Classic American West Coast Boxing

[kikibalt]

Our own Diego with Mando Muniz

[kikibalt]

[dagosd2000]

THE FIRST DAY

I look at my role sheet and one of my students has the name of Julio Cesar Chavez. I asked him if he knew who Julio Cesar Chavez was. He said he wasn't sure. I asked him if his father had told him. He said he didn't know his father. I 'll keep an eye on this kid. No father. Isn't even sure who he's named after. Who knows,maybe his father had a brother named Julio Cesar. All I know is this kid needs to know a lot more than he does now. That's my job. I can teach these kids a lot more than U.S History.

Take care of those kids, diego.....

Walking into your classroom may just be the luckiest day of that young boys life. The school system needs more like you Rog!

Randy
I forgot to thank you. Maybe that made me think of something that I want to say to you guys. You expugs ,trainers,writers,and fans of this sport of boxing .You exemplify what I've always believed. You guys have the biggest hearts and understand when someone has been dealt a bad hand. Most people would say "F--K Those Kids." Unfortinately many teachers think that way. Maybe I'll make this thread a part of my lesson plan.

[Randyman]

Randy
I forgot to thank you. Maybe that made me think of something that I want to say to you guys. You expugs ,trainers,writers,and fans of this sport of boxing .You exemplify what I've always believed. You guys have the biggest hearts and understand when someone has been dealt a bad hand. Most people would say "F--K Those Kids." Unfortinately many teachers think that way. Maybe I'll make this thread a part of my lesson plan.

You know what I like best about you Rog? You wear your heart on your sleeves. It's what the good guys do. They don't know any other way. Those kids are in good hands.

Randy

[Randyman]

A young Randy De La O with Rocky

I don't look like that any more that's for sure.

[kikibalt]

By Tommy Noel
Courtesy of "Old School Boxing"

Three answer the FINAL BELL!

The boxing community compared to the World Wide population is a miniscule group of dedicated participants and assistants who are very special and toil in a very demanding trade that is laced with disappointment, there are a lot of ups and downs to put it mildly. It's just a close as you can get to pure capitalism just about anyone can set up shop and try there hand at it- you just better be good if your going to be successful or you will quickly be culled out and rejected!

But , if your in it you LOVE IT!

I often make the statement " If I go to any boxing gym anywhere, I'll know someone or meet someone who knows someone I know or has crossed my path over the years.

Unfortunately life is short and we all must move on eventually, in the last couple of months three prominent fighters that I briefly had contact with heard the bell toll at least on earth for the final time.

JOE MICELI A big left hook AND ENTERTAINING!

ART ARAGON THE ORIGINAL GOLDEN BOY

KENNEY LANE Lightweight Contender, Muskegon, Michigan

Joe Miceli I use to watch on the Friday Night fights in the early 50's as he battled every first class welter of his day, good looking and armed with a devastating left hook he was never in a stinker.

When I arrived in Los Angeles in late 1957 and set up shop at the Main Street gym, the destination for great fighters of the 1940's 50's and 60's to do their preparation prior to a bout usually at the Hollywood Legion Stadium or the Olympic in downtown Los Angeles World Class fighters active and retired were a daily occurrence at this boxing emporium! Many fighters who were the T.V. stars of those years but had slid a little were booked to ply the trade in Los Angeles which was a second class sports town in that period, we had the Los Angeles Rams football, Hollywood and Santa Anita race tracks and BOXING! Early in 1958 Joe Miceli was penciled in to fight at the Legion stadium, with over 90 fights on his register he had arrived near the end.

Saturdays were always a busy affair at Main Street as the general public would assemble in downtown Los Angeles to do their shopping at the Grand Central Market which stretched between Hill and Broadway-near the Broadway entrance was the famous Million Dollar theatre where vaudeville was still practiced with Latin comedians and singers performing. Moving a short two blocks to the east over to Main Street which was the beginning of the seamy side of the downtown area-boxing fans could walk to 318 South Main check out the streetside billboard listing the names of the fighters training that day and venture up the worn flight of wooden stairs and invest 25 cents to see their favorites go through their daily training grind.

Boxing was a prevalent part of the L.A. scene in that period and gambling on boxing- man to man was a common practice, so surrounding the larger ring at Main St.the choice of the stellar performers would be a numerous contingent of the gambling community trying to get an edge on the schedule performers for the weekly fight cards, Thursdays at the Olympic, Saturdays at the Legion. The combinationS of bettors, fans, hangers on, managers, trainers and boxers created an electric atmosphere every Saturday and Sunday!

