeat that's crushing.


Pipino Cuevas

[dagosd2000]

Don't Believe The Hype

Just read an article about Freddie Roach having a disagreement with Manny Pacquiao about Manny's decision to fight Errol Spence Jr. Manny was for it.Freddie was not. Now are you seriously going to believe that one?Makes the naive think that there's uncertainty in the Pacquiao camp. The scuttlebutt is to pique the interest and the revenues. Roach knows what he's doing.Manny ditto. They believe they can really whip this guy. Granted Manny is 42 but he looked very sharp against Keith Thurman who a lot of people thought was going to put an end to Manny's career.

If any trainer should have told his charge he was up against it and then balked about working his corner should have been Angelo Dundee when he prepped Muhammad Ali for his fight with Larry Holmes.But Angelo thought he was seeing something that wasn't there. Ali would somehow pull the rabbit out of the hat like he had done so many times before. They glossed over his physical and even Ali began to think that this time there would be no magic. His financial guy Gene Kilroy wanted to lay 50 grand at the sports book on his pal but when Muhammad was told of the move he told Kilroy to keep his money in his wallet.The thyroid pills some quack doctor had given The Greatest had sapped his energy.Climbing in and out of the ring was a chore.To add insult to energy if the Herbert Muhammad and the Nation Of Islam hadn't told Dundee to throw in the towel Ali may have died in the ring.Pacquiao hasn't shown signs of attrition.

I think this will be Pacquiao's last hurrah. He'll go out having beat a man with a championship belt. Let the hype build this one up but I don't think it's necessary.After Manny leaves the stage it will be the last of the great fighters from an era of great fighters.As for Spence he'll stay in the mix.What's inside that oilio isn't worth the hype.


Freddie Roach

[dagosd2000]

Gentle Mike

Mike Weaver is always to be seen at the annual boxing Hall Of Fame presentations in LA.Every time I've bumped into him he seemed to be by himself. The last time I saw him was at Rick Farris' West Coast Boxing event I believe in 2018.

Every once in awhile I'll talk about my friend Gary Young who was an amateur heavyweight in San Diego.I'd workout with him sparring and he always let me know who was the boss.Gary was originally from Portland,Oregon.I never asked him what made him come down to San Diego.He taught in the court schools like I did for awhile. We discovered each other in Vic's OB Gym down by the beach.The gym was a crude piece of work -a garage that was converted into a gym. But there were lots of heavy weights,two Olympic bars,a large set of dumbells,a squat rack,pictures of Arnold on the wall and his contemporaries. A 100 watt light bulb hung down from the ceiling. It was sweat and grunting,and everyone pushed up as much plates as they were able.

Gary was at the time the world record holder in the deadlift.I think his max was 760 pounds.Today,the women do that But it's all the steroids that causes things like moving evolution into the fast lane. Like I opened with Gary was also an amateur heavyweight with a 13 and O record.He was 23 years of age then and I don't think he had any aspirations to to pro though there were always some seedy manager that promised him that if he hooked up with him he would be the next White Hope and eventually the champion of the world.

I'd see Gary fight on the undercards at the Coliseum. He never had the crowd behind him.I think it was because of his age(what's a 23 year old guy doing fight as an amateur?)and he was so big and dominant over his opposition. He kind of reminded me of his pal Boone Kirkman who also from the Northwest.

Gary asked me if I'd like to go to Long beach and watch him participate in a Golden Gloves. I'd said I'd love two so the both of us crammed ourselves into my 57 Chevy Bel Air and made the trek up old Highway 101.Gary got through the prelims with little difficulty and made it to the finals.He told me his opponent was some kid named Mike Weaver. Didn't ring a bell with either of us.

Well,I'd never seen Gary in over his head in a boxing match but this one was broke the mold,and busted Gary's aspirations for ever getting in the ring again.Mike Weaver was the first guy I saw who was bigger than Gary.He looked like a bodybuilder,but fought like a savvy pro.For three brutal rounds Weaver had Gary bouncing off the ropes like a pinball machine.It was a tribute to Gary's courage that he didn't fold.After the fight I met Gary in the locker room.
"Well,that's it for me with boxing.It ain't worth it anymore."
"You hung in there,"I said trying to find a positive side to the whupping.
"Forget it.This kid was a lot better than me.I could never beat him."
It was definitely a crossroads fight for my pal who then changed course on looking ahead.It stuck in his mind as one of life's lessons.

