Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar vs Roger Mayweather - July 8, 1984

Former Lightweight Contender Tony “The Tiger” Baltazar stops by RSR to talk about his Boxing Career

Former Lightweight Contender Tony “The Tiger” Baltazar stops by RSR to talk about his Boxing Career
Exclusive interview by “Bad” Brad Berkwitt-October 30, 2008
(Re-published from May 2006)
Ringside Report

“I have been a fighter all of my life”--Tony “The Tiger” Baltazar

During the late 1970s and early to mid 1980s, the lightweight division was full of talented fighters that included names such as Hector Camacho, SR, Edwin Rosario, Roger Mayweather, Cubanito Perez and our man of the hour in this interview, Tony “The Tiger” Baltazar, who by the way, when he was younger, looked like a dead ringer for a young Tony Danza when he starred on the TV show Taxi. Tony, a tough as nails fighter based out of Los Angeles, California, would turn pro on Feb 8, 1979, when he stopped Art Silveira in just the first round of their boxing match. From there, Tony would fight seven more times in just 1979 which today, a fighter is lucky to have a total of five fights per year, even an upcoming prospect for the most part. Tony would win via the TKO, KO and decision route remaining undefeated in 24 fights over a four year period. In his 25th fight of his career, he faced former 1976 Olympic Gold Medal winner and slick boxer, Howard Davis, JR. In this fight, Tony would taste defeat for the first time via a decision in Davis’ favor.

Tony would go on in his boxing career, beating some big names along the way such as Roger Mayweather and Roque Montoya, while being stopped by another hot prospect named “Rockin” Robin Blake. Baltazar for whatever reason which we will get into during our interview could not secure a World Title shot until his 11th year as a professional fighter when he faced Hector Camacho, SR. for his WBO Junior Welterweight Title on August 11, 1990, dropping a decision to the “Macho Man”.

Tony would challenge for another world title on March 22, 1993, but in this title attempt, he would not fair so well being stopped in the first round by Carlos Gonzalez.

Baltazar would fight on for another year, winning one and losing another. He retired for the next six years, but made a brief comeback to raise money for his son’s Kody foundation. After one fight back and winning, Tony knew his boxing days were over and would pursue other avenues to raise money for his son’s foundation. Tony ended his boxing career with a record of, 39-7, 1 NC, 30 KO’s. On August 19th, Tony and his brother Frankie Baltazar are going to be inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame in Studio City, California.

These are the warriors of yesteryear that boxing tends to forget, but RSR will not allow that to ever happen.

BB: To catch up the readers who many will instantly know your name, fill them in on what you have been up to since you hung up the boxing gloves in 2002?

Though a lot of my family is still in California, I stayed in Arizona because I have two teenage daughters that I love to be a dad to. Currently, I work as a salesman for Danny’s Family Carousel here in Phoenix, AZ, selling detail packages for cars.

BB: Our very own Feature Writer, Antonio Santiago did a heartfelt tribute on you recently that actually had you and your father writing in to thank him. In his article, he chronicled the sad story about you losing your beloved son Kody to a disease, but in his research, he couldn’t find the name of what took this little angel. Let’s talk about the disease so we can raise awareness on it and maybe help find a cure through donations to charities out there battling to find one and if any of our RSR readers feel inclined to donate.

Kody was born with Down Syndrome, but that is not what took his life. He also had heart problems and a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which is when your heart is not completely formed. In addition, he also had three holes in his heart.

Kody was a gift from God. He was the happiest kid in the world and lived until he was five years old. During those five years, he had three open heart surgeries. After each one, this little man would bounce right back like nothing happened. He was a true fighter and touched everybody that came into contact with him.

My son Kody really taught me a lot about life and changed it for the better. I will be honest with you to say I was very arrogant when I was a fighter because of the success that came my way and it carried over in my life for many years. Kody humbled me!

BB: Did you have an amateur career and if so, how did you fair? Were there any big names you beat during that career?

Amateur career? Are you sitting down? My first amateur fight was in 1964 as a young three and half year old. Between 1964 and when I turned professional in 1979, I had over 350 amateur fights. I won the Junior Olympics and the Golden Gloves.

BB: Were there any fighters you beat in the amateurs that went on to make a name for themselves in the professional ranks?

Yes, I beat John Montes and there were a few others, but I cannot remember them.

BB: You turned professional on February 8, 1979, when you knocked out Art Silveira in one round. What was like to have your first professional win under your belt and by the big KO?

To be honest, I fought all of my life so having my first professional fight under my belt did not affect me as it probably does so many other fighters. I was just going to work.

BB: In just your first year as professional you fought a total of 8 times. In today’s boxing, you hardly see that even from a young prospect on the rise. Why do you think that is?

Back in those days, the purses were very small compared to what it is today. The training we did back then and today is completely different. Sure they are more advanced in their training methods, but we took our training a lot more serious. Today Boxing is just a money sport. I see guys with 8-12 fights under their belt and they are not fighting for a world championship. You can see them in the ring, but they are not at the level that they should be.

BB: In your first 24 fights of your career, you fought them all in Los Angeles except for one that was held in Sacramento, California. LA fans love boxing and I assume that you really built up a following. Talk about those times and what it was like fighting in front of them.

I stayed in California because that is where I fought as an amateur so it only made sense to turn professional there as well. The following came way before my professional fight in 1979. It was great to have the fans behind me.

BB: In your 25th fight as a professional you faced Howard Davis, JR., on February 27, 1983, in a bout that was aired on CBS. It’s weird to say that today since the major networks show zero boxing, but in your day, it was a fixture on them for the most part. In this fight, you lose for the first time via a point’s loss. What do you recollect about this fight and what did you take away with the L on your record that you wanted to improve on?

