Mickey Walker: The Toy Bulldog

By Peter Silkov

Mickey Walker was one of the toughest, most popular, and exciting pugilists of his era.  If ever a fighter was summed up by his nickname, then Walker did. ‘The Toy Bulldog’ was an aggressive slugger, with a good punch in either hand, and renowned for his durability and heart. Walker was a great in-fighter and despite his lack of stature (at five feet seven inches), he fought all the top fighters, from welterweight to heavyweight, during his career.

Mickey Walker was born on July 13, 1901 in New Jersey.  He started fighting as a professional in 1919, and with his exciting all-action, style quickly became a crowd favourite, and rose up the ratings in double quick time.  After just 27 fights, Walker was matched with the clever and hugely experienced Jack Britton, for Britton’s World Welterweight championship on November 1, 1922.  In a classic battle of youth vs. age (at twenty one he was almost sixteen years Britton’s junior), Walker proved to be too young and strong for Britton, won a 15 rounds point’s decision, and with it the world welterweight title. With the world title in his hands, Walker soon became one of boxing’s most popular champions, staying busy with non-title fights, as well as a number of title defences. ’The Toy Bulldog’ quickly gained the reputation of  playing as hard outside of the ring, as he fought inside of it.

On July 2, 1925, Walker challenged the great Harry Greb for the World Middleweight title, but was out-pointed after a ferocious fight.  Ten months later, on May 20, 1926, Walker lost his world welterweight title when he was beaten on points over 10 rounds by Pete Latzo. Unable to make the welterweight weight limit comfortably anymore, Walker moved up to middleweight, and on December 3, 1926, he won the World Middleweight championship, with a controversial point’s decision over Tiger Flowers. Walker won despite most ringside spectators believing that Flowers was the rightful winner.  Despite the controversy, ‘The Toy Bulldog’ proved himself to be a worthy champion over the next four and a half years, defending the middleweight title three times, and winning all three defences.  During this time, on March 28, 1929, Walker challenged Tommy Loughran for the World Light-heavyweight title, but was beaten on a split point’s decision, by the fast and skilful Loughran.  By this time, Walker was already regularly fighting light heavyweights and heavyweights in non-title fights, and from 1930 onwards, Walker concentrated his efforts on fighting mainly heavyweights in an effort to gain a shot at the World Heavyweight title.  On June 19, 1931, Walker relinquished his World Middleweight title, undefeated champion, and spent the remainder of his career fighting heavyweights. Although a huge size disadvantage that he was usually facing against heavyweights, Walker was successful against his larger foes. His opponents during this time included Leo Lomski, Johnny Risko, Bearcat Wright, King Levinsky, Paulino Uzucdun, Jack Sharkey, and Max Schmeling.  Mickey’s best result as a heavyweight was holding future World Heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey to a 15 round draw on July 22, 1931, but on September 28, 1932 , ‘The Toy Bulldog’ took a shellacking from former World Heavyweight champion, Max Schmeling and was stopped in 8 rounds.  In this fight, Walker gave one of the gutsiest performances ever seen in modern times, as the much bigger Schmeling countered his attacks with slashing punches that cut Walker over both eyes, and floored him in the 1st and then twice in the 8th and final round.  Even though he gave a brave effort, Walker’s defeat to Schmeling cost him any chance of a shot at the World Heavyweight title. 

’The Toy Bulldogs’ final title fight was for the World Light-heavyweight championship, on November 3, 1933, against Maxie Rosenbloom, who out-boxed him for a point’s decision win.  Walker’s battles finally began to catch up with him now and after the Rosenbloom fight Walker was 12-5-3 in his last 20 fights, eventually retiring after scoring a 2nd round knockout win over Red Bush, on June 22, 1939.  Mickey Walker’s final record was 94(61koes)-19-4.

In his retirement, Mickey Walker found another passion… oil painting, and became almost as dextrous with a brush as he had been with gloves on. 

