Classic American West Coast Boxing

[dagosd2000]

Sugar Ray Robinson

Look up the word "perfect" in the dictionary. You'll see this photograph.

[dagosd2000]

Gaspar Ortega

Gaspar Ortega is one of my all-time favorite Hall of Famers, what a great person he is! If the kids want to see why we aren't much impressed by today's contenders, just check out this guys record. He fought pro a dozen years and had 176 fights, he fought the best and more often than not was the winner. In 1964, the year before he retired, he stepped into the ring 24 times in various parts of the world. Rather than me telling you what you can find right here in Boxrec, just look up his record. He was a very young looking 72 in the picture above, and we had a great conversation. He shared his memories of Emile Griffith, Bennie "Kid" Paret, those who called the shots when he was fighting, etc. Dan Hanley and I planned to interview him in our little studio this day, but time would not permit. This year, he'll be the first we sit down before our cameras. This man is one of the last who can take us back to an era that is long gone, and what an era it was. He is the essence of what boxing truly is, or maybe I should say, what it was. My cousin Dawn Paradis took this photo of Gaspar Ortega, she was touched by his grace and amamzed at how youthful and handsome he is to this day. Dagos, I believe he lives in TJ today, he was born in Mexicali. Do you or Frank have any memories of "El Indio". I know his career wasn't just a product of Mexico or the West Coast, he was a world-wide headliner. And, does anybody here have any questions they would like Dan Hanley & myself to ask him this coming October 18th?

-Rick

Hey Rick 'Ol Buddy
Ask him about that day way back in Colonia Morelos in TJ when he was buying tacos for everone in the park . I was with my dad getting a haircut when the world stopped to see the neighborhood kid come back from his fight with Griffith at the Garden. Also find out the name of the blond he had with him in his convertible

[kikibalt]

Sugar Ray Robinson

Look up the word "perfect" in the dictionary. You'll see this photograph.

Thats as "perfect" as you can get in boxing

[dagosd2000]

Told Frank I was going to TJ today to get my eyes examined and get a new set of contact lenses. Also I broke my denture in Spain so I also had to see my dentist down there. Believe it or not I've got coverage through the school ,but it's still faster service(one day) and less expensive in TJ. And the quality is A OK.

So I get the contacts in a couple of hours. No problem. But my dentist tells me to come back in three hours. So now i've got some time to kill. I go across the street to a "Corridas" restarant and get the basic bean burrito. You guys that have eaten Mexican food long enough know that sooner or later you get addicted to beans. Sounds kind of dull,but go ahead. Ask any Mexican if they could live without beans. The couple that run the place always move me. They've been feeding the same woman and her handicapped son for years. The mother pushes him up and down the streets and people help them out. The boy is crippled and the woman has devoted her life to taking care of him. It's her and her son. He shouts and makes noises and she goes on up and down the streets of TJ. Everyone recognizes them. But this couple that own this little restaurant make them food and anxiously serve them at a table. The mother feeds her son and after their done eating they're on their way again. I don't know who'll go first. The mother or her son,but I can't imagine them apart from each other. If one goes,I guess the other will go too.

I'm eating my burrito with three teeth left in my mouth. So the logical next move is to go over to Cheto's Gym to watch the fighters workout. The boys are sweatin' and mixin' it up,but then I hear a conversation in the corner. Julio Cesar Chavez is in re hab. Doesn't surprise me. I don't know if it's his first time or will it be his last. What is it with these guys? Can't they slow down. Always throwing caution to the wind. Got to show everyone they're still macho balls to the wall. Go into any bar in TJ and you'll see a picture of Chaves in the middle of all the regulars in the bar with a drink in their hands. Now that's the sign of being macho. Getting drunk with J.C. Chavez. I just don't get it.

Well after a while I decide to go get a haircut. I walk inside and there's this kid getting a trim in one chair and I see this good looking gal waiting in a chair by the door. Must be his girlfriend. A real knockout. Just like I like them. Morenas,dark and beautifull with that long dark hair and big "ojos negros". I plop in the barber chair and I tell the barber how I want it. Remember I have no teeth. As I'm talking I glance over at Pocahantas and she's looking at me with this dreamy stare and a smile begins from her full lips. BANG. THE THUNDERBOLT. As the barber is cutting my hair,I'm glancing over at the girl I'm going to divorce my wife for and she's still got this mesmerized look. I know she saw the hole in my mouth. That was it. The missing teeth. A manly look. She probably thought I got them knocked out in all the fights I got into. The haircut is over. I ain't got much growin' on the top either. Wait. Another macho attribute. And I know she saw my hairy arms. That must have turned her on.

