Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

Boxing Is Everywhere

I'll be off the forum for a couple of weeks. Going down for my usual sojourn to my wife's hometown in Mexico,Jiquiipan ,Michoacan.. It's going to be her birthday and she wants to celebrate it there.Everybody from up here is going to fly down there to partake in the festivities with the ones who can't make their break to come up here and live. I'll have plenty to write about.

But I'll stay away from BoxRec.I might look at what's going on from time to time but I don't want to post anything,and besides I'm not too savvy working my phone. I want to get my mind off things up here for awhile. Jiquilpan,at least for me,is a good a place as any for a distraction.

As far a boxing goes there's not anything going on in Jiquiipan.There used to be but that's going back aways. The Arredondo brothers,Rene and Ricardo,were born somewhere in a village outside of town. Julio Diaz was born in Paredones where my wife was born that's on top of a mountain that overlooks Jiquilpan. They were all some sort of fringe champions. Those guys didn't stick around.I don't know where they are now or what they're doing. I've talked before about Rodolfo Gonzalez having a few fights in Jiquilpan when he was starting out. He used to tell me about how he was very popular there. I bring up his name when I'm down there and no one has ever heard of him(.I hope he doesn't read this)

Jiquilpan has a bullring (not much of a bullring) that's just outside of town.Once in awhile they have a concert there or a bullfight but it's nothing of any large magnitude.You could bring up Canelo's name and you might get a minutes worth of attention. The government praclaimed Jiquilpan a "Pueblo Magico".That's a town that's supposed to represent the culture,tradition, and the way of life.But you can't take that title with you to the market and expect to get a break on the price of tortillas.

JIquilpan can't have a population over 10 thousand. The buildings haven't changed. Everything moves kind of slow.There's no need to be in a hurry about too much. I see the same unpaved roads all the time when I go down there.Every new mayor promises to fix them but people don't pay attention to that kind of stuff anymore.Some actually expect to be lied to. The thin veneer of the aristocracy has it made, while the poor struggle, but that's their lot so the rich say.

Two presidents of Mexico were born in Jiquilpan. One of them ,Lazaro Cardenas,was one of the few that wasn't in it for greed and power. Rafael Mendez was one of the world's greatest trumpet players. One of his first gigs as a little kid was sounding the charge when Pancho Villa and his cavalry rode hell for leather into battle.Of course his parents were against this but Pancho told them that he'd "dobe wall them if they didn't agree to let their son take the risk to be a hero.

So it's hasta luego.I'll see you in two weeks if God wants it.That's what Mexicans always say and the end of a proclamation. "If God wants it" I guess all the s---ty things that happen is something God wants too. God can really be a ballbreaker.


JIquilpan,a "Pueblo Magico" so say the rich to the poor.Now live with it.


Que Chulada El Maiz Prieto-Vivo Mexico!!!

[dagosd2000]

30 Seconds Worth Of Time

Got back from my vacation yesterday , I guess if you could call it that. My wife wanted to celebrate her birthday in her hometown. You know by now,Jiquilpan,Michoacann that" Pueblo Magico" somebody in the government bestowed on that sleepy little village. I call it "sleepy" not because the people are not motivated to keep their noses to the grindstone.It's because there's a shortage of grindstones in Jiquilpan, and if one does run across one he not only has to keep his nose to the grindstone but every other part of his anatomy if he likes eating.

The other day I walked inside Jiquilpan's Casa De Cultura which is a pretty nice joint. It has classrooms and a nice auditorium in the back.It's open for the public but doesn't get much action because it's mostly there for recreation and educational purposes that doesn't translate into making any money. It's not a Jiquilpaninian grindstone.

I went in to check up on what was going on with the new director of the place,Cesar. He's the third new director they've had in the last three years since my old pal Conrado had to give it up because of a couple of strokes. Cesar,and the three prior directors before him are of the younger ilk. whose motivational aims are more on the financial end than nurturing a more altruistic value, but then again you can't buy many tortillas with what you know about Cortez and the Aztecs.Nose,grindstone-you get my drift

