BoxRec

kikibalt wrote:

THEHAMMER321 wrote:Hi everyone on CAWCB, pouring rain down here in Vegas was thinking about some of the fighters who came through Las Vegas and I don't mean the ones everybody heard of but many who never made it to the top ten one fighter I met when I
was a teenager was Roman ''shorty'' Almaguir he fought on many fight cards at The Showboat hotel as did Lenny Valdez who was a big puncher who upset Stevie Cruz with a first round ko and also beat beat Marcos Villasana but was also just as likely to lose to a fighter with a 6-10 record any of you remember these guys

Rain is coming down pretty good here Hammer. Shorty I knew well, he was another Jimmy Montoya fighter, haven't seen him in years, Valdez I seen fight two-three times but I didn't know him...

Also remember Kid Dynamita Morales he fought many of the top lightwieghts late 1970s through the 1980s but became an opponent for the younger fighters.

Junior Robles, Junior is to be inducted into the CBHOF with Rick Farris and others

http://laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/2 ... 021309.htm

delete

kikibalt wrote:Junior Robles, Junior is to be inducted into the CBHOF with Rick Farris and others

http://laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/2 ... 021309.htm

JUST WHEN YOU THINK...

Just when you think that it's not gonna' happen...well, then comes the miracle. Frank asked me if I could get in touch with someone in National City so Junior Robles could receive an honor. That honor being inducted into the California Boxing Hall Of Fame.
"Sure Frank. My pleasure."
Well, after I came back from Michoacan,it had slipped my mind to go the Community Rec Gym in National City to make arrangements.
Frank lights a fire under my tail so I beat it down there. Frank told me there was still a window,but make it snappy.

Well,everytime I've set inside that gym in the last year the stars haven't been aligned right for me. Supposed to meet a kid and watch him train. A no show. Then the guy who runs the places father put me on his "pay no mind list."He's giving me the once over like I've got the bubonic plague. I feel slighted and walk out.Then it was trying to get the data on Junior for his induction. For three days Junior's sister was going to get back with me,but I never got a jingle. I'd given up. Then Frank emails me that someone from from Nat City got a hold of Don Fraser. BINGO!

Just saw this. I don't know. Sometimes when I deal with Los Mexicanos,I feel that "manana" means never,or a year from now at the soonest.

I can wait to find out the details. All I can say is that I'm happy for Junior's family and the community of National City. I know they've wanted to get Junior the recognition he deserves. Now he'll be in the California Boxing Hall Of Fame. My heart soars.

Rick Farris wrote:Did we lose some posts?
A few that I submitted, for sure.

I been on here all day and this is the first one ive seen from you so it must have gotten lost

d

THEHAMMER321 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:

THEHAMMER321 wrote:Hi everyone on CAWCB, pouring rain down here in Vegas was thinking about some of the fighters who came through Las Vegas and I don't mean the ones everybody heard of but many who never made it to the top ten one fighter I met when I
was a teenager was Roman ''shorty'' Almaguir he fought on many fight cards at The Showboat hotel as did Lenny Valdez who was a big puncher who upset Stevie Cruz with a first round ko and also beat beat Marcos Villasana but was also just as likely to lose to a fighter with a 6-10 record any of you remember these guys

Rain is coming down pretty good here Hammer. Shorty I knew well, he was another Jimmy Montoya fighter, haven't seen him in years, Valdez I seen fight two-three times but I didn't know him...

Also remember Kid Dynamita Morales he fought many of the top lightwieghts late 1970s through the 1980s but became an opponent for the younger fighters.

Hammer....Morales was from our home town, La Puente, Ca. he and Frankie went to school together "La Puente High School", turned pro about the same time, they were still in high school when they turned pro, he didn't ended up to good, last time I seen him some 15 years ago he was heaing voices....

Rick Farris wrote:

THEHAMMER321 wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:Did we lose some posts?
A few that I submitted, for sure.

I been on here all day and this is the first one ive seen from you so it must have gotten lost

I posted several, a lot of stuff on Louis Dragna, Jackie Leonard, etc. Lots of California boxing history, lots of dirty laundry, mob stuff. LA names in boxing tied to mobsters. Maybe it made Boxrec nervous???
All gone? I saw it on the thread after posting, then immediatly gone?

Rick, all that is in a thread by it self, I seen it...

kikibalt wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:

THEHAMMER321 wrote:I been on here all day and this is the first one ive seen from you so it must have gotten lost

I posted several, a lot of stuff on Louis Dragna, Jackie Leonard, etc. Lots of California boxing history, lots of dirty laundry, mob stuff. LA names in boxing tied to mobsters. Maybe it made Boxrec nervous???
All gone? I saw it on the thread after posting, then immediatly gone?

Rick, all that is in a thread by it self, I seen it...

Thanks Frank, the dementia is setting in.

