The two fighters lived up to all the hype and staged an action packed fight up to the ninth round, where Chacon scored a spectacular knockout stopping the previously undefeated Lopez in 48 seconds of that round. Both would go on to win world championships, Chacon the WBC Featherweight (1974-75) and the WBC Super Featherweight (1982-84) titles and Lopez the WBC Featherweight (1976-80) title.

Knowing both of these champions personally, I am happy to announce that they are the best of friends and hold the highest respect for each other. What’s amazing is that fight fans still talk and rave about their fight – 38 years ago!

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

I started to officially watch boxing in the year 1961. I was 13 years old, and it’s been over fifty years since my love for the sport began. I have seen so many great boxers and I consider myself blessed to have been able to live to see them.

I thought it would be interesting to list the best fighters in each weight division – my opinion – that I saw during that time span. They all have one thing in common; they are great champions. As this period of time only covers 1961 to the present, the greats such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, and Rocky Marciano, are not included.

This has nothing to do with who beat whom; (i.e.) why Oscar De La Hoya isn’t listed and he beat Pernell Whitaker, or Holmes is ahead of Tyson and got beat by Tyson, or “where is Foreman; he beat Frazier?”  It is about each boxer at the height of their career and how I saw them; this is what I am basing my ranking upon for the best of the best.

Here’s each division with the best boxers listed – in order – as I felt they were at the pinnacle of their careers:

Heavyweight  Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, Sonny Liston,  Mike Tyson, Joe Frazier
Cruiserweight (195 lbs)  Evander Holyfield
Light Heavyweight (175 lbs)  Bob Foster, Archie Moore, Michael Spinks
Super Middleweight (168 lbs)  Roy Jones, Jr., Joe Calzaghe
Middleweight (160 lbs)  Carlos Monzon, Marvin Hagler, Bernard Hopkins
Junior Middleweight (154 lbs)  Terry Norris, Koichi Wajima
Welterweight (147 lbs)  Jose Napoles, Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Thomas Hearns, Felix Trinidad
Junior Welterweight (140 lbs)  Aaron Pryor, Wilfred Benitz
Lightweight (135 lbs)  Roberto Duran, Carlos Ortiz, Pernell Whitaker
Junior Lightweight (130 lbs)  Julio Cesar Chavez, Alexis Arguello, Manny Pacquiao, Flash Elorde
Featherweight (126 lbs)  Vicente Saldivar, Salvador Sanchez, Marco Antonio Barerra
Junior Featherweight (122 lbs)  Wilfredo Gomez, Erik Morales
Bantamweight (118 lbs)  Eder Jofre, Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate, Fighting Harada
Junior Bantamweight (115 lbs)  Khaosai Galaxy
Flyweight (112 lbs)  Miguel Canto, Mark Johnson
Junior Flyweight (108 lbs)  Jung Koo Chang, Yoko Gushiken
Strawweight (105 lbs)  Ricardo Lopez, Pone Kingpetch

David made an appearance recently on DoghouseBoxing.com with another interview. Check it out here:

Adrien Broner / Eloy Perez
Marcos Madiana / Devon Alexander

By David Tyler
doghouseboxing.com

Boxing expert, David Martinez is paying doghouse boxing another visit. This time to provide expert analysis of this Saturday’s fights on HBO at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

David Tyler : David, I am looking forward to Saturday’s HBO Boxing After Dark. I believe these are two quality fights. Your thoughts about this fight card?
David Martinez : The fight card will feature two very promising fights. I am impressed that HBO will start this year’s Boxing After Dark fights with four really good boxers.

DT : I like the Adrien Broner/ Eloy Perez match-up. One of these two guys will take a giant leap forward with an impressive victory. Agree?
DM : Certainly I would agree. Adrien Broner has a great opportunity to be one of boxing’s next superstars. Both of these fighters have undefeated records but Eloy Perez has two draws and one no-decision. As I examine the resumes of both fighters…it’s the knockout percentage that gets my attention. Broner has a 22-0 record with 18 knockouts. Perez has seven knockouts in 26 fights. We have discussed this before…on the surface it looks like one fighter has more power than the other guy…maybe that’s true but you really have to take a close look at the opponents and their records.

DT : So I shouldn’t take it for granted that Broner will score a knock out?
DM : Both of these fighters are very good…legitimate top 10 boxers in the Featherweight division. Perez needs to be very careful during the first two or three rounds. Broner brings a lot of raw power to the ring and it’s those early rounds that will dictate if Perez has enough boxing skills to avoid those punches and counter with some shots of his own. This will be a very competitive fight.

