Arne’s Almanac: Goldfield’s First Big Fight, An Argentine Ring God and More

Published

3 years ago

September 14, 2022

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Tomorrow, Sept. 15, marks the 117^th anniversary of the first big fight in Goldfield, Nevada. No, we’re not talking about the first fight between Joe Gans and Battling Nelson, one of the most ballyhooed and hashed-over battles in the history of the ring. Before Gans-Nelson, there was Attell vs. Tenny, a fight-to-the-finish promoted as a flyweight championship tilt.

This was Monte Attell who would become less famous than Abe, his older sibling. But Monte was an outstanding fighter in his own right and his opponent, Harry Tenny, a fellow San Francisco Jew, was among the top fighters in his weight class.

Attell vs. Tenny was a classic “festival fight,” a match designed to add more sparkle to an event with many tendrils. Sept. 15, 1905 was Railroad Day in Goldfield, and the locals built a four-day festival around it. There were trunk lines for moving freight between Goldfield and nearby mining camps, but before 1905 a person visiting Goldfield from a “metropolis” such as Reno or Salt Lake City could not reach his destination without taking a stagecoach for the final leg of his journey. The arrival of passenger trains was seen as a signal to the outside world that a town was major league and the occasion became an informal holiday in many western mining towns.

It’s fun to read about the festival in the old Goldfield News. Marching bands came from as far away as Virginia City. The city was ablaze in decorative bunting. Rock drilling contests, tug-of-wars, pie eating contests, and burro races spiced up the festivities. All contests came with cash prizes and these weren’t penny-ante. Goldfield was awash with money, albeit on the precipice of a deep downturn. The gold mines would shortly peter out, causing a massive exodus. At its peak moment, Goldfield may have harbored as many as 25,000 people. Today the town in sun-parched, desolate Esmeralda County is home to fewer than 300 permanent residents.

By all accounts, Attell vs. Tenny was a fierce battle. According to a report in the San Francisco Examiner, Tenny’s nose was broken in two places and both of his eyes were nearly shut when he drew down the curtain, knocking Attell down for the count in the twenty-fifth round. The dispatch said “at least” 400 women were in attendance which would have caused a scandal in an Eastern precinct.

The bout had a sad postscript. Five months after meeting Attell, Tenny fought Frankie Neil in San Francisco. This was a rematch. Neil was given the decision over Tenny in their first encounter, a lusty 25-round affair.

Neil knocked Tenny out in the fourteenth round and Tenny died from his injuries the next morning. Born Harry Tennebaum, he was only 20 years old.

Horacio Accavallo (1934-2022)

Among boxing historians, there is an understandable prejudice against top Argentine boxers who rarely fight outside Argentina. Their records tend to vastly overstate their aptitude.

Horacio Accavallo, who was the reigning WBA world flyweight champion when he left the sport in 1967, retiring with a record of 75-2-6 (34), was an exception. Accavallo, who passed away yesterday (Sept. 13), one month shy of his 88^th birthday, was really, really good. The noted boxing historian Matt McGrain considers him the most underrated flyweight of all time. “His absence from the IBHOF makes a mockery of that institution,” wrote McGrain in a story that appeared on these pages.

Accavallo, who was a shade over 5-feet tall, was a trapeze artist and tightrope walker for a circus before finding his calling in the prize ring. His first defeat came at the hands of Salvatore Burruni in their second of three meetings. His other defeat came in his final year as a pro in a non-title fight in Tokyo with ex-Olympian Kiyoshi Tanabe, a boxer who would leave the sport undefeated, his career cut short by eye problems.

Between those two setbacks, Accavallo was unbeaten in 49 fights, going 48-0-1.

In Accavallo’s final fight, he successfully defended his flyweight title with 15-round majority decision over Hiroyuki Ebihara who was 55-3-1 heading in. Accavallo had a terrible time making weight for that fight and rather than move up into a higher division, he simply quit. “If I lose I will stop being a champion,” he reportedly said. “If I retire, I will be a champion forever.”

Born in one of the worst slums in Buenos Aires, Accavallo was the son of an Italian father and a Spanish mother, both reportedly illiterate. Historically, most fighters who grow up in poverty squander their ring earnings, but Accavallo was an exception. As noted by the noted Argentine boxing writer Diego Morilla, he used his earnings to build a chain of successful sporting goods stores.

Accavallo, who answered the bell as a pro for 732 rounds, developed Alzheimer’s and spent most of the last decade of his life in nursing homes. May he rest in peace.

