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.