I walk down the street to the dentist hoping my other three teeth will fall out. Then maybe I can get my picture taken in a bar with Julio Cesar Chavez.

[Rick Farris]

Gaspar Ortega

Gaspar Ortega is one of my all-time favorite Hall of Famers, what a great person he is! If the kids want to see why we aren't much impressed by today's contenders, just check out this guys record. He fought pro a dozen years and had 176 fights, he fought the best and more often than not was the winner. In 1964, the year before he retired, he stepped into the ring 24 times in various parts of the world. Rather than me telling you what you can find right here in Boxrec, just look up his record. He was a very young looking 72 in the picture above, and we had a great conversation. He shared his memories of Emile Griffith, Bennie "Kid" Paret, those who called the shots when he was fighting, etc. Dan Hanley and I planned to interview him in our little studio this day, but time would not permit. This year, he'll be the first we sit down before our cameras. This man is one of the last who can take us back to an era that is long gone, and what an era it was. He is the essence of what boxing truly is, or maybe I should say, what it was. My cousin Dawn Paradis took this photo of Gaspar Ortega, she was touched by his grace and amamzed at how youthful and handsome he is to this day. Dagos, I believe he lives in TJ today, he was born in Mexicali. Do you or Frank have any memories of "El Indio". I know his career wasn't just a product of Mexico or the West Coast, he was a world-wide headliner. And, does anybody here have any questions they would like Dan Hanley & myself to ask him this coming October 18th?

-Rick

Hey Rick 'Ol Buddy
Ask him about that day way back in Colonia Morelos in TJ when he was buying tacos for everone in the park . I was with my dad getting a haircut when the world stopped to see the neighborhood kid come back from his fight with Griffith at the Garden. Also find out the name of the blond he had with him in his convertible

Dagos, you can ask him yourself. You two will both be in the same place this coming October 18th! I have to tell you, I'm as excited about spending the evening with you & Frank, as I am the boxing greats.

Tu amigo . . .
Ricardo

[dagosd2000]

Sugar Ray Robinson

Look up the word "perfect" in the dictionary. You'll see this photograph.

Thats as "perfect" as you can get in boxing

Did you guys see that HBO documentary on Sugar Ray? There's a couple of short quick shots of him in New York. One piece of film shows him walking down the steps of his house in Brooklyn.Now you might think what is signifcant about walking down some steps? Watch Robinson walk down the steps. His head is to the side like he's watching something in the distance. Then comes the step part. It's not just some monotonous bland old walk down the steps. That isn't how Sugar Ray walks down the steps. He prances down the steps alternating the rhythm. Like he's syncopating the beat to a song. Sugar Ray Robinson was the most beautifull person I ever saw walk down,or should I say dance down a flight of stairs. You heard me Fred Astaire. Maybe going down those stairs gave him the idea he could be a professional dancer like you. No Fred. You were the Sugar Ray of the dance floor like Ray Robinson was the Fred Astaire of the ring.

[bennie]

Rick Farris and Ricardo 'Finito' Lopez


Rick

Who is that dude in the back? Howard? I thought he was dead.

Lopez never lost a fight. Unbelievable.

[bennie]

Yaqui Lopez landing a crunching right on Rick Farris

Every time I look at Yaqui, I see S-T-O-C-K-T-O-N.

[bennie]

Hey, Dagos, how good was Denny Moyer?

I think we posted at the same time. If you see him on replays against Robinson and Griffith he was very sharp and liked to mix it up. They say he had a baby face. Some baby!

By the time he got down here he had a lot of mileage and all the drinkin' didn't help either. You know Benny,I look at it like this. If you watch Joe Louis against Max Baer,he's like a cobra with his abilities. If you watch Louis against Marciano,It was like slowing down the speed of the camara on Louis's end. Because of age or whatever thay just couldn't execute anymore nor get out of the way. Case made with Denny Moyer.

