By Frank Baltazar
1950 was the year I turn 14 years old. Nothing much happened that years aside from going to the Olympic to see Art Aragon trash my hero Enrique Bolanos and Beto's brother stealing our rabbits for his wedding dinner.
1951 was the year I got my first tattoo (“kiki”-51-) on my right arm. Went to see Art Aragon fight Jimmy Carter twice, with Keeny Teran fighting on the under card on the second fight, also got to see Enrique Bolanos fight Eddie Chavez and Keeny fighting Gil Cadilli on the same card at the Hollywood Legion. Late summer-early fall went to Moorpark, Ca. to pick walnuts, had a great time in Moorpark, fooled around more then work .
1952 was the year that the Simons Brickyard became part of history, a history that left us with some happy and sad memories, happy because even though we were dirt poor we still led a happy life, sad because we had to leave the only home we had known, I wrote some of my memories of the brickyard before, so I won't get into them here. It was in August that we left Simons for good, got on my dad buddy's truck and headed north to Hollister, Ca. where we found work picking plums, after we were done with harvesting the plums we worked picking grapes in a mountain range called “El Gavilan”, after two weeks of picking grapes we headed back to SoCal. We lived with my maternal grandparents in Pico, now Pico-Rivera, Ca. until my dad was able to find us a house to live in, which wasn't long. Late '52 I started working the weekends at the Whittier Car Wash and I was ready to buy my first car, which I did in December, I bought a 1938 four door Chevy that ran more on oil then gas for 55 dollars, five bucks a week.
1953 was a nondescript year, beside meeting girls nothing much happened, going to school, working the weekends at the car wash and cruising and listening to Hunter Hancock play R&B music on my ride was the order of the day.
1954 started out the same as '53, that is until April, when I met Connie. In the summer after working up north for a bit I started working full time at the car wash and that gave me enough money to put oil in my car and take her to eat at “The Spot” on Olympic Bl. in Montebello, Ca. On Sundays I would get paid and get off work at 2:00 PM, after going home to clean up, I would go pick Connie up at her house in Jimtown, go to The Spot and order a pastrami for each of us, after eating it was time to cruise the barrios, Simons, Canta Rana's, Jimtown, El Ranchito, and of course E.L.A..
As summer turned into fall things with Connie and I were getting serious, in December we decided to get married, it was a great way for Connie and I to end the year.
1955 was a time for both Connie and I to get used to married life, I went to work full time at a car dealership (paint shop) and Connie stay home, it was a quiet year., not much happening.
1956 was a big year for us, after nearly two years of marriage our first child was born, our beautiful daughter Linda was born on August 21, remember going to pick Connie and baby Linda up from Los Angeles County General Hospital with my late sister Mary Ellen's then boyfriend, later husband, Danny, and goofing off like kids in the hallway of the hospital. Connie and I spent the rest of '56 bonding with our baby.
1957 was again a quiet year. Watch Linda take her first steps as she turned 1 year old, it was also the year I turned 21, I could now drink a beer legally. I can't say how old Connie was without maybe getting thrown in jail.
1958 was another big year for Connie and I with the birth of our first son, Fernie, who was born on April 14. He was later to be known in the boxing world as Frankie Baltazar Jr.. Not long after Fernie was born a friend of Connie's asked her if she would like a job, after we talked it over she decided to take the job, which is how I became a kept man later on in our marriage.
1959 we spent all our free time watching Linda and Fernie grow and do what kids do.
It was, all in all a great decade to be alive.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Motown thru the eyes of Calvin . . .
By Rick "The Light" Farris
When I arrived in Detroit, I was introduced to a local studio Teamster who would be driving our 40' production van that was packed with lighting equipment and cable. The man's name was Calvin, a slender, elderly black man who was on the quiet side, choosing his words carefully when engaging in conversation, rarely speaking unless spoken to.
Something drew me to Calvin. I suspected he was a sports fan, always wearing a Detroit Tigers baseball cap. I had a feeling that Calvin just might be a boxing fan. I rarely tell people that I used to be a boxer, but somebody on my crew will usaully let it be known. One day, I approached Calvin and made the comment, "You know, Detroit has one helluva boxing history. Some great fighter's came out of the Motor City." Calvin's eyes widened and a smile came to his face. "Yes it was. Joe Louis was from Detroit."
I wanted Calvin to know that my knowledge of Detroit's boxing history went deeper than Tommy Hearns and Emmanuel Steward's top-notch Kronk stable of a few years back. I asked Calvin if he knew of the Brewster Recreation Center, where Louis began boxing and our driver immediatly came to life. "I used to swim at the Brewster Center when I was a kid, and it's still there today."
I shared my knowledge of Brewster, and how when Joe Louis was boxing amateur, there was this small kid who used to carry the future Brown Bomber's gym bag for him. That young boy's name was Walker Smith, and he would one day become the great Sugar Ray Robinson. I also told him of trainer Eddie Futch, and how he and Louis would train together, and how Futch claimed the greatest pure boxer he ever saw was former light-heavy contender, Holman Williams. Futch claims that he would rather watch Holman Williams shadow box than watch others fight.
We talked of Futch's 60's-70's welterweight, Hedgeman Lewis, who came from Detroit to make a big name for himself in L.A. And we talked of Henry Hank, and others.
However, Calvin and I shared an interest in another Detroit product beyond boxers, and that was Motown Records, founded by another California Boxing Hall of Famer, Berry Gordy Jr.
"I'm gunna take you around Detroit to a few places off the beaten path, and show you where Berry Gordy and many of his future music legends came from. I'll show you where it all started, places you won't read about, places that only we in the neighborhood know", our driver promised me. Calvin had grown up less than two blocks from the home where Berry Gordy had lived as a child, right off of 12th Street. Today that neighborhood is like an overgrown ghost town, burned out and boarded up, a sad memory of better days in Detroit.
On my only day off while in the Motor City, Calvin kept his word and picked me up at the Motor City Hotel-Casino, where our crew was lodged. A few minutes later we were parked in front of the Brewster Recreation Center, and he pointed toward one of the building's windows. "That's where the boxing gym was, that's where all the best of Detroit worked out back in the day", Calvin told me. "I don't know what is in the room today, but it ain't boxing no more." The Center was closed that Sunday, so I was unable to look in.
About fifteen minutes later we were in front of the home where Berry Gordy grew up. Today it's pretty run down, over grown with plants, looking as if the grass had not been cut in decades, and it hadn't been. The house next door had partially burned down several years back, and was just left abandoned, charred remains crumbling around a brick chimney and cement front porch. The house on the otherside was boarded up. "That's just a crack den today", Calvin explained. "These drug addicts find shelter in these abandoned houses during the winter when it's bitter cold outside. The make a fire to keep warm and often end up burning the place down."
We moved on down 12th Street to "Berry Gordy Jr. Avenue", and we turn left. A few blocks down the road we come to a small, well maintained wooden building with a big sign out front, "Hitsville U.S.A." Calvin smiled proudly and pointed to the building. "That is where Berry Gordy started Motown Records, that was his first recording studio. That's where the Surpemes, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops,and all the rest got there start."
I mentioned to Calvin that I'd heard Gordy sold the Motown label a few years back for a conservative $100 million (It had greater value, I'd heard?). Calvin began to laugh, "That ain't bad, considering he started it all with an original investment of $500."
Today "Hitsville U.S.A. is a museum honoring the Motown legends, however, it was closed on the day we passed by."
As we drove away, Calvin pointed at an old hospital on a corner, "That's where Aretha Franklin's father worked as a doctor, he delivered my younest sister, came right to our house and delivered Geraldine right on sofa in the den."
We drove on, and as Calvin relived his memories of the Motor City, I just sat and listened. It was a special day in my life, it was a day of history, the good history of a town that's best days are behind it.
I truly loved my 15 days in Detroit. I did the lighting on the pilot for ABC's new tuesday night police drama, "Detroit 1-8-7". I could have stayed on thru April, and completed the following 22 episodes, but I was not looking forward to spending months filming outside thru the Detroit winter. I was offered a Tom Hanks-Natalie Portman feature film, "Parthanon", which will begin production in two weeks in L.A. where we will film for four months, followed by a six-week location in Greece. It was an offer too good to refuse.
I liked my brief stay in the Motor City, and I pray for the City and it's people. The City and State of Michigan are bankrupt, and there is little hope for the future in the eyes of many. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the Motor City, where I have a great new friend in Calvin.
When I arrived in Detroit, I was introduced to a local studio Teamster who would be driving our 40' production van that was packed with lighting equipment and cable. The man's name was Calvin, a slender, elderly black man who was on the quiet side, choosing his words carefully when engaging in conversation, rarely speaking unless spoken to.
Something drew me to Calvin. I suspected he was a sports fan, always wearing a Detroit Tigers baseball cap. I had a feeling that Calvin just might be a boxing fan. I rarely tell people that I used to be a boxer, but somebody on my crew will usaully let it be known. One day, I approached Calvin and made the comment, "You know, Detroit has one helluva boxing history. Some great fighter's came out of the Motor City." Calvin's eyes widened and a smile came to his face. "Yes it was. Joe Louis was from Detroit."
I wanted Calvin to know that my knowledge of Detroit's boxing history went deeper than Tommy Hearns and Emmanuel Steward's top-notch Kronk stable of a few years back. I asked Calvin if he knew of the Brewster Recreation Center, where Louis began boxing and our driver immediatly came to life. "I used to swim at the Brewster Center when I was a kid, and it's still there today."
I shared my knowledge of Brewster, and how when Joe Louis was boxing amateur, there was this small kid who used to carry the future Brown Bomber's gym bag for him. That young boy's name was Walker Smith, and he would one day become the great Sugar Ray Robinson. I also told him of trainer Eddie Futch, and how he and Louis would train together, and how Futch claimed the greatest pure boxer he ever saw was former light-heavy contender, Holman Williams. Futch claims that he would rather watch Holman Williams shadow box than watch others fight.
We talked of Futch's 60's-70's welterweight, Hedgeman Lewis, who came from Detroit to make a big name for himself in L.A. And we talked of Henry Hank, and others.
However, Calvin and I shared an interest in another Detroit product beyond boxers, and that was Motown Records, founded by another California Boxing Hall of Famer, Berry Gordy Jr.
"I'm gunna take you around Detroit to a few places off the beaten path, and show you where Berry Gordy and many of his future music legends came from. I'll show you where it all started, places you won't read about, places that only we in the neighborhood know", our driver promised me. Calvin had grown up less than two blocks from the home where Berry Gordy had lived as a child, right off of 12th Street. Today that neighborhood is like an overgrown ghost town, burned out and boarded up, a sad memory of better days in Detroit.
