Friday, April 25, 2014

Unfinished business Clayton vs Evans

Freddy Evans vs Custio Clayton
Wales vs Canada
2012 London Olympics

The Important Rematch
For Canadian boxer Custio Clayton
the most important bout that could
be made in the 2014
Commonwealth Games
would be a rematch for Evans and Clayton.

There are no guarantees that it will happen,
BUT,  there will always be that
question mark hanging over the heads of
 Freddy  Evans and Custio Clayton
that was triggered by their Olympic fight.

two Canadian boxers win and
will be fighting for gold day three
but acustio dropped a split decision dat two.

Canadian boxers invade Belgrade

Boxing Canadia's Team in Belgrade: bybrian zelley


The Boxing Canada's senior elite boxers have arrived in Belgrade for 
an International tournament.

Boxers on the team:

Francois Pratte, David Gauthier, Lucas Bahdi,
Arthur Biyarslanov, Custio Clayton, Clovis Drolet,
Richard MacDonald, Samir El Mais and 
Paul Rasmussen.

Coaches:
Daniel Trepanier and Mike Collins.

Action: April 25 to 27th., 2014

2014 Glasgow  Commonwealth Game

*beyond this Internationl tournament, there is
the 2014 Commonwealth Game in several months.
Who will go from the A Team and/or 2014
National champions is a guess at this stage, but
it is likely the Commonwealth Team will include
some of the above listed boxers with the one with the
highest International profile being Custio Clay.ton.

Now, there is some unfinished business
 from 2012Olympics i.e.
Clayton vs Freddy Evans from Wales.


However, there are no guarantees that they 
will both bein Glagow, and in the same weight 
division. Also,if Evans and Clayton are both 
there and in the same division, one could be
eliminated before a possible match-up.


Day One  Belgrade
- Five of six bouts in the win column
Francois Pratte begins the battle for the victory.

Day Two: Two To Compete for Gold:
Francois Pratte and Lucas Bahdi.


Wednesday, April 16, 2014

BC Amateur boxing 1970 to 1974

A Parade  of Names in British Columbia by Brian Zelley



In the May 1984, while editor of the "BC Amateur Boxing News",
part of the news devoted to flashbacks included a list of 111 boxers
that  participated   during those five years 1970 to 1974.

Some were just starting out and others were closing in on the end run.;
Some that would coach and/or officiate in subsequent time periods
Included some of the following:

George Angelomatis, Joe Cooke, Mickey Griffin,

Derrick Hoyt, Gordie Lawson, Sid McKnight,
Mike O'Reilly, Darryl Olsen, Don Orr, Frankie Scott,
Jack Snaith, Jim Stevenson, Dale Walters, Ed Williams, 
Dan Wright, Dave Wylie, and Brian Zelley.

LOOKING AT all of the names  some that were active as boxers in
The next decade one national and international star was
Dale  Walters who topped his amateur journey off with
an Olympic  medal in 1984 LA Olympic.

Some of the other names that I remember include:   Neil Austin,
Derrick Austin, Gary Bridal, Lou Cooke, Chester Douglas, Freddie Fuller,
Bill Gariepy, Roman Grimard, John Gamble, Les Hamilton, Chris Ius,
Brian Jones, Darren Lussier, Jack Meda, Jamie Ollenberger,
Gary Robinson, Laurie Rorick, Steve Tohill and many more,


                                            Bob Pegues - Joe Cooke - Les Hamilton


                                                       1973  action  in Nanaimo
                                                  Brian Zelley  vs Clark MacLellan



Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Jimmy Young - Uncrowned Champion

The Journey of Jimmy Youmg

Jimmy Young - Boxer

Uncrowned Champion Jimmy Young:  by  Brian Zelley


It was April  1976, and boxer Jimmy Young fought
heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali in what would
result in a controversial ending with Ali winning the
decision but many believed Jimmy Young was the
Clear winner and new heavyweight champion.

Looking at the first two rounds of that title fight
Set the stage for a bout that would go the distance.
There should be no dispute that Young easily won
those first two rounds with a steady release of punches
while the Ali of 1976 showed none of the Speed and
Movement of a 1966.