When I faced Howard Davis, JR., I went into the ring knowing he was the former 76 Olympic Gold Medalist and what he accomplished as a pro as well to this date. I knew it would a tough fight because Howard was very quick. In this fight, I learned about the true politics of boxing. No matter what I did in the ring, I was supposed to lose. I really think I won the fight. Looking back, I can tell you my Dad said to me it was a close fight, but when he saw it on tape, he changed his mind totally and thought I won.

BB: You get right back in the ring beating rugged Roque Montoya on June 17, 1983, by a ten round decision. In your next fight just a little over a month later, you faced highly touted lightweight prospect “Rockin” Robin Blake who stops you for the first time in your career in the 9th round. How do you rate Blake as a fighter? Also, how did a TKO loss affect your state of mind?

I never even heard of Robin Blake before I fought him. But after the fight, I rated him as a world class boxer. Honestly, after I fought Howard though I lost, I kind of got a little celebrity and some money, which went to my head. I trained for the Blake fight, but not like I should have. After he stopped me, I knew right away that I needed to take my training serious for the rest of my career!

BB: After the Blake fight, you take a couple of months off and then, reel a TKO win over Lupe Rocha. From there, you face former WBA Super Featherweight Champion Roger Mayweather who is moving up in weight and you beat him via a unanimous decision. I am very surprised that with this big win on your record, you are not immediately offered a world title shot. What happened that you were not given a title shot against the then WBA Lightweight Champion Livingstone Bramble or WBC Champion Edwin Rosario?

That is a very good observation. It’s funny, when I look back on what you actually mentioned; I realized I was always supposed to have been the underdog going into any of my big fights against guys in the top ten. I guess I have to blame my management at the time whether it was my Dad or whoever, but in hindsight, I really cannot answer this question on why that happened to me.

Bottom line: I should have gotten a title shot after this win.

BB: After the Mayweather win, you took off an entire year from the ring and came back in December of 85 with another KO win over Darryll Cottrell in two rounds. From that fight, you stay out of boxing for two years (86-87). What was going on to keep you away from the ring and building on that big points win over Mayweather?

It was actually 30 months I was away from the ring. I was involved in an accident that had me drunk behind the wheel and I was convicted for and went to prison.

BB: Between 1988 and 1989, you reel off five wins, then face slick boxer Buddy McGirt. In this fight, you drop a unanimous decision to him. What do you recollect about this fight? What do you think of McGirt’s life after boxing as a World Class trainer for many champions?

I remember I hit Buddy so hard that I dropped him and didn’t think he was going to get back up, but he did. At that moment, I realized once again in my boxing career, I was back facing world class competition. Buddy was a tough fighter and I do think he won this fight fair and square. I am in awe of what Buddy has done as a trainer. I would have to loved to have been a trainer, but I wanted to stay in AZ to be around my two daughters.

BB: After the loss to McGirt, you reel off three more wins and finally in your eleventh year as a professional fighter, you faced then WBO Junior Welterweight Champion of the World Hector Camacho, SR, on August 11, 1990. You go the distance with the “Macho Man”, but drop a wide margin unanimous decision. You are 29 years of age at this time and as I mentioned, fighting professionally for 11 years. The boxing fan looking would say you were young in age, but far past your prime. Would you agree with this observation? And had you met Camacho six years earlier after your win over Roger Mayweather, do you think the outcome would be the same?

I totally agree with your observation that I was past my prime in this fight. Yes, I feel the outcome would have been different if Hector and I had met six years earlier, the fight would have been different. It would have been a tough fight, a heck of a lot closer and in the end; I think I would have won it. In our title fight, I hurt him with a body shot during one of the early rounds and knew it. But being friends with him, I just couldn’t go in for the kill and hurt him. I love Hector to death and we remain friends till this day.

BB: In your final attempt to secure a Word Title you face then WBO Junior Welterweight Champion Carlos Gonzalez on March 22, 1993. In this fight, you are out of there in just one round. What are your recollections of this fight?

I caught Gonzalez in the first round with a left hook that had him wobbling all over the ring. My first instinct was to jump on him and I threw a wild left hook that almost put me down and he backed up and threw a right hand that hit me in back of my head. From that punch, my equilibrium was knocked off and I went down, I got back up and he hit me again, causing me to go back down. I got back up and once again, got knocked down. The referee had to stop the fight because of three knockdown rule was in affect. I think the fight would have been different had I not been hit in the back of the head.

BB: You fight on for one more year with mixed success and in 1995, you retire again, but come out of retirement in early 2002. From accounts you came back to raise money for Kody’s foundation, but did you know in this fight (points win over Eduardo Jacques) that your days in the ring were way behind you?

I came back to raise money to help the foundation that I had at that time, but I knew no matter what my mind said about maybe getting a world championship shot. I knew my boxing days were over at this point. I didn’t have in my heart to fight anymore.

BB: Your brother Frankie also boxed during your time as a super featherweight and retired from boxing in 1991 with a record of, 40-3-1, 27 KO’s. What is he up to today?

Frankie today is an insurance adjuster out in Los Angeles, California. Actually, both Frankie and I are going to inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame on August 19, 2006, in Studio City, California.

BB: In your opinion, how would you stack up in today’s lightweight division against guys like Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo and Acelino Frietas?

If I was boxing today at the ages they are, I would be very competitive for sure. I just feel as I said earlier, that the level of fighters today is not as deep as the days I was in the lightweight division.

BB: From the day you turned pro in 1979 to the present day in boxing, what one fighter do you think moved the sport ahead the most and why?

I think there are two. The first is Roy Jones, JR. He was just an amazing fighter in his prime. Second would be Oscar De La Hoya. He is not a great fighter, but he knew what he was capable of doing in the ring. They marked him well with the good looks he has and I have to give him his props because he made a lot of money in his career. I would like to see him not fight anymore and just enjoy the success he has had during his career and now enjoy his promotion company.

BB: Do you favor a mandatory retirement fund for all boxers and if so, how would you like to see it accomplished?

I defiantly favor a mandatory retirement fund and believe it or not, I actually have one now. Being from California, I had to pay into one and I will get it at the age of 55. Every month I get a statement from California saying how much I have in it and what it is going to.