We always worked early on the weekend so we could get a ring, (from noon to two you would have to wait it seemed forever to be able to climb into the ring to do your sparring), the Big Names went to the head of the queque.

I had finished my early workout and emerging from the locker room area I spotted Joe Miceli sitting on a table used for abdominal exercises, Joe a favorite of mine, so I asked my Managers uncle Jack a trainer and houseman at the Olympic and also one of my biggest boosters if he could get me an intro to Joe? He went to Harry 'Stick' Evers Joe's manager inquiring if it would be o.k. and it was affirmative; the Stick nickname was that the neatly attired Evers would always have a prominent tie tac affixed to his windsor knotted fancy necktie. Joe sat on the sturdy table, with a soiled white towel drapped over his head, he wore a couple of days growth of whiskers and he seemed exhausted. Miceli was moving towards the end of his boxing career but he was still a name and able to spin the turnstiles. I was standing very close to Joe as Jack began the introduction of a rookie fighter, (I didn't make my pro debut until three months later), to a World Class performer who had been there, done that etc,.

Instantly flashing through my mind I thought, what had happened to the spirited young man I had witnessed on the Gillete Cavalcade of Sports? I can see him now mounting an assault with that slashing lefthook on the premier welterweights of the early 50's, fight after fight, in that period the best fought the best and a loss or two was inevitable and understood. Joe summoned up a weak smile an acknowledged my presence but seemed disinterested, perhaps it was jet-lag or a tough workout or a combination of both or two many fights. I thought silently, My God maybe I choose the wrong profession. I think we both realized we had nothing in common but everything in common he was concluding the journey I was about to begin.

I went to the fight, best I can say his performance compared to his exciting slashing punches he would display in the early period of his career was terrible, his legs were gone, the hook was heavy and slow. Those in attendance would have a slight rush of anticipation as Joe readied the left for an assault reminiscent of his youth, but it never came.

Joe struggled to a victory over a fledgling import from Germany-Karl Heinz Guder. I felt saddened realizing the new fans had never seen him at the top of his game their only impression was of a tired old washed-up fighter and he was!

They would probably categorize him as just another pug unaware of the excitement and flair this dashing young man once had demonstrated when he went on the attack with his vicious hook.

But you know there is life after boxing, Joe lived to almost 80 years, what did he do? how did he fare? If you know the history of Joe's after fight life. E-Mail me I'm interested, after all he was a part of my life.

ART ARAGON the brash self proclaimed 'Golden Boy' you either loved him or hated him, but he could sell tickets. His feud with Lightweight champ and local latin fighter Lauro Salas was front page above the fold in the local sports pages!

When I arrived on the scene as outlined in the previous story on Miceli, Art was under a cloud of suspicion, he had been indicted and convicted for supposedly having bribed another fighter in a southwestern state to throw a fight for $500 dollars. On August 23,1957 the California State Appeals Court reversed the decision and sent the case back for retrial. Prior to the reversal Art had a few fights in neighboring states and small cities in California but nothing big, except one at the Hollywood Legion against T.V. favorite Chico Vejar.

With the reversal the cloudy reputation hanging over Art was partially removed with the local media and the public and a fight was booked at the Legion, the opponent was to be Alfonso Flores a light hitting journeyman, billed as the Mexican Welterweight Champ, (no such thing at that time).

Aragon through his connections in the media and Hollywood was now hosting a short T.V. show that came on ten minutes before the first preliminary bout, the entire card was televised by a local station, sometimes there was a Main Event for the little screen and another Main with marquee fighters which you had to come to the arena and buy a ducat to view.

I was booked for my second fight, the opening bout, in boxing lingo the CURTAIN RAISER, 4 rounds for $65 dollars.

But this was also the debut of a new venture- the Art Aragon show that was hastily being produced, (like that night) and they were trying to give the set,(10x10 utility room),the appearance of a boxing gym. One of Art's entourage came up with the scenario that Art and his guest would be standing next to a workout table as a massage was being administered by said hanger-on to a boxer laying on the table as Aragon conducted the interview. One important detail was lacking they didn't have anyone to lay on the table. This was like 15 minutes prior to the first bell! Tommy! you're going on the Aragon show, no way I'm fighting in a few minutes, that's crazy, I'm not doing that! It's good publicity my promoter insisted, it's good exposure, the faces of the production crew and Art et.al, were also sending me a message through their body language, 'Come on kid get on the table we have a show to do', up on the table, didn't hear a word of the interview all I was thinking was I'm fighting in five minutes I've got to warm up, I have to get down to the ring, SHIT!

