Classic American West Coast Boxing

[raylawpc]

My father died of prostate cancer. It's a hell of a way to go. He really suffered. The thing is, he never complained. One day though, my brother Dennis and I went to see him at the hospital, and when we got to the room my father was quietly crying. Apparently something went wrong, it's been so long I can't remember exactly what, but the doctors shoved a tube straight into his kidneys, with no anesthesia. It had to be painful. It was the only time during his illness that I saw him break. He felt ashamed for his sons seeing him that way. I let him know that he earned the right. It was tough.



This is how I remember him in my minds eye.

Randy’s memories of his Dad reminded me of my Mom. May I share about something about her with you?

In 1967, my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a radical mastectomy of her left breast – meaning, they removed not only her breast, but a good part of the underlying muscle and most of the surrounding lymph nodes. In addition, the doctors subjected her to radiation therapy, which was then in its infancy as a form of cancer treatment.

In the years following her mastectomy, she suffered two relapses of cancer, and underwent chemotherapy to put it in remission. In fact, Mom was on a continuous modified version of chemo the last ten years or so of her life to prevent yet another recurrence of the disease (it worked).

If the cancer wasn't bad enough, she suffered nerve damage as a result of the mastectomy, which led to increasingly severe pain in her left arm. By 1974, the only option, according to the doctors said, was to clip a nerve in her neck so that she would no longer experience pain in the arm. The surgery would render her arm completely numb from the shoulder down. Or so they hoped. On the operating table, however, the surgical assistants failed to properly secure Mom’s head into the device intended to hold her neck perfectly still. As the surgeon began cutting the intended nerve in her neck, Mom’s head slipped and he cut the wrong nerves. As a result, Mom still had the arm pain, but lost all muscular control over her arm, and all feeling in her left leg. So, she was left with a completely useless arm and without any relief from her pain or sensation in her left leg.

If that wasn’t enough, the radiation therapy rendered her left shoulder bones and left upper ribs as easy to break as chalk. Little accidents like bumping her left shoulder in the door frame would result in a fracture of the collarbone.

Like Randy’s Dad, I never heard my Mom complain and I never saw her cry. After the arm surgery, somebody suggested Mom sue the neurosurgeon for malpractice. Her reply: “For Heaven’s sake, why would I do that? It wasn’t his fault my head slipped in that brace. He didn’t do it on purpose. How is suing him going to make my arm any better?” I remember one time watching her struggle with some simple household task, and voicing my frustration about the loss of function with her left arm. Her response? “It could have been worse. At least I’m not left handed. I can still write letters and do a lot of things.”

And indeed she could. A stickler for cleanliness, my Mom still vacuumed, dusted and cleaned her house every single day, cooked every meal we ate, and did the laundry twice a week (including ironing – try doing that with one hand). On top of that, after two bouts of cancer, she felt like she needed something to take her mind off her problems, so she became a substitute high school teacher. After I got involved in boxing, she started coming to the fights and really fell in love with the sport. In 1975, she became the first licensed female boxing judge in Oklahoma.

I recall one time at a boxing card, Pat O’Grady commented to me that my Mom looked like she wasn’t feeling very well. “Well, Pat, yesterday Mom broke her collarbone getting out of the car.” “What the hell is she doing here then?” “You had her down to judge some of the fights tonight, and she didn’t want to let you down,” I replied. I remember Pat shaking his head, and saying, “Compared to your Mom, all these fighters are just pussies.” I know my Mom’s determination and toughness commanded the attention and respect of all the boxing guys in Oklahoma City. Everybody was on a first name basis in our crew – even our ringside physician was just “Doc” – but everybody called my mother “Mrs. Ray.”

I have always respected and admired top flight boxers. But I can’t say that any of them were ever my hero. That’s because I didn’t have to look any farther than my Mom to have a hero.

My Mom died in 1992 from congestive heart failure. I miss her every day.

I have never written any of this about my Mom before. Thanks for letting me share, guys.

Randy's dad and Ray's mum were the bravest of the brave.

Well, bennie, she was sure the heck braver and tougher than her son.