On my only day off while in the Motor City, Calvin kept his word and picked me up at the Motor City Hotel-Casino, where our crew was lodged. A few minutes later we were parked in front of the Brewster Recreation Center, and he pointed toward one of the building's windows. "That's where the boxing gym was, that's where all the best of Detroit worked out back in the day", Calvin told me. "I don't know what is in the room today, but it ain't boxing no more." The Center was closed that Sunday, so I was unable to look in.
About fifteen minutes later we were in front of the home where Berry Gordy grew up. Today it's pretty run down, over grown with plants, looking as if the grass had not been cut in decades, and it hadn't been. The house next door had partially burned down several years back, and was just left abandoned, charred remains crumbling around a brick chimney and cement front porch. The house on the otherside was boarded up. "That's just a crack den today", Calvin explained. "These drug addicts find shelter in these abandoned houses during the winter when it's bitter cold outside. The make a fire to keep warm and often end up burning the place down."
We moved on down 12th Street to "Berry Gordy Jr. Avenue", and we turn left. A few blocks down the road we come to a small, well maintained wooden building with a big sign out front, "Hitsville U.S.A." Calvin smiled proudly and pointed to the building. "That is where Berry Gordy started Motown Records, that was his first recording studio. That's where the Surpemes, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops,and all the rest got there start."
I mentioned to Calvin that I'd heard Gordy sold the Motown label a few years back for a conservative $100 million (It had greater value, I'd heard?). Calvin began to laugh, "That ain't bad, considering he started it all with an original investment of $500."
Today "Hitsville U.S.A. is a museum honoring the Motown legends, however, it was closed on the day we passed by."
As we drove away, Calvin pointed at an old hospital on a corner, "That's where Aretha Franklin's father worked as a doctor, he delivered my younest sister, came right to our house and delivered Geraldine right on sofa in the den."
We drove on, and as Calvin relived his memories of the Motor City, I just sat and listened. It was a special day in my life, it was a day of history, the good history of a town that's best days are behind it.
I truly loved my 15 days in Detroit. I did the lighting on the pilot for ABC's new tuesday night police drama, "Detroit 1-8-7". I could have stayed on thru April, and completed the following 22 episodes, but I was not looking forward to spending months filming outside thru the Detroit winter. I was offered a Tom Hanks-Natalie Portman feature film, "Parthanon", which will begin production in two weeks in L.A. where we will film for four months, followed by a six-week location in Greece. It was an offer too good to refuse.
I liked my brief stay in the Motor City, and I pray for the City and it's people. The City and State of Michigan are bankrupt, and there is little hope for the future in the eyes of many. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the Motor City, where I have a great new friend in Calvin.
Murray: Dempsey was the meanest
By Jim Murray
Special to ESPN.com
Editor's note: This column originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times on November 17, 1965.
There are all kinds of ways to get ready for a heavyweight championship fight. You work on what you need.
Joe Louis used to practice going to the farthest neutral corner. Gene Tunney practiced running for his life, Floyd Patterson should practice getting up and Muhammad Whatisname should practice shutting up.
Lots of fighters practice hooks to the head but Gene Fullmer used to practice hooks with the head. Rocky Marciano threw so many punches in so many directions he just had to make sure he didn't hit the referee -- or the ring posts.
ESPN Classic
SportsCentury will profile Jack Dempsey on Friday, August 10 at 8 and 11 p.m. ET.
But Jack Dempsey was the only champion who practiced the same way the early Christians did -- as if his opponent had a mane and claws and would not only fight him but eat him. Dempsey even fought a punching bag as if it might open fire at any time. Sparring partners limped out of town on every bus. A newspaper man climbed into the ring with him once as a gag, and a colleague had to write the fellow's story for a few days afterwards while he took nourishment through a straw. "Dempsey fought you," a battered spar-mate once confided, "as if the two of you were on a ledge 20 stories up and it was either him or you."
The man who can best testify to the terrible tornadic frenzy of the Dempsey attack is a tall, graceful, New Orleans-born Irishman named Marty Burke.
Martin Burke, now 70 and still blondhaired, is known around the sound stages of Hollywood as the father of 20th Century Fox's television star, Paul Burke ("12 O'Clock High") but he was known around the gyms and barges of New Orleans' "Irish Channel" section as "The Turk," the best left-hook artist who ever came out of bayou country.
Marty's book, if he writes it, is going to be called "1,000 Rounds with Jack Dempsey, or Did You Think I Got This Ear Answering the Telephone?" If you doubt Dempsey's punch, Marty will take your hand and press into what once was a chest bone, but what is now a depression deep enough to hide letters. Dempsey did that with a single hook. Marty forgets what kind of punch it was that used to break his nose regularly.
Marty began to train with Dempsey well before the Dempsey-Willard fight. The two of them toured the tank towns of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where Dempsey's manager, Doc Kearns, posted a ritual $500 fee for anyone who could go the route against the tigerish Dempsey. Doc used to post himself behind the curtain with a bung starter in case any of the tank palookas got lucky, but Marty recalls the few who squared off against Dempsey went out on a stretcher. Marty had to take up the slack and keep the show going.
One night, when his nose looked like a pomegranate and his ear had grown so far it looked like a second head, Marty mildly suggested to Dempsey that he take off a day to heal. "Oh," soother Dempsey, "I'll take it easy with you, Turk -- just a few body taps." The first part of his body Dempsey tapped was his nose -- with one of the hardest rights he ever threw. "Jack just didn't know the meaning of 'take it easy' when he got into the ring. You had to be alert out there or you'd find yourself looking around for your head."
One time, Marty sparred six rounds in one week with Dempsey, and then fought 15 with Gene Tunney for the American light-heavyweight championship. "The six rounds with Dempsey were worse than the whole 15 with Tunney." In fact, Burke says, his tow fights with Tunney -- he lost both -- were easier than any single vaudeville fight with Dempsey with 16-ounce gloves.
Marty's next-hardest fight was with Harry Greb. "He hit me so often, I actually turned around to see who was helping him. With Greb, it was a good thing he couldn't hit hard because he hit often. With Dempsey, it was a good thing he didn't hit often because he hit hard."
At 6 feet 3 inches, Marty had altitude going for him in most fights. Also, he presented a slim target. He weighed as little as 154 when he first began to tour with Dempsey. He fought George Godfrey, on of the great Negro fighters of the '20s, only after the boxing commission told him to put on four more pounds on the afternoon of the fight. Marty spent the rest of the day draining down bootleg ale and Guinness Stout. He not only made the weight, he almost made the drunk tank. This was the first time they ever had to give a fighter a shower BEFORE the fight. Marty showed up at 175 pounds, singing "Mother Machree." Godfrey, a two-bottle man himself, just looked jealous.
Marty even won the fight. At 220 and cold sober, Godfrey was no match for him, and this was at a time when all the ranking heavyweights were ducking behind the color line and keeping Godfrey, known variously as the "Baron of Leiperville" or the "Leopard of Leiperville" and other alliterations, at bay. In time, Godfrey came up to Marty after the bout and allowed, "Turk, you're the first fighter I met in a long time didn't ax me to handcuff myself."
After Dempsey, Burke didn't see any need to ask anybody to handcuff himself. In fact, he was the first to know it when Dempsey began to lose it all. "I told him before the Tunney fight, 'Jack, you know you can't fight anymore. Tunney shouldn't lose a round.'" It turned out, Tunney didn't. Not even the one he was knocked down in for 14 seconds in the second fight.
Marty drifted around the fight game for several more years after that -- or until he got knocked out in one round by Young Stribling. "Five years before, Stribling couldn't have hit me with a handful of birdseed."
Back in New Orleans, Marty opened a French Quarter saloon so tough the shore patrol used to walk it in platoon strength. Some of Marty's last fights were with longshoreman half his age and twice his weight and one night when business was good, Marty sat down after he had stacked a few customers in a neat pile outside the front door, and reached in his mouth and extracted three teeth by hand which had already been loosened by fists.
He spoke in a lisp as he inspected the bloody molars. "I wonder," he questioned, "how Dempsey missed these?"
This column originally appeared in The Los Angeles Times. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Jim Murray, the long-time sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times, won the Pultizer Prize for commentary in 1990. He died Aug. 16, 1998.
Special to ESPN.com
Editor's note: This column originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times on November 17, 1965.
There are all kinds of ways to get ready for a heavyweight championship fight. You work on what you need.
Joe Louis used to practice going to the farthest neutral corner. Gene Tunney practiced running for his life, Floyd Patterson should practice getting up and Muhammad Whatisname should practice shutting up.
Lots of fighters practice hooks to the head but Gene Fullmer used to practice hooks with the head. Rocky Marciano threw so many punches in so many directions he just had to make sure he didn't hit the referee -- or the ring posts.
ESPN Classic
SportsCentury will profile Jack Dempsey on Friday, August 10 at 8 and 11 p.m. ET.
But Jack Dempsey was the only champion who practiced the same way the early Christians did -- as if his opponent had a mane and claws and would not only fight him but eat him. Dempsey even fought a punching bag as if it might open fire at any time. Sparring partners limped out of town on every bus. A newspaper man climbed into the ring with him once as a gag, and a colleague had to write the fellow's story for a few days afterwards while he took nourishment through a straw. "Dempsey fought you," a battered spar-mate once confided, "as if the two of you were on a ledge 20 stories up and it was either him or you."
The man who can best testify to the terrible tornadic frenzy of the Dempsey attack is a tall, graceful, New Orleans-born Irishman named Marty Burke.
Martin Burke, now 70 and still blondhaired, is known around the sound stages of Hollywood as the father of 20th Century Fox's television star, Paul Burke ("12 O'Clock High") but he was known around the gyms and barges of New Orleans' "Irish Channel" section as "The Turk," the best left-hook artist who ever came out of bayou country.
Marty's book, if he writes it, is going to be called "1,000 Rounds with Jack Dempsey, or Did You Think I Got This Ear Answering the Telephone?" If you doubt Dempsey's punch, Marty will take your hand and press into what once was a chest bone, but what is now a depression deep enough to hide letters. Dempsey did that with a single hook. Marty forgets what kind of punch it was that used to break his nose regularly.
Marty began to train with Dempsey well before the Dempsey-Willard fight. The two of them toured the tank towns of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where Dempsey's manager, Doc Kearns, posted a ritual $500 fee for anyone who could go the route against the tigerish Dempsey. Doc used to post himself behind the curtain with a bung starter in case any of the tank palookas got lucky, but Marty recalls the few who squared off against Dempsey went out on a stretcher. Marty had to take up the slack and keep the show going.
