Most famous boxers you have met
Most famous boxers you have met
Hey guys I am curious to know who are the more famous guys you have met, dealt with or crossed paths with.
For me it has been
Joe Bugner - Nice funny guy, who is a giant of a man
Sam Soliman- Real humble, seemed quite but a cool guy not a giant of a man.
Anthony Mundine- Though I spoke with him briefly he seemed pretty cool and easy going.
Danny Green - Came across as a tad arrogant but looked damned fit
Jeff Fenech - I shall remember him for his ring exploits and his personality these days.
For me it has been
Joe Bugner - Nice funny guy, who is a giant of a man
Sam Soliman- Real humble, seemed quite but a cool guy not a giant of a man.
Anthony Mundine- Though I spoke with him briefly he seemed pretty cool and easy going.
Danny Green - Came across as a tad arrogant but looked damned fit
Jeff Fenech - I shall remember him for his ring exploits and his personality these days.
-
oliverfennell
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 5564
- Joined: 15 Feb 2007, 06:37
Worked with Audley Harrison.
Through this work, I have met Lloyd Honeyghan, Tim Witherspoon, Kenny Croome, Thel Torrance, Jess Harding, Audley's opponents and undercard fighters.
Most notable interviewees: Greg Page, Gary Mason, Cliff Couser, Shannon Briggs, Maurice Harris, Scott Gammer, Enzo Calzaghe.
Met a fair few at shows and press conferences, too.
Through this work, I have met Lloyd Honeyghan, Tim Witherspoon, Kenny Croome, Thel Torrance, Jess Harding, Audley's opponents and undercard fighters.
Most notable interviewees: Greg Page, Gary Mason, Cliff Couser, Shannon Briggs, Maurice Harris, Scott Gammer, Enzo Calzaghe.
Met a fair few at shows and press conferences, too.
-
Dirk Kelly
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 4971
- Joined: 06 Jul 2004, 20:13
in order of who they were and popularity during thier day...
Roberto Duran
Gene Fulmer
Carloz Ortiz
Emile Griffith
Rudolpho 'El Gato' Gonzales
Julian Jackson
Ken Buchanan
Ricky Hatton
Bert Gilroy - grandfather
Eddie Perkins
Greg Haugan
Mike Weaver
Harry Scott
Pat Lawler
John Cowboy McCormack
Wilf Greaves - great Canadian fought an aging SRR
Manny Sobrel
Eddie McIntosh new British L-HW prospect, Cousins (his Dad & me)
and I know I'm forgetting some, in the same compamy of Ken Norton, Ernie Tyrell, Mathew Saad Mohammod (spelling), but never approached them and scores of British fighters mostly ex-fighters throughout the country.
Great boxing people and at the end of the day for all our armchair observation, these men "No The Score," and can often tell you different!
Roberto Duran
Gene Fulmer
Carloz Ortiz
Emile Griffith
Rudolpho 'El Gato' Gonzales
Julian Jackson
Ken Buchanan
Ricky Hatton
Bert Gilroy - grandfather
Eddie Perkins
Greg Haugan
Mike Weaver
Harry Scott
Pat Lawler
John Cowboy McCormack
Wilf Greaves - great Canadian fought an aging SRR
Manny Sobrel
Eddie McIntosh new British L-HW prospect, Cousins (his Dad & me)
and I know I'm forgetting some, in the same compamy of Ken Norton, Ernie Tyrell, Mathew Saad Mohammod (spelling), but never approached them and scores of British fighters mostly ex-fighters throughout the country.
Great boxing people and at the end of the day for all our armchair observation, these men "No The Score," and can often tell you different!
-
squarering
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 362
- Joined: 21 May 2007, 00:41
-
HomicideHenry
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 18722
- Joined: 08 Sep 2005, 00:43
Evander Holyfield, I was seven years old at the time and had won a sweepstakes to New York to meet Holyfield, Schwarzenegger, and MC Hammer and eat out at Planet Hollywood. Only thing I can remember is how much paparazzi there was, and how I wasn't even able to get up and say "hi" to the man who was to meet Mike Tyson for the first time, due to the press.
-
elmersalsa
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 15688
- Joined: 02 Feb 2003, 03:50
I have seen Roberto Duran a couple of times in the street, but I have never met him face to face.
Of fighters that I have met face to face:
1. Hilario Zapata
2. Meldrick Taylor...He even gave me an autograph. He was way past his prime and beat up. You can tell that the punches did a lot on him. I was going to asking about the Chavez fight, but I was afraid.