Celebrity Fights

There’s good news for old-school boxing fans who are distressed to find social media influencers clogging up the fight calendar. By all indications, last Saturday’s show at LA’s Bank of America Stadium headlined by the exhibition between YouTube stars Austin McBroom and AnEsonGib was a big money-loser.

There were nine bouts in all, five on the pay-per-view card. According to various sources, the total purse money for the 18 participants amounted to about $600,000. Yes, that’s chump change considering what Eddie Hearn will pay Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin, but it’s a big nut for a promoter when factoring in other expenses – e.g., arena rental, ring rental and set-up, travel and lodging, insurance, ring officials (referees, judges, inspectors), and a laundry list of incidentals.

The event was available on multiple pay-per-view platforms for $40 ($39.99 for you nitpickers). Ticket prices for those attending the show ranged from $35 to $2,200.

Granted, sponsorship deals may compensate for disappointing returns from PPV and on-site sales, but yet it says something that there weren’t more than a few thousand people in the arena, many of whom were undoubtedly comped.

“Like it or not, the era of YouTuber’s boxing is not going away anytime soon,” says Daniel Yanofsky, the Combat Sports editor for The Sporting News. Perhaps not, but perhaps the light I see at the end of the tunnel isn’t merely wishful thinking.

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Arne K. Lang’s latest book, titled “George Dixon, Terry McGovern and the Culture of Boxing in America, 1890-1910,” has rolled off the press. Published by McFarland, the book can be ordered directly from the publisher (https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/clash-of-the-little-giants) or via Amazon.

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Ringside at the Fontainebleau where Mikaela Mayer Won her Rematch with Sandy Ryan

Published

2 days ago

March 30, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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LAS VEGAS, NV — The first meeting between Mikaela Mayer and Sandy Ryan last September at Madison Square Garden was punctuated with drama before the first punch was thrown. When the smoke cleared, Mayer had become a world-title-holder in a second weight class, taking away Ryan’s WBO welterweight belt via a majority decision in a fan-friendly fight.

The rematch tonight at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas was another fan-friendly fight. There were furious exchanges in several rounds and the crowd awarded both gladiators a standing ovation at the finish.

Mayer dominated the first half of the fight and held on to win by a unanimous decision. But Sandy Ryan came on strong beginning in round seven, and although Mayer was the deserving winner, the scores favoring her (98-92 and 97-93 twice) fail to reflect the competitiveness of the match-up. This is the best rivalry in women’s boxing aside from Taylor-Serrano.

Mayer, 34, improved to 21-2 (5). Up next, she hopes, in a unification fight with Lauren Price who outclassed Natasha Jonas earlier this month and currently holds the other meaningful pieces of the 147-pound puzzle. Sandy Ryan, 31, the pride of Derby, England, falls to 7-3-1.

Co-Feature

In his first defense of his WBO world welterweight title (acquired with a brutal knockout of Giovani Santillan after the title was vacated by Terence Crawford), Atlanta’s Brian Norman Jr knocked out Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas in the third round. A three-punch combination climaxed by a short left hook sent Cuevas staggering into a corner post. He got to his feet before referee Thomas Taylor started the count, but Taylor looked in Cuevas’s eyes and didn’t like what he saw and brought the bout to a halt.

The stoppage, which struck some as premature, came with one second remaining in the third stanza.

A second-generation prizefighter (his father was a fringe contender at super middleweight), the 24-year-old Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) is currently boxing’s youngest male title-holder. It was only the second pro loss for Cuevas (27-2-1) whose lone previous defeat had come early in his career in a 6-rounder he lost by split decision.

Other Bouts

In a career-best performance, 27-year-old Brooklyn featherweight Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (15-0, 9 KOs) blasted out Jose Enrique Vivas (23-4) in the third round.

Carrington, who was named the Most Outstanding Boxer at the 2019 U.S. Olympic Trials despite being the lowest-seeded boxer in his weight class, decked Vivas with a right-left combination near the end of the second round. Vivas barely survived the round and was on a short leash when the third stanza began. After 53 seconds of round three, referee Raul Caiz Jr had seen enough and waived it off. Vivas hadn’t previously been stopped.

Cleveland welterweight Tiger Johnson, a Tokyo Olympian, scored a fifth-round stoppage over San Antonio’s Kendo Castaneda. Johnson assumed control in the fourth round and sent Castaneda to his knees twice with body punches in the next frame. The second knockdown terminated the match. The official time was 2:00 of round five.

Johnson advanced to 15-0 (7 KOs). Castenada declined to 21-9.

