Classic American West Coast Boxing

[Rick Farris]

Frank, as you know, everybody associated with L.A. boxing during the sixties, seems to have memories the Little Bird, Pajarito Moreno. Here is mine.

In 1966, my favorite L.A. featherweights were Raul Rojas & Dwight Hawkins. The previous year, Rojas suffered his only loss, a 15 round KO by champ Vicente Saldivar. He was on the comeback trail, and match with Moreno was expected to be an explosive war, one that would put the winner in line for a title shot.

In March of 1966, at the Olympic, Rojas and Moreno exchanged bombs before a deep cut above Moreno's eye forced the fight to be stopped in the third round. Moreno had had his moments, rocking the strong Rojas with whistling left hooks in the opening round.

Three months later, a rematch would be held at the larger L.A. Sports Arena, where promoter Aileen Eaton could pack in another 4,ooo fans, with the overflow filing the 10,400 seat Olympic Auditorium for a closed-circuit TV broadcast. This time Rojas flattened Moreno in two, and began his climb to a world title.

That night, I remember Manuel Ramos defeating a tired looking Eddie Machen in preliminary ten rounder. This fight put Manuel Ramos just outside top ten ranking in the heavyweight division, which would lead him to something known as sure death back then, Joe Frazier.

-Rick Farris

Rick,

I remember Pajarito from when he first came to L.A., 1957, I believe, he got such a build-up that he was drawing 5000-6000 people at the Hollywood Legion just to see him hit the bags, that was before he even had a fight in L.A., my wife and I went to see him work-out before his first fight in L.A. at the Legion, and we also went to his fight against Tommy Bain, which was his first fight in L.A..
In his fight with Bain, in the first or second round, Moreno lets go with one of his trade-mark left hooks and hits the referee knocking him down.
It was a crazy nite of boxing.

We were ringside for his two fights vs Rojas.

Frank, I remember Moreno as a guy who either KOed his opponent, or was KOed himself. Moreno's Boxrec. record is listed as 60-12-1, 59 KO's/9 KO losses. Only one of Moreno's five dozen wins went the distance, and I had to look up this obscure legend's name, and when I tried, I found that the boxrec version of Pajarito's record lists 59 Ko's in 60 wins, but it does not have a decision victory, or one that required he be around at the final bell (of his wins).

If somebody knows the name of the guy who extended Pajarito Moreno to the final bell, in a Moreno win, please enlighten me. Gracias!

-Rick

OK, I have the answer. It's Bennie Burton, who retired after five rounds against Moreno, after having four of his front teeth knocked out. The win is labeled a RTD, as in he "retired" with a broken face. Seems to me that also qualifies as a KO, considering some of the so-called KO's on Roy Jones record. Am I wrong?

As far as I'm concerned Moreno scored KO's in all sixty of his pro wins. I believe he was shot to death, whilke driving a cab? Anybody know the details?

-Rick

[kikibalt]

Paddy DeMarco

[scartissue]

[quote="Rick Farris
OK, I have the answer. It's Bennie Burton, who retired after five rounds against Moreno, after having four of his front teeth knocked out. The win is labeled a RTD, as in he "retired" with a broken face. Seems to me that also qualifies as a KO, considering some of the so-called KO's on Roy Jones record. Am I wrong?

As far as I'm concerned Moreno scored KO's in all sixty of his pro wins. I believe he was shot to death, whilke driving a cab? Anybody know the details?

-Rick

Rick, you whetted my curiosity. I went over his record a couple of times before I spotted it. At the end of '61 Moreno won a DQ over a dude named Teddy Rand. But what happened to him after that fight? He was off for 2 years. Also, didn't Battling Torres die in a similar way?

Scartissue

[Rick Farris]

[quote="Rick Farris
OK, I have the answer. It's Bennie Burton, who retired after five rounds against Moreno, after having four of his front teeth knocked out. The win is labeled a RTD, as in he "retired" with a broken face. Seems to me that also qualifies as a KO, considering some of the so-called KO's on Roy Jones record. Am I wrong?

As far as I'm concerned Moreno scored KO's in all sixty of his pro wins. I believe he was shot to death, whilke driving a cab? Anybody know the details?

-Rick

Rick, you whetted my curiosity. I went over his record a couple of times before I spotted it. At the end of '61 Moreno won a DQ over a dude named Teddy Rand. But what happened to him after that fight? He was off for 2 years. Also, didn't Battling Torres die in a similar way?