Well I made it to the ring and scored a one shot knockout in the second round and I had already forgotten about the T.V. mess, showered and dressed, picked up my check $42 dollars after expenses and was standing in the walkway of the arena watching the remaining fights and along came Aragon he was not going to fight for another hour and was still in suit and tie, he caught my eye and said quizically "Well it didn't hurt you?" I smiled being happy because of the result of my bout, I didn't say anything, he disappeared down the hall to prepare for his fight and later stopped Alfonso when he had enough, retiring in his corner between the fifth and sixth.

The next time I saw Art and in his very next fight, was at Wrigley Field Los Angeles in a major outdoor show against the toughest welter in the world Carmine Basilio. Yes Art Aragon parlayed his braggadocio Golden Boy image once again into a major promotion which was a sellout. However Art was to play Alphonse in this one, Basilio fresh off his 1957 & 1958 fights of the year a Win and a Loss to 'Sugar' Ray Robinson, probably the greatest fighter ever plus multiple victories over every hard as a rock tough welter and middleweight of that era, this was above Aragon's boxing pay scale but not his ability to fill up a ballpark with boxing fans.

Art was no match for Carmine but he marched forward and clashed head to head with the upstate New York onion farmer trading blow for blow but eventually Carmine overpowerd Art and in boxing speak was administering a 'Paint Job' to the Los Angeles based Aragon. The shellacking was halted between the eight and ninth rounds, but I was impressed with Art's courage he stood in there and took it and fought back but was overwhelmed, he had a lot of heart!

After a few more fights, he called it a boxing career and went into the Bail Bondsman business, always the jokester his punch line was"I'll get you out! No matter how long it takes"

Kenny Lane- I came to Gym about three one afternoon that was a slow period the full timer boxers had left and the preliminary boys had jobs and didn't start to arrive until fiveish. There were a couple of unknown to me boxers banging the bags and the echos of the rat-a-tat-tat of a lone speed bag was bouncing off the blank surfaces of the empty gym.

Sitting on the apron of the larger ring was a blond light skinned fighter all bundled up in a sweat suit in the act of re-tieing his boxing shoes. A few minutes later he was attacking a heavy bag ferociously. I asked "Who is that?' Kenny Lane, "What, that's Kenny Lane, No Way", he looked ordinary? He was to fight Len Matthews out of Philadelphia that Saturday evening at the Olympic first bell at seven p.m. for the Main Bout, supporting card to follow so as to be prime time for the East Coast Television audience. Len Matthews was the typical Philadelphia fighter molded into a boxer puncher from surviving the legendary gym wars of the city of Brotherly Love. For those readers unfamiliar with Len he had a style and physical presence like Meldrick Taylor or todays Albert Berto.

Matching two fighters although world class performers in a 10 round non-championship contest in Los Angeles with one from Muskegon, Michigan and the other from Pennsylvania on a Saturday at 7 o'clock in the evening was not the way to draw a throng of fans but approximately 800 or so of the dedicated managed to make the early bell. As usual when you don't expect much you get the most exciting two round war this writer has ever witnessed.

When they entered the ring it was evident that these two were solid pro's, Matthews came out pitching every 'Sunday Punch'conceivable as he battered Lane from corner to corner and from bell to bell, somehow Kenny remained erect and weathered the onslaught. Round Two the exchanges intensified however it was now the lefty from Muskegon doing the majority of the pitching and backing Matthews up and reversing any advantage Len had gained in the first round.

The usual fanatic fans at the Olympic were silent or were probably in shock after viewing the violent collisions of these two rounds and the turn about that occurred from round one to round two. However there was a commotion in Lanes corner and there were still plenty of time to go to the bell, something was wrong, Kenny stood up, it was over! Lane's left eye was closed and there was a bad cut over his right, it went into the books as a Third round TKO for Matthews.

A couple of years later in a rematch in Philly Lane emerged with the win when he stopped Matthews in the ninth on a badly swollen eye.

The few that had attended this early evening battle were able to easily exit the arena and it seemed odd to have the sun still shinning, still time to go to that movie, dance or be home early!



CONCLUSION

Three great fighters that would be P4P material compared to today's practitioners over 300 fights but not one a Champion only Kenny had a couple of shots but fell short as the reigning titleholders he met Joe Brown and Carlos Ortiz are Hall of Famers!