[bennie]

Bennie
Anything on an update of Englahd's economy. I read an article that the people of England are becoming more distant with the Royal Family. The article stated that while the common folk are struggling more and more,the Royal Family is still living an affluent lifestyle that is becoming more seperate from British society.

Retail sales here for Christmas are terrible. The auto industry is about to go under. Unemployment is sky rocketing. Construction on new homes is down 19%. 1 in 10 are behind with their mortgages. Tis' the season to be jolly? :( Rog

Well, Rog, we are distant with them, anyway. The Royal Family is for tourists. We just think they are a bunch of toffs, always have, always will. Prince Charles dumps Diana - for a woman who looks like that! Say no more.
The economy is grim but mainly because people are not spending as opposed to people not having money. Nothing really else to report.

[kikibalt]

Winter Wonderland


Snow showers in the Tejon Pass.
December 15, 2008

[raylawpc]

Hey, Brian, I always knew "ex-pug" was "Brian," but I didn't know your last name until now. I pulled up your boxrec bio and it says you are into judo.

Do you know Gary Prindiville? His son's wife and my wife are good friends, and his grandson and my son were best pals in high school - played football together - everything. Gary. Sr. is in his 70s, I guess, and still competes in judo. I think he won a national seniors title a few years ago.

[bennie]

Winter Wonderland


Snow showers in the Tejon Pass.
December 15, 2008

I tell ya', Frankie, we are having a HARD winter over here, weather-wise. Plus, there is one helluva 'flu bug going round, which I've had for the past eight or nine days.
Touch wood, I feel a bit better today.

[bennie]

Talking of brave and tough, how are you doing with the photos relating to Bob Fitzsimmons, Ray?

[raylawpc]

Bennie
Anything on an update of Englahd's economy. I read an article that the people of England are becoming more distant with the Royal Family. The article stated that while the common folk are struggling more and more,the Royal Family is still living an affluent lifestyle that is becoming more seperate from British society.

Retail sales here for Christmas are terrible. The auto industry is about to go under. Unemployment is sky rocketing. Construction on new homes is down 19%. 1 in 10 are behind with their mortgages. Tis' the season to be jolly? :( Rog

Well, Rog, we are distant with them, anyway. The Royal Family is for tourists. We just think they are a bunch of toffs, always have, always will. Prince Charles dumps Diana - for a woman who looks like that! Say no more.
The economy is grim but mainly because people are not spending as opposed to people not having money. Nothing really else to report.

When I was in NZ, a newspaper there showed the results of a poll in which Brits - by something like a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 margin - said they would prefer Prince William and his presumptive future wife - Kate Middleton - become king and queen after Elizabeth over Charles and Camilla. Interesting.

Of course, at the rate she's going, Elizabeth will probably outlive Charles anyway.

[raylawpc]

Winter Wonderland


Snow showers in the Tejon Pass.
December 15, 2008

I tell ya', Frankie, we are having a HARD winter over here, weather-wise. Plus, there is one helluva 'flu bug going round, which I've had for the past eight or nine days.
Touch wood, I feel a bit better today.

Looks like St. Louis yesterday and today . . .

[raylawpc]

Talking of brave and tough, how are you doing with the photos relating to Bob Fitzsimmons, Ray?

I've done them, but I can't seem to size them. When I try to post them, they are too big for the screen. But I am working on it.

[bennie]

Bennie
Anything on an update of Englahd's economy. I read an article that the people of England are becoming more distant with the Royal Family. The article stated that while the common folk are struggling more and more,the Royal Family is still living an affluent lifestyle that is becoming more seperate from British society.

Retail sales here for Christmas are terrible. The auto industry is about to go under. Unemployment is sky rocketing. Construction on new homes is down 19%. 1 in 10 are behind with their mortgages. Tis' the season to be jolly? :( Rog

Well, Rog, we are distant with them, anyway. The Royal Family is for tourists. We just think they are a bunch of toffs, always have, always will. Prince Charles dumps Diana - for a woman who looks like that! Say no more.
The economy is grim but mainly because people are not spending as opposed to people not having money. Nothing really else to report.

