The fights my dad always talked about

My dad died this morning at 12.30 am in Sandwell hospital. I got back home at around 3.30 and, just after, classic fights were on tv, with joe frazier and jimmy ellis. It reminded me of my dad because he always used to talk about watching old fights in the sixties and seventies, not live but highlights. Does anyone know what the show was called? He told me about Marciano and Walcott, and told me that the ref gave marciano one more round before he stopped it. I was fascinated by this, but my old man was always prone to exaggeration so I don't know. He also used to talk about the fight between Emille Griffith and I presume Benny Paret, when he said that it was the worst beating he'd seen anybody take. He told me that after one fight with sugar ray robinson, carmen bassilio's mother couldn't recognise her son. This was probably an exaggeration as well, but it was both horrible and magical to a young boy learning about life and boxing. My dad loved fighters rather than boxers. He said Ali and Leonard were brilliant, but insisted that they were on drugs as nobody could possibly move that fast. His favourites were Duran, Hagler and Tyson. I'll miss him.

my condolences to you Wright. God Bless you and your family.

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Originally Posted by Wright

My dad died this morning at 12.30 am in Sandwell hospital. I got back home at around 3.30 and, just after, classic fights were on tv, with joe frazier and jimmy ellis. It reminded me of my dad because he always used to talk about watching old fights in the sixties and seventies, not live but highlights. Does anyone know what the show was called? He told me about Marciano and Walcott, and told me that the ref gave marciano one more round before he stopped it. I was fascinated by this, but my old man was always prone to exaggeration so I don't know. He also used to talk about the fight between Emille Griffith and I presume Benny Paret, when he said that it was the worst beating he'd seen anybody take. He told me that after one fight with sugar ray robinson, carmen bassilio's mother couldn't recognise her son. This was probably an exaggeration as well, but it was both horrible and magical to a young boy learning about life and boxing. My dad loved fighters rather than boxers. He said Ali and Leonard were brilliant, but insisted that they were on drugs as nobody could possibly move that fast. His favourites were Duran, Hagler and Tyson. I'll miss him.

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sorry to here that mate. ..... sounds like a good man, i wish my old man was into boxing, i have to drag his ass kicking and screaming to see fights.
\

there my favs to...hagler

duran
tyson.........but i also love watching awsome technical boxers like.....

jones jr
floyd mayweather jr
ali and sugar ray leonard among others........

and to answer ur question...YES marciano got lucky, he was getting severly outboxed by a senoir citizen in walcott. but thats what a great puncher like marciano can do.....lose 3/4 of a fight and take u out with one punch

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Originally Posted by Wright

My dad died this morning at 12.30 am in Sandwell hospital. I got back home at around 3.30 and, just after, classic fights were on tv, with joe frazier and jimmy ellis.

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1st and foremost my thoughts and prayers are with you and will be with you tonight.

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Originally Posted by Wright

It reminded me of my dad because he always used to talk about watching old fights in the sixties and seventies, not live but highlights. Does anyone know what the show was called?

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Well that I know of there was only the 'Gillette Calvacade of Sports' back in those days. Where Kid Gavilan fought most often but they also featured Marciano, SRR, Pep among others.

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Originally Posted by Wright

He told me about Marciano and Walcott, and told me that the ref gave marciano one more round before he stopped it. I was fascinated by this, but my old man was always prone to exaggeration so I don't know.

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Well your dad actually didn't exagerrate enough. Marcianos nose was split down the middle. Below is a picture I have of Marcianos split nose the fight was on the verge of being stopped when Marciano lands his 'Susie Q' (right hand) and KO's Walcott in one of the most talked about KO's ever.

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Originally Posted by Wright

He also used to talk about the fight between Emille Griffith and I presume Benny Paret, when he said that it was the worst beating he'd seen anybody take.

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That was a horrible ending. I have the fight but refuse to see it.

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Originally Posted by Wright

He told me that after one fight with sugar ray robinson, carmen bassilio's mother couldn't recognise her son. This was probably an exaggeration as well, but it was both horrible and magical to a young boy learning about life and boxing.

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Attached below is another picture of Carmen Basilio 'DURING' the fight just imagine how he looked at the end. :)
Your man wasn't lying to you he was telling you the truth. ;)

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Originally Posted by Wright

My dad loved fighters rather than boxers. He said Ali and Leonard were brilliant, but insisted that they were on drugs as nobody could possibly move that fast. His favourites were Duran, Hagler and Tyson. I'll miss him.

