Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

Frank . . . Any thoughts or memories of Mario Trigo? My first awareness of Trigo came in the mid-60's long after his career was over. Every day that I would visit the Main Street Gym, I'd see a large framed B&W photo (about 2'x3') of Trigo and Art Aragon in battle, hanging over the entrance to Howie Steindler's office.. Likely at the Olympic or Hollywood Legion. Later I'd dig into his record and find a lot of great names, big fights.

Can anybody here fill in the spaces? Anything interesting on Mario Trigo?


-Rick

[kikibalt]

Frank . . . Any thoughts or memories of Mario Trigo? My first awareness of Trigo came in the mid-60's long after his career was over. Every day that I would visit the Main Street Gym, I'd see a large framed B&W photo (about 2'x3') of Trigo and Art Aragon in battle, hanging over the entrance to Howie Steindler's office.. Likely at the Olympic or Hollywood Legion. Later I'd dig into his record and find a lot of great names, big fights.

Can anybody here fill in the spaces? Anything interesting on Mario Trigo?


-Rick

Rick,
I don't know anything personal about Trigo, I did see most of his fights that he had in L.A/Hollywood live, say from about 1950 to 1955, he fought'em all, and more then once...

[kikibalt]

Even if Oscar De La Hoya retires, don't count boxing out

Some fear the expected loss of its meal-ticket superstar could cripple the sport. Don't believe it.
Bill Dwyre

Manny Pacquiao, the new name on top of boxing's marquee, will take a little vacation now. So will his sport.

Pacquiao has a birthday, his 30th, on Dec. 17. He also will enjoy the Christmas and New Year's holidays with family and friends, and, in January, the birth of another child.

Boxing has a few smaller shows rounding out the year, but it will be mostly quiet.

Do not, however, expect Pacquiao's one-sided dispatching of longtime superstar Oscar De La Hoya into almost certain retirement to cripple the sport, as some fear now.

Jim Lampley, who makes a considerable portion of his livelihood as the lead boxing broadcaster on HBO shows, expressed that concern late Saturday night.

"Am I going to read Monday that boxing is dead?" he asked.

Not in this space, Jim.

Boxing is its own wonderful traveling circus. Always will be. Only the names and faces of the clowns change. Its dysfunctional nature is its delight.

Our own Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, the late, great Jim Murray, used to say that only two things could drive him out of sportswriting: the month of February and the demise of boxing.

February's sports doldrums have been taken care of. Among other things, the NFL, seeing a chance to stretch its season and its profits, pushes the Super Bowl into February much of the time now.

Boxing is getting a challenge now from a generation of fans who inexplicably like to watch shoeless people batter each other in cages. But if there is no accounting for taste, there is also no way to pry the sport of boxing from the hearts and minds of those who follow it, especially its flaws and its fun.

If horse racing is the sport of kings, boxing is the sport of kooks.

This is a sport that once saw a man propelled by a giant fan land in the ring during an outdoor heavyweight fight at Caesars Palace. While his corner crew beat on the Fanman with flashlights, a bleeding Riddick Bowe sat on his stool, waiting for somebody to repair the cuts that had been inflicted by Evander Holyfield.

Holyfield was the victim of Mike Tyson's ear-biting several years later, and as Norm Frauenheim of spam.com tells it, a security guard at ringside found a piece of Holyfield's ear, put it in a napkin, hailed a taxi to rush it to the hospital. And lost the piece in the taxi.

The bigger events in boxing bring out the best (worst?) in the sport. Last week, the lead-up to Pacquiao-De La Hoya was the usual wacky world.

Wednesday, a news conference featured De La Hoya, a multimillionaire who owns his own downtown high-rise in Los Angeles and is a more successful businessman than half of the buttoned-down Wilshire district, standing in a sweatsuit and hawking beer and tequila rebates.

At the same function, the man who promoted De La Hoya for much of his Golden Boy career and now promotes Pacquiao attempted to introduce those on the dais with Pacquiao. Bob Arum got to someone he didn't know, a man who was once a high-ranking government official and who had blown the whistle on governmental malfeasance and done much to keep the Philippines on the straight and narrow.

Arum stumbled with a name, then flicked his hand in the direction of the man and introduced him as "Governor Whatever."

The next day, at another press event, Arum called competing promoter Shelly Finkel, with whom he is in a legal dispute, "the worst person in boxing." That, of course, covers a lot of territory. Finkel, sitting nearby, replied that everybody has a right to his opinion.

The next day, some boxing officials were angry because the media, especially photographers, were pressing close for access to heated discussions taking place during an official meeting over how De La Hoya's hands would be taped for the fight. One photographer was even threatened with the loss of his credential. The thing was, they were holding the meeting in the media work room.

Friday's weigh-in attracted a crowd of around 6,000 people, who clearly have no life, to watch two men stand on a scale in their underwear and then pose face to face, pretending to be angry. ESPN, the daily outlet for those who have no life, televised it live.

Comedian George Lopez, wonderful as always, filled time while ESPN dithered. Lopez eventually introduced De La Hoya as a man who had won 10 world titles in six weight classes, "which is two more than Oprah."

In the end, the lasting image is of a huge crowd of people, late Saturday, around a man as it would a huge celebrity as he walked through the MGM Grand. Some sought autographs. Most just wanted to be close to greatness.

Manny Pacquiao? Nope. It was a 48-year-old ex-boxer with Parkinson's, who shakes noticeably, dresses like a guy who runs a boxing gym and may have never run a comb through his hair in his life.

It was Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer and mastermind of Saturday night's victorious moment. It is Freddie Rock Star now.

It was also ironic because, in this sport of fast talkers, con men, pocket-pickers and carnival barkers -- all lovable, to be sure -- boxing had found its hero of the moment in its only honest man. Roach is incapable of lying, incapable of ducking a question, incapable of BSing for a buck.

Boxing is incapable of knowing what to do with such a person.

