15 SECONDS…TOLEDO

Published

13 years ago

December 5, 2011

Holman Shadow[1]

Doug Cavanaugh had it in his closet, hidden away like an escaped convict.

No sirens screamed and no searchlights glinted by his windows in Canoga Park, California but he was harboring a convict all the same; only this one hadn’t come barreling out of the Wayside Jail, 25 miles away. This one came barreling out the sands of time, 70 years away. More shocking still, he had come from Murderers’ Row.

Three years ago, Cavanaugh received a package in the mail from J.J. Johnston, a fellow boxing historian and collector of fight films. In the package was a videocassette. Cavanaugh popped it in his VCR and sat back as newsreels of Jack Dempsey, Mickey Walker, and Max Schmeling flickered across the screen. He watched Joe Gans succumb to Battling Nelson in the summer of 1908, knowing that two years later Gans would succumb to tuberculosis -–which was only slightly more debilitating than a fight with Nelson. He wondered whether Gans was already coughing blood, whether his body was already breaking down, and whether the great lightweight knew it.

Half way through the video, Cavanaugh leaned forward. Johnston told him that there may be a fleeting segment of someone special in action. This was it.

HOLMAN WILLIAMS

There are many who swear that Holman Williams of “Murderers’ Row” was among the greatest defensive technicians who ever lived. He was that and more. When Joe Louis first walked into Detroit’s Brewster Gym in 1930, it was Holman who took him under his wing and taught him the fundamentals. Joe was in awe of Holman “–-a beautiful boxer,” he would say. Later when Joe became a king and Holman proved too dangerous to get a shot at the crown in two divisions, Joe would see to it that his friend got a spot on his undercards. He would also invite Holman and some sparring partners to his training camps. When Holman worked out, trainer Eddie Futch remembered Joe delaying his own workout and sitting ringside with his gloves and headgear on, watching. Why? “To pick up ideas.” The heavyweight king never stopped learning from Holman.

Many boxing historians believe that Holman was a pure stylist. However, his first five years in the prize ring saw more than half of his wins come by knockout. “Holman is a busy, rangy fighter and packs dynamite in his right fist,” said the Times-Picayune in 1937 when he was barnstorming New Orleans. Later in his career he evolved into a stylist because he had to; because some fighters hit too hard for their own good. Thomas Hearns and Arturo Gatti both broke their right hands repeatedly because the impact of their punches was too much on their metacarpal bones. Old school fighters with fractured fists didn’t have Hearns’ and Gatti’s advantages with modern medical science. When “Cinderella Man” James J. Braddock fractured his vaunted right, he had to completely change his style. Holman’s case was similar. Somewhere along the way, his brittle hands forced him to become mobile and concentrate on the softer region of his opponent’s body. He learned to rely on elegance and less on power.

Considering what he faced over a 188-bout career, he needed both.

Fighters didn’t come any more dangerous (or more avoided) than those in boxing’s Murderers' Row. They still don’t. This ferocious set of black fighters was active on the west coast in the ‘40s. Not one of them got a world title shot, so they fought each other. Holman warred with fellow members of the row 36 times: He faced Cocoa Kid thirteen times, Charley Burley seven times, Bert Lytell and Jack Chase four times, Lloyd Marshall and Eddie Booker three times, and Aaron “Tiger” Wade twice.

They were all condemned to Murderers’ Row for the same reasons –their level of skill made them dangerous to champions and the color of their skin made them easier to avoid.

Archie Moore never forgot them. Like Holman, he fought them all. Like Holman, he gave them hell and got hell in return. Unlike Holman, Archie finally took a throne during Christmastime 1952 and became light heavyweight champion of the world. He was 36 years old. And he had a secret: Archie knew that had it not been for his grim resolve to defy age and injustice he too would have been condemned to the row.

He was grateful to them, and he felt sorry for them.

So, when fate smiled on the Old Mongoose, he made damn sure to lift them up just a little bit by mentioning their names during interviews and in print –he was a king who remembered those who made him great. Budd Schulberg listened. It was he who conceptualized their title in 1962: “I went with Moore all the way back to the California days,” he wrote in Esquire, “when he was in there with names unknown to the East but very rugged characters.” Schulberg referred to them as “that murderers’ row of Negro middleweights carefully avoided by the titleholders.”

Until recently, not much more was known about them. Allen S. Rosenfeld and Harry Otty published well-received biographies of Charley Burley and discussed his great rivals, but even they ran into fog and mystery when it came to who those rivals were, where they came from, and where they went.

Part of the problem has been the lack of film. As far as the boxing world knew, action footage existed only of Burley and Marshall. The remaining six were sentenced to indeterminate stretches behind concrete walls; or closets.

