The Fighter Who Makes Bernard Hopkins Look Like A Kid

Published

11 years ago

December 4, 2013

augie 0572f Holding a press conference to announce an upcoming boxing match doesn’t mean, of course, that the fight will be held. One of the participants could be injured in training, forcing a cancellation, or he might object to the financial arrangements if there isn’t enough money to cover the promised purse.

There also could be a problem getting said bout officially sanctioned, which frequently is the case if the commission that determines such matters rules that a fighter is medically unfit to enter the ring, or if the promoter of the event somehow doesn’t pass the sniff test.

Given those potential factors, it is hardly a given that former featherweight Augie Pantellas, who will turn 70 on Feb. 16, actually will swap punches with a much younger opponent on June 7, 2014, the date he is tentatively scheduled to have his name entered in the Guinness World Book of Records as the oldest fighter ever to appear in sanctioned, non-exhibition bout. But Pantellas believes it will happen, and so does publicity-craving promoter Damon Feldman.

British cruiserweight Steve Ward is listed by Guinness as being the oldest professional boxer, having defeated Pete McJob in 2011, at 54, thus ending a 23-year retirement. But that designation is incorrect (the fight is not even listed by BoxRec); former WBC super lightweight champion Saoul Mamby was 60 when he lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Anthony Osbourne on March 8, 2008, in Georgetown, Cayman Islands. Regardless of whether Ward or Mamby has the more legitimate claim to the Guinness entry, however, Pantellas would easily shatter the record — if his proposed fight actually takes place.

“It’s a story because of my age,” said Pantellas, who compiled a 28-6 record, with 20 victories inside the distance, as a locally popular featherweight from 1967 to ’79, 32 of his 34 pro bouts being held in Philadelphia or one of its suburbs, Upper Darby, Pa. “But when people see me, they can tell I still have a youthful body. I’ve been blessed by God.

“I took my physical and my doctor said that everything’s good. I can still punch hard. I always could punch hard. Back when I was fighting, the punches came out a little quicker and sharper, but if I’m in shape, my punch will still be devastating. I still have that power.”

Feldman, a former super middleweight who compiled a 9-0 record with four knockouts before an injury ended his career in 1992, has stated that his first preference is to have Pantellas set the record in the Philadelphia area, where he still is a recognizable name (he was inducted in the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007). But if Feldman can’t get the go-ahead from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, whose executive director, Greg Sirb, has something of a contentious history with him, he said he could take the fight to Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

“We’ll try to do it here (in Pennsylvania),” Feldman said. “We’ll give it the first shot. I’m not saying it can’t be done here. But wherever it’s held, there’s legitimacy. Augie is not some 70-year-old guy coming out of nowhere. He fought Sammy Goss and Bobby Chacon. The first time he fought Goss, at the Spectrum, he drew over 10,000.”

Sirb, who twice fought on “Celebrity Boxing” cards promoted by Feldman, might prove a tough sell when it comes to granting needed approval for the staging a Pantellas record-setter in Pennsylvania. Feldman became something of an outcast with the Pennsylvania commission some years ago when he got into a physical altercation with another promoter, P.J. Augustine, and wound up punching him out.

“I was a wild, young guy,” said Feldman, now 44. “I made mistakes. I admit it. But I don’t think I have a problem with Greg. In my book he’s the best commissioner there is.”

For his part, Sirb is reserving judgment on any application to issue a license to Pantellas, no matter how much Feldman appears to be buttering him up.

“Nothing has come across my desk about it,” he said. “It would all depend on what (Feldman) is trying to do. There will be no comment on my part about (a possible application) until I see it. But I will say this: Play by the rules, there’ll be no problem. Don’t play by the rules, you’ll have a problem. That applies to everybody.”