3. Carmen Basilio...He made may day.
4. Livingstone Bramble...A very humble guy
5. Buck Smith...Very humble too...He was surprised that I knew his pro record and that I told him also that he had more than 100 KOs in his resume
I have seen Eusebio Pedroza driving his Mercedes Benz
I have seen also: Jorge Lujan and Ravea Springs and Laila Ali...What a beautiful woman!!! She should be a model more than a boxer.

Of fighters that I have met face to face:
1. Hilario Zapata
2. Meldrick Taylor...He even gave me an autograph. He was way past his prime and beat up. You can tell that the punches did a lot on him. I was going to asking about the Chavez fight, but I was afraid.
3. Carmen Basilio...He made may day.
4. Livingstone Bramble...A very humble guy
5. Buck Smith...Very humble too...He was surprised that I knew his pro record and that I told him also that he had more than 100 KOs in his resume
I have seen Eusebio Pedroza driving his Mercedes Benz
I have seen also: Jorge Lujan and Ravea Springs and Laila Ali...What a beautiful woman!!! She should be a model more than a boxer.
Muhammad Ali
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Ken Norton
Floyd Patterson
Jersey Joe Walcott
Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Larry Holmes
Earnie Shavers
Tommy Morrison
Razor Ruddock
George Chuvalo
Ron Lyle
Ernie Terrell
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Greg Page
Bonecrusher Smith
Riddick Bowe
Though I honestly hope that this doesn't label me as some sort of a blowhard, off the top of my head those are just the majority of the most notable heavyweights I've met or worked with over the years. If you want I could keep going on & on down the line of each weight class & list men like Ray Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Hagler, Carlo Palomino, Alexis Arguello, Julio Cesar Chavez, Billy Conn,Archie Moore, Bob Foster ...
My list goes into the hundreds. But, this is the accomplishment of a lifetime in the game. From the time I began boxing at 17 WAY back in 1978, to being a sparring partner, to then being a promoter's assistant for Don Elbaum & Mike Acri for years which got me work on bigger shows put on by King, Arum & Main Events ... All this over the course of a couple of decades.
Plus, I attended every IBHOF Induction Weekend in Canastota from the very first in 1990 right up until 2001. Which accounted for many of my meetings with the elder statesmen of the sport like Ray Arcel, Jimmy McLarnin, Sandy Saddler, Ike Williams, Kid Gavilan & so on. Many of whom are no longer with us.
Being a lifelong, rabid boxing fan as well as a fighter & boxing "Jack of All Trades" like I've been for the vast majority of my 46 years on this planet, I made it a point to have a camera with me on almost every occasion that I've met or worked alongside these men, so as you can imagine, my single most prized possession is the photo album that I've kept going for all these years of photos of myself with these gentleman ( & a couple of ladies as well like Christy Martin ). Needless to say, it documents many of the most thrilling moments of my life. And other than the births of my three children, they're the proudest moments of my life as well.
My life has pretty much been a bit of a wreck these past couple of years, what with my separation from my wife, Some knee injuries & a surgery that have left me whoafully out of shape & unemployed on top of it. This being basically the nadir of my life as I see it.
But, you know what? Even if I kick off tomorrow, I've got that photo album to leave behind to my kids as evidence that I accomplished something. You know?
I wasn't great. But, at least I got to spend time with men who definitely WERE great. And on each occasion it made me proud to be able to do so.
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Ken Norton
Floyd Patterson
Jersey Joe Walcott
Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Larry Holmes
Earnie Shavers
Tommy Morrison
Razor Ruddock
George Chuvalo
Ron Lyle
Ernie Terrell
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Greg Page
Bonecrusher Smith
Riddick Bowe
Though I honestly hope that this doesn't label me as some sort of a blowhard, off the top of my head those are just the majority of the most notable heavyweights I've met or worked with over the years. If you want I could keep going on & on down the line of each weight class & list men like Ray Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Hagler, Carlo Palomino, Alexis Arguello, Julio Cesar Chavez, Billy Conn,Archie Moore, Bob Foster ...
My list goes into the hundreds. But, this is the accomplishment of a lifetime in the game. From the time I began boxing at 17 WAY back in 1978, to being a sparring partner, to then being a promoter's assistant for Don Elbaum & Mike Acri for years which got me work on bigger shows put on by King, Arum & Main Events ... All this over the course of a couple of decades.