When I was in NZ, a newspaper there showed the results of a poll in which Brits - by something like a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 margin - said they would prefer Prince William and his presumptive future wife - Kate Middleton - become king and queen after Elizabeth over Charles and Camilla. Interesting.

Of course, at the rate she's going, Elizabeth will probably outlive Charles anyway.

Yeah, people REALLY don't like the thought of Camilla as Queen, given Charles was seeing her from the start (and before) of his relationship with Diana, and thus Diana did not really stand a chance. Diana was well-liked because she was 'real' (to the women) and rather stunningly attractive (to the men). She also loathed blood sports, and right now, I can guarantee that the Queen and Charles and even William and Kate are killing an innocent creature somewhere.

[bennie]

Talking of brave and tough, how are you doing with the photos relating to Bob Fitzsimmons, Ray?

I've done them, but I can't seem to size them. When I try to post them, they are too big for the screen. But I am working on it.

Cheers, Ray, I hope you hopped over to Helston, too.

[kikibalt]

Winter Wonderland


Snow showers in the Tejon Pass.
December 15, 2008

I tell ya', Frankie, we are having a HARD winter over here, weather-wise. Plus, there is one helluva 'flu bug going round, which I've had for the past eight or nine days.
Touch wood, I feel a bit better today.

Looks like St. Louis yesterday and today . . .

That is the I-5, the main link between Southern and Northern California, it is AKA "The Grapevine"
and "The Ridge Route".

Bennie, I been fighting the flu going on three weeks, to feel better I don't Touch Wood, I Touch Tequila, must be "Patron"....

[kikibalt]

Talking of brave and tough, how are you doing with the photos relating to Bob Fitzsimmons, Ray?

I've done them, but I can't seem to size them. When I try to post them, they are too big for the screen. But I am working on it.

Did you forget how to do it?

[raylawpc]

Well, Rog, we are distant with them, anyway. The Royal Family is for tourists. We just think they are a bunch of toffs, always have, always will. Prince Charles dumps Diana - for a woman who looks like that! Say no more.
The economy is grim but mainly because people are not spending as opposed to people not having money. Nothing really else to report.

When I was in NZ, a newspaper there showed the results of a poll in which Brits - by something like a 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 margin - said they would prefer Prince William and his presumptive future wife - Kate Middleton - become king and queen after Elizabeth over Charles and Camilla. Interesting.

Of course, at the rate she's going, Elizabeth will probably outlive Charles anyway.

Yeah, people REALLY don't like the thought of Camilla as Queen, given Charles was seeing her from the start (and before) of his relationship with Diana, and thus Diana did not really stand a chance. Diana was well-liked because she was 'real' (to the women) and rather stunningly attractive (to the men). She also loathed blood sports, and right now, I can guarantee that the Queen and Charles and even William and Kate are killing an innocent creature somewhere.

bennie, this same article said that, even if Charles becomes king, Brits don't want Camilla as queen. I don't understand how you can marry a king and not be queen, but the article implied that's possible . . .

You know, by contrast, the King of Sweden has something like an 85% approval rating among his subjects. When I was in Sweden, I asked a Swedish fellow why the King of Sweden is so popular with his subjects, while the Brits don't seem to care for their queen, and he said "Because the King's children are well-behaved, and he knows when to keep his G-D mouth shut."

In fact, the King of Sweden has carved out a role for himself as Sweden's good will ambassador. He travels around the world promoting Sweden and seeks to bring important business opportunities to Swedish shores. He is seen by his subjects as working hard to promote Sweden.

It helps, too, that his children are well-behaved and stay out of trouble. (The biggest controversy came a few years back when the youngest was dating an older man, as I recall). It also helps that the Crown Princess - Victoria - participates in numerous charitable events, lends her name to dozens of worthy causes, and his strikingly beautiful. The same guy told me, "She's our Princess Diana, but without all the baggage."



The Swedish royal family in 1999

[raylawpc]

I tell ya', Frankie, we are having a HARD winter over here, weather-wise. Plus, there is one helluva 'flu bug going round, which I've had for the past eight or nine days.
Touch wood, I feel a bit better today.