Courtesy Rick Farris

Louis Tom Dragna

July 18, 1920 (1920-07-18) (age 89)
Los Angeles, California
Nationality Italian American
Other names Lou Allen
Known for Mob Activity
Religious beliefs Catholic
Parents Tom Dragna (father)
Julia Torisco (mother)[1]
Relatives Jack Dragna (uncle)
Josephine Dragna (aunt)
Frank Dragna (brother)
Louis Tom Dragna is a former mobster and nephew of Jack Dragna and son of Tom Dragna.[2] He was active in the Los Angeles crime family from the 1940s until the early 1980s. Dragna's last known address was 2333 North Coronet, Covina, California.


Early life
Louis Tom Dragna was born on July 18, 1920 in Los Angeles, California to father Tom Dragna. He has a brother, Frank Paul Dragna (nicknamed "Two Eyes" to distinguish him from his cousin who had the same name and had a glass eye).[3] They are second generation immigrants and Louis was the only younger Dragna to be heavily involved in the Mafia. His grandparents Francesco Paolo Dragna and Anna Dragna immigrated to the United States on November 18, 1898, but returned to Sicily 10 years later.[4] His family then returned to New York City in the 1910s and made their way West to California. In 1931 his uncle Jack Dragna became Boss of the Los Angeles crime family and named Tom his Consigliere.

Criminal career
According to his army enlistment record, Louis Dragna spent two years in college.[5] He started to become involved in the crime family in the 1940s. Under his uncle Jack, the Mafia in Los Angeles was growing into a very widespread enterprise. Louis has an arrest record dating back to 1946. Dragna became a made man in 1947 along with Jimmy Fratianno, Dominic Brooklier, Charles Dippolito, and Salvatore "Dago Louie" Piscopo.[6] Louis Dragna was eventually promoted to Captain (caporegime) in the family by his uncle. Some say that Louis never "made his bones" ie committed a murder on the Mafia's orders.

In 1959 Dragna was arrested with mobsters Joe Sica, John "Frankie" Carbo, Frank "Blinky" Palermo, and Truman Gibson for extorting Jackie Leonard the manager of boxing champion Don Jordan in 1958. They were accused of trying to muscle in on the fight earnings of Jordan.[7] On May 30, 1961, they were all found guilty in Los Angeles Federal District Court of conspiring to extort money and of transmitting by interstate commerce threats of harm to Jackie Leonard and sentenced to prison times of various lengths, with Dragna sentenced to five years.[8] The defendants appealed their ruling and on February 13, 1963 the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of four of the defendants, with Dragna 's sentence being overturned. His lawyers argued that the defense against him was weak and questioned Leonard's creditability.[8] Leonard's only testimony on Dragna stated that he was present at the times threats were made against him, but that Dragna never made any threats himself.[8]

On June 16, 1960 the Nevada Gaming Commission opened its first Black Book. It was a list of all personal who were banned from entering any casino in Nevada. Dragna was one of the 11 original entries to the list and the last surviving member.[9] In the 1940s Johnny Dio taught Dragna how to manipulate labour unions in the Garment District. By the 1970s Dragna's company, "Roberta Manufacturing Co." was a $10 million a year business. When boss Dominic Brooklier was imprisoned in 1975, he chose Dragna as his acting boss, to run the family while he was in jail. Brooklier knew Dragna would never have had the nerve or the inclination to take over the family permanently. Dragna, however declined the opportunity and the job was given to Fratianno, with Dragna named co-leader. Dragna's refusal to become boss despite his uncle's and father's former positions in the family earned him the nick name "the Reluctant Prince".

In 1978 Louis Dragna, Michael Rizzitello, Thomas Ricciardi, Jack LoCicero, and Dominick Raffone were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act) charges related to the murder of Frank Bompensiero and extortion.[10] On October 14, 1980 Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno, a long time member of the Los Angeles family and close associate of Dragna's testified in the case. During a October 23 hearing FBI agent John Barron offered testimony that Louis Tom Dragna admitted to being a member of the Mafia and gave up the leadership structure of the Los Angeles crime family at a meeting held on October 14, 1976. Dragna started serving his sentence for racketeering and extortion on June 27, 1981. He was released on March 18, 1985 and entered a halfway house to complete his sentence which included 1,000 hours of community service. Peter Milano was caught on tape in the 1980s discussing with members of the Cleveland crime family a plot to have Dragna murdered for violating the oath of Omertà.[11] However, Dragna was saved when Milano faced federal indictments himself.[citation needed] After serving his sentence, Dragna was forced to step away from organized crime.

Courtesy Rick Farris

Dirty Laundry:
__________


Jackie Leonard . . .

Following Hap Navarro's run as promoter, matchmaker & publicist for the Hollwood Legion Stadium, another promoter, Jackie Leonard came into play. In an above post, regarding mobster Louis Dragna, you'll see noted that he was part of a group including Frankie Carbo and Blinky Palermo who attempted to shake down Leonard for a cut of Don Jordan's purses.

I wish Hap could offer his input regarding the powers that once controlled boxing, and how he and the Legionaires dealt with it. There is no doubt that Hap Navarro and the Legionaires were above illegal activity, but how was business actually conducted? This may seem like the topic of a Bogart movie, but it would be great to know what "really" went on, not the product of an enthusiatic screenwriter. Lives were thrreatened and lives were lost. It's simply a part of the history of a sport we write about.