Leading up to the title bout, Young defeated
Jose Roman, Al Jones and Ron Lyle.

Two key wins after the Ali fighter were wins over
Ron Lyle and former champ George Foreman.
However, he lost a split decision to Ken Norton.
Many believed Jimmy also won the Norton which 
would have given Jimmy a piece of title.

Jimmy Young, the Lost Warrior


Sadly Jimmy would die young in his mid fifties from health issues.
Boxing writer Jim Amato did a piece that was published by Saddo boxing
at http://www.saddoboxing.com/843-jimmy-young-remembered.html

* Concerning the Amato, we both believe Jimmy
did win against Norton, but we disagree on the Ali fight.
Jim discounts Young's possible victory due to him
putting his head through the ropes which, considering
some of the stuff  Ali gets  and got away with seems 
like a flimsy excuse to pump up Ali.  Take the rounds
one by one and the proper result is there in the detail
of each round.










 


Monday, April 14, 2014

AIBA Youth World Boxing - 2014 Sofia

Youth Boxing At IT's Best: By Brian Zelley

Introduction:

This story will focus on the youth boxers in action during April 2014 and will cover all bouts by Canadian boxers and some of the other boxers and personalities involved.

The first bit of news for Canada is boxer Cody Brown from British Columbia will
be the first Canadian to see action.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Boxing's Fantastic Fifties

The 1950's Boxing History: by Brian Zelley


* The   fifties began with the featherweight title
victory by Willie Pep  over Charley Riley and 
followed up by Joey Maxim  over Freddy Mills
in Ight-heavyweight title bout.

The fantastic fifties in boxing ended in December 1959
with a Joe Brown  victory over Dave Charnley  and a
Gene Fullmer win over SpiderWebb.

Between the January 1950 action and the 
December 1959 events, there were numerous
title bouts, champions and golden moments in
the fifties with the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson,
Archie Moore, and many boxers to challenge for
a title from those such as Billy Graham. Art Aragon and
Bobby Dykes to Ricardo Marino, Yvon Durelle and
Kenny Lane.  

Heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano  would make
the history books by retiring undefeated and champion
after his 1955 victory over Archie Moore. Marciano
won the title in September 1952 with a 13 round KO
over champion Jersey Joe Walcott. Floyd Patterson 
would defeat Archie Moore to win the vacant title.

Archie Moore was the light heavyweight champion
when he faced Marciano and Patterson.  One of his
 title fights that would become one of the all-time
classics which took place in December 1958 in
Montreal, Canada against the tough Yvon Durelle.
A rematch with Durelle took place in 1959 but fell 
short of being a classic with an early victory by
Moore.

Sugar Ray Robinson started the fifties as the
welterweight champion. His last welterweight 
title fight took place in August 1950 with a
decision over the popular golden boy of 
New Jersey, Charlie Fusari and the bout took
place in Jetsey City.  In 1951, Robinson would win 
the middleweight title in 13 rounds over the
one they called "the raging bull", Jake LaMotta.

Boxer Kid Gavilan would end up with the vacant
 complete welterweight title after a victory over
Johnny Bratton  who had earned partial recognition 
with a decision over Charlie Fusari.

Friday, April 11, 2014

The Sizzling Sixties Boxing

The Sixties Boxing Review: by Brian Zelley





The first major bout in the sixties was the January 1960 bout that saw Paul Pender defeat the greatest Sugar Ray Robinson
The last major bout in that sizzling super era was the
bantamweight bout between champion Ruben Olivares 
and Alan Rudkin.
Between those two bouts, there would be plenty of
action, great moments, upsets, controversy and 
some tragic moments such as the death of
Benny Kid Paret and Davey Moore.

