Looking Back at Willie Pep Through the Keyhole of a Stormy Night in the Orange Bowl

Published

1 year ago

January 28, 2024

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The Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, was built to house college football games, notably the post-season game that shares the name of the stadium. In 1982 it was the site of a storied fight, the first meeting between Aaron Pryor and Alexis Arguello.

The attendance, 23,800, didn’t quite measure up to the promoters’ expectations, but the event was a success, both commercially and artistically. The same could not be said of the previous title fight staged here, the Feb. 24, 1948 meeting between featherweight champion Willie Pep and Humberto Sierra. From an organizational standpoint, professional boxing, more so than any other sport, is bedeviled by Murphy’s Law: whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. And here was another classic example.

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Willie Pep, born Guglielmo Papaleo to Italian immigrants in Middletown, Connecticut, ranks third on many all-time pound-for-pound lists, trailing only Sugar Ray Robinson and Henry Armstrong. His career arc bears an uncanny resemblance to the original Sugar Ray.

Heading into his Orange Bowl match with Humberto Sierra, Pep sported a record of 122-1-1 and was riding a 61-fight winning streak. His only defeat had come against a bigger man, Sammy Angott, a former world lightweight champion. Making his won-loss record more astounding, 14 of those 122 wins came after Pep was seriously injured in a plane crash. He suffered a broken leg and two chipped vertebrae in the crash of a DC-3 airliner in which three people were killed.

In 1948, Willie Pep was the unified featherweight champion, having knocked out Sal Bartolo to win the National Boxing Association diadem after previously holding the New York version of the title. He and Humberto Sierra had fought once before. On July 23, 1947, on Pep’s turf in Hartford, Pep boxed Sierra’s ears off, winning a 10-round decision. But then Sierra went and pulled a shocker, upsetting top-rated Sandy Saddler in Minneapolis, leapfrogging Saddler in the pecking order.

Supposedly 23 years old, two years younger than Pep, Sierra was born in Havana but had taken up residence in Miami where a young boxing promoter from the Northeast, Chris Dundee, had established a beachhead. He was tall for the weight class; at five-foot-nine he was four inches taller than Pep.

The promoter of the event was Clarence “Kay” Kantrowitz who hailed from Hartford where Willie Pep made his home. In the Hartford papers, Kantrowitz was identified as a film distributor, operator of a midget auto track, and a behind-the-scenes political operator.

Kantrowitz had never promoted a boxing match before, but on paper he had good instincts. Miami was a sporting town during the winter racing season when the Miami Beach hotels were crawling with wiseguys. The fight was potted between the two richest races of the Hialeah meet, the Widener Handicap and the Flamingo Stakes, at a time when horseracing was poised to surpass baseball as America’s leading spectator sport. The locals were expected to rally behind Sierra and it undoubtedly wasn’t lost on Kantrowitz that the Orange Bowl was situated in the Little Havana section of Miami.

Staging a boxing event in an outdoor arena is always risky because of the possibility of adverse weather. The days preceding the fight were sunny, seemingly a good omen, but as folks in south Florida will tell you, the weather down here can change on a dime.

The sky turned gray in the late afternoon and a light drizzle began falling as folks entered the arena. The drizzle turned into a hard shower during the semi-windup, a match between heavyweights Ollie Tandberg and Walter Hafer. In the fourth round of this contest, a 10-round snoozer, there was an unscheduled intermission when the flash bulb on a photographer’s camera exploded sending shards of glass into the ring. That was the only memorable moment.

During the Pep-Sierra fight, there were times when the hard shower was something more; a torrential downpour. In an action scene that ran in many newspapers, one can see a ringsider crouching under a chair that he had turned upside-down to serve as a makeshift umbrella.

Pep took control of the fight early, knocking Sierra to the canvas in the second round. Sierra wasn’t badly hurt – he was up in a jiff – but he was on the canvas again in round nine, compliments of a clean left hook, and saved by the bell later in the round when Pep caught him against the ropes with a vicious right uppercut. Sierra tottered back to his corner and the fight ended 22 seconds into the next frame when Pep knocked him down again with a scorching right hook. Referee Jack Dempsey (yes, that Jack Dempsey) waived it off without starting a count as Pep sloshed to a neutral corner.

During the previous year, the Orange Bowl was expanded to 58,750. Pep-Sierra II drew an announced crowd of 7,757. (One guesses that the crowd would have been somewhat larger if Miami’s darker-skinned citizens were free to sit where they pleased, but this was the Deep South and blacks were confined to a separate section of the grandstand.)

Clarence Kantrowitz reportedly needed $93,000 to break even. With no TV (there were very few sets in use), the fight generated little auxiliary income save for a stipend from the radio station in Hartford that carried the fight using local on-air talent. In a nutshell, the first-time promoter lost his shirt and he wouldn’t be the only one left out to dry. As widely reported, whatever money he earned after expenses would be donated to the Damon Runyon Memorial Cancer Fund.

