What Famous Fighters Have You Met?

[mexman]

I'd be interested in hearing about any experiences with famous fighters.

Way back in 1998, I went to a sport card show in Tulsa Ok. and decided to get a Leon Spinks autograph as he was signing there. I was not a Spinks fan but couldn't resist the chance to meet an ex-heavyweight champ.

When I approached Spinks at the signing table, he was not exactly busy. I was the only one in line. I requested a personalization, which he signed. After the signing, I thanked him and shook his hand. He was very pleasant and cordial.

Later, I was in the lobby of the convention sitting in a chair when I saw him come out of the hall, apparently for a break, and he took a seat in the chair right across the aisle from me. If he recognized me from the signing, he gave no indication.

I didn't want to bother him on his break but was interested in observing him. People just walked by him, seemingly unaware who he was. He sat quietly, sipping on a soft drink. A man walked by with a toddler. The youngster, about 2 or 3, broke away from his dad and went up to Leon. While the kid babbled away, Leon chuckled and spoke to him. The dad corralled his son and walked away. I don't think he recognized Leon.

All in all, an interesting experience. I still have that signed photo. It was kind of neat shaking the hand of a man who defeated Muhammad Ali and who was heavyweight champ of the world.

[salsanchezfan]

Just a few, from the days when I fought out of Tacoma. The gym I fought out of was the petri dish that sprung such talents as Leo Ranolph, Rocky Lockridge, and Johnny Bumphus.

I met Bumphus once briefly, wasn't at all impressed.

Leo Randolph was one of the most genuinely nice people I have ever met in any walk of life. A prince of a man.

Sugar Ray Seales, who was also quite nice.

Also Hagler, who attended a benefit for Seales in Tacoma. He seemed cool, though I just shook his hand and mumbled something unintelligible.

[jonesjrp4p1]

ive met jeff lacy and paulie malignaggi.......i think i might go to the boxing hall of fame next year(wanted to go this year but wasted my money on seeing judah lose to cotto) because i live an hour away so ill meet alot more

[mr. magoo]

[quote=salsanchezfan]Just a few, from the days when I fought out of Tacoma.


Not to get off subject, but I here washington is gorgeous. I'd love to visit it some day..

[mexman]

salsanchezfan, I always liked southpaws and remember Seales as a gold medalist and solid pro. I have heard he was in bad shape physically. Did he have pugilistic dementia, or whatever it is they call it?

I also watched Tommy Morrison sign autographs at a show in 2005 in Kansas City. I didn't meet him though.

At the same show, I did get Tonya Harding's autograph. I guess she counts as a famous fighter. Weird, but it was the same situation as with Spinks.

She was completely alone at her table. Even her manager had wandered off. I went up to her. She gave me a big smile and hello and we proceeded to have a nice conversation. She was probably bored as hell and welcomed the chance to talk with anyone.

We talked about her new projects and she mentioned a new film she was making that would tell the "real" story of the Nancy ? incident. (I can't remember her last name).

I was tempted to ask about her infamous Penthouse video but didn't want to get slugged!

[salsanchezfan]

salsanchezfan, I always liked southpaws and remember Seales as a gold medalist and solid pro. I have heard he was in bad shape physically. Did he have pugilistic dementia, or whatever it is they call it?

I also watched Tommy Morrison sign autographs at a show in 2005 in Kansas City. I didn't meet him though.

At the same show, I did get Tonya Harding's autograph. I guess she counts as a famous fighter. Weird, but it was the same situation as with Spinks.

She was completely alone at her table. Even her manager had wandered off. I went up to her. She gave me a big smile and hello and we proceeded to have a nice conversation. She was probably bored as hell and welcomed the chance to talk with anyone.

We talked about her new projects and she mentioned a new film she was making that would tell the "real" story of the Nancy ? incident. (I can't remember her last name).

I was tempted to ask about her infamous Penthouse video but didn't want to get slugged!


