bits and pieces scrapbook

doug.ie
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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misterpunch
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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great pic :TU:
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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On this day May 20th in 1986...

A snarling Tyson came to the center of the ring literally foaming from the mouth. The ever cocky Green , he always came to the ring sporting a toothpick in the corner of his mouth, barraged Tyson with insults. The action of the bout was to prove anti-climatic, Tyson as always was moving forward, but the 6’5″ Green managed to tie Tyson up repeatedly. Tyson’s most effective display of offense came in the third round when he landed a blow to Green’s jaw with force sufficient to dis-lodge a section of bridge work and send it flying several feet to the ring apron. Through it all “Blood” Green managed to survive the ten rounds, with Tyson the clear winner.

This was not the last time Iron Mike and Blood Green would meet. In the early morning hours of August 23, 1988, Mike Tyson stopped by Dapper Dans, a Harlem clothing store frequented by a clientele from rap stars to pimps. Tyson was there to pick up a custom made jacket. Mitch Green happened to be in the area and an argument ensued, in which Green threw a punch and Tyson responded with a straight right landing on the bridge of Green’s nose; requiring five stitches. Although Tyson won this second bout, shades of Walker vs. Greb, he suffered more in the long run. The bare knuckle punch resulted in a fracture to Tyson’s hand causing a postponement of his scheduled first fight with Frank Bruno...


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doug.ie
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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Within seconds, the crowd of 10,600 had something to cheer as Green discarded caution and charged into Stracey, forcing John back with a furious and continuous assault. It was an opening attack that lacked finesse, the initial onslaught of a man high on adrenaline and relieved to be let loose after weeks of disciplined training.

The punches came hard and fast, most of them directed at the body, and Stracey grimaced as they struck home. John looked worried and confused as he was chased around the ring, and his attempts to fend off his tormentor were swamped by the oncoming flood of aggression.

Although both fighters missed badly as the melee became wilder, Green continued to score heavily with most of his punches, while Stracey struggled to land his first significant blow. John needed a moment’s respite to regain his rhythm and timing, but he was caught in the eye of the storm and could only smother and try to survive.

Green, in his eagerness to maintain the advantage, was twice cautioned by referee Harry Gibbs, but Dave was so engrossed in his mission that he continued to pile forward at a frantic pace. Already Stracey’s left eye was beginning to swell, but he displayed great courage in remaining upright and trying to fight back.

The second round was almost identical to the first as Green continued to steam forward, the tempo so fast that the fighters were still lashing punches at each other after the bell. Stracey remained defiant, though he was still taking a shellacking. By the third round, he at last saw the light at the end of the tunnel and began to score with his own punches. But he was still facing a tough uphill climb as Green applied relentless pressure, throwing punch after punch with his customary ferocity, frequently compelling John to seek refuge against the ropes.

The “Fen Tiger” was a willing prisoner of that magic trance that grips the top athletes in the heat of competition, when they become oblivious to everything but their opponents. So immersed was he in the job at hand that when referee Gibbs grabbed him by the hair and yanked him off Stracey for a serious lecture about dangerous use of the head in the fourth round, Dave barely seemed to notice. Again and again he swept forward, finding the mark with roundhouse rights to the head and clumping swings to the body.

Yet strangely, it was during that heated and hectic fourth round that Stracey’s revival began to gather momentum. Green’s punches and the prospect of defeat seemed to spark John into life as he began to counter with some solid blows. This provoked Green into launching another fierce attack in the fifth round, and once again the going was torrid for Stracey as he was buffeted from one side of the ring to the other and denied the chance of mounting any sustained rally.

However, in the sixth and seventh rounds the fight became more evenly balanced as Green inevitably slowed, allowing Stracey to stand his ground more and place his punches. John was suddenly able to use his jab to greater effect and succeeded in checking Dave’s rushes with bursts of fine uppercuts and hooks.

An already thrilling battle thus blossomed into a truly classic confrontation, as Stracey came out of the wilderness to challenge Green’s superiority and close the points gap. The eighth and ninth rounds were bitterly contested as the battered but rejuvenated Stracey planted himself in mid-ring and gamely traded punches with Green, frequently beating him to the punch. There were brief moments during those rounds when Dave appeared to flag a little, but each time he came blazing back with a fresh assault.

Stracey could never quite cope with the sheer persistence of the “Fen Tiger,” nor his underrated versatility. For Green was more than an unimaginative, slam-bang merchant. He attacked in different ways, sometimes behind ramrod left jabs or clubbing rights, other times by simply mauling his way inside in whatever way he could.

Yet courageous Stracey had reduced Green’s lead considerably and the fight was now very close. Both fighters were marked around the eyes, but it was Stracey’s injured left eye that determined the outcome. The 10th round was still in its early stages when the eye finally closed, severely hampering John’s vision and throwing him straight back into choppy waters again. His desperation was clearly apparent and provoked Green into mounting another vicious onslaught.