.Cesar saw me from his office.He was alone .His office was modestly decorated with a few black and white prints of some Indian etchings.
"Come in Rogelio," he said as he unfolded his hands.
I took a chair across from his uncluttered desk.
"So what's new with the Cultural Center?"I asked after shaking hands.
"We're winding down because the summer classes have ended,' he said without expression."We're going to have some lunch in the hall. Would you like to join us?"
"Sure.What are you having?"
"The students brought something from home.I'm not sure what it is,"he continued in his monotone.
I could tell I'd have to keep the ball rolling with the conversation.
"I hear that Canelo Alvarez is beginning to break training.He growing fond of tequila,"I said with a chuckle.
My comment seemed to catch Cesar off guard.
"Who said that?"
"Well, I've heard about it in the media in the U.S."
"I haven't heard anything like that here but then I don't follow it that much."
"He's got a fight coming up in September."
"Who's he fighting?"
"Jermell Charlo,"
Cesar looked through me.
"You know I've worked in similar capacities the in U.S.- Chicago and El Paso. I can't make much money here."
I studied him.He was as stale as poorhouse cake.The secretary Mari walked slowly in and said that lunch was ready. She smiled at me and I got up to give her an abrazo. I went back quite a ways with the old gal. When Conrado was still around he'd throw a part for me and Mari would take charge with the cooking. Now ,she just deemed to be going through the motions.
"Well, let's see what they're having,"said Cesar.
We walked into the hall. The kids were sitting around a table. They had carnitas that were on the cold side as were the tortillas. I ate kind of fast.
"Do you want any more?"asked Cesar.
"No thanks.I've got to be going.But I'll drop by next week before I go back.

I left but i didn't go back like I said, There was no use in talking about anything except to listen to Cesar complain about his job.Maybe there was someone else around who wanted to talk about Canelo's rumored drinking but I doubted that. You know,the nose and grindstone thing.



Canelo Alvarez
"

[scartissue]

Welcome back, Rog. Hope the Cervezas hit the spot anyway.

[dagosd2000]

Welcome back, Rog. Hope the Cervezas hit the spot anyway.

Thanks. Haven't had a nip in over 7 years. Between the cervezas,mezcal,and tequila it was really flowing at the party. They kept wanting me to drink so when I took a glass when they weren't looking I gave it to one of my grandkids. Not very macho but I didn't wake up with any hangover.

[dagosd2000]

Typical Mexican dance music.I remember when these guys were starting out around 20 years ago.They came to the school where I was at to perform for free during lunchtime. The gringo male teachers couldn't understand why the girls flipped over these guys.I told them that they were hung like racehorses.

[dagosd2000]

The Lock On The Gate

"You remember Gato ,"I said to my wife as we were in the car.
I was driving to Totolan that was a few miles out away from Jiquilpan proper. It was Monday and on Mondays they have the open markets there that they call "tiangis" where everyone goes to buy things and goes to the church in the plaza to pray to the Virgin Of Guadalupe.
"What about Gato?"asked my wife.
"Well, you see the plaxa de toros over there?That's where Gsto used to fight a long time ago when he was starting out."
My wife didn't say anything.
"They just have bullfights there once in awhile and maybe a music concert,"I said as I drove past.
My wife still didn't say anything. There were a lot of weeds out front of the bullring growing in the parking lot and a big padlock on the rusty gate.
"Gato fought there back in the early 60's."
"I don't remember ,"said my wife finally.
"Gato says he has many friends in Jiquilpan."
My wife dummied up again.
"What are you going to buy in Totolan?"I asked my wife.
"Garbanzos but I'll have to take them back to clean them."
"Didn't you and your sisters used to clean garbanzos when you were on the ranch?"
"All day we cleaned the garbanzos.Then we'd all get on the horse and ride down into Jiquilpan. We'd earn a dollar fifty a day."
AS we neared Totolan I could see all the cars out in front of the road leading into the plaza.I turned of early to find a place to park the car.
"Are you going to go inside?"asked my wife.
"I'll go.I want to buy some gorditas."
"Are you going to go inside the church?"
"No. You go.There's a woman who gives massages outside the church.While you're inside I'll have her work on my back.It's very stiff."
It was very crowded as we walked.Vendors were everywhere inside their stands.I could smell the aromas of the different foods that were cooking in the little stands ,and all the people sitting around on the colorful plastic chairs.My wife went inside the church while the old woman sat me down on the ledge outside and ran her fingers up and down my back.I could smell the chlorophyll ointment that she had smeared on her hands.I waited for my wife to come out of the church.
"How do you feel?"she asked.
"Much better.I can walk better now."
"Now I can buy the garbanzos and you can find the gorditas."
"While we were shopping an tiny old lady with gray hair and wearing an apron and little round earrings and smiling ear to ear walked up to my wife and gave her a big abrazo.l
This is my prima,"said my wife."The daughter of my mother's sister.,Antonianita."The woman smiled at me and gave me a hug and then went to conversing with my wife.They talked for some time and while they talked I went to a stand and bought a horchata that they put in a plastic bag with a straw. I waited for their conversation to finish.
"it seems that everyone in town is some way related to you,"I said half jokingly.
We walked back to the car and I drove back to Jiquilpan. As I passed the plaza de toros again I said to my wife that Gato had fought a against a guy there when he was 14 and the guy he was fighting was 29. Again my wife had nothing to say.


