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Three Myths Explored On The 40th Anniversary Of Foreman vs. Ali
It’s been 40 years since Muhammad Ali 44-2 (31) upset the boxing world as a 3-1 underdog and knocked out undisputed heavyweight champion George Foreman 40-0 (37) in the eighth round to become only the second fighter in history to reclaim the heavyweight title. Today, Ali, 72 and Foreman, 65, are America’s guest whenever they appear in public. With all the years and the passage of time, most have forgotten just how big of an event and fight Foreman-Ali was back on Oct. 29, 1974. Through the years there’s been so much discussed pertaining to the fight that it’s impossible to reveal anything that hasn’t already been hashed over ad-nauseum.
The fight took place in Kinshasa Zaire and was fought at the 20th of May Stadium. It was former Cleveland racketeer Don King’s first venture into big time boxing as a promoter and he titled it “The Rumble In The Jungle.” King used his gift of gab to coax all within his voice’s reach that the coming together of Foreman and Ali was symbolic. “The prodigal sons will be returning to Africa,” was his theme during the months leading up to the fight.
September 25th was the original scheduled date of the bout, but it was pushed back to October 29th when sparring partner Bill McMurray cut George over his right eye during a training session on September 16th. When the bout was postponed both Foreman and Ali were forced to remain in Zaire despite the fact that they both wanted to come back to the United States. However, the fast- thinking Ali turned the tables on Foreman and embraced staying there and roamed with the people of Zaire once word leaked out that George wanted to leave the country. In a short time Ali became a man of the people and by fight night Foreman felt as if an entire country was against him.
The fight started at four in the morning on Wednesday October 30th, 1974 in Zaire to accommodate audiences in the United States at ten in the evening Tuesday night October 29th. At the time George Foreman was thought to be the most unbeatable and invincible heavyweight champion in history. He demolished “Smokin” Joe Frazier in two rounds to capture the undisputed title in January of 1973. This was the same Frazier that Ali had to fight twice before he could claim a victory over him. In his second defense of the title Foreman mutilated Ken Norton in less than two full rounds in March of 1974, and yes, Ali needed to fight Norton twice before he could say he beat him. So the back-story for the “Rumble In The Jungle” was this: the only two fighters who ever defeated Ali just so happened to be two of Foreman’s easiest and most impressive victories. Foreman was often quoted saying in the weeks before the fight, “I hit a guy and it’s like magic. You see him crumbling to the floor. It is a gift from God.” And there were many astute boxing observers who saw Ali being the victim of the same fate. In fact it led George to believe that there was no way he could lose to Ali and it probably wouldn’t even be his toughest fight. If ever there was a supremely confident fighter before an historic bout, it was George Foreman before he fought Muhammad Ali.
The documentary “When We Were Kings” pretty much covered what transpired leading up to, during and after the “The Rumble In The Jungle.” However, there are three popular myths regarding the fight that neither the film nor anyone has ever really touched on or addressed. We start with the ring size, Foreman’s lack of a backup plan when the fight began to slip away from him, and the myth of Ali introducing the “Rope a Dope” strategy during the bout.
The Ring Size:
Much has been made about the loose ring ropes for the Foreman-Ali bout over the years. And yes they did have slightly more give than the ropes usually have around a boxing ring. And the reason for that was because the ropes were for a 19-foot ring. Before the fight Ali stressed he wanted a 20-foot ring and Foreman wanted a 19-foot ring. What they got in Zaire was a 16-foot ring. This is documented by the October 29, 1974 edition of the Milwaukee Sentinel, and countless interviews that referee Zack Clayton gave over the years after the fight. In fact this was discussed between me and Mr. Clayton when I mentioned it to him at the post fight press conference after Michael Spinks stopped Murray Sutherland in the eighth round on 4-11-82 to retain his WBA light heavyweight title in Atlantic City N.J. And Mr. Clayton confirmed to me that Foreman and Ali fought in a 16 foot ring in over 80 degree heat. He then added that he was somewhat surprised that, “Ali agreed to fight Foreman in a phone booth with ropes.”