R.I.P.

Joe Miceli 1929-2008
Art Aragon 1927-2008
Kenny Lane 1932-2008

[bennie]

Nice poster, even if it doesn't look like Whitaker. Nazario got a bit lucky when he won the world title on cuts against Rosario and immediately cashed in against Whitaker. Was I surprised when the Puerto Rican southpaw got iced in the first round by a non-puncher? No.
Camacho ran like a thief against Tony and stank the joint out. I can still remember watching the fight on TV, urging Tony to nail him.
Taylor and Ramos had fought before and were both a bit past their best (Taylor was coming off the Chavez beating). Ramos once iced Frankie Randall. One of those 'sleepers', Taylor certainly couldn't budge him but won on points for the second time.

[bennie]

Here's a contribution on a special fighter that I wrote many moons ago.
=================.
A SPECIAL KIND OF FIGHTER

By ENRIQUE ENCINOSA


No one remembers Vincent "Choo-Choo" Bell. The little featherweight from Orlando only had three pro fights, winning one and losing two in a remarkable career that spanned only a few months during the mid-eighties. What made the club fighter unusual was the fact that Vincent Bell only had one leg. "Choo-Choo" went to battle with a prosthesis, an artificial leg.

Although the bureaucrats of the boxing commissions had tried to prevent him from fighting pro, Bell insisted, turning pro with a knockout over Wallace Tisdale, a four round prelim fighter. In his second bout, Bell lost on points to Troy Davis, a ten bout veteran club fighter with fair boxing skills.

I saw Bell in his third pro bout, in a town in central Florida named Melbourne. Although the Sunshine State is best known for powder gold beaches, nightclubs and tourist attractions, there is a rural culture in some areas of Florida. In areas north and south of Disney World there are cane fields, cattle ranches, dairy centers and an occasional ostrich farm. Melbourne is one of those coastal area towns south of Orlando where cultures meet.

The pro boxing card was held in a country-western saloon, next to an expressway exit. The place was large, several wide rooms packed with jukeboxes, popcorn machines, video games with a cowboy motif, and a long, brown bar of worn-out wood and faded brass. Bartenders with western style vests and arm garters served up draft beer from kegs or lined up shot with chasers. Waitresses wearing checkered shirts served up baskets of fries, onion rings and hot dogs. The crowd of several hundred was a blend of cultures combining the beachcombers with deep tans and Bermuda shorts, the farm boys and cowpunchers with Stetson hats or baseball caps advertising automotive products, and the usual blend of college boys and hard-drinking girls.

I had mixed feelings about seeing a one legged fighter. Boxing is my favorite sport and I cringe at the thought of turning a battle of strength and will into a freak show. Yet, I knew of several handicapped fighters that enjoyed success in the ring. A couple became world champions.

Back in France, during the days of muddy trench warfare at Verdun, a German sniper zeroed his sights on an enemy corporal walking a post. The bullet ripped away half of the Frenchman's jaw. The corporal was taken to an army hospital, where he was operated, his jawbone replaced by an artificial one, made up of sheep bone rib and a metal plate. The corporal, who had fought pro for five years before the war started, was told by the surgeons to forget his ring career, for being hit in the jaw would cause intense pain.

The little man with the metal jaw fooled everyone. In spite of the intense pain, he reeled off fifty-two wins in fifty-five bouts over a six-year period. In 1923, Eugene Criqui, the man who was not supposed to fight, won the featherweight title from Johnny Kilbane, by a sixth round knockout. The little Frenchman was champion for less than two months, losing on points to the great Johnny Dundee. An idol of his people, Eugene Criqui retired from the ring in 1927 with a 94-13-8 pro record that included forty knockout victories and only two KO losses.

Tommy Spiegel was another remarkable fighter. Despite a withered leg caused by infantile paralysis, Spiegel fought a couple of hundred pro fights, losing on points to Sammy Angott, Bob Montgomery and Beau Jack, three legends of the ring.

Other fighters with leg handicaps include Tami Mauriello and Cyclone Hart. Tami had a lame leg but compiled an 82-13-1 record that included bouts with Joe Louis and Gus Lesnevich. Cyclone Hart overcame polio as a child to become a middleweight contender feared for his power.

On a lesser level, but just as meritorious was David "Maceton" Cabrera, another fighter who suffered polio as a child. Cabrera once held the modest title of Mexican Light-Heavyweight Champion, losing in three rounds to Marvin Camel.