Dagos . . . I've a good friend up in Spokane named John Bardelli. John is an attorney up there and also a boxing historian. His father was the late "Young Firpo" aka Guido Bardelli, and he was trained by my last mgr. Mel Epstein back in the 20's & 30's. In October, John will be coming down to accept his late dad's induction into the WBHOF and will be sitting at our table, along with you, Frank, our wives, my dad and a couple others. John is a walking encyclopedia on Italian boxers and I think you two will really hit it off. Like you & Frank, he's a great man and very interesting, not to mention one of my most trusted amigos. Now, on the subject of Denny Moyer (and his brother, Phil), John told me that Denny is currently living in a nursing home up in the Pacific Northwest, I believe in Portland. I guess the punches and sporting life finally catch up to guys who hold on too long. I've been familiar with Moyer since I was a kid and just one look at his record reflects a virtual "who's who" of great middleweights of his era, in fact, nearly two eras.

-Rick

Yeah, I did stumble across this while looking at Denny's record yesterday. Moyer must be getting on, of course. I think that is the best spin one can put on it.

[bennie]

Bennie,I posted somewhere earlier in the thread about Moyer being brought into Chicago as an "opponnent" for undefeated prospect Rocky Defazio.
It was at the end of Dennys long career and somebody must have figured that Moyer would look good as a W for Defazio.
It didnt workout that way .
Moyer stopped Defazio in ten.
Scartissue ws at that fight I believe.

You're right, Pug, I was. Moyer was like a surgeon that night. Not a big banger but his combinations were awesome. Had me wondering what he must've been like in his prime.

Scartissue

Cheers, Scar.

[bennie]

Muhammad Ali

A rather sad-looking Ali, who needed a strong man at this point. Pacheco walked. Not good enough. He should have dragged Ali with him.

[bennie]

Yaqui Lopez landing a crunching right on Rick Farris

Dan Hanley and I conducted interviews with a number of boxing legends during last year's World Boxing HOF banquet, and what we got from "Yaqui" Lopez was CLASSIC! The previous year, we had interviewed Yaqui with his former ring nemesis Matthew Saad Muhammad. At one point, Hanley asks Lopez a question about one of their three matches, and Lopez answers, "I won that one". Saad disagreed and corrected Lopez, "No Yaqui, I won that night." Trying to be kind to his friend and former opponent, Lopez smiles and says, "No Matthew, that was the night I won . . .", and on and on. They couldn't agree on who had won that particular fight, and although Hanley and I knew who the true winner was, we just shut up and let the guys work it out. You could see that both were getting a bit irritated, however, they forced themselves to remain smiling and respectful before our cameras. The result was something you'll never see on ESPN, and that's exactly what we were going for.

Rick

The classic 14-round fight remains one of the best EVER in the history of the sport. I once loaned a boxing tape to a friend of man, who was a casual sports fan with no big interest in boxing. On the tape were several fights, including Saad-Lopez. When he gave me the tape back, his eyes lit up and he said with true sincerity: "That Saad Muhamad is a right hard bastard!"

[bennie]

Rick Farris and Ricardo 'Finito' Lopez


Rick

Who is that dude in the back? Howard? I thought he was dead.

The man was a Howard Cosell impersonator and did a very bad job as Master of Ceremonies for last years WBHOF Induction banquet. I don't recall his name, but I assure you he will not be back for this years banquet. We may have Jimmy Lennon Jr. this year, unless he's booked on a major Showtime event.

-Rick

A Howard Cosell impersonator! Only in America.

[bennie]

Gaspar Ortega

El Inio's record


Gaspar Ortega

Alias El Indio
Country Mexico
Global Id 9778
Hometown Tijuana, BN
Birthplace Mexicali, BN
Division Welterweight
Born 1935-10-31
Stance Orthodox
Height 179cm


