David Martinez Boxing

2011 Inductees Honored at Holiday Gala

By Michele Chong – GUEST POST – for dmboxing.com

Several boxing champs, contenders and members of the Golden State Boxers’ Association (GSBA) were honored at this year’s awards ceremony and holiday banquet taking place at the Steven’s Steakhouse in Commerce.

This boxing group is built through a network of past and current fighters, trainers cornermen, judges, referees and others working in the fight game. Meeting every Tuesday in Hollywood, the GSBA provides a “one-stop shop” for boxing aficionados to get together in sharing their love of the sport. President Larry Montalvo and Vice President Bill Dempsey Young and their dedicated wives have bridged the gap in bringing everyone together through their love of boxing. And each person in the hall has a strong tie to the sweet science. Dining on steak, shrimp and chicken, those in the sold-out crowd listened to heartfelt tributes to this year’s honorees. One of the most touching moments was when I watched British lightweight Allen Syers’ family accept a posthumous award. Elise Syers, wife of Allen, his son Philip and their family accepted the “Don Fraser Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award” bestowed upon Allen, who passed away on December 5. Syers was a longtime member of the group and his passing leaves a void.

Boxing builds unbreakable bonds and many in the room reconnected after first meeting decades ago. Burbank’s Rick Farris and Frankie Santillan share a history of boxing in their youth, turning pro at the same time–and even forging a friendship after fighting each other. Friendships like these, in and out of the ring, are what makes this organization special. Everyone is treated with respect, no matter how many victories or defeats are logged on their ledgers. Read more…

By Tom Donelson
(Member of Boxing Writers Association)

Andre Ward and Carl Froch faced off in the final of the Super Six title; the winner recognized as the best of the Super Middleweights with a big fight over the horizon with Lucian Bute. Going into this fight, it was a tossup as Ward was a 3 to 1 favorite stateside but among British boxing fans, it was 3 to 1 in reverse.

In the opening minute of the bout, Ward snapped a left hook inside in a clutch but the first minute of half saw a feeling out process. Over the last minute, both men landed body shots on the inside as Ward jab was slightly more effective as he landed twice as many jabs as Froch.

Beginning in the second round, Ward jab allowed him to land a couple of rights in the opening minute but as the round progressed, Froch landed some solid jabs to set up a long right. But over last minute of the round, Ward landed a left hook while Froch countered two left hooks to the body as he trapped Ward to the rope but a Ward left hook forced Froch to retreat and this was followed by yet another Ward’s left hook ending the round.

Ward began the third round with solid jabbing as his accuracy befuddled the British fighter, who looked for ways to score with jabs of his own. With a minute left in the round, Ward jab set up a sharp left hook whereas Froch concentrated on body shots. The last twenty seconds saw both men fighting in close quarters as they connected on body shots even though Ward’s shots looked sharper.
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GUEST POST for dmboxing.com

by Adam Pollack

The Lamont Peterson – Amir Khan fight has to be considered fight of the year. Wonderful intense battle by two young elite prime warriors giving it their all. Some brutal blows were landed by both in 12 rounds of excellent high level combat. The speed, footwork, counters, body shots, uppercuts, blazing combinations, were all just wonderful. Kudos to both for showing us what a true championship fight is all about.

But what is all this talk of controversy? I saw no controversial fight. I saw no home cooking. Stop trying to make every big boxing fight out to be controversial or a fix. Stop trying to react emotionally, but instead look at matters in a fair and objective manner. It isn’t good for the sport to cast aspersions on that referee, nor are the criticisms of his point deductions fair. I respectfully disagree with HBO and those who say the referee was unfair.

First of all, neither knockdown of Peterson in the 1st round was a knockdown. The first was correctly called a slip and a trip. The second was a trip and a push. Right there, for the referee to call that a knockdown shows that he had no bias against Khan. In the heat of the moment, though, referees have to make snap judgments, and sometimes they get it wrong. Happens in the NBA, NFL and the like. Part of the sport. But honestly, watching it live, without the benefit of instant replay, I was not sure whether or not it was knockdown. You have to go with the referee’s judgment at that point.