The size of the ring was a definite benefit for Foreman because he knew the less room that Ali had to move and box the larger the advantage for him. The conventional wisdom before the fight was this: Ali would look to circle and box George from the outside, utilizing his superior hand and foot speed the way he did when he fought Sonny Liston and George Chuvalo the first time he fought them. Ali also circled and boxed and used the entire ring 20-foot ring for seven or eight rounds of his rematch with Joe Frazier in his last bout before challenging Foreman. As witnessed by re-watching the fight, Foreman easily crowds Ali after taking only three or four steps to either side in the smaller ring. One of the things Foreman worked on and stressed before the fight was his ability to cut the ring off and how that would force Ali to have to mix it up and trade punches with him. That was considered ring suicide against Foreman circa 1973-74. Aside from forcing Ali to wear cement boxing shoes during the fight, Foreman couldn’t have been blessed with a better advantage than fighting Ali in a 16 foot ring. The ropes may have been a little loose during the bout, but the size of the ring was a bigger issue and a huge plus for Foreman.
Foreman’s corner and strategy:
On the night that he defended his title against Muhammad Ali, George Foreman’s corner consisted of all-time boxing greats Sandy Saddler and Archie Moore, along with trainer Dick Saddler. Before the fight it was assumed in order for Foreman to beat Ali, all that it would take was for him to be turned loose when the bell rang. As long as George didn’t hit the referee he’d enjoy clear sailing and win the fight in a spectacular fashion. Back then Foreman was boasting about his two famous punches: the “anywhere punch,” as in, anywhere it lands it does damage and the “deep sleep” in the other hand. At the time the prevailing thought was, Ali isn’t strong enough nor is he young enough at age 32 to hold off Foreman, age 25, or dance and use his legs to avoid George’s two handed rampage. The thought that Foreman would need a plan “B” or have to adjust to what Ali did during the fight wasn’t even a consideration to anyone before the bout.
The dynamic of the fight changed towards the end of the first round when Foreman managed to blast Muhammad to the head and body, and Ali openly talked to and mocked George after getting hit flush. The thought that Ali wouldn’t crumble once George caught him good wasn’t even a remote possibility before the fight in Foreman’s mind. And as George has said countless times over the years, Ali drew from his ability to take his punch and became more confident, and conversely, George began to lose confidence in his ability to hurt or defeat Ali as the fight progressed. Yes, Ali used the “Rope a Dope” strategy during the fight, but in a 16 foot ring, it’s not like his legs and lateral movement would’ve been all that effective in neutralizing Foreman’s power and aggression. In essence, because of the small ring, Ali had no choice other than to fight Foreman the way he did.
Archie Moore stated that everything they did with George in training for the Ali fight was to get Muhammad to the ropes, to cut the ring and maneuver him against the ropes. What they didn’t work on was what to do once George got him there and for some unforeseen reason Ali was able to take George’s punch. What they overlooked, along with the rest of the experts was, Ali’s body and ring strength were equal to George’s even though he wasn’t as big of a puncher. As the fight proceeded it was obvious because of Foreman being the same height as Ali, his punches to the head were wide and from outside, making them easier for Ali to see, anticipate and pick off or parry. As opposed to, say, Joe Frazier who started his tighter shots from down low and came up with them, making it more difficult for Ali to see and defend.