Career Record © http://www.boxrec.com

Date Opponent Location Result
1965-09-25 Charlie Shipes Modesto, USA L PTS 10
1965-08-17 Henry Aldrich San Jose, USA L PTS 10
1965-07-31 Manuel Avitia Laredo, Mexico L PTS 10
1965-05-25 Ted Whitfield Boston, USA L UD 10
1965-03-23 Manuel Gonzalez Houston, USA L PTS 10
1965-02-23 Brian Curvis Kensington, United Kingdo L PTS 10
1965-01-21 Marshall Wells Corpus Christi, USA D PTS 10
1964-11-06 Sandro Mazzinghi Roma, Italy L TKO 7
1964-09-29 Gabe Terronez Fresno, USA L UD 10
1964-09-10 Stan Harrington Honolulu, USA L PTS 12
1964-08-04 Gene Bryant Portland, USA D PTS 10
1964-06-20 Kilio Barringo San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W KO 1
1964-06-15 Joe Armorosa Sonora, Mexico W KO 2
1964-06-13 Mike Tunney Medford, USA W PTS 10
1964-06-06 Nando Artega Magdalena, Mexico W PTS 10
1964-06-02 Cecil Mott Laurel, USA W PTS 10
1964-05-30 Juan Rodriguez San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 10
1964-05-25 Felipe Mendoza Cananea, Mexico W PTS 10
1964-05-23 Kid Rojas Sonora, Mexico W KO 4
1964-05-19 Willie Ross Las Vegas, USA W KO 5
1964-05-16 Juan Rodriguez Sonora, Mexico W KO 3
1964-05-14 Felipe Mendoza Sonora, Mexico W KO 5
1964-05-13 Kid Ayala Cananea, Mexico W KO 4
1964-05-11 Francisco Cancio Nogales, Mexico W PTS 10
1964-05-08 Sixto Diaz Sonora, Mexico W KO 4
1964-05-06 Joe Arias San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W KO 2
1964-05-04 Carlos Arias Tijuana, Mexico W KO 2
1964-04-29 Victor Delgado Magdalena, Mexico W KO 2
1964-04-26 Manuel Garcia Sonora, Mexico W KO 2
1964-04-24 Carlos Diego Sonora, Mexico W KO 3
1964-04-22 Joe Louis Hargrove Phoenix, USA W TKO 4
1964-03-17 Stan Harrington Honolulu, USA L PTS 10
1964-02-28 Domenico Tiberia Roma, Italy W PTS 10
1964-02-10 Francois Pavilla Paris, France L PTS 10
1964-01-22 Memo Lopez Stockton, USA W PTS 10
1964-01-13 Luis Garduno Tucson, USA W PTS 10
1963-12-12 Kid Rayo Phoenix, USA W PTS 10
1963-12-04 Aristeo Chavarin Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W PTS 10
1963-10-18 Nino Benvenuti Roma, Italy L PTS 10
1963-09-25 Ricardo Ray Sonora, Mexico W PTS 10
1963-09-23 Bobby Pencer San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 10
1963-09-17 Willie Garcia Puebla, Mexico W KO 2
1963-09-15 Freddie Mora San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W KO 6
1963-09-13 Tony Noriega Bakersfield, USA D PTS 10
1963-08-18 Manny Ochoa Sonora, Mexico W PTS 10
1963-08-12 Kildo Rodriguez Mexico W KO 5
1963-08-04 Jimmy Durpey Sonora, Mexico W PTS 10
1963-07-28 Al Mendez Nogales, Mexico W KO 1
1963-07-20 Alberto Perez Ensenada, Mexico W KO 5
1963-07-06 Billy Bello New York City, USA W SD 10
1963-06-09 Al Villa Sonora, Mexico W KO 2
1963-06-04 Mike Diaz Sonora, Mexico W KO 4
1963-06-02 Danny Brown Clovis, USA W KO 3
1963-05-17 Everardo Armenta Monterrey, Mexico W KO 4
1963-04-20 Jose Diaz Nogales, Mexico W KO 3
1963-03-09 Alvaro Gutierrez Monterrey, Mexico D PTS 10
1963-02-26 Beto Gerrardo Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W KO 7
1963-02-10 Pedro Torres Cananea, Mexico W KO 2
1963-01-28 Charley Scott Baltimore, USA W UD 10