Plus, I attended every IBHOF Induction Weekend in Canastota from the very first in 1990 right up until 2001. Which accounted for many of my meetings with the elder statesmen of the sport like Ray Arcel, Jimmy McLarnin, Sandy Saddler, Ike Williams, Kid Gavilan & so on. Many of whom are no longer with us.
Being a lifelong, rabid boxing fan as well as a fighter & boxing "Jack of All Trades" like I've been for the vast majority of my 46 years on this planet, I made it a point to have a camera with me on almost every occasion that I've met or worked alongside these men, so as you can imagine, my single most prized possession is the photo album that I've kept going for all these years of photos of myself with these gentleman ( & a couple of ladies as well like Christy Martin ). Needless to say, it documents many of the most thrilling moments of my life. And other than the births of my three children, they're the proudest moments of my life as well.
My life has pretty much been a bit of a wreck these past couple of years, what with my separation from my wife, Some knee injuries & a surgery that have left me whoafully out of shape & unemployed on top of it. This being basically the nadir of my life as I see it.
But, you know what? Even if I kick off tomorrow, I've got that photo album to leave behind to my kids as evidence that I accomplished something. You know?
I wasn't great. But, at least I got to spend time with men who definitely WERE great. And on each occasion it made me proud to be able to do so.
-
elmersalsa
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 15688
- Joined: 02 Feb 2003, 03:50
Great post...I wish you the best of luck, brother.joe kurtz wrote:Muhammad Ali
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Ken Norton
Floyd Patterson
Jersey Joe Walcott
Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Larry Holmes
Earnie Shavers
Tommy Morrison
Razor Ruddock
George Chuvalo
Ron Lyle
Ernie Terrell
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Greg Page
Bonecrusher Smith
Riddick Bowe
Though I honestly hope that this doesn't label me as some sort of a blowhard, off the top of my head those are just the majority of the most notable heavyweights I've met or worked with over the years. If you want I could keep going on & on down the line of each weight class & list men like Ray Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Hagler, Carlo Palomino, Alexis Arguello, Julio Cesar Chavez, Billy Conn,Archie Moore, Bob Foster ...
My list goes into the hundreds. But, this is the accomplishment of a lifetime in the game. From the time I began boxing at 17 WAY back in 1978, to being a sparring partner, to then being a promoter's assistant for Don Elbaum & Mike Acri for years which got me work on bigger shows put on by King, Arum & Main Events ... All this over the course of a couple of decades.
Plus, I attended every IBHOF Induction Weekend in Canastota from the very first in 1990 right up until 2001. Which accounted for many of my meetings with the elder statesmen of the sport like Ray Arcel, Jimmy McLarnin, Sandy Saddler, Ike Williams, Kid Gavilan & so on. Many of whom are no longer with us.
Being a lifelong, rabid boxing fan as well as a fighter & boxing "Jack of All Trades" like I've been for the vast majority of my 46 years on this planet, I made it a point to have a camera with me on almost every occasion that I've met or worked alongside these men, so as you can imagine, my single most prized possession is the photo album that I've kept going for all these years of photos of myself with these gentleman ( & a couple of ladies as well like Christy Martin ). Needless to say, it documents many of the most thrilling moments of my life. And other than the births of my three children, they're the proudest moments of my life as well.
My life has pretty much been a bit of a wreck these past couple of years, what with my separation from my wife, Some knee injuries & a surgery that have left me whoafully out of shape & unemployed on top of it. This being basically the nadir of my life as I see it.
But, you know what? Even if I kick off tomorrow, I've got that photo album to leave behind to my kids as evidence that I accomplished something. You know?
I wasn't great. But, at least I got to spend time with men who definitely WERE great. And on each occasion it made me proud to be able to do so.
Thats some list - WOW - You are right about telling you different - No fight is the same. A guy can go the distance and declare his opponent a massive puncher, then get tko'd in 1 (3kdr) and say I didnt feel a thing.jimglen wrote:in order of who they were and popularity during thier day...
Roberto Duran
Gene Fulmer
Carloz Ortiz
Emile Griffith
Rudolpho 'El Gato' Gonzales
Julian Jackson
Ken Buchanan
Ricky Hatton
Bert Gilroy - grandfather
Eddie Perkins
Greg Haugan
Mike Weaver
Harry Scott
Pat Lawler
John Cowboy McCormack
Wilf Greaves - great Canadian fought an aging SRR
Manny Sobrel
Eddie McIntosh new British L-HW prospect, Cousins (his Dad & me)
and I know I'm forgetting some, in the same compamy of Ken Norton, Ernie Tyrell, Mathew Saad Mohammod (spelling), but never approached them and scores of British fighters mostly ex-fighters throughout the country.