Scartissue

Thanks, Scar. 'Ya know, a DQ victory for Moreno may not equal a KO, however, something altered the fight so it DID NOT reach the final bell, and, Pajarito was the winner. Now, I'm curious about the DQ. I'll recheck the record.

Here's something I found interesting, but not surprising. California always boasts of it's stringent Athletic commission rules, especially concerning the rule that immediatly suspends a boxer for 30 days following a KO/TKO loss, and is subject to a physician's evaluation.

I find records of boxers who were KOed one day, in 1974, in Stockton, and then being KOed again the following night in Los Angeles. This, of course, was before computors, however, when it came to north & south in California, there was no communication. There was a time when what went on out of town, meant nothing at home.

i'm sure the cyber age has challenged a few who exist in boxing, but they always find another way. Boxing is beyond normal reality.

-Rick Farris

[dagosd2000]

I'll refer to him as "El Momia" because I don't want to give away his real name like it would make any difference. He's my wife's brother and he lives down at the end of Revolution Street in this old van that I think my wife gave him the money to buy. He's not a sponge,just is my wife feels kinda sorry for him because he's got a temper and has pissed off everyone else in the family.

"El Momia" means the mummy in Spanish and if I have to go looking for him,I get better results if I ask"Donde esta El Momia?" He's a tough guy but I've always got along with him. In fact he's my favorite brother in law. Like I said my wife visits him every other week to see how he's doing. I've seen my wife around some dangerous dudes,but she always seems to have this calming affect on them. She's like the big sister that everyone respects, and besides she'll always take the male's side in a dispute. If my nephew has a girlfriend in town and is two timing his wife,my wife will say something like"Well I don't blame him,she doesn't like to cook." Or there was this campus cop at school that was banging this 17 year old female student. Well let me tell ya' everybody wanted to put this guy in hell except my wife. "She knew what she was doing",said my wife defending the cop. Or when I smuggled my drug addict nephew across the border and I come home the first day and he's passed out in the bathroom from taking drugs. I grabbed him by the shirt and my wife is yelling at me to leave him alone and she'll clean up his vomit.

"El Momia" has done me a lot of favors,especially against people I think desrve to learn a lesson. I never liked my oldest daughter's husband cause he's a bum and a drunk,so "El Momia" was more than glad to take care of him. I'm not saying he's ever killed anyone,but he's got a .44 Magnum and I don't know of any target ranges where he can shoot bullseyes or woods near by where he can hunt deer. I hear the asking price is 500 bucks.

Well we went to visit him today and he's always glad to see his big sister. He pulled out a couple of chairs from his van so we could sit and relax. He calls his van"Mi penthowse." He's got a TV in there,his clothes,bottled water,and a few snacks. No one bothers him. Besides he's got "Dirty Harry's" little gadget with him in case some fool wants to rob him. During the day he tints windows and at night,well,I don't want to know.

He's talking away with us about who lives in the neighborhood. He says the Zona Norte is split up into streets that are made up from people from different regions of Mexico. First Street is made up of people from Michoacan like himself. Negrete Street lives people from Jalisco. Madero Street is people from Colima. And on Coahuila Street lives everybody from everywhere. I don't know if he was making this up,but what do they say? If the legend sounds better than the facts,print the legend.

After a while I asked him if he remembered "Gato" Gonzalez. "Gato" had a few early fights in Jiquilpan,Michoacan where my wife's family is from. It was kind of funny. It was like I interrupted something. Broke a train of thought. He paused . I think he was trying to remember.
"Oh, si Rogelio. "Gato" Gonzalez. Si,Rogelio."
I then had to add that I was taking his sister and myself to the father and son boxing banquet and the old time Mexican fighters would be there.
"Oh,si Rogelio. Antiguas boxeadores. Bien"
He didn't seem like he wanted to pursue the topic so I let him go again talking to his sister. I remebered the time I went to Erik Morales's gym that was only a few blocks away from where we were sitting and talking. I wrote a story"Just Across The Border" on this thread about how I went there one day to maybe get an autograph from "El Terrible" for my school principal .It was just after Morales beat Pacquiao. Morales said how he dedicated the fight for the people who lived in the Zona Norte. I waited a couple of hours ,but no one showed up.

I started to think what Morales's victory would do for anyone in the Zona Norte like my brother in law. I could see "El Momia" was happy that his sister had come to visit him. She brought him some "sopes" and I'm sure before we left she slipped him 20 bucks.