Neither Feldman nor Pantellas, who since 1979 has operated a lunch stand outside the Delaware County (Pa.) Courthouse in Media, is a stranger to controversy. Feldman’s “Celebrity Boxing” cards have included appearances by, among others, disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding, former baseball slugger and PEDs whistle-blower Jose Canseco, onetime Partridge Family kid Danny Bonaduce, L.A. police beating victim Rodney “Can’t We All Just Get Along?” King and Michael Lohan, fathered troubled actress Lindsay Lohan and apparently passed down some of his more outrageous genes to her.

Pantellas twice appeared in Feldman-promoted “Celebrity Boxing” exhibitions, and in 2007, upon his induction into the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame, he said he hoped to take on Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila Ali, in the sort of “Battle of the Sexes” that rocked the tennis world when 29-year-old Billie Jean King thumped 55-year-old Bobby Riggs on Sept. 20, 1973, in Houston’s Astrodome.

When Feldman told longtime Philly promoter J Russell Peltz of his plan to stage a Laila Ali-Pantellas bout, Peltz told him he didn’t think Sirb would ever agree to sanction it. “Well,” Feldman said, “do you think New Jersey might?”

In a Philadelphia Magazine profile a couple of years ago, writer Don Steinberg labeled Feldman “King of the D-List,” detailing at length Feldman’s many forays into the sublime and ridiculous, which have gained him frequent notices in local newspapers’ gossip columns and guest appearances on sports-talk radio station WIP.

“Damon has always been more about promoting himself than his events,” Peltz, a no-nonsense inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, told Steinberg. “He’s more about the sizzle than the steak.”

But the idea of a Pantellas fight at 70, as Feldman noted, isn’t completely crazy. “The Broomall Bomber,” as Pantellas was known, looks 20 years younger than his actual age and he’s married to a woman 24 years his junior, which in and of itself would make him a hero to a lot of his fellow senior citizens. Pantellas again is training with Marty Feldman, Damon’s 80-year-old father, who posted a 20-3 record with 17 KOs during his own boxing career and who took a journeyman light heavyweight, “Prince” Charles Williams, all the way to the IBF title in 1987, a belt he successfully defended seven times.

Older athletes making cameo appearances strictly for PR purposes isn’t a particularly new concept, either. Minnie Minoso, now 87, was a .298 career hitter and winner of nine Gold Gloves as a major league outfielder for five teams from 1949 to ’63. Minoso played three games for the Chicago White Sox in 1976, at 50, and two more games for the White Sox in 1983. In 1993, at 67, he appeared with the independent St. Paul Saints of the Northern League and again in 2003, thus becoming the only professional baseball player to be listed in box scores in seven different decades.

To Pantellas’ way of thinking, what he is attempting to do is far less noteworthy than the idea of Bernard Hopkins, who turns 49 on Jan. 15, being the IBF light heavyweight titlist at an age when most fighters are long since retired.

“You think what I’m doing is unbelievable? Bernard Hopkins is unbelievable,” Pantellas said. “To be his age and still be a champion is something I can’t even imagine. Bernard Hopkins is the man.”

Well, B-Hop is not so bad for a relative kid of 48. Now, if he still holds is going strong in 2025 …

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Bernard Fernandez

Jorge Garcia is the TSS Fighter of the Month for April

Published

2 days ago

April 28, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Jorge-Garcia-is-the-TSS-Fighter-of-the-Month-for-April

Jorge Garcia has a lot in common with Mexican countrymen Emanuel Navarrete and Rafael Espinoza. In common with those two, both reigning world title-holders, Garcia is big for his weight class and bubbled out of obscurity with a triumph forged as a heavy underdog in a match contested on American soil.

Garcia had his “coming of age party” on April 19 in the first boxing event at the new Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California (roughly 35 miles north of San Diego), a 7,500-seat facility whose primary tenant is an indoor soccer team. It was a Golden Boy Promotions event and in the opposite corner was a Golden Boy fighter, Charles Conwell.