Looks like St. Louis yesterday and today . . .

That is I-5, the main link between Southern and Northern California, it is AKA "The Grapevine"
and "The Ridge Route".

Bennie, I been fighting the flu going on three weeks, to feel better I don't Touch Wood, I Touch Tequila, must be "Patron"....

Must be a world-wide epidemic. Linda and I came back from New Zealand with the flu, and Fitz's nephew was suffering from it when I visited him in Timaru.

[raylawpc]

Talking of brave and tough, how are you doing with the photos relating to Bob Fitzsimmons, Ray?

I've done them, but I can't seem to size them. When I try to post them, they are too big for the screen. But I am working on it.

Did you forget how to do it?

Evidently . . .

[bennie]

NICE bit of name-dropping, Ray (Fitz's nephew).

[raylawpc]

NICE bit of name-dropping, Ray (Fitz's nephew).

Well, if I'd said David Jack, you all would have said "Who?"

[bennie]

Freakish Russian Nikolai Valuev defends his WBA heavyweight title against American veteran Evander Holyfield in a mismatch in Zurich, Switzerland, on December 20.
The 7ft Valuev, who weighs in at 23 stone, takes on a former cruiserweight who stands just 6ft 2ins and weighs 15 stone. Worse, Holyfield is 46 years old, has not won a fight since June 2007 and is obviously, clearly, blatantly, horribly, undeniably, irrefutably, totally past his best.
He is finished.
Christmas comes early for the 35-year-old Valuev, 49-1 (34), but the rest of us have to sweat over the outcome and the course of this one before we can sit down to the turkey. Valuev, known as "The Beast from the East", looks a much-improved fighter from the rather lumbering giant outfoxed and outpointed by Hamburg's Ruslan Chagaev in April 2007 in Germany, for his only defeat. He took on trainer Alexander Zimin afterwards, a fellow Russian, and has picked up three solid wins with an impressive and surprising blend of skill, stamina and aggression (including a thumping left jab), although his major strength is still just that, his major strength. He also still knows how to intimidate. Given his obvious improvement and everything else, Valuev might just be right at his peak.
It all contrasts painfully with the Holyfield story, a man with only one fight to show for the last 18 months and none at all this year so far. Evander lost that one fight, too: another Russian, Sultan Ibragimov, outscored him over 12 rounds in October 2007 in Moscow. Ibragimov is small, smart, a boxer type. He was content to outbox Holyfield.
One hopes Valuev is content to do the same.

[kikibalt]

One reason that Art Hafey didn't match up well with Alexis Arguello or Danny Lopez was the vast height difference. Notice that Hafey had much more success fighting Ruben Olivares, who was shorter than Lopez or Arguello.

I often wondered if Hafey would have been given a title bout by a promoter in Southern California if he was of Mexican descent. For sure, I feel that Hafey did more than enough to get a shot, but he wasn't a big gate attraction despite being highly regarded among the hardcore fans. As a result, I am not knocking Burke Emery's managerial skills, but I wondered if he should have acted to get Hafey's bout with Lopez stopped much earlier because his charge was taking a brutal beating.

- Chuck Johnston

Emery let the bout happen despite knowing that Art was partially blind and whose battle with Thompson's Disease had escalated. Art fooled commission doctors to get licensed. Don't think for a minute that Burke Emory had any sense of loyalty to anybody but himself. I'm not attacking the man, that's just the way it was. It was no secret. Height surely was an advantage for Lopez and Arguello, but Art's lucky he didn't tie into Bobby Chacon, who was only a couple inches taller. Also, Art got lucky the first time he fought Olivares, who wasn't in shape, next time, it was no contest. Art was a cut below the very best at a time when there were a number of special champions. Parnassus knew that Art had no chance with Arguello, although Alexis himself said that the strong little Canadian rattled his brain more than once during their fight.

-Rick Farris

Just watch the Lopez/Hafey fight for the first time since I seen it live, and I had forgotten just how brave his corner men were, Hafey was one courageous warrior, but no more so then his corner men.....

