Canelo Defeats Berlanga by Unanimous Decision … AND – other results from Las Vegas Fight Card

Middleweights, Recent Fights, Tom Donelson

By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Caleb Plant had to get up from a fourth-round knockdown, but stormed back to overpower Trevor McCumby in route to a ninth-round stoppage win on the Canelo vs Berlanga undercard.

Plant (23-2, 13 KO) was a heavy favorite coming in, but did show some rust after an 18-month layoff, and had to sort of grow into the fight. He definitely had to do that once it was clear that underdog McCumby (28-1, 21 KO) was here to fight, as he brought some power shots to the former titleholder early, and scored that knockdown in the fourth. With a fight probably tied after four rounds and Plant maybe a point down, Plant had to use his experience and start taking control of the fight.

Whether he’ll admit it or not, Plant seemed to “wake up” from there, and the dog came out of him, as he stood in the pocket and bullied McCumby both physically and mentally starting in the fifth round, leading to the referee stopping the fight right before the end of round nine.

Now that Plant is the interim WBA super Middleweight champion which makes no sense since the present WBA champion is still active and champ.  His name is Canelo Alvarez.

Plant landed more than double the punches, and connected on nearly 55% of his punches, showing his domination.

The 41-year-old Erislandy Lara faced Danny “Swift” Garcia at Middleweights but the 36-year-old Garcia coming off a two-year layoff looked older as a fighter than Lara.  Garcia only connected on 33 punches over 9 rounds and connected on 17 percent of punches.  He looked slow, tentative, and unable to get any offense going.  In the second round he didn’t even connect on a single punch. It is not that Lara was spectacular as he connected on only 67 punches and landed only a quarter of his punches, but he was a more effective fighter.

Garcia was a champion at 140 and 147 pounds while defeating high profiles but now he is an older fighter, and it showed.  Garcia lacked energy and not the aggressive Garcia in his prime and he got consistently nailed by Lara right hand jab.   Lara landed consecutive rights before a sharp left sent Garica to his knee in the ninth.  His corner stopped the fight and maybe a great career will be over. 

Continue reading Canelo Defeats Berlanga by Unanimous Decision … AND – other results from Las Vegas Fight Card →

Johnny Ortiz (R.I.P.)

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, George Garcia, Johnny Ortiz, R.I.P.

*** FLASHBACK *** This article originally was published August 10, 2014 (ten years ago) on www.dmboxing.com regarding my very good friend Johnny Ortiz … I miss him, his memory was amazing and with our friendship going beyond boxing in respect with kindness for each other.

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By David Martinez / dmboxing.com

Where do I start to talk and grieve about my friend – my good friend – Johnny Ortiz, who passed away on Saturday, August 9, 2014.

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I met Johnny back in 1997 upon my arrival into the World Boxing Hall of Fame as a Director of the Board. I knew about Johnny prior to that because I would catch him at times when I was in the Los Angeles area and listened to his boxing radio talk show “Ringside with Johnny Ortiz”.

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Upon meeting Johnny, we immediately bonded as loyal friends mainly due to our great love for boxing. I always considered Johnny a mentor and our bond took us to connecting by phone at least twice a week over the years just to check up on each other and say hello.

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Johnny has been featured on my website, we have done radio broadcasts together, taken trips to boxing matches, done things socially, and always sat together while never missing a monthly board meeting with the World Boxing Hall of Fame during our tenures with the organization.

Continue reading Johnny Ortiz (R.I.P.) →

RING TRIVIA for September 2024

David Martinez, Trivia

I have always been intrigued with boxing trivia. This actually began back when I was a kid in 1961. I would pick the minds of the older generation and ask questions about their era to educate myself  . It’s now my pleasure to bring boxing trivia format to my website www.dmboxing.com for everyone to enjoy. On a quarterly basis I post five (5) multiple choice questions – in March, June, September, and December – with the correct answers to follow by end of each posting month for your viewing.

David Martinez / Boxing Historian

1 – The late undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano (49-0) was only knocked down twice in his professional career by what fighters?

a) Rex Lane and Harry Matthews

b) Roland La Starza and Don Cockell

c) Jersey Joe Walcott and Archie Moore

d) Ezzard Charles and Joe Louis

2 – Frank Tomaso who managed and trained junior welterweight champion Eddie Perkins, his nickname was?

a) The Wizard

b) The Master

c) The Silver Fox

d) The Teacher

Continue reading RING TRIVIA for September 2024 →

Inoue Stops Doheny – 7th Round TKO Victory

Recent Fights, Tom Donelson

By Tom Donelson (BWAA) Member Boxing Writers Association of America – and – respected contributor to www.dmboxing.com since 2008

Naoya Inoue defended his title against TJ Doheny for Inoue unified super bantamweight title and Inoue dominated his opponent with multiple of attacks including a blistering body shot.