Not to worry. In a few years, Arum will be introducing him at some function as "Freddie Whatever."

Times staff writers Kevin Baxter and Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.

[email protected]

[Rick Farris]

Frank . . . Any thoughts or memories of Mario Trigo? My first awareness of Trigo came in the mid-60's long after his career was over. Every day that I would visit the Main Street Gym, I'd see a large framed B&W photo (about 2'x3') of Trigo and Art Aragon in battle, hanging over the entrance to Howie Steindler's office.. Likely at the Olympic or Hollywood Legion. Later I'd dig into his record and find a lot of great names, big fights.

Can anybody here fill in the spaces? Anything interesting on Mario Trigo?


-Rick

Rick,
I don't know anything personal about Trigo, I did see most of his fights that he had in L.A/Hollywood live, say from about 1950 to 1955, he fought'em all, and more then once...

He fought Art Aragon six times! Maybe you could post Trigo's record? I know that Mario Trigo fought everywhere, locally and internationally, and a number of times at the Hollywood Legion during Hap Navarro's years with legendary arena. Hap, is there anything that stands out in your mind relating to Mario Trigo?

-Rick

[kikibalt]

Mario Trigo's record

Country Mexico
Global Id 21975
Birthplace Torreon, CI
Division Lightweight
Born 1927-02-08
Stance Southpaw

Career Record © www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1955-03-27 Art Aragon Mexicali, Mexico L KO 4
1954-12-14 Dalfus Brown Ocean Park, USA W PTS 10
1954-11-05 Frank Flannery Melbourne, Australia W PTS 12
1954-10-22 Americo Agostini Brisbane, Australia W PTS 12
1954-10-01 Duilio Loi Melbourne, Australia L PTS 12
1954-09-01 Art Aragon Albuquerque, USA L TKO 5
1954-08-11 Doug Kirby Las Vegas, USA W PTS 10
1954-07-19 Ramon Tiscareno Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1954-06-21 Manny Renteria Los Angeles, USA D PTS 10
1954-03-29 Doug Kirby San Francisco, USA W PTS 10
1954-02-23 Bobby Woods Spokane, USA L UD 10
1954-02-10 Ludwig Lightburn Ciudad Juarez, Mexico L PTS 10
1953-12-01 Ramon Fuentes Los Angeles, USA L TKO 8
1953-10-20 Frankie Fernandez Honolulu, USA D PTS 10
1953-10-13 Santiago Esteban Los Angeles, USA L SD 10
1953-09-29 George Dunn Calgary, Canada L SD 10
1953-09-15 Ramon Tiscareno Los Angeles, USA W MD 10
1953-08-13 Tote Martinez Las Vegas, USA W RTD 7
1953-07-20 Eddie Johnson South Gate, USA W UD 10
1953-02-10 Freddie Herman Sacramento, USA L UD 10
1952-10-28 Johnny Saxton Milwaukee, USA L RTD 3
1952-09-30 Rocky Brisebois Miami Beach, USA W UD 10
1952-09-20 Archie Whitewater Eureka, USA L PTS 10
1952-07-29 Ramon Fuentes Los Angeles, USA L UD 12
1952-07-01 Machete Garcia San Antonio, USA L UD 10
1952-05-06 Johnny Gonsalves Los Angeles, USA L UD 12
1952-04-14 Carlos Chavez Inyokern, USA W PTS 10
1952-04-08 Jesse Flores Los Angeles, USA W KO 9
1952-03-21 Mandy Leal Corpus Christi, USA L UD 10
1952-03-11 Freddie Herman San Antonio, USA W SD 10
1952-01-21 Jimmy Carter Philadelphia, USA L MD 10
1951-12-03 Gil Turner Philadelphia, USA L UD 10
1951-10-30 Leroy Willis Los Angeles, USA W TKO 5
1951-10-08 Billy Graham Milwaukee, USA D PTS 10
1951-09-14 Archie Whitewater Eureka, USA W PTS 10
1951-08-24 Rocky Brisebois Hollywood, USA W TKO 6
1951-08-14 Jimmy Carter Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1951-06-19 Buddy Holderfield San Antonio, USA W UD 10
1951-06-11 Bernard Docusen New Orleans, USA L UD 10
1951-05-08 Art Aragon Los Angeles, USA L TKO 9
1951-04-07 Rudy Cruz Mexico City, Mexico L PTS 10
1951-03-17 Raul Esqueda Campos Mexico City, Mexico W PTS 10
1951-02-20 Rudy Cruz San Antonio, USA W MD 10
1951-01-16 Joey Barnum San Antonio, USA W UD 10
1951-01-12 Ronnie Harper Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1950-12-12 Art Aragon Los Angeles, USA D PTS 10
1950-10-27 Joey Lopes Hollywood, USA W RTD 7
1950-10-17 Carlos Chavez Honolulu, USA W UD 10
1950-08-29 Bernard Docusen Honolulu, USA W SD 10
1950-08-15 Archie Whitewater Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1950-07-18 Philip Kim Honolulu, USA W UD 10
1950-06-20 Luther Rawlings Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1950-05-09 Enrique Bolanos Los Angeles, USA L TKO 7
1950-01-24 Art Aragon Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1949-12-20 Art Aragon Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1949-11-25 Elmer Beltz Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1949-10-26 Archie Whitewater Oakland, USA D PTS 10
1949-09-20 James Botelho Honolulu, USA W PTS 10
1949-09-13 Philip Kim Honolulu, USA L KO 1
1949-08-16 James Perry Honolulu, USA W PTS 8
1949-08-09 Chuck Cureton Honolulu, USA W PTS 10
1949-07-15 Joey Angelo Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1949-06-28 Tony Chavez San Jose, USA D PTS 10
1949-06-10 Zeke Lucero San Francisco, USA W UD 10
1949-05-23 Jimmy Carter Ocean Park, USA L TKO 8
1949-05-13 Bolton Ford San Diego, USA W UD 10
1949-05-03 Bill Eddy San Jose, USA L PTS 10
1949-03-30 John L Davis Oakland, USA L TKO 6
1949-03-15 Nick Diaz San Jose, USA W PTS 10
1949-02-15 Nick Diaz San Jose, USA D PTS 10
1949-01-28 Benny Calla San Francisco, USA D PTS 10
1949-01-17 Joey Barnum Ocean Park, USA L UD 10
1948-12-06 Bernardo Ramirez Ocean Park, USA W SD 10
1948-10-12 Maxie Docusen Los Angeles, USA L TKO 7
1948-08-10 Maxie Docusen Los Angeles, USA L TKO 3
1948-07-27 Eddie Bertolino San Antonio, USA L UD 10
1948-07-16 Del Cockayne Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1948-06-15 Fabela Chavez Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1948-05-04 Bobby Jackson Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1948-04-23 Lauro Salas Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1948-03-10 John L Davis Oakland, USA L UD 10
1948-02-25 Benny Calla Oakland, USA W MD 10
1948-02-06 Nick Diaz Hollywood, USA W TKO 9
1948-01-13 Floyd Shiflett San Antonio, USA W UD 10
1947-12-29 Ralph Lara Ocean Park, USA W TKO 8
1947-11-21 Eddie Hudson Hollywood, USA W PTS 10
1947-10-03 Chuey Figueroa Hollywood, USA W TD 4
1947-09-09 Paulino Montes San Antonio, USA W UD 10
1947-08-29 Billy Gibson Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1947-07-15 Enrique Bolanos Los Angeles, USA L KO 2
1947-06-20 Ralph Lara Hollywood, USA W TKO 6
1947-05-29 Dixie Fleming South Gate, USA NC NC 0
1947-05-16 Bobby Jackson Hollywood, USA W UD 10
1947-01-31 Fabela Chavez Hollywood, USA L MD 10
1947-01-13 Benny Calla San Francisco, USA L MD 10
1946-12-30 Leroy Willis Ocean Park, USA D PTS 10
1946-12-17 Jackie Wilson San Jose, USA W PTS 10
1946-11-26 Ritchie Mendoza San Jose, USA W PTS 10
1946-11-20 Speedy Cabanella Oakland, USA L TKO 1
1946-10-28 Tony Rodriguez San Francisco, USA W TKO 3
1946-10-14 Tony Rodriguez San Francisco, USA W PTS 10
1946-09-24 Buddy Jacklich San Jose, USA W PTS 10
1946-09-10 Fabela Chavez Los Angeles, USA L UD 10
1946-08-20 Dixie Fleming Los Angeles, USA W PTS 6
1946-07-30 Ritchie Mendoza Los Angeles, USA W KO 4
1946-07-23 Romero Lopez San Jose, USA W KO 6
1946-07-16 Angelo Rogers San Jose, USA W PTS 6
1946-07-09 Chico Kiki Gonzalez Los Angeles, USA W KO 2
1946-07-02 Dave Hernandez Los Angeles, USA W KO 1
1946-06-24 Ritchie Mendoza Ocean Park, USA D PTS 4
1946-06-21 Bernardo Ramirez Hollywood, USA L PTS 4
1946-06-17 Al Bradford Ocean Park, USA W PTS 4
1946-06-11 Kenny Hilton Los Angeles, USA W PTS 4
1946-06-04 Bernardo Ramirez Los Angeles, USA L PTS 4
1946-05-29 Bobby Jackson Long Beach, USA L PTS 10
1946-05-22 Sal Sanchez Long Beach, USA W PTS 4
1946-05-17 Bernardo Ramirez Hollywood, USA L PTS 4
1946-04-16 Nick Diaz Los Angeles, USA L PTS 6
1946-04-09 Nick Diaz Los Angeles, USA D PTS 6
1946-03-19 Ramon Alva San Antonio, USA W MD 8
1946-02-12 Ramon Alva San Antonio, USA L PTS 8
1946-02-05 Chick Sanchez San Antonio, USA W KO 3