This time John could not hold the “Fen Tiger” off. Stracey was offering only token resistance now and being hit repeatedly by the looping, almost overarm right that Green called his “muck spreader.” The deceptive punch seemed to take several trips around the houses before it found its target, yet more than a few good men felt its wallop.

Referee Gibbs stopped the action to ask Stracey if he wanted to continue and John nodded as every great fighter does in that kind of predicament. But he was now defenseless, and after taking further punishment he was rescued by a timely act of compassion from Gibbs.

It was a moment of magnificent glory for Green and one of painful frustration for Stracey. The one bad thing about a great fight is that one’s joy for the winner is tinged by pity for the loser. The consolation for John H. Stracey was that he finished on his feet, which was typical of the man. In more than 50 professional fights, he was never counted out.

(by Mike Casey)


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doug.ie
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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He trained in an era that predated water chlorination or even widespread pasteurization. People in those days were afraid of fresh water. For this reason Sullivan drank no cold water (he even showered using salt water), fearing that it could be filled with germs (bacteria or protozoa) that could make him sick. At his meals he drank tea, and his post workout "shake" was boiled beef broth. He drank between 1 and 5 beers per day (Bass Ale) for 3 reasons; first because beer was safe to drink compared to fresh water, second because people of that time didn't realise just how bad for you alcohol was (alcoholism was seen as a weakness of character not a chemically induced disease), and third, Sullivan was an alcoholic, and it may have been prudent to slowly wean him off of it rather than have him quit cold turkey. Delirium tremens (the shakes) can be fatal to an alcoholic who is forced to go cold turkey.

It is often noted that fresh fruit and vegetables were rarely served to old time boxers. Again, this was the fear of food poisoning. A raw peach could be poisoned simply by "washing" it in fresh water. Stewed fruits and vegetables were substituted. The trainers of the day didn't know that they were boiling out the vitamins as well as the harmful germs.

Sullivan, however, made one worthwhile choice that broke the mold - he ate celery. Celery provided him with fibre, as well as additional water. Celery has very few calories. It was Sullivan's preferred snack and he eat as much of it as he wanted.

Sullivan lived intemperately and he knew it. His drinking is well documented, but he was also a smoker (cigars) and he had a prodigious appetite for food and women. He was married but he spent little time at home, and the marriage produced no offspring. The lady with whom he spent most of his time, Lillian Russell, had been married four times in an era when divorce was scandalous, and one of her four husbands was Diamond Jim Brady (an American businessman, financier, and philanthropist with a wealth estimated at $12 million). She was also married during the time she spent with Sullivan.

In order to "counteract" the effects of his intemperance, Sullivan began each training camp with a two week "cleanse". This involved the application of emetics and physics. To be clear, an emetic is a medication that makes you vomit. A physic is a laxative. This is a very dangerous thing to do to yourself as the risk of dehydration is great, especially if you are an alcoholic (alcohol dehydrates and some of the adverse effects of alcohol are linked to dehydration) or if you aren't drinking enough water to begin with (Sullivan met both these criteria), but one would certainly lose weight (mostly water) during these two weeks.

Thereafter his diet was hot oatmeal, well-cooked meats, fried eggs, dry bread and tea, with boiled beef broth and celery between meals. By the end of his camp he was drinking only one Bass Ale a day with his lunch.

The workout was an all-day affair. Sullivan trained before the advent of the internet, TV, movies or even radio. Sullivan could read, play pool, listen to the grammophone, or engage in conversation if he wanted to relax. In other words, spare time was not as coveted then as it is now because there was not as much to do with it. Also, the fight itself could be an all-day affair, so it was best to train all day.

Here's the routine:

0600: Rise and short workout with dumbells (Sullivan used hand weights - 2lbs to 4lbs)
0630: Walk 1 to 1.5 miles from camp and run back as quickly as possible
0700: Breakfast. Followed by a rest to allow for digestion. Sullivan and Muldoon would also read the paper so they had something to talk about during the next 2 hours of "roadwork".
1030: Two hours of walking and running intervals, cross-country. Sullivan claimed that he covered 12 miles during this two hour period. He also wore a thick belt, like a weightlifter's belt during this phase as he thought it helped to reduce stomach fat.
1230: Shower, towel rubdown, lunch and rest (If Sullivan was training near salt water he would swim 10-15 min before lunch). The towel rubdown was done to keep the muscles supple, but also to clean the body of salt and water.
1430: 1.5-2.5 hours of gym work. "We wrestle, punch a bag, throw a football, swing Indian clubs (weighted bowling pins) and dumbbells, practice the chest movement and such things until suppertime". Sullivan did not spar in these camps. Most of his sparring was done during his hundreds of exhibitions.
After supper, Sullivan preferred to remain active until bedtime so his limbs didn't stiffen up. He would play pool, or go for a walk or, if just hanging out, he would remain on his feet rather than sit.
2100: Bedtime. Sullivan would do another short workout with light dumbells before retiring.