DT : David, this fight takes place in the Junior Lightweight Division 130 pounds. Can you give me your top five active fighters in the Featherweight and Junior Lightweight divisions?
DM : Let’s start with the Featherweights (126 lbs.) – 1. Yukiorkis Gamboa, 2. Chris John, 3. Orlando Salido, 4. Juan Manuel Lopez, and 5. Johnny Gonzalez. My Junior Lightweights (130 lbs.) — 1. Takashi Uchyama, 2. Adrien Broner, 3. Juan Carlos Salgado, 4. Roman Martinez, and 5. Eloy Perez.

DT: Good picks and both Broner and Perez make your top five. Can you pick the winner of the fight?
DM: If forced to pick a winner, I would go with Broner…he is younger, appears to have more power, and I just think that this is his time. Both of these fighters have been very active. I think that Broner has fought better opponents and that may be just the edge to carry him in this fight.

DT: Next, HBO’s main event this Saturday, February 25th, will be the Marcos Maidana/ Devon Alexander fight. Let’s take a look at this fight.
DM: This is another competitive fight with two fighters in the top 10 at Junior Welterweight level. Neither one of these fighters will have trouble making the 147 lbs. They have both fought at Welterweight during their careers. This will be a 10 round fight…not 12 rounds.

DT: Marcos Maidana is a very entertaining ‘gunslinger’ type fighter. Your thoughts about Maidana?
DM: What can you say about Maidana with that great victory over Victor Ortiz. That’s what the fans remember about Marcos Maidana. Let’s take a look at the flip side of Maidana. When he fought Erik Morales, I had that fight even after 10 rounds. Of course you could say that Morales fought the fight of his life or you could take the position that Maidana has some flaws in his style. Maybe you could make a case that Morales was the more experienced fighter. Let’s give Maidana credit for closing the show by winning the last two rounds for the victory. That fight was one of last year’s top contenders for ‘fight of the year.’ My resources told me that he had a very successful training camp in Puerto Rico. His trainer, Rudy Perez, has had health problems so Maidana will have a new trainer in his corner.

DT: We spoke earlier that Maidana has had trouble with two fighters that had the advantage with boxing skills…Amir Khan and Erik Morales. Your thoughts about Devon Alexander?
DM: Alexander is another top 10 fighter. Very good boxing skills…what you would call a ‘pure boxer.’ Both he and Madiana a former Junior Welterweight champions. Alexander has not fought in eight months and that may be a factor in this fight. On the positive side for Alexander is that it’s home turf in St. Louis and it’s only a ten round fight. He is a lefty and he has a lot to prove in this fight. I thought he would beat Tim Bradley and I was wrong. Devon Alexander will be highly motivated to establish himself as a solid contender in the Welterweight division. Yes, we spoke about the fact that I will always take a pure boxer over a pure puncher. So if you ask me who I would pick…I’m going with Alexander.

DT: David, can we take a look at your list of top five active fighters in the two Welterweight divisions?
DM: Let’s start with the Junior Welterweights — 1. Timothy Bradley, 2. Lamont Peterson, 3. Amir Khan, 4. Marcos Maidana, 5. Devon Alexander. Now the Welterweights — 1. Floyd Mayweather Jr., 2. Manny Pacquiao, 3. Victor Ortiz, 4. Andre Berto, 5. Vyacheslav Senchenko.

DT: Good picks — What really stands out it that HBO is presenting two fights with fighters ranked in the top five of their respective divisions.
DM: All four of these boxers are top quality fighters. These are not fighters on their way up the ladder or have seen their better days. All four boxers are still in their prime…each has a lot to gain with a victory. I really appreciate the fact that HBO is presenting these type fights to their subscribers.

DT: I am looking forward to both fights and I agree this could be the ‘perfect storm’ brewing Saturday night. All four of these boxers will come to fight, they will be in great shape, they are highly motivated to win…a boxing fan’s dream! David thank you very much for your valuable insight for these fights.
DM: I am always happy to help and we will talk again. Take care.

Readers: For more about David Martinez, check out his website at dmboxing.com. Once again, the fights will be presented on HBO’s Boxing After Dark, this Saturday, February 25th, from the Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri…the hometown of Devon Alexander.

These fighters are at the stage of their careers where these are very important fights that will play a huge role in determining

~
David Tyler:  David, what qualifies someone as a boxing historian?
David Martinez:  Somebody that religiously, daily, every minute of their life, is passionately devoted to the sport of boxing.