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God bless your fathers soul and I know you'll continue to move forward and enjoy a good fight in your fathers memory. :)

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Originally Posted by Wright

My dad died this morning at 12.30 am in Sandwell hospital. I got back home at around 3.30 and, just after, classic fights were on tv, with joe frazier and jimmy ellis. It reminded me of my dad because he always used to talk about watching old fights in the sixties and seventies, not live but highlights. Does anyone know what the show was called? He told me about Marciano and Walcott, and told me that the ref gave marciano one more round before he stopped it. I was fascinated by this, but my old man was always prone to exaggeration so I don't know. He also used to talk about the fight between Emille Griffith and I presume Benny Paret, when he said that it was the worst beating he'd seen anybody take. He told me that after one fight with sugar ray robinson, carmen bassilio's mother couldn't recognise her son. This was probably an exaggeration as well, but it was both horrible and magical to a young boy learning about life and boxing. My dad loved fighters rather than boxers. He said Ali and Leonard were brilliant, but insisted that they were on drugs as nobody could possibly move that fast. His favourites were Duran, Hagler and Tyson. I'll miss him.

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I'm sorry to hear your Father died. God bless you and your family.

Thank you Mad dog, Troy and Cutmemick and Hulk. Your words are both appreciated and strangely comforting, even though they come from so far away. Then again, my dad was a boxing fan, and I think this sport looks after its own more than any other, regardless of where we come from. Cutmemick - it is particularly fitting that the comments at the side of your post (don't know what they are called) mention Arguello. I'm sure he fought Jim Watt, and my dad told me that Arguello was special, but being a kid I was blinded by the fact that Watt was British and I thought that would be enough to carry him through. It wasn't, and my dad was right again, just as he was with Benitez/Hope and Nelson/Cowdell. He was wrong about Lewis/Tyson and Hatton/Kostya, however, so even he wasn't perfect.

Sorry to hear about your loss , hope you get through your difficult time .
deepest sympathies

Sorry to hear that bro before i go asleep i will pray for your dad and also you and your family. As for Emile Grifftih vs Benny Kid Paret 3, i advise you not to watch it. Its like watching a horror movie i've seen the fight and i will never watch it again the ending brought a tear to my eye, and im not the type of guy that does crying either but it was so dreadful to watch.

Anyway may your dad R.I.P.

Sorry to hear of your loss. Sounds as though you had a good relationship with your dad and he knew his boxing it seems. Our families thoughts are with you.

May he R.I.P. My condolences Wright.

Sorry to here of your loss man my thoughts are with you!!
May he rest in peace!!! Its good that he passed his love of boxing onto you.

Sorry to hear about that bro, god bless you and your family and may he R.I.P.

Sorry to hear of your loss Wright, reading your post it reminded me of my father an out & out boxing fan who gave me my first memory of boxing when he let me stay up late to listen to Robinson v Turpin 1 after that I was hooked .I was 10 years old at the time & have had a life time love affair with the sport ever since I don't know how old your dad was but he sounds from my time ,we never had a TV then, maybe the series was called Friday night fights. good luck to you mate & if you have kids make sure that love of boxing lives on in them

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Originally Posted by Wright

My dad died this morning at 12.30 am in Sandwell hospital. I got back home at around 3.30 and, just after, classic fights were on tv, with joe frazier and jimmy ellis. It reminded me of my dad because he always used to talk about watching old fights in the sixties and seventies, not live but highlights. Does anyone know what the show was called? He told me about Marciano and Walcott, and told me that the ref gave marciano one more round before he stopped it. I was fascinated by this, but my old man was always prone to exaggeration so I don't know. He also used to talk about the fight between Emille Griffith and I presume Benny Paret, when he said that it was the worst beating he'd seen anybody take. He told me that after one fight with sugar ray robinson, carmen bassilio's mother couldn't recognise her son. This was probably an exaggeration as well, but it was both horrible and magical to a young boy learning about life and boxing. My dad loved fighters rather than boxers. He said Ali and Leonard were brilliant, but insisted that they were on drugs as nobody could possibly move that fast. His favourites were Duran, Hagler and Tyson. I'll miss him.

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Sorry to hear that mate...My best to you and your family....Your story reminds me a little of my Dad he used to talk boxing for hours....He is the reason I ever watched the sport in the first place...used to tell me about old fights....The ones you mentioned you Dad did not exaggerate..brutal bouts....back then guys were just a bit tougher IMO.....

sorry for your loss buddy.....Im sure hes up there with Rocky now asking him about how he got through that fight and looking down! haha made me laugh with how fast Leonard and Ali was that they had to be on drugs.

But yeah i hope you and family stick together and get through this....god bless.

my condolences my friend

thoughts with you

Your dad sounds like a true boxing fan.
May he rest in peace. Thoughts and prayers be with you bro.

Man, very, very sad to hear this Wright. May he R.I.P. :'( May his memory keep you strong in this bad time ;)

My pops always loved Jerry Quarry and Bob Foster, and those 2 fighters were always talked about to me growing up. My earliest memories of boxing are of my dad rewatching Foster fights and whooping it up; or cheering on a game guy in Quarry though he never brought the title home. I remember my dad always saying it sucked when they put Mike Quarry in with Foster and got sent into the 8th dimension for it.