One night, when his nose looked like a pomegranate and his ear had grown so far it looked like a second head, Marty mildly suggested to Dempsey that he take off a day to heal. "Oh," soother Dempsey, "I'll take it easy with you, Turk -- just a few body taps." The first part of his body Dempsey tapped was his nose -- with one of the hardest rights he ever threw. "Jack just didn't know the meaning of 'take it easy' when he got into the ring. You had to be alert out there or you'd find yourself looking around for your head."
One time, Marty sparred six rounds in one week with Dempsey, and then fought 15 with Gene Tunney for the American light-heavyweight championship. "The six rounds with Dempsey were worse than the whole 15 with Tunney." In fact, Burke says, his tow fights with Tunney -- he lost both -- were easier than any single vaudeville fight with Dempsey with 16-ounce gloves.
Marty's next-hardest fight was with Harry Greb. "He hit me so often, I actually turned around to see who was helping him. With Greb, it was a good thing he couldn't hit hard because he hit often. With Dempsey, it was a good thing he didn't hit often because he hit hard."
At 6 feet 3 inches, Marty had altitude going for him in most fights. Also, he presented a slim target. He weighed as little as 154 when he first began to tour with Dempsey. He fought George Godfrey, on of the great Negro fighters of the '20s, only after the boxing commission told him to put on four more pounds on the afternoon of the fight. Marty spent the rest of the day draining down bootleg ale and Guinness Stout. He not only made the weight, he almost made the drunk tank. This was the first time they ever had to give a fighter a shower BEFORE the fight. Marty showed up at 175 pounds, singing "Mother Machree." Godfrey, a two-bottle man himself, just looked jealous.
Marty even won the fight. At 220 and cold sober, Godfrey was no match for him, and this was at a time when all the ranking heavyweights were ducking behind the color line and keeping Godfrey, known variously as the "Baron of Leiperville" or the "Leopard of Leiperville" and other alliterations, at bay. In time, Godfrey came up to Marty after the bout and allowed, "Turk, you're the first fighter I met in a long time didn't ax me to handcuff myself."
After Dempsey, Burke didn't see any need to ask anybody to handcuff himself. In fact, he was the first to know it when Dempsey began to lose it all. "I told him before the Tunney fight, 'Jack, you know you can't fight anymore. Tunney shouldn't lose a round.'" It turned out, Tunney didn't. Not even the one he was knocked down in for 14 seconds in the second fight.
Marty drifted around the fight game for several more years after that -- or until he got knocked out in one round by Young Stribling. "Five years before, Stribling couldn't have hit me with a handful of birdseed."
Back in New Orleans, Marty opened a French Quarter saloon so tough the shore patrol used to walk it in platoon strength. Some of Marty's last fights were with longshoreman half his age and twice his weight and one night when business was good, Marty sat down after he had stacked a few customers in a neat pile outside the front door, and reached in his mouth and extracted three teeth by hand which had already been loosened by fists.
He spoke in a lisp as he inspected the bloody molars. "I wonder," he questioned, "how Dempsey missed these?"
This column originally appeared in The Los Angeles Times. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Jim Murray, the long-time sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times, won the Pultizer Prize for commentary in 1990. He died Aug. 16, 1998.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
TBCB HoF - Danny Cahalin
Written by Rob Morris
Danny CahalinDanny Cahalin (better known as Wildhawke or Wildhake11 to the internet boxing community) was born in Southern England in 1939. He was married to Rita and has a son, Glen.
Danny’s passion for boxing began he was 15 when he had “a little local involvement” in the sport and would last for the next 55 years. During this time Danny developed an in depth knowledge of the sport which, combined with his self effacing humor and gentlemanly nature would literally touch people from all corners of the world through the internet. Danny loved the interaction on the boxing message boards and his son Glen has indicated it brought him much pleasure.
Danny once shared his own philosophy as how to conduct oneself on these boards:
“On any chat board as you well know you will find a range of different people. It’s a bit like at a party you have been invited to or drinking at your regular bar or drinking hole. Difference is on line you can be a tough guy and a keyboard warrior and get away with it most times. But take a bet that many who think they are a tough nut would be as quite as a mouse in a different situation. Where the wrong word or even a stare at a stranger a little too long would lead to making a guy feel uncomfortable very quickly I have always tried to live by the rule speak to others as you yourself would like to be spoken to. I also agree never say anything to someone on line that you would not be prepared to say to him in person.”
Danny truly lived up to this philosophy through words and actions.
On one occasion an American gentleman from one the boxing boards was shot six times. Danny quickly put out a plea for some boxing tapes on video or DVD and asked for names of reliable sellers of good quality tapes so that he could send him some fights to watch while he recuperated.
It is ironic that one of Danny’s quotes about another poster on a message board, “Never have I heard a bad word said about you from anyone. Your Class, Sheer Class“is so applicable to Danny himself.
As well as boxing, Danny liked football (soccer), his favourite team being Chelsea of the English Premier League. He also enjoyed horse-racing computer games and liked simulation games and shoot-em ups. One of Danny’s favorite games was Title Bout Championship boxing, and as respected member of that community was a member of the testing team. This was an endeavor he thoroughly enjoyed and contributions during the development process were invaluable.
Sadly, just before Christmas of 2009 Danny was diagnosed with a brain tumor, yet in typical unselfish fashion he announced it on the internet in January so as not to spoil our Christmas!! This act epitomized the type of person Danny was, putting the joy of others first, even in his greatest hour of need. Tragically Danny died of this tumor on 7th May 2010 and his loss left an irreplaceable void in the lives of all that knew him.
Danny indicated on some of the internet boxing boards (namely Cyber Boxing Zone, Boxrec and Title Bout Championship Boxing) that some of his favourite fighters were Rocky Marciano, Benny Leonard, Harry Greb and Archie Moore amongst others, but he respected all that were brave enough to enter the ring. Yet Danny’s bravery and spirit in face of the illness that would eventually take him from us would have made any one of these warriors proud. His will and character were strong to the end and it is those traits that will remain his legacy.
I read once or twice Danny quote the lyrics from “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. A couple of the verses seem particularly apt to Danny.
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I travelled each and every highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
to say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels
the record shows I took the blows and did it my way!
Yes, it was my way.
RIP Danny, much missed and never to be forgotten.
Danny CahalinDanny Cahalin (better known as Wildhawke or Wildhake11 to the internet boxing community) was born in Southern England in 1939. He was married to Rita and has a son, Glen.
Danny’s passion for boxing began he was 15 when he had “a little local involvement” in the sport and would last for the next 55 years. During this time Danny developed an in depth knowledge of the sport which, combined with his self effacing humor and gentlemanly nature would literally touch people from all corners of the world through the internet. Danny loved the interaction on the boxing message boards and his son Glen has indicated it brought him much pleasure.
Danny once shared his own philosophy as how to conduct oneself on these boards:
“On any chat board as you well know you will find a range of different people. It’s a bit like at a party you have been invited to or drinking at your regular bar or drinking hole. Difference is on line you can be a tough guy and a keyboard warrior and get away with it most times. But take a bet that many who think they are a tough nut would be as quite as a mouse in a different situation. Where the wrong word or even a stare at a stranger a little too long would lead to making a guy feel uncomfortable very quickly I have always tried to live by the rule speak to others as you yourself would like to be spoken to. I also agree never say anything to someone on line that you would not be prepared to say to him in person.”
Danny truly lived up to this philosophy through words and actions.
On one occasion an American gentleman from one the boxing boards was shot six times. Danny quickly put out a plea for some boxing tapes on video or DVD and asked for names of reliable sellers of good quality tapes so that he could send him some fights to watch while he recuperated.
It is ironic that one of Danny’s quotes about another poster on a message board, “Never have I heard a bad word said about you from anyone. Your Class, Sheer Class“is so applicable to Danny himself.
As well as boxing, Danny liked football (soccer), his favourite team being Chelsea of the English Premier League. He also enjoyed horse-racing computer games and liked simulation games and shoot-em ups. One of Danny’s favorite games was Title Bout Championship boxing, and as respected member of that community was a member of the testing team. This was an endeavor he thoroughly enjoyed and contributions during the development process were invaluable.
Sadly, just before Christmas of 2009 Danny was diagnosed with a brain tumor, yet in typical unselfish fashion he announced it on the internet in January so as not to spoil our Christmas!! This act epitomized the type of person Danny was, putting the joy of others first, even in his greatest hour of need. Tragically Danny died of this tumor on 7th May 2010 and his loss left an irreplaceable void in the lives of all that knew him.
Danny indicated on some of the internet boxing boards (namely Cyber Boxing Zone, Boxrec and Title Bout Championship Boxing) that some of his favourite fighters were Rocky Marciano, Benny Leonard, Harry Greb and Archie Moore amongst others, but he respected all that were brave enough to enter the ring. Yet Danny’s bravery and spirit in face of the illness that would eventually take him from us would have made any one of these warriors proud. His will and character were strong to the end and it is those traits that will remain his legacy.
I read once or twice Danny quote the lyrics from “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. A couple of the verses seem particularly apt to Danny.
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I travelled each and every highway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way
For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught
to say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels
the record shows I took the blows and did it my way!
Yes, it was my way.
RIP Danny, much missed and never to be forgotten.
Remembering "Wildhawke" . . .
By Rick Farris
It was summer, 1999, when I discovered the internet. I entered the name "Roberto Duran" into a search engine, and found myself on the Roberto Duran thread of the AOL Boxing Board. This is when I began writing about boxing in L.A. as I knew it.
This lead my writing for the Cyber Boxing Zone.
The CBZ liked my L.A. stories, and I convinced the CBZ editor, Stephen Gordon to check out the AOL Forum. "The Bucket" as he was known to his readers, suggested the CBZ start it's own Forum, and asked if I would manage it.
I said "No, but I will contribute." That was the beginning of what would become a great boxing forum. It got big quick, and I was a part of it.
So were many others a part of it.
The best thing about a successful boxing forum is the friendship and respect shared by it's core members. The ones that make our days when things might be challening, otherwise.
I've turned many a stressful day around by writing on boxing threads.
The great thing about the internet is that it brings the world together. We on this thread, which is second to no boxing thread in existence, have forged life long friendships with people from around the world.
As the CBZ Forum grew, with legendary threads such as the Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez thread, and the "The History of California Boxing" by Hap Navarro thread, friendships developed world wide.
On the West Coast, I posted regularly, as did Dan Hanley from Chicago, Greg Beyer from Washington State, Robert from New York, and a poster from the United Kingdom, near Kent, I believe, known as "Wildhawke".
Wildhawke. His real name was Danny Cahalin, and his wife's name was "Rita", and Danny knew boxing. Danny was a scrapper in his day, and perhaps one of the most wonderful human beings in the world, whom I never met face-to-face, but whom I felt I knew. I felt Danny's warmth, and I witnessed his compassion and kindness towards the boxers we write about here.