Record to Date
Won 64 (KOs 14) Lost 46 Drawn 11 Total 122

[Randyman]

I didn't see the fight tonight, but was wondering if it was similar to the first bout between Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera. I remember that Pacquiao was much too quick for Barrera, resulting in a lopsided win.

- Chuck Johnston

Manny never had an easier win than last night. Oscar was a lost ball in high grass. As Frank said, "Fighting is a young man's sport."

-Rick

Rick,

Watching Oscar getting beat up last night, took me back 48 years in time, when L.A.'s first Golden Boy, Art Aragon, fought his last fight against Alvaro Gutierrez, January 21,1960, connie and I were ringside for that fight and saw Aragon take a beating like De La Hoya did last night, Aragon like Oscar lost to one opponent that most fighters that keep fighting too long will eventually meet, no matter what the name of their opponent on that given night might be, you can say that they lost to "Kid Father Time".

Frank, truer words were never said. Father Time, the one opponent that can't be beat, inside the ring or out. He has all our numbers.

Well, you guys know I was really pulling for Oscar. I like the kid. Always have, always will. I remember years ago when his pro career was starting to gear up, maybe after the Rafael Ruelas fight in 1995. Oscar was being interviewed and he stated that his plan was to retire by the time he was thirty. He was going to be smart. He didn't want to end up the way a lot of other guys did. I'm paraphrasing but you get the point. In the end he did what they all do, or at least most of them, he had one fight too many. They want to go out on top but instead they drag themselves down even further. I hope Oscar gets smart again.

Randy

[Rick Farris]

Frank . . . Thanks for posting Trigo's record.

