BoxRec

Front Row: Jimmy Gambina, Bill Dempsey Young, Larry Montalvo,
Don Fraser, Dodger Dave
Back Row: Norm Cote, Stacey White,Willie Bean, Lou Filippo, MONROE RATCLIFF, Tom Peters

dagosd2000 wrote:Frank
Remember Monroe Ratcliff? Years ago my father took me down to the Coliseum and I saw him fight a guy named Wayne Heath. Ratcliff lost a boring decision. Ratcliff seemed like a fighter you fought on the way up. I know he lost a lot of fights at the end of his career.

Also around that time I saw 'ol Sixto Rodriguez beat a promising fighter who was becoming popular here in Dago Town. Junious Washington. As I recall Rodriguez was a little to tricky for Washington that night. Anything on Rodriguez? He had an interesting role in "Fat City".

I liked the roll Sixto played in "Fat City".
Everything about that guy said pro.Just the way he carried himself gettin on and off the bus etc.
Its something that you can recognize a mile away.
You dont see a guy like that and say to yourself"hey, there goes an insurance salesman".

Ken Norton

Ken Norton

kikibalt wrote:I had a EKG done yesterday and another one today and both found that I have a left artery that is blocked, now I have to go see a cardiologist, but first I go see my doctor Thursday, she will set an appointment with a cardiologist that she knows.

Let's take this in order.
First,I feel bad that I didn't pick up on Ratcliff being at the Father/Son banquet. Is he related to Alonzo?
Second,Don't you think Theee Keeeed could have handled Calzaghe and Hopkins on the same night even though he'd have to give up 15 pounds?
Third,I've tasted Beatriz's cooking. Taco Bell is better. I'm going to lick my wounds, go home,apologize,and have my wife make me "gorditas". After I give her the roses.
Fourth,Make sure your cardiologist isn't making a yacht payment or has a "Beatriz" on the side before he tells you he wants to open you up like a can of sardines. Get a second opinion in these matters. Dagos

Expug wrote:

dagosd2000 wrote:Frank
Remember Monroe Ratcliff? Years ago my father took me down to the Coliseum and I saw him fight a guy named Wayne Heath. Ratcliff lost a boring decision. Ratcliff seemed like a fighter you fought on the way up. I know he lost a lot of fights at the end of his career.

Also around that time I saw 'ol Sixto Rodriguez beat a promising fighter who was becoming popular here in Dago Town. Junious Washington. As I recall Rodriguez was a little to tricky for Washington that night. Anything on Rodriguez? He had an interesting role in "Fat City".

I liked the roll Sixto played in "Fat City".
Everything about that guy said pro.Just the way he carried himself gettin on and off the bus etc.
Its something that you can recognize a mile away.
You dont see a guy like that and say to yourself"hey, there goes an insurance salesman".

I thought you'd say that. You're always a step ahead. Ol' Sixto would take a fight on short notice. Fight in any arena against the local hero. That's what he did in San Diego 45 years ago. Upset the local boy Williams,collect his pay,and get back on the bus. And go do it again in two weeks. Sometimes he'd win. Sometimes he'd lose. He'd look the same way, win or lose.

bennie wrote:Incidentally, Frankie, I'm not sure if you picked this up in the States, but they filmed Pintor unveiling a statue of Johnny Owen in Wales in 2002, with Johnny's family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mluAfQAUQak

Just watched this. The dignity and class shown by Lupe Pintor and Dick Owen, Johnny's father, is something to behold, very moving. Thanks for posting Bennie.

kikibalt wrote:

Boxingnut wrote:Hi Frank

I am looking thru some 80's boxing magazines and there is a rumour in one that Tony was being lined up to fight Aaron Pryor in around 1984. Any truth in that or is it just paper talk?

Regards

Rob

Rob,

Not true, just paper talk, how all this rumors get started, I just don't know.

Pryor was 'gone' by 1984, too. Even a clubfighter like Nicky Furlano was taking him to hell and back. Tony would have had a real shot.

Norton looks damned young in those photos

Boxingnut wrote:

bennie wrote:Incidentally, Frankie, I'm not sure if you picked this up in the States, but they filmed Pintor unveiling a statue of Johnny Owen in Wales in 2002, with Johnny's family.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mluAfQAUQak

Just watched this. The dignity and class shown by Lupe Pintor and Dick Owen, Johnny is something to behold, very moving. Thanks for posting Bennie.