(by Mike South)


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palooka
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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Fascinating stuff :TU:
doug.ie
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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Jimmy McLarnin in training with his brother Bob - 1930

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doug.ie
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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Classic Boxing Society YouTube channel

Muhammad Ali v Tommy Hearns sparring exhibition clip
1981 - Bahamas - preparation for Ali v Berbick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Ik77QyAAw

[VIDEO]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Ik77QyAAw[/VIDEO]
misterpunch
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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excellent

green was almost unstoppable that night against stracey - but john showed a lot of class and courage against an almost crazed assault. wonderful fight and an top report :TU:
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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In 1918, former World Lightweight Champion Ad Wolgast escaped from the hospital where he was being held and lived for a time in the mountains of North Carolina, where he was eventually “discovered” and given over to the care of Jack Doyle, a boxing promoter from Vernon, California. Doyle offered to let Wolgast live and train with him, with the stipulation that Wolgast would never again be allowed to enter a prizefighting ring, and as a result, Wolgast spent the next seven years (from 1920 to 1927) diligently training every day, skipping rope, running, and shadow boxing for a fight that never came. Wolgast trained from sun up to sun down, and would retire exhausted each evening with the belief that his title shot was always a day away. For close to seven years, this ritual went on, with Doyle offering encouragement and keeping Wolgast preoccupied and singularly focused, in a sad re-embodiment of his former self.

(by Aaron Lloyd)


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doug.ie
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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December 2, 1896

Frontier lawman Wyatt Earp, legendary for his role in the archetypal Western gunfight, “Shoot-out at the O.K. Corral“, is called upon to officiate at a $10,000 heavyweight championship boxing match. As he strolls into San Francisco’s Mechanics Pavilion to start work, police confiscate the ex-U.S. Marshall’s six-shooter.

“Sailor” Tom Sharkey is the underdog against Australian heavyweight Bob Fitzsimmons, “the Freckled Wonder”. Sure enough, Fitzsimmons knocks Sharkey cold in the eighth — but referee Wyatt Earp calls a foul and awards the decision to Sharkey, lying unconscious on the canvas! Needless to say, outrage burns in the hearts of 15,000 men present (and the whole city) that the fight had been fixed!

The case went before a judge, and though Wyatt was, if not specifically exonerated, at least not found guilty of fraud.

(San Francisco Chronicle)


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palooka
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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doug.ie wrote:In 1918, former World Lightweight Champion Ad Wolgast escaped from the hospital where he was being held and lived for a time in the mountains of North Carolina, where he was eventually “discovered” and given over to the care of Jack Doyle, a boxing promoter from Vernon, California. Doyle offered to let Wolgast live and train with him, with the stipulation that Wolgast would never again be allowed to enter a prizefighting ring, and as a result, Wolgast spent the next seven years (from 1920 to 1927) diligently training every day, skipping rope, running, and shadow boxing for a fight that never came. Wolgast trained from sun up to sun down, and would retire exhausted each evening with the belief that his title shot was always a day away. For close to seven years, this ritual went on, with Doyle offering encouragement and keeping Wolgast preoccupied and singularly focused, in a sad re-embodiment of his former self.

(by Aaron Lloyd)


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What an understanding and lovely thing for Doyle to do.
misterpunch
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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youre not wrong - the whole scenario deserves to be made into a film. and what a picture!! where does doug get this stuff? amazing
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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this whole project...'bits and pieces' on the forums...'classic boxing society' on facebook and a blog.....may be coming to an end soon as i might be taking on a bit of work which will tie me up....but it was fun to do, and i am glad that some people liked it.
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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I hope the work you take on is interesting and well paid, I've really enjoyed this thread and hope you get a little time to keep it bumping along. Thank you Doug :salut:
doug.ie
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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:TU:
misterpunch
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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thank doug, for creating the best thread ever on this website - i'll go back again and again - pity nothing came up about al tribuani - but I'm being churlish now - thanks again :TU:
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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Brilliant thread thank you :TU:
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

Post by Crease »

doug.ie wrote:The story of the first meeting between heavyweight champion Max Baer and, unknown to him at the time, Joe Louis.
"Say, kid, if i'm keeping you up, let's both go to sleep." - Everybody laughed, except Joe...

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:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

One of the best articles I've ever read. Thanks very much Doug.
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

Post by misterpunch »

top article - wonder which publication and the date it came out?
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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misterpunch wrote:top article - wonder which publication and the date it came out?
its a scan from one of my own magazines here.....without searching i think a 1960s boxing illustrated.
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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ta :TU:
palooka
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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I think there ought to be an end of year boxrec awards thing, for the people who have added enjoyment to the site, YouTube and otherwise - Doug, mimmy and the beast would be getting recognised,no worries.
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

Post by Tomasino »

palooka wrote:I think there ought to be an end of year boxrec awards thing, for the people who have added enjoyment to the site, YouTube and otherwise - Doug, mimmy and the beast would be getting recognised,no worries.

Agree 100%
misterpunch
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Re: bits and pieces scrapbook

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I'm up for that :salut:
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