Immediately after the fight Foreman’s corner was wrongly excoriated and unfairly criticized by many fans and media for not instructing George on what he should do because their “catch ‘n kill” style of attack wasn’t working. Ali was handling Foreman’s power and aggression and in the midst George was walking into Ali’s lead rights and lefts. However, there was nothing they could’ve instructed Foreman to do in the middle of the fight that would’ve altered the result. By the time Team Foreman realized that George wasn’t going to get the anticipated early knockout, the fight was four rounds old and Foreman was starting to tire from throwing the kitchen sink at Muhammad. Aside from urging Foreman to stop head hunting, there’s not much else they could’ve instructed him to do differently. Foreman’s biggest advantage over Ali was his overload of punching power, and if Ali could withstand his Sunday punches, which he did, Foreman wasn’t going to beat him. He certainly didn’t stand a chance of beating the faster hand and footed Ali by trying to out-box him or out point him from center ring.
Had Foreman eased up and not been so aggressive, he would’ve been throwing away his only path to victory in the fight. Foreman minus his aggression would’ve been a sitting duck for Ali’s fast hands and combinations. Had Foreman chose to box and fight more in a more measured way instead of going after Ali, Muhammad would’ve peppered him at will from outside the way he did George Chuvalo, Ernie Terrell and Mac Foster. If you remember, after George lost to Ali he returned to the ring 15 months later a more measured fighter under new trainer Gil Clancy. And he looked good against contenders like Ron Lyle, Joe Frazier, Scott LeDoux and Dino Dennis, fighters who had no means to get away from him while fighting on the move. Then he fought Jimmy Young. Against Young, Foreman fought much more measured than he did against Ali, hoping to conserve his energy and stamina. And what happened? Young peppered Foreman and won a decision over him because he never had to cope with the out of control wrecking machine that Ali had to confront. Jimmy never really had to address Foreman’s overwhelming power and strength because for most of the bout, George kept it under wraps looking to conserve his stamina and energy.
Try to imagine Foreman switching in the middle of the bout with Ali and fighting him like he did Jimmy Young. Ali was quicker, threw faster and harder combinations and had better legs than Young. Not to mention he was physically bigger and stronger. Had Foreman’s corner implored George to back off and pick his shots against Ali, sure, he might’ve lasted longer or even perhaps gone the distance – but he would’ve lost every minute of every round along with the fight.
So the reality is, Foreman’s corner shouldn’t be faulted for not having a plan “B” for George the night he fought Ali. The simple truth is, if Foreman couldn’t knock out Ali by forcing the fight and trying to make Muhammad fight and trade with him, he’s wasn’t going to beat him. There was nothing that Archie Moore, Sandy Saddler or Dick Saddler could’ve instructed Foreman to do in the middle of the bout, simply because there was no plausible plan “B” that they could’ve implemented to salvage the fight. As we learned, Foreman just didn’t match up with Ali.
The Introduction of “Rope A Dope” is a Myth:
Over the last 40 years since Ali defeated Foreman, the “Rope A Dope” strategy has been hailed as being some stroke of genius on Ali’s part that he invented on the fly during the fight. The “rope a dope” strategy was implemented by Ali during the second round of the fight. The strategy saw Ali go to the ropes and cover up with his guard high, thus allowing Foreman to punch at him. Sometimes Ali would get off a few quick one-twos in between Foreman’s already launched incoming bombs, hitting George squarely as he was coming in. And then George would reload and start the process all over again. Foreman used up a lot of his energy throwing looping punches at Ali looking to take his head off. Many of them grazed Ali and the ones that did get through, he took. Ali also out-wrestled Foreman in the clinches and held his head down by pushing on the back of his neck so George couldn’t get a good shot at him. This tired Foreman, along with Ali’s taunts of telling him to punch harder and calling him a big sissy. Finally in the eighth round Ali got off a beautiful combination that ended with a hard right hand to Foreman’s face and he went down. Foreman rose but didn’t beat the count and referee Zach Clayton waved the fight over.
