David Martinez Boxing

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

This is the last of a six part series on Muhammad Ali. It has truly been my pleasure to share with you my personal accounts of THE GREATEST heavyweight champion in my era of boxing.

For those of you who have missed any of this special series, you can simply go to the menu on this website and click on the category, “Ali”, to view each part.

So, in my final, part six, I will take you back to Saturday afternoon, March 5, 2005. The location was the Stevens Steak House, Commerce, California. The event was the annual California Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee ceremonies.

This wasn’t even a live fight, but I will simply recognize it as one of the most memorable events that I have attended in my almost fifty years of involvement in boxing. Read more…

First let me thank Jim for submitting this Cleveland Williams article for dmboxing.com, and after you enjoy Jim’s excellent article, you may go directly to the menu on this website and under “Categories” just chick on Ali, and you can view the 1966 Muhammad Ali vs. Cleveland Williams fight in it’s entirety!
David Martinez / Boxing Historian

CLEVELAND ” BIG CAT ” WILLIAMS

Cleveland “Big Cat” Williams was one of three gifted heavyweights from the 50′s and 60′s. Williams, Eddie Machen and Zora Folley were a trio of hard luck boxers who met tragic deaths after a career of frustration. Machen who lost a decision to Ernie Terrell in a 1965 W.B.A. title bout may or may not have committed suicide. Folley who was stopped in seven by Muhammad Ali in 1967 died of injuries suffered in a poolside accident.
Read more…

There has been many staged, The Boxer vs The Wrestler, bouts in ring history. On June 2, 1976, Muhammad Ali, while training for his June 25th closed circuit, Boxer vs Wrestler, exhibition match against Japanese champion Antonio Inoki, he had a most colorful “pre-hyped” encounter with a 39 year old Gorilla Monsoon. For your entertainment, here is that short video chip … note a young Vince McMahon doing the after post bout interview – enjoy!
David Martinez / Boxing Historian

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4OiBbEditM&rel=1&border=0]

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

Last month fight fans were treated to, what I call, a very exciting “unification” title fight, and what has been brought to my attention is – many of you missed it. So let me personally take you back to “that” fight, October13, 2007, in Chicago, at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

IBF Lightweight Champion Julio “the kidd” Diaz vs WBA / WBO Lightweight Champion Juan “baby bull” Diaz

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

Who was the greatest lightweight ever? To answer that question, and I have been asked this many times the same, my answer remains the same – there were actually two of them and in my life time I had the pleasure of able to see one of them – Roberto Duran.

The other was way before my time and he was Benny Leonard who fought from 1911 to 1932, a superb boxer puncher who dominated the lightweight division in his era.

Video #1
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdCeA-FpdiI]

Roberto Duran (nickname Manos de Piedra – Hands of Stone) is undoubtedly the greatest lightweight (135 lb) champion of our time and, at the peak of his career, definitely ranks in the top 10 best pound-for-pound boxers ever.

He fought the best fighters such as Hiroshi Kobayashi, Ken Buchanan, Esteban DeJesus, Ishimatsu Suzuki, Ray Lampkin, Carlos Palomino, Sugar Ray Leonard, Wilfred Benitez, Pipino Cuevas, Davey Moore, Marvin Hagler,Thomas Hearns, Iran Barkley, Vinny Pazienza, Hector Camacho, and William Joppy – just to name a few.

In February 1968 Roberto Duran has his first professional fight and won thirty in a row leading up to his first title bout in June 1972, where he defeated Ken Buchanan for the WBA Lightweight championship. Duran made twelve successful title defenses before giving up his champion’s belt in February 1979 when he moved up in weight to the 147 pound welterweight class.
Read more…

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

One of the most asked questions that is asked of me is – who do I think is the greatest boxer of all time?

That is very easy for me to answer, in my opinion – it is – Sugar Ray Robinson.

At the peak of his career he was the best ever, and although we have had many greats in boxing – he was the greatest.
Read more…

Marvin Hagler vs Loucif Hamani, February 16, 1980, Portland, Maine.

It only goes two rounds. It’s a fight that solidified Hagler as the top ranked Middleweight, and later in that same year on September 27, he would go on to win the World Middleweight Championship vs Alan Minter. The rest is boxing history, as Hagler would go on to retain the title for the next seven years, making 12 successful defenses, before losing in 12 rounds by a split decision to Sugar Ray Leonard in 1987.

David Martinez
Boxing Historian

This is what I call Muhammad Ali at the “peak” of his career.

It was November 14, 1966, Houston Astrodome, witnessed by 35,460 paid in attendance.

Note Ali’s fleet foot speed & tremendous left jab & punching power.

This was Ali at his best , his very best & try to keep in perspective that you are watching a heavyweight fighter & NOT a bantamweight (ie) lighter fighter at blazing speed. Enjoy!

David Martinez
Boxing Historian

Subject: Muhammad Ali vs Cleveland Williams / Heaveyweight Championship / Ring Side commentator: Don Dunphy