Keep in mind the death of Howie Steindler, and Vic Weiss. Weiss' decomposing body was found in the trunk of his car parked in the structure at the Universal-Sheridan near the studo. Mando Muniz was Weiss' boxer, and the fighter was aware of the company his manager kept.

What about Ralph Gambina? A few of us who post here knew the man.
Joey Giambra told me that in the early sixties, around the time he fought Denny Moyer for the title, Gambina and one of his cohorts tried to muscle him out a large sum of money. It was told to me that Gambina, was actually a part of the Gambino crime family. He ran boxing in Las Vegas for the mob for awhile? I know he was the manager of record for boxers backed by Frank Sinatra. I know that Gambina liked to play up the "gangster" image, but how strong were his connections?

It's all a part of L.A. Boxing history, and I'd really like to know as much of that history as possible. Suey Welch, guys like that, they never said a word. This was in the early 70's, shortly before their deaths.

Babe McCoy? Time for a little dirty laundry guys. Why not?


-Rick Farris

Rick...I copy and posted the articles

kikibalt wrote:Rick...I copy and posted the articles

Thanks, Frank.

Boxing trainer Jack Leonard dies at 89 . . . (8/27/2007)



WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — Jack Leonard, a boxing trainer who was attacked after refusing to turn a champion fighter's contract to the mob, has died. He was 89.
Leonard died from heart failure on Saturday, officials at the Brandywine Health Care Center confirmed Monday.

He first boxed as an amateur at age 14, and turned professional as a welterweight. He later became a trainer, coach and promoter.

Among his boxers was welterweight Don Jordan, who became a world champion in the early 1950s.

Organized crime figures tried to force Leonard to turn over his contract with Jordan, but he refused and was later attacked at home by unknown assailants. He later testified before a federal grand jury about those who had approached him, and eight people eventually were sent to prison.

Born Leonard Blakely in Conway, Ark., in 1917, Leonard spent much of his life in California. He had been living in Winter Haven, where he started a boxing program for the local police athletic league in 1984.

Unbeaten Haitian welterweight Andre Berto is among the boxers whose careers Leonard helped start in Florida, said Tony Morgan, who took over the PAL team after Leonard had a heart attack in 1995.

Leonard is survived by his wife, Jeanne.

The Associated Press

dagosd2000 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Junior Robles, Junior is to be inducted into the CBHOF with Rick Farris and others

http://laprensa-sandiego.org/archieve/2 ... 021309.htm

JUST WHEN YOU THINK...

Just when you think that it's not gonna' happen...well, then comes the miracle. Frank asked me if I could get in touch with someone in National City so Junior Robles could receive an honor. That honor being inducted into the California Boxing Hall Of Fame.
"Sure Frank. My pleasure."
Well, after I came back from Michoacan,it had slipped my mind to go the Community Rec Gym in National City to make arrangements.
Frank lights a fire under my tail so I beat it down there. Frank told me there was still a window,but make it snappy.

Well,everytime I've set inside that gym in the last year the stars haven't been aligned right for me. Supposed to meet a kid and watch him train. A no show. Then the guy who runs the places father put me on his "pay no mind list."He's giving me the once over like I've got the bubonic plague. I feel slighted and walk out.Then it was trying to get the data on Junior for his induction. For three days Junior's sister was going to get back with me,but I never got a jingle. I'd given up. Then Frank emails me that someone from from Nat City got a hold of Don Fraser. BINGO!

Just saw this. I don't know. Sometimes when I deal with Los Mexicanos,I feel that "manana" means never,or a year from now at the soonest.

I can wait to find out the details. All I can say is that I'm happy for Junior's family and the community of National City. I know they've wanted to get Junior the recognition he deserves. Now he'll be in the California Boxing Hall Of Fame. My heart soars.

Roger..In the end it all worked out okay, thanks to you, had you not gone to the gym and talked to that guy, they never would have known to call any body, also if I remember right you're the one that brought Robles name up for induction last year, thank you dude....

Jackie Leonard
-------------------
Jackie Leonard was the final matchmaker at the Hollywood Legion Stadium, from October 1, 1955, until the venue closed in September 1959.

Hap Navarro (our dear friend)

Hap Navarro born 5-19-1919 Los Angeles was the matchmaker at Hollywood Legion Stadium between 1953 and 1955. He had been hired in at the Legion on Sept. 16, 1948 to replace the club's Publicity Director, Dean Snyder, who was one of the most respected men in the business for many years. But Snyder was a friend of Navarro's father, and he had known Hap since the latter was 15-years-old. So, when Navarro refused to replace him, the Stadium Manager named Navarro the Assistant Matchmaker, and had him apply to the California State Athletic Commission for a Matchmaker's license. Navarro held that job for three years under both Baron Henry von Stumme and Cal Working. Only Charlie McDonald was Matchmaker at the Legion Stadium more years than Navarro, although much of Navarro's time was as an Assistant Matchmaker.

