COMMENTARY ON HAYE-VALUEV FIGHT

By John A. Bardelli
November 7, 2009

I've just finished watching several of the early rounds and the last three rounds of the Valuev - Haye fight. Well, the Brits know how to get, in long time fight trainer Mel Epstein's vernacular, ... "a champeen." The Brits, as a rule, are great, great, great fighters and have a long and storied history contributing to the saga of boxiana. So my comments should not be construed to denigrate England nor the storied history presented by a litany of fighters spread through the divisions the equal of any who tread resin from the paperweights to the heavyweights. I hope in time, on deeper reflection as time passes, that I will be proven wrong about the talents of David Haye --- and that, he too, will take his place among the elite of the sport of boxing. For the time being, I confess to seeing an imposter in the ranks.

The heavyweight championship has long been the obsession of British Boxing fans and pundits. Try, try, and try, as they might --- the haunting specter of the heavyweight championship, save for New Zealander Ruby Bob Fitzsimmons eluded the fancied imagination of the Brits for nearly a century before Lennox Lewis captured the crown with dignity. And the Americans, maintaining a stranglehold on boxing throughout the entire century, rubbed it in mercilessly as though the taunting was a vestige emanating from the hatred of the Brits engendered by the Revolution War and King George.

Sing, drink beer, wave flags and cause a commotion --- is the common lot and approach British fight fans utilize in supporting one of their own --- regardless of whether there is a fight underway or not --- as was the case on the evening of Haye - Valuev, a fight which took place, in Nuremberg, Germany. But the Brits were in full force, none-the-less.

One way to quiet such non-sense, mind you, is to wind up a package of dynamite in the form of a Filipino and turn him loose --- following that type of a two-fisted explosion, the Brits become so awed that their quieted submission takes on the overtones of a day spent within one of the beautiful towered churches within the Church of England --- another of that country's obsessions akin to making "heavyweight champeens" even if the religious pomp has to be borrowed in its own right.

When one examines the long storied history of boxing greats heralding from England and the English Commonwealth, it takes little imagination to understand that this latest pretender to the heavyweight throne --- David Haye --- is a poor imitation when contrasted with storied greats throughout the dvisions, not just the heavyweights, emanating from those Isles, --- starting off course with Jem Mace.

Flipping pages and we are presented with the likes of Bob Fitzsimmons, Joe Calzaghe, Lennox Lewis, Ted "Kid" Lewis, Jimmy Wilde, Jem Driscoll, Benny Lynch, Owen Moran, Rinty Monaghan, Peter Cane, Lloyd Honeyghan, John Conteh, Jackie Brown, Howard Winstone, Freddie Welsh, Ken Buchanan, Nigel Benn, Freddie Mills, Chris Eubank, Frank Bruno, Len Harvey, Randy Turpin, Tommy West, Jock McAvoy, Jackie "Kid" Berg, Bruce Woodcock, Seaman Tommy Watson, Henry Cooper, Lennox Lewis, Len Wickwar, Peter Jackson --- just a small sampling of fighters who came to fight.

David Haye is not a fighter --- he is a track man and a dancer. There was a time when a properly constituted boxing commission had rules to enforce --- rules which did not award fighters for running about the ring without returning some leather ---- Haye, in those times, would have been penalized for his "fight avoidance" --- up to an including disqualification for refusing to fight. Haye went into a four corner basketball stall --- for the entirety of the fight with Valuev.

[As a post script, inserted as this paragraph, to what I wrote last evening --- word now has it that David Haye hurt his hand during the fight and he maintains that his injury was the cause of his non-violent demeanor in the ring. Valuev is ready for the rematch. Let the injuries heal and let's have the rematch. My prediction is you'll see a repeat of the running --- injury or no injury --- and this time around the boxing commission should inculcate into the power of the referee the authority to disqualify the runner who is not throwing punching --- and I don't mean an occasional token jab in the guise of a punch as Haye threw last evening.]

From what I saw of the fight, Valuev retained his title if for no other reason than he was the pursuer, the aggressor, that he came to fight, was willing to mix --- but it takes two to tangle. Haye wasn't dancing --- let alone doing the two step --- he was pure and simply running. When Ali fought Foreman ... Ali still landed effective punches while on the move and hit Foreman with more shots prior to the end of the fight than Foreman had ever tasted in the ring on a collective basis save his two fights with Peralta.

Another fight which comes to mind and that is Carnera and Loughran --- in Florida. Carnera knew that when Loughran was at a distance he might land some effective blows ... so Carnera bulled Loughran repeatedly to the ropes and beat the hell out of Loughran --- really roughed him up with gloves, forearms, and elbows in equal distribution. When Carnera finished Loughran ... a tattered and tired Loughran wasn't in the mood for joviality with the crowd and the reporters as one witnessed David Haye at the end of the distance run.