DT:  How many years have you accumulated using your criteria as a historian?
DM:  I have about 52 years.  It’s in my life, my DNA, that’s all I do.  My house is like a boxing museum.

DT:  I noticed that on your website is a posting of your top 12 boxers.  In alphabetical order:  Muhammad Ali, Henry Armstrong, Roberto Duran, Joe Gans, Harry Greb, Eder Jofre, Jack Johnson, Benny Leonard, Joe Louis, Carlos Monzon, Willie Pep, and Sugar Ray Robinson.  How did you decide these were the top 12?
DM:  That’s my personal opinion over 52 years. All of these fighters would be ‘all time’ greats.  My decisions were easy….let me give you an example from my top Heavyweights also on the website…. people question why I rate Jack Dempsey over Gene Tunney and bring up the fact that Tunney beat Dempsey twice.  I simply say this, ‘at the pinnacle of both of their careers, I believe that Dempsey was a better fighter than Tunney.’

DT:  James Corbett lost twice to James Jeffries.  Why do you rate Corbett higher than Jeffries?
DM:  Same logic…I think that at the pinnacle of his career, Corbett was a better fighter than Jeffries.  Here’s another example, I think that Joe Frazier was a better fighter than George Foreman at the pinnacle of his career even though Foreman beat him twice.

DT:  Your pick as the greatest of all time?
DM:  Sugar Ray Robinson….yesterday we had talked about Henry Armstrong and the tough fights he had with Fritzie Zivic…..I had the pleasure of interviewing Sugar Ray Robinson’s wife, Millie, and she told me that Sugar Ray told her that the toughest man he ever fought was Fritzie Zivic, not Jake LaMotta as most would assume.

DT:  David, where did we reach the pinnacle of boxing?
DM:  There have been many pinnacles….boxing is a classic sport of swings…..you have your highs and your lows.  As I look at the 80′s you have Robert Duran, Marvin Haggler, Thomas Hearns, Pipino Cuevas, that was an era where boxing peaked.  Then it took swing to the opposite.  The Heavyweight division was not in good shape when Marciano retired.  You had someone like Floyd Patterson as champ and he was a good Heavyweight but not a great one.  Then came Ali and other great Heavyweights.  So there you have an example of what I call the pendulum swing.  The true boxing fanatics have been with the sport through the highs and lows and that’s also just the human nature of life.

DT:  If forced to pick the highest pinnacle point in boxing, what would it be?
DM:  I would have to say boxing reached the highest level on March 8, 1971….Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali.  I consider that the highest point in my era of boxing…the fight of the century.  Two undefeated Heavyweight Champions meeting in such a stunning event.  This not only peaked boxing but it was a spectacle event on a global basis.

DT:  I consider the fight the greatest event in the history of sports.  The one sporting event that actually lived up to the hype!
DM:  I totally agree. I remember all the particulars of the fight, what a great night for boxing.  You told me that your dad took you and your brother.  I went with my late father and friends and we had first row seats in the balcony at the Grenada Theater.  I remember the tickets cost $15.00 which was a lot of money for a closed circuit fight.  That fight was not a Saturday night special….it was on a Monday night.

DT:  What happened to boxing….why do we only have a few good fighters active today?
DM:  Let’s start with this….the fight that everyone wants to see is Mayweather vs. Pacquiao….both quality fighters.  However, there are other fights out there….Sergio Martinez vs. Mayweather at Middleweight.  Alvarez vs. Chavez Jr. at Middleweight not at 154 pounds.  Also, how about Ward vs. Bute?  That would sell big in Canada…the equivalent of a NHL Stanley Cup playoff game.

DT:  David, who would make your top ten of current active fighters?
DM:  Good question….#1- Mayweather, #2-Pacquiao, #3-Martinez, #4-Ward, #5-Donaire, #6-Marquez…those are your top six.  I would throw in Gamboa, the older Klitschko, Cotto, and Tim Bradley.

DT:  Would any on your active list be potential candidates for your all time top 12 list?
DM:  Mayweather of course could compete in any era of boxing.  Boxing is all about styles and he would be tough in any era.  Pacquiao would probably be competitive but I don’t think either fighter would beat Roberto Duran or Carlos Monzon.