I need your help with this one. During the sixties, Canto Robledo had a trainer working with his boxers at his Crown City Boxing Gym, behind his house in Pasadena. The trainer's name was Eddie Johnson. Johnson worked with me briefly while training my friend & 4x opponent, Frankie Santillian. Eddie really helped me, his work with me paid off. I see that Trigo fought an Eddie Johnson in 1953, in South Gate. Wonder if it's the same guy?

-Rick Farris

[kikibalt]

Speedy Cabanella, you'll fine his name on mario Trigo's record.

[kikibalt]

Buddy Jacklich, another guy that fought Mario Trigo

[kikibalt]

Frank . . . Thanks for posting Trigo's record.

I need your help with this one. During the sixties, Canto Robledo had a trainer working with his boxers at his Crown City Boxing Gym, behind his house in Pasadena. The trainer's name was Eddie Johnson. Johnson worked with me briefly while training my friend & 4x opponent, Frankie Santillian. Eddie really helped me, his work with me paid off. I see that Trigo fought an Eddie Johnson in 1953, in South Gate. Wonder if it's the same guy?

-Rick Farris

Rick, I can't say for sure, if he is the same Eddie Johnson or not, I knew Eddie, met him around 1964, but he never told me he had been a fighter.

[Randyman]

Speedy Cabanella, you'll fine his name on mario Trigo's record.

I looked up his record. He lost 17 of his 33 fights. I was beginning to think all the Filipinos were unbeatable.

Randy

[Randyman]

Rick and Rog, I posted an article from each of you on my website. Good stuff!

Randy

[dagosd2000]

Rick and Rog, I posted an article from each of you on my website. Good stuff!

Randy

Thanks Randy

[Randyman]

A Michael Landon memory . . .

On the NBC-TV series' "Little House on the Praire" and "Highway to Heaven", Michael Landon's co-star was veteran actor/director, Victor French. Vic played the bearded Mr. Edwards on "Little House" and Mark Gordon on "Hwy2Hvn". He was also a major boxing fan, and was helping the Goossen family's "Ten Goose Boxing Club" financially and professionally, bringing in popular film & TV personalities to sit at the "Celebrity Table. Vic made possible the comeback of Frankie Duarte, and the Goossen's aquiring '84 Olympic Trial finalist Michael Nunn. Victor and I were very close friends. He died of cancer at 54, in 1989. Michael Landon would die of cancer exactly two years later.

The fights are about to start, so I'll sign off for now. More on Michael Landon, Victor French and their boxing histories later.

-Rick

Rick, again thanks for sharing this about Victor French. I really enjoy reading about the actors that I grew up watching on TV years ago. French was a great actor in his own right or maybe he was just a guy that let his affable, likable personality come through in his television characters. Either way, I really liked him.

His character Mr. Edwards has always reminded me of one of the best friends I have ever had in my life, Steve Wallace. To a T he was Edwards. Guys like that really exist. My kids loved him. He had a heart attack and died in 2000. My world has been a little lonelier ever since.

Randy

[Randyman]

Rick and Rog, I posted an article from each of you on my website. Good stuff!

Randy

Thanks Randy

No, Rog, thank you!! I consider it a privilege to be able to post anything from you guys. I feel privileged just to be on this board with you guys. I'm learning from the best.

Randy

[dagosd2000]

We've got a situation here that reminds me of when Jimmy McLarnin had the onus on the Jewish fighters until he met Barney Ross. With the exception of the first fight with Morales,Manny has pretty much had his way with the Mexican fighters. I figure when Margarito gets finished with Shane,the fight of the year would be Manny against Tony. I bet it will come off. Only thing is Oscar will put it together. That guy just won't go away. But I can live with that as long as he doesn't fight the winner.

[Randyman]

We've got a situation here that reminds me of when Jimmy McLarnin had the onus on the Jewish fighters until he met Barney Ross. With the exception of the first fight with Morales,Manny has pretty much had his way with the Mexican fighters. I figure when Margarito gets finished with Shane,the fight of the year would be Manny against Tony. I bet it will come off. Only thing is Oscar will put it together. That guy just won't go away. But I can live with that as long as he doesn't fight the winner.

I was talking to a couple of guys las tnight. The names Hatton and Mayweather Jr (remember him?) came up. I said I was 100% convinced that Pacquiao beats both, and as easy as he beats Oscar. I added that not only does he beat both, he beat Cotto too if they fought. I finished by saying if he fought Margarito he has a chance. Right now I would believe anything about the guy.

Randy

[Rick Farris]

A Michael Landon memory . . .

On the NBC-TV series' "Little House on the Praire" and "Highway to Heaven", Michael Landon's co-star was veteran actor/director, Victor French. Vic played the bearded Mr. Edwards on "Little House" and Mark Gordon on "Hwy2Hvn". He was also a major boxing fan, and was helping the Goossen family's "Ten Goose Boxing Club" financially and professionally, bringing in popular film & TV personalities to sit at the "Celebrity Table. Vic made possible the comeback of Frankie Duarte, and the Goossen's aquiring '84 Olympic Trial finalist Michael Nunn. Victor and I were very close friends. He died of cancer at 54, in 1989. Michael Landon would die of cancer exactly two years later.

The fights are about to start, so I'll sign off for now. More on Michael Landon, Victor French and their boxing histories later.

-Rick

Rick, again thanks for sharing this about Victor French. I really enjoy reading about the actors that I grew up watching on TV years ago. French was a great actor in his own right or maybe he was just a guy that let his affable, likable personality come through in his television characters. Either way, I really liked him.

His character Mr. Edwards has always reminded me of one of the best friends I have ever had in my life, Steve Wallace. To a T he was Edwards. Guys like that really exist. My kids loved him. He had a heart attack and died in 2000. My world has been a little lonelier ever since.