As a pure boxer ---- David Haye doesn't hold a candle to light heavyweight turned heavyweight, Tommy Loughran. Look, yourself, at Loughran's record for goodness sake and then tell me I am wrong in my analysis. Haye was handed a gift this evening and its another black eye for boxing --- something stinks horribly in England --- they've got a paper champ who is yet another cheapened version of the concept of a champion.

For the record, also, let it be known than Primo Carnera would have slaughtered David Haye --- and the naysayers will taunt me with --- "well, look what Baer did to Carnera." I'll debate those naysayers, one on one or collectively any day of the week, and, indeed, invite the debate, because they have no clue what transpired before the Carnera-Baer fight started, nor an understanding as to what took place inside the ring when Baer defeated Carnera to win the title, even though they profess to have seen the fight footage 10 times or more. The fact of the matter is --- they saw it but still don't know or understand what they saw occur in June of 1934 in Madison Square Garden.

Regardless, this is not a commentary about whether Baer did or did not win the fight ---- unquestionably, he did win the fight with Carnera --- but most certainly not in the manner that is "visualized" on film and not without understanding that Baer was on the verge of being kayoed, himself, in the middle and latter rounds of the fight.

Give me Carnera for every Klitchko or Valuev whom any boxing writer or interested spectator wants to claim are "great" fighters. Carnera would have eaten the three of them alive --- and if Max Baer, who fought two follow-up exhibitions with Carnera, were alive, he would say the same thing. As it was, following the second of the two follow-up exhibitions with Carnera, a puffy and beaten Baer remarked: "I am just glad the championship was not on the line tonight." All the while Baer spoke, Carnera eyed Max as though to say --- "Now, what in the hell do you think about it?"

As it is, I feel sorry for Valuev for he sought to make a fight of it. For a tutor, he should watch film footage of Primo Carnera to see how to cut off the ring and rough up runners like David Haye --- examine the Carnera-Loughran fight footage. I hope they have a rematch and I hope Valuev uses his size, strength, and some punching capabilities to corner Haye and get some leverage with ripping shots that will sap the strength out of Haye to the point that he wishes he had never become a fighter. It may be far to late in the game for Valuev to follow suit.

As as sidelight --- either prime George Chuvalo, Jerry Quarry, or Floyd Patterson, for examples, would have kayoed David Haye. Imaging the concept of going to a fight and a track meet breaks out and the decision is awarded to the marathon runner? At best, he should get a blue ribbon --- but not the crown that fits the head of the world's heavyweight champion --- there was a time when the highest honor achievable in all of sportdom was just that --- the heavyweight champion of the world --- and I emphasize "the." Alas --- those days are long gone --- and not likely to ever return.

Upcoming Fight: Miguel Cotto vs Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto

MGM Grand, Las Vegas

November 14, 2009

By Randy De La O

When the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto was first announced I thought, maybe Manny was  bitting off more than he could chew. My first thought was that Cotto was going to be too big for Pacquiao but now looking at the tale of the tape I'm not so sure. The difference between Cotto and Pacquiao is minimal at best. At the very least, in this fight, I don't think size or moving up in weight is going to be a factor. At this point in time Manny has grown into a natural welterweight, which makes Cotto's decision to spot Pacquiao a few pounds a little foolish. If  Cotto does win this fight it will be because he is the better fighter, not a bigger one.

If I have one beef against Pacquiao, and it's not a small one, it's the concessions he asks for when moving up in weight. I don't recall reading about any concessions in weight given to Henry Armstrong, Alexis Arguello, Julio Cesar Chavez, Roberto Duran or any number of all time greats. If you want to move up in weight and challenge the champion of that weight than fight that man at the division's weight or to my way of thinking there will always be an asterisk next to the "W", and deservedly so.

Pacquiao's camp is so confident of victory that they have a fight for Manny scheduled for a yet to be determined opponent on March 13th of next year. I still go by the old adage my father would toss at me from time to time, "Be confident, don't be overconfident".  Probably easier said than done considering Pacquiao has been riding a wave of high profile victories and has not lost since his first fight with Mexican great Erik Morales in March of 2005. Prior to that Pacquiao had not lost a fight since September of 1999 when he was knocked out in the 3rd round by Medgoen Singurat.