The first round saw Inoue stalking his opponent as Dohney, landed a couple of body shots against the southpaw Dohney.  Inoue continued his stalking into the second round but in the third round Doheny may have won the third round as he landed 13 punches to Inoue 8 punches. He managed to move around and land his jab but at the end of the fourth round, Inoue forced Doheny to the rope and landing solid body shots.

At the start of the fifth round Doheny showed aggressive as he moved forward but this last about one  minute before Inoue reversed Doheny movement and forced the Irish fighter to retreat. Doheny showed the ability to defend against Inoue as he avoided two big shots.  Inoue did manage to land solid body shots.

Continue reading Inoue Stops Doheny – 7th Round TKO Victory →

Dick Sadler / Boxing Manager – Trainer

David Martinez, History

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

I was first aware of Dick Sadler back in the early sixties when he was trainer and manager of Sonny Liston. I didn’t know him personally back then, but knew about him.

Later, in my tenure with the World Boxing Hall Fame, we became friends. I found him very delightful and a kind, funny man.

Dick was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1915. He moved to Hayward, California, and at the age of 24, he began his professional career. It was unremarkable, with ten bouts to his credit, winning only two.

He would go on to study religiously the sport of boxing with a great passion, to becoming a top trainer. Along with Liston, he trained Archie Moore during the last ten years of Moore’s lengthy career. He also trained Charley Shipes, Joey Lopes, Freddie Little and took George Foreman from an amateur to winning the heavyweight title in 1973 by knocking out Joe Frazier.

Continue reading Dick Sadler / Boxing Manager – Trainer →

Angelo Leo vs. Venado Lopez … Serhii Bohachuk vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. (August 10, 2024) Results

Recent Fights, Tom Donelson

By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Angelo Leo ended his fight with the then champion Luis Alberto Lopez with one of the most devastating knockouts I have seen in a while. In what was a close fight going into the final two rounds, Leo landed a beautiful picture-perfect left hook just as they would teach, and Lopez landed on his back and head bounded off the canvas.  This was action packed fight, with Lopez coming into the fight as one of the best in the featherweights with 13 fight winning streak including three successful title fights with his last fight an eighth round TKO win over Reiya Abe past March. 

Leo landed the cleaner punches as he pushed the issue with the champion but going into the eleventh round as Lopez was ahead on one cared 86-85 and the other judges had it 86-85 for Leo.

Lopez best punches were his uppercuts and added loaded up shots with his easily.  Leo last loss was to Steven Fulton in a 122-pound title but since then won five fights and did have a vacant 122-pound title. Now he has a 126 pound. 

Continue reading Angelo Leo vs. Venado Lopez … Serhii Bohachuk vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr. (August 10, 2024) Results →

Upcoming Fight Club OC Show / Thursday, August 29, 2024

California Boxing, dmboxing.com, Upcoming Fights

THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE ON A THURSDAY NIGHT IN ORANGE COUNTY !!!

Three Orange County fighters, a BIG heavyweight bout, and two good MMA bouts are what fight fans will get at the Thursday, August 29th Fight Club OC show in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.

That’s the good news ….. the bad news is that the show is already SOLD OUT and only a limited number of Standing Room tickets are being sold for $30. This marks the 21st consecutive sellout for Fight Club OC and a huge thank you to the fans that have made Fight Club OC “the most fun you can have on a Thursday night in Orange County”. Your fights for the upcoming August 29th show are listed here.

Continue reading Upcoming Fight Club OC Show / Thursday, August 29, 2024 →

Mando Ramos / The Youngest Lightweight Champion

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, History, Lightweights, Mando Ramos

**** FLASHBACK **** this article previously appeared on dmboxing.com on October 29, 2007 and October 8, 2016 for viewing

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By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

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.

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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.

Mando Ramos, a personal friend of mine, was an alcoholic at the age of 13, made the drug scene at the age of 15, and was a boxing idol by the age of 18 years old. His father, Ray, a former fighter, was instrumental in starting Mando’s boxing career, working with older son Manuel and also with Mando at an early age. Mando was 5 years old fighting in the junior Golden Gloves.

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In November, 1965, when Mando was only 17 years old, he had his first professional fight. He was a kid with so much natural ability that he became an instant success, winning his first 17 fights, 11 by knockout, and was packing large SRO capacity crowds into the Los Angeles, California, Olympic Auditorium.

He would become LA’s darling, and literally take boxing in L.A. to newer heights, not seen since the Golden Days of Art Aragon and Enrique Balonos. Danny Lopez and Bobby Chacon would come later.

In 1968, Mando would lose to Teo Cruz in his first bid for the championship. But the following year in a rematch, he would win the title from Cruz and go on to defend it once, in a spectacular knockout over Numata, before losing to Ismael Laguna in 1970.

Continue reading Mando Ramos / The Youngest Lightweight Champion →