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Rest in Peace George “Tex” Rickard (January 2nd, 1870 – January 6th, 1929)
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George Lewis “Tex” Rickard was born on January 2nd, 1870 in Kansas City, Missouri, however he is remembered as a 'Texan' because his family moved there at a very early age. The impact “Tex” would have on boxing, and indeed, on modern sports before he passed away on January 6th, 1929 at the age of 59 years is so massive as to be immeasurable.
Rickard is most often remembered as the promoter for boxing icon Jack Demspey, the Heavyweight Champion throughout most of the 1920's, and the pair took boxing out of the athletic clubs and mining towns and into the mainstream of American society.
The story of Rickard begins in the mining towns of the American west at the start of the 20th century. Rickard owned bars and saloons in Alaska and Nevada's desert as he chased the gold rushes around the west. It was in those times that he started promoting boxing events and in 1906, Rickard was the promoter for the legendary Lightweight title bout between “The Old Master” Joe Gans and Battling Nelson. The fight lasted for 42 rounds with Gans retaining the belt. History would see him eventually lose the belt to Nelson in 1908.
Rickard, with his nose for big things, then promoted the first fight that was marketed as “The Fight of the Century”, which featured former World Heavyweight Champion James J. Jeffries returning from a long hiatius to try and rescue the belt for the white race from Jack Johnson. After that match, Rickard left for South America, and when he returned he went east. Rickard's genius can be seen in his ability to foretell the potential of having a truly national sports star using the emerging newspaper and radio technology of the day. He returned to New York on March 25th, 1916 to the original Madison Square Garden to promote World Heavyweight Champion Jess Willard's fight with Frank Moran. Willard had wrested the World heavyweight title from Jack Johnson almost a year earlier, and this was Willard's first title defense.
It would be more than three years before Willard would fight again, but on July 4th, 1919 Rickard was there, in Toledo, Ohio. Willard was a reticent champion, at that point more at home back on the farm than in the ring, or in the spotlight Rickard had in mind. ButJack Dempsey, who had come up fighting in the same western mining landscape that saw Rickard emerge fifteen years earlier, and he would prove to be exactly what Rickard needed. Willard versus Moran had gone down in the record books as a lackluster performance, but Dempsey's two round dismantling of the gigantic champion gave him a sensational performance and Rickard a new star. Dempsey could be the star Rickard envisioned.
Rickard periodically promoted shows at Madison Square Garden throughout 1920, but on July 2nd, 1921 the true scope of what Rickard was capable of became apparent, as World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey defended his title against Georges Carpentier, a Frenchman who was one of the best boxers of his era and an iconic star in Europe. Carpentier had just knocked out Britain's Joe Beckett to earn the title fight. The charismatic Frenchman was the perfect foil to Dempsey's dark persona. Rickard made sure that he was at the forefront of new radio technology, and this was the first fight to be broadcast through the new medium. People stood at receiving stations in the streets to hear results, as most homes didn't have radios yet. In order to host the fight, Rickard would have a 90,000 seat arena built on a farm in New Jersey in nine weeks.
The numbers around the fight are truly staggering. The event was a sellout, with over 90,000 people in attendance generating a live gate of $1,789.238, boxing's first million dollar gate. Under Rickard's clever guidance, the fight was promoted with Dempsey firmly in the the role as the bad guy. Carpentier was a war hero, and in Post World War I America, questions about Dempsey's war record were enough to have people wanting him to get beat. The fourth round KO by Dempsey catapulted him to the level of international star, and a few years later he would meet Carpentier as friends while he travelled Europe giving lucrative exhibitions and rubbing elbows with other famous entertainers of the time.
Rickard would avoid involvement in Dempsey's ill fated title defense against Tommy Gibbons in Shelby, Montana on July 4th, 1923. Dempsey would win, but he did not deliver the expected knock out and the event promoters did not make their money back in what is generally described as a financial disaster. Two months later at New York's Polo Grounds, Rickard and Dempsey produced another million plus dollar gate as he defended the Heavyweight title against feared Argentininan “Wild Bull” Luis Angel Firpo. Dempsey, again in the eye of Rickard's media frenzy, delivered one of the most memorable performances of his career as he was knocked onto press row by the rampaging Firpo after scoring half a dozen knock downs himself. He would take Firpo out in the fourth round.
In January of 1925 Rickard built the third edition of Madison Square Garden. The box style building of the new arena was built with boxing in mind, and could seat nearly 19,000. Rickard had gathered investors from among his contacts and built what would become the most famous arena in the world. Though boxing was clearly Rickard's first love, his nose for business led him to found the New York Rangers Ice Hockey franchise, and he helped solidify the presence of the new sport in the nation's largest media market. The name Rangers came as a reference to Rickard's “Texas” roots.
Rickard would promote Jack Dempsey's final fight as Heavyweight Champion, as he faced Gene Tunney on September 23rd, 1926. Though Dempsey walked in the favorite, he was outboxed by he clever Tunney and lost the Heavyweight title in what was his sixth title defense. For Rickard, it was the third gate in boxing history that broke a million dollars, as over 120,000 people filled Philadelphia's Sesquicentennial Stadium for the fight, paying a gate of over $1.8 million dollars.
Rickard would promote Dempsey's subsequent fight with Jack Sharkey before he re-matched Tunney, and Rickard promoted Tunney's last career fight on July 26th, 1928 when Tunney defeated Tom Heeney at New York's Yankee Stadium but it would all come to an abrupt end for Rickard. On January 6th, 1929 after undergoing surgery on his appendix, he suffered complications and was unable to recover. What followed in boxing is recognized as a slump in Heavyweight division post-Dempsey, but how would Rickard have affected that period in boxing history had he lived?
Gone but not forgotten, “Tex” Rickard.
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Bivol Evens the Score with Beterbiev; Parker and Stevenson Win Handily
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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 10th 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 11th knockout win.
Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom
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Early Results from Riyadh where Hamzah Sheeraz was Awarded a Gift Draw
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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
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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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