Let it be noted that had any other fighter tried to beat Foreman using the “rope a dope” tactic that Ali employed against him, they would probably be beaten to death. The strategy worked for Ali because Muhammad was blessed with a concrete body and a cast iron chin. That, along with his very underrated mental toughness and constitution. The only fighter who could’ve beat George Foreman by allowing George to work him over, did. It would be suicide for any other “boxer” to try and duplicate what Ali did against the undefeated raging Foreman who didn’t believe anyone could stand up to his punch or beat him. The “rope a dope” worked against George Foreman and enabled Ali to regain the undisputed heavyweight title seven years after being stripped of it.
The myth of the “rope a dope” strategy is that Ali had used it unsuccessfully twice before he fought Foreman, only he didn’t name it. Ali tried to “rope a dope” Joe Frazier from the sixth round on during the “Fight Of The Century.” Only it didn’t work because Frazier’s shorter punches and everlasting stamina piled up points and won rounds. Frazier’s lower center allowed him to be in the perfect position to work Ali over to the body, and at the same time, stay low and slip many of Ali’s return shots to the head. Punching down and missing Frazier actually drained Muhammad’s stamina. Ali sought a quick knockout against Frazier, who was a slow starter. When he failed to get the quick execution, he realized that in order for him to finish the fight, he was going to have to pace himself and see if at the same time Frazier would punch himself out. Only Joe never slowed down and his body work against a stationary Ali against the ropes sapped Muhammad’s stamina. So the “rope a dope” strategy failed Ali the first time he tried it.
Ali also tried to “rope a dope” Ken Norton the first time they fought two years after he lost to Frazier. Ali didn’t think much of Norton as a contender and was in terrible shape for the bout. Ali thought he could toy with Norton and stop him whenever he wanted. Once he realized that that wasn’t going to happen and the fight was probably going to go the distance, he went to the ropes and tried to get Norton to punch himself out so he could come on late in the fight. In the process Ali suffered a broken jaw. Again, he fought off the ropes and tried to pick his spots, but like Frazier, Norton had built up a head of steam and never slowed down.
You’ll notice that after the “rope a dope” failed against Frazier and Norton the first time he fought them, Ali abandoned it for the rematches with both men. What he did was get himself into great shape and down to 212 pounds for both rematches. Ali was never that low in weight before or after his rematches with Frazier and Norton during his comeback in the 70s. And before both rematches he promised not to lay against the ropes and give away rounds. He promised to dance and use his legs and not be the stationary target he was the first time he fought Joe and Ken. And in both fights Ali boxed and danced beautifully for the first half of the fight and banked those rounds. He eventually came down off his toes for a few rounds, but just when Frazier and Norton started to get back into the fight, he started circling and moving again because he was in great shape. Down the stretch his movement and his ability to fight effectively in retreat, something he was great at, enabled him to even the score with the only two men who ever beat him.
Let it be said for the record that Muhammad Ali used his famous “rope a dope” strategy twice before he fought George Foreman, and it failed both times. The only difference is, Ali didn’t coin it the “rope a dope” after if failed against Frazier and Norton. What he said was, he needed to lay against the ropes and rest against Frazier and Norton because he was coming off a long layoff when he fought Frazier – and he wasn’t in top condition when he fought Norton.
It wasn’t until the “rope a dope” strategy finally prevailed for Ali against George Foreman that he smartly gave it a catchy name. That’s part of the genius of Muhammad Ali.
In closing, Ali used the “rope a dope’ strategy once after he fought Foreman, and that was during his first fight with Leon Spinks, a fight he lost. Guess what he said after fighting Spinks? He said I underestimated him and wasn’t in top condition, that’s why I laid back against the ropes and rested, hoping the inexperienced Spinks would tire. For the rematch a determined Ali was in great shape and danced and boxed for 11 of the 15 rounds the fight went. Ali won an overwhelming decision victory and became the first fighter in history to win the world heavyweight boxing title three times.
In hindsight the “rope a dope” strategy didn’t serve Muhammad Ali well. He was 1-3 in fights when he used it. However, the one time it worked for him just so happens to be the signature win of his stellar career And that was 40 years ago. We are getting old!