Aye, it's a nice documentary. Pintor wasn't to blame for Owen's death, of course, given Owen's abnormally thin skull. He still showed a lot of class to make his way over to a rainy Merthyr in November to do the deed. More importantly, he gave belated peace to Dick Owen, who died shortly after the unveiling.

raylawpc wrote:Frank, Did you see the first Ken Norton-Jose Luis Garcia fight at the Olympic in 1970? The story I always heard was that Garcia knocked down Norton at the end of the first round, which left him in a dazed condition for the rest of the fight, and ultimately led to his stoppage in the 8th round.

According to some accounts, that first knockdown happened at the bell. Other accounts say it happened after the bell.

Do you recall what happened?

Thanks, my friend.

Ray . . . I was scheduled to box on the undercard of the first Norton-Garcia fight. My bout fell out, but I stayed to watch the card. I wish I could answer your question, but I missed the action talking to this hot young lady I was seeing at the time. I did see the end however, and most who did, never really put a lot of faith in Norton's ability to take a good crack on the chin. Keep in mind, I'd also seen Kenny KOed by Jerry Quarry in the gym. I thought Norton was the best built heavyweight of his era, but fighters know that means nothing. The ting that always stuck in my mind is that Norton's people carefully avoided giving Garcia another fight. It was several years later, after Norton was a top ranked heavyweight, and Garcia had fallen apart physically due to chronic syphlis (spelling?), that Kenny fought the very small 6'1", 185 lb. Garcia again. This time, Kenny had no trouble winning. Garcia, was more of a cruiser weight than a heavyweight, and he was no George Foreman. Sorry I can't answer your question, but it brought to mind something I do remember about the fight.

-Rick Farris

Thanks for that story Rick..appreciated

This is for you good fellows from the U.K.

Delete!!!!

dagosd2000 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:I had a EKG done yesterday and another one today and both found that I have a left artery that is blocked, now I have to go see a cardiologist, but first I go see my doctor Thursday, she will set an appointment with a cardiologist that she knows.

Let's take this in order.
First,I feel bad that I didn't pick up on Ratcliff being at the Father/Son banquet. Is he related to Alonzo?
Second,Don't you think Theee Keeeed could have handled Calzaghe and Hopkins on the same night even though he'd have to give up 15 pounds?
Third,I've tasted Beatriz's cooking. Taco Bell is better. I'm going to lick my wounds, go home,apologize,and have my wife make me "gorditas". After I give her the roses.
Fourth,Make sure your cardiologist isn't making a yacht payment or has a "Beatriz" on the side before he tells you he wants to open you up like a can of sardines. Get a second opinion in these matters. Dagos

I'll pass on the First & Fourth.

Second-yes the kid would have taken both hop&cal on the same nite.

Imo anything is better then taco bell. Ya! "gorditas"!!, I remember the onces my grandma used to make when I was a kid.

Don Fraser - Founder & President California Boxing Hall of Fame

California Boxing Hall of Fame is a
Trademark by the Sec'y of State of California

INDUCTION CEREMONIES 2008

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Rick Farris wrote:

raylawpc wrote:Frank, Did you see the first Ken Norton-Jose Luis Garcia fight at the Olympic in 1970? The story I always heard was that Garcia knocked down Norton at the end of the first round, which left him in a dazed condition for the rest of the fight, and ultimately led to his stoppage in the 8th round.

According to some accounts, that first knockdown happened at the bell. Other accounts say it happened after the bell.

Do you recall what happened?

Thanks, my friend.

Ray . . . I was scheduled to box on the undercard of the first Norton-Garcia fight. My bout fell out, but I stayed to watch the card. I wish I could answer your question, but I missed the action talking to this hot young lady I was seeing at the time. I did see the end however, and most who did, never really put a lot of faith in Norton's ability to take a good crack on the chin. Keep in mind, I'd also seen Kenny KOed by Jerry Quarry in the gym. I thought Norton was the best built heavyweight of his era, but fighters know that means nothing. The ting that always stuck in my mind is that Norton's people carefully avoided giving Garcia another fight. It was several years later, after Norton was a top ranked heavyweight, and Garcia had fallen apart physically due to chronic syphlis (spelling?), that Kenny fought the very small 6'1", 185 lb. Garcia again. This time, Kenny had no trouble winning. Garcia, was more of a cruiser weight than a heavyweight, and he was no George Foreman. Sorry I can't answer your question, but it brought to mind something I do remember about the fight.