A former U.S. Olympian, Conwell was undefeated (21-0, 16 KOs) and had won three straight inside the distance since hooking up with Golden Boy whose PR department ballyhooed him as the most avoided fighter in the super welterweight division. At prominent betting sites, Conwell was as high as a 12/1 favorite.

The lanky Garcia was 32-4 (26 KOs) heading in, but it was easy to underestimate him as he had fought extensively in Tijuana where the boxing commission is notoriously docile and in his home state of Sinaloa. This would be only his second fight in the U.S. However, it was noteworthy in hindsight that three of his four losses were by split decision.

Garcia vs. Conwell was a robust affair. He and Conwell were credited with throwing 1451 punches combined. In terms of punches landed, there was little to choose between them but the CompuBox operator saw Garcia landing more power punches in eight of the 12 rounds. At the end, the verdict was split but there was no controversy.

An interested observer was Sebastian Fundora who was there to see his sister Gabriela defend her world flyweight titles. Sebastian owns two pieces of the 154-pound world title where the #1 contender per the WBO is Xander Zayas who keeps winning, but not with the verve of his earlier triumphs.

With his upset of Charles Conwell, Jorge Garcia has been bumped into the WBO’s #2 slot. Regardless of who he fights next, Garcia will earn the biggest payday of his career.

Honorable mention: Aaron McKenna

McKenna was favored to beat veteran campaigner Liam Smith in the co-feature to the Eubank-Benn battle this past Saturday in London, but he was stepping up in class against a former world title-holder who had competed against some of the top dogs in the middleweight division and who had famously stopped Chris Eubank Jr in the first of their two encounters. Moreover, the venue, Tottenham Hotspur, the third-largest soccer stadium in England, favored the 36-year-old Liverpudlian who was accustomed to a big fight atmosphere having fought Canelo Alvarez before 50,000-plus at Arlington Stadium in Texas.

McKenna, from the small town of Monaghan, Ireland, wasn’t overwhelmed by the occasion. With his dad Feargal in his corner and his fighting brother Stephen McKenna cheering him on from ringside, Aaron won a wide decision in his first 12-round fight, punctuating his victory by knocking Smith to his knees with a body punch in the 12^th round. In fact, if he hadn’t had a point deducted for using his elbow, the Irishman would have pitched a shutout on one of the scorecards.

“There might not be a more impressive example of a fighter moving up in class,” wrote Tris Dixon of the 25-year-old “Silencer” who improved his ledger to 20-0 (10).

Photo credits: Garcia/Conwell photo compliments of Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy; McKenna-Smith provided by Mark Robinson/Matchroom

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Chris Eubank Jr Outlasts Conor Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Published

3 days ago

April 27, 2025

David A. Avila

Chris-Eubank-Jr-Outlasts-Conor-Benn-at-Tottenham-Hotsour-Stadium

Feudal bragging rights belong to Chris Eubank Jr. who out-lasted Conor Benn to
emerge victorious by unanimous decision in a non-title middleweight match held in
London on Saturday.

Fighting for their family heritage Eubank (35-3, 26 KOs) and Benn (23-1, 14 KOs)
continued the battle between families started 35 years ago by their fathers at Tottenham
Hotspur Stadium.

More than 65,000 fans attended.

Though Eubank Jr. had a weight and height advantage and a record of smashing his
way to victory via knockout, he had problems hurting the quicker and more agile Benn.
And though Benn had the advantage of moving up two weight divisions and forcing
Eubank to fight under a catch weight, the move did not weaken him much.

Instead, British fans and boxing fans across the world saw the two family rivals pummel
each other for all 12 rounds. Neither was able to gain separation.

Eubank looked physically bigger and used a ramming left jab to connect early in the
fight. Benn immediately showed off his speed advantage and surprised many with his
ability to absorb a big blow.Chris Eubank Jr Outlasts Conor Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Benn scrambled around with his quickness and agility and scored often with bigcounters.

It took him a few rounds to stop overextending himself while delivering power shots.