Again, sorry for your loss. Keep your head up :)

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Originally Posted by Wright

My dad died this morning at 12.30 am in Sandwell hospital. I got back home at around 3.30 and, just after, classic fights were on tv, with joe frazier and jimmy ellis. It reminded me of my dad because he always used to talk about watching old fights in the sixties and seventies, not live but highlights. Does anyone know what the show was called? He told me about Marciano and Walcott, and told me that the ref gave marciano one more round before he stopped it. I was fascinated by this, but my old man was always prone to exaggeration so I don't know. He also used to talk about the fight between Emille Griffith and I presume Benny Paret, when he said that it was the worst beating he'd seen anybody take. He told me that after one fight with sugar ray robinson, carmen bassilio's mother couldn't recognise her son. This was probably an exaggeration as well, but it was both horrible and magical to a young boy learning about life and boxing. My dad loved fighters rather than boxers. He said Ali and Leonard were brilliant, but insisted that they were on drugs as nobody could possibly move that fast. His favourites were Duran, Hagler and Tyson. I'll miss him.

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Sorry to hear that, but I know what it's like. I lost my Dad in March of 2007 and I was helping to take care of him when he passed.

My Dad liked the fights,too. And I can honestly say that he's the one who got me into them. He'd always take me when I was a kid. Carbajal, Paez, Nunn, etc. etc.

His favorites were Tyson, Duran, Delahoya, and some others.




BTW........... He (like me) HATED Evander Holyfield. I think he also hated Sugar Ray Leonard

Sorry to hear that Wright, my condolences to you & your family

My condolences to you and your family. I got into boxing by watching Friday Night Fights (the original in the 1950's) with my dad. He wasn't much of a sports fan, but loved the fights. He's been gone for 20 years and I still miss him. I'm a dad and I guess I'm the reason my 21 year old son is into boxing. There's nothing like watching a good fight with your dad or your son. May your dad rest in peace.

Sorry to hear that man

Thanks to you all for your comforting thoughts and comments. I don't know why, but it makes it better for me and my thoughts about my dad that so many people have responded. Telboy66- thanks so much, as it was Friday night fights that he used to talk about. Thanks also to Legion for mentioning bob foster because my dad used to talk about what an incredible puncher he was and what thin arms he had. Also to the cockney, i'm glad the point about Ali and Leonard made you laugh because, even though he was being serious, he was a right piss taker and loved a bit of banter. Once again, thank you all for your kind words, and I'm sure that my dad is up there saying that none of you know what you are talking about, and that boxing was so much better in the fifties when top fighters fought each other more often. Sad that he was too ill to appreciate Mayweather, which I think he would have done despite his love of come forward fighters, and I know he would have loved Pavlik Taylor if he had been well. Once again, thanks.

damn Wright,very sorry man.My prayers to you and family bro...screw the fights.I lost My oldest sister June of 06' and the greif still envelopes me.She will always be with me and I have her to thank for who I am today and great memories...Sure the same is true with your father.sorry Bro.Take care!!

Thanks Spicolli. It is hard, but easier if i can speak to people who share the same love as my dad did. I think his love for boxing grew from his fifties education. In schools in england, boxing was common. There was a boxing team, and if you you were a member of it you got automatic respect, and nobody would mess with you. My dad was a member of it, and he told me that the school's way of sorting any bullies out in the playground was to weigh them, and place them in the makeshift ring with the school champion of that weight. My dad told me that there wasn't a problem with bullying at his school.

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Originally Posted by Wright

Thank you Mad dog, Troy and Cutmemick and Hulk. Your words are both appreciated and strangely comforting, even though they come from so far away. Then again, my dad was a boxing fan, and I think this sport looks after its own more than any other, regardless of where we come from. Cutmemick - it is particularly fitting that the comments at the side of your post (don't know what they are called) mention Arguello. I'm sure he fought Jim Watt, and my dad told me that Arguello was special, but being a kid I was blinded by the fact that Watt was British and I thought that would be enough to carry him through. It wasn't, and my dad was right again, just as he was with Benitez/Hope and Nelson/Cowdell. He was wrong about Lewis/Tyson and Hatton/Kostya, however, so even he wasn't perfect.

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No problem Wright....
I'm glad that everyones words here have some type of effect.
Both Alexis & Ruben are some of my fav. fighters.
Your pops was right Alexis was an amazing fighter.
What a treat it must have been for your pops to have seen these fights live.
God bless Wright.
Also did you see Basilios face during the SRR fight?

My condolences. Even though your Dad is in a better place now, he will always be there enjoying the fights with you. God Bless.

My condolences to you and your family mate. I lost my father a few years ago now and he was a hardcore fight fan.
My earliest memories are of going with him to his friends houses for food and drink, all centered around the big fight on telly.
They were all big fight fans and there would be constant arguments with examples drawn from previous decades to back them up.
I would jut sit in the background soaking it all up and loving the atmosphere.
His gift to me and my brother was a life-time obsession with the "sweet science".
Unfortunately not too many of my friends are into boxing and it is difficult to recreate those sort of atmospheres.
My bro managed to get 2 tickets to the Hatton vs PBF fight 2 days before the fight date, and we flew out to Vegas for 2 days.
When I told my mates they could'nt understand my excitement and thought I was crazy!
Thank god for this site and community