Kantrowitz actually did write a check to the charity in the amount of $3,250 (10 percent of Pep’s guaranteed purse), but the check, said New York Daily Mirror sports editor Dan Parker, the treasurer of the fund, “bounced higher than a kid’s kite on a windy day.”

Willie Pep lost his title later that year to four-time rival Sandy Saddler, regained it from Saddler in 1949 with a brilliant display of boxing, only to lose it again to Saddler in 1950 when he retired on his stool after seven rounds with a dislocated shoulder in a fight that he was winning. In retirement, Pep stayed in the game as a referee and a deputy boxing inspector for the state of Connecticut. Humberto Sierra returned to Havana and died in obscurity. Heading into his title fight with Pep, the Miami papers listed his record as 75-3. Boxrec tells a different tale. It shows that Sierra was stopped eight times after his second encounter with Pep and left the sport with a record of 49-24-5. Clarence Kantrowitz suffered a fatal heart attack in 1961, passing away at age 57.

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Arne K. Lang

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Bakhodir Jalolov Returns on Thursday in Another Disgraceful Mismatch

Published

7 hours ago

February 4, 2025

Arne K. Lang

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How good is Bakhodir Jalolov? Some would argue that in terms of pure talent, the six-foot-seven southpaw from Uzbekistan who has knocked out all 14 of his opponents since turning pro, is better than any heavyweight you can name. Others say that this can’t possibly be true or his braintrust wouldn’t keep feeding him junk food. Jalolov has been brought along as gingerly as Christopher Lovejoy who was exposed as a fraud after running up a skein of 19 straight fast knockouts,

One thing that’s indisputable is that Jalolov was one of the best amateurs to come down the pike in recent memory. A three-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist, Jalolov won 58 of his last 59 amateur bouts. The exception was a match in which he did not compete which translated into a win by walkover for his opponent, countryman Lazizbek Mullojonov.

The circumstances are vague. Was Jalolov a no-show because of an injury or illness or a technicality? Amateur boxing, save in a few places or in an Olympic year, is the quintessential niche sport. The mainstream media does not cover it.

What we do know, thanks to boxrec, is that Jalolov caught up with Mullojonov in May of last year in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk and won a split decision. And Mollojonov was no slouch. He too won a gold medal at the Paris Games, winning the heavyweight division to give the powerful Uzbekistan contingent the championship in the two heaviest weight classes.

Jalolov, whose late father was a champion free-style wrestler, has answered the bell as a pro for only 35 rounds. The Belgian-Congolese campaigner Jack Mulowayi came closest to taking the big Uzbek the distance, lasting into the eighth round of an 8-round fight. But when Jalolov closed the show, he did it with a highlight reel knockout, knocking Mulowayi into dreamland with a vicious left hook.

The KO was reminiscent of Jalolov’s most talked-about win as an amateur, his first-round blast-out of Richard Torrez Jr at a tournament in Ekaterinburg, Russia, in 2019. Torrez, knocked out cold with a left hook, left the ring on a stretcher and was removed to a hospital for evaluation.

This was the first AIBA-sanctioned international tournament in which pros were allowed to compete and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was incensed, calling the match-up “criminal” in a tweet that was widely circulated. (Jalolov then had six pro fights under his belt.) They would meet again in the finals of the Tokyo Olympiad with the Uzbek winning a unanimous decision.

Perhaps there will be a third meeting down the road. When Jared Anderson was roughed-up and stopped by Martin Bakole, Torrez Jr (currently 12-0, 11 KOs) vaulted ahead of him on the list of the top home-grown American heavyweights. But Torrez Jr, a short-armed heavyweight who overcomes his physical limitations with a windmill offense, would be a heavy underdog should they ever meet again.

Bakhodir Jalolov’s last bout before heading off to Paris was against the obscure South African Chris Thompson. His match on Thursday at the Montreal Casino in Montreal pits him against an obscure 33-year-old Frenchman, David Spilmont.

Spilmont’s last two opponents were the same guy, an undersized Lithuanian slug who has lost 36 of his 41 documented fights. It seems almost inevitable that Spilmont will suffer the same fate as Thompson who was KOed in the first round.

There’s talk that Jalolov doesn’t really care how far he advances at the professional level; that he has his sights set on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles where he would have an opportunity to become only the fourth boxer to win three Olympic gold medals, joining the immortal Teofilo Stevenson, Hungarian legend Laszlo Papp, and Cuban standout Felix Savon. Were he to accomplish the hat trick, they would build monuments to him in Uzbekistan. But, if that is his mindset, he’s skating on thin ice. There’s no guarantee that boxing will be on the docket at the Los Angeles Games and, if so, the powers-that-be may choose to roll back the calendar to the days when the competition was off-limits to anyone with professional experience.