Navarro is also a boxing historian, writer, and an expert on California boxing history.
He currently posts on the California History section on the Cyber Boxing Zone EZ Board Forum.

2006 California Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee (Non-Boxer)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



-Rick Farris

kikibalt wrote:Courtesy Rick Farris

Louis Tom Dragna

July 18, 1920 (1920-07-18) (age 89)
Los Angeles, California
Nationality Italian American
Other names Lou Allen
Known for Mob Activity
Religious beliefs Catholic
Parents Tom Dragna (father)
Julia Torisco (mother)[1]
Relatives Jack Dragna (uncle)
Josephine Dragna (aunt)
Frank Dragna (brother)
Louis Tom Dragna is a former mobster and nephew of Jack Dragna and son of Tom Dragna.[2] He was active in the Los Angeles crime family from the 1940s until the early 1980s. Dragna's last known address was 2333 North Coronet, Covina, California.


Early life
Louis Tom Dragna was born on July 18, 1920 in Los Angeles, California to father Tom Dragna. He has a brother, Frank Paul Dragna (nicknamed "Two Eyes" to distinguish him from his cousin who had the same name and had a glass eye).[3] They are second generation immigrants and Louis was the only younger Dragna to be heavily involved in the Mafia. His grandparents Francesco Paolo Dragna and Anna Dragna immigrated to the United States on November 18, 1898, but returned to Sicily 10 years later.[4] His family then returned to New York City in the 1910s and made their way West to California. In 1931 his uncle Jack Dragna became Boss of the Los Angeles crime family and named Tom his Consigliere.

Criminal career
According to his army enlistment record, Louis Dragna spent two years in college.[5] He started to become involved in the crime family in the 1940s. Under his uncle Jack, the Mafia in Los Angeles was growing into a very widespread enterprise. Louis has an arrest record dating back to 1946. Dragna became a made man in 1947 along with Jimmy Fratianno, Dominic Brooklier, Charles Dippolito, and Salvatore "Dago Louie" Piscopo.[6] Louis Dragna was eventually promoted to Captain (caporegime) in the family by his uncle. Some say that Louis never "made his bones" ie committed a murder on the Mafia's orders.

In 1959 Dragna was arrested with mobsters Joe Sica, John "Frankie" Carbo, Frank "Blinky" Palermo, and Truman Gibson for extorting Jackie Leonard the manager of boxing champion Don Jordan in 1958. They were accused of trying to muscle in on the fight earnings of Jordan.[7] On May 30, 1961, they were all found guilty in Los Angeles Federal District Court of conspiring to extort money and of transmitting by interstate commerce threats of harm to Jackie Leonard and sentenced to prison times of various lengths, with Dragna sentenced to five years.[8] The defendants appealed their ruling and on February 13, 1963 the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of four of the defendants, with Dragna 's sentence being overturned. His lawyers argued that the defense against him was weak and questioned Leonard's creditability.[8] Leonard's only testimony on Dragna stated that he was present at the times threats were made against him, but that Dragna never made any threats himself.[8]

On June 16, 1960 the Nevada Gaming Commission opened its first Black Book. It was a list of all personal who were banned from entering any casino in Nevada. Dragna was one of the 11 original entries to the list and the last surviving member.[9] In the 1940s Johnny Dio taught Dragna how to manipulate labour unions in the Garment District. By the 1970s Dragna's company, "Roberta Manufacturing Co." was a $10 million a year business. When boss Dominic Brooklier was imprisoned in 1975, he chose Dragna as his acting boss, to run the family while he was in jail. Brooklier knew Dragna would never have had the nerve or the inclination to take over the family permanently. Dragna, however declined the opportunity and the job was given to Fratianno, with Dragna named co-leader. Dragna's refusal to become boss despite his uncle's and father's former positions in the family earned him the nick name "the Reluctant Prince".

In 1978 Louis Dragna, Michael Rizzitello, Thomas Ricciardi, Jack LoCicero, and Dominick Raffone were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act) charges related to the murder of Frank Bompensiero and extortion.[10] On October 14, 1980 Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno, a long time member of the Los Angeles family and close associate of Dragna's testified in the case. During a October 23 hearing FBI agent John Barron offered testimony that Louis Tom Dragna admitted to being a member of the Mafia and gave up the leadership structure of the Los Angeles crime family at a meeting held on October 14, 1976. Dragna started serving his sentence for racketeering and extortion on June 27, 1981. He was released on March 18, 1985 and entered a halfway house to complete his sentence which included 1,000 hours of community service. Peter Milano was caught on tape in the 1980s discussing with members of the Cleveland crime family a plot to have Dragna murdered for violating the oath of Omertà.[11] However, Dragna was saved when Milano faced federal indictments himself.[citation needed] After serving his sentence, Dragna was forced to step away from organized crime.