And then Doug Cavanaugh did us all a favor.

OUT OF THE CLOSET, INTO THE LIGHT

Cavanaugh recently asked if I’d be willing to take a look at the footage. Three days ago I received a package in the mail and sat in the dark watching images from long ago flicker to life.

Halfway through the video I leaned forward, looking for Holman. Whoever filmed the action sat in the third or fourth row and used a hand-held camera. Someone’s head blocks part of the view and at one point a man in a fedora walks by looking for his seat. These are ghosts.

Two supremely-conditioned athletes fight it out along the ropes. It’s Holman all right. His opponent looks like Young Gene Buffalo, a Philadelphia fighter who faced Murderers’ Row eight times and won none. I realized it when I saw another clip showing the same ring from the same seat that could only have been filmed by the same person. It showed Joe Louis-Abe Simon I. Records show that Holman defeated Buffalo on the undercard of his friend’s title defense at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit. It was March 21, 1941.

For 15 seconds, it is March 21, 1941.

Holman is very aggressive though his balance is perfect and his execution flawless. His hands aren’t bad yet; that right cross seems particularly hard. I note that he moves in a gallop –exactly like those old fight reports said he did. I also note that Joe Louis was right and will stay right forever: this is “a beautiful boxer.”

As Holman throws wicked combinations to the head and body of Buffalo, cigar smoke swirls in a corner outside the ring. It rises to the rafters like a prayer of thanks in the red light district. Just before the footage blinks off, he has Buffalo’s back on the ropes and presses his gloves on his biceps to stop any offense as he begins to move back. Then something special happens.

Holman Williams, alive again and in his prime, turns his head from the action and glances straight into the camera… at us.

Here is the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zje1xxmDrdA

____________________________

Photograph appears courtesy of Harry Otty.

Special thanks to Douglas Cavanaugh and J.J. Johnston.

Springs Toledo may be contacted at scalinatella@hotmail.com“>scalinatella@hotmail.com.

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Springs Toledo

Bivol Evens the Score with Beterbiev; Parker and Stevenson Win Handily

Published

7 hours ago

February 22, 2025

David A. Avila

Bivol-Evens-the-Score-with-Beterbiev-Parker-and-Stevenson-Win-Handily

It was labeled the best boxing card in history.

That’s up for debate.

And there was some debate as Dmitry Bivol avenged his loss to Artur Beterbiev to become the new undisputed light heavyweight world champion on Saturday by majority decision in a tactical battle.

“He gave me this chance and I appreciate it,” said Bivol of Beterbiev.

Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) rallied from behind to give Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) his first pro loss in their rematch at a sold out crowd in the Venue Riyadh Season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Like their first encounter the rematch was also very close.

Four months ago, these two faced each other as undefeated light heavyweights. Now, after two furious engagements, both have losses.

Beterbiev was making his first defense as undisputed light heavyweight champion and made adjustments from their first match. This time the Russian fighter who trains in Canada concentrated on a body attack and immediately saw dividends.

For most of the first six rounds it seemed Beterbiev would slowly grind down Bivol until he reached an unsurmountable lead. But despite the momentum he never could truly hurt Bivol or gain separation.

Things turned around in the seventh round as Bivol opened up with combinations to the head and body while slipping Beterbiev’s blows. It was a sudden swing of momentum. But how long could it last?

“It was hard to keep him at the distance. I had to be smarter and punch more clean punches,” said Bivol.

Beterbiev attempted to regain the momentum but Bivol was not allowing it to happen. In the final 10 seconds he opened up with a machine gun combination. Though few of the punches connected it became clear he was not going to allow unclarity.

Using strategic movement Bivol laced quick combinations and immediately departed. Betebiev seemed determined to counter the fleet fighter but was unsuccessful for much of the second half of the fight.

Around the 10^th round Beterbiev stepped on the gas with the same formula of working the body and head. It gave Bivol pause but he still unleashed quick combos to keep from being overrun.

Bivol connected with combinations and Beterbiev connected with single body and head shots. It was going to be tough for the referees to decide which attack they preferred. After 12 rounds with no knockdowns one judge saw it a draw at 114-114. But two others saw Bivol the winner 116-112, 115-113.

“I was better. I was pushing myself more, I was lighter. I just wanted to win so much today,” said Bivol.

Beterbiev was gracious in defeat.

“Congratulations to Bivol’s team” said Beterbiev. “I think this fight was better than the first fight.”

After the match it was discussed that an effort to make a third fight is a strong possibility.

Heavyweight KO by Parker

Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) once again proved he could be the best heavyweight without a world title in knocking out the feared Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) to retain his WBO interim title. It was quick and decisive.

