"El Sobaco"

Circa 1964 my friend Joe (not real name), who used to run a boxing gym in downtown L.A., and I were coming back from the Chino State Prison after attending some fights, as I was driving back to L.A. Joe asked me: “you want to go dancing?”, “I don’t know Joe, what do you have in mind?”, “I have a lady waiting for me at the International Ballroom”. The International Ballroom which was on First Street west of Soto was known as "El Sobaco” (The Armpit) because it stank, I don’t think the people that used to go dancing there believed in deodorant. ”I don’t know Joe, that place is for old people and I am told it stinks in there”, at the time I was 27 years old, Joe was in his mid-60’s. It was a place that drew people over 50 years old; so I was not comfortable going there, but Joe wanted to go and since we were in my car I said okay. We got there and walked up stair where the ballroom was at, first thing I did was get a close look at the band that was playing, the guys on the band looked so old that they must have started playing back in ’09, I then got a good look at the people, the youngest looked like they were in their mid-50’s. Joe spotted his friend sitting at a table with other people: “c’mon let go to their table”, Joe introduced me to his friend Rosie (not real name) and the rest of the people. As Joe was taking Rosie out to dance he said to me: “find somebody to dance with”, I looked around at the old people and said: “I’ll be at the bar”. I sat at the bar and after drinking a couple of beers I felt like dancing. I looked for the youngest looking lady to ask to dance, I spotted one, she looked to be in her mid-50’s, I walked up to her and asked: “would you like to dance?”, she looked me up and down: “No, I don’t dance with just anybody, beside you’re too young”, “Oh!”, first time I was turned down for been too young!, went back to the bar and nurse a beer until closing time. Back in the car Joe asked me: “how come you didn’t dance?”, “I am too young”, “what?”, “oh never mind!”

Erik Morales vs Marcos Maidana

By Randy De La O

MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada
Interim WBA Junior Light Welterweight Title
Golden boy Promotions
HBO Boxing
April 9, 2011

Erik Morales of Mexico, was one of the most exciting fighters of his era and certainly ranked high on anyone's pound for pound list but it has been a while. Morales is three for three in his comeback that began last year with a win over Jose Alfaro in March of 2010, winning a 12 round unanimous decision. He followed up with two more wins; stopping Willie Limond in September and a unanimous decision win in December over Francisco Lorenzo. Mediocre opponents at best but a good starting point for an aging former champion. Still, it's hard to tell how much Morales has left in the tank.

Morales, one half of one of boxing's greatest trilogy, Marco Antonio Barrera being the other half, was as exciting as it gets. His big heart and reputation for throwing caution to the wind made him a crowd pleaser and a fan favorite. Nearing the end of his career he beat Manny Pacquiao in their first fight but lost the last two, getting stopped in both fights.

Morales fought the best fighters of his era, including; Daniel Zaragoza, Wayne McCullough, Kevin Kelly, Junior Jones, Paulie Ayala, Hector Acero Sanchez, Jesus Chavez and Carlos Hernandez. His last fight before retiring was a losing effort, in 1997, against WBC Lightweight champion David Diaz of Chicago (Diaz would lose the title to Manny Pacquiao the following year). The only fighter missing from his resume is the great Juan Manuel Marquez. I don't know why that fight never happened.

Argentinian boxer Marcos Maidana, at 27 and seven years younger than Morales, appears to be at his peak right now. Maidana is coming off a close and exciting loss to Amir Khan last December. Like Erik Morales, and like every other Argentinian fighter that I have ever seen, there is no shortage of courage and heart in this fighter. He proved that in his fight last year with Victor Ortiz, coming back after being knocked down three times in the fight and getting the worst of it before taking control of the fight and severely testing Ortiz' resolve as a fighter, forcing him to quit in the 6th round. Over all, Maidana has not fought the same quality of fighters that Morales has fought.

Morales will certainly have his hands full this Saturday night when they square off at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the WBA Interim Junior Welterweight Championship. My heart will be pulling for Erik Morales. While I would have rather seen him stay in retirement, he has chosen to fight again and I'm hoping to see him beat the odds. It will be an uphill battle for him.

Gil Clancy, boxing trainer....R.I.P.

Gil Clancy, boxing trainer



Gil Clancy, left, celebrates with boxer Emile Griffith in 1963 after Griffith defeated Luis Rodriguez for the welterweight title. (Associated Press)

Gil Clancy, 88, a boxing trainer who helped lead Emile Griffith to welterweight and middleweight titles, died Thursday at an assisted-living facility on Long Island, N.Y., his family said.

Born in Rockaway Beach, N.Y., in 1922, Clancy boxed in the Army during World War II. After his discharge he studied physical education at New York University, earning a master's degree in teaching and paying tuition by training fighters. Eventually, he rose to prominence as a corner man.

Clancy also worked with Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Oscar De La Hoya. But he's best known for his 20-year association with Griffith.

Griffith captured the welterweight title from Benny "The Kid" Paret in April 1961 with a 13th-round knockout. Six months later, Griffith lost the title to Paret in a split decision, then regained it in a controversial rematch with Paret in 1962.

With Clancy shouting encouragement from the corner, Griffith knocked Paret unconscious, and Paret stayed propped against the ropes while Griffith hit him repeatedly for several seconds before referee Ruby Goldstein stopped the fight. Paret never regained consciousness and died 10 days later.

After retiring from training, Clancy worked as a TV commentator.

He was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.