Rick I think there was a guy Anthony Fiato who was part of the same crew you know anything about him

THEHAMMER321 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Courtesy Rick Farris

Louis Tom Dragna

July 18, 1920 (1920-07-18) (age 89)
Los Angeles, California
Nationality Italian American
Other names Lou Allen
Known for Mob Activity
Religious beliefs Catholic
Parents Tom Dragna (father)
Julia Torisco (mother)[1]
Relatives Jack Dragna (uncle)
Josephine Dragna (aunt)
Frank Dragna (brother)
Louis Tom Dragna is a former mobster and nephew of Jack Dragna and son of Tom Dragna.[2] He was active in the Los Angeles crime family from the 1940s until the early 1980s. Dragna's last known address was 2333 North Coronet, Covina, California.


Early life
Louis Tom Dragna was born on July 18, 1920 in Los Angeles, California to father Tom Dragna. He has a brother, Frank Paul Dragna (nicknamed "Two Eyes" to distinguish him from his cousin who had the same name and had a glass eye).[3] They are second generation immigrants and Louis was the only younger Dragna to be heavily involved in the Mafia. His grandparents Francesco Paolo Dragna and Anna Dragna immigrated to the United States on November 18, 1898, but returned to Sicily 10 years later.[4] His family then returned to New York City in the 1910s and made their way West to California. In 1931 his uncle Jack Dragna became Boss of the Los Angeles crime family and named Tom his Consigliere.

Criminal career
According to his army enlistment record, Louis Dragna spent two years in college.[5] He started to become involved in the crime family in the 1940s. Under his uncle Jack, the Mafia in Los Angeles was growing into a very widespread enterprise. Louis has an arrest record dating back to 1946. Dragna became a made man in 1947 along with Jimmy Fratianno, Dominic Brooklier, Charles Dippolito, and Salvatore "Dago Louie" Piscopo.[6] Louis Dragna was eventually promoted to Captain (caporegime) in the family by his uncle. Some say that Louis never "made his bones" ie committed a murder on the Mafia's orders.

In 1959 Dragna was arrested with mobsters Joe Sica, John "Frankie" Carbo, Frank "Blinky" Palermo, and Truman Gibson for extorting Jackie Leonard the manager of boxing champion Don Jordan in 1958. They were accused of trying to muscle in on the fight earnings of Jordan.[7] On May 30, 1961, they were all found guilty in Los Angeles Federal District Court of conspiring to extort money and of transmitting by interstate commerce threats of harm to Jackie Leonard and sentenced to prison times of various lengths, with Dragna sentenced to five years.[8] The defendants appealed their ruling and on February 13, 1963 the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of four of the defendants, with Dragna 's sentence being overturned. His lawyers argued that the defense against him was weak and questioned Leonard's creditability.[8] Leonard's only testimony on Dragna stated that he was present at the times threats were made against him, but that Dragna never made any threats himself.[8]

On June 16, 1960 the Nevada Gaming Commission opened its first Black Book. It was a list of all personal who were banned from entering any casino in Nevada. Dragna was one of the 11 original entries to the list and the last surviving member.[9] In the 1940s Johnny Dio taught Dragna how to manipulate labour unions in the Garment District. By the 1970s Dragna's company, "Roberta Manufacturing Co." was a $10 million a year business. When boss Dominic Brooklier was imprisoned in 1975, he chose Dragna as his acting boss, to run the family while he was in jail. Brooklier knew Dragna would never have had the nerve or the inclination to take over the family permanently. Dragna, however declined the opportunity and the job was given to Fratianno, with Dragna named co-leader. Dragna's refusal to become boss despite his uncle's and father's former positions in the family earned him the nick name "the Reluctant Prince".

In 1978 Louis Dragna, Michael Rizzitello, Thomas Ricciardi, Jack LoCicero, and Dominick Raffone were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO Act) charges related to the murder of Frank Bompensiero and extortion.[10] On October 14, 1980 Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno, a long time member of the Los Angeles family and close associate of Dragna's testified in the case. During a October 23 hearing FBI agent John Barron offered testimony that Louis Tom Dragna admitted to being a member of the Mafia and gave up the leadership structure of the Los Angeles crime family at a meeting held on October 14, 1976. Dragna started serving his sentence for racketeering and extortion on June 27, 1981. He was released on March 18, 1985 and entered a halfway house to complete his sentence which included 1,000 hours of community service. Peter Milano was caught on tape in the 1980s discussing with members of the Cleveland crime family a plot to have Dragna murdered for violating the oath of Omertà.[11] However, Dragna was saved when Milano faced federal indictments himself.[citation needed] After serving his sentence, Dragna was forced to step away from organized crime.

Rick I think there was a guy Anthony Fiato who was part of the same crew you know anything about him

No, I don't that name. I know of Dominic Brooklier, and Peter Milano. Nobody else. I heard of the Dragna's, from earlier years.
Today, the late Brooklier's son, Anthony, is a top trial attorney who represented Heidi Fleiss.

Gents, there is a book thats been out for awhile called "Joey The Hitman".It was recently re released
fascinating book about a button man. Its an autobiography about a life of crime by a guy who only refers to himself as Joey Black.
He did alot of "pieces work" for Jack Dragna.
Its a real good read.