At Rick's West Coast Boxing ceremony I saw Mike Weaver and cornered him on the ropes. I asked him if he remembered that fight with my bruised buddy Gary.Mike lowered his brow and then smiled.
"No I can't recall it,"he said very calmly.
I then did some elaborating hoping it would shake his memory.
"No.I don't remember it,"he said again shaking is head.

When I got back to San Diego I ran into Gary at the community gym down by the beach.
"Hey!You'll never guess who I saw at the boxing convention in LA.Mike Weaver."
Gary perked up.
"Did you aske him about the fight we had when he almost tore my head off?"
"I sure did.He said you were tough as nails."
"Well, he's either punchy or you're lying to me."
"Well, he ain't punchy,"I said.


Dan Hanley and Mike Weaver at the West Coast Boxing Hall Of Fame ceremony.

[dagosd2000]

From The Back Page To The Front

One of the posters on another thread realizes now, looking back on things ,that when he was a kid watching the big fights on the screen that Howard Cosell was just blowing a lot of hot air.He feels he missed something because Cosell was always there for the important fights-mainly the ones with Muhammad Ali.Cosell knew nothing about sports but plenty about insults.

I've got to admit the combination of Ali and Cosell brought the level of hysteria in boxing to new heights. I remember before Cosell parlayed his rep by attaching himself to The Greatest he was writing a column for Sport Magazine. You could locate it somewhere in the back pages of the magazine. It was in a box-a few paragraphs of stuff to tell the truth I can't remember ever reading.

But Cosell was looking to the future.He didn't want to languish writing sing song drivel in a rag that took a back seat to Sports Illustrated.When Cassius Clay began blabbing to the world that he was going to turn it upside down on its axel by beating big bad Sonny Liston,Cosell was keeping his fingers crossed.

It's interesting to watch the replay of the fight. When Sonny didn't want to get off the potty for the 7th round you can see Cosell barge into the ring,mic in hand,digging to get through to Clay. He was seeing his future unfold into something that would get him away from that dismal little column that no one paid attention to to a pathway to national stardom and the big bucks.His cash cow would be Clay(later Muhammad Ali).

You knew the size Cassius' ego already. Soon you saw the widths of Howard's. But Howard knew that he couldn't upstage Ali so he became the foil. He let Ali make fun of him while Howard stood there with a goofy smile on his face responding with ten letter words and stoking the champ's fires. It was an act that would last as long as Ali could still climb into the ring. Howard was now a star although it didn't belong in the heavens necessarily.

But aside from making his pitch with Ali turn into a sideshow that the public mused with, Cosell fell into other sports endeavors. He was the moderator of the triad on Monday Night Football. ABC's breakthrough idea of having something for the fans to watch after a weekend of full of sports stuff.Heading the announcing team was Cosell flanked by "Dandy" Don Meredith and Frank(The Gifted )Gifford.Of course Cosell wasn't going to play second fiddle with two ex pro football legends so he made sure he stepped on their lines and couldn't understand his voluminous vocabulary. He was the horse's ass and he didn't care one bit.

Howard later wrote a book titled"I Never Played The Game" insinuating that he was one of those nerds in school who was a spastic that couldn't chew gum and walk at the same time. The title was the best part of his book.He then went on to trash everyone he ever rubbed elbows with in the sports game-exception Ali.Cosell was the total ingrate.

Cosell eventually faded away and is pretty much forgotten.That poster who now thinks he was a phony is right.A phony, like Ali used to say, like the wig on his head made from a pony.


Muhammad Ali

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Getting Comfy

Sonny Liston ,as just about every fight fan knows, was one of the enigmatic figures in boxing.On his way up to finally fighting Floyd Patterson for the title he came across,at least in public,as a morose moody hulk,who never cracked a smile nor a joke.To get him to elaborate was practically impossible because he was so sullen and imposing you didn't want him to get mad at you. The people who were close to him sad he liked to joke around and loved kids and New York cheesecake but Sonny never wanted to show his sunny side to an audience.

Patterson on the other hand was just as withdrawn. You could hardly hear him when he talked and that was mostly with his head looking at the floor.He seemed like he was in a suffering mode most of the time that made you want to maybe tell him the latest joke that was going around to cheer him up.