Inside the bullring where Gato Gonzalez used to fight.

[dagosd2000]

Images from the tiangis in Totolan. At the bottom my wife and niece Chucha are enjoying a serving of handmade burritos made with tortillas made from blue colored corn.

[dagosd2000]

The Three Kings And A Princess

Aurora Perez was her name.She used to be one of the secretaries in what the school called The Learning Center on the high school campus.The Learning Center's purpose was to get the kids, who were behind in their credits, to get caught up and graduate on time with the rest of their class.I won't go into the details on how that was supposed to happen only to say that the process ,if obeyed by the kid,was an easy shortcut to walk at the graduating ceremony and get your sheepskin.

Anyway,Aurora Perez was one of the secretaries at the The Learning Center where I was one of the four teachers.There were three of us that worked the day shift and one teacher at night that corralled the kids. Aurora was the day secretary.She was a piece of work.She wore these thick ornate glasses and had her mousy hair bobbed and she carried her head back like she was a princess.Her frame was scrawny and she had nothing that exuded any physical beauty. She thought she knew everything and was always reminding everyone that she was "very intelligent." Elegance was another thing she tried
to project but the more she tried the harder it was to keep from laughing at her.But you couldn't offend her.Her arrogance squelched any attempts.

One morning,I don't know how it came up,but she casually told me that her uncle was Joe Conde. I was standing by her desk and after informing me of her relative I took a chair.
"Joe Conde the fighter?"I asked.
"Yes,he was a fighter but I don't remember that because I wasn't born yet."
"Did he ever talk to you about his career?"
"No. He'd come over to see my father when we lived in Mexico City and he'd be out in the parlor with the men and they'd talk about fighting and I would would be in the kitchen helping my mother with my sisters while they'd be smoking and drinking tequila."
That was about all she knew about her uncle except that he was "very nice" to her and and her sisters and her mother.

Awhile back I posted a video of a celebration of Mexican ex fighters being honored somewhere in Mexico City.The film was black and white and looking at the suits in the crowd it looked like late 50's maybe early 60's.There were around a dozen former fighters and the announcer talked each one up before bringing them to center ring. They all got a good hand. i was waiting to see who would get the final kudos. The last two left were Kid Azteca and Baby Casanova. It was Casanova who received the final bow. The crowd went crazy.

My pal Dan Haley posted afterwards that he was surprised that Baby Casanova was saved for last instead of Kid Azteca.He asked me if I had any ideas. Granted.The Kid was a legend,but I countered that Casanova during the 1930's was involved in the fistic triumvirate of going to war with Juan Zurita and Aurora Perex's uncle ,Joe Conde for the the burg's bragging rights.Besides,Baby Casanova had pinned a couple of losses on Henry Armstrong.Nice to put on the resume.

With that said it must have been a rip roaring time in Mexico's capital back then. The fans never forgot that.Too bad Aurora Perez couldn't fill me in more.But then she was probably more concerned about her manicure.


Juan Zurita

[goose 5]

Batten down the hatches, Roger-I hope the storm by you isn't too bad.

[dagosd2000]

Batten down the hatches, Roger-I hope the storm by you isn't too bad.

I'm glad you commented on that.All I heard in the news for the past two days was that this Hurricane Hilary was going to devastate the coast of Southern California. Today(the 20th) was supposed to be doomsday. Well, at 6 am when I went to the pool in our condo complex for a swim there was a light warm drizzle that has continued off and on for most of the day.Right now as I respond there are low clouds but it's not raining, and the temperature has been warm.It was a half ass tropical rain with very little wind.Hurricane?I can fart and give off more of a blow.