When this thread took life in February, 2008, when I first posted here, I thought how great it would be if Danny could join us. Eventually, he did. He didn't post often, the West Coast aspect didn't quite agree with him. However, Danny was behind us all the way. Nobody knows better than former world champ, Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez, about the loyalty and friendship of Wildhawke. Danny Cahalin was one of the chief supporters of El Gato's campaign for IBHOF induction.
Wildhawke passed recently. I'm truly saddened by his death. I knew he was sick, and he was gone so quickly.
Rest in Peace, Danny. We love you.
Your spirit shall always remain a part of boxing, and I shall always remember you with a smile.
It was summer, 1999, when I discovered the internet. I entered the name "Roberto Duran" into a search engine, and found myself on the Roberto Duran thread of the AOL Boxing Board. This is when I began writing about boxing in L.A. as I knew it.
This lead my writing for the Cyber Boxing Zone.
The CBZ liked my L.A. stories, and I convinced the CBZ editor, Stephen Gordon to check out the AOL Forum. "The Bucket" as he was known to his readers, suggested the CBZ start it's own Forum, and asked if I would manage it.
I said "No, but I will contribute." That was the beginning of what would become a great boxing forum. It got big quick, and I was a part of it.
So were many others a part of it.
The best thing about a successful boxing forum is the friendship and respect shared by it's core members. The ones that make our days when things might be challening, otherwise.
I've turned many a stressful day around by writing on boxing threads.
The great thing about the internet is that it brings the world together. We on this thread, which is second to no boxing thread in existence, have forged life long friendships with people from around the world.
As the CBZ Forum grew, with legendary threads such as the Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez thread, and the "The History of California Boxing" by Hap Navarro thread, friendships developed world wide.
On the West Coast, I posted regularly, as did Dan Hanley from Chicago, Greg Beyer from Washington State, Robert from New York, and a poster from the United Kingdom, near Kent, I believe, known as "Wildhawke".
Wildhawke. His real name was Danny Cahalin, and his wife's name was "Rita", and Danny knew boxing. Danny was a scrapper in his day, and perhaps one of the most wonderful human beings in the world, whom I never met face-to-face, but whom I felt I knew. I felt Danny's warmth, and I witnessed his compassion and kindness towards the boxers we write about here.
When this thread took life in February, 2008, when I first posted here, I thought how great it would be if Danny could join us. Eventually, he did. He didn't post often, the West Coast aspect didn't quite agree with him. However, Danny was behind us all the way. Nobody knows better than former world champ, Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez, about the loyalty and friendship of Wildhawke. Danny Cahalin was one of the chief supporters of El Gato's campaign for IBHOF induction.
Wildhawke passed recently. I'm truly saddened by his death. I knew he was sick, and he was gone so quickly.
Rest in Peace, Danny. We love you.
Your spirit shall always remain a part of boxing, and I shall always remember you with a smile.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Pacquiao to fight Margarito in November
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
Manny Pacquiao will fight Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 for a vacant super welterweight championship, either in Las Vegas if Margarito can get licensed or in Monterrey, Mexico, if he can’t, promoter Bob Arum said.
That ends any possibility of a match between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the top two boxers in the world, for 2010.
Arum said he decided to choose Margarito instead of Miguel Cotto, whom Pacquiao stopped in the 12th round in November, because it would be perceived as a more competitive bout. The bout will be offered on HBO Pay-Per-View.
“Cotto was beaten and even with [Hall of Fame trainer] Emanuel Steward now with him, I don’t think people believe that it’s enough to make a difference and I’m not sure they would buy it as competitive,” Arum said by telephone from his vacation home in Los Angeles. “But putting aside the controversy about the wraps, the one thing you know for sure with a Margarito fight is that it will be a hell of a fight for however long it lasts.
“Margarito knows only one way to fight and that’s coming forward. They’re going to get in there and fight. That’s what people want to see.”
Margarito’s hand-wrap controversy is no minor matter, however. He was caught with a hardened substance in his knuckle pad prior to a Jan. 24, 2009, fight in California against Shane Mosley.
He was forced to re-wrap his hands and was knocked out in the ninth round by Mosley. In February 2009, he was suspended for a year by the California State Athletic Commission.
He fought once since the Mosley fight, winning a lackluster unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia.
He applied for a license in Nevada on July 9, but by a 4-1 vote, the Nevada Athletic Commission tabled the matter and told Margarito to return to California. Arum said Margarito will file paperwork with California on Monday.
If Nevada grants Margarito a license, Arum said the fight would be in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. If not, it is all but certain to wind up at a 22,000-seat arena in Monterrey, Mexico, though a group from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is also bidding for the fight.
Skip Avansino, a member of the Nevada commission, said he thinks California regulators should consider it first, even though Margarito doesn’t plan to fight there. The California commission knows the matter best, Avansino said.
Avansino wasn’t willing to speculate what would occur if California were to decline taking up his request, given he doesn’t have a fight planned in the state.
“He certainly deserves a decision,” Avansino said. “I don’t know what procedures California will consider in connection with his reapplication. I would think that they would consider his application appropriately, just as we would, but I would want to wait until I see what California decides.”
Avansino said he wouldn’t be swayed by the huge economic impact the fight would have upon the depressed Las Vegas economy.
Pacquiao is a huge draw in Las Vegas and is one of the few boxers who attracts high-rolling Asian gamblers, who play $25,000-a-hand blackjack as well as baccarat. Las Vegas casinos had their best night in two years Nov. 14, 2009, when Pacquiao fought Cotto, because of the large influx of high-rollers who flooded Las Vegas, according to analysis by the Nevada Gaming Commission.
“I’m mindful of the economic conditions in the state of Nevada and I understand them well,” Avansino said. “I have every interest to improve and help improve the economy in this state. But as a commission, my responsibility is to protect the health and safety of those who compete in our state and to uphold the integrity of the sport. That’s my primary responsibility.”
The match would be for the World Boxing Council super welterweight championship. If Pacquiao wins it, it would be either the seventh or eighth division in which he has held a title, depending upon how it is calculated.
He has won sanctioning body titles at 112, 122, 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds. At 126 pounds, he beat Marco Antonio Barrera, who was the linear champion. But Barrera had surrendered all of his sanctioning body titles by the time he fought Pacquiao, though he had not been beaten.
Kevin Iole covers boxing and mixed martial arts for Yahoo! Sports. Send Kevin a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Manny Pacquiao will fight Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 for a vacant super welterweight championship, either in Las Vegas if Margarito can get licensed or in Monterrey, Mexico, if he can’t, promoter Bob Arum said.
That ends any possibility of a match between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., the top two boxers in the world, for 2010.
Arum said he decided to choose Margarito instead of Miguel Cotto, whom Pacquiao stopped in the 12th round in November, because it would be perceived as a more competitive bout. The bout will be offered on HBO Pay-Per-View.
“Cotto was beaten and even with [Hall of Fame trainer] Emanuel Steward now with him, I don’t think people believe that it’s enough to make a difference and I’m not sure they would buy it as competitive,” Arum said by telephone from his vacation home in Los Angeles. “But putting aside the controversy about the wraps, the one thing you know for sure with a Margarito fight is that it will be a hell of a fight for however long it lasts.
“Margarito knows only one way to fight and that’s coming forward. They’re going to get in there and fight. That’s what people want to see.”
Margarito’s hand-wrap controversy is no minor matter, however. He was caught with a hardened substance in his knuckle pad prior to a Jan. 24, 2009, fight in California against Shane Mosley.
He was forced to re-wrap his hands and was knocked out in the ninth round by Mosley. In February 2009, he was suspended for a year by the California State Athletic Commission.
He fought once since the Mosley fight, winning a lackluster unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia.
He applied for a license in Nevada on July 9, but by a 4-1 vote, the Nevada Athletic Commission tabled the matter and told Margarito to return to California. Arum said Margarito will file paperwork with California on Monday.
If Nevada grants Margarito a license, Arum said the fight would be in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. If not, it is all but certain to wind up at a 22,000-seat arena in Monterrey, Mexico, though a group from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is also bidding for the fight.
Skip Avansino, a member of the Nevada commission, said he thinks California regulators should consider it first, even though Margarito doesn’t plan to fight there. The California commission knows the matter best, Avansino said.
Avansino wasn’t willing to speculate what would occur if California were to decline taking up his request, given he doesn’t have a fight planned in the state.
“He certainly deserves a decision,” Avansino said. “I don’t know what procedures California will consider in connection with his reapplication. I would think that they would consider his application appropriately, just as we would, but I would want to wait until I see what California decides.”
Avansino said he wouldn’t be swayed by the huge economic impact the fight would have upon the depressed Las Vegas economy.
Pacquiao is a huge draw in Las Vegas and is one of the few boxers who attracts high-rolling Asian gamblers, who play $25,000-a-hand blackjack as well as baccarat. Las Vegas casinos had their best night in two years Nov. 14, 2009, when Pacquiao fought Cotto, because of the large influx of high-rollers who flooded Las Vegas, according to analysis by the Nevada Gaming Commission.
“I’m mindful of the economic conditions in the state of Nevada and I understand them well,” Avansino said. “I have every interest to improve and help improve the economy in this state. But as a commission, my responsibility is to protect the health and safety of those who compete in our state and to uphold the integrity of the sport. That’s my primary responsibility.”
The match would be for the World Boxing Council super welterweight championship. If Pacquiao wins it, it would be either the seventh or eighth division in which he has held a title, depending upon how it is calculated.
He has won sanctioning body titles at 112, 122, 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds. At 126 pounds, he beat Marco Antonio Barrera, who was the linear champion. But Barrera had surrendered all of his sanctioning body titles by the time he fought Pacquiao, though he had not been beaten.
Kevin Iole covers boxing and mixed martial arts for Yahoo! Sports. Send Kevin a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Junior Golden Gloves Finals....1964
I had Romulo Ventura fighting Andy “The Hawk” Price in the finals of the 1964 Junior golden Gloves at the Valley Garden Arena, Andy gets in the ring first, we now make our way to the ring, Romulo starts his climb up the stairs, he puts one leg over the bottom rope and he sees Andy shadow boxing and looking like a minuter Sugar Ray Robinson, Romluo turns around and looks me in the eye and tells me “I don't feel like fighting tonight after all”, I gave Romulo a shove into the ring and tell him “he looks pretty, but can he fight?”. Romulo fought that night and gave Andy a good scrap losing by decision.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Amir Khan
By Bennie
The announcement this morning that Amir Khan is to fight the winner of the Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz return clash at lightweight later this month in Las Vegas came as a blow to those still waiting for the Bolton boy to risk his chin - to risk anything - in the two-year wake of his sub-one minute destruction at the hands of Breidis Prescott in Manchester in 2008. We all know the story: Khan went down twice, heavily, and looked so fragile that one wondered how he would ever recover. He recovered remarkably well, of course, brought back quickly and shrewdly with morale-boosting wins over Oisin Fagan and Marco Antonio Barrera, before trouncing Andreas Kotelnik for the WBA light-welterweight title and blowing away Dmitiry Salita in his first defence, although none of the four men were punchers like Prescott, who somewhat infuriatingly appeared on the same bill as Khan's 76-second dismissal of Salita. If only it were Khan outboxing the rangy Colombian that night and not Kevin Mitchell.