As for the fouling, the referee was perfectly justified in taking points off of Khan. It is a violation of the rules to hold, to pull a man’s head down, and to push. Amir Khan did all three, and did all three of them incessantly, flagrantly, and despite repeated and consistent cautions throughout he bout by the referee to stop doing these things. You don’t need a referee to tell you to stop violating the rules or he’ll take points off. Every boxer is charged with knowledge of the rules, and every boxer knows that if you keep breaking the rules, you can get points taken off. The referee kept cautioning Khan, and yet he did not stop. If a referee does not take points off, then there is no reason for a fighter ever to obey the rules or listen to the cautions. No one whines and moans when a referee in the NFL calls a holding penalty, or illegal contact, etc. If you violate the rules, you get penalized. If you don’t want the penalty, don’t commit the penalty. And when there is a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer, no one says the official gave the other team the game. They say that player should not have done what he did, that he should modify his behavior in the future lest he might potentially cost his team the game.
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By David Martinez / Boxing Historian

I am saddened to report that my friend, our friend, boxer Allen Syers passed away on December 6, 2011. Allen fought in the lightweight (135 lb.) division from 1964 to1967 and compiled a ring record of 8 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws. Born in Liverpool, England, Allen lived in Mission Viejo, California with his loving wife Elise. Allen was inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008, and was to be honored this weekend, on December 10, 2011, by the Golden State Boxer’s Association as the recipient of the 2011 Don Fraser World Boxing Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award. He was a wonderful person in all aspects of the life that he lived and respected by everyone. May his soul rest in peace in heaven with God.

By Tom Donelson

(Member of Boxing Writers Assc.)

Showtime featured the final of their bantamweight championship series featuring Abner Mares fighting Joseph Agbeko for the Showtime championship but before the main event, the raging bull Vic Darchinyan taking on the boxer Anselmo Moreno.  In the opening round, Darchinyan took the attack to Moreno, trying to get Moreno to open up.   At the 1:30 mark, Darchinyan connected on a left that forced Moreno to retreat.   Moreno managed to slip a few of Darchinyan’s powerful left and while Darchinyan managed to connect on a couple of lefts, most of his big shots missed their targets.

In the second round, Moreno excellent boxing allowed him to connect on big left hands to counter the left’s coming from Darchinyan and Moreno jab allowed him to control the early rounds but at the 1:30 seconds of the fourth round, Darchinyan finally connected on a heavy handed left for the first time in a couple of rounds . Frustration of Darchinyan showed up as he wrestle and threw Moreno to the ground, which cost him a point.

Darchinyan pressed Moreno in the fifth round and finally trapped Moreno in the corner at the end of the round including a straight left that connected.  Moreno continued to box effectively as he nailed Darchinyan with some solid lefts after right hand jabs while Darchinyan best punches in the round were left to the body.

Moreno played matador in the seventh round as Darchinyan bull rushes simply went pass Moreno and in the middle of the round, Moreno nailed Darchinyan with brutal body shots.   By the end of the round Moreno showed a variety of punches including body punches followed quick head shots.

Moreno picked Darchinyan apart as he started to throw power shots that slowed Darchinyan, who looked like a fighter with no answers for the slick boxing Moreno.  This continued in the ninth round and through most of the tenth round even though Darchinyan managed to connect on some hard lefts but Moreno showed mastery of the ring.

In the final stanza, Darchinyan attacked Moreno with the idea of knocking him out but other than pushing Moreno down, Moreno slick boxing simply avoided Darchinyan attacks and wild left; thus producing an easy decision.  Darchinyan suffered a major setback while Moreno sent a message to the rest of Bantamweight division; he was for real. Read more…