In boxing, the promoters and managers are making millions and millions of dollars off of these young fighters who are taking all the punches and some are ruined for life after their boxing career is over.

I think every state should have an athletic commission that monitors boxing and ensures that fighters pay in so they can get something back in retirement. Everybody who works at a trade needs to get some type of retirement coming in for the fruits of their labor. I like what Senator John McCain has done and we need more help.

BB: What is one thing that the RSR readers can learn about you today that boxing fans might have not known before this interview?

Many people didn’t know before this interview that I boxed for as many years as I did as an amateur and professional combined.

BB: To all of the Tony “The Tiger” Baltazar fans around the world, what thoughts would you like to leave them with?

I want them to know I love them all and thank them for all their support over the years during my career. Kids mean so much to me and I want to appeal to all parents out there to really love your kids and teach them the right things in life.

BB: Finally, what is the saying you live your life by?

“Live a life you would be proud of.”

Tony Baltazar:
Lightweight - Junior Welterweight
Professional record: 47 fights; 39+ (30 KO's), 7-, 1 N.C.

- 1979 -

+ (Feb-8-1979, Los Angeles) Art Silveira ko 1
+ (Mar-22-1979, Los Angeles) Julio Alfonso ko 2
+ (Apr-19-1979, Los Angeles) Roberto Garcia kot 2
+ (May-10-1979, Los Angeles) Eric Bonilla kot 2
+ (Jun-21-1979, Los Angeles) Jaime Nava 6
+ (Jul-26-1979, Los Angeles) Willie Daniels 6
+ (Sep-20-1979, Los Angeles) Clemente Enriquez kot 5
+ (Nov-8-1979, Los Angeles) Clemente Enriquez ko 1

- 1980 -

+ (Feb-19-1980, Sacramento) Max Cervantes ko 1
+ (May-15-1980, Los Angeles) Juan Campos ko 2
+ (Jul-10-1980, Los Angeles) Ruben Martinez ko 1
+ (Aug-28-1980, Los Angeles) Rosario Gonzalez ko 1
+ (Sep-25-1980, Los Angeles) Ed Ballaran ko 4
N.C. (Oct-30-1980, Los Angeles) Jesus Rodriguez 4

- 1981 -

+ (Mar-19-1981, Los Angeles) Raul Bencomo ko 5
+ (Apr-30-1981, Los Angeles) Darrell Stovall 10
+ (Jun-19-1981, Las Vegas) Sonny Perez kot 6
+ (Jul-31-1981, Las Vegas) Roberto Garcia ko 8
+ (Sep-24-1981, Los Angeles) Roberto Garcia ko 4
+ (Oct-22-1981, Los Angeles) Manuel Abedoy 10

- 1982 -

+ (Jan-30-1982, Los Angeles) Felix Favella kot 4
+ (May-30-1982, Las Vegas) Ricky Samudio 10
+ (Jun-26-1982, Los Angeles) Raul Bencomo ko 2
+ (Sep-23-1982, Los Angeles) Jesus De La Cruz kot 1

- 1983 -

- (Feb-27-1983, Atlantic City) Howard DAVIS 10
+ (Jun-17-1983, Los Angeles) Roque Montoya 10
- (Jul-24-1983, Las Vegas) Robin Blake kot 9

- 1984 -

+ (May-23-1984, Santa Monica) Lupe Rocha kot 2
+ (Jul-8-1984, Reseda) Roger MAYWEATHER 10

- 1985 -

+ (Dec-18-1985, Sacramento) Darryll Cottrell ko 2

- 1986-1987: inactive -

- 1988 -

+ (Oct-21-1988, Las Vegas) Miguel Dominguez ko 7
+ (Nov-18-1988, Las Vegas) Ron Johnson kot 9

- 1989 -

+ (Feb-10-1989, Las Vegas) Joe ALEXANDER kot 2
+ (Mar-10-1989, Las Vegas) Sammy Brooks kot 7
+ (Apr-7-1989, Las Vegas) Derrick Mc Guire 10
- (Jul-9-1989, Swan Lake) James MC GIRT 10
+ (Nov-3-1989, Phoenix) Juan Muniz kot 4

- 1990 -

+ (Feb-22-1990, Phoenix) Pedro Laza kot 3
+ (Mar-30-1990, Albuquerque) Danny Vargas ko 5
- (Aug-11-1990, Lake Tahoe) Hector CAMACHO, SR. 12 (W.B.O., Junior welterweight)

- 1991 -

+ (Mar-12-1991, Phoenix) Martin GARCIA kot 3
+ (Aug-29-1991, Irvine) Alberto Castro ko 5

- 1992 -
- (Jan-18-1992, Philadelphia) Rodney MOORE 10

- 1993 -

- (Mar-22-1993, Inglewood) Carlos GONZALEZ ko 1 (W.B.O., Junior welterweight)

- 1994 -

+ (Mar-1-1994, Phoenix) Jose Robert LOPEZ ko 1
- (Apr-8-1994) Jaime OCEGUEDA disq.4

- 1995-2001: inactive -

- 2002 -

+ (Feb-1-2002, Phoenix) Eduardo JACQUES 6


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Calzaghe Vs. Jones 24/7 Episode 1

More on Kevin Finnegan

The following is courtesy of the Times Online U.K. Edition

By Ron Lewis

Kevin Finnegan found dead

Kevin Finnegan, the former British and European middleweight champion, has been found dead at his home at the age of 60. Finnegan, the younger brother of Chris, the 1968 Olympic gold medal-winner, held the British title three times and the European title twice. He boxed Alan Minter three times and Marvin Hagler twice. Among the boxers he beat were Frankie Lucas, Gratien Tonna and Bunny Sterling, whom he first won the British title from in 1974. He is pictured above (right) on the way to possibly his best win over Tony Sibson at the Albert Hall in 1979.