Manny Pacquiao has proven himself to be an all time great, and he would probably be a factor in any era. Still his career has not been with out some controversy, specifically his two fights with Juan Manuel Marquez, a draw in 2004 and a split decision in March of 2008. Those two fights have been discussed ad naseum and I won't rehash them here and I bring them up only to show that, contrary to popular belief, Manny Pacquiao is a human being. maybe not like you and I, but still a human being. The other argument is that Manny  fought some of his most spectacular fights against fighters that were either on the down side of their careers; Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales or completely past their prime, as was the case with Oscar De la Hoya. There is some merit to those claims.

Having said that, Pacquiao has been a phenomenon in the world of boxing. His energetic, nonstop punching style and his ability to continually learn and improve, makes you wonder how he would have held up against guys like Henry Armstrong, Julio Cesar Chavez or Roberto Duran.

Miguel Cotto has the ability to win this fight. The biggest question coming into this fight is: has Cotto recovered from the savage beating at the hands of Antonio Margarito? Which begs the next question: Were Margarito's gloves loaded? Either way, it was a beating that could come back and haunt him in a moment of crisis in the fight with Manny Pacquiao, and there will be many moments of crisis in the fight with Manny. That's a given.

Cotto was on his way to a Pacquiao like following by Puerto Rican boxing fans and by boxing fans in general, prior to his loss to Margarito. His biggest wins were over; Carlos Quintana, Paul Malignaggi, Zab Judah and Sugar Shane Mosley and most recently Joshua Clottey.

Cotto has the style to make this a great fight and possibly win, he is an aggressive boxer/puncher that was out boxing Antonio Margarito in their fight last year. Which again begs the question: Were Margarito's gloves loaded? It's shame that we even have to ask that question.

I don't like making predictions anymore but lest I look like a wimp and risk an asterisk next to my name, I'm going to predict a close, hard fought decision win by Miguel Cotto. While I don't think Pacquiao is biting off more than he can chew I do believe Cotto can and will win this fight. Sometime when a fighter is soaring at his highest he gets his wings clipped and sometimes a great fighter, having lost it all, and desperate for redemption can make a comeback worthy of the ages.

That being said let the best man win!

PACQUIAO vs COTTO - FIREPOWER HD

Sugar Shane Mosley Vs. Miguel Cotto Highlights

Manny Pacquiao vs Ricky Hatton Highlights

Austin " No Doubt" Trout wins WBC Continental Championship of Americas belt !

Photo courtesy of Goldsticker Public Relations

Austin Trout (21-0, 13 KOs) of Las Cruces, New Mexico defeated hometown fighter Taronze Washington (13-11, 7 KOs) last night in Dallas, Texas to win the WBC Continental Championship of Americas. Trout won the fight via a 12 round decision by 120-108 on all three of the judges cards.

"The fight was a one sided affair, with Washington throwing a flurry of punches then going up against the ropes in a peek-a-boo defense, where Austin would score the majority of his points. Austin is excited about capturing his 3rd belt in 2009 and gaining a spot for a future world title fight. We’d like to thank everyone for the support you’ve given us !"...Louie Burke

Louie Burke: Austin Trout Update

Note: I am a day late in posting this update, my apologies. Austin Trout fights Taronze Washington, Thursday November 5, 2009 in Dallas, Texas. Randy


By Louie Burke

We arrived in Dallas last night about 8:00. Once we settled in Austin went for a light jog on the treadmill to shed a couple of pounds. He ended up on weight at 154 last night prior to eating dinner. We were told that weigh-ins will be held at 6 pm today so we have a long weight before our pasta pre meal.

Austin’s feeling good and is anxious to "get it on". He knows this another obstacle towards his goal in becoming Las Cruces’ first world champion and has not cut any corners in preparing for Taronze Washington, getting good sparring with Siju Shabazz, Tim Meek, Abie Han and Michael Brooks.

This may be the last fight for Austin this year. It’s been a year of keeping our passports in our back pocket and ready to go to the next venue whether it be in Toronto, Mexico, Panama or Dallas, Tx or hometown, Las Cruces.

It’s been a good run thus far and the rewards of the victory’s have been two belts and a # 2 ranking with the WBA, hopefully after tomorrow night a third belt will be added to the mix along with a solid WBC ranking.

Austin feels blessed by the activity and the way things have worked out and thanks every one for the support they’ve given.

At the scales Austin Trout weighing in at 153.9 and Taronze Washington at 153.7 !
The weigh-ins took place at the up town La Quinta Inn in Dallas. The bouts tomorrow night will be at the Dallas Petroleum Club, which will be an exclusive invitation only event. Seating is limited and has been sold out, my understanding is that the tables are going for $5,000 apiece!

Austin’s fight will be 12 rounds for the WBC Continental of Americas Super Welterweight title. Word is that since Washington has been with the Hatley Brothers gym in Dallas his improvement has been significant and is somebody we don’t want to underestimate. Washington is on a 4 fight win streak, stopping his last opponent in the first round and recently upset Guadelupe Martinez who was 16-1 at the time.

