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.

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.

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.

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.

| 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.+

Phil Rose - Canadian Boxer

Journey of "THE ROSE" of Boxing"  by Brian Zelley

Phil Rose - Boxer
Record and photo from BoxRec.:

It was a bout that would elevate Phil Rose from almost unknown status
to a new star on the Canadian boxing scene. With a recent victory over two time Olympic boxer
Adam Trupish, Phil is "The Canadian Boxing Rose" ready to bloom in the fistic garden.

Gatin, Habib and Jackson, the builders

Potential Nominees for 2015: by Brian Zelley

- As the BC Amateur Boxing Hall of Fame begins year six,
the start of any process is to think about poiential candidates
Three likely builders that are still active include coaches ***
Dale Gatin, Dave Habib, and Alexander Scotty Jackson.

                                   Scotty at the Queensborough club

We will look at all three and others as part of the lomg process
It was . and for Boxing Canada,Scotty Jackson was one of 15 leaders along with

Hank and Mark Summers, Taylor Gordon, John O'Shea, George Goff,
Sonn Wong, TerryHawes,    Phil Baraly, Jenifer Reid, Val Ryan, Russ Anber,

Geronimo

         

                                         Dave Habib, Kelowna Boxing Club

there can be know preconceived expectations for these three
or any other names that get suggested or even nominated.
Some other names suggested in recent months include:
Geronimo Bie and Ken MacDonald in the boxer category

Another named added to the list of builders is Howard Curling