His body was discovered when police broke into his flat in Hillingdon, Middlesex, after he has not been seen for a few days.

Minter was among the first to pay tribute to his former rival 

(the pair are pictured, right prior to their final bout in 1977). "I'm very shocked" he said. "When you box someone three times, you have a special rapport with them. He became like a brother to me and he gave me t

he three hardest fights of my life."
He also boxed another future world champion in Ayub Kalule in Denmark in 1978. He

 retired in 1980, at the age of 32, after losing his European title to Matteo Salvemini in Italy.

Big brother Chris also paid tribute: "Kevin was the cream of boxing, he had far more class than me," he said. "In all his boxing career he was never knocked out, this time he just couldn't beat the count."

Young Firpo, 2008 World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee: By John Bardelli

Guido Bardelli is being inducted into a World Boxing Hall of Fame on November 15th, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

This article submitted and posted here with the express permission of the author.

Guido Bardelli also known as Young Firpo, one of the world's greatest light heavyweights, campaigned from 1924 - 1937, an era considered by many boxing historians to be the greatest era in the history of boxing.

Born in Barre, Vermont in 1907, his family moved to northern Idaho eventually settling in the mountainous mining town of Burke, Idaho, where Guido was introduced to the world of boxing in 1924 at the age of 17 as "Young Firpo."

Young Firpo's reputation as a quick-silvered reflex knockout artist in the Pacific Northwest grew, as knockout followed knockout, until January of 1930 when he was signed to fight in Portland, Oregon, against Oaklander Ray Pelky. Pelky entered the contests as a prohibitive favorite. Firpo revealed his wares by viciously kayoing Pelky in 2 rounds, Pelky declaring he had never been hit so hard in his life after being revived nearly 2 hours later. Pelky also stated, "He is a murderous puncher. He'll knock any man up to 200 pounds. I was a fool to take the match."

Already well known in the Coeur d'Alene Mining District and Pacific Coast because of a rugged viciousness that many sport's writers of the era compared to the greatest fighters they had every seen, after disposing of Pelky in Portland, Portland claimed the Idaho slugger as its own. Thereafter, Firpo went on to fight in Portland 24 times during a 7 year period while also engaging in major fights throughout all the west including Oregon, Colorado, California, Montana, Washington, and Idaho.

In the early part of his career, he became embroiled in disputes with a series of contending individuals who sought to become his manager. Firpo came to disdain managers and refused to sign contracts with anyone who sought to be his manager.

Mel Epstein, veteran fight manager-trainer, also sought in vain to become Firpo's manager from the late 1920's, when Epstein first laid eyes on Firpo in Butte, Montana, through the duration of Firpo's ring career. Although Firpo refused to engage Epstein as a fight manager, Firpo did come to trust Mel and engaged him as a trainer. Indeed, it was Mel Epstein who was in Firpo's corner, as a trainer and quasi-manager, for the majority of the major fights in which Firpo was involved from 1930 onward including Firpo's epic Portland contests with Leo Lomski, Wesley "KO" Ketchell, George Manley, Tiger Jack Fox, and John Henry Lewis.

In a 1970's interview, Mel Epstein was asked, "How good a fighter was Firpo, Mel?" In a voice loaded with excitement, Epstein answered the question over the course of more than 30 minutes, stating in part that "Young Firpo was unbeatable; he was practically unbeatable until he had that damn car wreck. He was colorful! Every fight was filled action. The fans liked the action. Excitement and action.... He should have been the light heavyweight champion of the world. Ask him. He knows it."

When asked during the interview how Epstein envisioned the outcome of a fight between Young Firpo and then reigning light heavyweight champion Victor Galindez, Epstein replied, "Ahh ... Firp woulda knocked him out. He'd knock all of em [light heavyweights] out. He was a slugger and nobody's fool in there. Firp was like lightning you know. He was like an eel, elusive, slippery. You couldn't tie him up to keep him off. He had too much for these guys."

In another 1970's informal Los Angeles interview, former welterweight champion of the world Jimmy McClarnin was asked by a Mel Epstein managed fighter Rick Farris, who had overheard McClarnin and Los Angeles Boxing Promoter George Parnasus talking about Young Firpo, "Just how good was this Young Firpo?" McClarnin responded without hesitation, "Oh, let me just tell you that Young Firpo was the greatest fighter I ever saw."

During that same interview both McClarnin and George Parnasus volunteered to an awe struck young and impressionable Rick Farris, who later became a boxing historian and World Boxing Hall of Fame Director, which "Young Firpo hit harder than either Bob Foster or Archie Moore. Firpo would have knocked them out."

Sport's writer L. H. Gregory, who penned Greg's Gossip for the Portland Oregonian for over 50 years, in a 1971 column wrote that Young Firpo was the most "exciting fighter" he ever saw in a writing career which encompassed over 50 years of watching fights. Gregory wrote that "Young Firpo was unforgettable.... His aggressive, go-get-em-style was spectacular.... We have never seen more active fighting once in the ring. He started them in motion from the first bell and never let up while the fight lasted.... From opening bell he'd move in on an opponent with the least possible 'feeling out' of experimental jabs, both arms and hands flailing as if on half-circular hinges ---- bang, bang, bang, bang, almost exactly alternating left, right, left, right in a continuous tattoo. We can still see those explosive alternating gloves breaking through against the opponent's face and upper body."

Northern Idaho writer Maidell Clements who witnessed Firpo's ring exploits wrote in 1981: "When the bell rang, Firpo would charge across the ring and throw punches from all angels. Many a fighter wouldn't know what hit them till their heads began to clear in the dressing room."

Another Portland boxing writer, Billy Steppe, himself a prolific writer and keen observer of the boxing scene for over 70 years on the Pacific Coast, had suffered a stroke prior to his being interviewed in the 1970's and was unable to speak. However, when asked to name the greatest fighter he ever saw, Steppe simply wrote, "Young Firpo."