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
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Don’t Underestimate Gloria Alvarado, an Unconventional Boxing Coach
“I have been around gyms all my life. Combat sports are in my DNA.”
So said Gloria Alvarado, a boxing coach/trainer who has earned the respect of her peers. It’s no longer shocking to see a woman assisting in the corner of a prizefighter, but when a woman is the main cog, as Alvarado usually is, well, that’s still a novelty.
“Coach Gee” to her fighters, Alvarado may not fit the stereotype of a boxing coach, but she certainly has the pedigree. Her grandfather boxed and her grandmother was a professional wrestler. Gloria is the niece of MMA legend Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and his sister, Lilly Urquidez Rodriguez, both of who were instrumental in popularizing the sport of kickboxing in the United States. Aunt Lilly, notes Alvarado, once trained Bridgett “Baby Doll” Riley, a ground-breaking West Coast boxer who fought on the undercard of the first meeting between Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield at Madison Square Garden.
“In my family, people became great fighters or great trainers,” says Alvarado, 53, who competed as an amateur kickboxer. A single mom for the last 22 years, Gloria was born in the great boxing incubator of East LA and currently resides in Burbank.
She helped train Seniesa Estrada when the future undisputed world minimumweight champion was an amateur. “I have known her since she was a little girl. She was a great kid growing up,” says Alvarado.
Things between them became frosty when Alvarado began training Yokasta Valle. The rift between them became a major storyline when Estrada and the Costa Rican, each holding two world title belts, were matched for the undisputed title this past March in Glendale, Arizona. The media contorted the match into a grudge fight which became something of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Valle finished strong in a fan-friendly fight, but all three judges voted against her, giving the fight to Estrada by 97-93 scores. Valle was fighting an uphill battle from the opening round when she suffered a bad gash over her right eye, the result of what was ruled an unintentional clash of heads.
Gloria Alvarado begs to disagree, arguing it was an intentional head butt. Post-fight, she took umbrage with the decision, an unpopular verdict, and demanded a rematch, but that’s not likely to happen, at least not in the near future. Estrada announced her retirement in October several months after tying the knot with Sports illustrated Senior Writer and DAZN ringside correspondent Chris Mannix. And if Seniesa eventually unretires (for an undefeated fighter, the first retirement is seldom the last) and a rematch comes to fruition, Gloria Alvarado likely won’t be there. She and Yokasta Valle are now on the outs because, says Gloria, Yokasta was a stiff, refusing to pay her all that she was owed.
Alvarado doesn’t limit her good counsel to boxers that share her gender. She trains and is also the manager of Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia.
Garcia, who turns 22 tomorrow (Jan. 5), hails from the town of Ulysses in the southwestern portion of the Sunflower State. He fought twice on Top Rank cards before inking a multi-fight deal with the organization in March. “Alan Garcia is a sensational young talent with world championship potential,” Top Rank honcho Bob Arum was quoted as saying in the press release that announced his signing.
Kid Kansas was 14-0 with 11 KOs when his career hit a snag. On Sept. 20, he was knocked out in the fifth round by Spanish-Bolivian journeyman Ricardo Fernandez.
Garcia had his back to the ropes when he was tagged with a looping right hand. It was a classic one-punch, 10-count knockout. Garcia crashed to the canvas, his head resting under the lower strand of ropes. Coincidentally, it came in the round when ESPN broadcasters Bernardo Osuna and Tim Bradley had their microphones turned off and half the screen was focused on Alvarado shouting instructions to her fighter. The knockout punch rendered her speechless, but the look of horror on her face left a lasting impression.
“When it happened,” recollects Alvarado, “my view was blocked or I would have yelled for Alan to get off the ropes and he would have instantly obeyed my command.”
While a one-punch knockout can betray a brittle chin, it’s also easier to overcome than a knockout forged by sequences of unanswered punches in a relentlessly one-sided fight. That’s because the victim of a one-punch knockout was usually just careless, a correctable deficiency. Before the roof fell in on him, Garcia had won every round, arguably every minute of every round.