[dagosd2000]

No Cab Driver Chavez

I remember when they inducted Greg Haugen into the last session of the now defunct World Boxing Hall Of Fame.The day before the ceremony I saw him cruising through the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Inglewood.He looked disheveled as hell like he'd been up all night making the rounds to every watering hole in the neighborhood. If you didn't know better you'd thought that he was some stumblebum who had just walked off the street and was looking for someone to sponsor him a shot of hooch..He looked like he had slept in his clothes-an ensemble of a t shirt and a threadbare pair of jeans. He was snorting and talking to himself and everyone got out of his way.After making the circuit he stormed out the front door still pissed off about something chattering away so you could hear him out into the street.I heard someone say they needed to go out and get him a suit of clothes if he was to make an appearance at the podium the next day.

Haugen showed up to get his award and the new suit couldn't hide his pugnaciousness.I don't think he was covering up for nothing. Oh,Haugen was a feisty one for sure. He reminded me of Frankie Crawford, always with the chip on his shoulder,always pissed off about something.

Haugen was the first guy to pin a loss on Hector Camacho,the pretty boy Puerto Rican whose mantra was a one eighty from Haugen's fighter's pan.But the guy really walked into it when he fought Julio Cesar Chavez in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City before over 130 thousand aficianados who got in free. Haugen went in leading with his chin chiding Chavez saying that his record was comprised of wins over Tijuana taxi drivers.But Greg wasn't one for political correctness. He had beaten Camacho and stopped Ray Mancini so he was feeling his oats and ready to put Julio inside the trunk of a cab.

I saw the fight in Tijuana in one of the most tawdry cantinas in the Coahuila. You had to walk down a flight of steps below street level. The place reeked of stale beer and body odor. The jukebox was on full blast.The girls sitting at the tables didn't have the looks to work the swankier joints. They were round shouldered and dumpy looking wearing too much makeup and clothed stuff from bad second hand stores. There was a little TV in the corner of the joint and when the fight started all the men sidled up to the TV and were transfixed. Of course the girls were pissed off.I heard one of them say every time there's a fight the men walk away and won't buy them a drink let alone f--k them.

One time I recall I was watching the fight between Tony Baltazar when he tried his luck against Hector Camacho. Haugen was doing the color during the broadcast. It didn't look like Tony had the eye of the tiger that night.After the gong sounded to end each round he'd pat Camacho on the behind with his glove. Every time he did that Haugen would yell from his seat at Baltazar. That kind of stuff ain't what fighting is all about. Baltazar lost big and that didn't sit well with Haugen.Him and Tony were friends.

Getting back to Haugen's fight with Chavez. He got outslugged Haugen did but he went down fighting.. Maybe after the fight he took a taxi back to where he was staying.Maybe he beat the s--t out of the cabbie.It wouldn't have surprised me.


Julio Cesar Chavez

[dagosd2000]

Greg Haugen

[dagosd2000]

The Gas Bill

Rick Farris has a great story about Frankie Crawford.Rick and Crawford would train together at the Main Street Gym and after an afternoon workout Crawford asked Rick to take him home in his car. Rick obliged and the two went off together with Rick at the wheel. Crawford, who would often get into one of his manic moods, was working himself into a lather as they left the gym.
"I've got to find a gas station and I'm m in a hurry", yelled Crawford.
"Why do you want to go to a gas station?"asked Rick.
"Just do what I tell you,"roared Crawford.
Rick couldn't figure out Crawford's intentions. The car's gas gauge read full but Crawford was getting more and more upset as Rick was turning every corner trying to find a gas station. Finally,a gas station was sighted and Crawford demanded that Rick drive his car onto the property.Rick pulled in and stopped the car.Crawford sat and let out a breath.
"Now I can finally pay my gas bill,"he revealed.
RIck didn't have a clue of what was next in store.He waited for awhile before he started the car again and then proceeded to drive Crawford home.Crawford didn't say another word before the journey finally was over.


Frankie Crawford

[goose 5]

Great story about Crawford, Roger. I remember reading that he pulled a gun on Ken Norton at the Coliseum in San Diego.

[dagosd2000]

Great story about Crawford, Roger. I remember reading that he pulled a gun on Ken Norton at the Coliseum in San Diego.

Wouldn't have surprised me. I saw his first main event at The San Diego Coliseum against a very good fighter named Bobby Valdez who would later KO Gato Gonzalez. Both boys threw caution to the wind,Crawford winning the decision. He was one of those guys who let his personal demons get the best of him.