Selected has the top boxer of the sixties byb
"Boxing Illustrated" was Emile Griffith, but the 
self-appointed greatest was Cassius Clay aka 
Muhammad Ali. His first term has heavyweight 
champion was clouded in controversy and great
ballyhoo.  Following his gold medal in the
light heavyweight division in the 1960 Rome 
Olympics, Cassius Clay would turn pro and work
his way to a title shot with Sonny Liston in 1964.
Two of his pre-championship bouts prior to the
Liston title bout that ended in controversy but
great publicity were bouts with Doug Jones 
and Henry Cooper. However, "The Louiville Lip"
would roll along until his last title bout in 1967
against the old veteran Zora Folley before being 
stripped of the title, But, that would open the door 
for Jimmy Ellis and Joe Frazier. Prior to 1967, Ali also 
was stripped of the title by one of the boxing bodies that
had Ernie Terrell defeating Eddie Machen for a piece
of the divided heavyweight title. One boxer that Ali
looked up to was lightheavyweight Willie Pastrano
who won the title from Harold Johnson, but would
 lose it to Jose Torres 

In the various divisions there were a variety of champions
such as Gene Fullmer, Dick Tiger, Joey Giardello,
Luis Rodriques, Ralph Dupas Denny Moyer, Bob Foster,
Jose Napoles, Curtis Cokes, Joe Brwn, Carlos Ortiz, Davey Moore, Sugar Ramos, Vincente Saldivar, Eder Jofre,
Fighting Harada, Pone Kingpetch, Eddie Perkins,
and Flash Elorde.
                             Eddie Perkins
There were plenty of bouts and contenders:
George Chuvalo, Doug Jones, Brian London,
Jerry Quarry, Gregorio Peralta, Eddie Cotton, 
Brian  Curvis, Jose Stable, Manuel Gonzalez, 
Joey Archer, Alan Rudkin, Fraser Scott, 
Cleveland Williams, Chic Calderwood and more.












Curtis Cokes
welterweight champion






Some Top Names from 1965

Heavyweights
Muhammad Ali, Floyd Patterson, Ernie Terrell,
George Chuval, Zora Folley, Eddie Machen 
Thad Spencer and Amos Johnson

Light Heavy
Jose Torres, Gregorio Peralta, Willie Pastrano,
Harold Johnson, Eddie  Cotton, Wayne Thornton,
Roger Rouse, Henry Hank and Bob Foster

Middleweight
Joey Giardello, Joey Archer, Dick Tiger,
Rubin Carter, Gomeo Brennan and Don Fuller

Weterweights
Emile Griffith, Luis Rodriguez, Manuel Gonzalez
Jose Stable, Brian Curvis, Billy Collins,
Curtis Cokes and Gaspar Ortega

Lightweights
Carlos Ortiz, Bunny Grant, Ismael Laguna,
Kenny Lane, Frankie Narvaez, and 
Angel Robinson Garcia

Feathers to Flyweights
Vincente Saldivar,  Howard Winstone, Raul Rojas,
Eder Jofre, Fighting Harada, J esus Pimental
Pone Kingpetch, Efren Torres and
Walter McGowan

Other Divisions
Carlos Hernandez,  Eddie Perkins, Paul Fujii,
Flash Elorde, Johnny Bizzarro,  and
Danny Valdez

British Empire/Commonwealth
Brian London, Johnny Prescott, Billy Walker,
Joe Bygraves, Chic Callderwood, Freddie Cross,
Wally Swift, Mick Leahy, Joey Durelle, 
Bunny Grant, Maurice Cullen, Persey Hales,
Johnny Famechon, Frankie Taylor, George Bowes
,Johnny Caldwell, Alan Rudkin, Jackie Brown
Bob Allotey and Monte Laud.


1969
Joe Frazier, Mac Foster, Jerry Quarry
Leotis Martin, Bob Foster, Dick Tiger,
Andy Kendall, Hal Carroll, Eddie Avoth,
Denny Moyer, Fraser Scott, Freddie Little,
Jose Napoles, Manuel Gonzalez, Ernie Lopez,
Mando Ramos, Ken Buchanan, Frankie Narvaze
Ruben Navarro, Jose Legra, Dwight Hawkins,
Ruben Olivares, Octavio Gomez, Alan Rudkin.