................I guess I should preface this statement by saying I haven't seen Seales since 1986, but at least then he didn't have dementia. He needed work on his eyes, though, which had really bad cataracts and maybe detatched retinas (not sure if he got those fixed when they were first found out). He was basically almost blind, but otherwise seemed in good health.

[hdog]

Went to a fundraiser at a resturant for the IBHOF. Talked to Frazier, Arguello and Donny LaLonde. Few other fighters who I can't remember.

Frazier left a little ahead of me and a friend. We say a guy run up behind him in the resturant parking lot to get an autograph. We cringed because we though Frazier might instinctively turn around and drop him. Didn't happen though.

[djrock247]

I'm friends with Eric Rossy, older brother of Derric Rossy, though he's a fringe contender he's still a known fighter. I recently met Chris Arreola, Emile Griffith and Vito Antuofermo at Derric's FNF in Selden, NY. I got to meet my hero Sugar Ray Leonard when I was a kid about 18 years ago. Ask an old timer about Joe Miceli and they will know who you're talking about. I got to spend a lot of time with Joe and his wife a few years ago. By chance, I wound up at their home to sell them some home improvements and saw a lot of boxing memorabilia in the room so I asked about it and got to talk to Joe for over 2 hours, very nice meeting.

[BobDigi5060]

Ron Lyle, Verno Phillips, Lonnie Smith, DaVaryll Williamson, JC Candelo, Erik Morales, Caesar Lopez, Antonio Escalante and Camacho Sr.

[john garfield]

I'm friends with Eric Rossy, older brother of Derric Rossy, though he's a fringe contender he's still a known fighter. I recently met Chris Arreola, Emile Griffith and Vito Antuofermo at Derric's FNF in Selden, NY. I got to meet my hero Sugar Ray Leonard when I was a kid about 18 years ago. Ask an old timer about Joe Miceli and they will know who you're talking about. I got to spend a lot of time with Joe and his wife a few years ago. By chance, I wound up at their home to sell them some home improvements and saw a lot of boxing memorabilia in the room so I asked about it and got to talk to Joe for over 2 hours, very nice meeting.

What a pleasant surprise hearing Joe Miceli's name. I trained at Stillman's gym when he was there. Can't say I've ever heard him discussed here. On the right night, Joe was a helluva fighter -- had a left uppercut-hook that would knock over a building. I always suspected he was a converted southpaw, he got so much leverage behind it.

[Dempsey1238]

Larry Holmes and Bone Crusher Smith.

[salsanchezfan]

[quote]


Not to get off subject, but I here washington is gorgeous. I'd love to visit it some day..



..............It is. It really is. It's one of the few states where you can drive two hours in any direction and be in a completely different ecosystem when you get there. I live by the water, in the western part of the state. An hour east, and you have the Cascade Mountains and Mount Rainier. Further east, you have the Palouse, with its endless wheat fields. South of that, you have almost desert-like areas. Go west into the peninsula, and you have the only rain forest in the contiguous fifty states. It's deathly quiet in there.


I'm sorry, I've played along long enough. Who IS that in your avatar shoving her thang in my face? :hey

[Liston3]

I met little known San Antonio champ John Michael Johnson. He was a real prick, he told me people cant get enough of a 3 time champ, even though 2 of his belts were nabf and minor stuff like that. And his only real big win was Junior Jones. At first i was excited to meet him, but he turned out to be a real @$$hole. I was only 12 when I met him, but that didnt stop him from being a prick.

[clark]

Joe Frazier. I asked about different fighters he faced and he was very polite.

[TBooze]

I was called a bum by Lou Duva:

Me and a few mates after a few shandy's bumped into Lou Duva at Earls Court (Ruddock/Lewis). Some choice comments followed from my mate about Meldrick's performance (he lost to Espana) and Lou started to chase after him! Lou was quite a fearsome sight and my mate soon sobered up.

Then Lou followed up with

"Get out of here ya bums"

comment.

[heerko koois]

:lol: :lol: Me and a few mates after a few shandy's bumped into Lou Duva at Earls Court (Ruddock/Lewis). Some choice comments followed from my mate about Meldrick's performance (he lost to Espana) and Lou started to chase after him! Lou was quite a fearsome sight and my mate soon sobered up.;)

you got that on video ??

