2012 El Paso Boxing Hall of Fame

Sammy Burke

By Randy De La O

Last year Louie Burke was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame. This year in El Paso, Texas, it will be a family affair as both Louie and his brother Rocky Burke, along with their father Sammy Burke (posthumously) will be inducted into the El Paso Boxing Hall of Fame. A well deserved honor and long overdue.

Both Louie and Rocky were trained in the Sweet Science by their father Sammy. Sammy was an outstanding amateur boxer from New Mexico and began training fighters after returning from the Korean War. Sammy passed away in 1984. Louie is currently training WBA  World light Middleweight Champion Austin Trout, as well as up and coming light middleweight Abie Han. Rocky, who retired from boxing to run the family business is now a world class referee.

A press conference was held last Saturday May 12, at Jaxon's Restaurant & Brewery in El Paso, Texas, to kick off the event and announce the inductees. The induction ceremony will be held at the El Paso Multipurpose Center on June 9, 2012.

The Burkes are my cousins and I couldn't be prouder. Congratulations to my primos, the Burke family, including their mother Elba, as well as all of the 2012 El Paso Boxing Hall of Fame Inductees..

Rocky Burke

Louie Burke with trainer Jesse Reid

The 2012 Honorees are as follows:

Jennifer Han, amateur and pro boxer

Sammy Burke, former boxer and trainer, posthumous

Louie Burke, trainer and former boxer

Rocky Burke, referee and former boxer

Jorge Munoz, amateur boxer

Francisco Alvarado, trainer and former boxer

Rene Herrera, former Mexican welterweight professional champion

Bill Knight, El Paso Times sports and boxing writer.

Raul Rojas: How We All Forget..... By Rick Farris

Raul Rojas

How we all forget . . .

By Rick Farris

The notice of Johnny Tapia's passing has generated a lot of talk, memories. A great fighter, a unique story, one that was shared world wide via TV as was Tapia's career.

A few days ago, another world champ passed away. Like Tapia, he was a small fighter with a big fight inside him. A tough guy, a world champion. Like Tapia, he shared his career with drug and alochol abuse.

Of course, Johnny Tapia fought on network TV and cable TV, he was seen world wide, became a household name in the boxing community. Raul had the same impact on his fans, but they were those of us who watched him fight live, or on local TV in L.A. In Los Angeles, Rojas could sell out the Olympic. In New York, they didn't know who he was.

Johnny's death made the L.A. Times this morning, but Raul Rojas' has not, and Rojas died last week. Raul was a world champ, an L.A. guy who was a headliner during one of the city's greatest eras in boxing. He retired into a job as a Longshoreman, he worked the LA Harbor with other local boxing legends.

Rojas died days ago, and Don Fraser and I have both contacted the L.A. Times with news and info regarding the death of Raul Rojas, but have yet to acknowledge it in their paper. As Don and I know, most of the sports writer weren't alive 43 years ago when Raul won the world featherweight title. Because of this he was overlooked every year by the World Boxing Hall of Fame. I posted a Facebook message regarding Raul's funeral arraingments, for those who might like to pay their final respects to a world champion. There was no response to this either.

Raul's name might not make the L.A. Times Obituary column, but back in the day when he was King of the 126 pounders in boxing, it was mentioned often in their sports page. I don't know about anybody else who remembers Raul from his days as champ, but this friday, at 10am, I'll be at All Souls Mortuary in Long Beach, and paying my respects to a fallen champion.

Johnny Tapia 1967 - 2012

Johnny Tapia 1967 - 2012

Professional Ring Record

Interview with Johnny Tapia

Johnny Tapia vs Johnny Romero (Entire Fight)

I remember this fight well. This was a true crosstown rivalry for Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is the fight that made a believer out of me when it came to Johnny Tapia. I was, to some small degree, leaning toward Danny Romero but I was just looking for a good fight. Romero made a fight out it but Tapia seized the moment and stepped up to dominate the fight and win the battle for Albuquerque. Tapia went on to have an outstanding career but this is the fight that brought him national and international prominence. Rest in Peace Champ! You will be missed.

Boxing Great Johnny Tapia Has Died

Johnny Tapia has died today at age 45. R.I.P. Champ! Below is an interview with Johnny Tapia by James Smith from January of this year.

 

Jack Dempsey AKA the Manassa Mauler

Jack Dempsey

Speaking of Jack Dempsey, was there ever a heavyweight champion that looked more the part than Jack Dempsey? That's a fighter's mug!


"Whenever I hear the name, Jack Dempsey, I think of an America that was one big roaring camp of miners, drifters, bunkhouse hands, con men, hard cases, men who lived by their fists and their shooting irons and by the cards they drew. America at high noon.
-- Jim Murray

Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant

The original, and one and only true Jack Dempsey's Broadway Bar and Restaurant, in New York..

Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant, known popularly as Jack Dempsey's, was a restaurant located on Broadway between 49th and 50th streets in Manhattan, New York. Owned by world Heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Dempsey, it was considered by many as an American institution. The restaurant originally opened for business as Jack Dempsey's Restaurant on Eighth Avenue and 50th Street, directly across from the third Madison Square Garden, in 1935. Most nights would find Dempsey's famous proprietor on hand to greet guests, sign autographs, pose for pictures, and hold court with people from all walks of life.

Located next door to Jack Amiel's "Turf Restaurant" on Times Square, Amiel became famous as the owner of the "underdog" horse Count Turf who won the 1951 Kentucky Derby. A few years after his Derby win, Jack Amiel became a co-owner of Jack Dempsey's Restaurant, which closed in 1974.

Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant appears in the movie The Godfather (1972). Michael Corleone stands in front of Jack Dempsey's while waiting to be picked up by Virgil Sollozzo and Capt. McCluskey for their infamous dinner meeting.
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