Randy

I'll dig up some pics from Highway To Heaven and have them posted. Vic was a lot of fun. I'll post more later about he and Michael Landon. Years of stories, a few that relate to boxing with Vic. I ran into Melissa Gilbert last year, "Half Pint" from Little House, and we always speak of Landon. Michael Landon Jr. was in his 20's when we did Highway. He worked on the set as a camera assitant twenty years ago and today is a director in his own right, directing movies for the "Hallmark Channel".
Working with kids on the Little House set was great. Kids could only work six hours and often when we'd shoot at our "Walnut Grove" set, which was located in the hills above Simi Valley at Big Sky Movie Ranch. We'd show up for work at 7am and by noon, Mike had completed the days work to get the kids done, so we'd all go home.

More later.

-Rick

[Rick Farris]

We've got a situation here that reminds me of when Jimmy McLarnin had the onus on the Jewish fighters until he met Barney Ross. With the exception of the first fight with Morales,Manny has pretty much had his way with the Mexican fighters. I figure when Margarito gets finished with Shane,the fight of the year would be Manny against Tony. I bet it will come off. Only thing is Oscar will put it together. That guy just won't go away. But I can live with that as long as he doesn't fight the winner.

I was talking to a couple of guys las tnight. The names Hatton and Mayweather Jr (remember him?) came up. I said I was 100% convinced that Pacquiao beats both, and as easy as he beats Oscar. I added that not only does he beat both, he beat Cotto too if they fought. I finished by saying if he fought Margarito he has a chance. Right now I would believe anything about the guy.

Randy

I feel the same, Randy. Match him with Hatton next at 140lbs. I bet Manny busts him up worse than Mayweather did. Then, one final bout and kiss boxing good bye before he ends up like Oscar did last night. Two big money fights, then run for office in Manila. As much as I respect Manny Pac, I think a Margarito match would be a mistake.

Manny turns thirty next week. Take the money and run!

-Rick

[Randyman]

We've got a situation here that reminds me of when Jimmy McLarnin had the onus on the Jewish fighters until he met Barney Ross. With the exception of the first fight with Morales,Manny has pretty much had his way with the Mexican fighters. I figure when Margarito gets finished with Shane,the fight of the year would be Manny against Tony. I bet it will come off. Only thing is Oscar will put it together. That guy just won't go away. But I can live with that as long as he doesn't fight the winner.

I was talking to a couple of guys las tnight. The names Hatton and Mayweather Jr (remember him?) came up. I said I was 100% convinced that Pacquiao beats both, and as easy as he beats Oscar. I added that not only does he beat both, he beat Cotto too if they fought. I finished by saying if he fought Margarito he has a chance. Right now I would believe anything about the guy.

Randy

I feel the same, Randy. Match him with Hatton next at 140lbs. I bet Manny busts him up worse than Mayweather did. Then, one final bout and kiss boxing good bye before he ends up like Oscar did last night. Two big money fights, then run for office in Manila.

Manny turns thirty next week. Take the money and run!

-Rick

Rick, I don't know for sure but Manny strikes me as a guy that knows when to retire but then going back a few years, that's what I thought about Oscar.

I was there the night Oscar beat Chavez in their first fight, it was the same situation, a young strong fighter facing an older fighter, maybe up to that point still a force but clearly not what he was. Chavez became an old man that night. In the second fight Chavez was unable to come out for the fifth round. Oscar was overjoyed, as he should have been, nothing wrong with that. It's the nature of the business.

Fast forward 12 years, Oscar unable to come out for the 9th round, Pacquiao overjoyed, as he should be. It's a tough, cruel, and for the most part, an unforgiving business. Somewhere out there right now is a young fighter. Maybe he's Mexican, maybe he's Italian, Irish, Jewish or black, it doesn't matter, he's out there, skipping rope, hitting the bag, listening to his trainer. Maybe he has already had a few fights, maybe his star is just beginning to shine. Right now he has no clue he's the chosen one. He couldn't possibly. He'll be gunning for Pacquiao someday soon. it's inevitable. It's inescapable. Pacquiao's only chance is to retire at the right time. Otherwise...... Well you know the story. we've seen it enough times.

Randy

[bennie]

Even if Oscar De La Hoya retires, don't count boxing out

Some fear the expected loss of its meal-ticket superstar could cripple the sport. Don't believe it.
Bill Dwyre

Manny Pacquiao, the new name on top of boxing's marquee, will take a little vacation now. So will his sport.

Pacquiao has a birthday, his 30th, on Dec. 17. He also will enjoy the Christmas and New Year's holidays with family and friends, and, in January, the birth of another child.

Boxing has a few smaller shows rounding out the year, but it will be mostly quiet.

Do not, however, expect Pacquiao's one-sided dispatching of longtime superstar Oscar De La Hoya into almost certain retirement to cripple the sport, as some fear now.

Jim Lampley, who makes a considerable portion of his livelihood as the lead boxing broadcaster on HBO shows, expressed that concern late Saturday night.

"Am I going to read Monday that boxing is dead?" he asked.

Not in this space, Jim.

Boxing is its own wonderful traveling circus. Always will be. Only the names and faces of the clowns change. Its dysfunctional nature is its delight.

Our own Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, the late, great Jim Murray, used to say that only two things could drive him out of sportswriting: the month of February and the demise of boxing.

February's sports doldrums have been taken care of. Among other things, the NFL, seeing a chance to stretch its season and its profits, pushes the Super Bowl into February much of the time now.

Boxing is getting a challenge now from a generation of fans who inexplicably like to watch shoeless people batter each other in cages. But if there is no accounting for taste, there is also no way to pry the sport of boxing from the hearts and minds of those who follow it, especially its flaws and its fun.

If horse racing is the sport of kings, boxing is the sport of kooks.

This is a sport that once saw a man propelled by a giant fan land in the ring during an outdoor heavyweight fight at Caesars Palace. While his corner crew beat on the Fanman with flashlights, a bleeding Riddick Bowe sat on his stool, waiting for somebody to repair the cuts that had been inflicted by Evander Holyfield.