“Catch him when he is coming in,” said Parker, 33, about his plan.

After original foe IBF heavyweight titlist Daniel Dubois was forced to withdraw due to illness, Bakole willingly accepted the match with only two days’ notice. Many experts and fans around the world were surprised and excited Parker accepted the match.

Ever since Parker lost to Joe Joyce in 2022, the New Zealander has proven to be vastly improved with wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Now you can add Bakole to the list of conquests.

Bakole, 33, was coming off an impressive knockout win last July and posed a serious threat if he connected with a punch. The quick-handed Bakole at 310 pounds and a two-inch height advantage is always dangerous.

In the first round Parker was wary of the fighter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He kept his range and moved around the ring looking to poke a jab and move. Bakole caught him twice with blows and Parker retaliated.

It proved to be a very important test.

Parker refrained from moving and instead moved inside range of the big African fighter. Both exchanged liberally with Bakole connecting with an uppercut and Parker an overhand right.

Bakole shook his head at the blow he absorbed.

Both re-engaged and fired simultaneously. Parker’s right connected to the top of the head of Bakole who shuddered and stumbled and down he went and could not beat the count. The referee stopped the heavyweight fight at 2:17 of the second round. Parker retains his interim title by knockout.

“I’m strong, I’m healthy, I’m sharp,” said Parker. “I had to be patient.”

Shakur Wins

Despite an injured left hand southpaw WBC lightweight titlist Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) won by stoppage over late replacement Josh Padley (15-1, 6 KOs). It was an impressive accomplishment.

Often criticized for his lack of action and safety-first style, Stevenson was supposed to fight undefeated Floyd Schofield who pulled out due to illness. In stepped British lightweight Padley who had nothing to lose.

Padley was never hesitant to engage with the super-quick Stevenson and despite the lightning-quick combos by the champion, the British challenger exchanged liberally. It just wasn’t enough.

Even when Stevenson injured his left hand during an exchange in the sixth round, Padley just couldn’t take advantage. The speedy southpaw kept shooting the right jabs and ripping off right hooks. At the end of the sixth Stevenson briefly switched to a right-handed fighting style.

Stevenson used his right jabs and hooks to perfection. Double right hooks to the head and body seemed to affect the British challenger. A clean left to the body of Padley sent him to the floor for the count in the ninth round. It was a surprising knockdown due to his injured left. Padley got up and the fight resumed. Stevenson unloaded with right hooks to the body and down went the British fighter once again. He got up and tried to fight his way out but was met with another left to the body and down he went a third time. Padley’s corner tossed in a white towel to signify surrender. The referee stopped the fight at the end of the round. Stevenson scored his 11^th knockout win.

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Early Results from Riyadh where Hamzah Sheeraz was Awarded a Gift Draw

Published

10 hours ago

February 22, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Early-Results-from-Riyadh-where-Hamza-Sheeraz-was-Awarded-a-Gift-Draw

After two 6-round appetizers, British light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith got the show rolling with a lusty 12-round skirmish. Things went south in the middle of the seven-fight main card when WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames locked horns with challenger Hamzah Sheeraz. This was a drab fight owing to a milquetoast performance by the favored Sheeraz.

Heading in, the lanky six-foot-three Sheeraz, whose physique is mindful of a young Thomas Hearns, was undefeated in 21 fights. Having stopped five of his last six opponents in two rounds or less, the 25-year-old Englishman was touted as the next big thing in the middleweight division. However, he fought off his back foot the entire contest, reluctant to let his hands go, and Adames kept his title when the bout was scored a draw.

Sheeraz had the crowd in his corner and two of the judges scored the match with their ears. Their tallies were 115-114 for Sheeraz and 114-114. The third judge had it 118-110 for Adames, the 30-year old Dominican, now 24-1-1, who had Ismael Salas in his corner.

Ortiz-Madrimov

Super welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr, knocked out his first 21 opponents, begging the question of how he would react when he finally faced adversity. He showed his mettle in August of last year when he went a sizzling 12 rounds with fellow knockout artist Serhii Bohachuk, winning a hard-fought decision. Tonight he added another feather in his cap with a 12-round unanimous decision over Ismail Madrimov, prevailing on scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice.

Ortiz won by adhering tight to Robert Garcia’s game plan. The elusive Madrimov, who bounces around the ring like the energizer bunny, won the early rounds. But eventually Ortiz was able to cut the ring off and turned the tide in his favor by landing the harder punches. It was the second straight loss for Madrimov (10-2-1), a decorated amateur who had lost a close but unanimous decision to Terence Crawford in his previous bout.

