Fighters, fast cars and motorcycles - a bad combination

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 14 Dec 2003, 19:23

Seems to me that the boxing world has more than its share of auto and motorcycle casualties. Of course, the first you think of is Salvador Sanchez (driving a car that was a gift from Don King). Jack Johnson died in a car wreck, though many years after retirement. Also, Argentine greats Carlos Monzon and Victor Galindez died in racing accidents. Middleweight contender James Shuler lost it on his motorcycle. Jr. Bantam champ Gilberto Roman died in a car or cycle wreck. Jr. Middle champ Davey Moore was crushed by his own car.
If I were the manager of a hot fighter, I'd take away his car keys and buy him a bus pass.
Can anybody else think of fighters injured/killed in accidents?
Might as well include Marciano's plane crash.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 14 Dec 2003, 19:43

As you say, literally hundreds of fighters have died in car or motorbike crashes. Young Stribling was one of the first.

Freedom · Post by **Freedom** » 14 Dec 2003, 19:57

Harry Simon has killed about 5 people in two seperate car accidents, guess he wont be fighting Hopkins anytime soon.

Willie Pep survived a plane crash and boxed again.

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 14 Dec 2003, 20:40

A few more come to mind: Esteban DeJesus shot and killed a man in a road rage incident, then died of AIDS in prison. Bantam champ Jeff chandler was stabbed with a broken bottle during a traffic altercation. The wound left a distinctive circular scar on Chandler's shoulder blade. Lightweight champ Lew Jenkins had a number of drunk driving incidents.

Broncano · Post by **Broncano** » 14 Dec 2003, 21:05

Young Stribling died in a motorcycle accident near his native town of Macon, Georgia. I think he was 28 years old at the time.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 15 Dec 2003, 18:47

Great British Lightweight champ of the 30s and 40s Eric Boon had a Motorcycle crash in the early 40s I think and suffered some injuries which he never fully recovered from..... although he continued fighting he was never as good again.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 15 Dec 2003, 20:27

Marcel Cerdan died in an airplane crash - though I'm not sure if he was at the controls or not.

zurdo · Post by **zurdo** » 16 Dec 2003, 00:51

There was Mike Tyson's fenderbender that sent him back to jail for a year...I know that Mikeys had some other vehichular misadventures inclusding Car and Motorcycle wrecks

Jaclem · Post by **Jaclem** » 16 Dec 2003, 02:41

vince foster welter weight...a comet in the fifties (as I recall..could have been late 40s) had made a big impression in new york and then got flattened by charlie fusari...was killed in car wreck while still active.

as already mentioned, lew jenkins had more than few drunken crashes....and was a wild man on the motorcycle too.

zurdo · Post by **zurdo** » 16 Dec 2003, 02:50

Eloncio Mercedes and Clmente Sanchez two former alphabet world champs were both shot dead during traffic altercations ..
So perhaps the topic should read you take Boxers Automobiles and add Guns to the equation and it makes a bad combination much worse

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 16 Dec 2003, 09:57

I think that the heavyweight contender Cleveland Williams was shot by a gung-ho (aren't they all) traffic cop in the mid-sixties and lost a kidney and some of his intestines.... though he came back and resumed his career after a break!.

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 16 Dec 2003, 16:48

I had forgotten about Williams. I never heard the details of the story, but I know he came back and had a title shot vs. Ali.
Speaking of fighters, cars, guns and cops, I'm reminded of Rubin Carter and his whole ordeal. Looking for a black man in a white car, and Hurricane fit the description. Only cost him 22 years of his life.

Palais · Post by **Palais** » 16 Dec 2003, 18:33

Didn't Luther McCarthy had a HORSE accident prior to his fatal loss to Arthur Pelkey?

Palais

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 17 Dec 2003, 00:37

Yes, I think I heard that one. Cripes, even horses ain't safe for pugs.

I recall there were a couple of fighters in the last decade or so who did jail time for their involvement in fatal car crashes. I'm not sure of it and I don't want to slander anyone by typing the wrong name, but I think they were a Jr. middle from CA whose initials were L.A. and a Jr. lighweight whose initials were F. B. Jr. Anyone know what I'm talking about and do I remember correctly?

zurdo · Post by **zurdo** » 17 Dec 2003, 05:15

Yeah you're talking about Lupe Aquino and Tony (the tiger)Baltazar both did Jail time

Another name to add to the list Japan's Masao Ohba reigning WBA flyweight champ killed in a car wreck in 1973

wouter · Post by **wouter** » 17 Dec 2003, 08:18

Cruiserweight Andre Prophet: killed in a motorcycle accident while active
Former champion John Tate died in a car accident I believe
Ken Norton didn't have the best of luck behind the wheel either

knockout artist · Post by **knockout artist** » 17 Dec 2003, 11:05

wouter wrote:Cruiserweight Andre Prophet: killed in a motorcycle accident while active
Former champion John Tate died in a car accident I believe
Ken Norton didn't have the best of luck behind the wheel either

John Mugabi and Roberto Duran had bad car accidents.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 17 Dec 2003, 13:11

Thats true, Duran would probably still be fighting today if it were'nt for the car crash he was involved in.

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 17 Dec 2003, 23:02

And how could I forget hometown cruiserweight Craig Bodzianowski who lost a foot in a motorcycle accident but came back and earned a title shot.

Broncano · Post by **Broncano** » 17 Dec 2003, 23:17

That just remained me of another great champion: Lupe Pintor.

After his epic TKO loss to Wilfredo Gomez he was also involved in a motorcycle accident in Mexico, while still holding the bantamweight title. He underwent surgery and that kept him out of the ring for more than a year. He never regained his title because he came back as a superbantamweight and won that belt he had failed to take from Gomez by beating Juan Kid Meza.
Then on his first defense he lost to a Thai challenger (I forget the name now) and many people still hold that he was never the same after the accident. He also made an entirely forgettable comeback in the mid 90s.

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » 18 Dec 2003, 13:03

Broncano wrote:That just remained me of another great champion: Lupe Pintor.

Isn't Lupe training fighters now? I seem to remember seeing him on a recent Fox SNF show (or maybe it was ESPN FNF, my memory is fuzzy).

Broncano · Post by **Broncano** » 18 Dec 2003, 13:35

Yes, unlike so many other fighters he managed his money well and runs a gym in Mexico City. Here's a recent interview. Its in Spanish, but you can see how Lupe looks today. One great little champion for sure.

http://www.box-latino.com/ElBoxeoMexicanoEsta.htm

crooked nose · Post by **crooked nose** » 18 Dec 2003, 17:03

Yes, Pintor was a tough champion. I saw another recent news piece about him when he was invited to Wales to help dedicate a monument to Johnny Owen.
Too bad Pintor never squared off against Jeff Chandler. Woulda been great. I hear Chandler is doing OK too - still living in Philly and still skinny.

Mr Pickalini · Post by **Mr Pickalini** » 19 Dec 2003, 00:28

zurdo wrote:There was Mike Tyson's fenderbender that sent him back to jail for a year...I know that Mikeys had some other vehichular misadventures inclusding Car and Motorcycle wrecks

Don't forget Mike also injured his "spinal" in a motorcycle accident a few weeks before he knocked out Clifford Etienne.