Las Vegas junior welterweight Emiliano Vargas (13-0, 11 KOs) blasted out Stockton, California’s Giovanni Gonzalez in the second round. Vargas brought the bout to a sudden conclusion with a sweeping left hook that knocked Gonzalez out cold. The end came at the 2:00 minute mark of round two.

Gonzalez brought a 20-7-2 record which was misleading as 18 of his fights were in Tijuana where fights are frequently prearranged. However, he wasn’t afraid to trade with Vargas and paid the price.

Emiliano Vargas, with his matinee idol good looks and his boxing pedigree – he is the son of former U.S. Olympian and two-weight world title-holder “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas – is highly marketable and has the potential to be a cross-over star.

Eighteen-year-old Newark bantamweight Emmanuel “Manny” Chance, one of Top Rank’s newest signees, won his pro debut with a four-round decision over So Cal’s Miguel Guzman. Chance won all four rounds on all three cards, but this was no runaway. He left a lot of room for improvement.

There was a long intermission before the co-main and again before the main event, but the tedium was assuaged by a moving video tribute to George Foreman.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

Published

2 days ago

March 29, 2025

David A. Avila

William Zepeda Edges Past Tevin Farmer in Cancun; Improves to 34-0

No surprise, once again William Zepeda eked out a win over the clever and resilient Tevin Farmer to remain undefeated and retain a regional lightweight title on Saturday.

There were no knockdowns in this rematch.

The Mexican punching machine Zepeda (33-0, 17 KOs) once more sought to overwhelm Farmer (33-8-1, 9 KOs) with a deluge of blows. This rematch by Golden Boy Promotions took place in the famous beach resort area of Cancun, Mexico.

It was a mere four months ago that both first clashed in Saudi Arabia with their vastly difference styles. This time the tropical setting served as the background which suited Zepeda and his lawnmower assaults. The Mexican fans were pleased.

Nothing changed in their second meeting.

Zepeda revved up the body assault and Farmer moved around casually to his right while fending off the Mexican fighter’s attacks. By the fourth round Zepeda was able to cut off Farmer’s escape routes and targeted the body with punishing shots.

The blows came in bunches.

In the fifth round Zepeda blasted away at Farmer who looked frantic for an escape. The body assault continued with the Mexican fighter pouring it on and Farmer seeming to look ready to quit. When the round ended, he waved off his corner’s appeals to stop.

Zepeda continued to dominate the next few rounds and then Farmer began rallying. At first, he cleverly smothered Zepeda’s body attacks and then began moving and hitting sporadically. It forced the Mexican fighter to pause and figure out the strategy.

Farmer, a Philadelphia fighter, showed resiliency especially when it was revealed he had suffered a hand injury.

During the last three rounds Farmer dug down deep and found ways to score and not get hit. It was Boxing 101 and the Philly fighter made it work.

But too many rounds had been put in the bank by Zepeda. Despite the late rally by Farmer one judge saw it 114-114, but two others scored it 116-112 and 115-113 for Zepeda who retains his interim lightweight title and place at the top of the WBC rankings.

“I knew he was a difficult fighter. This time he was even more difficult,” said Zepeda.

Farmer was downtrodden about another loss but realistic about the outcome and starting slow.

“But I dominated the last rounds,” said Farmer.

Zepeda shrugged at the similar outcome as their first encounter.

“I’m glad we both put on a great show,” said Zepeda.

Female Flyweight Battle

Costa Rica’s Yokasta Valle edged past Texas fighter Marlen Esparza to win their showdown at flyweight by split decision after 10 rounds.

Valle moved up two weight divisions to meet Esparza who was slightly above the weight limit. Both showed off their contrasting styles and world class talent.

Esparza, a former unified flyweight world titlist, stayed in the pocket and was largely successful with well-placed jabs and left hooks. She repeatedly caught Valle in-between her flurries.

The current minimumweight world titlist changed tactics and found more success in the second half of the fight. She forced Esparza to make the first moves and that forced changes that benefited her style.

Neither fighter could take over the fight.

After 10 rounds one judge saw Esparza the winner 96-94, but two others saw Valle the winner 97-93 twice.

Will Valle move up and challenge the current undisputed flyweight world champion Gabriela Fundora? That’s the question.

Valle currently holds the WBC minimumweight world title.

Puerto Rico vs Mexico

Oscar Collazo (12-0, 9 KOs), the WBO, WBA minimumweight titlist, knocked out Mexico’s Edwin Cano (13-3-1, 4 KOs) with a flurry of body shots at 1:12 of the fifth round.

Collazo dominated with a relentless body attack the Mexican fighter could not defend. It was the Puerto Rican fighter’s fifth consecutive title defense.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 319: Rematches in Las Vegas, Cancun and More

Published

3 days ago

March 28, 2025

David A. Avila

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Rematches are the bedrock for prizefighting.