Kabayel-Zhang

No heavyweight has made greater gains in the last 15 months than Agit Kabayel. The German of Kurdish descent, whose specialty is body punching, made his third straight appearance in Riyadh tonight and, like in the previous two, fashioned a knockout. Today, although out-weighed by more than 40 pounds, he did away with Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang in the sixth round.

It didn’t start out well for Kabayel. The New Jersey-based, six-foot-six Zhang, a two-time Olympian for China, started fast and plainly won the opening round. Kabayel beat him to the punch from that point on, save for one moment when Zhang put him on the canvas with a straight left hand.

That happened in the fifth round, but by the end of the frame, the 41-year-old Zhang was conspicuously gassed. The end for the big fellow came at the 2:29 mark of round six when he couldn’t beat the count after crumbling to the canvas in a delayed reaction after taking a hard punch to his flabby midsection.

Kabayel remains undefeated at 26-0 (18 KOs). Zhang (27-3-1) hadn’t previously been stopped.

Smith-Buatsi

The all-British showdown between light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith was a grueling, fan-friendly affair. A former 168-pound world title-holder, Smith, 34, won hard-earned unanimous decision, prevailing on scores of 115-113, 116-112, and a ludicrous 119-110.

There were no knockdowns, but Liverpool’s Smith, who advanced to 31-2 (22) finished the contest with a bad gash in the corner of his right eye. It was the first pro loss for Buatsi (19-1), an Olympic bronze medalist who entered the contest a small favorite and was the defending “interim” title-holder.

This contest was also a battle of wits between two of America’s most prominent trainers, Buddy McGirt (Smith) and Virgil Hunter (Buatsi).

Check back shortly for David Avila’s wrap-up of the last three fights.

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

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Cain Sandoval KOs Mark Bernaldez in the Featured Bout at Santa Ynez

Published

1 day ago

February 21, 2025

David A. Avila

Cain-Sandoval-KOs-Mark-Bernaldez-in-the-Featured-Bout-at-Santa-Ynez

Northern California’s Cain Sandoval remained undefeated with a knockout win over Mark Bernaldez in a super lightweight battle on Friday on a 360 Promotions card.

Sandoval (15-0, 13 KOs) of Sacramento needed four rounds to figure out tough Filipino fighter Bernaldez (25-7, 14 KOs) in front of a packed crowd at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez.

Bernaldez had gone eight rounds against Mexico’s very tough Oscar Duarte. He showed no fear for Sandoval’s reputed power and both fired bombs at each other from the second round on.

Things turned in favor of Sandoval when he targeted the body and soon had Bernaldez in retreat. It was apparent Sandoval had discovered a weakness.

In the beginning of the fourth Sandoval fired a stiff jab to the body that buckled Bernaldez but he did not go down. And when both resumed in firing position Sandoval connected with an overhand right and down went the Filipino fighter. He was counted out by referee Rudy Barragan at 34 seconds of the round.

“I’m surprised he took my jab to the body. I respect that. I have a knockout and I’m happy about that,” Sandoval said.

Other Bouts

Popular female fighter Lupe Medina (9-0) remained undefeated with a solid victory over the determined Agustina Vazquez (4-3-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds in a minimumweight fight between Southern Californians.

Early on Vazquez gave Medina trouble disrupting her patter with solid jabs. And when Medina overloaded with combination punches, she was laced with counters from Vazquez during the first four rounds.

Things turned around in the fifth round as Medina used a jab to keep Vazquez at a preferred distance. And when she attacked it was no more than two-punch combination and maintaining a distance.

Vazquez proved determined but discovered clinching was not a good idea as Medina took advantage and overran her with blows. Still, Vazquez looked solid. All three judges saw it 79-73 for Medina.

A battle between Southern Californian’s saw Compton’s Christopher Rios (11-2) put on the pressure all eight rounds against Eastvale’s Daniel Barrera (8-1-1) and emerged the winner by majority decision in a flyweight battle.

It was Barrera’s first loss as a pro. He never could discover how to stay off the ropes and that proved his downfall. Neither fighter was knocked down but one judge saw it 76-76, and two others 79-73 for Rios.

In a welterweight fight Gor Yeritsyan (20-1,16 KOs) scorched Luis Ramos (23-7) with a 12-punch combination the sent him to the mat in the second round. After Ramos beat the count he was met with an eight punch volley and the fight was stopped at 2:11 of the second round by knockout.

Super feather prospect Abel Mejia (7-0, 5 KOs) floored Alfredo Diaz (9-12) in the fifth round but found the Mexican fighter to be very durable in their six-round fight. Mejia caught Diaz with a left hook in the fifth round for a knockdown. But the fight resumed with all three judges scoring it 60-53 for Mejia who fights out of El Modena, Calif.

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