Young Firpo's futile and turning point in his march toward the light heavyweight championship suffered its severest blow when, in the spring of 1934, while traveling to Butte, Montana, to fight Gorilla Jones, Firpo was involved in a motor vehicle accident and sustained serious injuries which landed him in the hospital for weeks. It was thought that the injuries brought about the end of his fight career.

Firpo would not fight again until August of 1934, when he defended his Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight Championship in a "tune-up" match against the onslaught of hard punching knockout artist Tiger Jack Fox, the same Fox who Jersey Joe Walcott, in 1974, called the greatest fighter Walcott ever fought not excluding Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, and Ezzard Charles. Walcott was knocked out by Fox and beaten in 10 rounds in a second fight with Fox. Fox was favored to defeat Firpo because Fox had been active throughout the 1934 fight year while he recuperated and Fox had run up a string of knockouts while Firpo was totally inactive and had not engaged in a single fight in 1934.

Despite the odds, Firpo defeated Fox in a Portland brutal encounter. Firpo floored Fox in the sixth round after Firpo, himself, had been floored by Fox in the same round. Seemingly, it appeared that Firpo had recovered from the injuries sustained in the automobile accident but, as Epstein stated, such was not the case.

One month later, on September 20, 1934, John Henry Lewis, claiming that he was the uncrowned light heavyweight champion of the world following the NBA's stripping Maxie Rosenbloom of the title, sought to divest Young Firpo of the Pacific Coast Light Heavyweight title in yet another Portland fight. Lewis was being touted as the "uncrowned light heavyweight champion" because he had defeated titleholder Maxie Rosenbloom in two non-title affairs flooring Rosenbloom 7 times in the process.

In another vicious slugfest taking place on September 20, 1934, Lewis escaped with a draw. Every major newspaper writer in attendance covering the fight, including Billy Steppe, H.L. Gregory, Don McCloud, and George Bertz, thought that Firpo won the fight. Lewis was on the verge of being knocked out in both the 7th and 8th rounds. Referee Tom Louttit declared the contest a draw. Firpo retained his Coast title. However, bedlam ensued with pronounced booing between 5 and 10 minutes and things were thrown into the ring including a knife before order was restored.

As an aftermath, Lewis eventually went on to win the title by defeating Bob Olin and refused to fight Firpo in a rematch with the World's Light Heavyweight Championship on the line despite repeated challenges having been made from Firpo.

From 1930 through 1937, Young Firpo challenged in vain for a shot at the light heavyweight title, held chronologically during this period by Maxie Rosenbloom, Bob Olin, and John Henry Lewis. Firpo telegraphed a Spokane promoter "Will fight Fox, Lewis, Olin, or Rosenbloom. I fear no man."

In 1933, Rosenbloom and Firpo were signed to fight a championship match thought to be the first championship match ever held in Portland but a gate dispute led to cancellation of the fight. When the fight was initially signed, coast writers gave Firpo a better than even chance of beating Rosenbloom because of his speed and punching prowess. After the cancellation, Firpo sought in vain to again get Rosenbloom's signature on a contract. During an interview, Firpo told a boxing writer, "With the championship on the line, I'll fight Rosenbloom for nothing." Rosenbloom, who seemingly ducked no fighter, would not sign to defend his title against Firpo.

Retiring in 1937, Firpo maintained that between 1924 - 1937, he engaged in 134 fights, scored 79 knockouts, suffered 15 losses (some of which he questioned) and had 4 draws. BoxRec, a computerized database of boxing data, maintains that Young Firpo's record consists of 93 fights, 74 victories, 45 knockouts, 15 losses, and 4 draws.

Guido Bardelli married the lovely Mary Widitz from Roundup, Montana, in 1934 and their marriage produced three children, Cleo Marie Clizer, Frederick Ketchell Bardelli, and John Ambrose Bardelli. Young Firpo passed away in 1984.


Young Firpo is being inducted into the World Boxing Hall Of Fame on November 15, 2008 at the Banquet of Champions at LAX Marriott, located at 5855 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90045. Social hour will begin at 6:00 pm, followed by dinner and induction ceremony at 8:00 pm.

Dinner tickets are priced at $100.00, $150.00 and $200.00. For ticket information and all the details call: 626- 964-2414 or visit official website at www.wbhf.org.

A nonprofit organization based in California, the World Boxing Hall Of Fame is dedicated to preserving and honoring boxing and its history.

Kevin Finnegan

Kevin Finnegan - By artist Roger Esty

Kevin Finnegan Dies

The following was written by Bennie, a fight reviewer and a contributor to Boxrec's West Coast Boxing Forum. The photo is also courtesy of Bennie.

A young Kevin Finnegan

Former British and European middleweight champ Kevin Finnegan has been found dead in his flat in West London at the relatively young age of 60.
In the context of today's boxing scene, with 'world' titles seemingly given away, it is incredible to think this man never got a sniff at a world title shot. The younger brother of the better-known Chris licked the likes of Bunny Sterling, Tony Sibson, Gratien Tonna, Jean Claude Bouttier, Frankie Lucas, gave "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler a real war in the first of two fantastic efforts in the States in 1978 (both stopped on cuts, just two months apart) and looked desperately unlucky in the second of three 15-round classics with Alan Minter, who staggered home to a debatable decision in 1976.
Quite simply, Kevin Finnegan was gifted.
After his five wars with Minter and Hagler, both of whom went on to win the undisputed world middleweight title, Finnegan enjoyed a glorious, totally unexpected twilight to his career. In 1979 he outboxed Sibson over 15 rounds for the British title - just after "Sibbo" had destroyed "The Animal" Lucas - and then avenged a defeat to the ferocious Gratien Tonna with another magnificent boxing display in 1980 in France to lift the European title (his points loss to Tonna in the mid-1970s possibly cost him a shot at Carlos Monzon) and picked up a couple of nice paydays abroad in defence of the European belt. Finnegan fought well in his very last fight with Matteo Salvemini in Italy in September 1980, flooring the local man with a beautiful counter right, but Salvemeni proved a bit too energetic and took the points.