Someone once said (I think it was Plato)"He who conquers himself has won life's greatest victory." Frankie Crawford never scored in the "win" column in that regard.

[dagosd2000]

The Risk They Take

When a fighter is fighting ten times a year he's in training all year long. When a fighter fights one time a year he's not. That's a generalization but it's true.

When they asked Sugar Ray Robinson how often he trained he looked surprised at being asked such a question.
"Why everyday,""he said with a grin.

But let's drop the money factor for now. Yeah,today a Canelo can fight twice a year because he makes mega bucks for each fight but back in the day even great ones like Sugar Ray Robinson(especially black fighters) had to fight often to keep their bank accounts solvent.But let's skip that. If a fighter wanted to stay fine tuned he has to be in the gym everyday and have fights.I tell the story of Denny Moyer saying that if he missed going to the gym for two weeks he'd be off his feed.Now here's a guy who had over 150 fights and liked to burn the candle at both ends. I'd see him train and fight and burn that candle.I don't know how h did it,especially at the end.

Rocky Marciano was quoted that if a fighter stays away from boxing for let's say three years it's impossible to regroup to his former self and hit the marks like before.For Marciano it was reflexes. Once they're impaired it's never the same. It's not a matter of conditioning. It's a matter of timing.

You probably now want to hit me with George Foreman's comeback.After ten years of walking around in street clothes he carefully navigated his way back to the championship. Mostly fed with ham and eggers yet he lost decisively to Tommy Morrison and Evander Holyfield. Sure,he beat a tiny and tired Dwight Qawi and an equally worn out Bert Cooper, and Gerry Cooney was trying to get back on his feet but George wouldn't jet him up again. There weren't any Ali's or anyone reputable around like when George was at the top of his game. You could say it was a slow walk by the time Foreman KO'd a disinterested Michael Moorer.

No. If a fighter takes his craft seriously he needs to stay sharp and that means plenty of practice and ample fights to keep him honest.

There's that time when Duran beat Leonard and then went out and gained all that weight and when he had to take it off for the rematch it drained him physically and emotionally. A real pro doesn't do that. Once he let go of the rope he never was the same again. Oh,he wasn't a stumblebum but then he had trouble walking again.


George Foreman

[dagosd2000]

Fearless

Jerry Quarry wasn't afraid of no one.George Foreman said that he was glad he didn't fight Quarry when he was in his prime because Jerry had a way of upsetting the apple cart against big punchers. George didn't mention "black" big punchers but if you look at Quarry's record you'll find that guys like Ron Lyle,Mac Foster,and Earnie Shavers came up short with the Irishman.

Now Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali were different.They weren't of the one punch KO ilk. Frazier wore down Jerry in a trade off of swats.Ali used his jab to make a mess of Jerry's face. At the end Ken Norton finished off what was left in Jerry's gas tank. Yeah,maybe George had something there when he made that comment about Quarry. After Foreman hung it up for good he became very honest with his self assessments.He certainly gave Muhammad Ali all the credit in the world and described himself in Zaire as a dope who got roped. For an extra I'd have liked to have seen how Sonny Liston would have fared against Quarry. Jerry never fell for any of that evil eye stuff.

I'll go over it again for the new guys on the forum.It was back in 1968. Jim Healy had a local sports show on the tube in LA where he'd have jocks on and proceed with interviews.One evening he had a duel pair-David "Deacon" Jones and Jerry Quarry . Jones had just finished 2nd in the voting for MVP in the National Football League playing defensive end in that "Fearsome Foursome" for the Rams. Never had a lineman finished that high in the ballot count.Quarry on the other hand had suffered a stoppage at the hands of Joltin' Joe Frazier in a shootout.

Well Jones is basking in the glory of self absorption and how he's so cool and successfull while Jerry is slouched in his chair still licking his wounds. Then The Deacon commits a mortal sin.
"You know Jerry,"says the Deacon leaning over to Quarry."If I wanted to be a fighter I'd be the champ.Anyhting I try I'm successfull at,"he ends with a s--t eating grin. Well Bingo Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am here comes Jerry springing out of his chair and now he's hovering over The Deacon pounding his fists.
"C'mon you son of a bitch!Stand up and I'll show you how tough you think you are!"
Well now The Deacon has definitely caught Quarry's drift and now he's doing the slouching in the chair with a nervous little smile on his face.

Well, Jim Healy is thinking on his feet and cuts to a commercial break. When the ad is over they go back to the studio and The Deacon has vanished. Maybe George Foreman had something there.