Copyright © 2014 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

Jack "Chappie" Blackburn Remembered

By Peter Silkov

Jack ‘Chappie’ Blackburn (Charles Henry Blackburn) is remembered mainly today as the trainer who moulded Joe Louis into ‘The Brown Bomber’ and one of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time. Before he was a trainer, Blackburn was an outstanding boxer in his own right who had he been given the chance, may have won a world title also. Born in Versailles, Kentucky in 1883, Blackburn moved to Terre Haute, Indiana some years later, and it was here that he began his boxing career in 1901 at the age of eighteen years old.  Blackburn was a lightweight for much of his career and would never weigh more than a middleweight, yet, as his career progressed, he would often fight men larger than himself, including full-fledged heavyweights.
Blackburn was a lean five feet and ten inches tall, and fought in the style of a boxer-puncher. He had fast hands and a sharp and damaging left jab; he also had a good knockout punch.  During his career, Blackburn fought many of the top fighters from lightweight to heavyweight, many of them more than once, including Joe Gans (3 times), Sam Langford (6 times),  Dave Holly (5 times), George Cole (3 times), and George Gunther  (10 times).  Blackburn also tangled with Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, Gunboat Smith, Kid Norfolk, Jack Bonner, Panama Joe Gan’s and Harry Greb, amongst many others.

In 1909, Blackburn was involed in a shooting, which left one man dead, Blackburn was found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for 15 to 20 years. Blackburn was released after 4 and a half years, for good behaviour and resumed his fighting career.  Blackburn continued to be a formidable fighter for the remainder of his career, finally retiring in 1923. Despite his success, Blackburn was unable to secure a world title shot.

Blackburn’s final boxing record is officially 45(32koes)-9-12, although he stated that he had taken part in as many as 400 contests during his career, with many not having been recorded. 

After he retired from boxing, Blackburn became a trainer, and with his experience and astute mind, he soon became an expert trainer.  Despite being frustrated in his own world title aspirations, Blackburn guided Sammy Mandell (Featherweight), Bud Taylor (Bantamweight), and of course most-famously, Joe Louis.

Blackburn was more than just a trainer to Louis. He was also a friend and father figure, who coached Louis in how to behave in public when he became champion, so that he would avoid the kind of controversies and notoriety that afflicted the world title reign of Jack Johnson.


Copyright © 2014 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

Lou Ambers: Riding the Rails During the Great Depression

‘The Herkimer Hurricane’

By Peter Silkov

Lou Ambers was born Louis D’Amrosio, was an extremely tough box-fighter, and a very popular fighter with the fans due to his busy aggressive style, which earned him the nickname, ‘The Herkimer Hurricane’.  Ambers turned pro at the age of 18 in 1932, after spending a number of years fighting ‘bootleg fights’.  Ambers quickly rose up the lightweight rankings and on May 10, 1935, he fought the great Tony Canzoneri for the World Lightweight championship, but was beaten on points. Sixteen months later, on September 3, 1936, Ambers gained a second shot at Canzoneri, and this time he came out the winner on points, and the new Lightweight Champion of the World.  Over the next two years, Ambers fought a number of non-title bouts and defended his world title successfully twice (including a 3rd fight and points win against Canzoneri.) On August 17, 1938, Ambers defended his title against the great Henry Armstrong.  This proved to be a truly savage contest, despite all his toughness and bravery Ambers was out pointed, losing his World Lightweight championship to Armstrong, who already held the Featherweight and welterweight titles. Armstrong became the first and only man to hold three world titles simultaneously in three-weight division. One year later, on August 22, 1939, Ambers and Armstrong fought again, and once more, it was a savage affair, but this time Ambers won a controversial point’s decision and regained the World Lightweight championship.  Although Ambers regained the title on points, he was helped greatly by the referee Arthur Donovon taking 5 rounds away from Armstrong for perceived fouling.

After controversially regaining the world title, the wars with Armstrong left their mark on Ambers and after a few non-title fights, he lost his world title on his first defence, when he was knocked out by Lew Jenkins in 3 rounds on May 10, 1940.  Ambers gained a rematch with Jenkins nine months later and this time was stopped in the seventh round, of what proved to be his final fight.

Lou Ambers' final record was 88(29koes)-8-6 .