Marvin Hagler always said Finnegan gave him his hardest fight. What a boxer, what a character, what an epitah.

Saul Alvarez vs Larry Mosley

By: Randy De La O

I only caught one fight from last night's fights at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa, in Cabazon, California, and it was a fairly good one.  Unbeaten welterweight prospect Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (22-0-1, 15 KOs)  , of Juanacatlan, Jalisco, Mexico,  won a unanimous ten round decision over Larry Mosley  (15-3-1, 6 KOs) , of Los Angeles, California, who was fighting for only the second time after a two year layoff. Mosley was stopped in the sixth round in June of this year in his fight against Russell Jordan. The fight was scheduled for eight. Despite being a fairly decent boxer, Mosley was probably a safe bet for Alvarez.

Alvarez, an aggresive fighter, fights with an exuberance, confidence  and recklessness that only an undefeated 18 year old can.  Forward moving and strong, he showed lots of potential but made  a few of mistakes. Mainly, he  over reaches when he throws his right hand and is open to a counter uppercut, made all the more dangerous because Alvarez keeps his chin up when he throws his right hand.  The right opponent will take advantage of that. Still he's young and there's time to correct this.

Alvarez  took the fight to Mosley, who had his moments, but just didn't have the punch to capitalize on Alvarez' lack of a solid defense.

Junior Featherweight Antonio Escalante (18-2, 12 KOs) stopped Mike Oliver (21-2, 7 KOs) in 33 seconds of the third round of a scheduled twelve round fight for the NABO title.

Junior welterweight Hector Sanchez (17-0, 7 KOs) knocked out Albert Rodriguz (8-0-1, 4 KOs) in 1:23 seconds of the second round.

Hopkins Takes Pavlik To School

Boxers Marshall Martinez and Steven Luevano are blood brothers

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Boxer Steven Luevano, right, is photographed at home with his wife Marina, holding their 14-month-old son Raymond, son Robert, 9, left, and daughter Rebecca, 7.

The cousins took divergent paths in boxing but still support each other at all times.

By Lance Pugmire
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

October 17, 2008

Eight years ago, boxing promoter Bob Arum was convinced he'd landed the sport's next legend when he signed Marshall Martinez.

Martinez had defeated Miguel Cotto (a future welterweight champion) in an Olympic qualifying fight, and U.S. boxing officials envisioned a gold medal dangling around the neck of the tough, hard-punching kid from Fontana.

Martinez seemed headed to the Sydney Games. But the fighter nicknamed "little devil" had to quit the U.S. team after he wrote checks stolen from another athlete's Olympic training headquarters' mailbox. Instead, he turned pro. 

Arum snapped Martinez up for a $50,000 bonus and, as a favor, signed Martinez's cousin, a scrawny La Puente teen named Steven Luevano. "Luevano was nothing special," Arum said. "We signed him only in order to get Martinez."

As it turned out, the cousins' careers took divergent paths.

Martinez's boxing plans came to a stop when he was arrested in 2004 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and sentenced to a four-year prison term. He's now back in the gym, trying to reassemble his life and career. Meanwhile, Luevano (35-1-1, 15 knockouts) will defend his World Boxing Organization featherweight title against Billy "The Kid" Dib on the undercard of the Kelly Pavlik-Bernard Hopkins fight Saturday in Atlantic City, N.J. 

The cousins chat on the phone frequently and visit each other when possible. Martinez says they're like "brothers." Luevano said he tosses his cousin occasional reminders, "to stay out of trouble.

"If he was going to do something, he was going to do it, and no one could stop him," Luevano recalled.

"They were always close," said Luevano's mother, Dolly, whose sister, Margie Carmona, is Martinez's mom. "But they're different people."

When they were young, they were driven to East Los Angeles by Martinez's mother to train. They shared the same dream to one day fight professionally and become world champions.

The shy Luevano for years maintained a disciplined routine: "Wake up, go to school, carpool to the gym, do his homework, eat, go to bed," his mother said. When he was 17 and had a child with his wife, Marina, the pattern didn't change. Boxing would now have to support a family.

Martinez always lived off-script. As a child, he'd throw rocks at his cousins. In his late teens, he had volatile relationships with girlfriends, he'd hang out with other cousins who were gang members and he'd know where to party.

Asked to explain the opposing forces that affected the cousins, Arum remains at a loss. "I'm not a psychiatrist," he said. "Martinez was a bad boy. We just didn't know how bad."

Before their first pro fight, the southpaw Luevano was becoming the tactician who now routinely out-thinks his opponents with counter-punching and sophisticated defense. "Wait, wait, wait for an opening," his amateur boxing trainer Manuel Montiel Jr. would tell him. "Make them miss, and make them pay."

Martinez's subtlety was a punch in the nose. The cousins' pro careers began on the same card as 19-year-olds, in an outdoor ring in Bell Gardens. Luevano won by second-round knockout. Martinez was victorious in typical tough-guy manner, overcoming an early broken nose to gain a unanimous decision.

Martinez frequently strayed into crises. He was shot in the hip at a party, spent three months in jail for a prior crime and became embroiled in disputes with Arum. He fought only eight times, going 7-0-1, including a July 2003 date in Mexico in what would be his last fight. By then, Luevano was 19-0 with nine knockouts.

Then, in August 2004, Martinez was arrested in a case involving more than five kilograms of cocaine -- with a street value of $750,000. Uicardo Williams Jr., who was a U.S. Olympic silver-medalist boxer in 2000, and a third man were also arrested and convicted.

Asked why he did it, Martinez said. "The money . . . you're making $110,000 every three to four days . . . I accepted responsibility, though. Yeah, I did it."

Martinez started prison with a year of hard time in Leavenworth, Kan., where he fought with one prisoner and got caught with a cellphone, violations that sent him into solitary isolation.

