RING TRIVIA – Answers

David Martinez, Trivia

I have always been intrigued with boxing trivia. This started back to when I was a kid in 1961. I would pick the minds of my older generation friends and ask them questions about their era to learn and educate myself. It’s now a delight to bring boxing trivia to my website for everyone. On a quarterly basis I post five (5) multiple choice questions – in March, June, September, and December – with the correct answers to follow for viewing by the end of each posting month.
 
1 — On March 1, 1949 when Joe Louis announced his retirement, who won the vacated heavyweight title?
a) Ezzard Charles
b)Jersey Joe Walcott
c) Billy Conn
d) Rocky Marciano
CORRECT ANSWER — Ezzard Charles
 
2 — George Foreman won the Gold Medal in the heavyweight class at the Mexico City Olympic games – in what year?
a) 1964
b) 1966)
c) 1968)
d) 1970
*** CORRECT ANSWER — 1968

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Battling Siki

David Martinez, History
 
By David Martinez / dmboxing.com
 
Battling Siki (1887-1925) was one of the most recognizable black boxers in the early twentieth century. He was the first African to win a world championship.
 
Born Amadou M’Barick Fall on September 16, 1897, Siki was taken from St. Louis, Senegal, French West Africa to live in Paris, France by an actress. He also carried the name Baye Phal, which is a Senegalese name corresponding to Louis.   
 
To begin his boxing career in 1912, he chose the fight name of Battling Siki as it is a Senegalese word which parents apply to their children such as “darling” in English or “cherie” in French. He stated “white men could easily remember such a name.”
 
Today, one can find his legacy in the name of popular rock group, a character in Xena – Warrior Princess, a hotel in his homeland of Senegal, and various professional wrestlers who have used Battling Siki as their stage name. He fought until 1914, then would serve in the French colonial forces under the name of Louis Phal or Bayne Phal. Bayne is a Senegalese name corresponding to Louis.
 
 

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Ward vs. Kovalev – RECAP

Recap, Recent Fights, Tom Donelson
 
By Tom Donelson 
Member Boxing Writers Association of America
 
Andre Ward faced Sergey Kovalev and like the first bout, this too ended in controversy.  Going into the eighth and decisive round, this was a tight fight according to many ringside observer.  (I had Kovalev up by one point but this was one of those fights with many close rounds which explains why Harold Lederman had Kovalev up by three points at the half way mark of the fight and others had it closer with Paul Malignaggi having it even.)
 
Kovalev took to the center of the ring in the opening rounds and used his jab to set distance and allow him to use his power shots. Both men didn’t land many punches and this was a tough one to score.
 
In the second round, Kovalev lands a nice right hand and his jab forced Ward off guard and kept Ward from effectively countering.  Just as in the first fight, Kovalev landed the heavy punches in the early rounds and Ward moved inside to land body shots and landed one low blow that garnered a warning.

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Hey Harold!

Harold Lederman, Upcoming Fights, Video

 

My good friend Harold Lederman of HBO World Championship Boxing kindly provides dmboxing.com with his short video links regarding upcoming fights.

Here’s a look at the rematch – Andre Ward (31-0 / 15 by KO) vs. Sergey Kovalev (30-1-1 / 26 by KO) WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight championship, scheduled for 12 rounds – airing on HBO/PPV this Saturday, June 17, 2017 from Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino Events Center, Las Vegas. 

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Ward vs. Kovalev – PREVIEW

Preview, Tom Donelson, Upcoming Fights

By Tom Donelson / Author, Member of Boxing Writers Association of America. Our mutual friend Rusty Rubin (R.I.P.) was instrumental in connecting Tom to dmboxing.com in 2008.

Sergey Kovalev faces Andre Ward in their second bout.  For Kovalev, this represents revenge as he felt that he won their first fight and he certainly had a good case.  Ward managed to win a close bout on the judges’ score card but in their first bout, Ward did not look like the Ward of old using his speed and defense to avoid getting hit while countering effectively.  Whether this was due to his age, past injuries or the early power of Kovalev, Ward did not look like the fighter who dominated the Super Middleweight division against some of the elite fighters of that division. 