Jerry Quarry

[goose 5]

How I wish that clip could be unearthed .

[dagosd2000]

How I wish that clip could be unearthed .

That would be priceless. I've told this before but I'll reiterate. The Rams traded Deacon Jones to the San Chargers in the early 70's. When Muhammad Ali came to town to fight Ken Norton there would always be sellout crowds at the Town And Country Hotel to watch Ali workout in the banquet hall. One afternoon Deacon Jones arrived to watch and was standing in the back He decides he's going to make fun of Ali. He thought he was being funny. Well,Ali stops what he's doing and walks over to the ring ropes.
"Who's that guy ?"asked Ali to the crowd.
"Why that's Deacon Jones,"answered someone.
"Is he a wrestler?"asked Ali.
"No.he plays for the Chargers,"came the reply.
Now Ali is pissed off.,
"Hey sucker here's a pair of boxing gloves.Get in here so I can kick your ass!"shouts Muhammad as he throws the gloves at Jones.
Jones then comes up with a nervous laugh as now everyone is waiting for his next move. His next move was a quick exit out the door.

[goose 5]

Priceless ! Roger, do you remember, by chance, Aaron Pryor being trained by Archie Moore in 1990-1991 at San Diego ? I just read about this and had never known about it.

[dagosd2000]

Priceless ! Roger, do you remember, by chance, Aaron Pryor being trained by Archie Moore in 1990-1991 at San Diego ? I just read about this and had never known about it.

That's new to me.

[dagosd2000]

Boxer's House

Awhile back,maybe 20 years ago,there was a push,just a little shove,to get the city of San Diego along with any interested parties to purchase Archie Moore's old house in Southeast San Diego. I saw a blurb about a movement, if you want to call it that, on the local news channel. Billy Moore,Archie's son was making his plea. He said that the old house was a city treasure that symbolized his father's Hall Of Fame career and that it should be become some sort of historical landmark that people could visit and relive the days when The Mongoose was in his glory of champion of the world.

For starters the house that had once had deed and title under Moore's name was sold by the family long ago.It now belonged to some guy who had transformed the place into a swingers clubhouse. Around ten years ago I was trying to find Moore's old house which I used to be as familiar with as the back of my hand. But with the advent of time my memory of how to get there was dimmed along with the cataracts that had grown over my corneas. I was sniffing around in the neighborhood but I couldn't find my mark. I pulled my car over to ask this guy who was pushing a baby carriage with no baby in it if he knew where Archie Moore's old house was.He was decked out head to to tail in blue wearing dark glasses and his pants sagging with a do rag hanging out his back pocket.
"What the f--k you talking about?"he carped.
"You know.Archie Moore the fighter."
"F--k,I don't know s--t."
I decided to leave brother Crip alone and continue my quest.I saw a mailman up the block.
"Excuse me.,You know where I can find Archie Moore's old house? I know it's somewhere near here."
"You know what it looks like?"
"It's a big red brick job at the end of a cul de sac."
"Oh,you mean the swingers house.Everybody knows where that is.Drive you car to the next block and make a right.You can't miss it."

I drove to the next block and made the turn and there she was in all her past glory so to speak. There was a sign in the window that read "Party Naked Thads" and then a phone number.Well, I got to thinking about Billy Moore wanting to reclaim the place and turn it into a national monument at tax payers expense and what not.I think the people in the neighborhood and the swingers who frequented that old house were in the majority. Besides,Archie Moore was a name that didn't connect anymore.

But I sure would like to know what went in that swimming pool that was shaped like a boxing glove in the back yard during one of Thad's get togethers. I bet there there wasn't any points deducted for clinching.

[dagosd2000]

Just thought I'd throw this in.This is Ted Williams' old house that he lived in when he was a kid. It's located in the North Park area of San Diego.He was a star baseball player at Hoover High School. Later he joined the Boston Red Sox organization and played with the minor league San Diego Padres.He then moved up to the bigs with the parent team.

Williams seldom returned to San Diego even to visit his parents.Even in his hey day he wasn't very popular in San Diego. If Archie Moore ain't gonna have his digs as a testimonial in San Diego neither is Williams.I doubt if many know that Ted Williams lived there or even care if they did know.

I guess you have to be a president to have your house turned into a museum.

