* CutMeMick visits the World Boxing Hall of Fame 2008 *

[CutMeMick]

Right next to him was one of my favorites to watch a fighter who always gave it his all and fighter who was a fan favorite and whom we recently had a good chat about when Danny_G posted one his more famous pictures.

It was Danny "Little Red" Lopez, wow! what a treat it was to talk with him about his fights with Salvador Sanchez I probably talked to him for another good hour, asking him about the fight and how he felt as the fights went on. He said he felt he had enough to come on strong late in the fight but that his body just did not respond to him like he would have wanted. I aksed him about his fight Olivares he smiled and said what a fight that was, I said I agree it was a sweet battle he said the Forum was just jammed packed to the top that night. He said Olivares shots were hard but he said he knew he hit harder them him and that he knew if he caught him with the right shots he'd win.



I had Lopez sign one of my gloves...

[CutMeMick]

After giving a quick walk through the table of boxers, the crowd was bigger there so I decided to give the room a complete walk through since I hadn't done that yet so I wasn't sure what else or who else was there.

As I start walking I notice from a distance Tommy "The Duke" Morrison.
No shit!!! I was like holy shit this is the day of surprises I'm just seeing people whom I did not even expect here.

I didn't really chat with the Duke as he was real quiet and just pretty straight forward. I just asked if he was fighting again and he said he wasn't sure. I did notice he had 2 HUGE slits/scars on his arms/biceps.
Anyone know anything about that?

[CutMeMick]

Last and def. not least I met one of my all time fav. fighters.

Someone who honestly I never thought I'd meet since I knew he's based in NY and now with his age the traveling becomes harder and harder to do. But my god what a moment this was for me...

My heart stopped beating and I put my bag down on the floor and just stared in amasement. I just could not believe my eyes that he was there...
A fighter whom epitimizes the word boxer in every sense of the word. Someone who saw it all and someone who fought the best and premier fighters of his era and as we discussed has one of the best resumes all time in boxing.

When his family 1st migrated from the Virgin Islands he was forced to get a job from a very young age. He started working at a hat factory and there one day it was hot and he asked his supervisor if he could take off his shirt cause he was hot. His supervisor said go ahead, he takes off his shirt and he sees this kid who's fucken built like truck. Thick neck, broad shoulders, wide chest... Just built, well his supervisor just happened to be friends with Gil Clancy, Gil began training the kid and Gil over the years did not enter any of his amateurs into tournaments on the 1st year of training but he saw this kid was something special so in 1957 he entered the kid into the NY Golden GLoves and the kid lost in the finals.
The next year he entered the kid again int he NY Golden Gloves and this time he took it all he won the tournament...
That very same year he turned pro and with just 24 fights and a record of 22-2 he fought for the World Welterweight title and won via TKO in the 13th round and would begin one of the best/most tragic trilogy ever.

Seeing him was just something very special to me and getting to talk to him and meet him was mind blwoing...
THE LEGEND that is Emile Griffith...






It was hard to understand him but I got most of it as I tied words with one another... It was great to see him it really was.

Now here's where I served as a translater for Alberto Reyes as he talked with Emile. Alberto just wanted to meet him and exchange some words him so I served as a translater for Alberto as his English is not good.

[CutMeMick]

All in all it was a great day for me, having met all these people and talk and have them share some moments of their lives with me is always something I appreciate it...

I also have a short video that I'll upload today.

[Youngblood]

Amazing stuff.

I'm so jealous of you for this stuff, you have no idea.

[Saddo]

very cool stuff mate... i was gonna post when you were making it but relised it was locked and what you were doing

[CGM]

Interesting stuff Mick, thanks for posting.

[C-Lo]

Good stuff Mick!

[leftylee]

Awesome stuff Mick, I bet you had a blast.

Cool t-shirt as well you're wearing

[killersheep]

Sweet Rawdigga,

Looks like a blast, I'm gonna have to head out one of these days.

[CutMeMick]

Amazing stuff.
I'm so jealous of you for this stuff, you have no idea.

Right on kid...
You shouldn't be jealous man one day you'll get your chance.

very cool stuff mate... i was gonna post when you were making it but relised it was locked and what you were doing

Cheers mate...

Interesting stuff Mick, thanks for posting.

Thanks CGM for the taking the time...

Good stuff Mick!

You know the deal C-Lo, it's how we do it.
Saddos coast to coast.

Awesome stuff Mick, I bet you had a blast.

Cool t-shirt as well you're wearing

Cheers lee, I just got that shirt on Friday so it was my 1st time wearing it.
It came at a good time.

[Deanrw]

Holy crap man. I bet you hated to see that day end. Awesome stuff there.

[PRIDE OF BOSTON]

Nice Mick,

Awesome stuff and great pics..

I'm heading down on the 22nd to the Night of Champions Banquet.

There should be a good showing there.

Just bought my tickets online.

[Diane]

Wow, looks like you had a great time!!

It's too bad that Lennox and Pernell were no shows, that would have been nice to meet them as well, but it looks like your were in heaven without them anyways.

Meeting Emile must have been pretty emotional, it would have been for me. I'll admit, I didn't know much about him or his career until I watched Ring Of Fire, and what an amazing story. I got emotional, and felt the torment he felt about the death of Benny Paret, and I was a crying mess when he met Benny's son at the end. I only hope that he is more at peace with what happened.

Thanks for sharing.

[CutMeMick]

It's too bad that Lennox and Pernell were no shows, that would have been nice to meet them as well, but it looks like your were in heaven without them anyways.

Rumors had it that Lennox was there in the hotel but did not want to participate in the Memorabilia event. I'm still not even sure if he was there for the ceremony or not...

Also Pernell I know was not there at all, story goes that he wanted to fly 1st class. But the WBHF is a non-profit orgnization and gettting Pernell a 1st class plane ticket would be steep for them. They gave him a flight number for his flight incase he changed his mind but he said he did not fly coach...
Now how true that story is I'm not sure. But that's what was being talked.

Meeting Emile must have been pretty emotional, it would have been for me. I'll admit, I didn't know much about him or his career until I watched Ring Of Fire, and what an amazing story. I got emotional, and felt the torment he felt about the death of Benny Paret, and I was a crying mess when he met Benny's son at the end. I only hope that he is more at peace with what happened.

Thanks for sharing.

Really was emotional for me seeing him and sitting there next to him and talking with him you could see it in his eyes and you could hear it in his voice when he talked that there was soo much history there and so much to still know about him.