DT:  David everyone affiliated with this sport wants to see the two biggest stars – Mayweather & Pacquiao – square off in the ring.  How do you see that fight?
DM:  In my mind…I would pick the bigger, more skilled fighter..Mayweather.  He is a lot better than people think.  I know all of the circus activities that surround him….court business, not speaking to his father….throw all of that out the window when he enters the ring.  If forced to pick that fight, I would go with Mayweather by decision.

DT:  Do you think the fight will happen soon?
DM:  I do not.  I’m saying that in a bias way because I want it to happen.  My guess would be late November of this year.

DT:  When you look at your library of fights can you pick a couple of your favorites?
DM:  There is two fights that stand out – Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo – that’s the best fight I have seen in the past 25 years.  Next I would go to April 15, 1985 – Haggler vs. Hearns – three rounds, middleweight, it lived up to its expectations.  Those are the two most requested from my library.  There are others that I could mention but asked to pick two – those would be tough to beat for pure boxing entertainment.

DT:  When we look at the future of boxing, will we ever get back to 1971 or are we way beyond that kind of boxing?
DM:  I think that somewhere along the line society has changed.  By that I mean people want everything quick and fast.  People don’t want to go to a restaurant and wait for a home cooked meal….they go to a fast food place.  That’s why MMA has become so popular with fans.  I really don’t like MMA but I can understand why the sports has its fans…it’s a quick down and dirty sport.  I prefer the ‘sweet science’ of boxing.

DT:  What’s happens when Pacquiao and Mayweather retire?  Who will replace them?
DM:  I am not a fortune teller and that’s a great question.  Someone will emerge from the pack.  When the Hagler, Duran, Mancini, Arguello, Leonard, Hearns, all left the sport….who’s next was the question.  DeLaHoya, Mosley, Mayweather, Pacquiao all came along.  I really believe that some of the younger fighters will step up and carry the sport.

DT:  So you believe that the sport will survive this ‘low’ point in its illustrious history?
DM:  Here’s another way of looking at the situation…just remember when Ali and Fraizer carried the banner for Pay Per View (PPV) boxing television audience, then came Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns,
next came Mike Tyson and Oscar De La Hoya…now we have Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.  They are both on the other side of 30…maybe the next to carry the banner is Tim Bradley and Saul Alvarez…the point being is that you can see the trend since PPV came into our living rooms.  This will surely continue as long as fight fans are willing to pay the money.

DT:  David, it’s been a lot of fun discussing the history of boxing and your evaluation of the current boxing status.  Can we do this again soon?
DM:  My pleasure and you can find more historical trivia and list on my website…..www.dmboxing.com

Readers:  I encourage you to visit David’s website…a treat for all boxing fans.  Thanks for visiting doghouse boxing!

David Tyler

( Winter 2012 Edition )

On a quarterly basis, I always write to thank and acknowledge the people that make this website the success that it is. My producer is John Boitnott, the main person who is simply my right hand man with his professional expertise regarding this website. Other key people are: Bob Quackenbush (Proof Reader and Photo Editing), Kathy Kraft (Proof Reader), Rusty Rubin (In Rusty’s Corner column), Tom Donelson (Boxing Correspondent Writer), Jim Amato (Senior Boxing Writer), and Ray Luna (Media Photographer). I am so grateful to have these wonderful people that contribute to this website in a positive manner.

My t-shirt, hat, and tank top products are a huge part of this website and the girls that pose wearing these items have all added a personal touch with their beauty and support.

As a boxing historian and avid collector for over fifty years, I strive to bring everyone the best in boxing in a most respectable and professional way. The fan mail that I receive is greatly appreciated and I respect your views and opinions.

One change on this website has been my RING TRIVIA, which had been monthly and is now offered quarterly in March, June, September, and December. I have added more questions (formerly three and now five) with the answers available for viewing sooner in a two-week time frame. I have always been fascinated with boxing trivia, and as a young boy growing up I would pick the minds of my older generation boxing friends to learn for myself the history of boxing that they knew and lived. When this website was born in July 2007, I knew that RING TRIVIA would be a main feature and I intend to keep it so.