While it’s true that Jalolov needs to work off some rust, a pox on promoter Camille Estephan and his enabler, the Quebec Boxing Commission, for not dredging up a more credible opponent than the grossly overmatched David Spilmont.

—

Jalolov vs. Spilmont is ostensibly the co-feature. The main event is a 10-round junior welterweight clash between Movladdin “Arthur” Biyarslanov (17-0, 14 KOs) and Spilmont stablemate Mohamed Mimoune (24-6, 5 KOs). Undefeated light heavyweights Albert Ramirez and Mehmet Unal will appear in separate bouts on the undercard. The Feb. 6 event, currently consisting of seven bouts, will air in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT.

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Claressa Shields Powers to Undisputed Heavyweight Championship

Published

2 days ago

February 2, 2025

David A. Avila

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Claressa Shields blasted her way to the undisputed heavyweight championship and nearly knocked out challenger Danielle Perkins in the final seconds, but settled for a win by unanimous decision on Sunday.

Yes, she can punch.

“I just feel overwhelmed and so happy.” Shields said.

Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) proved that even the super athletic Perkins (5-1, 2 KOs), a true heavyweight, could not stop her from becoming an undisputed world champion in a third weight division at Dort Arena in Flint, Michigan, her home town.

In the opening round it was easy to see the size difference. Shields calmly measured Perkins long right jabs then countered with rocket rights through the guard. The speed was evident in Shield’s punches. Perkins used jabs to work her way in but was caught with counters.

“That girl was strong as hell,” said Shields describing Perkins.

Perkins, a southpaw, was somewhat confident that she was the stronger puncher and the stronger fighter overall. But when Shields connected with 10 rocket overhand rights in the third round the power moved Perkins several feet backward.

Suddenly, Perkins realized that indeed Shields has power.

Perkins became more cautious with her approaches. Though the true heavyweight was not frozen in fear, she was wary about getting caught flush with Shields rights. But bullet jabs and lightning combinations still rained on Perkins.

Finding a way to nullify Shields speed was crucial for Perkins.

The former basketball player Perkins continually proved her athleticism with agile moves here and there, but Shields just was superior in every way.

When Perkins became focused too much on the right, a Shields left hook caught the New York native flush. Suddenly there was another Shields weapon to worry about.

Many critics of Shields had focused on her lack of knockouts. But in her previous fight against another heavyweight, the two-time Olympic gold medalist surprised Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse with knockout power. It’s the same power Shields showed Perkins as if firing a fast ball by powering her right with leverage by using her left leg to produce momentum and an explosive punch.

In the 10^th and final round Shields and Perkins exchanged blows. Perkins was looking to connect with one of her power shots when suddenly Shields countered with a perfectly timed right to the chin and down went Perkins with about 10 seconds remaining. She beat the count to finish the round.

“I showed I was the bigger puncher and better boxer,” said Shields. “I knew I could do it because I’m really strong at heavyweight.”

All three judges favored Shields 100-89, 99-90 and 97-92.

It was another convincing performance by Shields. So what is next for the best female fighter pound for pound?

“I want to fight Franchon Crews, Hanna Gabriels,” said Shields also naming a few others. “Flint, (Michigan) I love you all so much.”

Other Bouts

A heavyweight clash saw why there is a rule against holding. Brandon Moore (17-1) and Skylar Lacy (8-1-2) punched and held throughout their eight rounds. Referee Steve Willis finally disqualified Lacy when he tackled Moore and took him through the ropes and on to table below.

No, holding and clinching is not part of the fight game. Now you know why.

Moore was ruled the winner by disqualification due to unsportsmanlike conduct by Lacy at 1:35 of the eighth. No need to describe the fight.

A battle between undefeated welterweights saw Joseph Hicks (12-0, 8 KOs) stop Keon Papillon (10-1-1, 7 KOs) at 1:35 of the seventh round. Hicks stunned Papillon at the end of the sixth, then unloaded in the seventh round to force a stoppage.

Joshua Pagan (12-0) out-battled Ronal Ron (16-8) over eight rounds to win the lightweight match by unanimous decision.

Samantha Worthington (11-0) defeated Vaida Masiokaite (10-27-6) by decision after eight rounds in a super lightweight bout.

Featherweight Caroline Veyre (9-1) out-boxed the shorter Carmen Vargas (5-3-1) to win by decision after six rounds.

Super bantamweight Asheleyann Lozada (1-0) won her pro debut by unanimous decision over Denise Moran (3-1) in a four-round fight.