The fight card only consists of 4 bouts, Austin’s being the main event of the evening.
The contestants in bout #1, will be super welters, Charles Hatley from Dallas vs Brandon Oldham, Lewiston, TN. In a 4 rounder.

Bout #2 will be a 4 round mixed martial arts card of heavyweight’s Zachariah King, Ft Worth against Stephen Adkisson, Mabank, TX.,

Bout #3 will be a 6 round heavyweight battle against Billy Willis, Houston, and Kendrick Releford of Ft. Worth.

Austin’s fight is scheduled after the Willis and Releford fight and is estimated to start about 10:00 pm. The first fight is supposed to start at 8:30 pm.

MARCIANO, MOORE and THE INSIGHT OF HARRY KESSLER

By John Bardelli

[Author's Note:  This essay was written circa 1999-2000, before the advent of You-Tube, and got its impetus as part of an on-going web-site dialogue where everything imaginable was being printed as gospel truth in terms of assessing the merits of fighters.  Therein lies the backdrop for the reasoning behind the creation of this essay --- the rest is history. Craster was someone whose name I did not know, one of many individuals and characters who spoke what they no doubt believed to be true --- espousing solipsistic platitudes to the bitter end.  However his beliefs, as I recall, were rather benign and mild compared to many on that site.]

Craster Writes:   Marciano was floored by Moore in rd 2 and when he got up he wasn't in control of his senses!  That is a fact nobody can change or hide, it is also a fact that RM got the usual gift from the ref in that he got a full 8 count when the rule didn't apply, for he had jumped up with loose legs at the count of 2.

Bardelli Response:  Oh brother, is Mr. Craster on a mission to destroy the accomplishments of Rocky Marciano as is evident from this post and several others!  Please, Mr. Craster, go back and look at the fight!   And, I write these words as both a long time admirer of both Rocky Marciano AND Archie Moore.  I'll share some of what I've written about Moore and the greatness of Mr. Moore in its proper forum --- now is not the place nor time for doing so. 

[Note:  This critique/analysis was written before any of us heard of U-Tube.  I am throwing it in for the reader's convenience ... as a footnote to the analysis.]

Rocky Marciano -vs- Archie Moore 1955

Fight Film:  Part 1

Fight Film:  Part 2

Before submitting this response, I did just that, i.e., watched the fight in its entirety, simply because I could not believe what you had written about the fight. I have heard these stories before and the source of the "facts," as you deem them to be ... and in reporting  these "facts," ...  derive from the Old Mongoose himself. You are simply reporting what Archie Moore had to say in rationalizing his personal annihilation! 

Marciano-Moore Yankee Stadium Ticket, September 20, 1955

Oftentimes, because they have such strong egos and cannot fathom the concept of defeat, fighters have to
justify or rationalize why they were defeated. If they don't, then their self-image is dealt a severe blow and
this impacts upon their ability to be an effective fighter.  In other words, a defeat always has to be explained
away and there has to be a reason. Very rarely will you hear a fighter say in an interview that "the other guy
was better tonight." No, there has to be a justification, an excuse, a rationalizing of the defeat. As Ernest
Hemingway wrote in The Old Man and The Sea, "Man can be destroyed but he cannot be defeated."

When Marciano was floored by Moore for the count of one, perhaps two, Marciano arose and gave absolutely no indication of showing a lack of "control of his senses," as you state, from which anyone could conclude, as you are trying to do, that he was ready to go, implying that if Moore could have got to him quickly,  Marciano would have been knocked out.

It is true that Marciano was hit with a titanic shot by Moore and the punch was a punch of the kind and nature which would have also dropped lesser fighters who would not have arisen from the scrap heap of ashes. However, Rocky Marciano was not a lesser fighter.  He did not know the taste of defeat.  On rising,  Marciano's sense of balance and equilibrium was fully intact.  He did not stagger nor lean up against the ropes --- nor did he appear, outwardly, to be incapable of defending himself in any manner, shape or form. He responded to the referee, Harry Kessler, who did not give Marciano a standing 8 count, --- as Archie Moore maintained happened.  In fact, Kessler didn't even wipe off Marciano's gloves when he arose following a count of four, an event, had it happened, which would have benefited Marciano by giving him more recuperative time. To the contrary, however, Kessler's actions of not wiping Marciano's gloves, benefited Moore whereupon Kessler then motioned for the fighters to continue their battle. 