Copyright © 2014 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

Bernard Hopkins Schools Beibut Shumenov…Don’t Tangle With an Alien

AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez

By Peter Silkov

On Saturday night, April 19, the latest appearance of ‘The Alien‘, formerly known as Bernard ‘The Executioner’ Hopkins (55-6-2, 32koes) took place in a boxing ring at the DC Armory, in Washington, DC, where Hopkins appeared, and worked his magic over Beibut Shumanov (14-2, 9koes) for 12 captivating rounds. When the dust cleared, ‘The Alien’ took off for home with the unified World Light-heavyweight title belts and Shumenov was left behind, wearing the sort of expression on his face that one would expect from someone who had just experienced a close encounter of the third kind. 

Both men were defending their respective World Light-heavyweight title belts, Hopkins with the IBF and Shumenov his WBA title, but from the beginning, it was Hopkins who dictated the action, in that special way that would be so familiar to Hopkins’ watchers.  From the start, ’The Alien’ behaved like a champion, scolding a rebellious upstart, who had dared to challenge him. He made the Kazhakstan-born Shumenov come after him, while he picked his counters and avoided Shumanov’s slow, yet heavy, shots. 

As the rounds went by, the fight formed a pattern, with Shumenov coming forwards behind the jab, but Hopkins blocked, dodged, and countered it. When Hopkins fired his own jabs, they inevitably landed.  Now and then, he would add a right hand that would thud cleanly onto Shumenov’s features.  Shumenov grew progressively more exasperated as the fight wore on, yet to his credit, never stopped trying to press the attack. Soon he was swinging punches with an increasing desperation. His problem was that ’The Alien’ was never there to be hit, or rather he was there, usually right in front him, but Shumenov, like so many baffled challengers of the past, just could not hit him cleanly.  Hopkins blocked, slipped, and shuffled away again and again at the last moment.  Occasionally, Hopkins walked off to the side, and regarded Shumenov, as if gauging the level of frustration he had provoked in his opponent. 

By the halfway stage of the fight, Shumenov’s angst and growing bewilderment was palpable. He looked like a man who was trying to wake himself up from a slowly unfolding nightmare. When in the 11th round, a Hopkins’ right hand to the face floored Shumenov heavily. It looked as if ’The Alien’ had given way to ’the Executioner’ and Hopkins was about to score his first knockout win in nine years.  Shumenov showed in this fight that he has a big heart and good stamina; despite taking some more clean shots from Hopkins after the knockdown, he kept his feet.

The last round saw Hopkins putting the final touches to his latest artistic masterpiece, landing some good shots, but still careful not to make any mistakes at this late stage of the contest. At the end, Shumenov wore an expression that said he still didn’t quite know what had happened to him and when the judge’s scores were read out it seemed that one of the judges had the same affliction. While Judges Dave Moretti and Jerry Roth both voted for Hopkins by scores of 116-to-111, judge Gustavo Padilla, with a vision that should get him an early vote for the ’blind mouse of the year’ award, ’saw’ the fight 114-to-113 for Shumenov.   How Mr. Padilla saw Shumenov winning this fight is a puzzle all of its own. While some rounds were fairly close, Hopkins still won them. Going forward in a fight should not win you rounds when all of your punches are being dodged and blocked.  As it is the other judges cards seemed closer than they should have been, considering Hopkins domination of the fight, and including the knockdown in the 11th round. The scoring of the judges made one wonder, what would have happened had Hopkins allowed the fight to be closer? Hopkins’ problem is that his style is hard for many to appreciate because it involves no flashiness, or dramatics. Much of his defensive work can be overlooked by the casual or the uninformed observer. The punches he blocks with his gloves and shoulder, or slips with a slight move of his head, can seem to be landing in some eyes.  Then there are some who simply don’t care for the countering and defensive work and favour aggression, even when it is futile and impotent. 