Henry Cooper, George Chuvalo, Jack Bodell,
Bob Cleroux, JoeBugner, Carl Gizzi,
Bob Dunlop, Dickie Owens, Mark Rowe
Bunny Sterling, Dave Downey
Brian Hudson, Al Ford, Bryn Lewis,
Colin Fraser, Lawrence Hafey, Billy McGrandle,
Evan Arstrong, Jackie Burke, and Art Hafey


Some Bouts for early 1967

Zora Folley stops Floyd Joyner
Amos Lincoln over Archie Ray
Boone Kirkman stops Bowie Adams
Hubert Hilton stops Prentice Snipes

Eddie Cotton stops Bobby Rascon
Karl Zurheide stop Cassius Clay Scott
Hedgeman Lewis overPrimus Williams
Emile Griffith  over Joey Archer
Wilbert "Skeeter" McLure wins

Pacific Northwest Names
Harold Mann, Mike Tunney, Jimmy McGowan,
Larry Buck, Eddie Cotton

1967 California names
Armando Ramos, Ray Echavarria, 
Frankie Crawford, Bobby Valdez, 
Jesus Pimental, Johnny Perez, Charlie Shipes 

Beyond the ring wars



The legend from the Fifties
Rocky Marciano
could often be found in the 
Sixties supporting boxing
such was the case in 
the spring of 1967

There are countless stories
about the names in boxing.
And the sixties produced its share.

Who could fotget that
December 1960 bout
Gene Fullmer vs Sugar Ray Robinsin.
or the brutal 1961 middleweight bout
Gene Fullmer vs Benny Paret



Or, a rare slice of fame for Sonny Banks
when he decked Ali then known as
Cassius Clay in the first round.
It was a short left hook.
















Thursday, April 10, 2014

It happened in April

April Ring Action: By Brian Zelley


One of the title fights that I remember watching took place in April 1966 in a middleweight title fight that saw welterweight champion Emile Griffith win the middleweight title with a crafty performance over Dick Tiger.  Emile's last welterweight title fight was a victory over Manuel Gonzalez  who had earned a decision over Emile ina non-tile bout.

But, over the years there were other great
 title fightsin the month of Apri. It was
 April 1.1954 when Bobo Olson won a 15 round decision over Kid Gavilan, and April 1955
 when Tony DeMarco stopped Johnny Saxton.
 Fast forward to 1958 and we have the
featherweight champion Hogan Kid Bassey
 stop Ricardo Moreno in Los Angeles.

In the sizling sixties there were a numbe
 of good title fights in the rainy month of
 April.  In 1960, it was Gene Fullmer over 
Joey Giardello, and  Pone Kingpetch  over
Pascual Perez.  In 1961, Paul Pender
would win over Terry Downes And, an
 historical moment was when Carlos Ortiz
won the lightweighttitle from Joe Brown.
But, in April 1965 Ortizwould lose the title 
to Ismael Laguna.

It was April 1969 and a new star for
 the seventies was Jose Napoles  when he
 won the welterweighttitle from Curtis Cokes.
 And, fast forward to April 1985, when
Marvin Hagler won over Thomas Hearns.








Tuesday, April 8, 2014

| The Ryan Rozicki boxing mission

Fighting for Rio: Former street brawler Rozicki eyes 2016 Olympics | The Chronicle Herald
The story from "The Chronic Herald" 
gives us a quick look at where he started and his desire and mission into the unknown as the days fade away towards Rio in 2016.

A Look at the Rozicki story and the possibilities:
*by Brian Zelley




* There are no guarantees to the end game in 2016, just hope  and possibilities.  But through
the right process the road to Rio


 can be a reality and not just a dream, a hope,
and a desire for the heavyweight boxer called 
 Ryan Rozicki  of Boxing Nova Scotia, but
 the Sidney boxing club, Boxing Canada 
and the A-Team.

From reviewing the background, Ryan and his coach should think about an old boxing champion named
Willie Pastrano not only helped him become 

a world champion, but also helped his friend
Cassius Clay, better known as Muhammad Ali.+