[dagosd2000]

Bennie
Anything on an update of Englahd's economy. I read an article that the people of England are becoming more distant with the Royal Family. The article stated that while the common folk are struggling more and more,the Royal Family is still living an affluent lifestyle that is becoming more seperate from British society.

Retail sales here for Christmas are terrible. The auto industry is about to go under. Unemployment is sky rocketing. Construction on new homes is down 19%. 1 in 10 are behind with their mortgages. Tis' the season to be jolly? :( Rog

Well, Rog, we are distant with them, anyway. The Royal Family is for tourists. We just think they are a bunch of toffs, always have, always will. Prince Charles dumps Diana - for a woman who looks like that! Say no more.
The economy is grim but mainly because people are not spending as opposed to people not having money. Nothing really else to report.

Bennie
You're on the nose with your assessments of the Royal Family. It was my gut feeling too. Just thought I'd ask someone who's over there. Thanks

[kikibalt]

This pic. is at my brother Mando's house today
Wrightwood, Ca.

[raylawpc]

Talking of brave and tough, how are you doing with the photos relating to Bob Fitzsimmons, Ray?

I've done them, but I can't seem to size them. When I try to post them, they are too big for the screen. But I am working on it.

Cheers, Ray, I hope you hopped over to Helston, too.

I'd like to hop over to Helston someday. I'd really like to visit England.

When I was in law school, I had a chance to spend a Summer Term at the University of Oxford, but my wife got pregnant so I didn't get to do it. I've never regretted the birth of my oldest son, but I sure wish I could have studied at Oxford that Summer.

[kikibalt]

by Mario Ortega Jr.
Harutyunyan: Former Fighter Finds Success in Promotional Ring

On Saturday, December 20th Art of Boxing Promotions presents a stacked thirteen-bout card at the Hollywood Park Casino in Inglewood, California. It will be the third event staged by the promotional company created by former accomplished pro boxer Kahren Harutyunyan in 2007. The Armenian-born, Glendale, California-based former WBO NABO Flyweight Champion hopes to become a championship caliber promoter and is set to host his largest card to date this weekend.

Harutyunyan closed out his professional boxing campaign in 2006, one fight removed from a hard-fought split decision loss to current IBF Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire Jr. Unlike the many pro boxers, Harutyunyan called it a career while he still had the capability to compete at the highest level. “I got a win against Larry Olvera to get back on track,” says Harutyunyan of his last fight in July 2006. “I continued to look toward the future and opportunities. Slowly I realized that, with the restrictions of my weight class, the opportunities I was looking for were not there at the highest level.”

With the lack of options at 115-pounds, Harutyunyan looked for another way to stay involved in the sport. “I wanted to stay in boxing, but I didn’t see myself as a trainer,” recalls Harutyunyan. “Even with the educated approach I took towards fighting and training in my career, I really didn’t have interest in becoming a trainer, as most ex-fighters do.” Ruling out a career as a trainer, Harutyunyan was left with two viable options, either manage fighters or promote. “I am not sure why I chose promoter over manager,” says Harutyunyan. “Most likely it was becoming involved with all aspects of the sport, as a promoter does, which swayed me in that direction.”

With his mind set on becoming a boxing promoter, Harutyunyan enrolled in Fight Promoter University, the instructional program founded by longtime promoter Roy Englebrecht. “He is one of the best promoters ever,” says Harutyunyan of Englebrecht. “He imparts a lot of his knowledge. He helps you avoid a lot of the mistakes maybe he or other promoters have made. A lot of promoters are from the business world, but they don’t know boxing.”

Harutyunyan’s Art of Boxing Promotions held their first event on November 2, 2007 at the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, California. Harutyunyan found his first promoting venture to be a great learning experience. “Even though I learned a lot from Fight Promoter University, some things you don’t know until you have experienced them,” says Harutyunyan. In the main event, former contender Juan “Pollo” Valenzuela made his ring return after a three-year layoff and was held to a draw by journeyman Daniel Stanislavjevic. “I had a good main event,” recalls Harutyunyan. “Everyone left pleased and wanting to come back.”

