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Boxing Odds and Ends: Looking Back 50 Years, Terence Crawford and More

Boxing Odds and Ends: Looking Back 50 Years, Terence Crawford and More
Fifty years ago this month, the most alluring fight was a clash between two little men from Mexico City who locked horns at the Forum in Los Angeles. Had there been a pound-for-pound poll, Ruben Olivares, the unified bantamweight champion, would have almost certainly topped it. He entered his match with Chuchu Castillo with a record of 57-0-1 and had won 30 straight inside the distance.
Castillo, who brought a record of 39-8-2, took a bad beating but lasted the full 15 rounds, ending Olivaresâ knockout streak. They would fight twice more with the rugged Castillo turning the tables in the rematch (TKO 14 in a riveting fight stopped on cuts), but Olivares gained revenge in the rubber match, winning a lopsided decision.
The passion that Mexican and Mexican-Americans have for the sport of boxing was reflected in the fact that Olivares-Castillo I, staged on April 18, was an advance sellout that set a new California record for gate receipts. Los Angelenos unable to see it live could attend a closed circuit viewing at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The fight was also closed-circuited to auditoriums in Long Beach and San Bernardino.
On the afternoon of the big fight, 49,554 attended the thoroughbred races at Hollywood Park. Sports of various stripes were in high cotton in April of 1970, a stark contrast to the distressing situation that prevails today.
By the way, several thoroughbred tracks continue to operate during the coronavirus lockdown, but without fans in the stands. This past weekend there was racing at Gulfstream in Hialeah, Florida, at Tampa Bay Downs, at Fonner Park in Grand Island, Nebraska, at historic Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and at Will Rogers Downs which sits on Cherokee land in Cleremore, Oklahoma near Tulsa. The legalization of online horse betting has diminished the significance of the on-track handle. There likely wonât be a Kentucky Derby or Preakness this year, both events have been postponed, but at the moment the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, is still a go for June 6.
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Back to boxing. Fifty years ago this month, LAâs fabled Olympic Auditorium was in something of a rut, the bigger fights going to larger venues. However, the card on April 16 had an intriguing main event, a 10-round contest between 26-year-old light heavyweights Richard Steele and Pete Riccitelli.
Steele was 11-3. Riccitelli, who was a fixture at the bi-monthly shows in his hometown of Portland, Maine, was 46-17-1 and recognized as the New England light heavyweight champion.
Whatâs interesting is that Riccitelli had been a pro for only 55 months and yet already had 64 fights under his belt. That shows how robust the sport of boxing was â especially at the grass roots level â back in New England during his day.
For the record, Steele, an ex-Marine, stopped Riccitelli in the fifth round. Steele would have one more fight, losing a split decision to a journeyman, before retiring, but would remain in the sport as an official, carving out a Hall of Fame career as a referee.
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Many boxing web sites, often without attribution, recycled Chris Mannixâs recent interview with Terence Crawford. The Omaha welterweight, who sits high on every pound-for-pound list, created controversy with his comments regarding COVID-19.
Crawford told Mannix that he was disregarding social distancing directives and that he suspected that the coronavirus scare was part of some conspiracy. Â âIt ainât no different to any other day. Iâm not locked up in the house. Iâm not locking my kids up in the house, Iâm telling you,â said Crawford. âI donât feel like these people that say they are dying and sick from it is actually true. I think theyâre using fear to try to control us right now, for something else.â
What this reporter finds perplexing is that so many people that commented on the story were in full agreement with Crawford. As of Sunday, April 12, there were 242 confirmed cases of coronavirus and six deaths resulting from it in Douglas County which encompasses Omaha.
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While we are on the subject of COVID-19, Hart Island, a small, uninhabited island off the coast of the Bronx, has been in the news lately with a number of news outlets displaying photos taken from a drome of a mass burial. Since 1869, Hart Island has been New York Cityâs Potterâs Field, the final resting place for indigents and others whose bodies were never claimed. Inmates at the nearby Rikers Island prison were employed as gravediggers until just recently when the job was contracted out to a private company whose workers wear hazmat suits.
Hart Island has served other purposes over the years. During the Civil War it was a POW camp for Confederate soldiers. Unbeknownst to most, it was also a popular destination for bare-knuckle prizefights during the 19th century.
Stay safe. Be well.
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Fulton Wins Inside War to Win WBO Title and Other Results from Connecticut

This time Stephen Fulton passed the Covid-19 test and then out-worked Angelo Leo in a brutal inside war to take the WBO super bantamweight world title by unanimous decision on Saturday.
Philadelphiaâs Fulton (19-0, 8 KOs) was supposed to box and move against the body puncher Leo (20-1, 9 KOs) of Las Vegas but instead banged his way to victory with an artful display of inside fighting at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn.