Then came Khan's decision to move to the States at a time when British promoter, F rank Warren, was lining him up here with Argentine puncher Marcos Maidana, although the thought of his competition in the States largely excited and diverted fans. Khan is steered out there, for all intents and purposes, by trainer Freddie Roach, an ex-fighter with Parkinson's Disease who believes that the punches he took late in his career caused his condition. Roach told Mike Tyson to retire after his surprise loss to Danny Williams and 'knows' when a fighter is through and when a fighter is vulnerable.
Roach was brought in to buoy and improve Khan after the Prescott disaster and would have had his say on Khan's comeback opponents, although Mr Warren and his matchmaker Dean Powell played the real blinders, particularly in their inspired choices of the fading but still credible Barrera and the technically adept but light-hitting Kotelnik. Indeed, Khan has fought only once entirely for Roach: an 11-round turkey-shoot against the brave but non-punching Paulie Malignaggi in defence of his world title a couple of months ago in New York. As Khan showed in his comeback, he looks a million dollars against men who cannot hurt him.
Now comes the problem. Roach continues the cotton-wool treatment with today's downbeat announcement of Marquez or Diaz next up for Khan. The fleshy Diaz, dubbed "Baby Bull", was well-beaten by Malignaggi last December in Houston, on a night when Diaz came in at well under the light-welterweight limit (and to remind you, Diaz and Marquez go head to head at lightweight), and he is the bookies' favourite to topple the 36-year-old Marquez, who turned pro down at featherweight when Khan was all of six. Roach knows more than anyone that a good big 'un always beats a good little 'un. It was his move from super-featherweight to lightweight in his boxing days that saw him copping all those late head shots from the likes of Greg "Mutt" Haugen and Hector Camacho.
Roach must have a very good reason for looking down after he hooted about his man unifying the light-welterweight division post-Malignaggi. Khan is a huge light-welterweight, a 23-year-old future welterweight, with masses of competition in his division, so why the pursuit of lightweights? For now he – and we - makes do with either Marquez or Diaz, but you wonder what the next year brings, or the year after that? We sit, we wait, grow a little older, grow a little wiser.
The announcement this morning that Amir Khan is to fight the winner of the Juan Manuel Marquez-Juan Diaz return clash at lightweight later this month in Las Vegas came as a blow to those still waiting for the Bolton boy to risk his chin - to risk anything - in the two-year wake of his sub-one minute destruction at the hands of Breidis Prescott in Manchester in 2008. We all know the story: Khan went down twice, heavily, and looked so fragile that one wondered how he would ever recover. He recovered remarkably well, of course, brought back quickly and shrewdly with morale-boosting wins over Oisin Fagan and Marco Antonio Barrera, before trouncing Andreas Kotelnik for the WBA light-welterweight title and blowing away Dmitiry Salita in his first defence, although none of the four men were punchers like Prescott, who somewhat infuriatingly appeared on the same bill as Khan's 76-second dismissal of Salita. If only it were Khan outboxing the rangy Colombian that night and not Kevin Mitchell.
Then came Khan's decision to move to the States at a time when British promoter, F rank Warren, was lining him up here with Argentine puncher Marcos Maidana, although the thought of his competition in the States largely excited and diverted fans. Khan is steered out there, for all intents and purposes, by trainer Freddie Roach, an ex-fighter with Parkinson's Disease who believes that the punches he took late in his career caused his condition. Roach told Mike Tyson to retire after his surprise loss to Danny Williams and 'knows' when a fighter is through and when a fighter is vulnerable.
Roach was brought in to buoy and improve Khan after the Prescott disaster and would have had his say on Khan's comeback opponents, although Mr Warren and his matchmaker Dean Powell played the real blinders, particularly in their inspired choices of the fading but still credible Barrera and the technically adept but light-hitting Kotelnik. Indeed, Khan has fought only once entirely for Roach: an 11-round turkey-shoot against the brave but non-punching Paulie Malignaggi in defence of his world title a couple of months ago in New York. As Khan showed in his comeback, he looks a million dollars against men who cannot hurt him.
Now comes the problem. Roach continues the cotton-wool treatment with today's downbeat announcement of Marquez or Diaz next up for Khan. The fleshy Diaz, dubbed "Baby Bull", was well-beaten by Malignaggi last December in Houston, on a night when Diaz came in at well under the light-welterweight limit (and to remind you, Diaz and Marquez go head to head at lightweight), and he is the bookies' favourite to topple the 36-year-old Marquez, who turned pro down at featherweight when Khan was all of six. Roach knows more than anyone that a good big 'un always beats a good little 'un. It was his move from super-featherweight to lightweight in his boxing days that saw him copping all those late head shots from the likes of Greg "Mutt" Haugen and Hector Camacho.
Roach must have a very good reason for looking down after he hooted about his man unifying the light-welterweight division post-Malignaggi. Khan is a huge light-welterweight, a 23-year-old future welterweight, with masses of competition in his division, so why the pursuit of lightweights? For now he – and we - makes do with either Marquez or Diaz, but you wonder what the next year brings, or the year after that? We sit, we wait, grow a little older, grow a little wiser.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Bob Arum is doing what he does best, talking . . . but is anyone listening?
Pacquiao to 'move on' as Mayweather camp remains silent
The boxing promoter has been going to great lengths to grease the wheels for a potential Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega-fight, even buttering up his sworn enemies in the Mayweather camp. What else can you do but laugh?
By Bill Dwyre
July 19, 2010
One of the funnier moments of the year in sports occurred last week. Presiding was that master of high comedy, Bob Arum.
His day job is that of boxing promoter, but he may be missing his true calling. Jay Leno, beware.
Arum scheduled a conference call for the media at midnight PDT Friday. It was the old news-at-midnight drama.
Get news and stories direct from our Sports desk to your inbox with our daily L.A. Sports Connection newsletter. Sign up »
He said this was the end of a so-called "exclusivity period" in which he had refrained from negotiating with any other fighter on behalf of his client Manny Pacquiao, so that an HBO representative could work with Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was given first shot to fight Pacquiao on the date of Nov. 13.
Then Arum went on to sound like a diplomat at a United Nations committee meeting, dealing delicately with complicated issues and choosing words carefully to make sure nobody's feelings got hurt. Henry Kissinger would be proud.
The thing is, there are no complicated issues and this is boxing, where hurting the other side's feelings is standard procedure. But instead of calling the other guys lowlifes and creeps — the usual way to incite a similar response and justify high ticket prices — Arum became Mother Teresa.
Keep in mind that Arum is fond of Mayweather's business manager, Al Haymon — not to mention Mayweather himself — like a cobra is fond of a mongoose. Also keep in mind the old story about Arum, who, when challenged by a reporter over an inconsistency in information, said, "Yesterday, I was lying. Today, I'm telling the truth."
Arum's leverage for making Mayweather hurry up and agree to a fight is that, if he doesn't, Arum will have Pacquiao fight either Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto.
How silly.
Pacquiao destroyed Cotto once and there is little public push for Pacquiao-Cotto II. And Margarito doesn't even have a license to fight in the United States. He was suspended after that night at Staples Center a year and a half ago, when they peeled off his gloves before he fought Shane Mosley and found residue of plaster of Paris. Plus, Margarito's fight in Mexico in May was spectacularly unimpressive.
Maybe they could do a doubleheader, six rounds each: Manny Fights the Retreads.
You can just imagine Mayweather's camp, sitting around in full sweat, knowing of the availability of Cotto and Margarito. Remember, Arum promotes both fighters, so either deal would take minutes. Would Cotto or Margarito even twitch before accepting a chance to fight Pacquiao, whose stature brings with it another chance for whatever opponent to bank a few million more?
Of course not.
Yet Arum played this as if he were George Mitchell in the Middle East. Words were chosen carefully. Praise and understanding for the other side, and its dilemma, were forthcoming. It was masterfully done, a true belly laugh.
Some Arum samples:
—"I don't blame Al Haymon. . . . He really tried."
—"I don't think any of you should be too harsh on Floyd."
But intermingled with the warm and fuzzy stuff were the real gems. Arum is paraphrased here:
—The reason we should not be so harsh on Mayweather is that his trainer and uncle, Roger Mayweather, faces an August trial (he is accused of battery and strangulation of a female boxer), and Floyd might not want to fight without his uncle in his corner.
—The reason scheduling is so important is that Arum's fighter, Pacquiao, is an elected congressman in the Philippines, busy performing his civic duties.
The not-so-subtle juxtaposition is inescapable. Arum's fighter is a lawmaker. The other guy's trainer may be a lawbreaker. The good corner and the bad corner for this fight are clearly defined — they were a long time ago — and Arum merely reiterated it for that portion of the public that hadn't been paying attention.
Not clear is whether Arum really wants this fight, or knows there is no chance it will ever happen and has decided to get mileage out of it, anyway. He has, as he is the best at doing, worked himself and his Top Rank Promotions into a win-win situation in the public's eye.
If the Mayweather camp succumbs to this most recent tongue-in-cheek gesture, either out of fury or the inevitability that Pacquiao is its only remaining huge payday, then Arum has his biggest promotion ever. If it doesn't, the public will have heard Arum try his best to be nice to these people who ended up costing boxing its biggest moment because part of their team is accused of felonies.
As a bonus, he gets to string along the public with thoughts of maybe next year, which usually pumps up ticket sales and pay-per-view prospects.
Truly masterful.
bill.dwyre@latimes.com
The boxing promoter has been going to great lengths to grease the wheels for a potential Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega-fight, even buttering up his sworn enemies in the Mayweather camp. What else can you do but laugh?
By Bill Dwyre
July 19, 2010
One of the funnier moments of the year in sports occurred last week. Presiding was that master of high comedy, Bob Arum.
His day job is that of boxing promoter, but he may be missing his true calling. Jay Leno, beware.
Arum scheduled a conference call for the media at midnight PDT Friday. It was the old news-at-midnight drama.