"When they take your freedom away and you're locked up in a box, it's the worst," Martinez said. "Being there changed me 360 degrees. Before, I was a walking time bomb . . . I realized God put me in there to turn my life around. I thought about all of that, how the people I thought were my friends weren't friends at all. . . . 

"Going to prison is like dying and being able to see your own funeral. You get to see who brings you flowers.

"You know who did? My mom . . . and Steven, he sent me some money. That's who took care of me. I have no more 'friends,' it's just me and my girl, going to the gym every day and then back home."

One recent morning, at an East L.A. gym adorned with a small sign reading, "Champions never take the easy way out," Martinez started his comeback, slamming his fists into a heavy punching bag.

"He still has power in his hands," Montiel said. "He still has it in his heart to become someone, a champion."

Martinez's return to the ring will come at 140 pounds Nov. 1 at the Home Depot Center in Carson.

He's going after what his cousin attained in July 2007, when the 126-pound Luevano traveled to England and fought Nicky Cook. Dolly Luevano didn't have enough money to make the trip, so she stuck to her shift at a Lamps Plus in Upland and told her boss she was expecting a phone call.

The phone rang, and Dolly heard that Luevano had won the title in an 11th-round knockout. "I was so happy I started crying," Dolly said. "Steven had to prove himself to everyone. There were so many who said he'd never make it. Well, he showed them."

"He's done everything the right way," Martinez said. "That's why so many good things have happened."

As for Martinez's comeback plans, Luevano said: "He will be able to do as much as he wants to do."

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

Enrique Bolanos, Baby Arizmendi and Their Ladies

BOULEVARD NIGHT
By Roger Esty

The old photograph taken at a slant. The creases and tears. Black and white images that let you use your imagination to tell what the colors were. Creme and tan colored suits. Empty cocktail glasses with the ice melting into the last of the whiskey.Steaks all around well done. Floral arrangements on a white table cloth. Silk dresses on dark skinned beauties. (They were in the salon all afternoon). Dancing to the voice of Dick Haymes and the big band playing "Perfidia"at the Ambassador,or was it the Bonaventure?

The black and white photograph in the album. The folds and creases at a tilt let us exercise our imaginations. The early 50's. The roadster with the white sidewalls parked in the valet lot waiting for the happy foresome. I'm only guessing,but I know I'm right.

ESPN: Pavlik Vs. Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins and Kelly Pavlik face each other this coming Saturday, October 18, 2008 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. They will be fighting at a catchall weight of 170.

I don't see Bernard Hopkins winning this one. Hopkin's is one hell of salesman but it's more than likely going to be a case of false advertisement when these two fight on the 18th. My gut instinct says Kelly Pavlik is going to give an Antonio Margarito like perfomance and impose his will on Hopkins. The fluctuations in weight can't be good for Hopkins at his age. I thought Hopkins was showing his age in the Calzaghe fight. Hopkins has had a great career but Pavlik wins this by UD, possibly a late round stoppage.

v

Mike Quarry

The following photos are from the Johnny Chavez benefit in Azusa, California in 1993. Chavez lost his eyesight after a fight. His last fight was against Gabriel Castro at the Forum in Inglewood, California on November 6, 1092. I'm assuming that's the fight where the damage occurred. Frank Baltazar will probably know more about this. Look at the autograph on the lower right hand corner. Frankie Baltazar Jr. Always a gentleman.

It was almost as difficult speaking with Mike Quarry as it was speaking with Jerry. He was very fragile by this time as Rick Farris can probably attest to. Several of guys that Mike was speaking with were laughing at him behind his back. I pulled him away and had a good chat with him. It was painful.

I opened the show for Mike at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas on October 30, 1976 when he fought Tom Bethea. Mike won a 10 round decision. earlier that year Mike and I had sparred on three separate occasions. something I won't forget.

When I heard Mike had died and how he died, I remembered that day. He was no longer the same Mike Quarry.

R.I.P. Mike

Click on either photo for a larger view

Ken Buchanan

Ken Buchanan


Great Photo of Ken Buchanan. It makes me sad though. You can see the brightness in his eyes. He was full of life in this photo. It has to be before Duran. After his loss to Roberto Duran. Buchanan was never the same. It was mental. The fight got into his head and he could never accept the loss. He's convinced himself but for the low blow, he might have won. Nothing and no one could have saved him from Roberto Duran that night.

That's the thing about boxers, especially champions, and even more so the very great ones. When the gig is up, they can't accept it. The very quality that got them where they are; heart, courage, determination, intestinal fortitude, desire, and that deep burning desire to never say die, the refusal to lose, betrays them at the end of their careers, it can make fools of them. The very quality the once was their best attribute is now their worst. Sad but true. Just look at Julio Cesar Chavez at the end of his career and you'll see what i'm talking about.

That's what happened to Buchanan. The fight and the loss to Duran didn't ruin Ken's quality of life. That came from within. Over the years he became bitter. His unhappiness is evident in every interview I have ever seen.

Ken Buchanan & wife Carol: After the Duran fight?

De La Hoya and Pacquiao at the Statue of Liberty

Fight for Live Benefit Show

About a week ago I asked Hap Navarro to write something for me on the 1951 fight between Enrique Bolanos vs Eddie Chavez, the main, and Keeny Teran vs Gil Cadilli on the semi and he e-mail me this today, this boxing card sticks in my mind above all of the fight cards that I seen, I was there that nite to see Bolanos and Keeny, both were in great fights.

Thanks Hap.

Kiki:

The Fight for Lives benefit show was a Hollywood Legion Stadium annual event looked forward to with great anticipation by the L.A. fans since 1943, when it had its very humble inception. The first two shows didn't have a 10-round feature bout, just three 3 eights and 3 fours. They were meant to be talent shows, not artistic galas.

But the people in charge of the promotion, a prestigious Sportsmen's Club, persisted in elevating the event to an annual feature, which they soon did in no uncertain manner.The beneficiary was always the same: all proceeds went to the City of Hope Children's Hospital located at Duarte, east of Los Angeles.