While Floyd was fighting Cus D'Amato's handpicked bum of the month club, Sonny was fighting everyone-bums and ranked fighters-and sending them home wishing they had never set foot in the ring with him. In a 12 rounder up in Seattle,LIston was paired with one of the top contenders ,Eddie Machen ,who decided to spar with Sonny instead of taking him head on.It was a boring fight but one thing it showed was that Liston could box in the center of the ring.

When LIston finally got in there with Patterson twice ,the opener and the rematch went less than 4 minutes combined.It looked like Sonny was unbeatable.Even Joe Louis was saying that Liston might be the best of all the heavyweights past and present. Then came along Cassius clay and despite him telling everyone he was going to shock the world he was a 7 to 1 underdog going in.

What became apparent in those two fights was that if you could make Liston work in the ring eventually all that muscle and bulk would become like an anchor dragging him down. He'd start to lumber around the ring,his strength draining like an open sewer into the ocean.

But after the two losses to Clay/Ali, Liston was kind of in a limbo land.He fought run of the mill opponents and put them away like in the old days but you weren't quite sure what was ahead for the him.The fight that decided it all was his match in Las Vegas with Leotis Martin.My buddy Howard Cosell did the call and to tell the truth he was always "honest" in his observations however self absorbed he was.

The fight started off in typical Liston fashion.Sonny started fast and had Martin down in the 4th. But instead of folding Martin fought back.He made Sonny work. He wasn't afraid of trading shot for shot. You could see Sonny begin to fade ever so slowly.Then in the 8th round both men came away from an exchange and Sonny's face was a bloody mess.Martin had busted his nose. Now you could see panic in Liston.His mouth dropped open. He was now fighting desperately, but so was Martin.As the bell sounded to end the 8th the atmoshere in the arena was a sense that it was just a matter of time that Liston was through.He had dug as deep down as his he could and he wanted no more part of it.When the bell rang for round 9 Liston came out of his corner with a crimson face. He stuck out his heavy jab hoping for a miracle. Martin then countered with a sweet overhand right. that sent Sonny lying face flat on the canvas.It wasn't even worth the referee's count.

What especially struck me was while Liston was stretched out he shifted his head to the side so he could be more comfy on the mat.He knew he didn't want to get up.He quit on his stool in Miami.He flopped to the floor in Maine.And now in Las Vegas he wanted to feel comfortable by turning his head to the side while he heard"10 and out!". He then got up like nothing had happened.


Sonny Liston finding a comfortable position on the floor


Boo

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So It Ain't My Old Man

For years I've been posting that picture of my old man (when he was a kid) sitting next to Al Capone at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Well, aftrer giving it a lot of thought and equal research I've come to the conclusion that the kid in that picture ain't my old man,but Al's son who they called "Sonny" is sitting beside his father.

For starters the game was at the White Sox's stadium Comiskey Park on the Southside.It was an exhibition game between the White Sox and the Cubbies. "Sonny" was a big fan of the Cubs and especially their star player Gabby Hartnett. So there's Al and "Sonny" in that picture talking to Hartnett surrounded by Al's bodyguards including his top guy "Machine Gun" Jack McGurn.I'll post the link that finally made me give in to the rumor that the kid in the picture was a "stand in."

My old man was the same age as "Sonny" and he could have passed himself off as "Sonny's" twin brother. You see what happened was when my old man's father got bumped off by Mayor Thompson's boys( with the OK from Capone) my grandmother went to Al and wanted an explanation.Well,Al gave her the standard reply:"It was an accident."

Mayor Thompson was sore that his guy wasn't going to run for alderman of the 19th Ward.It was to be my grandfather "Diamond Joe" Esposito. The mayor had let Capone have a free hand in Chicago so he asked him to do him a favor and whack my grandfather. When my grandmother went to Capone he did a common practice of "taking care" of "Diamond Joe's" son,my old man. Many years later after my old man got out of the Marine's he killed one of the shooters who blasted away with shotguns at "Dimey" as he was walking home from a union meeting.The guy's brother was the other shooter but he was already dead from something else.So Capone took my old man under his wing and let him live with his wife,mother,and "Sonny".But after a couple of years living with the Capone's Al's wife Mae said that my old man was a bad influence on her son.Imagine that!So my old man went to New York to live with his Uncle Chas in Brooklyn. In the meantime my grandmother was blowing what was left of her husband's fortune.