Deaf fighters use light signals from their corner to know when a round ends, since they can not hear the gong of the bell. Deaf boxers have included former bantamweight champion Mario D'Agata (54-10-3), Gene Hairston, a top contender who beat Paul Pender, and Spanish featherweight Kid Tano, who fought champion Jose Legra to a draw. Tano claimed that being deaf helped him to concentrate on his opponent without noise distractions from the crowd.

Billy Daniels, a top heavyweight who went seven hard rounds with Ali, split two bouts with Doug Jones, lost to Cleveland Williams and stopped Mike DeJohn, was missing a couple of fingers.

In more recent times, doctors told Vinnie Pazienza, the tough battler from New England that his ring career was finished after being injured in an auto accident. By the time others like Pazienzia were halfway through therapy, the New England fighter was trading leather with Roberto Duran.

When I met Vincent Bell in the storage area that served as a dressing room, I was pleased. The little featherweight was not delusional about his career or ability.

"Look," he said to me as his hands were being taped, "I know I am not going to be champ, but I love boxing and I just had to prove it to myself that I could have a few fights. I am not going to sit on my ass and moan about having one leg. I am going to have a few fights so I can say I was a pro fighter."

It was not a freak show. As Bell removed his robe some in the crowd gasped in surprise. There were no snide remarks or loud comments. Even the most beer drenched cowboys, in their foggy stupor, showed respect for a man with one leg who was willing to fight.

It was a good bout. Jesus Chavez, a Broward fighter with quick moves went after Bell. "Choo-Choo" stood his ground, popping stiff jabs into his opponent's face, following with a solid hook. Chavez, rocked by the blow began moving more, pecking away at Bell. It was an even fight for two rounds, but the Broward fighter began to chip away at Vincent in the third stanza. It was obvious that Bell could not move as well as his opponent, his footwork always a second too late. The ref stopped it in the fourth, when Bell was staggering against the ring ropes.

It was a good fight but not a great fight.

It was however, a moving performance, for all those who witnessed the bout understood that here was a man giving his absolute best in spite of having been dealt a bad hand. That he lost did not matter to the crowd for his grit won the crowd over. The standing ovation was from the heart. Truck drivers and cowboys, college students and surfers all clapped and hollered, some standing in wood chairs as the fight ended. It was a worthy moment, the kind that makes one feel good about the human spirit.

Vincent Bell will never be enshrined in Canastota. He does not deserve to be, with a pro record of one victory and two defeats. Still, even with the passing of years, the memory of his last bout always brings a good feeling, the belief that man can overcome insurmountable heights if he so desires, that will power can triumph over physical limitations.

Amen.

Nice piece, Enrique. There was a Spanish fighter in the 1970s, Elio Cotena, who was kicked in the face by a horse as a boy. It is just one of those things you remember. He had a real 'flat' face, as you would. Here he is scoring possibly his greatest win, over the gifted Vernon Sollas in London.

[kikibalt]

[kikibalt]

Mayweather Sr. to train Hatton.
From the LATimes.

Light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton will be trained for his next bout by Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father of the man he fought for a welterweight title last year.

Mayweather, who also trains Oscar De La Hoya, will prepare Hatton for his fight against International Boxing Federation 140-pound champion Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on Nov. 22.

Mayweather Sr., 55, is the estranged father of Floyd Mayweather Jr., who stopped Hatton (44-1, 31 knockouts) in the 10th round of a World Boxing Council title bout in December 2007.

Mayweather Sr. steps in for Billy Graham, who parted with Hatton last month after 11 years as his trainer.

Hatton is 44-1 with 31 knockouts. Malignaggi is 25-1 with five knockouts.

Antonio Tarver (27-4), the IBF and International Boxing Organization light-heavyweight champion, and Chad Dawson (26-0) attended a news conference in Los Angeles to announce their Oct. 11 title bout at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The bout will be televised on Showtime in conjunction with the WBC heavyweight fight from Germany between champion Sam Peter and former champion Vitali Klitschko.

A private detective said that Mayweather Jr. is posting a $100,000 reward for information about the theft of more than $7.2 million in jewelry from his Las Vegas home Aug. 17.

[kikibalt]

A young Randy De La O with Rocky

I don't look like that any more that's for sure.

None of us do Randy....

[bennie]

Mayweather Sr. to train Hatton.
From the LATimes.