In the third round Benn staggered Eubank with a left hook but was unable to follow up
against the dangerous middleweight who roared back with flurries of blows.

Eubank was methodic in his approach always moving forward, always using his weight
advantage via the shoulder to force Benn backward. The smaller Benn rocketed
overhand rights and was partly successful but not enough to force Eubank to retreat.
In the seventh round a right uppercut snapped Benn’s head violently but he was
undeterred from firing back. Benn’s chin stood firm despite Eubank’s vaunted power and
size advantage.

“I didn’t know he had that in him,” Eubank said.

Benn opened strong in the eighth round with furious blows. And though he connected
he was unable to seriously hurt Eubank. And despite being drained by the weight loss,
the middleweight fighter remained strong all 12 rounds.

There were surprises from both fighters.

Benn was effective targeting the body. Perhaps if he had worked the body earlier he
would have found a better result.

With only two rounds remaining Eubank snapped off a right uppercut again and followed
up with body shots. In the final stanza Eubank pressed forward and exchanged with the
smaller Benn until the final bell. He simply out-landed the fighter and impressed all three
judges who scored it 116-112 for Eubank.

Eubank admitted he expected a knockout win but was satisfied with the victory.
“I under-estimated him,” Eubank said.

Benn was upset by the loss but recognized the reasons.

“He worked harder toward the end,” said Benn.

McKenna Wins

In his first test in the elite level Aaron McKenna (20-0, 10 KOs) showed his ability to fight
inside or out in soundly defeating former world champion Liam Smith (33-5-1, 20 KOs)
by unanimous decision to win a regional WBA middleweight title.

Smith has made a career out of upsetting young upstarts but discovered the Irish fighter
more than capable of mixing it up with the veteran. It was a rough fight throughout the
12 rounds but McKenna showed off his abilities to fight as a southpaw or right-hander
with nary a hiccup.

McKenna had trained in Southern California early in his career and since that time he’s
accrued a variety of ways to fight. He was smooth and relentless in using his longer
arms and agility against Smith on the outside or in close.

In the 12 th round, McKenna landed a perfectly timed left hook to the ribs and down went
Smith. The former champion got up and attempted to knock out the tall
Irish fighter but could not.

All three judges scored in favor of McKenna 119-108, 117-109, 118-108.

Other Bouts
Anthony Yarde (27-3) defeated Lyndon Arthur (24-3) by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. in a light heavyweight match. It was the third time they met. Yarde won the last two fights.

Chris Billam-Smith (21-2) defeated Brandon Glanton (20-3) by decision. It was his first
fight since losing the WBO cruiserweight world title to Gilberto Ramirez last November.

Viddal Riley (13-0) out-worked Cheavon Clarke (10-2) in a 12-round back-and-forth-contest to win a unanimous decision.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 323: Benn vs Eubank Family Feud and More

Published

6 days ago

April 24, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila-Perspective,-Chap.-323:-Benn-vs-Eubank-Family-Feud-and-More.jpg

Next generation rivals Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. carry on the family legacy of feudal warring in the prize ring on Saturday.

This is huge in British boxing.

Eubank (34-3, 25 KOs) holds the fringe IBO middleweight title but won’t be defending it against the smaller welterweight Benn (23-0, 14 KOs) on Saturday, April 26, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing card.

This is about family pride.

The parents of Eubank and Benn actually began the feud in the 1990s.

Papa Nigel Benn fought Papa Chris Eubank twice. Losing as a middleweight in November 1990 at Birmingham, England, then fighting to a draw as a super middleweight in October 1993 in Manchester. Both were world title fights.

Eubank was undefeated and won the WBO middleweight world title in 1990 against Nigel Benn by knockout. He defended it three times before moving up and winning the vacant WBO super middleweight title in September 1991. He defended the super middleweight title 14 times before suffering his first pro defeat in March 1995 against Steve Collins.