.In time it grew to become the outstanding benefit boxing show in the southland, rivaling in prestige, if not in magnitude, the famed Milk Fund Show held annually at Madison Square Garden, in New York. The Legion Stadium turned out to be the ideal venue for the evemt, as many of the program directors were established business men in the film city. Because of that sellouts on fight night presented no problem.

The Legion Post's association with the sponsors only ended when a rift developed between the Legion board and a local managers' guild. Rather than become involved in controversy, the FFL directprs chose to move crosstown to the Olympic Auditorium.

The last time the FFL ws held in Hollywood was on June 22, 1951 when Enrique Bolanos and Eddie Chavez
clashed in a rematch of their corking battle held at San Jose the previous March. Interestingly, despite the obvious caliber of the two main eventers, Bolanos and Chavez, plus the added distance of two rounds, it was generally believed by the mass that attended the show it was the six round semi-final that lured a capacity crowd to the club that night.

I had suggested to Matchmaker Cal Working that I thought we could match Keeny Teran with Gil Cadilli, six rounds, at 118 pounds. Cal sorta threw his hands up saying the fight could not be made because of Gil's manager, Johnny Forbes, who had also developed Keeny from his earliest days. Forbes was a stickler for weight limitations, and he figured we would ask Cadilli to trim down to flyweight for the match. I had envisioned th efight for so long that I tried not to be dissuaded, even if we had to pay them each more than scale. (Which we did)

In time, Johnny relented and I had them sign at 119 lbs. Forbes actually thought he had gained an added advantage for his boy because boxing contracts in those days allowed a leeway of "give or take a pound", so he figured his kid would come into the ring at 120, a decided weight edge over flyweight Keeny.
The rest is trivial history, of sourse, with one notable exception.......Cadilli actually weighed in at 118 lbs, one pound lighter than the contracted weight,

Some people have told me that the fight ws one of the greatest-paced matches over the six round distance, and I really believe that to be true. The fight ebbed and flowed, but it was a closely contested match between two superbly conditioned youngsters on the threshold of main event stardom. And being a filght fan first, it will always stay in my mind. I could feel the respect the local fight mob, those who knew it was my baby, accorded me from that day forward.

For the record, Keeny Teran was a diamond in the rough. He had it all, if only fleetingly. You don't see wonders like that very often and I'm glad I had the privilege of making him Flyweight Champion of the United States.

hap navarro

Avila, on Boxing: Pomona's Mosley should retire while he's still healthy

Submitted by Bill O'Neill

By DAVID A. AVILA
Special to The Press-Enterprise
Three Inland-area boxers grabbed center stage last week, sparking national and international attention.
Pomona's Shane Mosley, Riverside's Chris Arreola and Rialto's Dominic Salcido engaged in a trio of electrifying fights last week, and the results definitely shook up several weight divisions.
Maybe it's the beginning of a new age for Inland-area boxing.

Ricardo Mayorga (right) goes down after Shane Mosley connects with a left for a 12th-round knockout Saturday.

Former lightweight, welterweight and junior middleweight champion Mosley returned to fight in Southern California for the first time in eight years and found a willing partner in Nicaragua's Ricardo Mayorga.

Mosley, 37, has always shown tremendous courage inside the ring, especially accepting fights against boxers others fear or avoid. He could have ignored Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright, but Mosley let them slip into the door to elite status by accepting their challenges. When welterweights began avoiding Miguel Cotto, it was Mosley who tapped on Top Rank officials' shoulders to say: "Yoo-hoo, I'll fight Cotto."

Now Mosley wants to fight WBA welterweight monster Antonio Margarito.

That's what I mean. Mosley has no fear, but maybe he should.

I'm not alone in saying that Mosley is one of the nicest guys in the brutal sport in which about five of its brethren die each year from punishment sustained in a bout. From his first year, Mosley has brought his eye-catching style of boxing at 100 mph.


But that was back in 1992. Today, the speedster has slipped a bit and probably ramps it up to 85 mph. Now that's still good for most, but Mosley is an elite boxer. He's Hall of Fame stuff.


After watching Mosley struggle with Mayorga for 12 rounds, it was apparent that it was going to take time to slip into "Sugar Shane" mode. Mayorga's quirky style has always proved perplexing for classic boxer-punchers.
Mosley emerged victorious, but he may have hit the ceiling level for talent with Mayorga. Anybody bigger, younger or faster than the Nicaraguan is going to give the 2008 version of Mosley a lot of trouble.

During the post-fight news conference, someone asked if he would fight WBC titleholder Andre Berto, who had just beaten Steve Forbes by decision. Immediately Mosley said he didn't want to fight one of the young guys. It's the big guys with the big names he's after.

But most feel Mosley should hang up the gloves before he gets damaged.

"I said I'm a warrior," said Mosley about his thrill-the-crowd style. "That's what the fans wanted to see."
Most want to see Mosley retire healthy more than anything.

Quick Work for Arreola
Chris Arreola has been anointed by HBO's boxing coverage team as the great American hope of the heavyweight division. And with those lofty expectations comes pressure.

When Arreola, 27, arrived in the ring with temperatures hovering above 90 degrees, there were sportswriters from large media outlets watching the budding star. Despite weighing the most in his very young career at 258 very visible pounds, the Mexican-American hopeful blasted out New York City's Israel "King Kong" Garcia like an annoying fly on the screen door.

"Truthfully, I was very concerned," said Henry Ramirez, who trains Arreola and a number of other excellent boxers from Riverside. "But everything worked out."

It took Arreola three rounds of sizzling uppercuts from combinations that broke down Garcia's defense and solid chin.

Arreola will probably face the toughest test of his career Nov. 29 when his promoter, Goossen-Tutor Promotions, puts him against an as-yet-to-be-selected top-10 heavyweight contender on a card that will also feature WBO welterweight titleholder Paul Williams in co-main events. There are rumors that the card could end up in Southern California.