The question will be if Ward can recapture some of his youth and show the defensive skills that allowed him to prosper in the Super Middleweight.  Kovalev is a solid boxer with power go to with his sound techniques.  Throughout the bout, his punches had more pop and this was self-evident over the first four rounds in which he sent Ward down for an eight count while taking a big lead on the cards.  Starting in the third round, Ward simply turned the fight into a brawl and fought on the inside of the powerful Russian.

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Henry Armstrong

David Martinez, Henry Armstrong Foundation

By David Martinez / dmboxing.com 

One of my favorite boxers of all time is Henry Armstrong. He was born Henry Jackson on December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi.

Armstrong engaged in 62 amateur bouts, 58 of which he won before turning professional in 1931. He was knocked out in three rounds in his first pro fight, compiling a 1-3 record in his first four professional bouts. But all of that would change. He would go on to be the only boxer to hold three world championships simultaneously.

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Brook vs. Spence – RECAP … and a Look at the Welterweight Division

Recap, Recent Fights, Tom Donelson
 
 
By Tom Donelson (BWAA)
Author, Member Boxing Writers Association of America, and contributing writer for dmboxing.com since 2008
 
 
Last month (May 27, 2017), Errol Spence Jr. faced Kell Brook in Sheffield England in Brook’s backyard. For the first six rounds, Brook had a slight lead as he forced the action with his upper cuts and right hands against the southpaw Spence who tried to push the action but often found himself against a savvy fighter.  Brook at times even shook Spence but Spence showed a strong chin.
 
The second half of the fight, Spence took control of the fight with vicious body shots to go with effective jabs to set up combinations.  Brook slowed down and during the tenth round, Spence pushed Brook around the ring with body shots with quick combinations. Brook went down in the tenth from effective combinations. Brook’s left eye swelled from Spence’s jabbing, and going into the eleventh, Spence had his opportunity to end it and he did. Spence put on the pressure and landed a combination that forced Brook to sit down.  Spence fractured Brook’s left orbital bone and Brook could not continue as the swelling affected his vision. 
 

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Gene Aguilera

David Martinez, DMBoxing News, Hall Of Fame

By David Martinez / dmboxing.com

On December 3, 2016 my friend Gene Aguilera was inducted into the WBC World Boxing Council Legends Hall of Fame. It was an extreme honor for me to be his presenter, and it was such a deserving honor for Gene. In prior years, with the World Boxing Hall of Fame and California Boxing Hall of Fame, I have been a presenter for Rodolfo Gonzalez (WBC lightweight champion); Ernie Terrell (WBA heavyweight champion); Eddie Perkins (WBA junior welterweight champion); Eddie Futch (arguably the greatest trainer of the 20th century); and Harold Lederman (HBO World Championship Boxing). But, it is Gene that is so very special in my heart because our roles were reversed – he was my presenter upon my induction on May 17, 2015.

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RING TRIVIA

David Martinez, Trivia

I have always been intrigued with boxing trivia. This goes back to when I was a young boy in 1961. I would pick the minds of the older generation and ask them questions about their era to learn and educate myself. It’s now my pleasure to bring boxing trivia to my website for everyone. On a quarterly basis I post five multiple choice questions – in March, June, September, and December – with the correct answers to follow for viewing by the end of each posting month.

 

 

1 – On March 1, 1949 when Joe Louis announced his retirement, who won  the vacated heavyweight title?

a) Ezzard Charles

b) Jersey Joe Walcott

c) Billy Conn

d) Rocky Marciano

  

2 – George Foreman won the Gold Medal in the heavyweight class at the Mexico City Olympic games – in what year?

a) 1964

b) 1966

c) 1968

d) 1970

Continue reading RING TRIVIA →