Get news and stories direct from our Sports desk to your inbox with our daily L.A. Sports Connection newsletter. Sign up »
He said this was the end of a so-called "exclusivity period" in which he had refrained from negotiating with any other fighter on behalf of his client Manny Pacquiao, so that an HBO representative could work with Floyd Mayweather Jr., who was given first shot to fight Pacquiao on the date of Nov. 13.
Then Arum went on to sound like a diplomat at a United Nations committee meeting, dealing delicately with complicated issues and choosing words carefully to make sure nobody's feelings got hurt. Henry Kissinger would be proud.
The thing is, there are no complicated issues and this is boxing, where hurting the other side's feelings is standard procedure. But instead of calling the other guys lowlifes and creeps — the usual way to incite a similar response and justify high ticket prices — Arum became Mother Teresa.
Keep in mind that Arum is fond of Mayweather's business manager, Al Haymon — not to mention Mayweather himself — like a cobra is fond of a mongoose. Also keep in mind the old story about Arum, who, when challenged by a reporter over an inconsistency in information, said, "Yesterday, I was lying. Today, I'm telling the truth."
Arum's leverage for making Mayweather hurry up and agree to a fight is that, if he doesn't, Arum will have Pacquiao fight either Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto.
How silly.
Pacquiao destroyed Cotto once and there is little public push for Pacquiao-Cotto II. And Margarito doesn't even have a license to fight in the United States. He was suspended after that night at Staples Center a year and a half ago, when they peeled off his gloves before he fought Shane Mosley and found residue of plaster of Paris. Plus, Margarito's fight in Mexico in May was spectacularly unimpressive.
Maybe they could do a doubleheader, six rounds each: Manny Fights the Retreads.
You can just imagine Mayweather's camp, sitting around in full sweat, knowing of the availability of Cotto and Margarito. Remember, Arum promotes both fighters, so either deal would take minutes. Would Cotto or Margarito even twitch before accepting a chance to fight Pacquiao, whose stature brings with it another chance for whatever opponent to bank a few million more?
Of course not.
Yet Arum played this as if he were George Mitchell in the Middle East. Words were chosen carefully. Praise and understanding for the other side, and its dilemma, were forthcoming. It was masterfully done, a true belly laugh.
Some Arum samples:
—"I don't blame Al Haymon. . . . He really tried."
—"I don't think any of you should be too harsh on Floyd."
But intermingled with the warm and fuzzy stuff were the real gems. Arum is paraphrased here:
—The reason we should not be so harsh on Mayweather is that his trainer and uncle, Roger Mayweather, faces an August trial (he is accused of battery and strangulation of a female boxer), and Floyd might not want to fight without his uncle in his corner.
—The reason scheduling is so important is that Arum's fighter, Pacquiao, is an elected congressman in the Philippines, busy performing his civic duties.
The not-so-subtle juxtaposition is inescapable. Arum's fighter is a lawmaker. The other guy's trainer may be a lawbreaker. The good corner and the bad corner for this fight are clearly defined — they were a long time ago — and Arum merely reiterated it for that portion of the public that hadn't been paying attention.
Not clear is whether Arum really wants this fight, or knows there is no chance it will ever happen and has decided to get mileage out of it, anyway. He has, as he is the best at doing, worked himself and his Top Rank Promotions into a win-win situation in the public's eye.
If the Mayweather camp succumbs to this most recent tongue-in-cheek gesture, either out of fury or the inevitability that Pacquiao is its only remaining huge payday, then Arum has his biggest promotion ever. If it doesn't, the public will have heard Arum try his best to be nice to these people who ended up costing boxing its biggest moment because part of their team is accused of felonies.
As a bonus, he gets to string along the public with thoughts of maybe next year, which usually pumps up ticket sales and pay-per-view prospects.
Truly masterful.
bill.dwyre@latimes.com
Monday, July 19, 2010
R.I.P Mac Foster
Former pro boxer from Fresno dies
July 19, 2010
The Fresno Bee
Mac Foster, a former heavyweight boxer from Fresno who fought Muhammad Ali in 1972, died this morning at age 68.
Mr. Foster fought from 1966 to 1976 and was 30-6 as a professional, with all of his victories by knockout.
He lost to Ali in a 15-round decision on April 1, 1972, in Tokyo.
Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/07/19/...#ixzz0uALB7jha
Mac Foster
Alias MacArthur
Country USA
Global Id 9388
Hometown Fresno, California, USA
Birthplace Alexandria, Virginia, USA
Division Heavyweight
Born 1942-06-27
Died 2010-07-19
Stance Orthodox
Height 188cm
Career Record ©www.boxrec.com
Date Opponent Location Result
1966-11-28 Jimmy Gilmore Las Vegas, US W KO 3
1967-01-05 Leroy Birmingham Los Angeles, US W KO 1
1967-02-06 Sam Wyatt Fresno, US W KO 1
1967-03-14 L J Wheeler Fresno, US W TKO 6
1967-05-09 Lou Phillips Fresno, US W KO 3
1967-06-13 Lino Armenteros Fresno, US W KO 3
1967-08-29 Floyd Joyner Fresno, US W TKO 7
1967-10-11 Ray Junior Ellis Fresno, US W KO 2
1967-11-28 Roy Wallace Fresno, US W KO 7
1968-01-23 Hubert Hilton Fresno, US W TKO 5
1968-02-27 Steve Grant Fresno, US W TKO 2
1968-04-02 Sonny Moore Fresno, US W KO 2
1968-07-09 Curtis Bruce Fresno, US W TKO 3
1968-08-08 Tommy Burns Seattle, US W KO 1
1968-08-16 Tommy Fields Reno, US W TKO 5
1968-11-27 Joe Hemphill Las Vegas, US W TKO 3
1969-01-21 Roger Rischer Fresno, US W KO 4
1969-05-20 Thad Spencer Fresno, US W KO 1
1969-08-19 Roger Russell Fresno, US W TKO 3
1969-09-13 Cleveland Williams Fresno, US W TKO 5
1969-11-18 Cleveland Williams Houston, US W KO 3
1969-12-16 Bob Felstein Fresno, US W KO 2
1970-03-24 Jimmy Rossette Fresno, US W KO 4
1970-04-09 Jack O'Halloran Los Angeles, US W KO 1
1970-06-17 Jerry Quarry New York, US L KO 6
1970-09-29 Zora Folley Fresno, US W KO 1
1971-03-25 Mike Boswell Los Angeles, US W TKO 4
1971-07-29 Billy Joiner Los Angeles, US W KO 5
1971-12-26 Giuseppe Ros Zurich, CH W KO 8
1972-04-01 Muhammad Ali JP L UD 15
1973-04-11 Sam McGill Chicago, US W TKO 9
1973-05-03 Charles Williams Chicago, US W KO 10
1973-06-30 Bob Stallings Chicago, US L SD 10
1973-11-13 Joe Bugner Wembley, UK L PTS 10
1974-05-30 Henry Clark Oakland, US L UD 10
1976-02-26 Stan Ward San Jose, US L UD 10
Record to Date
Won 30 (KOs 30)
Lost 6
Drawn 0
Total 36
July 19, 2010
The Fresno Bee
Mac Foster, a former heavyweight boxer from Fresno who fought Muhammad Ali in 1972, died this morning at age 68.
Mr. Foster fought from 1966 to 1976 and was 30-6 as a professional, with all of his victories by knockout.
He lost to Ali in a 15-round decision on April 1, 1972, in Tokyo.
Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/07/19/...#ixzz0uALB7jha
Mac Foster
Alias MacArthur
Country USA
Global Id 9388
Hometown Fresno, California, USA
Birthplace Alexandria, Virginia, USA
Division Heavyweight
Born 1942-06-27
Died 2010-07-19
Stance Orthodox
Height 188cm
Career Record ©www.boxrec.com
Date Opponent Location Result
1966-11-28 Jimmy Gilmore Las Vegas, US W KO 3
1967-01-05 Leroy Birmingham Los Angeles, US W KO 1
1967-02-06 Sam Wyatt Fresno, US W KO 1
1967-03-14 L J Wheeler Fresno, US W TKO 6
1967-05-09 Lou Phillips Fresno, US W KO 3
1967-06-13 Lino Armenteros Fresno, US W KO 3
1967-08-29 Floyd Joyner Fresno, US W TKO 7
1967-10-11 Ray Junior Ellis Fresno, US W KO 2
1967-11-28 Roy Wallace Fresno, US W KO 7
1968-01-23 Hubert Hilton Fresno, US W TKO 5
1968-02-27 Steve Grant Fresno, US W TKO 2
1968-04-02 Sonny Moore Fresno, US W KO 2
1968-07-09 Curtis Bruce Fresno, US W TKO 3
1968-08-08 Tommy Burns Seattle, US W KO 1
1968-08-16 Tommy Fields Reno, US W TKO 5
1968-11-27 Joe Hemphill Las Vegas, US W TKO 3
1969-01-21 Roger Rischer Fresno, US W KO 4
1969-05-20 Thad Spencer Fresno, US W KO 1
1969-08-19 Roger Russell Fresno, US W TKO 3
1969-09-13 Cleveland Williams Fresno, US W TKO 5
1969-11-18 Cleveland Williams Houston, US W KO 3
1969-12-16 Bob Felstein Fresno, US W KO 2
1970-03-24 Jimmy Rossette Fresno, US W KO 4
1970-04-09 Jack O'Halloran Los Angeles, US W KO 1
1970-06-17 Jerry Quarry New York, US L KO 6
1970-09-29 Zora Folley Fresno, US W KO 1
1971-03-25 Mike Boswell Los Angeles, US W TKO 4
1971-07-29 Billy Joiner Los Angeles, US W KO 5
1971-12-26 Giuseppe Ros Zurich, CH W KO 8
1972-04-01 Muhammad Ali JP L UD 15
1973-04-11 Sam McGill Chicago, US W TKO 9
1973-05-03 Charles Williams Chicago, US W KO 10
1973-06-30 Bob Stallings Chicago, US L SD 10
1973-11-13 Joe Bugner Wembley, UK L PTS 10
1974-05-30 Henry Clark Oakland, US L UD 10
1976-02-26 Stan Ward San Jose, US L UD 10
Record to Date
Won 30 (KOs 30)
Lost 6
Drawn 0
Total 36
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Arum's big plans start with Mayweather-Pacquiao deadline
If there weren't enough obstacles to making boxing's dream fight, Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Nov. 13 in Las Vegas, promoter Bob Arum has added another: a Friday night deadline for Mayweather to express interest in making the fight.
There are already questions about whether Mayweather will accept Pacquiao's slight concession to allow a blood sample to be taken from him 14 days before the fight -- he previously had said he'd give blood no closer than 24 days before the bout -- and there's rumblings the unbeaten "Pretty Boy" would rather not fight again until next year.