-Rick Farris

I think Garcia was taller than 6'1". When he fought in Oklahoma City in 1974, I was in the ring with him (NOT as the opponent!) and, briefly, afterwards in the dressing room and he was nearly as tall as me. I'm 6'4". He weighed over 200 pounds, I'm sure, but most of that was in his midsection. He was on the downside of his career, after all. He looked as if he'd weigh about 185-190 if in shape. His body type reminded me a bit of Bob Foster except, at that point in time, Garcia was thick around the middle.

He did not look good in Oklahoma City and struggled at times against a very ordinary guy named Charles Atlas before stopping Atlas in the fifth or sixth round.

You are right about Norton - incredibly ripped for those days. When I met him briefly in 1975, He told me that he did nit all with boxing training and exercise - no weights.

Rick,

Remember Dave Contreras , that fought out of the Teamsters Gym, for Louis J., and fought Frankie Crawford in 1966?.
Just heard that he passed away recently.
Hope to get more info soon.

Ken Norton vs Jim Gilmore

Floyd Patterson

Robinson wrote:Norton looks damned young in those photos

The top photo is of Norton training in Mission Valley(San Diego) on the undercard of Luis Rodriguez/Rafael Gutierrez bout.!968. Norton had about 6 or 8 fights at the time. He stopped his opponent in 2 rounds.

kikibalt wrote:
Ken Norton vs Jim Gilmore

These are the kind of guys Kenny was fighting before he met Garcia.

raylawpc wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:

raylawpc wrote:Frank, Did you see the first Ken Norton-Jose Luis Garcia fight at the Olympic in 1970? The story I always heard was that Garcia knocked down Norton at the end of the first round, which left him in a dazed condition for the rest of the fight, and ultimately led to his stoppage in the 8th round.

According to some accounts, that first knockdown happened at the bell. Other accounts say it happened after the bell.

Do you recall what happened?

Thanks, my friend.

Ray . . . I was scheduled to box on the undercard of the first Norton-Garcia fight. My bout fell out, but I stayed to watch the card. I wish I could answer your question, but I missed the action talking to this hot young lady I was seeing at the time. I did see the end however, and most who did, never really put a lot of faith in Norton's ability to take a good crack on the chin. Keep in mind, I'd also seen Kenny KOed by Jerry Quarry in the gym. I thought Norton was the best built heavyweight of his era, but fighters know that means nothing. The ting that always stuck in my mind is that Norton's people carefully avoided giving Garcia another fight. It was several years later, after Norton was a top ranked heavyweight, and Garcia had fallen apart physically due to chronic syphlis (spelling?), that Kenny fought the very small 6'1", 185 lb. Garcia again. This time, Kenny had no trouble winning. Garcia, was more of a cruiser weight than a heavyweight, and he was no George Foreman. Sorry I can't answer your question, but it brought to mind something I do remember about the fight.

-Rick Farris

I think Garcia was taller than 6'1". When he fought in Oklahoma City in 1974, I was in the ring with him (NOT as the opponent!) and, briefly, afterwards in the dressing room and he was nearly as tall as me. I'm 6'4". He weighed over 200 pounds, I'm sure, but most of that was in his midsection. He was on the downside of his career, after all. He looked as if he'd weigh about 185-190 if in shape. His body type reminded me a bit of Bob Foster except, at that point in time, Garcia was thick around the middle.

He did not look good in Oklahoma City and struggled at times against a very ordinary guy named Charles Atlas before stopping Atlas in the fifth or sixth round.

You are right about Norton - incredibly ripped for those days. When I met him briefly in 1975, He told me that he did nit all with boxing training and exercise - no weights.

Garcia was about 6' 5" . And you're right about Kenny's physique. Never touched a weight.

dagosd2000 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:
Ken Norton vs Jim Gilmore

These are the kind of guys Kenny was fighting before he met Garcia.

YES!!