On a personal note, many of my closest friends know that I have been helping kids in local gyms for many years – it is such an honor to help the youth. A gym that I go to here on a regular basis in the Santa Barbara, California area is Duke’s Boxing and Fitness. The owner, 34 year old Henry Calles, a former outstanding amateur boxer, does a great job with the kids that come into his gym. Mark Lee also adds a special touch with his expertise as a trainer and whom I’ve known since the early eighties when we contributed to another local gym. He now teaches the youth at a top level of boxing at Duke’s Boxing. For further information regarding the gym you can go to: www.dukesboxing.com

I get tons of fan emails and I enjoy reading all your opinions and answering many of your questions. In the past couple of years there has been one person that has surfaced to the top of that list. My friend Harold Lederman at HBO World Championship Boxing connected me with his friend Steve Corbo. Harold knew through boxing that we would “instantly” become friends and was he ever so right.
Steve lives in Chicago, knows and has lived boxing as long as me, and has become my number one boxing friend with his input and expertise. He does professional ring  announcing for major boxing venues in Europe and sends me tape of his work and the fight action from these matches. Although we have never met in person, I certainly hope that we will one day, as I consider myself truly blessed to have Steve as my friend.

To answer a commonly asked question regarding the best heavyweight champions of all time, my opinion, in order, are: (1) Jack Johnson, (2) Muhammad Ali, (3) Joe Louis, (4) Jack Dempsey, (5) Rocky Marciano, (6) Gene Tunney, (7) James Corbett, (8) Larry Holmes, (9) Jim Jeffries, and (10) Ezzard Charles. And in no particular order the next set of five to round out my top fifteen are: Bob Fitzsimmons, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson.

Now that the New Year 2012 has arrived, I will continue to offer you the best in boxing. Your support is much appreciated as you continue staying connected to dmboxing.com

Thank You!

(ABOVE PHOTO) Mark Lee (black trunks) and David Martinez (Referee)
… La Casa De La Raza Amateur Boxing Show, 1983 …
Santa Barbara, California / promoted by Art Carbajal

How Kermit Cintron was granted a title shot to fight Saul Canelo Alvarez is beyond me, considering in 2010 and 2011 he had lost two of three coming into this fight; but on Saturday night at the Plaza Mexico in Mexico City, this bout took place, and was televised by HBO.

From the opening bell, Canelo was in complete control. In round four Canelo dropped Cintron with a right hand from which Cintron barely made it back to his corner as the bell sounded to end the round. A friend watching the fight with me said that Cintron’s corner never should have let him come out for round five.  My only comment to that was that his corner should never have let him come out to this fight to begin with.  The predictable end came at 2:53 of the fifth round, when referee Hector Afu stopped the bout with Canelo completely dominating the round and the fight.

Canelo retains his WBC junior middleweight championship and, at this point in his career, certainly needs to step up the competition at 154 pounds. After four rounds, my scorecard was 40-35 or 4 rounds to none in favor of Canelo.

I have met so many wonderful people in boxing over the years. Working with the younger generation at the gym is always a delight for me. As the kids grow up, come and go, and maneuver their way in life, I try to stay in touch. Though with some I seem to lose track, there is one young lady I will always keep in contact with: Desiree D’Alessandro. I have previously posted her on my website and would like to update on her current whereabouts. Desiree graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara this past June 2011 and has relocated to her home town of Tampa, Florida. She accomplished her schooling with a Master of Arts degree and has continued her boxing training with her busy work schedule. Below is a chapter I wrote for her (forthcoming) collective publication regarding her graduate studies and boxing while attending UCSB. I would like to share with you my chapter on UCSB boxing history and my involvement. Desiree and I have stayed in touch on a regular basis even though we live 3,000 miles part. Our maintained true friendship and communication closes the distance.

Boxing from David Martinez / Boxing Historian

My love for boxing started back in the early sixties and has been an integral part of my life for the last fifty years. I have written many boxing articles for various publications and reported for radio and television. I was the former director of the World Boxing Hall of Fame board, have refereed USA Boxing amateur bouts, and was the recipient of the 2003 Lifetime Achievement Award in boxing. I was inducted in to the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007, and I currently devote my time to working with local boxing gyms and maintaining my informative boxing website: dmboxing.com.

My involvement regarding UCSB boxing occurred with two major highlights in the eighties. On September 16, 1981, I wrote the front sports page feature story for the Santa Barbara News-Press preceding the World Welterweight unification title fight between WBC champion Sugar Ray Leonard (30-1) and WBA champion Thomas Hearns (32-0). The bout was shown live on a closed-circuit telecast at Robertson Gym. I was in attendance for this event in front of a sold out standing-room-only crowd. It was an event for the ages at that time because it was a first in boxing for UCSB in the arena of a professional fight. The fight was voted “1981 Fight of the Year” in every boxing circle worldwide.