Holyfield was the victim of Mike Tyson's ear-biting several years later, and as Norm Frauenheim of spam.com tells it, a security guard at ringside found a piece of Holyfield's ear, put it in a napkin, hailed a taxi to rush it to the hospital. And lost the piece in the taxi.

The bigger events in boxing bring out the best (worst?) in the sport. Last week, the lead-up to Pacquiao-De La Hoya was the usual wacky world.

Wednesday, a news conference featured De La Hoya, a multimillionaire who owns his own downtown high-rise in Los Angeles and is a more successful businessman than half of the buttoned-down Wilshire district, standing in a sweatsuit and hawking beer and tequila rebates.

At the same function, the man who promoted De La Hoya for much of his Golden Boy career and now promotes Pacquiao attempted to introduce those on the dais with Pacquiao. Bob Arum got to someone he didn't know, a man who was once a high-ranking government official and who had blown the whistle on governmental malfeasance and done much to keep the Philippines on the straight and narrow.

Arum stumbled with a name, then flicked his hand in the direction of the man and introduced him as "Governor Whatever."

The next day, at another press event, Arum called competing promoter Shelly Finkel, with whom he is in a legal dispute, "the worst person in boxing." That, of course, covers a lot of territory. Finkel, sitting nearby, replied that everybody has a right to his opinion.

The next day, some boxing officials were angry because the media, especially photographers, were pressing close for access to heated discussions taking place during an official meeting over how De La Hoya's hands would be taped for the fight. One photographer was even threatened with the loss of his credential. The thing was, they were holding the meeting in the media work room.

Friday's weigh-in attracted a crowd of around 6,000 people, who clearly have no life, to watch two men stand on a scale in their underwear and then pose face to face, pretending to be angry. ESPN, the daily outlet for those who have no life, televised it live.

Comedian George Lopez, wonderful as always, filled time while ESPN dithered. Lopez eventually introduced De La Hoya as a man who had won 10 world titles in six weight classes, "which is two more than Oprah."

In the end, the lasting image is of a huge crowd of people, late Saturday, around a man as it would a huge celebrity as he walked through the MGM Grand. Some sought autographs. Most just wanted to be close to greatness.

Manny Pacquiao? Nope. It was a 48-year-old ex-boxer with Parkinson's, who shakes noticeably, dresses like a guy who runs a boxing gym and may have never run a comb through his hair in his life.

It was Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer and mastermind of Saturday night's victorious moment. It is Freddie Rock Star now.

It was also ironic because, in this sport of fast talkers, con men, pocket-pickers and carnival barkers -- all lovable, to be sure -- boxing had found its hero of the moment in its only honest man. Roach is incapable of lying, incapable of ducking a question, incapable of BSing for a buck.

Boxing is incapable of knowing what to do with such a person.

Not to worry. In a few years, Arum will be introducing him at some function as "Freddie Whatever."

Times staff writers Kevin Baxter and Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.

[email protected]

When Tyson lost to Danny Williams in the summer of 2004 in Louisville, Shelly Finkel claimed that Tyson had injured his knee in the fight and, to embellish the excuse, had Tyson pushed to his plane the next day at Louisville aiport in a wheelchair.
Tyson failed to live up to his part. You can see him in the wheelchair trying not to burst out laughing.

[kikibalt]

"Keeny Teran"

By Diego

[Rick Farris]

Even if Oscar De La Hoya retires, don't count boxing out

Some fear the expected loss of its meal-ticket superstar could cripple the sport. Don't believe it.
Bill Dwyre

Manny Pacquiao, the new name on top of boxing's marquee, will take a little vacation now. So will his sport.

Pacquiao has a birthday, his 30th, on Dec. 17. He also will enjoy the Christmas and New Year's holidays with family and friends, and, in January, the birth of another child.

Boxing has a few smaller shows rounding out the year, but it will be mostly quiet.

Do not, however, expect Pacquiao's one-sided dispatching of longtime superstar Oscar De La Hoya into almost certain retirement to cripple the sport, as some fear now.

Jim Lampley, who makes a considerable portion of his livelihood as the lead boxing broadcaster on HBO shows, expressed that concern late Saturday night.

"Am I going to read Monday that boxing is dead?" he asked.

Not in this space, Jim.

Boxing is its own wonderful traveling circus. Always will be. Only the names and faces of the clowns change. Its dysfunctional nature is its delight.

Our own Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, the late, great Jim Murray, used to say that only two things could drive him out of sportswriting: the month of February and the demise of boxing.

February's sports doldrums have been taken care of. Among other things, the NFL, seeing a chance to stretch its season and its profits, pushes the Super Bowl into February much of the time now.

Boxing is getting a challenge now from a generation of fans who inexplicably like to watch shoeless people batter each other in cages. But if there is no accounting for taste, there is also no way to pry the sport of boxing from the hearts and minds of those who follow it, especially its flaws and its fun.

If horse racing is the sport of kings, boxing is the sport of kooks.

This is a sport that once saw a man propelled by a giant fan land in the ring during an outdoor heavyweight fight at Caesars Palace. While his corner crew beat on the Fanman with flashlights, a bleeding Riddick Bowe sat on his stool, waiting for somebody to repair the cuts that had been inflicted by Evander Holyfield.

Holyfield was the victim of Mike Tyson's ear-biting several years later, and as Norm Frauenheim of spam.com tells it, a security guard at ringside found a piece of Holyfield's ear, put it in a napkin, hailed a taxi to rush it to the hospital. And lost the piece in the taxi.

The bigger events in boxing bring out the best (worst?) in the sport. Last week, the lead-up to Pacquiao-De La Hoya was the usual wacky world.

Wednesday, a news conference featured De La Hoya, a multimillionaire who owns his own downtown high-rise in Los Angeles and is a more successful businessman than half of the buttoned-down Wilshire district, standing in a sweatsuit and hawking beer and tequila rebates.