[kikibalt]

Boxing Says Goodbye to the Original Golden Boy Art Aragon
By Dan Hernandez
Ringside Report.com

Photos Courtesy of Frank Baltazar, SR.-April 5, 2008

Art "Golden Boy" Aragon

“Dad was fulfilled; He was married four times, had six kids, and traveled the world, riding camels around the Egyptian pyramids. I’m sitting here looking at 15 scrapbooks filled with memories.” -- Brad Aragon

That statement by Brad Aragon, the son one of the most colorful fighters in boxing history and Los Angeles’ first “Golden Boy,” Art Aragon, pretty well sums up his movie star life.

He was a man that constantly drew standing room only crowds…he was the premier fighter in the Golden Age of Los Angeles boxing in the 1940’s and 1950’s, died on March 26, 2008 at the Northridge Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles County, after his family removed him from life support apparatus.

He had suffered a stroke on March 15, 2008 and never recovered. Having celebrated his 80th birthday as he led his life, in grand style, on November 13, 2007, with such boxing luminaries as former WBC feather and Jr. Lightweight champion, Bobby Chacon, Vince Delgado, and president of the California Hall of Fame Boxing Association, Don Fraser, Art will be remembered fondly by all that knew him.

Art retired from boxing at 33 years of age and invested in a bail bonds business and he quipped at the time: “If I ever got arrested, I could bail myself out.” That business is still strong today being administered by two of Art’s sons. He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990 and his boxing record was 90-20-6, 61 KO’s. Many of his fights taking place at the once famous and now closed or altogether gone, Olympic Auditorium, Wrigley Field, and Hollywood Legion Stadium.

Born in Belen, New Mexico, he grew up in East Los Angeles. He was married four times and was linked romantically with such Hollywood stars as, Mamie Van Doren, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, and Sophia Loren, among many others. Van Doren was quoted as saying: “The Golden Boy was a perfect title for him, his smile turned everyone on, his skin was golden. His floppy hair bounced so perfectly, he was just so sexy.”

Art Aragon ko Enrique Bolanos

The contributor of the photos displayed with these articles, Frank Baltazar, SR., shared his thoughts on The Golden Boy:

“Art Aragon fought in an era when there was glamour in boxing, Art was certainly not a great fighter, but he was colorful and good enough to beat some good fighters of that era. It was a time when we had only one major league team in L.A. (Rams) and five newspapers, so boxing got a lot of coverage, and Art was good print. I remember the stories on all five newspapers about his barroom fight with Lauro Salas, which led to their sell-out fight at the Olympic, which I attended. Those days are long gone and not too many of the fighters and boxing people of that era are with us any longer. I was a teenager during Art’s prime years and I was not on the inside of boxing circles, that came later, but I have very good sources of information of that era in, Don Chargin and Don Fraser, who are also up in years. I would go to fights almost every week, so I’ve seen a lot…my memories of the early 1950’s are as a fan, a big fan, of those fighters. I wallpaper my bedroom with newspaper photos and articles of those fighters.”

I will say to the young fan of today: “You don’t know what you missed.”

Frank Baltazar and Art Aragon

Frank is a member of the California Boxing Hall of Fame and a treasure chest of boxing memorabilia and stories.

Aragon’s fights with; Lauro Salas, Jimmy Carter, Chico Vejar, Enrique Bolanos and so many others will long be remembered. His wit and charm will also remain as a testimony to the positive energy and l life force that was Art Aragon. Former World Welterweight Champ Billy Backus, recalled recently in an interview with RSR that he had met Aragon at a boxing function in Los Angeles and that Aragon, brash as always, acknowledged Backus as the nephew of Carmen Basilio, who had beaten Aragon badly in 1958, and said: “You know, I fought your uncle and I looked good, I danced, threw lefts and rights perfectly, then the bell rang.” Art Aragon, the life of the party, and forever, the “Golden Boy.”

[bennie]

Henry Cooper...1969

This is a better fighter than he is credited for. Henry's left hook put a young Cassius Clay on the deck, and of course, Cooper's bloody face ended the fight shortly afterwards.

I had an opportunity to watch some footage of Cooper, and it was really impressive how much pop he had in that left hook. Save his paper thin, scar tissue laced eye brows, this small heavyweight by today's standards, would do quite well against today's lot, and I would bet catch either one of the Klit brothers with that cherry picker hook he drilled Ali with. If that hook were to find it's spot on the very brittle chins, and questionable hearts of the new Russian brigade, then the heavyweight title would return to England, where it first came from.

The trick for Cooper would be to LAND the hook, before he bled to death.