Referee Harry Kessler was fight referee for many great fights. Here he is in the Ali-Williams Houston encounter

Any poster can watch the unfolding of events and reach their own conclusion as to who is reporting fact and who is reporting fiction.  The full story might not be told and/or the viewing misconstrued. Additionally, I suggest an interested party also read or listen to the words of Harry Kessler from his memoirs concerning the Marciano-Moore fight, as set forth in his biography, Million Dollar Referee. At the outset, in covering the fight, therein, Kessler describes Moore landing a right hand shot to Marciano's jaw --- and then continues his description:

"Marciano got up at the count of four. * * * Marciano on the canvas in round 2 stunned the house. The most
surprised person was Rocky Marciano. Even more astonished perhaps was Archie Moore when Rocky
quickly stood up! Here the Mongoose had hit his man with the most powerful punch he had landed in more
than 20 years of barnstorming the country and taking on all comers, often just for eating money, and the guy
didn't stay down! Such a thing should not have been possible and certainly did nothing to bolster Moore's
confidence in himself. If Rocky could survive his best shot ever, what would it take to pack him in?" 

Moore floored Marciano in the second round

Another camera angle of Marciano on the floor as Moore's confidence rises

"I didn't bother to wipe Marciano's gloves on my shirt before I waved them back to combat; that early in the drama there was no resin on the canvas. Archie hesitated a couple of seconds before he came in. Maybe he was still reflecting on the impossible rise of a Rock who should have been down and out; maybe he was remembering the right he had caught in the stomach before he decked Marciano."

Kessler then describes the fight and the eventual knockout of Archie Moore in the ninth round. Kessler
continues in his biography:

"I have shown a film of [the fight] hundreds of times when lecturing to foundry organizations, service clubs or charitable groups." * * *

"After [Archie Moore] had gone home to San Diego and had nothing better to do one day, Archie came up with the idea that I had protected Rocky Marciano after Archie had knocked him down in the second round!  According to the ancient one, I gave Rocky an extra two seconds count after he had resurrected himself from the canvas. The film disproves Moore's charges."

"It shows that Moore went to the far corner. I gave Marciano a normal count and when he got up, I gave the two of them the signal to begin mixing it up again. Archie Moore moved in -- but with a slight hesitation.  Remember--he had taken a strong shot from Marciano before he put the champion down. I suspect he may have been a tiny bit reluctant to charge in too quickly!"

"Contrary to protecting Marciano, I probably did Rocky a disservice when I purposely dispensed with wiping his gloves on my shirt after the knockdown. It would have given him another second or two to recover!  I was criticized by one sportswriter for my failure to do so but there wasn't enough resin on the canvas that early in the fight to make any difference. Maybe the reporter had a point. So did I: Rocky's gloves were not dirty."

"Archie's on going lament has reach me at infrequent intervals over the years. * * *

"Several months after the fight, Rocky and Archie met while changing planes at the Newark, New Jersey
airport. * * * [T]heir dialogue went this way:

Rocky: "Arch, I keep hearing that you're raising hell that Harry Kessler protected me in the ring! You know
I knocked you out fair and square! I don't need anybody's protection! Why don't you get off Harry's
back?"

Archie: "Well, Harry's a friend of mine and I just want to say that to build publicity for a return match. Harry
don't mind!"

Kessler from his autobiography:  "But I do mind, Archie! And if you read it here, I wish to hell you would cease and desist!"

Kessler and his brother had a part in Moore's introduction to the world of boxing when Archie was 13 years old in St. Louis, Missouri at a time when Kessler had refereed about 25 of Moore's fights as an amateur and a pro in the St. Louis area. Kessler suspects that Moore was upset because he thought Kessler should have been more favorable to Moore. Kessler retorts: "I never favored anyone in the ring."

Craster Pushes On: You forget to add that the great beating Marciano gave Moore in rds 6-9 came from mainly low blows that brought AM's hands down and exposed his head.

Bardelli Responds: If you are interested in complaining about fouls, I submit that you dedicate a post to cover Evander Holyfield's 8 or more fouls of Mike Tyson in their second fight, with nary a warning or a point being taking away by Mills Lane, despite protests being lodged by Tyson's corner and by Tyson himself following his receipt of the multiple flagrant fouls inflicted by Holyfield.  All of this, of course, lead Tyson to resort to the primitive and the law of the jungle as he responded as an enraged and wounded animal would and should, under the circumstances --- regrettable as Tyson's response was since this was a professional fight governed by rules prohibiting flagrant fouling.