1962-12-03 Tony Noriega Bakersfield, USA W PTS 10
1962-11-15 Mel Barker Albuquerque, USA W MD 10
1962-10-23 Stan Harrington Honolulu, USA W TKO 8
1962-09-22 Bob Fosmire Boston, USA L UD 10
1962-09-10 Charley 'Tombstone' Smith Butte, USA W KO 5
1962-08-05 Juan Lopez Piedras Negras, Mexico W KO 5
1962-07-24 Charley 'Tombstone' Smith Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W PTS 10
1962-07-22 Tony Reyes Sonora, Mexico W KO 2
1962-07-21 Al Duarte Sonora, Mexico W KO 3
1962-07-02 Charley 'Tombstone' Smith Butte, USA L SD 10
1962-06-24 Camilio Flores Agua Prieta, Mexico W KO 6
1962-06-23 Teddy Arnold Cananea, Mexico W KO 6
1962-06-12 Everardo Armenta Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W PTS 10
1962-06-04 Carey Mace Sonora, Mexico W KO 5
1962-06-02 Mike Corona Sonora, Mexico W KO 3
1962-05-30 Federico Payan Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W KO 2
1962-05-19 Arnie Cotarobles Clovis, USA W PTS 10
1962-05-15 Trinidad Veloz Amarillo, USA W TKO 4
1962-05-05 Jimmy Davis Sonora, Mexico W UD 10
1962-04-30 Bernardo Velez Sonora, Mexico W KO 6
1962-04-23 Joey Limas Albuquerque, USA L UD 10
1962-01-06 Charley Scott New York City, USA L UD 10
1961-12-22 Charlie Wright Prescott, USA W TKO 3
1961-12-13 Bobby Brown Phoenix, USA W KO 4
1961-12-05 Negro Veloz Yuma, USA W KO 3
1961-11-28 Frankie Ramirez San Jose, USA L UD 10
1961-10-24 Kid Rayo San Jose, USA W MD 10
1961-10-16 Tony Coleman Tucson, USA W KO 3
1961-09-29 Kid Rayo San Antonio, USA W UD 10
1961-09-20 Negro Veloz Phoenix, USA W KO 4
1961-09-13 Georgie Hart Guaymas, Mexico W KO 4
1961-09-10 Federico Payan Nogales, Mexico W KO 2
1961-09-07 Negro Veloz Hermosillo, Mexico W KO 5
1961-09-02 Reybon Stubbs Ciudad Obregon, Mexico W KO 3
1961-08-22 Bobby Brown Nogales, Mexico W KO 5
1961-06-03 Emile Griffith Los Angeles, USA L TKO 12
1961-02-25 Benny Paret Los Angeles, USA W UD 10
1961-01-07 Carmen Basilio New York City, USA L UD 10
1960-11-28 Kid Rayo Long Beach, USA L PTS 10
1960-10-29 Luis Federico Thompson New York City, USA L UD 10
1960-10-11 Kid Rayo Fresno, USA W UD 10
1960-09-12 Karl Heinz Guder Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W KO 6
1960-08-27 Enrique Esqueda Mexico City, Mexico W PTS 10
1960-07-06 Johnny Gonsalves Oakland, USA W UD 10
1960-05-26 Karl Heinz Guder Fresno, USA W UD 10
1960-05-17 Armando Muniz Tijuana, Mexico W PTS 10
1960-02-12 Emile Griffith New York City, USA L SD 10
1960-01-08 Stan Harrington New York City, USA W UD 10
1959-10-30 Florentino Fernandez New York City, USA L SD 10
1959-09-11 Florentino Fernandez Miami Beach, USA L UD 10
1959-08-07 Benny Paret New York City, USA W SD 10
1959-07-13 Ray Terrazas Tijuana, Mexico W PTS 10
1959-06-16 Ray Terrazas Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W KO 10
1959-05-08 Rudell Stitch Syracuse, USA L UD 10
1959-02-06 Rudell Stitch New York City, USA W SD 10
1959-01-02 Denny Moyer New York City, USA L SD 10
1958-10-22 Don Jordan Long Beach, USA L SD 12
1958-09-17 Don Jordan Portland, USA L SD 10
1958-08-13 Mickey Crawford New York City, USA D PTS 10
1958-07-11 Mickey Crawford New York City, USA W SD 10
1958-05-12 Bobby Terrance Tucson, USA W UD 10