When Leo won the world title during this past summer, he was supposed to fight Fulton, but Fulton showed positive on a Covid-19 test and was forced out of the fight. Not this time. Instead, the Philly fighter would not be denied.
Fulton planted his feet and banged to the body against body shot artist Leo and kept it going toe-to-toe for most of the 12 rounds.
Leo had his moments and was able to start slightly quicker, but by the sixth round it seemed Fulton was the stronger fighter down the stretch.
âHe started breathing a little harder,â said Fulton. âI pushed myself to the limit in training.â
It showed.
Fulton took control for the last four rounds and just seemed fresher and more active to win by unanimous decision. Despite fighting primarily inside, the Philly fighter seemed comfortable.
âThe game plan was to box at first. But I had to get a little dirty,â Fulton said. âI made it a dog fight.â
All three judges scored it for Fulton: 118-110 and 119-109 twice. TheSweetscience.com scored it 115-113 for Fulton who now holds the WBO super bantamweight world title.
âIâm the only champion Philadelphia has,â said Fulton.
Aleem KOs Pasillas
A battle between undefeated power-hitting super bantamweights saw Raâeese Aleem (18-0, 12 KOs) knock down East L.A.âs Vic Pasillas (16-1, 9 KOs) multiple times before ending the fight in the 11th round.
âI believe I put an exclamation point in my victory,â said Aleem who trains in Las Vegas but is a native of Michigan.
Aleem showed off his quickness and power in both hands that resulted in knock downs of Pasillas in the second, sixth, ninth and 11th rounds. It seemed that Pasillas never could figure out how to combat the awkward looping blows and quickness of Aleem.
Pasillas had a few moments with his ability to score with counter lefts and right hooks from his southpaw stance. But every time he scored big Aleem would rally back with even more explosive blows.
As Aleem mounted a large lead, Pasillas looked to set up a needed knockout blow but was instead caught with an overhand right to the chin and a finishing left that forced the referee to stop the fight at 1:00 of the 11th round.
Aleem picks up the interim WBA super bantamweight title. Itâs basically a title that signifies he is the number one contender.
Lightweights
Rolando Romero (13-0, 11 KOs) floored Avery Sparrow (10-3, 3 KOs) in the first round and then exhibited his boxing skills to win by technical knockout.
It looked like the fight was going to end early when Romero caught Sparrow with a left hook. But Philadelphiaâs Sparrow survived the first round and the next few rounds to slow down the attacking Romero. Things settled down but Romero kept winning the rounds.
Sparrow dropped to the floor during an exchange of blows in the sixth round which the referee quickly ruled âno knockdown.â Noticeably in pain Sparrow was under full assault from Romero and resorted to firing low blows. The referee deducted two points from Sparrow for the infraction.
The Philadelphia fighter limped out with a still gimpy knee to compete in the seventh round but within a minute Sparrowâs corner signaled to the referee to stop the fight. The stoppage gave Romero the win by technical knockout at 43 seconds into the round.
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Boxers Fighting the Best and Doing It Again for the First Time: Part Two

Boxers Fighting the Best and Doing It Again for the First Time: Part Two
As mentioned in Part One, the phrase âcherry pickingâ gained meaningful traction during the time âMoneyâ Mayweather was making his run. A new and very simple business model seemed to fuel it; namely, make the most money the quickest way with the least amount of risk and that translated into fewer fights. The change was almost imperceptible.
WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. (31-1) has fought once a year sine 2014. WBO middleweight king Demetrius Andrade (39-0) started out fast but then fell into a less active mode. Wlad Klitschko began to pick his spots with more caution as he met the likes of Francesco Pianeta and Alex Leapai. Shane Mosley slowed down towards the end and even Guillermo Rigondeaux (20-1) has faded from the headlines after being stopped by Vasyl Lomachenko.
Back to the Future
Suddenly, however, a twist has emerged that suggests a new model may well be in the offing; to wit: make the most money the quickest way but with lesser regard to risk. Perhaps Daniel Dubois fighting Joe Joyce last November was an example. Translated, it could mean that the best will fight the best as they did in days of yore. If so, Mega- possibilities await.
âI Want All The Belts, No Easy Fights, I Want To Face The Best.â âVirgil Ortiz
Ryan âKing Ryâ Garcia (21-0) has called out everyone and anybody and it appears he might get his wish in Devin âThe Dreamâ Haney (25-0) or maybe the exciting Gervonta âTankâ Davis (24-0).