[TBooze]

:lol: :lol:

you got that on video ??

No can't say I have.

[heerko koois]

No can't say I have.


Too bad......

[RockyJim]

Rocky Marciano at The Brockton Fair......
Marvin Hagler in Brockton........
Willie Pep in Providence......
Jake LaMotta in Brockton.....
Carmine Basilio in Boston.....
Tony DeMarco in Boston.....
Paul Pender in Boston...
Jack Dempsey at his NYC restaurant.....
Bob Foster in Springfield Mass....
Sonny Liston in Plymouth Mass......

[buzzsaw]

1980 Jersey Joe Walcott handed out Golden Glove awards. Even in his suit Joe looked fight ready. I walked up to Aaron Pryor before he fought D. Myers in non-title fight and he talked to me like we were life long friends. So Cool!! 1982 was introduced to Sugar George Costner. Training in New Jersey I used to hold Ritchie Kates legs down for him while he did sit-ups (LOL) Watched Livingston Bramble warm up in his locker room before going out to fight Gaetan Hart. Shook Emmanuel Stewards hand shortly after Mike McCallum beat my friend Tony Suero. Buster Douglas and his father Bill. Hilmer Kenty (sparred w/his stepbrother Forest Winchester) WBO welter Champ Manning Galloway (was a sparring partner) Vonzell Johnson (only losses were to Spinks, Saad and Celestine) 1984 Alexis Arguello, thanks to Jerry Page. 1985 Beau Jack lived in the gym I was training out of. Doug DeWitt was training in same gym. My sparring partner Jakey Winters was the guy Evander bit!(LOL) 1991 Ricky Parkey. 2003 Bernard Hopkins.

[Ted Stickles]

Holyfield,Golota,Trinidad,McGirt,Cooney,Whitaker,Moorer,Wepner,Lamotta,Archer,friends with Marcianos brother( he's 1/2 famous)Teddy Atlas,Jameel McCline,Gatti........Basically ,i used to box out of Jersey City and they all came in at one point or another

[hdog]

I knew a guy who asked Jerry Quarry if boxing was fixed. Quarry was not amused.

[vitesse349]

I used to see kirkland laing a lot in the early 90's, as he used to drink in a pub near where I lived. A totally nice guy, down to earth would play pool and drink with everyone. Sad to see how he ended up but what a gentleman. Also know charlie magri (ex flyweight champ) who is nice one minute and can be a moody fucker the next.

Have met john conteh who is a diamond, a totally cool guy, Frank Bruno who was rude and ignorant (probably due to his unknown illness at the time) and I know James Batten quite well (ex british middleweight champ, fought Duran) another lovely fellow.

[Robbi]

Chris Eubank, Ken Buchanan, Barry McGuigan, Scott Dixon, Paul Weir, Michael Gomez, Craig Docherty.

[janitor]

Earnie Shavers while he was working on the door in Liverpool.

Fine gentleman but I would not argue with him.

[robert ungurean]

Hopkins at London Publishing in Ft. Wash.PA. Where Ring mag has its office.
I used to train at Fraziers many yrs ago & met. Joe & Marvis,M.Spinks,
M.Blocker,M.Taylor & J.Duplesis. All were very Kool people.

[Bill1234]

Larry Holmes every week....
His brother Mark Holmes, he wasn't exactly famous, but he was ranked #1 middleweight contender, but got KO'd for a title. Other than that, Ive met guys that fought some good fighters. Like Angel Cruz, he fought Saul Mambi and Howard Davis Jr. I beleive he beat Mambi, but lost a split decision to Davis.

[Bill1234]

I was called a bum by Lou Duva:

Me and a few mates after a few shandy's bumped into Lou Duva at Earls Court (Ruddock/Lewis). Some choice comments followed from my mate about Meldrick's performance (he lost to Espana) and Lou started to chase after him! Lou was quite a fearsome sight and my mate soon sobered up.