I once showed that picture of Capone and his kid at the game to old man.All he said was "Where did you get that?"I never followed up with anything else.

I guess it's something to stick your chest out about telling everyone that my old man went to a ballgame with Al Capone. I remember in Little Italy it was assued that it was my iold man with Capone at the ballpark.I wasn't going to argue.But the bottom line is this:why would Al Capone take my old man and not his son, especially if the kid was a big fan of the Cubs and Gabby Hartnett?Italians don't do things .like that.



My old Man around the time he was living with the Capones.

http://www.myalcaponemuseum.com/id134.htm
This article settles it

[dagosd2000]

The Quitting

The episode of Simone Biles quitting further participation on her part in the Tokyo Olympics has left me scratching my head. After struggling failing to accomplish a decent score on the vault she withdrew from the overall competition. In a team statement it said that she has withdrawn "in order to focus on her mental health."Biles then stated that"I felt pretty comfortable coming into the Olympic Games and then I don't know what happened.Just going through each of the days and training it felt a bit tougher."So she pulled herself out of competing further for the time being.She also said she took this action "for myself."

Well, if she thinks she's got mental problems now wait when the dust clears and she has to reflect on what she did. For starters she let her country down.Two,she let her teammates down .But she thinks this is good for all concerned,and herself. Once she ponders what she did her mental state of mind will fall deeper into the abyss.

Of course her coach and teammates are backing her up.What are they going to do at this stage?Tell her to toughen up and don't be a quitter?Now she's on the sidelines acting happy as a clam and rooting the other girls on as they cope with the stresses of competition.She gave a press conference and she came across like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.She was just so happy.But what really chaps my ass is how the media is covering this. Seems that Simone Biles had good reasons to quit. She was black and she had been sexually abused.To me that's a stretch that doesn't hold water.

Think of all the people that are black and people who have been sexually abused. They don't all turn out to be Olympic athletes,but maybe Biles' past and color of her skin motivated her to be a world class athlete.Now' she's broken down and her skin color and the sexual abuse is the reason?She hasn't said anything about what's bothering her.

But what's evolving is a message being sent out by the media that it's good to quit.It's taking off as fast as the virus.People are quitting jobs.They're bailing out of marriages.All of a sudden everyone has mental health issues. I can't function because I'm depressed.Precription drugs for depression have gone through the roof. You get money from the government if you're depressed. You're a hero if you're depressed. It takes courage to be depressed.

But think of all the billions that can't quit because they have mouths to feed. Or it's their pride.They know the grass isn't going to any greener on the other side if they throw in the towel.The press sets up Simong biles to be a a poster child for sympathy.Who gives a damn about some secretary in an office who tells her boss that she's quitting because she has mental health issues.When the world is being engulfed by Covid still when you all thought it would be over by now,who cares about Simone Biles quitting the team?

Did anyone buy Roberto Duran's excuse that his meal of a steak and orange juice gave him a tummy ache so he turned his back on Leonard shouting "No mas?"Or Sonny Liston spitting out his mouthpiece before the start of round seven in Miami saying he had hurt his shoulder and then posing before the camera with e doctor pointing at his "bad" limb?The doctor should have pointed to Sonny's two black eyes.

Soldiers in battle get "battle fatigue.That's because they have bullets flying around their heads."Athletes quit what they're doing participating in a game vaulting on a wooden beam..But who would have blamed Ali for not wanting to fight Larry Holmes anymore?

But those guys were in an era where the mental health excuse wasn't in vogue. Now the whole world is getting infected by Covid and the side effect of not being able to handle things.Be courageous and quit.I'm scratching my head.


Roberto Duran

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The Mexican Cauldron

During the 1930's Mexico had a crew of featherweights that could match with any in the sworld."Baby" Casaova,Juan Zurita,Joe Conde,and another"Baby",Arizmendi were al fighting each other south of the border for mainly the national title but more importantly bragging rights.Their main venue was the Arena Coliseo in the capital-Mexico's equal to our Madison Square Garden for establishing a rep.

When Henry Armstrong began to get rolling he wanted to fight quality opponents to build his foundation.But because of the color of his skin he was being ducked and the guys he wanted to fight were being paired with fellas Henry knew he could whip. So Henry ventured to Mexico with his inseparable Harry Armstrong to take on those tough Mexican featherweights against oidds that would make the normal pug think twice about crossing the border.