Harry Kessler starts his count as Marciano drops Moore this fabled September 1955 championship fight

To the contrary in the Marciano-Moore fight, Archie Moore was not fouled throughout the fight let alone during the 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th round.  Furthermore, Moore, to my knowledge, never claimed he was fouled by Marciano. The media never claimed it.  Now if your understanding of fouling is making a man age before one's very eyes, in the ring, as the fight continues round after round, and the beating gets more severe with each ensuing round, then, yes, Marciano did foul Moore ... and plenty!   But in the conventional sense, no, Archie Moore was not fouled in this fight.

Marciano pouring it on before dropping Moore for good

Sheriff Moore signing arrest warrant for Marciano

I feel that your lack of understanding of what happened in this fight stems from (1) your failure to review the fight film, (2) your susceptibility to believe what Archie Moore had to say about why he lost the fight [rationalization] without looking at the film, (3) an inherent dislike of Marciano's ruggedness and capability of manhandling his opposition which you somehow interpret as fouling tactics, or (4) a combination of each of the noted basis.

Its about over as Moore down made a valiant attempt to rise before crumbling back to the canvas as Kessler tolled the count of 10 over him thereby ending a great heavyweight fight --- and Marciano's last defense and fight

Harry Kessler started refereeing fights in 1927. By conservative estimate, he donated over $200,000 to
children charities from his referee earnings before he retired as an active referee.   Refereeing was a pastime and not a vocation to him as he owned a large company and he was its metallurgist --- by all accounts, Kessler was a pre-1950's millionaire.   As Kessler stated,  "I never favored anybody in the ring!"  Indeed, it does a great disservice to the history of boxing and the memories of either Rocky Marciano and Harry Kessler, to revise history by reporting what is not factual and all of boxing suffers from it --- including the reputations of the principals involved in this September 1955 epic encounter --- Rocky Marciano, Archie Moore and Harry Kessler.

 

by John A. Bardelli

2009 World Boxing Hall of Fame Banquet

World Boxing Hall of Fame Banquet of Champions Program Cover by Roger Esty

Jeri and I attended the World Boxing Hall of Fame Banquet at the Lax Marriott last weekend and met up with our friends, Frank and Connie Baltazar, Roger and Maria Esty, Rick Farris, Dan Hanley Jr and his "Pops" Dan Hanley Sr and Ed Hernandez.

Frank was being honored for his lifetime of hard work in SoCal boxing, receiving the first Johnny Flores award. It was a big night for Roger Esty, as well. His amazing art work graced the cover of the Hall of Fame program. It was a great accomplishment for both of them. Rick Farris was our host and his attention to detail made for a great night not only for our group but for the event as well.

There were quite a few fighters attending the Banquet, guys like James "Bonecrusher" Smith, Tony "The Tiger" Lopez, Loreto Garza, Gil King, Gaspar Ortega, Rodolfo "El Gato" Gonzalez, Bobby Chacon, Danny "Little Red" Lopez, Yaqui Lopez, Mando Muniz(President of the WBHF) and last but not least, Rafael Herrera, Brian Mitchell, Orlando Canizales and Lucia Rijker, who were being inducted that evening. Boxing announcer and analyst Al Bernstein was there to receive his induction as well.

All the fighters got their proper accolades that night but it was Lucia Rijker that stole the show. From the moment she left the dais and returned to her seat she was swarmed by fans asking for photos or autographs. It was big night for her.

After the banquet was over we all went to Champions Sports Bar which is located inside the Hotel. It seemed the logical place to go.

The next morning we had breakfast with Roger and Maria Esty and Gaspar Ortega and his wife Ida. It gave us a chance to get to know Gaspar a little. Like most exfighters he was humble and unassuming.

It was a great weekend spent with some great friends. I'm looking forward to next year.

A Personal Memory: October 30, 1976

It was thirty three years ago today that I had my second and last fight.

Mel Epstein called me two weeks before the fight which was scheduled for October 30, 1976. "Randy, I got a fight for you if you want it. It'll be at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas and it's going to be televised on "The Wide World of Sports". "Yeah, I want it!" I said. "The problem" Mel said "is he's a ten round fighter. His opponent pulled out and Howie (Steindler) mentioned your name. It'll be a six round fight. You don't have to take it if you don't want to".

I began sparring with Felipe Torres for the next two weeks, I sparred with other boxers but I spent more time with Felipe than anyone else. It was a grueling two weeks. I was in shape but I only had two weeks to prepare for the fight and I wanted to be ready. I ran five miles everyday. I felt good by the time the fight neared.

We flew to Las Vegas via TWA. It was a short trip. We took a shuttle or a cab to the hotel. As soon as we entered the hotel it was a hub of activity. It seemed as if everyone from the fight game at that time was there. Eddie Futch, Ken Norton, Duane Bobick, Joey Giambra and of course Mike Quarry and Tom Bethea. There were many other fighters there but a lot of that day is a blur now. Mel knew everyone and introduced me to everyone. He introduced me to Joey Giambra and mentioned that he going to be the referee for my fight. We had an early dinner and went up to our room to rest.