Expug wrote:Gents, there is a book thats been out for awhile called "Joey The Hitman".It was recently re released
fascinating book about a button man. Its an autobiography about a life of crime by a guy who only refers to himself as Joey Black.
He did alot of "pieces work" for Jack Dragna.
Its a real good read.

The Black Hand . . .

Thanks, Brian. Another book I'm interested in reading is "The Black Hand", written by one of the founders of the Mexican Mafia, somebody who's street name was "Boxer" Enriquez. My reason for interest is it's reference to East L.A. and many of the areas I'm familiar with. One of the founders of this prison gang was Joe Morgan, who was not of Mexican blood, but a member of a ELA Latino street gang.

As ‘little’ David Haye nears his inevitable showdowns with the ‘big’ Klitschkos, Vitali and Wladimir, the idiotic internet view of today’s heavyweights rears its ugly head again on seemingly every boxing forum, on seemingly every heavyweight thread. Filibusters tell you today’s heavyweights are better than yesterday’s because they are so much bigger - and so much bigger is surely so much better.
What are they saying!
Jack Dempsey dished out the worst beating in the entire history of boxing to a giant of a man who could fight by the name of Jess Willard (the gigantic Luis Firpo also has good cause to remember Dempsey); Haye, quick and hungry, if not as ferocious as Dempsey, toyed with the biggest and heaviest ‘world’ heavyweight champion of all time just two months ago; Chris Byrd, a stinking, non-punching southpaw beaten by Joe Calzaghe in the amateurs, made millions courtesy of a dire modern heavyweight scene and then dropped back down again - to middleweight. John L. Gardner, no bigger than Haye, refused to take a backward step and came desperately close to a shot at Muhammad Ali; Danny McAlinden knocked out Richard Dunn in one round, who did get a shot at Ali.
Some posters, on other forums, actually believe that because someone like Eric “Butterbean” Esch scales 300 pounds he must be better than Haye, Byrd, Gardner, McAlinden, Tommy Burns, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier and even Dempsey – smaller, lighter heavies - although they usually spare Mike Tyson in their ludicrous comparisons. “Butterbean”, coincidentally, was taken apart in under a round by a half-blind bloke from Walthamstow on these shores recently. (On that note, Dempsey flattened two would-be muggers at the age of 78).
At least old-school boxing men, who do know their boxing, know heavyweight boxing has sadly regressed through the decades. Size and strength fail to compensate for lack of technical skill or natural power amongst today’s big men. Ask yourself this, do the huge Klitschkos possess natural power, real ‘snap’ in their work, or do they just possess outstanding fitness as they poke away at fat, puffing barrels until those barrels run dry? Vitali certainly jabbed the life out of Sam Peter and Danny Williams before the corner, the doctor, did their respective jobs. Wladimir is probably more aggressive, more in the face of his opponents, but seemingly needs to drop men several times before his arm is raised. His power appears to be that of the ‘clumping’ variety.
Think of Primo Carnera.
However, Haye can naturally ‘crack’ as he showed when he dropped New York’s Monte Barrett five times on a heady night in London in November 2008 in his heavyweight debut, winning in the fifth round, and when he flattened French bull Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris before that to wrest the undisputed world cruiserweight title. Moreover, Haye is the ideal size for a heavyweight at 6ft 3ins, in my opinion, the ideal weight at 215 pounds.
Think of Muhammad Ali.
The charismatic, self-assured, smart-talking Londoner poses the biggest threat to to Vitali since Lennox Lewis, another British fighter, stopped Klitschko on cuts back in 2003 - and Vitali is the better of the two brothers (and the braver, so he will fight Haye first). Like Haye, he seems a likeable fella’ but acted disgracefully when pulled out of the Lewis fight due to two horrendous cuts (caused by punches), jumping off his stool in a manner which petrified even his cutsman, the gentlemanly Joe Souza, as he tried to get at Lewis in front of a crowd of 16,000, only just held back by Wladimir, who probably prevented a riot.
Vitali was out of control, totally, and I believe his actions resulted in the millionaire Lewis, after making Klitschko wait and wait and wait (ha ha!), walking out of the sport, something which has bugged Vitali ever since. You reap what you sow, Vitali. (Souza, incidentally, agreed with the stoppage and said so to the press a day later, Klitschko firmly out of earshot.)
Nevertheless, Vitali’s boxing record of 39-2 (37) is excellent. He has lost only to Lewis and to that little man Byrd, on another injury stoppage, and while he comes off a terrible fight with Kevin “Queenpin” Johnson (a drab points win), he is better than he showed that night as he showed when he emerged from a retirement lasting FOUR years in 2008 to drub Nigeria’s Peter for the WBC heavyweight title. It were almost like he had never been away.
Once upon a boxing time, nobody could emerge from a hiatus of four years and waltz their way to a world title - nobody - but boxing foundations are horribly debunked, these days, with fighters winning world titles like dog treats, jumping up and down divisions like Georges Carpentier, switching promoters, managers and trainers like condoms, and pulling out of big fights at the last minute because they have locked themselves “in” (a famous excuse once uttered by Birmingham’s Lloyd Hibbert).
Man, the sport has changed!
Nevertheless, the still-improving Haye, nine years younger than Vitali at 29 and with a record of 23-1 (21), can bring back the days when fighters, heavyweight fighters, knew about balance, skill and power, about the kind of power sorely lacking in those lumbering arm-puncher Klitschkos, who make Frank Bruno look supple. Class always tells, not weight.
Haye is a different man from the one who punched himself out spectacularly against Bolton’s Carl Thompson at cruiserweight back in 2004 for his only setback. Haye still punches up from his toes but mixes up his heavy shots nowadays with jabs and sharp left hooks. He has a longer reach than one would imagine at 78 inches - just two inches shorter than the 6ft 7½ins Vitali’s. His right hand is thunderous.
Oh yes, he will reach Vitali all right, just as he reached the Jurassic Valuev - all seven foot of the Russian - although Vitali has never been down as a fighter (Birmingham’s Pele Reid once knocked him out with a kick, apparently). For me, this gives Haye a golden opportunity to make a real statement as he floors the WBC champion on the way to a stoppage, on the way to undisputed status in the heavyweight ranks (at last), on the way to superstardom.
First, he must defend the WBA heavyweight title he won from Valuev against America’s John Ruiz in Manchester on April 3. Pave the way, David, blow Ruiz away.