Armstrong was in the ring with all of them down there except Zurita who he later fought in the U.S. He also fought Arizmendi twice in LA which were very big fights at the time.When Henry got into the ring with Petey Sarron for all the marbles those fights he had with those Mexicans down south had honed his skills to with the title in easy fashion.

When I was working for the school district down by the border the class secretary told me her uncle was Joe Conde.She said that her Tio Joe was the favorite of all her other cousins. He would come over every Sunday for the traditional dinner and bring gifts for the children.He was always seated at the head of the table. He spoiled them rotten and no one said anything about it.. She said that Tio Jose was always happy but that his face looked different from her other uncles and that he talked funny-like a little kid like them.After dinner he'd walk them to the park and he would push them on the swings and buy them Ice cream and balloons.

I asked her if she knew about her uncle's career as a fighter.She said that she didn't but knew that he had had a lot of fights.She'd sometimes hear her father and other uncles talk about his fights. "I think he was a very good fighter."she said.

But all that mattered was that he loved his nieces and nephews and they loved him and he showered them with gifts and that of course he sat at the head of the table for the Sunday dinner. .


Juan Zurita

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Getting Your Money's Worth

There was some sort of California boxing commission rule stating that if a fight card didn't have a certain amount of scheduled rounds the fans ,afterward, could go to the ticket window and get their money back.So the fans could take in free fights having a good ol' time and then they'd all scramble out the door to line up at the box office and get their money back- in cash.

I was at a couple of those calamities at the San Diego Coliseum. The ring announcer, before everything got rolling, would step into the ring and give everyone the news about how there wasn't enough rounds on the card which violated the commission rules so everyone who paid to get in the door was entitled after the last bout to go outside and wait to get their money back.The problem was a lot of the bugs threw their ticket stubs away and didn't have any physical proof about paying to get in .When that happened there was always a fenbz at the trash cans.But I don't think anyone felt charitable and just went straight home and forgot about it.I know I didn't.

Mickey Davies who was one of the matchmakers in LA and down here in San Diego told me once that he never had a card go off as planned.Always something came up.-a failed drug test,no transpoortation ,a contact beef,or the pug just wasn't up to it.I remember one time one of the prelim boys was a no show. I didn't give it any thought but later when I went down to the Coliseum to watch the fighters work out I heard someone say that the prelim fighter who didn't show up was found dead in the middle of the Mojave desert.He had a bullet in the back of his head.No one knew,at least in the gym, why he was knocked off.Sometimes the cops just leave that stuff alone and just go through the motions with some sort of phony investigation.

Whoever said that boxing is a poor man's out was onto something.


The ticket window at the old Coliseum 30 years after they turned off the lights.

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Welcome To The Circus

The greatest circus atmosphere I ever experienced at the San Diego Coliseum is when Jack O'Halloran fought Ken Norton. Though Norton had set up base in San Diego the crowd was there to back up Happy Jack's big back.The fans were packed to the doors.People were dressed up in costumes, carrying banners.The noise was incredible.

Norton was on the comeback trail after bring pulverized by Jose Luis Garcia up in Los Angeles.He was on an eight fight win streak when he met Jack in San Diego.O'Halloran wasn't ranked anywhere near the top ten. He looked to be another pushover for Norton but you always had a fighter's chance against him because he was noted for hitting the wall in the later rounds. But after working with a shrink and reading some self help books Norton seemed to be making some breakthroughs.

Jack O'Halloran ,if nothing else, looked "dangerous" in the ring.6 foot 6 ,a square jaw,an eyebrow that transgressed over both eyes ,and Neanderthal hair covering his torso; you'd think that he'd be a perfect character in a science fiction movie.And sure enough Hollywood put him in a few sci fi flicks where his physical looks matched with the the parts he played.

But as imposing as Jack was,he wasn't that gerat a fighter. For such a giant his punch was dwarflike.On top of that he was slow afoot and his defense was scant. But I'll say this, he had guts and could take a punch.

The fight started slow and continued that way with Norton landing more but Jack able to pull through. The crowd was going ape every time one of O'Halloran's gloves touched Norton.Just when it was time for Norton to start running out of gas ne countered one of Jack's shots and had the big guy down. I thought he was going to take the ring down with him.The fight lasted the full ten.The knockdown being the deciding factor.