The following year in 1982, at the same Robertson Gym, I was a referee and judge for the inaugural Fight Night, a 12-bout boxing exhibition. The show was promoted by Art Carbajal, the founder of La Casa De La Rasa Boxing Club before it became known as Primo Boxing Club, an organization in which the proceeding Fight Night fundraisers have benefited. I remember well that evening was again a sold out standing-room-only crowd. It was an event that rocked the entire UCSB campus and boxing community of Santa Barbara––a live boxing show! George Calderon highlighted the show and fought a three-round exhibition bout that night. Interestingly, Calderon is the uncle and trainer of Henry Calles, current owner of Dukes Boxing in Isla Vista, CA. George went on later to win various coveted amateur titles and Henry won the Southern California Golden Gloves champion of the Open Division in 2001. Migrating from the Robertson Gym to the Thunderdome, there have since been 17 Fight Night boxing events staged on UCSB campus up until the event’s controversial cancellation in 2009. To me, however, there will be nothing like reminiscing the moment of the very first show.

These last three years, I have been directly involved with Henry Calles at Duke’s Boxing Gym. I have had the pleasure to coach and offer my expertise to many UCSB students that come to the gym on a daily basis. My greatest pleasure is interacting with the youth on a personal level that attend daily workout and boxing classes. In August of 2010, I met artist Desiree D’Alessandro, a particularly determined and lively young woman looking to box for the first time. I remember the eagerness in her introduction, saying she wanted to learn, lose weight, and ultimately compete. Her confidence and conviction made our first meeting memorable.

This past year, I was delighted to assist Desiree on two occasions that brought me back to the UCSB campus since the aforementioned events of thirty years ago. The first being her display of boxing at Open Studios at Harder Stadium on Feb 5, 2011. She displayed her boxing skills at every level and entertained many that attended her studio-turned-training-facility that night. I acted as her promoter, narrating her 4-hour relentless endurance performance. The other occasion was a tribute to her thesis work, staging a boxing event that exceeded expectations beyond the comprehension of many. Art in Athleticism: The Form and Physicality of Boxing took place in the UCSB campus Old Gym Gallery 479 on April 22, 2011. Many were delighted to participate and witness this conjoined art exhibition/exhibition bout which was new and unique to the campus and community.

In closing, I feel honored to have worked with such a devoted and hard working person as Desiree, my friend. Her willingness to improve in boxing and to help others in the sport, that she has vastly learned (and is still learning), is truly a reflection of her courage and character.

Job well done, Desiree D’Alessandro!

 By John Boitnott / producer dmboxing.com  

Since knowing David Martinez for the past decade, it’s tradition that he dresses up in his favorite costume on Halloween to portray legendaey Mexican wrestler Mil Mascaras.

On behalf of David and myeslf, we wish everybody a Happy “SAFE” Halloween 2011, and thank you for chosing this website in boxing!

Rick and Frank (September 22, 2007)

By the end of WWII, a new era in Los Angeles boxing had taken life. In the eyes of California boxing historians, such as Gabriel “Hap” Navarro, former promoter and matchmaker at the legendary Hollywood Legion Stadium, the post war years thru the 1950′s, are considered the “Golden Era” of Los Angeles boxing.

At the time, L.A. headliners such as Enrique Bolanos, Manuel Ortiz, Art Aragon and dozens more, set box office records at the Olympic Auditorium, Hollywood Legion Stadium and Wrigley Field. In addition, the “City of Angeles” had a number of smaller clubs putting on regular shows, such as Ocean Park in Santa Monica, South Gate Arena and San Bernardino, to name a few.

A couple years after the war, a skinny 12-year-old would get his first taste of boxing from inside the ropes. This would be the birth of a life long journey for young Frank Baltazar, and it would take it’s first breath at the beginning of Los Angeles boxing’s toughest, most competitive era.

Today, six decades later, the skinny kid isn’t quite as skinny, and the thick black hair not quite as dark, as when we first met, however, Frank Baltazar Sr. looks pretty much the same. Frank’s handsome latino features contradict his seventy-plus years.

The first time I saw Frank was in the mid-1960′s, shortly after he’d hung up the gloves, after a sixteen year amateur career. Frank’s education in prizrfighting took place during the sports most glorious period in California, lessons learned in countless gyms, arenas and clubs thruout the Southland. His teachers were hardened “old school” veterans, and he practiced his skills in the ring, trading blows with some of the greats of the era

More than forty years after our first meeting, I’d have the honor of being present at a very special day for Frank Baltazar Sr., his family, and L.A. boxing in general. In 2007, Baltazar was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame. Friends and family from miles away packed the event, and I have to say, the faces I saw that day took me back to a very special time, a time made a little more special for kids like myself, thanks to guys like Frank Baltazar Sr.