The new breed of Davis, Garcia, Haney and Teofimo âThe Takeoverâ Lopez is being is being compared to the âFour Kingsâ (Leonard, Hearns, Hagler, Duran) but a flattered Devin Haney wisely notes âthose guys fought each other.â
In this connection, writer James Slater nails it as follows: âRight now, in todayâs boxing world, Haney, Lopez, Davis and Garcia could all do well, they could win a title or two and they could pick up some huge paydays, without fighting each other. This is the state the sport is in these days. Itâs up to the fighters to really WANT to take take the risks, to take on their most dangerous rivals. The âFour Kingsâ did it, time and again, and this is what added enormously to their greatness.â
Teofimo Lopez did it. After shocking Richard Commey, he beat Vasyl Lomachenko in an even more shocking outcome and now wants George Kambosos, Jr. to step aside for a Devin Haney fight.
It doesnât get any better than the specter of Errol Spence Jr. (27-0) fighting âBudâ Crawford (37-0) unless itâs Tyson Fury (30-0-1) meeting Anthony Joshua (24-1.) If Covid 19 is under control, they could do this one in front of 100,000 fans.
Josh Taylor has talked about challenging Lopez even if it means dropping down to lightweight, and then moving up to 147 to challenge Crawford or Spence.
Dillian Whyte rematching with Alexander Povetkin is another highly anticipated fray and has the added dimension of being a crossroads affair. Oleksandr Usyk will likely face off with Joe Joyce in Usykâs first real test as a heavyweight.
In late February thereâs a big domestic showdown in New Zealand between heavyweights Joseph Parker and Junior Fa. On that same date In London, Carl Frampton squares off with slick WBO 130-pound champion Jamel Herring.
And Juan Francisco Estrada rematching with a rejuvenated Roman âChocolatitoâ Gonzalez has everyoneâs attention.
Super exciting Joe Smith Jr. meets Russiaâs Maxim Vlasov for the vacant WBA light heavyweight belt. Whatâs not to like?
The showdown between Miguel Berchelt (38-1) and Oscar Valdez (28-0) is the best on the February docket and could end up being a FOTY.
Speaking of FOTY’s, the prospect of Naoya “Monster” Inoue vs. Kazuto Ioka is as mouthwatering as it can get and has global appeal.
Meanwhile, Artur Beterbiev looms and it’s not a question of opponents as much as it’s a question of who wants to contend with his bludgeoning style of destruction.
Claressa Shields, Marie Eve Dicaire, Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Delfine Persoon, Jessica McCaskill, and Layla McCarter are prepared to make female boxing sizzle. In the final analysis, when Vasyl Lomachenko becomes an opponent, you know something is very different.
You can read Part One HERE
Ted Sares can be reached at tedsares@roadrunner.com
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Vic Pasillas: An East L.A. Fighter

When East L.A.âs Vic Pasillas enters the prize ring this weekend he follows a path that many from his area have trod before. Not all were successful, but those that succeed become near legendary.
But itâs definitely not easy being from East L.A.
Pasillas (16-0, 9 KOs) meets Michiganâs Raeese Aleem (17-0, 11 KOs) for the vacant interim WBA featherweight title on Saturday Jan. 23, at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. Showtime will televise live.
Once again, a fighter from East L.A. stands pivoted for greatness. Can Pasillas go all the way?
For the past 130 years, prizefighters from East Los Angeles have developed into some of the best in the world if you can get them into the prize ring. Oscar De La Hoya and Leo Santa Cruz are two who were able to duck drugs, crime, street gangs and longtime allegiances that can often mislead aspiring boxers toward deadly endings.
One of the first featherweight champions in history lived in East L.A. Solly Garcia Smith won the world championship in 1893. He was the first Latino to ever win a world title.
There are many others from âEast Losâ who were talented prizefighters that were sidetracked into oblivion. Talented pugilists like brothers Panchito Bojado and Angel Bojado were derailed by mysterious obstacles that East Los Angeles presents. Others like Frankie Gomez and Julian Rodriguez showed dazzling promise but disappeared.
It’s almost as if a curse hangs over East L.A. area like a blanket of smog.
Many were surefire champions. But for some reason East L.A. or East Los as itâs called by those living in the 20 square mile radius, seems to have a dark lingering spell that makes it extra difficult for prizefighters to succeed.
Back in the 1950s a supremely talented fighter named Keeny Teran was skyrocketing to fame when heroin dropped him like an invisible left hook. Celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Danny Kaye were his biggest backers. Yet, not even they could help Teran.
Drugs almost took Pasillas too.
The fighter known as âViciousâ Vic Pasillas could have tripped into one of those sad stories from East L.A. you often hear about from your abuelitas. The streets can easily claim you if you let your guard down. Who is a friend and who is a foe are not often clear as the colors brown or white. Itâs a potholed journey to navigate the barrio streets that look tame during the day, but ominous when the darkness arrives.