Great boxing people and at the end of the day for all our armchair observation, these men "No The Score," and can often tell you different!
Met Tim Witherspoon, and chatted to him, he looks real young for his age.
John Mugabi - Lovely guy and real joker
Chris Eubank - Gentleman and great with my kid. Enormous for 16o lbs how he made it I will never know.
Johnny Nelson. - Gentleman.
Tyson - Moody but with a comical side.
Chris Okoh - Nice man
Barry McGuigan - x 2 Superb.
Terry Downes - Nice bloke but swears so much you think he has touretts.
Henry Cooper - Nice man - Left Handed, but not a converted southpaw.
Don Curry - AWESOME
Tony Sibson - Class Fella
And others, some of whom were great amatuers but never made big noises pro, like Tony Velinor, ABA Champ and better than Nigel Benn IMO
many thanks my friend.elmersalsa wrote:Great post...I wish you the best of luck, brother.joe kurtz wrote:Muhammad Ali
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Ken Norton
Floyd Patterson
Jersey Joe Walcott
Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Larry Holmes
Earnie Shavers
Tommy Morrison
Razor Ruddock
George Chuvalo
Ron Lyle
Ernie Terrell
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Greg Page
Bonecrusher Smith
Riddick Bowe
Though I honestly hope that this doesn't label me as some sort of a blowhard, off the top of my head those are just the majority of the most notable heavyweights I've met or worked with over the years. If you want I could keep going on & on down the line of each weight class & list men like Ray Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Hagler, Carlo Palomino, Alexis Arguello, Julio Cesar Chavez, Billy Conn,Archie Moore, Bob Foster ...
My list goes into the hundreds. But, this is the accomplishment of a lifetime in the game. From the time I began boxing at 17 WAY back in 1978, to being a sparring partner, to then being a promoter's assistant for Don Elbaum & Mike Acri for years which got me work on bigger shows put on by King, Arum & Main Events ... All this over the course of a couple of decades.
Plus, I attended every IBHOF Induction Weekend in Canastota from the very first in 1990 right up until 2001. Which accounted for many of my meetings with the elder statesmen of the sport like Ray Arcel, Jimmy McLarnin, Sandy Saddler, Ike Williams, Kid Gavilan & so on. Many of whom are no longer with us.
Being a lifelong, rabid boxing fan as well as a fighter & boxing "Jack of All Trades" like I've been for the vast majority of my 46 years on this planet, I made it a point to have a camera with me on almost every occasion that I've met or worked alongside these men, so as you can imagine, my single most prized possession is the photo album that I've kept going for all these years of photos of myself with these gentleman ( & a couple of ladies as well like Christy Martin ). Needless to say, it documents many of the most thrilling moments of my life. And other than the births of my three children, they're the proudest moments of my life as well.
My life has pretty much been a bit of a wreck these past couple of years, what with my separation from my wife, Some knee injuries & a surgery that have left me whoafully out of shape & unemployed on top of it. This being basically the nadir of my life as I see it.
But, you know what? Even if I kick off tomorrow, I've got that photo album to leave behind to my kids as evidence that I accomplished something. You know?
I wasn't great. But, at least I got to spend time with men who definitely WERE great. And on each occasion it made me proud to be able to do so.
many thanks my friend.elmersalsa wrote:Great post...I wish you the best of luck, brother.joe kurtz wrote:Muhammad Ali
Joe Frazier
George Foreman
Ken Norton
Floyd Patterson
Jersey Joe Walcott
Mike Tyson
Evander Holyfield
Larry Holmes
Earnie Shavers
Tommy Morrison
Razor Ruddock
George Chuvalo
Ron Lyle
Ernie Terrell
Tim Witherspoon
Tony Tubbs
Greg Page
Bonecrusher Smith
Riddick Bowe
Though I honestly hope that this doesn't label me as some sort of a blowhard, off the top of my head those are just the majority of the most notable heavyweights I've met or worked with over the years. If you want I could keep going on & on down the line of each weight class & list men like Ray Leonard, Duran, Hearns, Hagler, Carlo Palomino, Alexis Arguello, Julio Cesar Chavez, Billy Conn,Archie Moore, Bob Foster ...
My list goes into the hundreds. But, this is the accomplishment of a lifetime in the game. From the time I began boxing at 17 WAY back in 1978, to being a sparring partner, to then being a promoter's assistant for Don Elbaum & Mike Acri for years which got me work on bigger shows put on by King, Arum & Main Events ... All this over the course of a couple of decades.