God save the Queen! :)

-Rick Farris

Great left hook, and a great competitive spirit. Henry was ruthless in there but struggled against stocky guys (after Patterson, he wanted no part of the likes of Quarry and Chuvalo) and was much better against guys who he could punch 'up' against. He had a shot against Ellis in 1969 but our Boxing Board did not recognise the WBA and refused to let him travel. There was a lot of fallout from that at the time.
Incidentally, believe it or not, Henry wasn't really a 'bleeder'. He always said the Ali (Clay) fights gave that impression because of the terrible cuts he picked up but he rarely cut in the rest of his career. Henry is an identical twin, you know. When he and George turned pro, George was actually regarded as the better fighter. His career was curtailed by hand injuries.

[bennie]

Henry Cooper vs Brian London...1959

I remember more than forty years ago, when Brian London came to Los Angeles to fight Jerry Quarry. Jerry had his way with London, scoring a one-sided ten round decision at the Olympic Auditorium on a thursday night in 1967.

The outcome was expected, at least inside the ring, however, Mrs. Brian London wasn't at all happy with Quarry, his family, the decision, or the beer that had been tossed down on her by a fan in the balcony. This lady jumped up and God help anybody who dare stand in her way. She pushed grown men aside and attemoted to jump into the ring, going to straighten out Jerry for her husband.

Luckily for this bitter Brit, an usher and two LAPD officers tackled her en route up the steps in Quarry's corner. Johnny Flores told me she thought London's wife was entering the ring to face Jerry's mother, Arawanda, in a stand-by bout.

"That would have been the best fight of the night!", Flores smiled. The truth is, had she taken a shot at Jerry, he'd have likely laid her out, and why not?

I'm sure the likes of Muhammad Ali, Floyd Patterson, Quarry, Cooper, etc. that London faced around the world, were no greater challenge than facing Mrs. London when she was pissed about something.

-Rick Farris

London once featured in the worst riot on these shores (yes, worse than Hagler-Minter) when he was butted out of his fight with Dick Richardson in August 1960 in Coney Beach Arena in Porthcawl. The arena was open air amid a holiday park that drew thousands of Welsh miners (and their families) every summer in a period known as "Miner's fortnight". You can imagine the atmosphere. Miners worked hard and were thus determined to have a good time and let it all hang out.
Anyway, London was furious after Richardson got away with some of the most blatant head butts you will ever see in your life to win on cuts. He rushed Richardson after the stoppage and it all went off. The ring was stormed and people were getting flattened left, right and centre. Bodies were literally strewn all over the canvas (God knows what it was like at ringside!).
It is known as The Brawl in Porthcawl.

[bennie]

Pipino Cuevas vs Pete Ranzany

Pipino doing Ranzany in two rounds IN Sacramento. Great win. I remember even Leonard steering well clear of Cuevas.

[bennie]

Mike Quarry, Alex Ramos and Rob Sale

Rare shot of Mike, surely.

[kikibalt]

Henry Cooper vs Dick Wipperman

[bennie]

Henry Cooper vs Dick Wipperman

Jesus, that's a heavy knockdown! Look at the guy's leg.

[kikibalt]

Terry Downes

[kikibalt]

Alan Minter

[kikibalt]

Rudy Garcia (R) vs Carmelo Costa

[kikibalt]

Maurice Hope vs Carlos Herrera

[bennie]

Before they were 'big', Downes took on Dick Tiger in London in 1957 and was stopped on cuts in a small hall classic.
Tiger got sixty quid; Downes, just over 100.

[kikibalt]

Zora Folley

[bennie]

Alan Minter

The original "Boom Boom", Minter made the front page of The Times for his exploits in the 1972 Olympics. He actually got a public warning for grunting (when he threw his punches) against a German in Germany in the semi-finals.
It cost him a place in the final.

[kikibalt]

[scartissue]

Henry Cooper...1969

Great left hook, and a great competitive spirit. Henry was ruthless in there but struggled against stocky guys (after Patterson, he wanted no part of the likes of Quarry and Chuvalo) and was much better against guys who he could punch 'up' against. He had a shot against Ellis in 1969 but our Boxing Board did not recognise the WBA and refused to let him travel. There was a lot of fallout from that at the time.
Incidentally, believe it or not, Henry wasn't really a 'bleeder'. He always said the Ali (Clay) fights gave that impression because of the terrible cuts he picked up but he rarely cut in the rest of his career. Henry is an identical twin, you know. When he and George turned pro, George was actually regarded as the better fighter. His career was curtailed by hand injuries.