Barrio Life
Growing up with parents who were incarcerated led Pasillas to find loyalty from the vatos on the street. They treated him well and gave him protection and a sense of family, but often led to being involved in petty and major crimes.
âI moved out of the neighborhood. I had to get away from my friends. No disrespect to them but I knew that I would end up in jail,â said Pasillas who moved to Riverside, Calif. which is 60 miles east of East L.A. âNobody knew where I was.â
One thing certain: prizefighting was his gift. All that he encountered recognized his boxing ability.
âHe was always a gifted fighter,â said Joe Estrada, who would often take him to tournaments around California or in other states. âEvery tournament he entered he won. He has always had speed, power, and defense. Heâs always been a great boxer, but trouble was always around him.â
Gangs had always been a part of Pasillas life. He was born into gangs in South El Monte and even after moving to East L.A. it was not an escape. It was vatos locos that took him under their wing and showed him love and respect. They took care of him; some were also boxers.
East L.A. is an area much like a spider web. You can travel a quarter mile in one direction and suddenly you are in enemy turf. Gangs are everywhere. If you are an adult male you canât simply walk outside a door without looking in all directions. It makes you razor sharp in recognizing danger. You always look out for danger.
Pasillas loved boxing and loved his friends, the big homies, but cutting off one for the other was the most difficult decision. He would train, fight, and win but then hang with the homies and end up being arrested with the rest of them.
âThe cops would come and everybody would run so I would run,â said Pasillas. âI didnât do anything, but I would get busted with everybody else for trying to evade the police.â
Things remained the same until he met his wife. The streets never had a chance. Once married he moved to the Riverside area. It was 2011 and newly married he needed to make a decision on whether to try and make the Olympic team or turn professional.
âI was ready to go to the Olympics. First, I was going to smash everybody but my wife got pregnant at 2011. It forced me to get a job at a warehouse. I was making 50 dollars a week. Pennies,â said Pasillas. âI got a call from Cameron Dunkin and Top Rank. They offered me a fight on the third Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez fight. That was my pro debut.â
Sadly, the streets reclaimed him again.
Reckoning
A move to northern California seemed to change things but the struggle to stay outside the grasp of the streets remained real even hundreds of miles away. Despite the dark times Pasillas still had friends and admirers.
Seniesa Estrada, who holds the interim WBA flyweight title and is poised to fight for a world title in March, remembers sparring with Pasillas when she could not find girls to spar.
âVic was always very good. He would take it easy on me, of course, but I would learn so much from sparring with guys like him and Jojo Diaz and Frankie Gomez,â said Estrada, who grew up and still lives in East L.A.
Pasillas, 28, had more than 300 amateur fights. He lost only eight times. Anyone who ever saw him fight immediately recognized his immense talent.
âVic is one of the best fighters I ever saw,â said Joe Estrada. âEveryone knew that when heâs in shape he canât be beat. Just so much talent.â
That talent will be tested on Saturday when he meets Michiganâs undefeated Aleem. Whoever wins their battle will meet the winner between Angelo Leo and Stephen Fulton who fight for the WBO super bantamweight title.
âI want to fight the best now, and Pasillas is one of the best fighters in the division. Iâm not ducking or dodging anyone. Iâm going to be a world champion by all means necessary,â said Aleem who now fights out of Las Vegas.
Pasillas doesnât doubt that Aleem has talent.
âI donât want to give up my game plan but best believe Iâm going to do whatever it takes to win this fight. If he wants to bang, then weâll bang, if he wants to box, weâll box. Iâve seen so many different styles in the amateurs, there is nothing that he brings that I havenât seen. My power is what heâs going to have to deal with,â Pasillas said.
It’s been an incredible up and down journey so far for Pasillas; a lifetime of dealing with hidden traps on East L.A. streets that have toppled many previous fighters now long forgotten.
Or will those same streets show the way to glittering success as former champions De La Hoya, Santa Cruz, Joey Olivo, Richie Lemos, Newsboy Brown and Solly Garcia Smith discovered.
One thing Pasillas already discovered was his own family.
âPeople invite me all the time to events and parties but I tell them I already have plans with my family,â said Pasillas who has a wife and two elementary age children. âI never really had a family like other people.â
Now he has his own family. Something he didnât have during his youth due to drugs and the streets.
âItâs just a domino effect. Iâm making sure Iâm going to stop that sât,â says Pasillas. âItâs going to be good for East Los. Iâm a born and bred fighter from East Los.â
Sometimes the streets can break you or make you.
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