Light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton will be trained for his next bout by Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father of the man he fought for a welterweight title last year.

Mayweather, who also trains Oscar De La Hoya, will prepare Hatton for his fight against International Boxing Federation 140-pound champion Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on Nov. 22.

Mayweather Sr., 55, is the estranged father of Floyd Mayweather Jr., who stopped Hatton (44-1, 31 knockouts) in the 10th round of a World Boxing Council title bout in December 2007.

Mayweather Sr. steps in for Billy Graham, who parted with Hatton last month after 11 years as his trainer.

Hatton is 44-1 with 31 knockouts. Malignaggi is 25-1 with five knockouts.

Antonio Tarver (27-4), the IBF and International Boxing Organization light-heavyweight champion, and Chad Dawson (26-0) attended a news conference in Los Angeles to announce their Oct. 11 title bout at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The bout will be televised on Showtime in conjunction with the WBC heavyweight fight from Germany between champion Sam Peter and former champion Vitali Klitschko.

A private detective said that Mayweather Jr. is posting a $100,000 reward for information about the theft of more than $7.2 million in jewelry from his Las Vegas home Aug. 17.

Mayweather is a ponce. How much!

[kikibalt]

Mayweather Sr. to train Hatton.
From the LATimes.

Light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton will be trained for his next bout by Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father of the man he fought for a welterweight title last year.

Mayweather, who also trains Oscar De La Hoya, will prepare Hatton for his fight against International Boxing Federation 140-pound champion Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on Nov. 22.

Mayweather Sr., 55, is the estranged father of Floyd Mayweather Jr., who stopped Hatton (44-1, 31 knockouts) in the 10th round of a World Boxing Council title bout in December 2007.

Mayweather Sr. steps in for Billy Graham, who parted with Hatton last month after 11 years as his trainer.

Hatton is 44-1 with 31 knockouts. Malignaggi is 25-1 with five knockouts.

Antonio Tarver (27-4), the IBF and International Boxing Organization light-heavyweight champion, and Chad Dawson (26-0) attended a news conference in Los Angeles to announce their Oct. 11 title bout at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The bout will be televised on Showtime in conjunction with the WBC heavyweight fight from Germany between champion Sam Peter and former champion Vitali Klitschko.

A private detective said that Mayweather Jr. is posting a $100,000 reward for information about the theft of more than $7.2 million in jewelry from his Las Vegas home Aug. 17.

Mayweather is a ponce. How much!

Bennie,

What is a "ponce"?

Mayweather is all wrong for Hatton, style wise, Mayweather trys to get the fighters that he trains to fight like he did, an no way Hatton can fight like that.

[sockdolager]

If Hatton can learn anything about avoiding incoming punches from his time with Floyd Sr., it will be well worth it.

Then again, this deep into a career habbits are extremely hard to stop.

[raylawpc]

You know, Frank, the more I read about Art Aragon - whom I really didn't know all that much about until I started reading this thread - the more I'm convinced that I'm wasting my time writing about Jim Jeffries. I outta be writing a book about Art Aragon.

[bennie]

Mayweather Sr. to train Hatton.
From the LATimes.

Light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton will be trained for his next bout by Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father of the man he fought for a welterweight title last year.

Mayweather, who also trains Oscar De La Hoya, will prepare Hatton for his fight against International Boxing Federation 140-pound champion Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on Nov. 22.

Mayweather Sr., 55, is the estranged father of Floyd Mayweather Jr., who stopped Hatton (44-1, 31 knockouts) in the 10th round of a World Boxing Council title bout in December 2007.

Mayweather Sr. steps in for Billy Graham, who parted with Hatton last month after 11 years as his trainer.

Hatton is 44-1 with 31 knockouts. Malignaggi is 25-1 with five knockouts.

Antonio Tarver (27-4), the IBF and International Boxing Organization light-heavyweight champion, and Chad Dawson (26-0) attended a news conference in Los Angeles to announce their Oct. 11 title bout at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The bout will be televised on Showtime in conjunction with the WBC heavyweight fight from Germany between champion Sam Peter and former champion Vitali Klitschko.

A private detective said that Mayweather Jr. is posting a $100,000 reward for information about the theft of more than $7.2 million in jewelry from his Las Vegas home Aug. 17.

Mayweather is a ponce. How much!

Bennie,

What is a "ponce"?

Mayweather is all wrong for Hatton, style wise, Mayweather trys to get the fighters that he trains to fight like he did, an no way Hatton can fight like that.

