This is a “Happy Halloween” wish to my many friends & with the most important thing – to be safe this Halloween!
On a boxing note – this Saturday is a huge boxing night on HBO & Showtime … here’s the line-up:
By David Martinez / Boxing Historian
I first met Armando (Mando) Ramos in the fall of 1969, when I drove
to Santa Monica to watch him train at the Surf Rider Hotel in his
preparation to defend his Lightweight title against Yoshiaki Numata.
What I saw was, not a fighter in serious training. Earlier that year
Ramos won the Lightweight Championship via knockout over Teo Cruz, to
become the youngest to win the Lightweight title at the age of 20 years
old.
But, to my surprise, I found trainer Jackie McCoy completely
frustrated with Mando and his lack of concentration in the gym. He
verbally chastised Mando and scowled at him for his poor training
practices. That was my initial contact with Mando Ramos, which was like
a teacher bawling out a student.
(three new questions will be posted on November 2nd)
1) As a young kid growing up, Roberto Duran idolized what “masked” wrestler ?
the answer is – El Santo
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By David Martinez / Boxing Historian
In all my years following boxing, since 1960, there have been
lots of people that have given me gifts for my collection, and
believe it or not, after 47 years, I can honestly tell you exactly
who gave me what and when!
This is a short story about just one of those boxing gifts that
I recently received from a lady, my friend, Eva Futch, the widow
of the late Eddie Futch.
David Martinez and Eddie Futch
Most of the boxing world certainly knows who Eddie Futch was – he was without a doubt one of the all time top trainers and corner men in boxing… ever.
He worked with boxers such as: Don Jordan, Hedgemon Lewis, Bob Foster, Joe Frazier, Virgil Hill, Ken Norton, Alexis
Arguello, Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks, Trevor Berbick, and Riddick Bowe – just to name a few.
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Rusty Rubin is the editor-in-chief of the Ringsports.com website and the author of three highly acclaimed boxing books!
Old friend from the UK, former light heavyweight and Lonsdale Belt winner, Tony Wilson has a new website for you to check out, it’s www.tonywilsonboxing.co.uk. Tony, an asset to our sport, does much for the kids in the UK, and deserves much support from everyone connected to our sport.
Former lightweight champ and good guy Greg “Mutt” Haugen has an organization that is also working with the kids.***
People ask why I don’t write columns on a regular basis. It’s not that I don’t have the time, just not always enough going on to comment on. And I’d rather comment on important fights, not just ones that are ‘gimme’s’.
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It’s that time once again, to say thank you to you – my many website fan base people.
My boxing site has now been up for a little more than two months, and I have gotten so many nice complements from everyone, that it just makes it a pleasure to continue my work to you as a boxing historian with every intention to provide the best in boxing.
I want to take this opportunity to thank a very special person that has worked endlessly, and has done so many good things behind the scenes to make this website what it is today, and what it will be tomorrow.
My producer John Boitnott is that special person, and without him – I would be like a kid lost on a trip to Disneyland without a map … he is my map and this is my Disneyland – my boxing website.
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Rusty Rubin is the editor-in-chief of the Ringsports.com website and the author of three highly acclaimed boxing books!
‘Healing, therapeutic’ and ‘helpful in dealing with a life threatening illness’, are the words that seem to be most used when readers have called and written to me about “Woozel, Boxing and Me” (Authorhouse.com #31810). This book has been given 4½ stars at Amazon.com (read the reviews) and was awarded “Boxing Book of the Year, 2006” by 13thround.com.
“Woozel, Boxing and Me” is far more than just a compilation of many funny and true boxing stories, oddities and quotes. The book serves as a final tribute to the memory of Susiey Walker, my zany best friend of more than 25 years, who loved life and knew how to live it to the max. This book has helped many people deal with terminal illness and death, although that was never my overt intention in writing this book. I am now working on a follow up.
Wuz traveled and attended many West Coast boxing events with me and by so doing created many of those unforgettable moments with her positive, but often zany attitude and always bubbly personality. Sue passed away in Feb. 2004, at age 54, after a tough 5-year battle with colon cancer. Although she never got into the title belt, Sue was a true fighter with the (body of a model and the heart of a champion.
By Tom Donelson
This was desperation time for Jameel McCline. At the age of 37, McCline was facing the elimination fight of his career and recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in his last fight against Nickolay Valuev. And if that was not enough, New York Daily reported that McCline had used performance enhancing drugs. With a dark cloud hanging for him, McCline wandered into the ring all business and minus the usual marching music that accompanies fighters on their slow walk to the ring.
For Samuel Peter, this was to be his coronation of the new king of the Heavyweights. With Oleg Maskaev out with a back injury, Peter decided to fight McCline, who was a late entry after his fight with Vitali Klitschko was canceled due to a back injury. Two weeks ago, McCline was scheduled to fight DaVarryl Williamson when the Klitschko fight got canceled, but the injury to Maskaev provided McCline one more opportunity to win a championship. As for Peter, he wanted a spectacular knockout to send a message to the rest of the Heavyweights that he was the guy.
Peter, a raw talent with knock out power, showed improvement in his second fight with Toney, demonstrating more deft defense and more variety of punches. He shorten his punches and used his jab more effective and one jab sent Toney down and won a easy decision in their second fight.
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HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION: OLEG MASKAEV (KAZAKHSTAN)
INTERIM CHAMPION: SAMUEL PETER (NIGERIA)
WON TITLE: August 12, 2006
LAST DEFENCE: December 10, 2006
LAST COMPULSORY: August 12, 2006
WBA CHAMPION: Ruslan Chagaev (Uzbekistan)
IBF CHAMPION: Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine)
WBO CHAMPION: Sultan Ibragimov (Russia)
Contenders:
WBC INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION: Oliver McCall (US)
1. Vladimir Virchis (Ukraine) EBU
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Rusty Rubin is the editor-in-chief of the Ringsports.com, and the author of three highly acclaimed boxing books!
Old friend from the UK, former light heavyweight and Lonsdale Belt winner, Tony Wilson has a new website for you to check out, it’s www.tonywilsonboxing.co.uk. Tony, an asset to our sport, does much for the kids in the UK, and deserves much support from everyone connected to our sport.***
People ask why I don’t write columns on a regular basis. It’s not that I don’t have the time, just not always enough going on to comment on. And I’d rather comment on important fights, not just ones that are ‘gimme’s’. Of course ‘gimme’ didn’t apply to the Kelly Pavlik upset of Jermain Taylor last week. As I wrote, it was a very tough fight to call. Congratulations Kelly. Well done.