bennie wrote:As ‘little’ David Haye nears his inevitable showdowns with the ‘big’ Klitschkos, Vitali and Wladimir, the idiotic internet view of today’s heavyweights rears its ugly head again on seemingly every boxing forum, on seemingly every heavyweight thread. Filibusters tell you today’s heavyweights are better than yesterday’s because they are so much bigger - and so much bigger is surely so much better.
What are they saying!
Jack Dempsey dished out the worst beating in the entire history of boxing to a giant of a man who could fight by the name of Jess Willard (the gigantic Luis Firpo also has good cause to remember Dempsey); Haye, quick and hungry, if not as ferocious as Dempsey, toyed with the biggest and heaviest ‘world’ heavyweight champion of all time just two months ago; Chris Byrd, a stinking, non-punching southpaw beaten by Joe Calzaghe in the amateurs, made millions courtesy of a dire modern heavyweight scene and then dropped back down again - to middleweight. John L. Gardner, no bigger than Haye, refused to take a backward step and came desperately close to a shot at Muhammad Ali; Danny McAlinden knocked out Richard Dunn in one round, who did get a shot at Ali.
Some posters, on other forums, actually believe that because someone like Eric “Butterbean” Esch scales 300 pounds he must be better than Haye, Byrd, Gardner, McAlinden, Tommy Burns, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier and even Dempsey – smaller, lighter heavies - although they usually spare Mike Tyson in their ludicrous comparisons. “Butterbean”, coincidentally, was taken apart in under a round by a half-blind bloke from Walthamstow on these shores recently. (On that note, Dempsey flattened two would-be muggers at the age of 78).
At least old-school boxing men, who do know their boxing, know heavyweight boxing has sadly regressed through the decades. Size and strength fail to compensate for lack of technical skill or natural power amongst today’s big men. Ask yourself this, do the huge Klitschkos possess natural power, real ‘snap’ in their work, or do they just possess outstanding fitness as they poke away at fat, puffing barrels until those barrels run dry? Vitali certainly jabbed the life out of Sam Peter and Danny Williams before the corner, the doctor, did their respective jobs. Wladimir is probably more aggressive, more in the face of his opponents, but seemingly needs to drop men several times before his arm is raised. His power appears to be that of the ‘clumping’ variety.
Think of Primo Carnera.
However, Haye can naturally ‘crack’ as he showed when he dropped New York’s Monte Barrett five times on a heady night in London in November 2008 in his heavyweight debut, winning in the fifth round, and when he flattened French bull Jean-Marc Mormeck in Paris before that to wrest the undisputed world cruiserweight title. Moreover, Haye is the ideal size for a heavyweight at 6ft 3ins, in my opinion, the ideal weight at 215 pounds.
Think of Muhammad Ali.
The charismatic, self-assured, smart-talking Londoner poses the biggest threat to to Vitali since Lennox Lewis, another British fighter, stopped Klitschko on cuts back in 2003 - and Vitali is the better of the two brothers (and the braver, so he will fight Haye first). Like Haye, he seems a likeable fella’ but acted disgracefully when pulled out of the Lewis fight due to two horrendous cuts (caused by punches), jumping off his stool in a manner which petrified even his cutsman, the gentlemanly Joe Souza, as he tried to get at Lewis in front of a crowd of 16,000, only just held back by Wladimir, who probably prevented a riot.
Vitali was out of control, totally, and I believe his actions resulted in the millionaire Lewis, after making Klitschko wait and wait and wait (ha ha!), walking out of the sport, something which has bugged Vitali ever since. You reap what you sow, Vitali. (Souza, incidentally, agreed with the stoppage and said so to the press a day later, Klitschko firmly out of earshot.)
Nevertheless, Vitali’s boxing record of 39-2 (37) is excellent. He has lost only to Lewis and to that little man Byrd, on another injury stoppage, and while he comes off a terrible fight with Kevin “Queenpin” Johnson (a drab points win), he is better than he showed that night as he showed when he emerged from a retirement lasting FOUR years in 2008 to drub Nigeria’s Peter for the WBC heavyweight title. It were almost like he had never been away.
Once upon a boxing time, nobody could emerge from a hiatus of four years and waltz their way to a world title - nobody - but boxing foundations are horribly debunked, these days, with fighters winning world titles like dog treats, jumping up and down divisions like Georges Carpentier, switching promoters, managers and trainers like condoms, and pulling out of big fights at the last minute because they have locked themselves “in” (a famous excuse once uttered by Birmingham’s Lloyd Hibbert).
Man, the sport has changed!
Nevertheless, the still-improving Haye, nine years younger than Vitali at 29 and with a record of 23-1 (21), can bring back the days when fighters, heavyweight fighters, knew about balance, skill and power, about the kind of power sorely lacking in those lumbering arm-puncher Klitschkos, who make Frank Bruno look supple. Class always tells, not weight.
Haye is a different man from the one who punched himself out spectacularly against Bolton’s Carl Thompson at cruiserweight back in 2004 for his only setback. Haye still punches up from his toes but mixes up his heavy shots nowadays with jabs and sharp left hooks. He has a longer reach than one would imagine at 78 inches - just two inches shorter than the 6ft 7½ins Vitali’s. His right hand is thunderous.
Oh yes, he will reach Vitali all right, just as he reached the Jurassic Valuev - all seven foot of the Russian - although Vitali has never been down as a fighter (Birmingham’s Pele Reid once knocked him out with a kick, apparently). For me, this gives Haye a golden opportunity to make a real statement as he floors the WBC champion on the way to a stoppage, on the way to undisputed status in the heavyweight ranks (at last), on the way to superstardom.
First, he must defend the WBA heavyweight title he won from Valuev against America’s John Ruiz in Manchester on April 3. Pave the way, David, blow Ruiz away.