I was referring to the jewellery, Frankie. Here's the definition of ponce.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ponce

[kikibalt]

Mayweather is a ponce. How much!

Bennie,

What is a "ponce"?


I was referring to the jewellery, Frankie. Here's the definition of ponce.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ponce

Got it!!!

[bennie]

Ricky Hatton and Paulie Malignaggi square up in Las Vegas in November for Malignaggi's IBF light-welterweight title.
Hatton, now trained by American Floyd Mayweather after his much-publicised split with 11-year trainer Billy "The Preacher" Graham, is one of those rare worldwide 'draws' in much the way Manny Pacquiao is, and obviously a huge draw at home. In Manchester in May Ricky outscored Mexican-American Juan Lazcano over 12 rounds in front of a crowd of 55,000, which speaks for itself.
That was Hatton's last outing, and not altogether an impressive one. The Hitman was throwing punches without really 'thinking', without picking them, he was just throwing. Inevitably, when he slowed a little, he was tagged and even shaken by Lazcano's left hooks, in the eighth and 10th rounds, but was so far ahead on points he needed only to survive to win, and Hatton came back well in the 11th with body punches. Before Lazcano, Mayweather Jnr - yes, the estranged son of Hatton's new trainer and missing a LOT of jewellery - picked Ricky apart in 10 rounds, up at welterweight, exposing similar defensive lapses.
Perhaps his split with Graham was inevitable. The quick, busy, aggressive Hatton needs something new and needs something new now at the age of 30. His level of performance in the States is mediocre at best, with only a four-round knockout of faded Mexican 'name' Jose Luis Castillo really standing out among seven appearances there.
Still, Malignaggi looked a lot worse on the same bill as Hatton's frenetic triumph over Lazcano as he overcame loose hair extensions (you couldn't make it up) and a broken right hand to snatch a split decision over former victim Lovemore Ndou. It was the fourth time Malignaggi had broken the right hand and potentially scuppered this showdown but the quick, flashy, brash, charismatic New Yorker of Sicilian descent insists the hand has healed well. One hopes he also gets a healthy haircut for this one, given his vision was severely hampered by those artificial locks against the aging Ndou, whom he had dazzled Ndou over 12 rounds to win the IBF belt last year in the States.
Since that title win, "Magic Man" Malignaggi has failed to convince, struggling to outscore Cameroon Herman Ngoudjo in his first defence in January and Ndou again, of course, most recently. The aggressive Ngoudjo shook him up and cut him over the left eye. Malignaggi showed grit and character to hold his boxing together - but if Ngoudjo can extend him, what would the relentless Hatton do?
There is always a chance Malignaggi may have undervalued Ngoudjo (and Ndou, in the rematch). The champion made his name when he challenged heroically for Miguel Cotto's WBO light-welterweight title in Madison Square Garden in 2006, hanging in there despite an early knockdown and terrible facial injuries. He conceded a wide decision and his unbeaten record, after 21 straight wins, but Cotto remains the only man to have beaten him (in 26 now).
Mayweather, coincidentally, is the only man to beat Hatton (in 45).
At his best the talented Malignaggi jabs and moves and fires in the counters, standing his ground probably longer than is good for him. He's a typically proud Italian-American and definitely looking stronger under trainer Buddy McGirt but speed and elusiveness are Malignaggi's 'things' (only five knockouts). It would be foolish to trade with Hatton.
While the Brooklyn man's style (and personality) should blend well with that of Hatton's, and while Paulie celebrates his 28th birthday the day after the fight, one can see Hatton, fired-up to impress his new trainer, punching out a decision.

[Rick Farris]

The Olympic today...

The Olympic Today . . .

Ironically, I passed by the Olympic Auditorium very early this morning, about 2am on my way home from work. I was tired, but hadn't seen it since it's conversion to a church, so I pulled off the freeway and circled the place. It was kinda sad. On the west wall, A huge sign had been painted that reads, "Jesus Saves Lives!" On the north wall, a big electric sign is exposed to those passing on the freeway, advertising it as a Christian church, in both English and Korean. The walls looked scrubbed clean. Of course, the Olympic of old had lost it's original luster to me in the early 90's, when it's new owner Jack Needleman renovated the old girl, removing seats, painting over the huge mural of a boxer that had adorned it's walls since it's opening in 1926.