“I had no time to brood over the mishap,” says Gloria Alvarado, “because I had to be in Mexico the next day with three of my amateur boxers.”
Alvarado feels an emotional connection to all her fighters but that goes double for Garcia’s stablemate, 23-year-old Iyana Verduzco. Nicknamed “Right Hook Roxy” (her middle name is Roxanie), Verduzco is the youngest of Gloria’s two daughters. (The older girl, now 35 years old and a mother of three, fought as an amateur; she was Alvarado’s first boxer.)
As an amateur, Iyana won 21 national titles. “Thanks to her, I got to see a lot more of the world,” says Alvarado, noting that she accompanied her daughter to tournaments in places like Poland and Hungary.
Alvarado, who once owned her own gym, can usually be found at Freddie Roach’s famous Wild Card Gym. Iyana, currently signed to Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions and 3-0 as a pro, can usually be found there too, training alongside men including world champions.
Iyana entered the pro ranks with a ready-made fan base thanks to social media. Among other things, she has an Only Fans platform. But don’t be fooled; it isn’t what you might think.
While it is true that the bulk of its revenue derives from pornographic material, Only Fans didn’t start out that way and the majority of its content is still created by entertainers and influencers who use the site to monetize interactions with their fans. You won’t find anything raunchy on Right Hook Roxy’s platform. “If she did that,” says her mother, “I would disown her.”
Being a woman in a male-dominated sphere can be daunting. “Getting access to [my fighter’s] dressing room is always a challenge,” says Alvarado. “When I am with Alan Garcia or another male boxer, security guards assume that I am his mom. ‘I’m sorry,’ they might say, but only the boxer and his handlers are allowed in there.”
She says this without a trace of rancor. There isn’t a hard-edge to her, at least not around civilians with whom she is always pleasant. But there is one thing that really bugs her, and that’s internet trolls who spew invective at a boxer encountering adversity: “No one would dare rush up to ringside and yell ‘you suck’ at a fighter while a bout is in progress, but they can do it on the internet because their cowardice has no consequences. What others call a troll, I call a keyboard gangster.”
A woman who likes to stay busy – she ran three restaurants before her passion for boxing became all-consuming – Alvarado will be especially busy in February. Alan “Kid Kansas” Garcia begins his comeback on Feb. 1 in Garden City, Kansas, with the ubiquitous TBA in the opposite corner. Gloria’s daughter Iyana Verduzco, aka Right Hook Roxy, returns to the ring on Feb. 17 at SoCal’s Commerce Casino in a 6-round super featherweight contest that will air on UFC Fight Pass.
Concurrently, more people will become conversant with Gloria Alvarado, an unconventional boxing coach who can hold her own with the big boys.
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Dante Kirkman: Merging the Sweet Science with Education
By TSS Special Correspondent RAYMOND MARKARIAN — It’s difficult to understand the mind of a fighter. At its core, a life filled with danger in the boxing ring is stranger than the normalcy of everyday work. Throw a punch or send an email, and you live with the consequences. Most boxers begin their journey at a young age, driven by self-promotion and personal ambition. But Dante Kirkman is not like most aspiring fighters.
A Stanford senior majoring in Art Practice, Dante is a highly educated young man with a passion for boxing — not for fame or financial gain, but for a deeper purpose. While most boxers are self-centered, focused on building their personal brand, Dante has a different vision. He wants to merge the worlds of education and boxing, using the sport as a platform to give back to the community.
“I want to go all in with my boxing,” Dante says. “But outside of that, my family and I are creating a non-profit to help kids with their education. My family has always been big on education.”
Dante’s commitment to education stems from his upbringing. His brother ran a non-profit focused on helping underserved communities prepare for college and SATs, a mission Dante is determined to continue. His goal is to combine his love for boxing with his passion for mentoring and uplifting others.
