Rocky's Ring: Burke an El Paso Hall of Famer

By Jason Groves jgroves@lcsun-news.com
Posted:   06/11/2012 06:17:57 PM MDT
Courtesy of Las Cruces Sun-News
Original Article: Here


LAS CRUCES - A good boxing official goes unnoticed during the course of a fight.
Throughout the course of a career is a different matter.
Rocky Burke has made his living in the ring, earning induction into the El Paso Boxing-Martial Arts Hall of Fame on Saturday.

"I'm really proud of my brother," said trainer Louie Burke, Rocky's brother and also inducted on Saturday. "I think he is one of the best referees in the world. Being from Las Cruces, it's hard to break into the big megafights. The thing about a good referee is that you don't see them. You get a lot of these referees that think they are part of the show."

Rocky Burke has been officiating fights for roughly 20 years, finally finding a way to stay connected to the sport that defines the Burke family.

Burke got off to a 7-0 start as a professional before life got in the way. He worked for his father, Sammy Burke, for Burke Outdoor Adverting and was also working for Newman Outdoor Advertising.

"I had three stressful fulltime jobs and it was too much, more than ever before," he said.

Burke stepped out of the ring as a fighter in 1981, just as Louie Burke's career was on the rise.

Burke helped train and manage his younger brother's career as well as other fighters from the area.

"Rocky knows the fight game as good an anyone out there," said Lorenzo Saiz, a fellow referee from Las Cruces who has been in the ring for 20 years. "No. 1, he was a fighter. He was also my manager when I was fighting professional and now he's an official. Everything to do with the business, he has done it."

Rocky Burke continued in boxing as a judge before finally returning to the ring as an official, where he has traveled the world and refereed several world title fights.

"I have been fortunate to travel to different countries, a lot of fights in Mexico because I speak Spanish," Rocky Burke said. "As a boxer, I know what fighters go through. I can look in their eyes and see if they are hurt or if they have something left."

Among the memorable fights Burke has officiated was Johnny Tapia's fight against Javier Torres in 2000 at the Pan American Center on Showtime.

Gaining entry into the El Paso Boxing Hall of Fame was significant for the Burke family. Rocky Burke's officiating career continues on Saturday as he will officiated an undercard bout on the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.,/Andy Lee card at the Sun Bowl.

"It's special that our neighbors to the south have given us some recognition because I don't think the northern part of the state likes to recognize us in any sport," Rocky Burke said.

Sammy Burke, Louie Burke and Rocky Burke were each inducted on Saturday, marking a special day for a family that continues to contribute to boxing in the area.

"I started coaching kids before I even turned professional," said Louie Burke, who was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame last summer. "My dad felt for me to improve as a boxer, it was important for me to learn how to coach. My dad (Sammy Burke) had a lot of stories on the old timers who were inducted into the Hall of Fame who I was there with Saturday. They were guys who I tried to emulate and copy and a lot of them voted for me to be in the Hall of Fame."

Jason Groves can be reached at (575) 541-5459. Follow him on Twitter @jpgroves.

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.

A Mini Reunion and a Night at the Fights

Los Primos

(The Cousins)

Rocky Burke, Randy De La O and Louie Burke

Photo Courtesy of
newmexicoboxing.com

Daniel Pnce De leon
and Antonio Escalante

By Randy De La O

My cousins Louie and Rocky Burke, from Las Cruces, New Mexico,  are in town for this weekends fight at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles. Rocky is New Mexico's number one referee and one of the best in the country.  Louie is the trainer of Antonio Escalante, of El Paso, Texas, who will be facing Daniel Ponce De Leon in a WBO title elimination bout on the undercard of the Sugar Shane Mosley vs Sergio Mora fight. According to Louie, Antonio is in "great shape and confident".  De Leon the former WBO Super Bantamweight Champ is looking to restake his claim as the best in his division, Escalante, on a ten fight winning streak has plans of his own. Since blood is thicker than water, I'll be rooting for Escalante.

The Fight between Mosley and Mora should be a good one.  Mosley suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his last fight and has been somewhat inconsistent and shown signs of old age. Still his experience and huge heart make him a dangerous fighter at any time. Mora on the other hand, a former  "Contender" Champion and WBC Light Middleweight Champion, has never quite reached the level enjoyed by Mosley. Mora won and lost the title from the late Vernon Forrest in 2008 and Forrest has two big wins over Mosley. Make of that what you will.

Mora has good boxing skills and if he can utilize his jab and reach and not be suckered into a "fight" by Mosley, he might have a chance to win. The timing of the fight and Mosley's age are on his side. Still, for me, this is a toss up. As always, let the best man win.