When Norton pulled the upset beating an out of shape Ali at the San Diego Sports Arena he went on to fight for the championship and finding opponents that were world class. On the other hand Jack languished continuing to fight at the San Coliseum and similar venues. All in all he lost 22 fights.

I read an interview with O'Halloran after he had retired and he said that Muhammad Ali had asked him to do a number on his brother Rahman because Muhammad felt that his brother shouldn't be a fighter.He was that bad. O'Halloran fought him at the old Coliseum and stopped him in eight rounds.That was the last go for the former Rudy Clay. But I don't believe that Muhammad Ali would ask another fighter to hurt his brother-especially a white guy..I think that was some hot air coming from O'Halloran. It was a dull fight.The Greatest's brother was anything but great.No one got hurt except maybe Rahman's pride.

Some of these retired pugs yearn to be remembered so when they get a chance to spout off they make the most of it.The thing is a lot of O'Halloran's quotes belonged in some of those science fiction movies.


Another side of the San Diego Coliseum after the doors closed

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Odd And Ends

A couple of more things to add onto Jack O'Halloran.For a guy who stood 6 foot 6 I remember he didn't have a very long reach.He lives in LA but BoxRec has him listed as residing back east.I read once that after his fighting career he shifted to the movies Made a name for himself as one of the villains in the Superman movie.He once was kidnapped and thrown in a car. The first thing I thought was "What the hell are they gong to do with him?"I think the kidnappers let him go right away and never got any money out of it.

Every weekend I look at the posted boxing results.I know I'm a bit out of touch but most of the time I've never heard of any of these guys. When they had a main event on the tube three nights a week in the 50's you saw contenders and often championship fights.I think every one of Joe Brown's lightweight defenses was shown on the tube.Now it's UFC almost every night of the week.I still think it's sloppy and boring.Granted,these guys would raise havoc with a boxer in a no holds bar competition but I think if you're gonna' fight dirty go to the local tavern and go out back in the alley and do that sort of stuff.I think the next step is to give these guys knives and let them have at it.Now that would really kill off what's left of boxing.

When I talk about Archie Moore's ABC club for boys I should emphasize it was a place for little kids. Sure,there was a boxing ring and instruction to go with it but there were ping pong tables and a pool table and a little library. It was like a summer camp and had that feel to it There were signs on the walls with a lot of moralizing.Archie Moore did get involved with working with professional fighters like Foreman but his ABC was mainly for the local kids in the neighborhood to get them away from the outside riff raff.

[dagosd2000]

Stick Out Your Chest And Hope That You Still Got Your legs

Sugar Ray Robinson, who many consider(these guys saw him) the greatest pound for pound fighter who ever lived,would become a little wary about an opponent who was thick through the chest.LaMotta,Fullmer,Turpin,Tiger Jones,and even the no name guy who fought him to a draw,Henry Brimm had legit middleweight muscles from the beltline to the neckline.

When Robby got tripped up by Randy Turpin in England, Ray stared at Randy's pecs said that he looked like a heavyweight. In the rematch Robinson struggled with Turpin again until a cut over Ray's eye forced him to let it all hang out and get the anxious KO.

There's no doubt that when Robinson moved up to middleweight the power of his punches had diminished. When he fought these bigger men, Ray,with those spindly legs, was really more of a true welterweight than a full fledged 160 pounder. But until the very end when his marvelous skills were just a memory, he could still outbox the most of the middleweights.

When George Gainsford matched Robinson with Joey Maxim for the light heavyweight title, Georgie Boy knew what he was doing.But even Robinson remarked that the next thing Gainsford would do is have him go up against Rocky Marciano!Joey Maxim was a pitter patter puncher with an upper body that spoke welterweight. They all knew that Maxim couldn't maul Robby. But Joey did lean on him, and Robinson got a little too fancy in the 104 degree heat flashing his stuff around instead of conserving his energy.

Robinson was sort of like Ali when The Greatest tried his comeback. Ali had lost his legs. You saw it clearly against Bonavena.But the first time I ever heard anyone talk about a fighter losing his legs(well,there was talk of that with Dempsey)was when Ray got roughed up by Ralph Tiger Jones in Chicago. You can hear the announcer Russ Hodges referring to Ray's legs as not responding like he would want them.It was Tiger Jones all the way from the opening bell.

When a fighter's legs go(or any athlete's pins) they never get them back to the performance level they once were.There's absolutely no fountain of youth.,That's why steroid became vogue.You could hang in there awhile longer sticking that needle into your arm.

