Falcon Boxing Gloves (12 oz.)

Any body ever heard of Falcon Boxing Gloves? I bought this pair of 12 oz. gloves for my son Andrew back in 1993 when he was training at the long gone Brooklyn Gym in Boyle Heights. I bought them from some guy that was selling boxing equipment at the gym.

This was one of many pair that I bought for him. I don't remember what I paid for them but they held up well. I've searched the internet but I can't find any info.

Respect.........

By Randy De La O

Let me also say this, regardless of who wins the upcoming fight between Floyd Mayeather and Manny Pacquiao, Both fighter's are deserving of our respect. Paquiao gets the "lion's share" of good will, and deservedly so but Mayweather deserves come credit as well. A lot of good goes unreported or leaked to the sports press very slowly. He's free with his money when it comes to helping those in need. I cannot cite any one act but I have read over the years on some of the good things he has done. My daughter Meranda De La O met him once a few years ago in Las Vegas, and found him to be humble, soft spoken and generous with his time. I'm convinced much of his loud talking is for the most part, an act. 

I am no fan of Mayweather one way or the other and I'm not in the habit of defending him but he is a champion and has remained undefeated for years. No one gave him his title. it was earned and it was defended. We should all be so capable.

Manny Pacquiao!! What a career. If he loses the fight it doesn't matter, or at least it shouldn't. From humble beginnings to world champion in several weight classes to a heroic champion to the people of the Philippines. Along the way he took on all comers and ducked no one. Nothing but respect for this man!

The two have signed and it is said to be a done deal. Let's give respect to both men and let's hope it lives up to a fraction of the hype!

Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather

By Randy De La O

I stopped at the market this morning to pick up a few things for breakfast. I also picked up the latest Ring Magazine - with Floyd and Manny on the cover. The cashier lady and the bag girl (is that what they're called?) both started talking about the fight. The bag girl asked me who I thought was going to win. I was surprised at their interest.

In case you've been on vacation on some remote island or living under a rock somewhere, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will be settling matters on May 2nd. I remain skeptical -hopeful but skeptical - and will remain so until the bell sounds for the first round.

In answer to the bag girl's question, I said, matter of factly, "Mayweather". She immediately took up the cause for Manny Pacquiao. Again, I was surprised at her interest. On the other hand I was not surprised at her sentiment. it seems the majority of fight fans, much of the boxing world and even bag girls, collectively, want to see Pacquiao give Mayweather a good old fashioned ass whuppin'.

What she said next really surprised me. "Yeah, but isn't Pacquiao a southpaw?" This from the bag girl? Now to be honest with you I did not want to spend the morning discussing boxing with the bag girl. Breakfast was waiting and I was hungry but I answered her anyways. "Doesn't matter. Mayweather has more than enough experience and he has never lost a fight up to this point. Pacquiao has lost (going on memory here) at least four times". "But" I said, "It's a fight, anything can happen!" She thought about it for a second, "True!" I grabbed my groceries and left.

That about sums up my feelings about the fight. Anything can happen but I'm going with what I do know. I know that Pacquiao has lost before. That might mean absolutely nothing or it may mean everything. Two things can happen when the going gets tough, Pacquiao can dig down deep and refuse to ever lose again or having lost before he may remember, that losing wasn't all that bad after all. It's been proven that Pacquiao can be beaten and by men that were presumably not quite as good as Mayweather.

Mayweather, despite the prevailing notion that he has dodged or evaded good fighters, has fought the best, as has Pacquiao, (they have several common opponents). He has always found a way to win. I don't think at this point he will be able to handle the “shame” of losing to Pacquiao. I think he will do whatever it takes to keep that from happening. Over the long haul of a fight, Mayweather's concern is never the fans. He may win ugly but he will win. Now, you and I know there is no shame in losing a hard fought fight but Mayweather doesn't know this. His ego will push him and It's almost always true that styles make fights. On the surface Mayweather has the correct style to beat Pacquiao; hand speed and accurate and clean crisp counterpunching. It will remain to be seen if he has the will as well. I expect to see Mayweather win a unanimous decision on May 2nd.

Gotta go, breakfast is ready!  As always, may the best man win!

Collectable Boxing Plates

It's funny (not really), how you can go bonkers looking for something, sometimes for years, then you give up and forget about it and move on. Then you go nuts looking for something else and that's when you find the first thing you were looking for.

It's been ten years at least, maybe longer, since I've seen these small plates with; Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali - two more are still unaccounted for. I was going through some boxes in the garage looking for a book when I ran across these. Still two more to find, and the book I was looking for but I'm feeling hopeful now.

You can argue about who the real "Greatest" was but I'm just happy to have these back! 

Always a Boxer......

Even if you were at the very bottom of this great sport, this rings true. Boxing becomes embedded in your very soul. You see the world, people, character, courage and everything that goes along with being human, through eyes that have learned many of life's lessons inside the ring, in both the gym and the arena. It stays with you forever.

A Parting Shot For the Day

The sun is setting on this great era and the days when Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier stood at the top of the sporting world are long gone. Savor the memories because we will not see their like any time soon. 

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier 1

Ali vs Frazier I: Forty-Four Years Ago Today.

Forty- four years ago today, March 8, 1971, in the days when giants still walked the Earth,, the world came to a literal standstill, when for the first time in the history of the sport, two 100% authentic undefeated heavyweight champions entered the ring to settle the dispute.

It was called the "Fight of the Century" and it is among a small handful of fights that lived up to the name. There is a fight coming up on May 2nd of this year that is being sold as the Fight of the Century", we will be lucky if it makes fight of the year.

There are very few fighters that can stir my emotions the way these two did, and continue to do. Smokin' Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali, God Bless you for the memories!