Category Archives: FLASHBACK

Tommy Ryan

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, History, Middleweights

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This article was originally published on www.dmboxing.com (June 16, 2021) for viewing

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

One of the greatest boxers at the turn of the 20th century was certainly Tommy Ryan. Born on March 31, 1870 in Redwood, New York by the name Joseph Youngs, he later changed his name after running away from home at a young age.

He worked in lumber yard camps, where he learned his boxing skills. On January 1, 1887, at the age of 17, he turned professional and scored knockout wins in seventeen of his first eighteen fights.

In his career he would engage in a five fight series with the tough Mysterious Billy Smith, and after two draws, Ryan would win a 20-round decision in their third fight to capture Smith’s welterweight title on July 26, 1894.

On January 18, 1895, Ryan defeated top contender Jack Dempsey (The Nonpareil) by a third round stoppage to retain his title.

Ryan would fight Smith again in their fourth encounter on May 27, 1895, but the police interfered in the eighteenth round and the result was ruled a draw.

The following year on March 2, 1896, Ryan suffered his first career loss to Kid McCoy by a 15 round stoppage.

Continue reading Tommy Ryan →

Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena

FLASHBACK, Heavyweights, Jim Amato

*** FLASHBACK *** In loving memory and respect to our friend Jim Amato (R.I.P.) this article piece was originally published on www.dmboxing for viewing on April 19, 2013. In remembrance of Jim, never to be forgotten, all his postings can be located by clicking onto his name in the Categories section. He came on board to dmboxing in 2008 and truly contributed the best of the best in boxing. Jim was truly respected world-wide by many as a boxing historian and sports collector, he passed away in Ashland, Ohio on February 22, 2021, after a bout with cancer at the age of 66. May his soul rest peacefully in heaven with the Lord.

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By Jim Amato / Senior Boxing Writer

         Who was the greatest fighter to come out of Argentina? Well pound for pound you would probably say Carlos Monzon or possibly Pascual Perez. You could make a case for Nicolino Locche too. Who was the biggest and baddest of all Argentine fighters? Many would say Luis “Angel” Firpo. I’ll go with Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena.

         When Oscar started his career in 1964, he met tough opponents like Tom McNeely and Dick Wipperman. In his first bout in 1965, he was overmatched and defeated by veteran contender Zora Folley. Oscar left New York and returned to Argentina. He defeated the very capable Gregorio Paralta and American import, Billy Daniels. When he returned to New York in 1966, he outpointed equally rugged George Chuvalo.

         Oscar was then matched with 1964 Olympic Gold Medal winner, Joe Frazier. The fight was classic. Oscar had Joe down twice but Frazier came back to win a close decision. In 1967, Oscar was entered in the eight man tourney to determine the defrocked Muhammad Ali’s successor. Oscar traveled to Germany and trounced southpaw Karl Mildenberger. In his next match he was floored twice and soundly beaten by the eventual tourney winner, Jimmy Ellis. Oscar regrouped in 1968 beating Folley in a rematch and also the respected, Leotis Martin. He was matched again with Joe Frazier for the New York State version of the crown. Oscar fell behind early but he came back strong only to drop the verdict. Bonavena would still remain a viable contender for several more years.

Continue reading Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena →

What’s My Line / TV Show … Featuring Sugar Ray Robinson

"Sugar" Ray Robinson, David Martinez, FLASHBACK, Video, What's My Line

FLASHBACK !!!

This article feature was originally published on June 21, 2013 for viewing on www.dmboxing.com

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This popular panel game show ran on CBS-TV from 1950 to 1967. This is Sugar Ray Robinson – the show was shot on July 1, 1956 – almost 57 years ago. Sugar Ray is considered the greatest boxer of all time in any weight class by experts in boxing. The phrase “pound for pound” was invented just for him when they compare any boxer of any era. I am sharing a photo that he autographed for me at a local amateur boxing show in my home town of Santa Barbara, California in 1986. This photo was taken in New York on September 23, 1958; he is with Hogan “Kid” Bassey (left) displaying their world championship belts. Click below on link to view: What’s My Line episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAMb_XMfhkE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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.) →

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 →

Howard “Kayo” Smith

FLASHBACK, Heavyweights, Jim Amato, R.I.P.

***** FLASHBACK ***** In loving memory and respect to our friend Jim Amato (R.I.P.) this article piece was originally published on www.dmboxing for viewing on May 15, 2010 . In remembrance of Jim, never to be forgotten, all his postings can be located by clicking onto his name in the Categories section. He came on board to dmboxing in 2008 and truly contributed the best of the best in boxing. Jim was truly respected world-wide by many as a boxing historian and sports collector, he passed away in Ashland, Ohio on February 22, 2021, after a bout with cancer at the age of 66. May his soul rest peacefully in heaven with the Lord.