Then Lou followed up with

"Get out of here ya bums"

comment.


:lol:

[Lex]

Roy Jones Jr. while he was light-heavyweight champ - at a junior college basketball game in Pensacola, where my (ex-) wife taught. I just walked up to him, shook hands and asked if he'd hold my baby son while I took a photo. He was very cool, friendly. No big posse, bodyguards or anything. Despite his public posturing on TV, when he's at home in Pensacola he's laid back. He has big, soft hands, a basketball player's hands more than a boxer's.

I've lived in Fort Worth for decades and was an amateur boxer here as a teenager. A couple of my amateur teammates went on to become pro world champs: Gene Hatcher, Bruce Curry. I also remember Bruce's younger half-brother, Donald, from when he was around 12 years old. Cute kid, fantastic amateur boxer. Turned out to be a pretty good pro too. :clap:

My brother and I were ringside when Hatcher defended his light-welter title against Ubaldo Sacco in Fort Worth and visited Gene afterward. I don't think he remembered me from our amateur days, but then again he'd just been through 15 brutal rounds with Sacco.

Lessee, who else... I met Steve Cruz (former featherweight champ, beat Barry McGuigan); Paulie Ayala. I watched Frankie ****** in the Golden Gloves (the Corpus Christi Frank ******, not the UK promoter); Frankie went on to split a pair of decisions with Buddy McGirt as a pro. Ronnie Shields as an amateur.

Aww, heck, I can't remember all of 'em. If you go to amateur and pro fights in a big boxing town like Fort Worth, San Antonio, Philly, etc., there are always opportunities to meet top fighters who are just hanging out or being introduced pre-fight.

I am a bigtime Fort Worth boxing nuthugger and proud of it.

[nick wells jr]

gene hatcher ,boom boom mancini,donald curry,lynn ball,ed too tall jones does that even count,and of course my father nick wells sr.and i know there were more me being so young at the time my father im sure introduced me to many more but those are the ones i remember.

[jackiebrown]

i've met and shook hands with joe byrd at his gym in flint ..

i've seen chris byrd around flint in the passed ..

went to a uaw parade where andre dirrell was sporting his medal .. it was right after the olympics

off the cuff though... right after the 1996 pacs won the super bowl i went into a video game store to buy some shit ...and no more then 5 mins before i got in there andre rison had been in there .. gave the clerk his autograph and everything! .. poor luck !

[jackiebrown]

my old boss was also the water boy on the beecher highschool football team which all time great ny giants linebacker carl banks played for ..

said he was a real cool guy .. quiet ..also said he was a lil iffy . in terms of sexuality...but not sure if he was gay or just quiet

[brooklyn1550]

Tommy Hearns, George Foreman, Marvin Hagler, Ken Norton, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mike McCallum, Milton McCrory, Jimmy Paul, Hilmer Kenty

[robert ungurean]

Hopkins at London Publishing in Ft. Wash.PA. Where Ring mag has its office.
I used to train at Fraziers many yrs ago & met. Joe & Marvis,M.Spinks,
M.Blocker,M.Taylor & J.Duplesis. All were very Kool people.
I'D like to add Harold Johnson to my list.

[Lex]

... my father nick wells sr.and i know there were more me being so young at the time my father im sure introduced me to many more but those are the ones i remember.

I remember your dad from the amateur days. I sparred with him once or twice, very casually, when there was nobody else available in the gym. I was only a light welterweight so he took it easy on me. Prolly could've killed me with one shot!

[Tommy Hearns]

Matt Saad Muhammad; great guy, got his autograph too.

[Pat_Lowe]

I met Jeff Fenech on Tuesday, shook his hand and got a picture taken with him. Nice guy.

[salsanchezfan]

I met Jeff Fenech on Tuesday, shook his hand and got a picture taken with him. Nice guy.


...........When's your next fight, Pat?

[Zakman]

Roy Jones. He was very obliging with the autographs, too. I don't care what people say about him being "arrogant," but he was sure nice to me. Met Shane Mosley, too. Now he is a REAL nice guy!!