When I first crossed paths with Frank, he was nearly thirty, and had just taken over as director of the annual Junior Golden Gloves program, an event that had long been a breeding ground for some of the world’s best boxing talent.

Superstars such as Mando Ramos, the Quarry brothers, Albert Davila, the Baltazar boys, the Sandoval’s, Frankie Duarte, Randy Shields, Paul Gonzalez and Oscar DeLaHoya came out of the Los Angeles Junior Golden Gloves tournaments. All became world class professionals, some World Champions.

What Frank Baltazar Sr. brought to the Junior Golden Gloves was years of experience, not to mention three young sons; Frankie Jr., Tony and Bobby. Frank wasn’t just a fighter, he was a father . . . and a master at both. Frank was a dad, a coach and a mentor.

In many ways, Frank Baltazar Sr. would prove to be a surragate father figure to many young boys over the years. Frank taught more than jabs and hooks, he taught young men about courage, charactor and common sense. These are the true hallmarks of a champion.

In retrospect, it seems as if Frank Baltazar Sr. was destined to be a part of boxing history. Frank was born in 1936, at Los Angeles County General Hospital, and grew up in the nearby city of Montebello. As a boy, Baltazar recalled listening to boxing on the radio.

“I would listen to the all the championship fights when they were broadcast”, Frank remembered. “Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep. We didn’t have television in those days”.
Frank recalls how much he loved boxing as a kid, and how much he desired becoming a fighter. “My dad was a baseball fan, and he’d talk to me about baseball, but I was more interested in boxing”. One day, 10-year-old Frankie Baltazar would get the surprise of his life.

“My father came home and told me that he had tickets for a championship fight”, Baltazar remembered. “The fight was the first meeting between lightweight champ Ike Williams and Enrique Bolanos, in 1946. My dad and I went with my two uncles and sat about twenty rows back from ringside. Bolanos was up-and-down like a yo-yo that night, he really took a beating.”

This would be the first of three classic bouts between the great Ike WIlliams and Mexican legend Enrique Bolanos. All three matches would be held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles, between 1946-49, and Frank Baltazar would be ringside for all three.
“Only one of the three fights was close, and that was the second, with no knockdowns, Williams won on a split decision”, Baltazar recalled. “In the third match, Williams gave him a beating,
knocking him down twice before Bolanos corner stopped it after four rounds. His eye was closed, he was in bad shape.”

Like many young boxers, Frank Baltazar started his career right in the neighborhood, thru the training of a “backyard coach”, whom the kids called “Tiger”. “I never knew his real name”, Baltazar recalled, “But he had been a pro, and had a make-shift gym in his yard. We had a couple pairs of old boxing gloves, I remember they were from Sears.

After ” Tiger” showed the boys how to punch, the kids would don the gloves and box, practicing their new skills. After boxing, young Frank would pound the heavy bag, which was actually an old navy duffel bag hanging from a tree branch. “We didn’t have much equipment, but we learned how to fight.”

When the boys needed stronger opposition, Tiger would take them downtown to the CYO Gym, at 9th & Figureoa. “This is where I met Johnny Flores”, Baltazar smiled.

Johnny Flores was known as “Mr. Golden Gloves” in Los Angeles. A decorated WWII battle hero, Flores was the co-founder of L.A.’s Junior Golden Gloves program, along with Louie Jaurequi of the Teamsters Gym. Flores would manage dozens of top contenders during his career, including former heavyweight contender Jerry Quarry, Ruben Navarro, and Dwight Hawkins.

Baltazar continued to train with Tiger, his backyard coach, for a little over a year, before switching over to the Teamsters Gym, where he boxed under Hoyt Porter, and eventually Juarequi. At the teamsters gym, Frank would be training side-by-side with some of the best boxers in town, including a hot young flyweight named Keeny Teran.

Thinking back on Teran, Baltazar stills remembers the excitement he felt in 1951, when his two favorite fighters, Enrique Bolanos, and his friend Keeny Teran, were both featured on the same card at Hollywood Legion Stadium. “Bolanos fought Eddie Chavez in the twelve round main-event, and Teran fought Gil Cadilli in a six-round semi main.

Teran and Cadilli were both ten round fighters at the time, but the Bolanos-Chavez fight was more important, so they stepped down to fight in the six round semi. I’ll never forget that night, my two favorite boxers, both fighting on the same card. I was fifteen-years-old, what could be better?”