1958-02-05 Ralph Dupas Norfolk, USA L MD 10
1957-12-06 Isaac Logart Cleveland, USA L UD 12
1957-10-22 Kid Gavilan Los Angeles, USA W SD 12
1957-09-24 David Cervantes Ciudad Juarez, Mexico W PTS 10
1957-07-31 Kid Gavilan Miami Beach, USA L UD 10
1957-07-03 Larry Baker Miami Beach, USA L SD 10
1957-05-10 Isaac Logart Syracuse, USA W SD 12
1957-04-01 Miguel Burciaga Tijuana, Mexico W KO 2
1957-02-09 Tony DeMarco Boston, USA L UD 10
1956-12-21 Tony DeMarco New York City, USA W SD 10
1956-11-23 Tony DeMarco New York City, USA W SD 10
1956-10-17 Isaac Logart Boston, USA W SD 10
1956-09-10 Hardy Smallwood Tijuana, Mexico W UD 10
1956-06-11 Gene Poirier New York City, USA W MD 10
1956-04-02 Hardy Smallwood New York City, USA L UD 10
1956-03-16 Isaac Logart New York City, USA L UD 10
1956-02-10 Tex Gonzales New York City, USA W PTS 6
1955-12-07 Tex Gonzales Cleveland, USA W UD 6
1955-10-28 Tex Gonzales Cleveland, USA L PTS 6
1955-10-14 Juan Tejada Syracuse, USA W UD 10
1955-08-24 Frank Bombiani New York City, USA W PTS 4
1955-06-12 David Cervantes Mexicali, Mexico L PTS 12
1955-05-01 Tony Esquivel Mexicali, Mexico W KO 8
1955-04-22 Jesse Robles Mexicali, Mexico W KO 8
1955-04-16 Tony Esquivel Ensenada, Mexico W KO 3
1955-03-14 David Cervantes Tijuana, Mexico W KO 8
1955-01-21 Al Villegas Tijuana, Mexico W KO 3
1954-12-24 Jesus del Ray Tijuana, Mexico W KO 3
1954-12-19 Gavilancillo Sonorense Tijuana, Mexico W KO 3
1954-11-19 Tommy Barto New York City, USA L PTS 8
1954-09-20 Tony Celano Colonial Heights, USA W PTS 10
1954-09-10 Tommy Barto New York City, USA D PTS 4
1954-08-25 Iggy Maldonado New York City, USA W PTS 4
1954-07-24 Baby Franco Tijuana, Mexico W PTS 10
1954-06-27 David Cervantes Ensenada, Mexico L PTS 10
1954-01-02 Alex Cano Ensenada, Mexico W KO 6
1953-12-27 Augustin Rosales San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 10
1953-12-13 Tuzo Jimenez San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 10
1953-12-06 Roca Reyes San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 6
1953-12-02 Gavilancillo Sonorense San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 8
1953-11-07 Baby Veloz Ensenada, Mexico W KO 2
1953-10-12 Ricardo Fox Tijuana, Mexico W PTS 6
1953-09-26 Esteban Ruiz Ensenada, Mexico W KO 2
1953-07-12 Chalino Navarez San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 8
1953-07-05 Chalino Navarez San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 8
1953-05-21 Chamaco Ortiz San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W PTS 8
1953-05-17 Arnaldo Gil San Luis, Mexico W PTS 8
1953-05-10 Joe Ortega San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W KO 7
1953-04-24 Kid Charol Ensenada, Mexico W KO 2
1953-03-15 Chamaco Garcia Ensenada, Mexico W KO 6
1953-03-01 Negro Garcia Ensenada, Mexico W PTS 6
1953-02-28 Negrito Desilao Ensenada, Mexico W KO 2
1953-02-15 Kid Algeria Mexicali, Mexico W KO 6
1953-01-24 Angel Rios San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W KO 1
1953-01-10 Tony Rojas San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W KO 1
1953-01-01 Miguel Ocana San Luis Rio Colorado, Me W KO 1