After a couple of hours we went down to weighin. Back then the weighins were done the day of the fight. It was crowded and there was a lot of activity. I weighed in at 152. I was supposed to weigh 147. The guy that weighed me, whoever he was, he said " Don't worry about it, Barba came in heavy too. I never did know what Barba weighed.

I was sent to a dressing room and it just happened to be the same room as Joey Giambra, the ref for the fight. He was a very nice guy. I liked him immediately. He felt the same way. Before he went out the door he said "I like you kid, good luck tonight".

Mel brought in some guy to help him with the corner. I can't remember who he was for the life of me. He was a tall, somewhat heavy black guy that Mel knew. I wish I knew his name. Whoever he was he was another nice guy. He wrapped my hands while Mel went over a few things. Mel could wrap hands well enough but he was generally too nervous and shaky.

Before I knew it I was making the walk to the ring. As I climbed onto the ring and went to my corner I saw Barba. he was staring directly at me. I wasn't sure what else to do so I stared back at him. What I remember most was his flat nose. His hair was long and Mel mentioned something about it to me.

This is how I remember the fight. The bell for the first round sounded and I had made up my mind I was going to box. I came forward and kept pumping my jab in his face. I knew he was more experienced but I wasn't worried. I felt confident. I was landing my right hand fairly easy. I was moving my head and kept coming forward. I felt like I was beating him to the punch. We exchanged several times and I felt like I got the best of him. I could hear Ken Norton in the background as he was announcing.

At about the end of the third round I started to tire but I sucked it up. In the fourth round things began to change. Not in a huge way but he seemed to be coming on. Still, I kept coming forward. My pride wouldn't let me do anything else. I wanted to win. I don't remember what round it was but it was during the last half of the fight when Barba landed a right hand to my solar plexus. It was like an explosion going off in my body. Suddenly it was like a bad nightmare. My body was racked in pain and everything in me said to lie down. I had no breath. I had nothing in me. Honest to God, I willed myself to keep standing. I was not going to be knocked out.

I looked at Barba and I realized he had no idea I was hurt. My plan was to move my nostrils slowly as if I was still breathing. I did my best to keep him from knowing. My face revealed nothing. Whenever he came forward I stuck my jab out. It was the jab that saved me. It bought me time to recover. It took the rest of the round to get my breath, and clarity back. I was still trying to win in the next round but there was moment when I was against the ropes when my arms were so tired that they hurt more than the punches. I thought "What the hell" and I dropped my hands for about two seconds rest. he got a couple of shots in but they didn't really bother me. What did bother me was hearing Ken Norton say "It looks like Randy De La O (he pronounced it Deelayo) is getting tired. I remember thinking "Shit, it shows.

Things were going pretty much his way going into the sixth and last round. I remember several exchanges and I still kept pressing him. I was still doing my damnedest to win. Now the last round might not have looked pretty but I decided I was going to knock him out. I went after him. My arms were tired but I threw everything I had. I landed some and so did he. I might be wrong and maybe someday I'll see some footage of the fight but I remember him against the ropes as I was doing everything I could to knock that SOB out. I couldn't and didn't.

When the fight was over and before the announcer announced the winner, Mel said, "go over and shake his hand. He won the fight". The guy that was working the corner with Mel came up to me and with some emotion in his voice said to me "You gotta lot of heart kid, a lot of heart." He shook his head as he said it. Later Howie Steindler, almost verbatim and in the same way said the same thing to me. I always wondered if it was because I got my ass kicked really bad or if i really did put up a great fight.

Now years later I wonder if I was just an opponent that was meant to fail. Maybe I surprised everyone by giving Barba a good fight.

On the flight back from Las Vegas, Mel and I were sitting quietly. I was disappointed that I didn't get the win. A man walked up to me and introduced himself to me as Alex Calderon, he was some exec with TWA, whose flight we were on. He said "Excuse me but weren't you one of the fighters that fought at the Aladdin?" I looked up, more embarrassed than anything else and said "Yes". He grabbed my hand and started to shake it with excitement. I was still confused because I had lost the fight. Suddenly he was no longer an executive for TWA but a fight fan. He told me what a great fight it was and that I had really fought a good fight. I didn't know what to say.

I was wearing sunglasses to hide my swollen left eye and just didn't want any attention but then he asked me for my autograph! I was shocked and to tell the truth I felt undeserving, I felt he was mistaking me for someone else. I looked at Mel and he said "Just sign it" he was smiling. So I signed it. Then Calderon says "Excuse me for one minute". Mel was laughing at my discomfort. The guy comes back with a wine bottle, with all the stewardess' and stands next to me. I was completely unprepared for what he did next.