At the same function, the man who promoted De La Hoya for much of his Golden Boy career and now promotes Pacquiao attempted to introduce those on the dais with Pacquiao. Bob Arum got to someone he didn't know, a man who was once a high-ranking government official and who had blown the whistle on governmental malfeasance and done much to keep the Philippines on the straight and narrow.

Arum stumbled with a name, then flicked his hand in the direction of the man and introduced him as "Governor Whatever."

The next day, at another press event, Arum called competing promoter Shelly Finkel, with whom he is in a legal dispute, "the worst person in boxing." That, of course, covers a lot of territory. Finkel, sitting nearby, replied that everybody has a right to his opinion.

The next day, some boxing officials were angry because the media, especially photographers, were pressing close for access to heated discussions taking place during an official meeting over how De La Hoya's hands would be taped for the fight. One photographer was even threatened with the loss of his credential. The thing was, they were holding the meeting in the media work room.

Friday's weigh-in attracted a crowd of around 6,000 people, who clearly have no life, to watch two men stand on a scale in their underwear and then pose face to face, pretending to be angry. ESPN, the daily outlet for those who have no life, televised it live.

Comedian George Lopez, wonderful as always, filled time while ESPN dithered. Lopez eventually introduced De La Hoya as a man who had won 10 world titles in six weight classes, "which is two more than Oprah."

In the end, the lasting image is of a huge crowd of people, late Saturday, around a man as it would a huge celebrity as he walked through the MGM Grand. Some sought autographs. Most just wanted to be close to greatness.

Manny Pacquiao? Nope. It was a 48-year-old ex-boxer with Parkinson's, who shakes noticeably, dresses like a guy who runs a boxing gym and may have never run a comb through his hair in his life.

It was Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer and mastermind of Saturday night's victorious moment. It is Freddie Rock Star now.

It was also ironic because, in this sport of fast talkers, con men, pocket-pickers and carnival barkers -- all lovable, to be sure -- boxing had found its hero of the moment in its only honest man. Roach is incapable of lying, incapable of ducking a question, incapable of BSing for a buck.

Boxing is incapable of knowing what to do with such a person.

Not to worry. In a few years, Arum will be introducing him at some function as "Freddie Whatever."

Times staff writers Kevin Baxter and Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.

[email protected]

When Tyson lost to Danny Williams in the summer of 2004 in Louisville, Shelly Finkel claimed that Tyson had injured his knee in the fight and, to embellish the excuse, had Tyson pushed to his plane the next day at Louisville aiport in a wheelchair.
Tyson failed to live up to his part. You can see him in the wheelchair trying not to burst out laughing.

I remember that!

[Rick Farris]

Even if Oscar De La Hoya retires, don't count boxing out

Some fear the expected loss of its meal-ticket superstar could cripple the sport. Don't believe it.
Bill Dwyre

Manny Pacquiao, the new name on top of boxing's marquee, will take a little vacation now. So will his sport.

Pacquiao has a birthday, his 30th, on Dec. 17. He also will enjoy the Christmas and New Year's holidays with family and friends, and, in January, the birth of another child.

Boxing has a few smaller shows rounding out the year, but it will be mostly quiet.

Do not, however, expect Pacquiao's one-sided dispatching of longtime superstar Oscar De La Hoya into almost certain retirement to cripple the sport, as some fear now.

Jim Lampley, who makes a considerable portion of his livelihood as the lead boxing broadcaster on HBO shows, expressed that concern late Saturday night.

"Am I going to read Monday that boxing is dead?" he asked.

Not in this space, Jim.

Boxing is its own wonderful traveling circus. Always will be. Only the names and faces of the clowns change. Its dysfunctional nature is its delight.

Our own Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, the late, great Jim Murray, used to say that only two things could drive him out of sportswriting: the month of February and the demise of boxing.

February's sports doldrums have been taken care of. Among other things, the NFL, seeing a chance to stretch its season and its profits, pushes the Super Bowl into February much of the time now.

Boxing is getting a challenge now from a generation of fans who inexplicably like to watch shoeless people batter each other in cages. But if there is no accounting for taste, there is also no way to pry the sport of boxing from the hearts and minds of those who follow it, especially its flaws and its fun.

If horse racing is the sport of kings, boxing is the sport of kooks.

This is a sport that once saw a man propelled by a giant fan land in the ring during an outdoor heavyweight fight at Caesars Palace. While his corner crew beat on the Fanman with flashlights, a bleeding Riddick Bowe sat on his stool, waiting for somebody to repair the cuts that had been inflicted by Evander Holyfield.

Holyfield was the victim of Mike Tyson's ear-biting several years later, and as Norm Frauenheim of spam.com tells it, a security guard at ringside found a piece of Holyfield's ear, put it in a napkin, hailed a taxi to rush it to the hospital. And lost the piece in the taxi.

The bigger events in boxing bring out the best (worst?) in the sport. Last week, the lead-up to Pacquiao-De La Hoya was the usual wacky world.

Wednesday, a news conference featured De La Hoya, a multimillionaire who owns his own downtown high-rise in Los Angeles and is a more successful businessman than half of the buttoned-down Wilshire district, standing in a sweatsuit and hawking beer and tequila rebates.

At the same function, the man who promoted De La Hoya for much of his Golden Boy career and now promotes Pacquiao attempted to introduce those on the dais with Pacquiao. Bob Arum got to someone he didn't know, a man who was once a high-ranking government official and who had blown the whistle on governmental malfeasance and done much to keep the Philippines on the straight and narrow.

Arum stumbled with a name, then flicked his hand in the direction of the man and introduced him as "Governor Whatever."

The next day, at another press event, Arum called competing promoter Shelly Finkel, with whom he is in a legal dispute, "the worst person in boxing." That, of course, covers a lot of territory. Finkel, sitting nearby, replied that everybody has a right to his opinion.