Record to Date
Won 131 (KOs 69) Lost 39 Drawn 6 Total 176

In a word, phenomenal.

[bennie]

Yaqui Lopez landing a crunching right on Rick Farris

Every time I look at Yaqui, I see S-T-O-C-K-T-O-N.

And every time I look at Rick, I see English girlfriend in Hertfordshire.

A girl in every port, eh Rick.

[bennie]

Trivia time. Can anyone name this guy?

[Robinson]

Fit looking lad.

An extra from TJ Hooker?

[bennie]

Fit looking lad.

An extra from TJ Hooker?

Errr, NO.

[bennie]

I see South African heavyweight Mike Schutte has also passed away, and at 57 he was even younger than Mando.
Sadly, the squat, burly Schutte will always be remembered for a foulfest with Gerrie Coetzee.

[raylawpc]

Trivia time. Can anyone name this guy?

Vito Antuofermo?

[kikibalt]

Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry packs a real punch

Miguel Maldonado / For The Times
Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico will take his colors and pride into the ring when he battles Mexico's Antonio Margarito for the world welterweight crown on July 26.
When boxers from the Latin American lands face each other, representing their homeland well is paramount.

By Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Carlos Palomino knew something was wrong the minute he saw the boxing ring laid out in San Juan's main baseball stadium beneath a blazing Caribbean sun.

"The ring's in the middle of the field with a tarp over it," he remembers of his welterweight title fight against Puerto Rico's Wilfredo Benitez. "Half the ring's in the shade, half the ring's in the sun. He's in the shade, I'm in the sun."

That wasn't the worst of it. In the week leading up the bout, promoters threw open the doors to Palomino's San Juan gym, allowing Puerto Rican fans to swarm the Mexican-born boxer and disrupt his workouts. And then there were the locker rooms.

"The dressing-room situation was criminal as far as I'm concerned," Palomino said. "I was sitting there soaking wet, sweating from the humidity. No fan, nothing."

Next door, he learned after the fight, Benitez prepared in air-conditioned comfort before going out and taking the world championship in a split decision Palomino still insists, nearly 30 years later, he really won.

But while that bout marked the beginning of the end of Palomino's career -- he fought just six more times, losing twice and retiring twice -- it also helped fuel one of the most passionate rivalries in sports. And it's a rivalry that will be renewed later this month in Las Vegas when Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto puts his world welterweight crown and unbeaten record on the line against Tijuana's hard-punching Antonio Margarito.

Depending on who's doing the counting, there have been nearly five dozen world title fights between boxers from Mexico and Puerto Rico and most have been classic brawls.

"In other countries people go crazy to see a soccer game between Spain and Italy, Italy and England," said boxing writer Gerardo Fernandez of the Puerto Rican daily Primera Hora. "Well, it's the same ambience for a boxing match between Mexico and Puerto Rico."

It's not hard to figure out why. They are Latin American lands with similar backgrounds and cultures. And in both lands, boxing is revered.

"They're two countries in which boxing is the national sport," said Jose Sulaiman, president of the World Boxing Council. "It's the sport that's in their hearts. There's a special rivalry over which Latin country has the best boxers."

Adds Francisco Valcarcel, president of the competing World Boxing Organization: "When you have Puerto Ricans and Mexicans, for sure that will be a war. You are fighting for you, your country and your heritage and the history."

The rivalry even extends to the sport's sanctioning bodies since Sulaiman's Mexico City-based WBC recognizes three Mexicans and no Puerto Ricans among its 16 world champions while Valcarcel's San Juan-based WBO lists two Puerto Ricans and one Mexican among its 17 titlists.

But there's little disagreement that the fight that got the rivalry started was the 1978 super-bantamweight title bout between Puerto Rico's Wilfredo Gomez and Mexico's Carlos Zarate, who were a combined 75-0-1 when they faced off in San Juan.

"I was sick. I didn't want to fight," Zarate remembers. "I tried to get out of it, but I was told I'd have to pay three times more than my purse not to fight."

The brutal fight was over soon enough, though, with Gomez knocking him out in five rounds -- after repeatedly punching Zarate while he was down.

The rivalry grew more heated three years later when the still-unbeaten Gomez met featherweight champion Salvador Sanchez. And that was five months before they even stepped into the ring.

According to Valcarcel, during negotiations for the bout Gomez grabbed a pair of scissors off the table and charged Sanchez, who soon grew tired of the Puerto Rican's trash talking.

"He told me 'I'm not going to knock him out. I'm going to punish him,' " said Palomino, who served as an interpreter for Sanchez. "He had him out in the second round and he let him [go]. Then he just started pounding and pounding him."

And Gomez's fights didn't always end in the ring -- at least not as far as his fans were concerned. Valcarcel was leaving the arena after one bout when he came across the mayor of Guaynabo, one of Puerto Rico's most prominent cities, trading punches with a Mexican fan in the parking lot.

"The rivalry, I think it's more intense between the fans. There's more fights in the stands than there is sometimes in the ring," Palomino said. "And that's what fuels it, the fans. It's more than just a bout. It's like the fourth 'Rocky' movie. It's for the country."

Yet when Sanchez died in a traffic accident a year later a solemn Gomez, who would knock out Mexican Roberto Rubaldino five days later, left his training camp to fly to Mexico where he laid flowers at Sanchez's grave site.

"In the ring it's another thing. We have to fight. I've got to kill him," said Puerto Rican featherweight Mario Santiago, who earned a draw in his first title fight last month against Mexican American Steven Luevano. "But after the fight or before the fight, I don't have anything personal with any Mexican."