For most jocks that have their legs quite on them it comes slowly like a creeping fog.The fighter senses it but what can he know just in sparring?Then he gets into the ring for all the marbles and it hits him right off the bat.It's almost feels like he had a stroke of some kind.The mind tells the legs to go there but reactiion never gets there in time. And before he knows it his legs are playing catch up. He starts getting tired as hell trying to keep up and gives up with it. Now he's fighting lying against the ropes trying to catch the other guy coming in or wanting to counter something. If he moves to center ring he widens his stance.Now he can't mover at all.It's not only is frustrating but causes despair-a loss of hope.

I often wonder how guys like Robinson and Ali at the end of their careers must have thought being in the ring and the only thing left for them to do was pray for that miracle putting what they had left in Someone Else's hands.

Sugar Ray Robinson

[dagosd2000]

You Can Judge A Book By Its Cover

When they said that Clay Hodges had beaten George Foreman twice iin the amateurs ,with George never returning the favor, i was anxious to see the guy fight. Hodges was a Marine stationed in San Diego and had compiled his amateur fighting career while he was in The Corps.

I saw his pro opener down here at the Coliseum and it was for me east to tell that a lot of it was hype. The guy Hodges fought was not very good and the fight ended with the him surrendering in the 2nd round.

Hodges looked stiff and awkward but he had the local crowd on their feet because he was a Marine and he was white and he had a "fighter's" name like something out of a comic book.I've run the story about Hodges' second fight in Dago against some kid they brought out from Philly by the name of Jimmy Young. Of course the fans were all Hodges' and that the outcome would be another cakewalk. The fight was scheduled for 6 and before you could settle in your seat Young uncorked a left hook that put Hodges in a fox hole.He got up all right but before you say Semper Fi he was back in that foxhole. The round hadn.t gone a minute so I figured one mote knockdown and Hodges would be another poster child for "flash in the pan." But something funny happened on the way to the finish of this fight-Young stopped throwing anymore punches.

Two old sharpshooters wearing blue blazers were sitting in front of me and heard me mention after round one that the fight would be over soon if Young ever decided to throw another shot. One of the old timers then turned around and said he had a 20 spot saying that Hodges would beat this Philly guy no problem. Of course I accepted the challenge.

For five more rounds till the bitter end Young did his darndest not to hurt Hodges. When the fight was over I was reaching for my wallet.The old geezer cracked a smile showing his rotten teeth and told me to save my money.
"Sonny,it was all a set up.Forget it. Go to the cardroom and throw that 20 away there."

Well,everything was riding with Hodges then until he went up to LA and fought a black kid named Kenyatta Hockenhall who had a body that would have made Charles Atlas green with envy. Hockenhall not only kicked sand in Hodges' face but busted his jaw. It wax his HOdges' last fight.

I then got to thinking how Hodges could have ever beaten George Foreman twice.Never could put that together.But after looking at Hodges fight the first time I knew it would only be a matter of time before his bubble would burst.In this case it was his jaw.


JImmy Young

[dagosd2000]

Reopening

Champs Bar ,that I talk so much about, reopened in June.Down the street is the Bay Hill Tavern that had some space in the parking lot for some outside seating so they managed to stay open while Champs on the other hand didn't have any more space outside for any additional seating so they closed their doors.But now both bars are on even ground.

The Bay Hill Tavern always seems to have more customers inside and sitting out in the parking ,lot.They have hot chicks tending the bar wearing tight fitting tops sowing ample cleavage.(If a girl has small tits she won't get hired) They always make sure to bend over to show their boobs when they're waiting on you. there's a band that comes in on the weekends and they make sure they play plenty loud.

Champs still has the pictures on the wall of Burke Emery ,who shared owning the place with his girlfriend Shirley,fighting in the ring and old newspaper articles about his past matches.The only female who works behind the bar is ol' Molly who's been around the block a few times and makes no bones about it.Her waistline sticks out ahead of her saggy boobs but she really doesn't care if she's not a fashion plate.She'll talk sports with you like a railbird who goes to the track at the crack of dawn. The girls at the Bay Hill don't know a left hook from a leftover but they aren't in there to talk sports.Just ply the guy with enough booze to get him thinking he has a chance to score at closing time.But when that hour arrives the boyfriends come in to takt the girls home But these same suckers will be in there the next day, and once they start getting a snootful,it's the same song and dance.