It had been renamed, "The Grand Olympic Aud." about 15-years-ago. Grand??? Hell, we know it was grand, anybody who ever sat ringside on thursday nights didn't need to be reminded of that reality. Also removed in the '90's renovation was that legendary marquis, the one that used to have the names of the weeks boxing wrestling main-eventers. However, no longer a "girl", the old broad almost looked as if she were laughing, as if enjoying a bad joke society was trying to play on it. Something kept going thru my mind, like, the building was saying, "You can paint me, change me, call me what you want, but I know who I am, I'm the Olympic, America's last great boxing venue . . . and one day, when somebody comes to their senses, I'LL BE BACK!"

I hope you are right, baby. Damn, I miss you!

-Rick Farris

[Randyman]

The Olympic today...

The Olympic Today . . .

Ironically, I passed by the Olympic Auditorium very early this morning, about 2am on my way home from work. I was tired, but hadn't seen it since it's conversion to a church. It was kinda sad. On the west wall, A huge sign had been painted "Jesus Saves Lives" On the north wall, a big electric sign is exposed to those passing on the freeway, asdvertising it as a Christian church, in both English and Korean. The walls looked scrubbed clean. Of course, the Olympic of old had lost it's original luster to me in the early 90's, when it's new owner Jack Needleman renovated the old girl, removing seats, painting over the huge mural of a boxer that had adorned it's walls since it's opening in 1926. Also removed in the '90's renovation was that legendary marquis, the one that used to have the names of the weeks boxing wrestling main-eventers. However, now, it almost looked as if it were laughing, as if enjoying the bad joke society had tried to play on it.

Something kept going thru my mind, like, the building was saying, "You can paint me, change me, call me what you want, but I know who I am, I'm the Olympic, America's last great boxing venue . . . and one day, when somebody comes to their senses, I'LL BE BACK!"

I hope you are right, baby. Damn, I miss you!

-Rick Farris

Rick, let's look at this way. God is watching over the Olympic for the time being. It could have been worse. It could be a parking lot like the Main Street Gym. Until the right person or organization comes along to restore and preserve it's history, at the very least, for the time being, the Olympic is in God's hands.

With that said, I'm with you. It's sad to see the old building as it now stands. It tears at a man's heart. It deserves so much better. Is there anyone out there with the means that even gives it a thought? Have you ever noticed that the noise and voices in the Olympic sounded so different than any other arena. Was it the acoustics? Here's hoping for a comeback!!

[kikibalt]

The Olympic today...

The Olympic Today . . .

Ironically, I passed by the Olympic Auditorium very early this morning, about 2am on my way home from work. I was tired, but hadn't seen it since it's conversion to a church, so I pulled off the freeway and circled the place. It was kinda sad. On the west wall, A huge sign had been painted that reads, "Jesus Saves Lives!" On the north wall, a big electric sign is exposed to those passing on the freeway, advertising it as a Christian church, in both English and Korean. The walls looked scrubbed clean. Of course, the Olympic of old had lost it's original luster to me in the early 90's, when it's new owner Jack Needleman renovated the old girl, removing seats, painting over the huge mural of a boxer that had adorned it's walls since it's opening in 1926.

It had been renamed, "The Grand Olympic Aud." about 15-years-ago. Grand??? Hell, we know it was grand, anybody who ever sat ringside on thursday nights didn't need to be reminded of that reality. Also removed in the '90's renovation was that legendary marquis, the one that used to have the names of the weeks boxing wrestling main-eventers. However, no longer a "girl", the old broad almost looked as if she were laughing, as if enjoying a bad joke society was trying to play on it. Something kept going thru my mind, like, the building was saying, "You can paint me, change me, call me what you want, but I know who I am, I'm the Olympic, America's last great boxing venue . . . and one day, when somebody comes to their senses, I'LL BE BACK!"

I hope you are right, baby. Damn, I miss you!

-Rick Farris

Sad, indeed!, I think I felt a tear rolling down my face when I shot that pic.

[kikibalt]

Elvis Presley


"Blue Elvis"

By Diego

[kikibalt]

Archie Moore


"The Old Mongoose"

By Diego

[enrique]

One of my favorite Art Aragon tales involves a weigh in. The Golden Boy was contracted for 135 and came in at 140. When the promoter was ready to faint, Art announced that he was going to do a bowel movement. He entered the washroom and removed several fishing weights from the inside lining of his shorts, then returned to the weigh in and scaled 135, to everyone's astonishment.

[kikibalt]

Joey Giardello has died,

RIP, Joey....