There are those who have disdain for Hopkins’ safety-first approach in the ring, want to see him cut loose, and go for a knockout when he has an opponent befuddled and beaten in front of him. These people fail to understand that Hopkins’ caution, especially at this point of his career, is part of his art. Hopkins is an artist, a craftsman, who has mastered the art of the sweet science to such a degree that he is able to beat world-class fighters at 49 years of age.  Hopkins is no Robinson, Ali, or Sugar Ray Leonard; there is no flash about him, no blinding combinations or flashy footwork, but he has mastered the basics to a degree that perhaps neither of those aforementioned greats ever reached.  He has worked out every move and uses the ring canvas like a chessboard; no punch is wasted, no move is made without a reason.  Hopkins is a master of pace and psychology between the ropes. His opponents largely look bad against him because he makes them look bad. He uses their work against them, until after a while, they are unsure of what to do next, and look increasingly lost and aimless.  

Hopkins’ greatest gift throughout his career has been his dedication and willingness to continue to learn, even when he is already a world champion. It is this attribute that has allowed him to morph from a boxer who was regarded as a knockout artist early in his career, to a master counter-puncher. Together, Hopkins’ defence and dedication has allowed him to preserve his physical skills to an almost uncanny level, alongside his accumulated experience, is what makes him the boxer he is today.

Even with modern boxing’s dual and triple etc. world titles, what Hopkins is doing inside the ring is little short of phenomenal.  In the 1990s, George Foreman regained the World Heavyweight title at the age of 45 years old, Larry Holmes challenged twice for the World Heavyweight title in his early and mid-40s, and beat top contender, Ray Mercer at the age of 42 years old.  Roberto Duran continued fighting until the age of 51 years old, (but not at such a high level as Hopkins has managed).  Neither of these three ‘greats’ held and defended a genuinely recognized world title, at the age that Hopkins is now.

The one man whose longevity at world level comes closest to Hopkins is Archie Moore, the World Light-heavyweight champion from 1952 to 1962. Moore, who was a marvel by any stretch of the imagination, and one of the greatest knockout punchers of all time, defended his World Light-heavyweight title successfully for the last time in June 1961, against Guilo Rinaldi.  He beat Rinaldi on points, at the age of either 47 or 44, depending on whether you believe his birth date of 1913 or 1916.  (Moore’s mother always said that Archie was born in 1913, while Moore claimed he was born in 1916). Either Hopkins is, at least, two years or perhaps five years older than Moore was when he defended the light-heavyweight crown for the last time, before being stripped of the title in 1962 for lack of activity.

Although Hopkins is a very different fighter than Archie Moore, one thing that the two of them have in common (other than their reigns as light-heavyweight champions) is that they never stopped learning throughout their careers. Both of these fighters honed their skills in over two decades of fighting. Like Moore, Hopkins has learned from every fight he has been in, from every style he has fought, and in his own words, “I have seen it all.”

One aspect that puts Hopkins above all the previous fighters who have boxed past the age of 40, including Archie Moore, is the level of fitness that he has been able to retain into his late 40s.  Even Archie Moore, for all his longevity, was known to blow up between fights. Hopkins maintains his weight when out of the ring and never allows himself to fluctuate between fights. It is a dedication, which has at least partly, helped Hopkins retain his reflexes and speed far beyond the age that most fighters’ skills have been irreversibly eroded by time.

Despite his recent achievements, it is almost inevitable that some fans and members of the media will downplay what Hopkins has achieved and continue to dismiss him as a boring fighter involved in dull contests.  This attitude is symptomatic of the mood in modern boxing today, which regards craftsmen such as Rigondeaux and Mayweather, as ’runners’ and dull.  It has become shameful to be elusive, to use strategy and ring technique, rather than simply aggression and brute strength. These men, alongside Hopkins, are the last true world-class examples of the sweet science in its purest form that boxing has today, and there is every chance that they may be the last, if boxing continues down its present route of entertainment at all costs. 

Bernard Hopkins built himself into a great boxer while Middleweight champion of the world for a record 10 years and 20 defences. At first, it seemed that his time at light-heavyweight would be a final golden flourish of a great boxer in his last years, but this final flourish is now almost a decade old.  Yes, Chad Dawson beat Hopkins, but he seems to have outlasted Dawson, as well as all the others too. Now, Dawson is an ex-champion with an uncertain future, while Hopkins holds two of the 175-pound world championship belts.
     