I don't think they're ever going to take Burke's pictures and cigarette smoke stained newspaper articles down from the walls. For some reason Shirley's grandson,who now owns the joint,(Shirley passed away before Burke did but when Burke died in that home from the dementia I guess his will said was to leave the bar with the kid)is content not to disturb anything.

But Champs certainly isn't a watering hole for fight fans to get together and commiserate about the boxing's past let alone what's going on now. I don't think there's a person who frequents the joint that ever brings up boxing to anyone and all they know about Burke Emery is what's written in those old newspapers on the wall.And who in the hell goes in there to do tat?

So The Bay Hill Tavern I guess is making money(The rent around that area is pretty steep).And Champs stays status quo.But last year they got a new neon sign. Whoopee do.

[dagosd2000]

So Near ,Yet So Far Away




I had just crossed into Tijuana and as soon as I cleared their checkpoint I pulled the car over and stopped to take this picture. It's of a long row of migrants who have been told by Mexican authorities to camp there until further notice on their status of being allowed to enter the United States to appeal for some kind of legal entry and eventually, residency. Just in back of these people ,I'd say only about 100 feet,is the U.S. border. There's a wall and razor wire and unfortunately for most of them their trek from wherever they began will end right where they're camped.

Along the wall (or fence) from the San Ysidro checkpoint extending west to the ocean, that's probably 3 or 4 miles away that separates the two countries, you will see migrants camped, like the ones in the picture along the line that divides the two most diverse countries abutting any border in the world.To make it simple the bottom line has to do with economics. Anyone on the American side can cross into Mexico on foot or in a car because he's coming from the Untied States no questions asked. However, going into the U.S. from the Mexican side requires legal identification authorized by the U.S. State Department.

For just about all these people seeking some sort of asylum their journey has ended. If they choose to get into the U.S. illegally they have to approach the "coyotes"(the smugglers) and cough up as much as 10 thousand dollars or more. It's a high risk venture because many of these unfortunates are either just plain ripped off or left in the dessert to fetch on their own.

[dagosd2000]

Some Feel It,Some Don't

I asked James "The Heat" Kinchen what Tommy Hearns' punching power felt like and he answered that The Motor City Cobra had the biggest punch of any of the other opponents he ever faced in the ring.That's often the answer from fighters saying the toughest guys they ever fought were the guys they beat(Kinchen didn't beat Tommy but if you look at the fight the next day Hearns' face was hanging in the post office for robbery.Benvenuti would always say Griffith was the best he ever faced.Maybe Monzon knocked a screw loose in Nino's noggin'.)Anyway, getting back to James. I remember when he was training up in the mountains at Joe Sayatovich's facilty.I'd go out there and watch him run from Joe's gym in Campo near the Mexican border on the old Sunrise Highway to the town of Julian wearing that red sweat suit. Man,he was in great shape for Hearns.

James had caught on in San Diego and this was a big shot for him.The fight was at the Las Vegas Hilton Convention Center and it was one of those fights(if you're gonna' stink it up put it in Vegas) where the wise guys had it all figured out for Tommy to win because he had the rep and that's where the money was.But Kinchen took everything Tommy had and it was James,not Tommy who looked like the guy with the sock. Of The 4 Kings, Hearns had the best one punch knockout power.

KInchen would get the short end of the stick in a title illiminater with James Shuler who went on to get iced by Marvin Hagler in the 1st round and then got jobbed later against Iran Barkley.

When Ray Leonard wanted to get in with a legit middleweight to see what it felt like, he faced the veteran trial horse Marcos Geraldo.Ray,though winning comfortably having to go the full 10,rounds,said that Geraldo was a load..Tommy Hearns fought the same Marcos and had him counted out in the first frame.


Tommy Hearns never had Ray Leonard hanging on.in their encounters,but Ray made Tommy's spindly legs buckle in the two fights.It was Ray who was the bigger banger. When Tommy got in there with the crazy macho man Roberto Duran it was Tommy's straight right that made Robetro hit the canvas face first.Hagler just about broke Tommy in half yet he never had Duran or Leonard in serious trouble.

Too bad they screwed James Kinchen in those fights with Hearns,Shuler,and Barkley.It might have been The 5 Kings and then we'd have some more comparisons to make.


James"The Heat"KInchen