Boxing Writer Mike Marley Was a Colorful Character

Published

3 years ago

March 6, 2022

Boxing-Writer-Mike-Marley-Was-a-Colorful-Character

Mike Marley wore many hats during a career in boxing that began when he was 13 years old. At various times, Marley was a PR man, a facilitator in all of its various permutations, a production assistant for Howard Cosell, and a boxing writer for several newspapers, most notably the New York Post. He was also as colorful as many of the sporting characters that he wrote about, a fellow who made friends and enemies in about equal measure. His death this past week from complications of Parkinson’s left his friends ruing the loss of a great raconteur.

As a boy growing up in Boston, Marley became infatuated with the boxer then known as Cassius Clay. He started a fan club for the up-and-coming heavyweight, the spawn of which was an annual newsletter he sold for $5.

Marley got to meet his hero when Ali came to Boston in the spring of 1965 to finish up his training for his rematch with Sonny Liston slated for May 25 at Boston Garden. Marley tracked Ali down to the hotel where he was staying and became a regular visitor. Ali took a shine to the 14-year-old fanboy and young Michael became something of a mascot.

Ali-Liston II would be kicked out of Boston — the District Attorney was sending a message to Liston’s underworld associates – and re-positioned in the neighboring state of Maine where it played out on the originally scheduled date at an armory in Lewiston. Mike Marley was there as a guest of Ali and he would also have a choice seat at Ali-Frazier I, the Fight of the Century in the new Madison Square Garden.

During his teen years, Marley hooked up with Sam Silverman. Best remembered for promoting the early fights of Rocky Marciano, “Subway Sam” was Mr. Boxing in New England. With an office in Chelsea and an annex in the trunk of his car, Silverman promoted big-budget and low-budget shows, but mostly the latter, during a career that was in its fifth decade when he died in a car crash in 1977.

Marley designed little programs for Silverman’s little shows and delivered envelopes to sports editors, honorariums much appreciated, especially by scribes toiling in the hinterland.

Mike Marley ventured a long way from home to attend college. He chose Nevada’s flagship university in Reno because of the school’s prominent boxing team.

Mike wasn’t too bad with the mitts. Competing mostly at 165 pounds, he was purportedly 7-2-4 in inter-collegiate competitions, a record highlighted by a first-round knockout of an opponent from Stanford.

Marley wasn’t completely done with fisticuffing when he left college. In 1991, he scuffled with Patrick Flannery, the manager of Hector “Macho” Camacho, in the lobby of Reno’s Clarion Hotel. The fracas, which started around 3:00 in the morning, was a nasty little spat. Marley emerged with a swollen forehead and a busted lip. Flannery suffered a broken kneecap.

The scuffle had its roots in a story that Marley wrote for the New York Post following Camacho’s loss to Greg Haugen in their first meeting. Marley blamed Flannery. “If he’s a manager,” he wrote, “then I am an astronaut.” But we are getting ahead of ourselves.

At the University of Nevada, Marley wrote a weekly column called “Campus Chatter” for the school newspaper, which led to work with the Nevada State Journal, a paper with a small circulation, and then to the regionally transcendent Reno Gazette-Journal. Like most sportswriters, he initially covered high school sports and then transitioned to covering sports of national interest; in his case, mostly boxing.

From the Gazette-Journal, Marley moved to the Las Vegas Sun, the city’s afternoon paper (remember afternoon papers?) where he scored a big coup, by his recollection, when he followed up on a tip that led him to a greasy spoon in Flagstaff, Arizona where Roberto Duran’s long-lost biological father was working as a short-order cook. A former seaman, the man was revealed to be of Mexican descent which increased Roberto’s popularity 10-fold in the Latino community. (For the record, this story actually originated in a Flagstaff paper. In the pre-internet days, news didn’t circulate as freely.)

From the Sun, Marley moved to the New York Post where he had two stints as the boxing writer. He first left the paper to serve as an executive producer with ABC’s “SportsBeat.” The show, which won an Emmy Award, was hosted by Howard Cosell who was famed for his work on Monday Night Football and for his interviews with Marley’s hero Muhammad Ali.

Marley left the paper the second time to work for Don King. His business card may have identified him as King’s Public Relations Director but in the company of old friends he snarked to a different title: Minister of Propaganda.

This reporter recalls seeing Marley standing alongside his boss at a boxing press conference where he was reduced to brushing dandruff from the shoulder of King’s one-of-a-kind denim jacket. Why he was there was a mystery as no one ever got a word in edgewise when King had the floor.

The scene didn’t redound well to Marley who had written a lot of negative stuff about King, but perhaps he and the flamboyant promoter were destined to join forces. As boxing writer Robert Mladinich noted, they had a lot in common: “unlimited energy, tremendous egos, and chutzpah.” (Don King wasn’t an easy man to work for. He fired many people only to rehire them the next day. But King paid well and a man caught up in his vortex knew he was alive.)

During his days with the Post, Marley somehow found time to earn a law degree. He graduated from Fordham University Law School at age 40 and became a criminal defense attorney. But he never wandered far from boxing.

He took to managing and co-managing fighters, the list of which included Shannon Briggs, Terry Norris, Derrell Coley, and Julian Letterlough. He also wangled a job as a consultant to California’s Sycuan Indian tribe which ran occasional boxing shows at their casino near San Diego. And he continued to write, his articles appearing on various boxing web sites.

Mike Marley was at his best, it says here, when he was with the New York Post. The tabloid with its lurid front-page headlines that were calculated to boost sales at newsstands (remember newsstands?) was the perfect fit for him and he amped up his game, his stories becoming breezier and more jaundiced.

Marley was part of Muhammad Ali’s inner circle before he was old enough to drive, but in time he came to see the Ali circus in a sobering light. Check out this description of Muhammad Ali’s entourage from a 1979 Post story that was picked up by the Atlanta Constitution:

They moved from city to city, from continent to continent, like a plundering herd. They were boxing’s version of the Foreign Legion.

They came in two categories – those with a real or imagined function, and the hustlers. From Malaysia to Houston, from Zaire to Lake Tahoe, they went first class. Their brush with fame was purely guilt by association. They ran up outrageous tabs and phone bills and charged gifts to Ali. They flimflammed merchants from Manila to Lewiston.

Good stuff.

Mike Marley was 71 years old when he passed away on March 2 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He led a very interesting life. May he rest in peace.

—

Arne K. Lang’s latest book, titled “George Dixon, Terry McGovern and the Culture of Boxing in America, 1890-1910,” will shortly roll off the press at McFarland’s. The book may be pre-ordered direct from the publisher (click here) or via Amazon.

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Arne K. Lang

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Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing

Published

2 days ago

January 19, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.

As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.

This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.

A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”

Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.

Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.

Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)

Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.

When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.

Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).

For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.

“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.

As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.

As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”

Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.

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Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce

Published

4 days ago

January 18, 2025

David A. Avila

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Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.

In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.

It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.

For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.

Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.

It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.

“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”

Trinidad Wins Too

Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.

Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.

“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”

After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.

Other Bouts

Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.

Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.

Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.

More Winners

Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Published

5 days ago

January 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.

Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.

Hopefully the worst is over.

Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.

Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.

“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.

He knows talent.

Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.

Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.

Can Trinidad reach world title status?

Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.

It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.

Mizukii Hiruta

Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.

Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Boxing and the Media

The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.

Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.

Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.

Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.

MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.

Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.

Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.

It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.

Photos credit: Lina Baker

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