“I believe in using my life to help others,” he explains. “My family raised me with a deep sense of faith and selflessness. We grew up Catholic-Christian, always trying to do good for others. I believe God has a purpose for everyone, and this is what my life looks like.”
It’s a rare perspective in a sport where most 23-year-old professional boxers are focused primarily on their own careers. But for Dante, boxing isn’t just about personal glory. It’s about creating opportunities for others to grow, both inside and outside the ring.
“While I box, I want to continue to build my non-profit,” he says. “I want to combine these two worlds — education and boxing.”
Dante’s family has supported his boxing journey since he first stepped into the ring at 10 years old. They’ve always encouraged him to focus on his education first. “The same way basketball or football players go to the NBA or NFL after college, I’m just continuing with boxing,” he says.
Now 3-0 as a professional, Dante, a middleweight, plans to fight several times this year. He trains at B Street Gym in Downtown San Mateo, California, under the guidance of former bantamweight and featherweight campaigner and three-time world title challenger Eddie Croft.
Dante’s love for boxing is shaped by the fighters he admires. He’s a fan of Andre Ward and Floyd Mayweather, two athletes who, in his eyes, embody the artistry of the sport. “Being in Silicon Valley, I’ve been around people who don’t really understand what boxing is,” he says. “Most people think of the Rocky movies, but boxing is so much more masterful and artful than people give it credit for. I realized that because I’m a huge fan of Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward. Those two lived and breathed the art of the sport.”
Dante is not just inspired by their success, but by their intelligence in the ring. “The top 1% of fighters are smarter than people give them credit for,” he says. “Boxing is a mental game as much as it’s a physical one.”
As a modern athlete, Dante is no stranger to the influence of social media. His TikTok and Instagram accounts document his journey in the boxing world, providing a behind-the-scenes look at his training, personal growth, and the highs and lows of his professional debut. These platforms allow him to share his story with a broader audience, blending his passion for the sport with his commitment to education.
Despite the risks of boxing and the bright future he could have in other fields, Dante is committed to his dual pursuit of the sweet science and education. It’s an unconventional path, but for Dante Kirkman, it’s the one that feels right.
Note: Kirkman returns to the ring on March 8 against an as-yet-undetermined opponent at the Thunder Valley Casino in the Sacramento suburb of Lincoln, California.
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You can connect with author Raymond Markarian at TikTok @huntsports and on Instagram @raymarkarian
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For Whom the Bell Tolled: 2024 Boxing Obituaries PART TWO: (July-Dec.)
Here is the concluding segment of our annual, two-part, end of year necrology where we pay homage to boxing notables who left us last year.
July
July 21 – RICHIE SANDOVAL – A member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that was marooned by the boycott, Sandoval was 29-1 as a pro. He wrested the lineal bantamweight title from Jeff Chandler in one of the biggest upsets of the 1980s, rucking the Philadelphian into retirement, and then nearly lost his life in his third title defense vs. Gabby Canizales. Quick work by paramedics saved his life and he spent his post-boxing career working in various capacities for Top Rank. At age 63 of an apparent heart attack at the home of his son in Riverside County, California.
August
Aug. 1 – JOE HAND SR. — A former Philadelphia policeman, Hand was one of the original investors in the Cloverlay Corporation which sponsored Joe Frazier. He later opened a boxing gym that produced 14 national amateur champions and as a businessman was on the cutting edge of the pay-per-view industry, distributing boxing and UFC events to bars and casinos around the country. At age 87 from complications of covid-19 in Feasterville, PA.
September
Sept. 12 – FRED BERNS – During a 44-year career that began in 1968, Berns, an ex-Marine and former Chicago policeman, promoted or co-promoted more than 500 shows. He and his matchmaker Pete Susens plied the Midwest circuit but ventured as far from their Indianapolis base as Anchorage. At age 84 in Indianapolis.