Plus, I attended every IBHOF Induction Weekend in Canastota from the very first in 1990 right up until 2001. Which accounted for many of my meetings with the elder statesmen of the sport like Ray Arcel, Jimmy McLarnin, Sandy Saddler, Ike Williams, Kid Gavilan & so on. Many of whom are no longer with us.
Being a lifelong, rabid boxing fan as well as a fighter & boxing "Jack of All Trades" like I've been for the vast majority of my 46 years on this planet, I made it a point to have a camera with me on almost every occasion that I've met or worked alongside these men, so as you can imagine, my single most prized possession is the photo album that I've kept going for all these years of photos of myself with these gentleman ( & a couple of ladies as well like Christy Martin ). Needless to say, it documents many of the most thrilling moments of my life. And other than the births of my three children, they're the proudest moments of my life as well.
My life has pretty much been a bit of a wreck these past couple of years, what with my separation from my wife, Some knee injuries & a surgery that have left me whoafully out of shape & unemployed on top of it. This being basically the nadir of my life as I see it.
But, you know what? Even if I kick off tomorrow, I've got that photo album to leave behind to my kids as evidence that I accomplished something. You know?
I wasn't great. But, at least I got to spend time with men who definitely WERE great. And on each occasion it made me proud to be able to do so.
-
Bobbin & Weavin
- Heavyweight

- Posts: 213
- Joined: 08 Nov 2007, 23:33
Gowing up and boxing as amatures in the San Francisco Bay area my brother and I had a lot of fun meeting the local talent and the famous fighters that came into town to fight them.
Some old timers we had the pleasure to meet after their careers while hanging out and training at Newman's Gym were and attending local boxing dinners;
Fred Apostle
Small Montana
Henry Armstrong
Buddy Bear
Gene Fullmer
Bobo Olson
California Joe Lynch
Carlos Ortiz
Ernie Terril
Fighters we were fortunate enough to see training;
George Foreman - As an amature and a pro
Emile Griffith
Luis Rodriguez
Local heros we trained around and became friends with some;
Ranked Middleweights in the seventies
Nate Collins - Still see Nate a couple times a year
Jimmy Lester
George Cooper
Ralph McCoy
Mike Nixon
Local Heavyweights;
Henry Clark
Roby Harris
I got to box many rounds with Ray Lunny III during his career, he faced Alfredo Escalarza for the Jr. Lightweight title.
I have some pretty cool pictures of most of these guys that I would love to post if that option is available.
Some old timers we had the pleasure to meet after their careers while hanging out and training at Newman's Gym were and attending local boxing dinners;
Fred Apostle
Small Montana
Henry Armstrong
Buddy Bear
Gene Fullmer
Bobo Olson
California Joe Lynch
Carlos Ortiz
Ernie Terril
Fighters we were fortunate enough to see training;
George Foreman - As an amature and a pro
Emile Griffith
Luis Rodriguez
Local heros we trained around and became friends with some;
Ranked Middleweights in the seventies
Nate Collins - Still see Nate a couple times a year
Jimmy Lester
George Cooper
Ralph McCoy
Mike Nixon
Local Heavyweights;
Henry Clark
Roby Harris
I got to box many rounds with Ray Lunny III during his career, he faced Alfredo Escalarza for the Jr. Lightweight title.
I have some pretty cool pictures of most of these guys that I would love to post if that option is available.
This is a copy of a post that I posted on another site.Robinson wrote:What was Joe Louis like to be around. That would have been incredible to hang with him.
Here's how I met the man that I think was the greatest heavyweight of all times Joe Louis , in 1977 we, my son Frankie Baltazar , the late Johnny Flores trainer, an myself left L.A to go to Miami Fl., Frankie was going to fight Francisco Villegas on Don King's u.s tournament , Larry Holmes was also going to fight , that was the weekend the scandal broke, anyway getting back to Louis it was a sad & happy experience for me , sad because I was seening Louis working for Don King ,he was suppose to be our driver , happy because I met the greatest heavyweight of all time ,he was to drive us where we needed to go , well I wasn't going to let the great Louis drive the Baltazar's around , him and Johnny were old buddys from back in the WWII days , so I had them sit in the back of the car an I took the wheel an I drove Joe Louis around an that how I met Joe Louis.
Louis was a every quiet man, a man of every few words who never the less was fun to be around, at times he could be funny and be telling jokes.
-
Mimmy
- Heavyweight