It's personal for the fans, though. Which is why the rivalry continues to thrive, said Bob Arum, who is promoting the July 26 Cotto-Margarito bout.

"What people forget about boxing is that it's a sport like other sports," he said. "In order to catch the attention, people have to care, they have to have a rooting interest. That's why the old fights, where they had Jews against Italians in New York, were well-attended and the fans cared. They identified with one or the other of the fighters.

"Now when you have a Mexican and a Puerto Rican, Mexican fans and Puerto Rican fans identify with that fight because it's a natural rivalry. It's like the Dodgers playing the Giants."

Only the Dodgers and Giants represent cities. Cotto and Margarito will be representing something far larger.

That's why Julio Cesar Chavez said he feared Mexico would never forgive him if he lost his title fight with Puerto Rico's Hector Camacho. And that pressure hasn't faded over time.

"I want to give this title to Mexico," Margarito said. "Because of the rivalry you try harder to win, you try harder to beat Puerto Rico."

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[bennie]

Trivia time. Can anyone name this guy?

Vito Antuofermo?

Ray is THE MAN! A less craggy looking Vito Antuofermo than in his later pro years. What a fight Vito gave Marvin Hagler to secure that draw! Vito had previously been stopped in 15 rounds by our own Maurice Hope, another southpaw.
Vito clearly learned a lot from the underrated Hope.

[bennie]

In the biggest welterweight 'trade' fight for years, smooth-boxing, sharp-hitting Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto squares up to rugged Mexican banger Antonio Margarito over 12 rounds in Las Vegas on July 26 for Cotto's WBA title.
This is quite simply a 'natural'. Cotto, unbeaten in 32 outings and seven dazzling years as a pro, won the title with an emphatic retirement stoppage of Carlos Quintana after five rounds in December 2006 (trademark body shots) and has rattled off four impressive defences over the likes of Zab Judah and Shane Mosley, the first of whom he outpunched; the second, outboxed. Oh yes, pretty much the perfect fighting machine is Miguel.
Southpaw Quintana, incidentally, went on to beat lanky American Paul Williams, a man who holds a win over Margarito, but styles make fights and we will come to that.
Cotto also earned his spurs in the light-welters, where he proved an outstanding WBO champion, pasted the likes of Kelson Pinto, Paul Malignaggi and Gianluca Branco and survived wobbly moments against DeMarcus Corley and Ricardo Torres to stop both. Weightmaking played a part with the latter but he was wobbled again by Judah at Madison Square Garden last June, before overwhelming the brash Brooklyn southpaw in 11 thrilling rounds. Cotto's chin is certainly not iron-clad, although he fires right back when hurt and, ominously for the 30-year-old Margarito, still looks to be improving at 27.
Margarito does have an iron jaw. The grizzled-looking challenger holds wins over Kermit Cintron, Joshua Clottey, Andrew Lewis, Antonio Diaz and Sergio Martinez and is surely one of the toughest fighters of the modern era. He comes off a repeat stoppage of the huge-punching Cintron for the IBF welterweight title in April, smirking at Cintron's biggest punches in the early rounds, ploughing on forward and finishing his man with a crippling left hook to the body in the sixth. Like Cotto, Margarito previously reigned supreme as WBO champion (at welter), a belt he finally dropped to that man Williams last year on a tight decision (Margarito was unfairly stripped of his IBF title). Southpaw Williams is an awkward, stiff-hitting nightmare of an opponent; perhaps we shouldn't read too much into the result, although Cotto, with his quick hands and thudding left jab, will have watched a few re-runs.
Cuts could play a part. Margarito bangs up, and we all remember the damage Cotto inflicted on Malignaggi. Cotto will probably mix it up, much as he did in his first true test at welter eight months ago against the strong, aggressive if aging Mosley, boxing at times, punching at times. Cotto has 'grown' into the division enough now and enjoys the challenge too much to stay on his toes; Margarito, much-feared, much-avoided, huge for the weight, physically strong, pressing and pressing hard, represents a huge challenge.
While both men have a desire that borders on the incredible, Cotto's ability to vary his game separates them. The champion meets fire with fire, especially to the body, and Margarito has plenty of body, and also counterpunches effectively on the way to the points.
There we have it, a mouthwatering coming together.

[bennie]

[bennie]

Portland's greatest ever fighter, Denny Moyer.