Bennie, the proposed Ellis fight always intrigued me. I recall Cooper turning in his Lonsdale belt in protest of the BBBC's decision, but this was for the championship. What would have happened if he had flipped them your two-fingered salute and went ahead with the fight anyway? I'm sure he would have been suspended, but who cares? He was up in age at that time (34 or 35 I think) with a possibility of winning the title. What really did he have to lose?

Scartissue

[scartissue]

Before they were 'big', Downes took on Dick Tiger in London in 1957 and was stopped on cuts in a small hall classic.
Tiger got sixty quid; Downes, just over 100.

I always remember a quote from Downes that made me laugh. I think it was Jack Solomons who asked Downes who he wanted in his next fight. Sugar Ray Robinson or Spider Webb. To which Downes replied, "Blimey, that's like asking me do I want to be shot or hung."

Scartissue

[bennie]

Great left hook, and a great competitive spirit. Henry was ruthless in there but struggled against stocky guys (after Patterson, he wanted no part of the likes of Quarry and Chuvalo) and was much better against guys who he could punch 'up' against. He had a shot against Ellis in 1969 but our Boxing Board did not recognise the WBA and refused to let him travel. There was a lot of fallout from that at the time.
Incidentally, believe it or not, Henry wasn't really a 'bleeder'. He always said the Ali (Clay) fights gave that impression because of the terrible cuts he picked up but he rarely cut in the rest of his career. Henry is an identical twin, you know. When he and George turned pro, George was actually regarded as the better fighter. His career was curtailed by hand injuries.

Bennie, the proposed Ellis fight always intrigued me. I recall Cooper turning in his Lonsdale belt in protest of the BBBC's decision, but this was for the championship. What would have happened if he had flipped them your two-fingered salute and went ahead with the fight anyway? I'm sure he would have been suspended, but who cares? He was up in age at that time (34 or 35 I think) with a possibility of winning the title. What really did he have to lose?

Scartissue

Henry never worked that way, Scartissue. If it wasn't all above board - 'proper cricket' - he didn't want to know. Plus, Henry was a London boy. The thought of losing his British boxing licence would have seriously affected him.

[scartissue]

Maybe one of you guys can answer this for me. Why didn't Jose Legra stay in Mexico after Castro banned boxing? Napoles and Sugar Ramos certainly benifitted more by staying in Mexico . Legra was in Mexico,but moved to Spain. I think it hurt his career. I saw him on closed circuit destroy Clemente Sanchez. Lost a very close majority decision to Jofre in Brazil. I thought Legra was one of the all time classic boxers. Had that Cuban flair and style. Any of you guys no why he went to Europe? I know his last fight was in LA.

Dago, your last sentence has my curiosity up. I see on Legra's record him fighting Daniel Valdez in L.A. in '75. I'm not saying it absolutely did not happen, but I seriously doubt it. For one, I don't remember it and I was glued to the magazines in those days. I only remember the Arguello fight as his last. Also, researching this, I can't find anything, no report on it. I think Boxrec is phenominal. The ultimate search engine for boxing research, but every so often I think a ringer gets caught up in the spokes and this could be one unless you guys recall this fight happening. Also, I question the final Frankie Crawford fight. They list him coming back after two years retirement and going down to Mexico to get KO'd by Jose Luis Ramirez. It could have happened but I don't remember reading about it at the time. What year did Frankie get shot?

Scartissue

[scartissue]

Bennie, the proposed Ellis fight always intrigued me. I recall Cooper turning in his Lonsdale belt in protest of the BBBC's decision, but this was for the championship. What would have happened if he had flipped them your two-fingered salute and went ahead with the fight anyway? I'm sure he would have been suspended, but who cares? He was up in age at that time (34 or 35 I think) with a possibility of winning the title. What really did he have to lose?

Scartissue

Henry never worked that way, Scartissue. If it wasn't all above board - 'proper cricket' - he didn't want to know. Plus, Henry was a London boy. The thought of losing his British boxing licence would have seriously affected him.

The stuffed shirts at the BBBC should have treated him better. He was an ambassador to British boxing and still is to this day. Isn't it amazing after the years and blood he gave to the sport that they just couldn't remove the hot poker from their arse and just say, OK, he's not going to be getting another title shot anytime soon, we don't recognise the WBA, so we just won't recognise it as a title fight. Let's let this man try to grab the brass ring for himself. I guess common sense was beyond them. What a shame. I'd be holding a grudge against them alot longer than he did with Harry Gibbs.

Scartissue