Mayweather's uncle-trainer, Roger Mayweather, has a pending Aug. 2 trial date in Las Vegas which could result in him being forced behind bars and indefinitely unavailable for the first fight of the century.
And Pacquiao's interest in participating is also a question mark, given Arum's current talks to stage an alternate Nov. 13 fight for the Filipino superstar against Tijuana's Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC super-welterweight title in either Monterrey, Mexico, or Abu Dhabi -- which earlier this year hosted an Ultimate Fighting Championship card.
The foreign venues are required, of course, because Margarito doesn't have a license to fight in the U.S. after nearly taking plaster-loaded gloves into a January 2009 fight against Shane Mosley.
"A lot of money," Arum said of both site offers.
Now, Arum has thrown the Friday deadline into the Mayweather-Pacquiao fray, claiming, "We've got to get moving," as if announcing the fight later next month wouldn't still result in a live-gate sellout and massive pay-per-view buys for the anticipated showdown between the man considered the world's best pound-for-pound fighter (Pacquiao) and the unbeaten Mayweather.
Team Mayweather is keeping quiet. The man the fighter has designated to promote him, Richard Schaefer, is declining comment, and Arum said he's currently not even talking to Schaefer.
Be prepared for a second round of disappointment in these talks, after they earlier crashed in January over the drug-testing disagreement.
It won't stop Arum from making a profit, however, as he announced Wednesday to The Times and others that he's constructing plans for a Dec. 4 card at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas to be headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Kelly Pavlik and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who impressed last month while defeating John Duddy.
"Chavez will go to the Phillippines to train with [Pacquiao trainer] Freddie [Roach], and then come back here to conclude his preparations," Arum said.
The Dallas card could also include the winner of the Sept. 18 Juan Manuel Lopez-Rafael Marquez fight in a featherweight battle, Arum said.
Of course, if Mayweather surprisingly triggers interest in Pacquiao, Arum said he will try to shift Margarito against Miguel Cotto in a rematch of their 2008 classic, or Cotto could face welterweight champion Andre Berto.
Big plans. And first, a big deadline.
-- Lance Pugmire
latimes.com
There are already questions about whether Mayweather will accept Pacquiao's slight concession to allow a blood sample to be taken from him 14 days before the fight -- he previously had said he'd give blood no closer than 24 days before the bout -- and there's rumblings the unbeaten "Pretty Boy" would rather not fight again until next year.
Mayweather's uncle-trainer, Roger Mayweather, has a pending Aug. 2 trial date in Las Vegas which could result in him being forced behind bars and indefinitely unavailable for the first fight of the century.
And Pacquiao's interest in participating is also a question mark, given Arum's current talks to stage an alternate Nov. 13 fight for the Filipino superstar against Tijuana's Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC super-welterweight title in either Monterrey, Mexico, or Abu Dhabi -- which earlier this year hosted an Ultimate Fighting Championship card.
The foreign venues are required, of course, because Margarito doesn't have a license to fight in the U.S. after nearly taking plaster-loaded gloves into a January 2009 fight against Shane Mosley.
"A lot of money," Arum said of both site offers.
Now, Arum has thrown the Friday deadline into the Mayweather-Pacquiao fray, claiming, "We've got to get moving," as if announcing the fight later next month wouldn't still result in a live-gate sellout and massive pay-per-view buys for the anticipated showdown between the man considered the world's best pound-for-pound fighter (Pacquiao) and the unbeaten Mayweather.
Team Mayweather is keeping quiet. The man the fighter has designated to promote him, Richard Schaefer, is declining comment, and Arum said he's currently not even talking to Schaefer.
Be prepared for a second round of disappointment in these talks, after they earlier crashed in January over the drug-testing disagreement.
It won't stop Arum from making a profit, however, as he announced Wednesday to The Times and others that he's constructing plans for a Dec. 4 card at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas to be headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Kelly Pavlik and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who impressed last month while defeating John Duddy.
"Chavez will go to the Phillippines to train with [Pacquiao trainer] Freddie [Roach], and then come back here to conclude his preparations," Arum said.
The Dallas card could also include the winner of the Sept. 18 Juan Manuel Lopez-Rafael Marquez fight in a featherweight battle, Arum said.
Of course, if Mayweather surprisingly triggers interest in Pacquiao, Arum said he will try to shift Margarito against Miguel Cotto in a rematch of their 2008 classic, or Cotto could face welterweight champion Andre Berto.
Big plans. And first, a big deadline.
-- Lance Pugmire
latimes.com
Monday, July 12, 2010
Golden Boy Promotions Suspended By NY Commission
By George Kimball
NEW YORK --- In recent years Golden Boy Promotions’ relationship with the boxing world has often seemed a case of the tail wagging the dog. Between an ever-expanding client list, a cozy relationship with HBO, the nation’s most powerful cable conglomerate, and institutional control over ratings and even “championships” through its ownership of the onetime “bible of boxing,” The Ring, the multi-tentacled Las Vegas-based company has increasingly appeared to call the tune for U.S. regulatory bodies as well, cajoling GBP-friendly state commissions and bullying those displaying a more independent streak.
But last week one of them bared its own teeth. The 90 year-old New York State Athletic Commission has placed Golden Boy on suspension, meaning that the firm, its Teutonic CEO Richard Schaefer, and its figurehead and namesake Oscar De La Hoya have been indefinitely barred from conducting business in the Empire State.
The unprecedented action was taken after a Friday hearing, which found Golden Boy guilty of deceptive and fraudulent practices in direct violation of the federal Muhammad Ali Act, in connection with the May 15 Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi card at the Madison Square Garden Theatre.
The disciplinary action came as a result of some creative accounting with the co-featured bout of that night’s show, in which Kansas prospect Victor Ortiz won a unanimous decision over 38 year-old former lightweight champion Nate Campbell. Although HBO had agreed to underwrite a total purse of $750,000 for the fight, Campbell was paid just $125,000, Ortiz ($100,000) even less. The half-million dollar discrepancy was apparently concealed from both of the boxers, and, had Golden Boy had its way, would have been concealed from the NYSAC as well, but unlike some of its brethren commissions, New York refused to roll over and play dead.
The Ali act prohibits concealing such usurious arrangements from the hired help – ie, the boxers; moreover, to be in compliance with the statute, Golden Boy would have had to file the contractual particulars with either the NYSAC or with the Association of Boxing Commissioners. It did neither, and further incurred the wrath of the commission by ignoring repeated demands for the paperwork.
What happened to the missing half-mil remains a matter of conjecture, but there are really only three possibilities, in my opinion.
One, obviously, is that Golden Boy simply skimmed the money off the top and lined its own coffers.
Another is that Golden Boy, which had earlier poached, in the opinion of some fight game insiders, Ortiz and Campbell from their previous promoters, used the part of the windfall produced by short-changing the fighters to pay reparations to Bob Arum (Ortiz) and Don King (Campbell). If that was indeed the case, money used to stave off potential lawsuits is supposed to come from the promoter’s end, not by dipping into the boxers’ purses.
The third possibility is that Golden Boy had so overreached in its guarantee to Khan (on a night when there were nearly 1,000 unsold seats in the Theatre) that they made up the difference by diverting two-thirds of the intended Ortiz-Campbell purse to keep the Boy from Bolton happy. Should that prove to be the case, the New York suspension could only be the beginning of Golden Boy’s worries: Golden Boy’s contract with DiBella Entertainment for the Khan-Malignaggi main event called for a 60/40 split of all such revenues.
If it were proven that the missing money was funneled straight to Khan, and concealed from Malignaggi and DiBella, it could well expose Schaefer and Golden Boy to criminal charges.
Whatever the purpose of the manipulation of the Ortiz-Campbell purse might have been, it seems inconceivable that the deceit could have taken place without HBO’s knowledge, but – even though they bankroll Golden Boy’s shows and exercise the right of approval in selecting opponents – the network is technically not a “promoter” and is hence not subject to the provisions of the Ali act.
By the same token, it seems extremely unlikely that the skullduggery could have taken place without some complicity on the part of Shelly Finkel, who was both Ortiz’ de facto manager and a Golden Boy consultant. Even though Ortiz’ name is included on the client list posted on his website, Finkel is technically an “advisor” and not a manager, and hence not subject to the normal constraints imposed by the Muhammad Ali act.
GBP was already in hot water with the New York commission as a result of the unseemly riot perpetrated by an army of Khan supporters who invaded the May 14 weigh-in, conducted at the Essex House on Central Park South. Although attendance at the weigh-in was supposed to be limited to NYSAC officials, the fighters and their camps, and the press, it seemed plain enough that the presence of an extra hundred or so hooligans had been encouraged by Golden Boy. Although Schaefer claimed to Chairman Melvina Lathan that he had no idea where the interlopers came from, Golden Boy had in fact stationed a pair of bikini-clad Tecate Girls to hand out hundreds of souvenir boxing-glove key-chains at the weigh-in.
Arranging safe passage to the weigh-in for the members of Khan’s Army – and even lying about it after the fact – might have gotten Golden Boy slapped around a bit by the commission, but a tongue-lashing and perhaps a modest fine would have been the end of it. Given the magnitude of the irregularities which subsequently came to light, Golden Boy’s part in the weigh-in fiasco was never even addressed at Friday’s hearing.
The sanctioning of Golden Boy was defined as an “administrative suspension” in details that have already been forwarded to FightFax. Other state regulatory bodies are not automatically obligated to reciprocally honor the New York action. Rather, states entertaining requests for dates from Golden Boy are supposed to contact the NYSAC for an explanation of the particulars, after which they determine their own course of action.
Although some jurisdictions may cite the New York example and think better of approving future Golden Boy shows, the expectation is that in states where Schaefer & Co. already exert a profound influence, the suspension will not be an impediment. But Golden Boy has been put on notice that its days functioning as a law unto itself may be numbered.
NEW YORK --- In recent years Golden Boy Promotions’ relationship with the boxing world has often seemed a case of the tail wagging the dog. Between an ever-expanding client list, a cozy relationship with HBO, the nation’s most powerful cable conglomerate, and institutional control over ratings and even “championships” through its ownership of the onetime “bible of boxing,” The Ring, the multi-tentacled Las Vegas-based company has increasingly appeared to call the tune for U.S. regulatory bodies as well, cajoling GBP-friendly state commissions and bullying those displaying a more independent streak.
But last week one of them bared its own teeth. The 90 year-old New York State Athletic Commission has placed Golden Boy on suspension, meaning that the firm, its Teutonic CEO Richard Schaefer, and its figurehead and namesake Oscar De La Hoya have been indefinitely barred from conducting business in the Empire State.