Benn won the WBO middleweight title in April 1990 against Doug DeWitt and defended it once before losing to Eubank in November 1990. He moved up in weight and took the WBC super middleweight title from Mauro Galvano in Italy by technical knockout in October 1992. He defended the title nine times until losing in March 1996. His last fight was in November 1996, a loss to Steve Collins.

Animosity between the two families continues this weekend in the boxing ring.

Conor Benn, the son of Nigel, has fought mostly as a welterweight but lately has participated in the super welterweight division. He is several inches shorter in height than Eubank but has power and speed. Kind of a British version of Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

“It’s always personal, every opponent I fight is personal. People want to say it’s strictly business, but it’s never business. If someone is trying to put their hands on me, trying to render me unconscious, it’s never business,” said Benn.

This fight was scheduled twice before and cut short twice due to failed PED tests by Benn. The weight limit agreed upon is 160 pounds.

Eubank, a natural middleweight, has exchanged taunts with Benn for years. He recently avenged a loss to Liam Smith with a knockout victory in September 2023.

“This fight isn’t about size or weight. It’s about skill. It’s about dedication. It’s about expertise and all those areas in which I excel in,” said Eubank. “I have many, many more years of experience over Conor Benn, and that will be the deciding factor of the night.”

Because this fight was postponed twice, the animosity between the two feuding fighters has increased the attention of their fans. Both fighters are anxious to flatten each other.

“He’s another opponent in my way trying to crush my dreams. trying to take food off my plate and trying to render me unconscious. That’s how I look at him,” said Benn.

Eubank smiles.

“Whether it’s boxing, whether it’s a gun fight. Defense, offense, foot movement, speed, power. I am the superior boxer in each of those departments and so many more – which is why I’m so confident,” he said.

Supporting Bout

Former world champion Liam Smith (33-4-1, 20 KOs) tangles with Ireland’s Aaron McKenna (19-0, 10 KOs) in a middleweight fight set for 12 rounds on the Benn-Eubank undercard in London.

“Beefy” Smith has long been known as one of the fighting Smith brothers and recently lost to Eubank a year and a half ago. It was only the second time in 38 bouts he had been stopped. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez did it several years ago.

McKenna is a familiar name in Southern California. The Irish fighter fought numerous times on Golden Boy Promotion cards between 2017 and 2019 before returning to the United Kingdom and his assault on continuing the middleweight division. This is a big step for the tall Irish fighter.

It’s youth versus experience.

“I’ve been calling for big fights like this for the last two or three years, and it’s a fight I’m really excited for. I plan to make the most of it and make a statement win on Saturday night,” said McKenna, one of two fighting brothers.

Monster in L.A.

Japan’s super star Naoya “Monster” Inoue arrived in Los Angeles for last day workouts before his Las Vegas showdown against Ramon Cardenas on Sunday May 4, at T-Mobile Arena. ESPN will televise and stream the Top Rank card.

It’s been four years since the super bantamweight world champion performed in the US and during that time Naoya (29-0, 26 KOs) gathered world titles in different weight divisions. The Japanese slugger has also gained fame as perhaps the best fighter on the planet. Cardenas is 26-1 with 14 KOs.

Pomona Fights

Super featherweights Mathias Radcliffe (9-0-1) and Ezequiel Flores (6-4) lead a boxing card called “DMG Night of Champions” on Saturday April 26, at the historic Fox Theater in downtown Pomona, Calif.

Michaela Bracamontes (11-2-1) and Jesus Torres Beltran (8-4-1) will be fighting for a regional WBC super featherweight title. More than eight bouts are scheduled.

Doors open at 6 p.m. For ticket information go to: www.tix.com/dmgnightofchampions

Fights to Watch

Sat. DAZN 9 a.m. Conor Benn (23-0) vs Chris Eubank Jr. (34-3); Liam Smith (33-4-1) vs Aaron McKenna (19-0).

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