[dagosd2000]

Peso Completo

There haven't been many of them and they haven't necessarily set the world on fire but I''ll touch bases on the ones I've laid my eyes on.I'm talking about the Mexican heavyweight. I'll include the Chicano in my list because there hasn't been a truckload of them.

Until Andy Ruiz pulled a fast one on Anthony Joshua the biggest champion of Mexican lineage was Canelo Alvarez who can still call himself the super middleweight champ. If you go though the record books most Mexican title holders barely stood taller than the ropes around the ring.

Here's the group of peso completos I've seen in action.

Manual Ramos was the first one. You could say he was the rare one who didn't sport a gut hiding behind his trunks. He was over 6 foot and possessed enough skills and wins over moderate competition to earn a shot against Joe Frazier for the New York version of the heavyweight title. The fight was held back east in the Garden.I don't think Mexico was holding its breath.Ramos did get a good left in that buckled a knee but Joe was too much perpetual motion for the slow moving Manny. Less than two rounds and it was over.I saw Ramos train in San Diego with Muhammad Ali when The Greatest thought he could live off his name and blow by Kenny Norton.Ramos when he called it quits showed that he lost more than he won.He came along when there were too many top heavies who were too much of a match for him.

I remember another big hombre they called King Kong Diaz.Diaz's real first name was Arturo but just about ever Mexican has a nickname-"King Kong" suited Arturo. He was one of the flabby ones but he had an undefeated run at the start when I saw him fight a black Yank named Chris Davis at the racetrack in TJ.The Mex press was beginning to talk him up but what I saw that night was nothing to write home about.The fight stunk to high heavens,It went the distance of ten with both boys doing nothing much more than holding each other up and slobbering on their sweaty bodies. KIng Kong prevailed but in his next fight he was stopped by the Marcos Geraldo,a middleweight.

Cris Arreola is still at it I guess when he feels up to the task.But once thought of being a legit contender he fights to pick up enough scratch to keep his bank account going.More of a stepping stone than that legit contender he's let himself down not to mention his fans.Another guy who seldom gets in good condition to put up a test for anyone worth mentioning.

Saved Andy Ruiz for last.Here's a guy that was born in Imperial, Ca. that's just a few miles north from sunny Meheeco.When he dropped AJ ,with all those beautiful muscles, on the canvas to win the heavyweight title I was thinking if this Chicano was a Mexican national instead he could have run for president of the republic and made Pancho Villa cook him dinner.

There you have it from what I've witnessed. If only Senora Ruiz could have been across the line in Mexicali visiting her sister when she had her little Andy.Caramba!.


Andy Ruiz

[dagosd2000]

If You're Going To Put It On The Tube Don't Treat Me Like A Rube

I watched the fight last night on ESPN with the undefeated American heavyweight Jared Anderson,against some fellow from the Ukraine named Andril Rudenko.The fight was held in Tulsa,Oklahoma.The announcing crew was the familiar trio of Joe Tessitore,Steve Farhood,and Timothy Bradley.Tessitore commented that Tulsa ,OK. was becoming the "Mecca" of boxing.Well I'll be damned. Rudenko ,who had never fought in the U.S. was I guess lucky to be in Mecca,I mean Tulsa, instead of his usual haunts of Lviv,Brovarl,and Pidhirstl..It's a lot easier to say Mecca,I mean Tulsa,at least coming from me.

After making his entrance showered with the standard pyrotechnics,,there's Rudy standing in his corner waiting for the gong all tattooed up with s look on his face like he's waiting for the firing squad to unload.Standing behind him is some gal holding a Ukranian flag who's trying to keep from laughing at all this.I bet she wasn't even from Ukrania.

With the exception of Bradley (let's face it he's an ex pug and is a lot more down to earth than his booth buddies)Joe and Steve are hyping Anderson as the next savior of the sport who's gong to be the next champ.A can't miss.16 fights,all knockouts.He's the future and hope.And there's Rudy in the corner s--tting in his pants.

The fight was a joke .Anderson played with the guy.I have to hand it though to Rudenko.He led with is face and kept trying to look like he had something. Finally,after running his tank dry he couldn't defend himself any further and the ref called the slaughter off.Yet Joe and Steve are jumping out of their seats all worked up telling the TV world "I told you so."

GIve me a break.I understand that Joe Louis and Ali were fed ,if not Tijuana taxi drivers,Yellow Cab cabbies but why put this stuff on the tube and rant and rave like it's some sort Battle Of The Century? It's an insult to my double digit IQ.