Cheers Bennie!

Bennie, what a great post! If you don't mind, I'd like to copy it an post it on a few other forums.
As far as David Haye is concerned, he need not win one more fight in his career and I will still respect him for eliminating the biggest of the big Eastern European bums. I fully expect him to do likewise to the dreadful K brothers.
He is not intimidated by size, and size alone is never enough to handle a decent fighter with balls.
We know that the K Bros, when in trouble, will quickly fly (or fall) south.
I hope David keeps his head on straight because he has what it takes to bring all of the titles back to Great Britain.
I don't think Haye is the best I've ever seen, but he certainly has the best chance of stripping the weak chinned, and faint hearted Lurch brothers of their place in boxing.

John Ruiz? A good tune-up, nothing more.
You know that Haye is going to play Hell getting either one of the "Weakheart" boys into the ring.
And when (or if) he does, the fight will surely be held in Germany (today's "Land of the Giants").
No problem with that, in fact, it might be a nice touch for Davey to execute Goliath on his home turf.

Today, America has nothing to offer the heavyweight division. We are simply spectators in the overall scope of heavyweight boxing. Sad, but true.


-Rick Farris

Look alikes:

Jack Mosely - Judge Joe Brown

The feeling of East Los Angeles . . .

Perhaps I'm not the best person to write about East L.A. as I did not grow up there. My father grew up in Lincoln Heights.
I don't know every single barrio, and have never lived there. I've lived in Monterey Park, which is close, but not in ELA proper.
Randy and Frank know ELA, but as a guy who visited the area often as I grew up in boxing, I'll share my feelings.

East LA always felt warm to me, still does. I relate it to good people I met thru boxing. Strong family's in a trying time.
The streets were tough, but their was an honor. People watch out for their barrio, they keep an eye on things.
They protect their homes and the homes of their neighbors. All that makes news is a bad element, not the beautifully strong and proud that dominate the population of ELA. I've known both.

Here's a perfect example. In the 80's, we had a seriel killer/rapist named Richard Ramirez (not from ELA).
Ramirez had raped and killed his way thru the San Fernando Valley and the Westside. People were terrified and would run for dear life had they known the man might be nearby.
After assaulting a woman near East LA, he made the mistake of passing thru an ELA barrio and was spotted by a couple of the residents. The two men didn't go inside and call the police, they chased the killer down and kicked his ass, ELA style!
Then they called the police.

The gangs, the drive-bys, etc. make ELA a tough place, for sure. But strolling thru some of neighborhoods will take you back in time. There are beautiful Victorian era homes, some revitalized to their better days, most just faded relics of an era long gone by. There is graffiti, but also a beautiful art that is part of the ELA culture.

East LA isn't flat, it's rolling hills and valleys, and from many parts, such as City Terrace, a view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline is quite a site.

Frank,, maybe you or Randy can tell me about the area known as "the Flats". I've enjoyed learning of Montebello and Simons Brick Yard. These neighborhoods have been a breeding ground for boxing greatness, and some great LA people in general.


-Rick Farris