Rather than being a final flourish, Hopkins’ achievements at light-heavyweight may turn out to be his crowning glory. This will certainly be more likely if Hopkins really goes through with his aim to try to become the oldest undisputed world champion ever. To do this, Hopkins will need to fight and unseat WBC champion Adonis ’Superman’ Stevenson and WBO title holder, Sergey Kovalev. Each man would pose a tough challenge for Hopkins, especially Kovalev, who has shown himself to be a simply frightening puncher so far in his career.  Stevenson is also a very dangerous puncher and has shown some boxing skills in recent fights. If Hopkins were to beat either of these two fighters, let alone both, it would be an amazing accomplishment for the Philadelphian.  Hopkins vs. Stevenson seems like it can and possibly will happen, especially now that Stevenson has moved over to Showtime, from Top Rank.  Although Stevenson is over a decade younger than Hopkins and an athletic big puncher, ’The Alien’ may have too many tricks, both physical and psychological, for the dangerous, but somewhat erratic, Stevenson.  Who better to take on ’Superman’, than ’The Alien’, in what is sure to be a confrontation of galactic proportions!
Will  ‘Superman’ be able to handle the strange and mysterious powers of ‘The Alien?’


Copyright © 2014 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

Alexis Arguello: The Explosive Thin Man Remembered

By Peter Silkov

Alexis Arguello was one of the most formidable and exciting fighters of his era.  He was also one of the most popular as well.  Arguello was known as ‘The Explosive Thin Man’ due to his wiry 5' feet 10" inch frame and the knockout punch that he carried in both fists. In addition to his punching power, Arguello was also an excellent ring technician, with a good jab, and precise punches.  Known for his coolness and patience in the ring, Arguello would take his time to work out his opponents and wear them down, before striking suddenly for the finish. 

Alexis Arguello was born in Nicaragua on April 19, 1952, and started boxing at the age of 16.  For the first six years of his career, Arguello learned his trade and began to form the technique and style that would ultimately take him to three world titles.  It wasn’t long before Arguello marked himself out as a serious contender for the world title. 

On February 16, 1974, Arguello was out-pointed by the crafty Ernesto Marcel for the WBA World Featherweight title.  Marcel then retired following his win over Arguello, and on July 9, 1974, Mexican legend Ruben Olivares won the vacant crown when he knocked out Zensuke Utagawa in 7 rounds.  Four months later on November 23, Arguello knocked out Olivares in the 13th round of a classic contest, to take the WBA World Featherweight championship.  Arguello soon showed that he was to be a formidable champion, defending his title four times in the next two years; he was also gaining popularity with the fans and media alike, for his gentlemanly demeanor out side of the ring.  In time, it was a persona that would make Arguello one of the most popular boxers of his time.

In 1977, Arguello vacated his featherweight title and moved up to the junior lightweight division; his 5' feet 10" inch frame no longer able to get him down to 126 pounds.  On January 28, 1978, Arguello won his second world championship when he traveled to Bayamon Puerto Rico and stopped Alfredo Escalera in the 13th round, and won Escalera’s WBC World Junior Lightweight championship.  For the next three years, Arguello dominated the 130-pound division, defending the title eight times against fighters such as Rafael ’Bazooka’ Limon, Bobby Chacon, Artuo Leon, Rolando Navarrate, as well scoring non-title fight wins over Cornelius Boza Edwards, and Jose Luis Ramirez.  During this time, Arguello was seen by many as one of the best fighters in the world pound for pound.  During this time, his only defeat was a point’s loss in a non-title bout to slippery Vilomar Fernandez in 1978; a reverse that Arguello would avenge some years later.

On June 20, 1981, Alexis became only the 6th man to win world titles at three different weights, when he out-pointed the skillful southpaw Jim Watt, capturing the WBC World Lightweight crown.  Now, Arguello was seen as an all-time great and his reputation was assured, but he had one more ambition for his career, to become the first man to win four world championships. The division above Arguello’s lightweight division was the light-welterweight, as this was the era in which dual world champions had unfortunately became the norm, and Arguello had his choice of champions to challenge for his historic 4th world title. 

