Boxing at the Bank

Boxing came to the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario CA this past Saturday night.  The main event saw Paul Williams (35-1, 26 KO’s) against the durable vet Verno Phillips (41-11-1, 21 KO’s).  However, the night was about the co-main event featuring local boy and Heavyweight prospect Chris Arreola fighting the hard punching Travis Walker (28-1-1, 22 KO’s). 

Tony Alongi

Tony Alongi was among the better heavyweights of the 1960’s that time has forgotten. Alongi amassed 46 fights from 1959 to 1967. Tony won nine straight fights in his maiden year of 1959. He followed that by winning twelve more in 1960. In 1961 he stepped up the quality of his opposition.  Tony won seven more contests. Among his victims were Tod Herring, Jefferson Davis and George Logan. In 1962 Tony suffered his first setback being stopped in ten rounds by Rodolfo Diaz. He came back to stop Joe DeGrazio in four but in 1963 he was stopped in five by the talented Billy Daniels.

Tony bounced back by defeating Prentice Snipes and Don Warner. He then met George Chuvalo. The decision was first announced as a win for Alongi but a re-check of the cards led to the verdict being changed to a draw. Tony won two fights in 1964. One of them against Chip Johnson. In 1965 he defeated Levi Forte and Prentice Snipes again. On March 4, 1966 in New York Tony fought a draw with the highly regarded Jerry Quarry. They met again on May 28th in Los Angeles and again it was judged a draw. On November 23rd Tony and Bill McMurray fought a six round technical draw as both men were cut badly.

Open to the Public see Oscar De La Hoya

On Monday December 1 at 2PM Oscar De La Hoya will be at the Staples Center before he leaves to Las Vegas for his upcoming fight against Philippine icon Manny Pacquiao. This will be open to the public and this will be your opportunity to talk to Oscar and maybe take some pictures. This will take place at the front of the Staple Center – Star Plaza next to the statues of NHL player Wayne Gretzky and NBA super star Magic Johnson, main cross streets Figueroa and Georgia.

On the same day Manny Pacquiao, was scheduled for photo shot at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, but Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach has canceled it. “It’s time to get down to business,” said Roach. “Monday is our last day of training camp and we have a lot to work on. We have discovered a new flaw in Oscar’s defense from a recent fight tape and we’re adding a new weapon to Manny’s repertoire. I don’t want any distractions from that and I don’t Manny held up from a timely departure from the gym. Canceling Monday’s rally is totally my call. I’m sure Manny’s fans will understand.” Pacquiao’s next public appearance will be his official grand arrival at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino at 11AM this Tuesday.

TOO GOOD FOR HIS OWN GOOD

By Chuck Johnson, If there’s such a thing as being too good for his own good, two-time former WBO welterweight champion Paul “The Punisher” Williams might best fit the definition.

At 27, the 6-1 southpaw from Aiken, S.C. is in his eighth year as a professional boxer and is seemingly on the verge of greatness.

But to be the best, Williams knows you’ve got to beat the best. And that’s been the rub. None of the other top welterweights are eager to fight him.

No longer content to wait for the likes of Miguel Cotto, Sugar Shane Mosley, Kermit Cintron and Antonio Margarito to step to the challenge, Williams (35-1, 26 KOs) makes his junior middleweight debut Saturday in Ontario, Calif. against three-time junior middleweight champ Verno Phillips (42-10-1, 21 KOs) from Denver, in a scheduled 12-round bout.

WHY BOBBY CHACON WAS ” BAD TO THE BONE “

Arturo Gatti was probably the warrior of this era. Some of his battles, win or lose are becoming legendary. Rewind now back to early 1970’s to the mid 80’s. There was a boxer, a champion who was Gatti before there was a Gatti. If anyone recalls Bobby ” Schoolboy ” Chacon they have to remember his blood and guts wars with Rafael ” Bazooka ” Limon and Cornelius Boza Edwards. He was a fine boxer but in many cases his heart over ruled his head and he decided to slug instead of box. It may have cost Bobby some fights but the fans sure got their money’s worth. The got a lot highlight clip memories too.

BEFORE PACQUIAO THERE WAS VILLAFLOR

Ben Villaflor was a buzzsaw southpaw out of the Philippines who made his mark in the early seventies. He was a boy wonder who could punch like hell. That power would make him a two-time world champion. He was born in November of 1952 and turned pro in 1966. Do the math…He won his first twelve professional contests but then lost a pair of decisions to Roger Boy Pedrano. Although he won most of his fights after that, an occasional loss spotted his record. 

Ben made his move in 1970 with a KO over highly regarded Don Johnson. In 1971 he halted former featherweight title challenger Raul Cruz in the tenth. In 1972 he stopped another featherweight challenger in rugged Frankie Crawford. He also took out the respected Jose Luis Lopez in two rounds. On April 25, 1972 Villafor outscored Alfredo Marcano to win the WBA junior lightweight championship.

Joe received his CBE

Undefeated Welsh world champion boxer Joe Calzaghe (2nd L) and his father Enzo (R) are pictured with his mother Jackie (L) and his wife Jo-Emma, (2nd R) after Joe received his Commander of the British Empire (CBE) award for services to sport and voluntary services in Wales, from Britian’s Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, in London, on November 26, 2008.  Photo by JOHN STILLWELL/AFP/Getty Images)

Marvis Frazier – The Lost Son

The camera rolls and the highlight clip begins. It shows a young, undefeated but green Marvis Frazier dancing while taunting heavyweight champion Larry Holmes. In the blink of an eye Holmes unloads a right hand sucker shot that sends Marvis backward and into a sprawled position on the canvas. Marvis showing he is a true Frazier gamely arises. Quickly Holmes pins him in a corner and pummels him unmercifully till the ref intervenes. The look on Frazier’s face isn’t so much a look of pain. It is a bewildered, shellshocked look like Ken Norton had after Gerry Cooney had worked him over in a corner. A look that said, “What the hell hit me?” 

Now fast forward to another highlight clip. A not quite ready for prime time Mike Tyson is waiting in his corner to do battle with Marvis Frazier. This is considered a good test for Tyson at this stage of his budding career. 

Mike Tyson in Trouble again

Bad boy Mike Tyson is in trouble again in Las Vegas.

This time, however, it is just a ticket for the former heavyweight champion. Action News Reporter Rikki Cheese was in the southern part of the Valley at Monarch Estates. Sources in the upscale-gated community say that around 7:45am, Tyson drove up in a late-model black Escalade.

He went to the visitor’s gate, but instead of driving through the gate when it opened, he veered off and hit the closed resident’s gate. Tyson reportedly backed up and ripped the gate down. Metro was called, and Tyson got a ticket. He was allowed back inside the home he was there to visit.

No one was hurt, but the gate was damaged. 

Israel Vazquez looses belt

By Gabriel F. Cordero, Nothing official yet, but rumors exist that current WBC super bantamweight world champion Israel Vázquez could renounce the WBC belt, leaving the title to Toshiaki Nishioka, currently the WBC’s interim monarch. Vasquez is recovering from surgery on his right eye due to a retinal tear and may not be able to fight again until April. WBC President José Sulaimán plans to discuss the situation with the 122lb superstar. “If he cannot defend, Vasquez could be named Emeritus Champion so that he can become the mandatory challenger at whatever weight he wants,” said Sulaimán about the possibility that Israel could elevate to the featherweight division. As for Nishioka, Sulaimán said that he should collide with the top rated Rafael Márquez, or with the winner of a bout among the highest rated contenders. Second is Jhonny González.

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