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Benavidez Defeats Morrell; Cruz, Fulton, and Ramos also Victorious at Las Vegas

Published

3 days ago

February 2, 2025

David A. Avila

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David Benavidez showed fans why they call him “El Monstro” as he plowed through Cuba’s heavy-punching David Morrell to retain a number one ranking in the light heavyweight division by unanimous decision on Saturday.

Not even a flash knockdown for Morrell could make a difference.

Phoenix native Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) gave Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) his first loss as a professional in front of more than 15,000 fans at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. No one needed to hear the judge’s decision.

“I prepared for everything. I know he’s a great fighter,” said Benavidez. “I thought he was going to hit harder, but he didn’t.”

Before the fight, Morrell was almost an even bet according to oddsmakers, but that was not the case once the fight commenced.

Immediately Benavidez pounded the body and exposed the weaknesses of Morrell’s peek-a-boo defense by using his own left glove to push down the Cuban’s guard. Then immediately firing a crushing right to the jaw.

For the first four rounds Benavidez pounded away on the left and right side of Morrell’s body. And when the openings came the uppercuts caught Morrell’s chin. But he absorbed the blows.

Morrell didn’t waver in trying to find a solution. Though Benavidez connected often to the body and head, the Cuban fighter who moved up from super middleweight displayed a very solid chin.

In the fourth round during a furious exchange Morrell beat Benavidez to the punch that stunned him momentarily. But the blow seemed to spark outrage and a storm of blows followed from Benavidez.

It must have seemed like a nightmare for Morrell.

At times the Cuban fighter would connect perfectly with a right hook and pause. Then Benavidez would return fire with massive blows.

The look on Morrell’s face bore traces of disappointment.

As the rounds continued Benavidez became emboldened by his success. Soon the Mexican Monster began launching lead right uppercuts through Morrell’s guard especially in the sixth round.

“He was easier to hit than I expected,” Benavidez said.

During the breaks Morrell’s corner asked him to pressure Benavidez. It was a fruitless suggestion. How do you corner a Monster?

Benavidez continued to stalk Morrell who never stopped swinging but could not seem to hurt the Monster. In the 11^th round Morrell managed to catch Benavidez perfectly with a right hook and down went Benavidez. He immediately got up and the two fighters unloaded on each other. Morrell fired one punch after the bell and was deducted a point by referee Thomas Taylor. That negated the extra point gained from the knockdown.

“I wasn’t really hurt,” said Benavidez. “That bullshit knockdown caught me off-balance.”

The final round saw both resume their efforts to knock the other out. Both showed great chins and the ability to trade. Benavidez was simply better. Even Morrell didn’t wait for the decision to be read as he raised the arm of the Monster at the final bell. All three judges scored in favor of Benavidez 115-111 twice and 118-108.

“He knows this is Monstro’s world. Big shout out for Morrell, he’s a tough fighter,” Benavidez said.

Other Bouts

In a fight dedicated to honor the late Israel Vazquez, the ultimate Aztec warrior, super lightweights Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (27-3-1) and Angel Fierro (23-3-2) battled like demons for 10 nonstop rounds. Cruz was ruled the winner by unanimous decision.

With little resemblance of defense, Cruz and Fierro whacked each other relentlessly with shots that might have stopped a moving car. Cruz was tagged by a right cross on the top of the head that staggered him momentarily. Fierro was driven back four feet by an overhand right to the chin early in the fight.

Both fighters took cruel and unusual punishment and never wavered more than a few seconds. It was brutal war and fans were the winners after 10 rounds of violent and savage action.

All three judges saw Cruz the winner 96-94, 97-93, 98-92.

“I’m so happy I gave the fans a great fight,” Cruz said.

Fulton Wins

Stephen Fulton (23-1, 8 KOs) defeated Brandon Figueroa (23-2-1, 19 KOs) again and took the WBC featherweight title by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. He had previously defeated Figueroa in 2021 for the WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles.

Most of the action took place in nose-to-nose fashion where Fulton landed the cleaner shots especially with uppercuts. Figueroa had his moments but was unable to hurt the challenger who lost to Naoya Inoue by knockout 17 months ago.

Fulton landed clean shots but as his record shows he lacks the power with only eight knockouts on his record. But Figueroa was unable to hurt or knock down Fulton. After 12 rounds all three judges saw Fulton win by scores of 116-112 twice and 117-111,

“It feels good. I’m champion again,” said Fulton.

Ramos Wins

Jesus Ramos (22-1, 18 KOs) won by technical knockout over former world champion Jeison Rosario (24-5-2) in the eighth round of a middleweight fight. Both fighters attacked the body but by the sixth round Ramos was the busier fighter and began to dominate the fight. At 2:18 of the eighth round referee Robert Hoyle stopped the fight.

“I like to throw a lot of body punches. It’s kind of my style,” said Ramos.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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