(Photo – David Martinez & Howard Smith)

By Jim Amato / Senior Boxing Writer

When a fighter earns the nickname “Kayo”, it’s safe to assume he’s a pretty dangerous guy . Howard Smith met and defeated some top tier heavyweights in the 1970’s. Yes he could bang with the best of them.

Howard turned professional in 1971 and suffered a defeat in his fourth pro fight . He bounced right back in 1972 halting future world champion Mike Weaver in three rounds. Next he outscored Weaver in a return match. In 1973 Howard pounded out a decision over Jack “The Giant” O’Halloran . Smith was moving up in the heavyweight rankings in 1974 with KO wins over Tony Doyle and O’Halloran in a rematch. Howard leaped over another hurdle in 1975 with a fifth round stoppage of the respected Larry Middleton . In 1976 Smith won a split decision over the smooth boxing Johnny Boudreaux.

Continue reading Howard “Kayo” Smith →

Marquis of Queensberry Rules

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, History

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This article originally was published on June 25, 2019 for viewing on www.dmboxing.com

By David Martinez  / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

Arguably, the most important piece of boxing writing was by John Graham Chambers in 1865, a member of the Amateur Athletic Club in London, England .

Chambers wrote twelve rules to govern the conduct of boxing matches which would end the governed structure of bare-knuckle fighting.

John Sholto Douglas, eighth Marquis of Queensberry, was responsible for putting these rules into effect and gained fame with his sponsorship and by lending his name to the title . The new rules thus would supersede the Revised London Prize Ring Rules, which were written by Jack Broughton in 1743.

The first fight that applied Queensberry Rules was the heavyweight championship when Jim Corbett knocked out John L . Sullivan in twenty-one rounds to win the title at the Olympic Club in New Orleans on September 7, 1892.

Continue reading Marquis of Queensberry Rules →

“After The Last Round”

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, Movies

*** FLASHBACK *** This article originally was published on www.dmboxing.com for viewing on February 3, 2009

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

On January 29, 2009, the setting was the Lobero Theater, site of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival for the world premiere of the movie “After The Last Round” .

There were several hundred people in attendance including acclaimed movie director Ron Shelton. They were treated to director Ryan Pettey’s eighty eight minute boxing documentary based on the careers of former junior middleweight champion Denny Moyer and his brother Phil, who both fought in the late fifties and into the late sixties with both sustaining long term brain injuries .

Tom Moyer, a cousin to Denny and Phil, is the Executive producer and was instrumental in putting this project together.

I was first approached by Tom and his son Patrick and Ryan Pettey in 2006 about appearing in the film and I am just honored to have been able to contribute .

There were an array of boxing experts and personalities throughout the film, such as: Bert Sugar, Emanuel Stewart, Freddie Roach, former Canadian heavyweight champion George Chuvalo, Johnny Ortiz – former radio host of “Ringside LA”, Alex Ramos and Jacquie Richardson with the Retired Boxers Foundation, top heavyweight contender DaVarryl Williamson, and current IFBA women’s champion Kelsey Jeffries. Also highlighted into the film were a cast of doctors who added their expertise.

Williamson’s wife Shalifa, and Jeffries manager Bruce Anderson were simply positive and added wonderfully to the film.

Continue reading “After The Last Round” →

Chacon vs. Lopez ~ Truly a CLASSIC

David Martinez, FLASHBACK, History

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This article was originally published May 18, 2012 on www.dmboxing.com – AND … now reposting it this month for remembrance on this 50th year anniversary month of their fight.

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

The date was May 24, 1974 when Bobby “Schoolboy”  Chacon and Danny “Little Red” Lopez met in the ring for a long awaited and most anticipated bout between two Southern California rising stars. I was there that night ringside and sitting next to me was HBO Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel – who at that time was a sportscaster for KNBC channel 4 in Los Angeles. The mega match was promoted by “the first lady of boxing” Aileen Eaton and was held at the LA Sports Arena with a crowd of over 16,000 in attendance . Chacon was 23-1 entering the fight and Lopez was a perfect 23-0 with 21 of those bouts ending by knockout.

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.

Continue reading Chacon vs. Lopez ~ Truly a CLASSIC →

Ernie Terrell

Ernie Terrell, FLASHBACK, Heavyweights

*** FLASHBACK – This article was originally published for viewing on www.dmboxing.com / dated August 2, 2007 – and, this version adding some extra photos.

By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

My friend – Ernie Terrell

On October 16, 2004, Ernie Terrell was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, and I was so honored to be chosen as his presenter.

In my 47 years of following boxing, I have been gifted to have met so many wonderful people – but Ernie just has to be that one on the top, as he is such a humble man that I respect, not only as a fighter, but as a human being.

Continue reading Ernie Terrell →