Remembering the Greatest on His Birthday.

The Greatest

Paying My Respect

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Happy Birthday to the "Greatest" Muhammad Ali. There will never be another quite like him. He backed up every claim, every statement he ever made.

I shook his hand once and he gave me a gentle right hand to the jaw, along with his famous scowl!! He gave my wife and kids a hug. He was a true gentlemen.

In my eyes he truly was the greatest!! Happy Birthday Muhammad Ali and Rest in peace!

Old Memories

I pulled these ancient relics out of the mothballs today. My old boxing trunks and boxing shoes from the mid 1970's. All are old school boxing gear and obsolete now, at least for the time being, styles come and go. Good memories from good days!

Book Review: Latino Boxing in Southern California

Latino Boxing in Southern California

Author: Gene Aguilera

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Carlos Palomino vs Wilfredo Rivera
Olympic Auditorium 1998

By Randy De La O

"The other night I had a dream I fought Rafeal Herrera. And you know what? He knocked me out again. Not even in my dreams can I beat this guy."  -Ruben Olivares

Author Gene Aguilera's latest book on boxing: Latino Boxing in Southern California (Arcadia Publishing) is another fistic hit. Following on the heels of his previous book, "Mexican American Boxing in Los Angeles", Aguilera has positioned himself as one of the premiere chroniclers of boxing in the Southland and specifically the boxing world as seen through the eyes of the Latino boxing community.

This book, like so many of the fighters he writes about, has heart. I can appreciate that. Growing up in the Los Angeles area and having a father who was a boxer in the U.S. Army and a lifelong fan of boxing, it was hard not to become a fan and for a brief time; a boxer. I am familiar with many of the names mentioned in the book. It brings the past alive for me. Names like Roberto Duran, Art Aragon, Ruben Olivares, Bobby Chacon, Alexis Arguello, Lauro Salas, Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez and so many more fill the pages of his book, as well as such venues as; the Olympic Auditorium, the Fabulous Forum, the Los Angeles Sports Arena and the Main Street Gym. All familiar names to West Coast boxing fans.

He takes us on a chronological journey through time beginning with the early years of boxing in Southern California in the 1900's and the ensuing decades. That Mexicans, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans and Latinos in general have become a dominate force in boxing is beyond dispute. They were exciting times and Southern California was the center of it all. He chronicles that rise in his book.

The book has something for boxing fans at any level and is filled with plenty of photos; fight posters, programs  and magazine covers, as well as personal photos of the author in his younger days.

Mr. Aguilera uses his personal experience and his own encyclopediac sense of boxing history to produce another fine book on Los Angeles and Southern California's proper place in boxing's storied history. It is a good read and what's more, it is a book my father would have loved. Do yourself a favor and get a copy.

In Remembrance: Joey Giambra 1931 - 2018

More on Joey Giambra

By Randy De La O

I took this book off the bookshelf this morning. "The Uncrowned Champion" by Joey Giambra & Fred Villani. It was autographed by Joey Giambra. It was not autographed personally to me. I bought it a few years back on Amazon. I'm going to read it again starting tonight.

I only met Mr. Giambra once and it was almost forty-two years ago but he left a big impression on me. Some people you meet and the memory is fleeting, others, for whatever reason, stay with you forever. Joey Giambra stayed with me.

He was in his mid forties when we met. He still looked formidable and in good shape. We were introduced by my trainer Mel Epstein. Mel knew everyone from the glory days of boxing. I did not have a sense of history, boxing or otherwise, at that time, but as time passed I became more familiar with the man I met.

"He's going to referee your fight tonight!" Said Mel. "Oh" Says I. We sat down and had lunch and talked for a while. He was warm, well mannered and treated me like a professional athlete, despite the fact that it was only my second fight. I appreciated that. He had a friendly smile on his face. That more than anything is what I remember.

Adios Mr. Giambra and Rest in Peace! It was my everlasting honor to meet you and shake your hand.

Joey Giambra the "Uncrowned Champ" Has Passed Away. 1931-2018

By Randy De La O

The great Joey Giambra has passed away! My prayers and condolences to the Giambra family. Such a great man and fighter. He will not be forgotten.

He was the referee for my fight with Eduardo Barba at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas, on October 30, 1976 (I lost a 6 round decision). We shared the same dressing room and had a chance to talk and get to know each other a little. We also had lunch together, along with my trainer Mel Epstein.

Before he walked out of the dressing room he turned to me and said, "I like you kid! Good luck tonight!"

My memories of those days are few but he was one of the great memories. I was and always will be grateful to have met him. Rest in peace Mr. Giambra, you were the "Uncrowned Champion" and so much more!

Two Boxing Legends: Julio Cesar Chavez and Roberto Duran

By Randy De La O

Julio Cesar Chavez on the left, Roberto Duran on the right. Two bona fide Latin Legends in boxing but so much more than that. Two of boxing's finest that would have rose to greatness in any generation.

They never fought each other; age wise, weight wise and otherwise, the timing was all wrong. Chavez' star was rising as Duran was winding down his own career (though he did fight longer than he should have). together, they have a combined total of 234 fights.

In many ways they were made for each other. Both were at their absolute best when facing an opponent that wanted to fight. They would have no trouble finding each other.

If only there really was a mythical and mystical pound for pound Netherland where all the greats could meet and face each other in their natural prime and at their best weight without losing anything in the process. Instead, we are left to wonder.

Had they fought I'm convinced that it would have been Duran's hand that would be raised in victory. At his peak, Chavez was near impossible to knock out. If I remember correctly he was born with an abnormally thick skull. A curse for his opponent but a blessing for Chavez. I don't believe Duran could knock out a prime Chavez. With respect to Chavez, I think Duran had the better overall arsenal. Neither man was easy to hit but Duran  mastered the defensive nuances better than Chavez.

Duran was an underrated but masterful counter puncher and I think this would be the key to a win over Chavez. Duran had his own left hook but Chavez had one of the great left hook in boxing period, what has generally become known as the "Mexican Left hook". Still, as Duran has proven throughout his career, he can take it.

In his later, years after dominating the lightweight division for seven years, Duran moved up to take the welterweight title from Sugar Ray Leonard, the Jr. Middleweight title from Davey Moore, and the middleweight title from Iran Barkley, as well as many other middleweights including a better than expected close loss to Marvin Hagler. He handled the weight gain much better than Chavez did.

Chavez captured the Super featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight divisions and was one of the most exciting fighters of his era. He beat the best of his era, including, Hector Camacho and Meldrick Taylor (a clear cut victory as far as I'm concerned). Chavez fought to a highly controversial draw against Pernell Whitakerfor the welterweight title. (He lost). He moved up one weight class to many.

I always had a house full of friends and family when these two fought. They gave us their all and the gave us our money's worth! It pleases me to see both of them enjoying their retirement.