Baltazar would see thousands of matches during his life, but none better than the six round war that took place between Keeny Teran and Gil Cadilli. “I’ve never seen a better six round fight. If you remember the Bobby Chacon-Danny Lopez fight, well, that was what it was like. The crowd went crazy and the match declared a draw.” In the main event, Enrique Bolanos, would defeat Chavez by decision.
When Frank was eighteen, he met his wife Connie. “That was in April, 1954 and eight months later, in December, we were married”, Frank said. Less than two years after they married, Connie gave birth to their only daughter, Linda.

In 1958, Frank and Connie would become parents once again, when the first of their four sons was born. The boy was named Frank Jr., and only in the young father’s wildest dreams could he have imagined that his namesake would become one of Los Angeles’ all-time great prizefighters, a Hall of Famer
Nearly three years later, the second Baltazar son made his life debut, and like the first, Tony Baltazar would also become one of the greatest boxers to ever hail from L.A. The fans knew him as Tony “The Tiger”, but his opponents knew him for his devastating left hook, knockout power that would take him right into the Hall of Fame, with brother Frankie Jr.

It was only natural that Frank and Connie’s third son, Bobby, would follow his older brothers into the ring. Born in 1963, Bobby ‘s accomplishments in amateur boxing were typical of the Baltazar family. Bobby defeated several world champions during his amateur days, including future bantamweight champ Richie Sandoval. Bobby turned professional and was unbeaten after six fights, winnng five by knockout, before getting married and deciding against continuing his boxing career.

In 1974, well into the amateur careers of the Baltazar brothers, Connie would give birth to their fourth son, James. Like his older brothers, the Baltazar’s youngest son was an exceptional athlete, but boxing was not his first love. James first love was baseball, and later he was a standout football player. However, James received several concussions during his football years and this prevented him from pursuing a boxing career.

A year before James was born, Frank Sr. would travel to Boston with the 1973 Los Angeles Golden Gloves team, representing Southern California in the National Golden Gloves “Tournament of Champions.”

Frank was head coach for an all-star Los Angeles team that included future world champ Art Frias, and world title challengers Frankie Duarte and Randy Shields. “Roy Hollis took home the National title in his weight class. He was the only L.A. boxer to do so that year”, Frank pointed out.

In 1977, Don King and ABC-TV partnered to promote a televised professional boxing tournament that would crumble under the rumor of corruption, rigged ratings, etc. The ill-fated “U.S. Boxing Championships” may have been a failure for most concerned, but it provided Frank Baltazar Sr. an opportunity to meet and visit with one of his greatest boxing idols.

In April of that year, Frankie Baltazar Jr. had nine pro fights under his belt when Don King invited him to Miami Beach to face Francisco Villegas in the U.S. Championships. Frankie Jr. would knockout Villegas, however, the most exciting part of the trip for Frank Sr. wasn’t his son’s victory.

“Frankie and I went to Miami with Johnnie Flores, who was one of my cornermen for the fight”, Frank Sr. remembered. “We needed somebody to take us around Miami while we were there, so Don King assigned us a driver.
You won’t believe who King sent to drive us . . . JOE LOUIS!”

It turned out to be quite a day, because Johnnie Flores and Joe Louis had been friends since the war. “During the fifties, Louis promoted boxing in Hollywood, at the Moulan Rouge night club on Sunset. Johnnie Flores had been matchmaker for the former heavyweight champion, so, when they met again, they had a lot to talk about”.

Before Joe Louis could take his place behind the steering wheel, Baltazar insisted that Louis allow him to drive, so as the Brown Bomber could sit in the backseat with his friend Flores, and share some incredible stories. “There’s no way I could let the great Joe Louis chauffer me around town, he was one of my childhood idols”, Baltazar said.

Today the Baltazar kids are long grown, and Frank and Connie Baltazar are grandparents. Frank no longer trains young kids in the art of boxing, however, he’s still teaching. Today, Frank Baltazar Sr. shares his experience, memorabilia, and tremendous boxing knowledge with guys like myself, L.A. boxing historians who desire to know the inside story behind the history of California boxing.

Unlike many so called historians, Frank Baltazar doesn’t just know boxing history, he’s lived it, and without question, is a part of it.

Speaking for all of who have benefited from Frank’s participation in the Los Angeles boxing community, I wish to say, “Thanks Kiki!”