The WBC champion was a capable, but unremarkable Leroy Haley, while the WBA champion was Arron Pryor, a mercurial box-fighter, who had become a sensation since winning his title two years before, and was widely regarded by both the fans and media as the best light welterweight in the world.  Never a man to take the easy route, or duck a challenge, Arguello chose to challenge the unbeaten, rising superstar, Arron Pryor.

The two men clashed on November 12, 1982, in what proved, to be possibly the greatest fight of the 1980’s, with its mixture of speed, science, and pure savagery.  After 14 rounds, fought at a pace that left the spectators exhausted, Pryor emerged the winner when he koed Arguello in the 14th round, with a blistering shower of punches.

It was Arguello’s first defeat in a world title fight since his debut challenge against Ernesto Marcel in 1974.

This was a controversial fight, as between the 13th and 14th rounds, with the fight still evenly poised, Pryor’s trainer Panama Lewis was overheard on TV asking to be given a specific water bottle ’the one I mixed’.  Pryor then went out in the 14th, seemingly rejuvenated and overwhelmed Arguello with a bombardment of over thirty punches.
It was never proven that anything illegal was in the bottle given to Pryor before the 14th round, but the rumours have always persisted to this day.  Some years later, Lewis was found guilty of tampering with the gloves of his fighter Luis Resto, before his fight with Billy Collins Jr., and was banned from boxing for life.

After his loss to Pryor, Arguello could still have gone on, challenged the WBC champion, and more or less guaranteed himself a 4th world title. This is the kind of route that most fighters would have taken then, and even more so today, but Alexis Arguello was not like that, either as a man or a fighter.  More than just wanting a fourth world crown, Arguello wanted to redeem himself against his conqueror Pryor.

The rematch took place ten months after their first fight, on September 9, 1983.  It was another exciting contest, but this time, Pryor was always in control and in the 10th round Arguello was knocked down, and although conscious, stayed down in a sitting position as he was counted out.

Something had gone out of Arguello with his defeats to Pryor and he announced his retirement.  Like so many others, Alexis found post-boxing life far more complicated than fighting in the ring and over the next few years suffered various problems, from divorces, depression, substance abuse, to financial problems.

By the mid-80s, Arguello was in financial difficulties and made a comeback, beating Pat Jefferson in 1985 and Billy Costello in 1986.  However, Arguello knew he was not the same and retired again. There would be two more fights, the last being in 1995, when a 43-year-old Arguello was out-pointed by Scott Walker.

Fighter’s lives often seem to get ever more darker and dangerous when they can no longer perform in the ring, but Arguello seemed to have weathered the storm and figured things out, just as he would do during his fights in the ring.  He entered politics in his native Nicaragua, and seemed to have found a purpose again in his life.  He was still popular, successful, and looked upon by many as a hero. Then, on July 1, 2009, Arguello was found dead, with a bullet wound to the heart.  Although the official cause of death was given as suicide, rumours have persisted that Arguello met his death due to foul play.

Alexis Arguello’s final record was 88(70koes)-8.  He is the only triple world champion to never lose any of his three titles in the ring.

Aaron Pryor Vs. Alexis Arguello November 12, 1982:





Copyright © 2014 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

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John Henry Lewis....Remembered

By Peter Silkov

John Henry Lewis was a very talented boxer with a knockout punch, who won the World Light heavyweight title in 1935 with a point’s victory over Bob Olin on October 31, 1935. Lewis was a busy champion, defending his title five times and fighting in numerous non-title fights, many against full heavyweights. However, behind the success this talented boxer had a dark secret, he was losing his eyesight.
On January 25, 1939 John Henry stepped into the ring with World Heavyweight champion Joe Louis, to contest the 'Brown Bombers' Heavyweight crown, and was knocked out in the 1st round. Lewis’s poor eyesight was now common knowledge in boxing circles, and he retired from boxing a few months after the Louis fight, still the World Light-heavyweight champion, and with a final record of 103(64koes)-8-5.

Copyright © 2014 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com