[Pat_Lowe]

...........When's your next fight, Pat?

I've had 3 fights since my first exhibition, I won 2 I lost my last one on points sadly. Thats actually where I met Jeff Fenech, he was at the club. I got really tired early, I've been slacking off in training, not doing my roadwork etc and I paid for it. The other guy was smaller but I just had nothing to keep him off. He just walked through my punches, and countered me badly. I think I was better then the other guy and I could have won but I blew it. Positive thing though is that I'm motivated now like I haven't been before.

[salsanchezfan]

I've had 3 fights since my first exhibition, I won 2 I lost my last one on points sadly. Thats actually where I met Jeff Fenech, he was at the club. I got really tired early, I've been slacking off in training, not doing my roadwork etc and I paid for it. The other guy was smaller but I just had nothing to keep him off. He just walked through my punches, and countered me badly. I think I was better then the other guy and I could have won but I blew it. Positive thing though is that I'm motivated now like I haven't been before.


.............The sage words of Billy Conn are true; "A third-rater in shape will beat a first-rater out of shape."

[Pat_Lowe]

.............The sage words of Billy Conn are true; "A third-rater in shape will beat a first-rater out of shape."

True words. I had to learn the hard way though :D. Oh well I've started training again and hopefully a rematch comes my way.

[redrooster]

Dinner with Conteh has met Leonard, Hagler, and Hearns at a dinner for VIP's. Or so he says.

[Pat_Lowe]

Dinner with Conteh has met Leonard, Hagler, and Hearns at a dinner for VIP's. Or so he says.

Didn't you go see a Hagler sparring session Leonard fight and it was there and then that you realised Hagler was shot and going to lose?

[redrooster]

Didn't you go see a Hagler sparring session Leonard fight and it was there and then that you realised Hagler was shot and going to lose?

Yes and I would love for someone to dispute it since I actually grew up in that city and several friends of mine were from that vicinity where Hagler trained and is one of the quieter and more remote parts of the city.

I could tell he was shot from the sessions and the way he was moving-it didn't seem he had much of a future in boxing but it was around the first day of April I was thinking his time was up.

The other time I saw Marvin was for the Hamsho rematch.

[Holmes' Jab]

Lennox Lewis, Barry McGuigan, Nigel Benn and Wayne McCullough.

[Duodenum]

.............The sage words of Billy Conn are true; "A third-rater in shape will beat a first-rater out of shape."Billy Conn also said, "When somebody's unbeaten, there's something wrong."

[Duodenum]

True words. I had to learn the hard way though :D. Oh well I've started training again and hopefully a rematch comes my way.Pat, this may come across as a little bizarre, but congratulations on sustaining your first loss so early in your development. Sometimes the hard way to learn is the only way to proceed. Marciano was humiliated in his first amateur contest to Ted Lester in front of his hometown fans, due to very poor conditioning. The vivid memory of that outcome drove him forever forth. Joe Louis was bounced up and down like a basketball in his amateur debut, seven times.

Never let yourself forget the consequences of slacking off in training. This has made real for you the understanding that the more consistent and disciplined you are in your approach, the more successful you can be. The harder you work, the better the rewards. (And the harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.) You can make it your goal to overwhelm your opponents with superior conditioning. Then, the acquistiion of greater skill and experience will take care of itself.

I hope you're skipping rope routinely. Once you can do that for a half hour nonstop (without opening your mouth to take a breath), you can condition yourself to do anything aerobically.

A friend of my father's began boxing professionally when he was 38 years old. He was the cross country running coach at the school where he taught, and had always kept himself in fine shape. He sustained only one decision loss as a pro (to a world class southpaw), and basically ran his teenaged opponents into exhaustion. (When he was 40, one of his victims dropped for the count out of sheer weight of fatigue in just three rounds.) None of his defeated foes made it to the final bell.

Now that you know what can happen when you slack off in training, imagine what might occur if you work harder in training than you need to while competing!