The next day, some boxing officials were angry because the media, especially photographers, were pressing close for access to heated discussions taking place during an official meeting over how De La Hoya's hands would be taped for the fight. One photographer was even threatened with the loss of his credential. The thing was, they were holding the meeting in the media work room.

Friday's weigh-in attracted a crowd of around 6,000 people, who clearly have no life, to watch two men stand on a scale in their underwear and then pose face to face, pretending to be angry. ESPN, the daily outlet for those who have no life, televised it live.

Comedian George Lopez, wonderful as always, filled time while ESPN dithered. Lopez eventually introduced De La Hoya as a man who had won 10 world titles in six weight classes, "which is two more than Oprah."

In the end, the lasting image is of a huge crowd of people, late Saturday, around a man as it would a huge celebrity as he walked through the MGM Grand. Some sought autographs. Most just wanted to be close to greatness.

Manny Pacquiao? Nope. It was a 48-year-old ex-boxer with Parkinson's, who shakes noticeably, dresses like a guy who runs a boxing gym and may have never run a comb through his hair in his life.

It was Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer and mastermind of Saturday night's victorious moment. It is Freddie Rock Star now.

It was also ironic because, in this sport of fast talkers, con men, pocket-pickers and carnival barkers -- all lovable, to be sure -- boxing had found its hero of the moment in its only honest man. Roach is incapable of lying, incapable of ducking a question, incapable of BSing for a buck.

Boxing is incapable of knowing what to do with such a person.

Not to worry. In a few years, Arum will be introducing him at some function as "Freddie Whatever."

Times staff writers Kevin Baxter and Lance Pugmire contributed to this report.

[email protected]

When Tyson lost to Danny Williams in the summer of 2004 in Louisville, Shelly Finkel claimed that Tyson had injured his knee in the fight and, to embellish the excuse, had Tyson pushed to his plane the next day at Louisville aiport in a wheelchair.
Tyson failed to live up to his part. You can see him in the wheelchair trying not to burst out laughing.

I remember that!

When I read about Tyson biting off Holyfield's ear I have no sympathy for Evander, considering the way he slammed his head into Tyson's face, I wish Mike would have trimmed his other ear, as well . I'm obviously not a fan or Evander Holyfield.

-Rick

[kikibalt]

Manny Pacquiao's win is sweet, bittersweet for Freddie Roach


Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
Says Manny Pacquiao of his trainer, Freddie Roach: "Everything Freddie told me would happen, it happened. I hurt [De La Hoya]. I don't think he could've stood another round."
The trainer basks in the convincing victory that probably ended Oscar De La Hoya's storied boxing career, but also feels badly for the vanquished Golden Boy and the end of an era.

By Lance Pugmire
Reporting from Las Vegas -- Freddie Roach basked in a celebration that was sweet for so many reasons.

His prize student had just won the most important fight of his career, he had just orchestrated a master strategy that dominated a clearly shot but proud former champion, and he had just stuck it to his old boss.

"This is the biggest win of my life," Roach said late Saturday night after his fighter, Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines, spent eight rounds treating former 10-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya like a punching bag until his corner threw in the towel before the ninth round started.

"Everyone said we couldn't do it, and I wondered about it at night. I couldn't sleep the last four nights, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew we had the edge."

He was right, and with a rapid-punching, constantly moving attack that overwhelmed the 35-year-old De La Hoya, 2-to-1 underdogs Pacquiao and Roach likely ended the career of the most successful pay-per-view draw in boxing history.

"Everything Freddie told me would happen, it happened," Pacquiao said. "I hurt him bad. I don't think he could've stood another round."

The victory fully redeemed Roach, whom De La Hoya unceremoniously fired without a phone call after losing a split decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007. Roach felt scorned, of course, and lashed out by saying De La Hoya could no longer "pull the trigger" and assessing that the Golden Boy used a trainer only to retrieve him "a sip of water" between rounds.

"Some of this is a get-back at him, and I'm happy about that," Roach said.

But with the news that the beaten-up De La Hoya required a precautionary post-fight trip to the hospital, there was a bittersweet feel to the celebration.

Roach himself struggles with pugilistic Parkinson's disease, causing tremors and other neurological symptoms. He fought too long and admits, "Deep down, you know you're going through the motions. This is the hurt business. You stay around too long, you get hurt."

He doesn't want De La Hoya to make the same mistake.

Roach himself probably became the first to know Saturday's fight was De La Hoya's last when the defeated fighter told his ex-cornerman, "Freddie, you're right, I don't have it anymore."

De La Hoya told someone else in the ring, "My body seemed to just not be able to respond and I didn't have the strength to stop him when he was coming on."

Asked point blank whether he would retire, he answered, "Well, obviously, we'll see what happens., but tonight wasn't a good night."

Roach recalled losing five of the last six of his 52 career bouts, and admitted that, unlike De La Hoya, he had nothing but boxing to fall back on. "I'm not an educated person, but I do know boxing," he said.

What he saw from his former fighter was stark.

"He had no legs, he was hesitant, he was shot," Roach said. "Oscar's a great champion. He's had a great career, but I'd like to see him retire because it's over."

De La Hoya's former longtime matchmaker Bruce Trampler, who helped Roach advise Pacquiao, echoed those thoughts in an e-mail to The Times early Sunday morning: "I'm speechless. What a brutal beat-down. . . . All in all, an almost surreal night and certainly the end of an era in boxing."

And a fuller appreciation of the Pacquiao era. The boxer said he was pleased to have "put my name into the history books of boxing" with the victory that likely stands as De La Hoya's final fight.

"I'm really happy for my guy, but I do have compassion and feel sorry for Oscar," Roach said. "He did get embarrassed. I hope he has enough friends to keep him from fighting again. Some might say he can't go out like that. Yes, he can. If he doesn't go out like that, he may go out very hurt."

As the man proved again Saturday night, he knows boxing.

Pugmire is a Times staff writer.