After a retooling, Harutyunyan returned to the Warner Center Marriott this past September 19th to host a crowd-pleasing seven-bout card. Learning from a couple mistakes the first time out, the event ran smoother and featured several bouts that boxing people who witnessed them are still talking about. With the success of the September card, Harutyunyan decided to come right back in December with the highest profile event he has put together.

The first two Art of Boxing Promotions events have been carried mostly by emerging young fighters. The December 20th event in Inglewood is headlined by two names very familiar to boxing fans. Former champions Roman Karmazin and Bronco McKart will clash in a twelve-round contest for the vacant IBF Intercontinental and NABF Middleweight titles. The move to promote a higher profile event is all part of Harutyunyan’s business plan. “As a promoter, my goal is to grow and put on bigger and better events,” says Harutyunyan, who is also planning to pursue a career in law. “Since the second show was a huge success, the opportunity came to put on this larger scale event.”

For both Karmazin and McKart, Saturday’s bout has a do-or-die feel. Karmazin (36-3-1, 23 KOs) held the IBF Light Middleweight title, before dropping it to Cory Spinks in 2006. In his last bout in January on the Felix Trinidad-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view, Karmazin was shockingly stopped by fringe contender Alex Bunema in the tenth-round. Famed trainer Freddie Roach will be back in Karmazin’s corner and understands the importance of the upcoming bout. “He’s been off for a while, so it is very important for him,” says Roach. “It’s not an easy fight by any means. Bronco is a very tough fighter.”

McKart (51-8-1, 31 KOs), a former WBO Light Middleweight Champion, needs a win just as badly as does Karmazin, having earned a draw and a knockout loss in his last two bouts. Since dropping his title to Winky Wright on a split decision in 2006, McKart has come up short in two title tries. With a win over Karmazin, McKart, currently ranked #11 by the IBF, would become a viable option for one of the belt holders at 160 pounds. “[This fight] is extremely important for both fighters,” says Harutyunyan. “The winner is back in the mix. They are a bit older, but both have been to the top of the sport. They want to prove that they are still relevant and ready to get back to there. Everyone knows Bronco and Roman are warriors and will do everything to reach the top again.”

In addition to the main event, Harutyunyan has crammed twelve other fights, featuring a great collection of promising fighters, on to Saturday night’s card. Some of the fighters, including Freddie Roach-trained Dean Byrne (9-0, 3 KOs), have been staples on past Art of Boxing Promotions shows. Roach is very high on his undefeated 24-year old welterweight. “He’s a great prospect and a great action fighter from Dublin, Ireland,” says Roach. “He’s fun to watch. You don’t want to miss him fight.”

In another fight of great interest, unbeaten prospects Antonio Johnson (7-0, 3 KOs) of Oakland, California and Willie Nelson (10-0, 6 KOs) of Cleveland, Ohio will meet in an intriguing six-round welterweight contest. Normally a fight like this would be featured on television, but on Harutyunyan’s card it is one of many well-matched six-rounders. “It is only a six-rounder since we have so many fights,” states Harutyunyan. “We have so many fights that would make an ESPN or Versus quality show.” Harutyunyan is producing a telecast that will eventually air in syndication sometime early next year, although he is still finalizing the deal.

In another six-rounder, WBO #8/WBA #9 ranked welterweight Vitaliy Demyanenko (15-0, 10 KOs) will take on career spoiler Marteze Logan (26-34-2, 6 KOs). A host of other prospects will appear on the card in tough matches, including Vardan Gasparyan, Anthony Mosquera, Gabriel Tolmajyan, Roger Vargas, Joe Hanks, Lateef Kayode and Khabir Suleymanov. Harutyunyan does not plan to give any fighters an easy pass on his cards. “It is the main function of a promoter to put on entertaining and competitive fights,” decrees Harutyunyan. “People are going to be pleased and get their money’s worth. We wanted to give a Christmas gift to the boxing fans.”

[kikibalt]

Sonny Liston