Sept. 21 (approx.) – JOHNNY CARTER – Nicknamed “Dancing Machine,” Carter came to the fore in Las Vegas where he had his first 10-rounder in his fifth pro fight and compiled a 13-1 record en route to a 1992 date with his former Philadelphia high school classmate Jeff Chandler, the defending WBA world bantamweight champion. He lost that fight (TKO by 6) and finished 33-8. At age 66 of an undisclosed cause in Philadelphia.
Sept. 29 – MYLIK BIRDSONG – A welterweight with a 15-1-1 ledger, “King Mylik” was shot dead in a drive-by shooting on a Sunday afternoon while standing on the sidewalk with his girlfriend outside his South Central Los Angeles home. He was 21 years old.
October
Oct. 10 – MAX GARCIA – A former preschool teacher, Garcia was the linchpin of boxing in Salinas, California (60 miles south of San Jose) where he coached amateur and pro boxers for 27 years. His son Sam Garcia carries on his legacy at the gym co-owned by their protégé, featherweight contender Ruben Villa. At age 74 after a long illness in Salinas.
Oct. 24 – ADILSON RODRIGUES – The Brazilian answered the bell for 452 rounds in an 18-year career that began in 1983. He finished 77-7-1 with 61 KOs but was exposed by Evander Holyfield and George Foreman, both of whom stopped him in the second round. In 2013, he was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. At age 66 in Sao Paulo.
Oct. 28 – ALONZO BUTLER – His 34-3 record was forged against a motley lot of opponents, but “Big Zo” was no impostor; he would have assuredly accomplished more with a stronger team behind him. Longtime sparring partner Deontay Wilder called Butler the hardest puncher with whom he had shared a ring. In Knoxville at age 44 where the Tennessee native was reportedly exhibiting signs of early-onset dementia.
Oct. 28 – JOHNNY BOUDREAUX – The Texas journeyman scored his signature win in Don King’s scandal-scarred Heavyweight Unification Tournament, winning a hotly-debated decision over Scott LeDoux. He left the sport with a 21-5-1 record after losing a split decision to future titlist Big John Tate and entered the ministry. At age 72 of an undisclosed cause in Houston.
Oct. 31 – DOMINGO BARRERA – A 1964 Olympian for Spain who finished 40-10 as a pro, Barrera had two cracks at the 140-pound world title in 1971, losing a 15-round split decision to Argentine legend Nicolino Loche in Buenos Aires and then getting stopped in 10 frames by Bruno Arcari in Genoa in a messy fight in which Barrera allegedly suffered a knee injury from a coin tossed into the ring by a disgruntled fan. At age 81 in his native Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
December
Dec. 2 – ISRAEL VAZQUEZ – A three-time world champion at 122 pounds, “El Magnifico,” the son of a Mexico City undertaker, will be forever linked with his four-time rival Rafael Marquez. Their second and third encounters, in 2007 and 2008, were named Fight of the Year by The Ring magazine. In Huntington Park, California, a cancer victim at age 46.
Dec. 11 – NEIL MALPASS – Active from 1977 to 1990, after which he became a youth boxing coach, Malpass seemed destined for big things when he upset Danny McAlinden in his 10th pro fight, but his career sputtered and he finished 28-19-1. In 1989, as his career was winding down, he won a regional heavyweight title with a 10-round decision over Gypsy John Fury (Tyson’s dad), the bout for which he would be best remembered. In Doncaster, Yorkshire, of an apparent heart attack at age 69.
Dec. 20 – THIERRY JACOB – One of three fighting brothers, Jacob was a five-time world title challenger. The third time was a charm. He unseated WBC 122-pound belt-holder Daniel Zaragosa, but lost the title in his first defense, stopped in two rounds by Tracy Patterson. Active from 1984 to 1994, he finished 39-6. In his native Calais, France, at age 59 from lung cancer.
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