The unprecedented action was taken after a Friday hearing, which found Golden Boy guilty of deceptive and fraudulent practices in direct violation of the federal Muhammad Ali Act, in connection with the May 15 Amir Khan-Paulie Malignaggi card at the Madison Square Garden Theatre.
The disciplinary action came as a result of some creative accounting with the co-featured bout of that night’s show, in which Kansas prospect Victor Ortiz won a unanimous decision over 38 year-old former lightweight champion Nate Campbell. Although HBO had agreed to underwrite a total purse of $750,000 for the fight, Campbell was paid just $125,000, Ortiz ($100,000) even less. The half-million dollar discrepancy was apparently concealed from both of the boxers, and, had Golden Boy had its way, would have been concealed from the NYSAC as well, but unlike some of its brethren commissions, New York refused to roll over and play dead.
The Ali act prohibits concealing such usurious arrangements from the hired help – ie, the boxers; moreover, to be in compliance with the statute, Golden Boy would have had to file the contractual particulars with either the NYSAC or with the Association of Boxing Commissioners. It did neither, and further incurred the wrath of the commission by ignoring repeated demands for the paperwork.
What happened to the missing half-mil remains a matter of conjecture, but there are really only three possibilities, in my opinion.
One, obviously, is that Golden Boy simply skimmed the money off the top and lined its own coffers.
Another is that Golden Boy, which had earlier poached, in the opinion of some fight game insiders, Ortiz and Campbell from their previous promoters, used the part of the windfall produced by short-changing the fighters to pay reparations to Bob Arum (Ortiz) and Don King (Campbell). If that was indeed the case, money used to stave off potential lawsuits is supposed to come from the promoter’s end, not by dipping into the boxers’ purses.
The third possibility is that Golden Boy had so overreached in its guarantee to Khan (on a night when there were nearly 1,000 unsold seats in the Theatre) that they made up the difference by diverting two-thirds of the intended Ortiz-Campbell purse to keep the Boy from Bolton happy. Should that prove to be the case, the New York suspension could only be the beginning of Golden Boy’s worries: Golden Boy’s contract with DiBella Entertainment for the Khan-Malignaggi main event called for a 60/40 split of all such revenues.
If it were proven that the missing money was funneled straight to Khan, and concealed from Malignaggi and DiBella, it could well expose Schaefer and Golden Boy to criminal charges.
Whatever the purpose of the manipulation of the Ortiz-Campbell purse might have been, it seems inconceivable that the deceit could have taken place without HBO’s knowledge, but – even though they bankroll Golden Boy’s shows and exercise the right of approval in selecting opponents – the network is technically not a “promoter” and is hence not subject to the provisions of the Ali act.
By the same token, it seems extremely unlikely that the skullduggery could have taken place without some complicity on the part of Shelly Finkel, who was both Ortiz’ de facto manager and a Golden Boy consultant. Even though Ortiz’ name is included on the client list posted on his website, Finkel is technically an “advisor” and not a manager, and hence not subject to the normal constraints imposed by the Muhammad Ali act.
GBP was already in hot water with the New York commission as a result of the unseemly riot perpetrated by an army of Khan supporters who invaded the May 14 weigh-in, conducted at the Essex House on Central Park South. Although attendance at the weigh-in was supposed to be limited to NYSAC officials, the fighters and their camps, and the press, it seemed plain enough that the presence of an extra hundred or so hooligans had been encouraged by Golden Boy. Although Schaefer claimed to Chairman Melvina Lathan that he had no idea where the interlopers came from, Golden Boy had in fact stationed a pair of bikini-clad Tecate Girls to hand out hundreds of souvenir boxing-glove key-chains at the weigh-in.
Arranging safe passage to the weigh-in for the members of Khan’s Army – and even lying about it after the fact – might have gotten Golden Boy slapped around a bit by the commission, but a tongue-lashing and perhaps a modest fine would have been the end of it. Given the magnitude of the irregularities which subsequently came to light, Golden Boy’s part in the weigh-in fiasco was never even addressed at Friday’s hearing.
The sanctioning of Golden Boy was defined as an “administrative suspension” in details that have already been forwarded to FightFax. Other state regulatory bodies are not automatically obligated to reciprocally honor the New York action. Rather, states entertaining requests for dates from Golden Boy are supposed to contact the NYSAC for an explanation of the particulars, after which they determine their own course of action.
Although some jurisdictions may cite the New York example and think better of approving future Golden Boy shows, the expectation is that in states where Schaefer & Co. already exert a profound influence, the suspension will not be an impediment. But Golden Boy has been put on notice that its days functioning as a law unto itself may be numbered.
Monday, July 5, 2010
A Fool's Image of Invincibility . . .
By Rick Farris
I suppose in absence of a strong talent pool, comtemporary boxing promoters have to rely on creating an image of invincibility to assist marketing today's moderate quality prizefighters. Don't get me wrong, we do have one throwback type champ which can be credited for reminding boxing fans of what true talent really is, however, Manny Pac is a lone wolf, unique in an era that pales in comaparison to days gone by. But the Filippino super champ is pretty close to the end of the line. Nothing more to prove aside from a questionable title match with a reluctant Floyd Mayweather Jr. I'd love to see if the charismatic Pac Man can put together one last super fight against Mayweather, which would likely lead to two more because nobody will lose this one big, or even get hurt. They could cruise thru three great fights and make nine figures each.
Today we need to pull out all the tricks to hype a promotion, even if it means dropping to cheap wrestling type tactics.
The sneering and scowling I see on some boxer's faces today at press conferences, etc. really makes watching the fight difficult for me.
They are already pumping the drama outside the ring, which tends to eliminate the drama that is supposed to take place later, inside the ring.
Danny Lopez and Bobby Chacon didn't have act like they hated each other, the fact is, although cross-town rivals, they were friends.
Same was true a more than a quarter-century earlier, when Gil Cadilli and Keeny Teran were matched in six-rounder at the Legion.
Teran and Cadilli were both ELA guys, who grew up together in the Forbes stable. They were neighborhood rivals, friends but foes as pros.
Friendship is respectfully set aside in the ring. Fight a respectful fight and try to knock the guy out.
When friends fight friends, or brothers fight brothers, sometimes the closeness fuels a fire, leading to a deadly match.
Today we gotta watch tip-tap punching, point-oriented escape artisits, and listen to guys like team HBO tell us these guys are great.
An Armenian champ recently told the press he hoped he kills his challenger. Of course, the tough little Mexican he stepped into the ring with didn't understand English or Armenian, only that he would have things easier in life if he could win. So that's what he did, he thrashed the guy who hoped to kill him. I guess that's one thing I love so much about the great Mexican fighters, they don't need rap music, trash talk or forced drug testing to make their point. The Mexicans make their statement in the ring, and they come to take your title.
The key today is not to let your fighter lose. Losing they don't understand today, the kids who run the networks. If they didn't grow up in front of Play Stations and computor screens, they might have lived a little life and realize that somedays people lose. Even the truly best wake up on the wrong side of the bed at times. The champs of my era stayed sharp by staying busy in ten round non-title fights. Sometimes they'd use these as tune-ups, and they lost occasionally. But that didn't challenge their true greatness, it just gave us a clearer view of what happens when boxers are matched competitivly. You see better boxing, and the fighters become better boxers, they continue to grow and muture in the ring. A loss can be good. It will only challenge a guy who's heart may not be in it as once believed. An ass-whipping gets a fighter's attention. A real fighter wants to turn things around.
Parnassus knew this, and of course, so did Aileen Eaton, Don Fraser and Don Chargin.
As time marches on, people are becoming stupider by the day. As Mel Epstein would say, "dumb bastids!"
-Rick Farris
I suppose in absence of a strong talent pool, comtemporary boxing promoters have to rely on creating an image of invincibility to assist marketing today's moderate quality prizefighters. Don't get me wrong, we do have one throwback type champ which can be credited for reminding boxing fans of what true talent really is, however, Manny Pac is a lone wolf, unique in an era that pales in comaparison to days gone by. But the Filippino super champ is pretty close to the end of the line. Nothing more to prove aside from a questionable title match with a reluctant Floyd Mayweather Jr. I'd love to see if the charismatic Pac Man can put together one last super fight against Mayweather, which would likely lead to two more because nobody will lose this one big, or even get hurt. They could cruise thru three great fights and make nine figures each.
Today we need to pull out all the tricks to hype a promotion, even if it means dropping to cheap wrestling type tactics.
The sneering and scowling I see on some boxer's faces today at press conferences, etc. really makes watching the fight difficult for me.
They are already pumping the drama outside the ring, which tends to eliminate the drama that is supposed to take place later, inside the ring.
Danny Lopez and Bobby Chacon didn't have act like they hated each other, the fact is, although cross-town rivals, they were friends.
Same was true a more than a quarter-century earlier, when Gil Cadilli and Keeny Teran were matched in six-rounder at the Legion.
Teran and Cadilli were both ELA guys, who grew up together in the Forbes stable. They were neighborhood rivals, friends but foes as pros.
Friendship is respectfully set aside in the ring. Fight a respectful fight and try to knock the guy out.
When friends fight friends, or brothers fight brothers, sometimes the closeness fuels a fire, leading to a deadly match.
Today we gotta watch tip-tap punching, point-oriented escape artisits, and listen to guys like team HBO tell us these guys are great.
An Armenian champ recently told the press he hoped he kills his challenger. Of course, the tough little Mexican he stepped into the ring with didn't understand English or Armenian, only that he would have things easier in life if he could win. So that's what he did, he thrashed the guy who hoped to kill him. I guess that's one thing I love so much about the great Mexican fighters, they don't need rap music, trash talk or forced drug testing to make their point. The Mexicans make their statement in the ring, and they come to take your title.
The key today is not to let your fighter lose. Losing they don't understand today, the kids who run the networks. If they didn't grow up in front of Play Stations and computor screens, they might have lived a little life and realize that somedays people lose. Even the truly best wake up on the wrong side of the bed at times. The champs of my era stayed sharp by staying busy in ten round non-title fights. Sometimes they'd use these as tune-ups, and they lost occasionally. But that didn't challenge their true greatness, it just gave us a clearer view of what happens when boxers are matched competitivly. You see better boxing, and the fighters become better boxers, they continue to grow and muture in the ring. A loss can be good. It will only challenge a guy who's heart may not be in it as once believed. An ass-whipping gets a fighter's attention. A real fighter wants to turn things around.
Parnassus knew this, and of course, so did Aileen Eaton, Don Fraser and Don Chargin.
As time marches on, people are becoming stupider by the day. As Mel Epstein would say, "dumb bastids!"
-Rick Farris
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