Return battles between rival boxers always means their first encounter was riveting and successful at the box office.

Six months after their first brutal battle Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) and Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) will slug it out again for the WBO welterweight world title this time on Saturday, March 29, at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.

ESPN will show the Top Rank card live.

“It’s important for women’s boxing to have these rivalries and this is definitely up there as one of the top ones,” Mayer told the BBC.

If you follow Mayer’s career you know that somehow drama follows. Whether its back-and-forth beefs with fellow American fighters or controversial judging due to nationalism in countries abroad. The Southern California native who now trains in Las Vegas knows how to create the drama.

For female fighters self-promotion is a necessity.

Most boxing promoters refuse to step out of the usual process set for male boxers, not for female boxers. Things remain the same and have been for the last 70 years. Social media has brought changes but that has made promoters do even less.

No longer are there press conferences, instead announcements are made on social media to be drowned among the billions of other posts. It is not killing but diluting interest in the sport.

Women innately present a different advantage that few if any promoters are recognizing. So far in the past 25 years I have only seen two or three promoters actually ignite interest in female fighters. They saw the advantages and properly boosted interest in the women.

The fight breakdown

Mayer has won world titles in the super featherweight and now the welterweight division. Those are two vastly different weight classes and prove her fighting abilities are based on skill not power or size.

Coaching Mayer since amateurs remains Al Mitchell and now Kofi Jantuah who replaced Kay Koroma the current trainer for Sandy Ryan.

That was the reason drama ignited during their first battle. Then came someone tossing paint at Ryan the day of their first fight.

More drama.

During their first fight both battled to control the initiative with Mayer out-punching the British fighter by a slender margin. It was a back-and-forth struggle with each absorbing blows and retaliating immediately.

New York City got its money’s worth.

Ryan had risen to the elite level rapidly since losing to Erica Farias three years ago. Though she was physically bigger and younger, she was out-maneuvered and defeated by the wily veteran from Argentina. In the rematch, however, Ryan made adjustments and won convincingly.

Can she make adjustments from her defeat to Mayer?

“I wanted the rematch straight away,” said Ryan on social media. “I’ve come to America again.”

Both fighters have size and reach. In their first clash it was evident that conditioning was not a concern as blows were fired nonstop in bunches. Mayer had the number of punches landed advantage and it unfolded with the judges giving her a majority decision win.

That was six months ago. Can she repeat the outcome?

Mayer has always had boiler-oven intensity. It’s not fake. Since her amateur days the slender Southern California blonde changes disposition all the way to red when lacing up the gloves. It’s something that can’t be taught.

Can she draw enough of that fire out again?

“I didn’t have to give her this rematch. I could have just sat it out, waited for Lauren Price to unify and fought for undisputed or faced someone else,” said Mayer to BBC. “That’s not the fighter I am though.”

Co-Main in Las Vegas

The co-main event pits Brian Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) facing Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) in a contest for the WBO welterweight title.

Norman, 24, was last seen a year ago dissecting a very good welterweight in Giovani Santillan for a knockout win in San Diego. He showed speed, skill and power in defeating Santillan in his hometown.

Cuevas has beaten some solid veteran talent but this will be his big test against Norman and his first attempt at winning a world title.

Also on the Top Rank card will be Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington and Emiliano Vargas, the son of Fernando Vargas, in separate bouts.

Golden Boy in Cancun

A rematch between undefeated William “Camaron” Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) and ex-champ Tevin Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs) headlines the lightweight match on Saturday March 29, at Cancun, Mexico.

In their first encounter Zepeda was knocked down in the fourth round but rallied to win a split-decision over Farmer. It showed the flaws in Zepeda’s tornado style.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card that also includes a clash between Yokasta Valle the WBC minimumweight world titlist who is moving up to flyweight to face former flyweight champion Marlen Esparza.

Both Valle and Esparza have fast hands.

Valle is excellent darting in and out while Esparza has learned how to fight inside. It’s a toss-up fight.

Fights to Watch

Fri. DAZN 12 p.m. Cameron Vuong (7-0) vs Jordan Flynn (11-0-1); Pat Brown (0-0) vs Federico Grandone (7-4-2).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. William Zepeda (32-0) vs Tevin Farmer (33-7-1); Yokasta Valle (32-3) vs Marlen Esparza (15-2).

Sat. ESPN 7 p.m. Mikaela Mayer (20-2) vs Sandy Ryan (7-2-1); Brian Norman Jr. (26-0) vs Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1).

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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