Boxing Bios

When I was eleven, the best movie ever came out. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1960) showed in the theaters and was a great Walt Disney first. Having my mother reading us to sleep, one of our favorite stories continued night after night the Mark Twain classic. We all loved …

Big George Foreman pounded the pulpit and preached Christianity to the congregation while we sat on the wooden pew. Thumping meaning into words, feelings of peace and love, the former champion hammered out points. Cleaned up, glorious George wooed the crowds with smiles and friendship. He chewed each word, as …

Rocky Marciano awoke slowly, the champ always slept before a fight. His eyelids kept falling shut again and again before they finally stayed open. He knew this was his last fight; the first thought crawled across his sleep-thickened mind. He wanted to stop this business, he’d probably tell his wife …

Most fight fans never remember Kenny Norton as the real reason for the movie Rocky. We would never have had the great movie Rocky without his fight with Wepner in 1970, which created the spark for Stallone to make this fine film. Yes, Kenny Norton is the real Apollo Creed. …

Jack Dempsey, the movie from 1983 stars Treat Williams and Sally Kellerman. The “Manassa Mauler’ walks across the screen and shows the life of Jack Dempsey. With him in the movie, it represents the last picture show of him since he died that year. The film opens in Utah in …

Last time out, I explained to you the beginnings of the period that brought us the heavyweights, known as the lost generation. I spoke to you about Leroy Jones, Tony Tubbs and Greg Page. This time I bring to you the careers of Michael Dokes, Tony Tucker and Pinklon Thomas. …

There may have never been a more talent rich period in the heavyweight division then from 1968 to 1978. With Muhammad Ali (a.k.a. Cassius Clay) on the sidelines due to his draft case, other big men emerged. They would compete with each other on an almost equal basis for the …

November – Evander Holyfield V Riddick Bowe 1992-1995. The heavyweight division in 1992 was looking to the future after the incarceration of Mike Tyson. The champion was Evander Holyfield and the two brightest young heavyweights coming through the ranks were Olympians Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe. Holyfield was being criticized …

In 1966, two heavyweights of Puerto Rican heritage turned professional. Each would have an impact on the talent rich heavyweight division of the late sixties and early seventies. Their careers would mirror each other’s and they even took the time to cross gloves on a couple of occasions. Pedro Agosto …

Well, let’s get this over with once and for all. Who was the best white heavyweight since Ingo, or since 1960? Many names come to mind but few have reached the pinnacle of world champion status.You could make a case for South African Gerrie Coetzee who briefly held the WBA …

There was a time in the mid sixties that revolved around who would be Muhammad Ali’s next opponent. The former Cassius Clay was chewing up and spitting out challengers with alarming ease. His hold on the heavyweight title was reaching the point of fan boredom. Few could see any serious …

The world amateur welterweight champion, for 1991, from the Soviet Union: K Tsziu. K Tsziu??? Just another footnote in amateur boxing right? Another thirty-something, steroid abusing, insignificant nobody from the mighty amateur program of the dreaded Red Empire? Well no, K Tsziu would become Kostya Tszyu, the superb junior welterweight …