He said to everyone on board, "Excuse me, Ladies and gentleman, can I have your attention please? I want to introduce you to Randy De La O, he just fought a great fight at the Aladdin Hotel this weekend" He went on for a while, I can't remember everything he said because it was pretty much a blur. He then presented me with a wine bottle with a notation on it the read: "To Randy De La O, Good luck in the fight game". from Alex Calderon. I just remember everyone clapping and Mel saying to me, still laughing "Stand up and thank the people". So I did. I thanked everyone. I can tell you after that the flight home was a lot easier to bear

Sometimes in life we have to take our victories as they come. I learned that day that win, lose or draw that I had the right stuff. I learned that I was capable of doing something that most men wouldn't do. It was just one ingredient in my life's learning process, there would be many, but it was a vital one one and one that I am proud of. Sometimes a loss is a victory in disguise.

Louie Burke: Las Cruces PAL update

By Louie Burke

Last weeks National PAL’s were somewhat of a roller coaster ride, with Las Cruces PAL, winning all of their opening bouts, Ayana Vasquez and Siju Shabazz advanced to the finals, Ayana in a division above her regular fighting weight and Siju with an injured shoulder and elbow. Actually we were debating allowing Siju to enter the tournament because of the nagging shoulder pain. But Siju’s a tough soldier and figured he could still win the PAL’s. He lost a very close decision in the finals which was a big disappointment for him, but leaves us at PaL proud of him. Another person to be proud of was Ayana also losing a close decision in the finals. All in all it was a good trip and everyone gave their best effort.

Two more big disappointments were the cancellation of Abie Han’s fight in Korea and Ricky Vasquez fight against Saul Palacios on next Fridays card in El Paso. Nacho Huizar, with KO entertainment, made the arrangements for Abie to fight on a promotion coinciding with the WBC convention in Korea, notified us that the whole show had been cancelled, he didn’t know why, just one of those crazy things that happens in boxing. Then we were told by John Martino with Zeferino Promotions that Ricky’s fight had been nixed due to Palacios camp not wanting to sell tickets for their purse. It was a shame since Ricky had ticket requests that would have tripled the purse he was getting. Ricky was really looking forward to getting back in the ring and was especially anxious for that specific fight to happen. Hopefully something will happen for these guys in the near future.

Also to clear matters up, Abie is not calling Lucas Galle or anyone out, what happened is that when Abie’s fight was canceled I had read that there might be an opening on the Sky City card. Since Abie had been training for Korea I tossed his name in the hat, hoping we could get a fight with anybody, so as not to waste the weeks of perpetration he had put in for Korea. If they had room for us on the card it would have been great, but they didn’t, and that was that.

Lil Sammy according to big Sam is "on fire" and looking as good as he ever has, mixing speed and power without missing a beat. I held the punch mitts for him two weeks ago and he is cracking with authority. It appears that the rest due to a rotator cuff injury might have done him some good. He’s anxious and hungry to get back into the ring and has had some great preparation for this fight making regular trips to El Paso to spar with Ceasar and Oscar Valenzuala. Also helping Sammy for this fight is Lorenzo Estrada, who’s preparing for a tough fight himself against top prospect Brandon Rios and of course PAL stablemate Ricky Vasquez, who was getting ready for the Palacios fight on the same card as Sammy.

Super great news came in last week!! Austin Trout rated #2 in the world by the WBA! The fight in Panama was a tough one but Austin is now reaping the benefits of the win. It’s all sweet, but we don’t have any time to savor it right now. Austin is working very hard for his fight against Taronze Washington, Nov., 5th in Dallas. This will be for the WBC Continental of Americas belt. A win should get him sitting nicely in the BC ratings. At this time we do have something tentatively planned in December. At this time Daniel Santos the WBA champion is taking on Yori Foreman for the title next month. So we’ll have to see what happens there. We’ve been blessed by opportunity this year and Austin has stepped up to the plate every time, taking on some tough foe’s in their backyards. We expect huge things to happen next year!

We also have a welcomed addition to the PAL stable, lightheavy, Michael Brooks, who’s been sparring with Austin, Siju and Abie and coming along very well in his training. He will be well prepared for his December fight in ‘burque.


Saturday night was a treat, I went down and helped corner some of my firefighter buddies in the Rumble in Rio. It was a good time and great competition against law enforcement and firefighters to raise money for Christmas bikes for needy kids. Everyone should check it out next year and help support this good cause. Keep up the good work fella’s.
Thanks for the support,
Louie Burke