Boxing at York Hall Bethnal Green: Ultimate Glory

By Peter Silkov

York Hall, Bethnal Green, London-Last night, March 14, 2015, boxing returned to Bethnal Green’s York Hall, under the banner of Goodwin Promotions.  It was the 5th anniversary of Goodwin Promotions putting together fight cards at the popular London venue.  In front of a completely packed house, the bumper line-up of thirteen matches was entertaining, and fit the celebration.

The fight of the night was also the top of the bill, Lee Markham (14-2-0, 7 koes) vs. Jahmaine Smyle (12-4-2, 5 koes) for the vacant English Super-middleweight championship. This was a blistering contest that went the full 10 rounds and at times moved at an unbelievable pace. Smyle opened up an early lead over the first 5 rounds with good movement and with a quick and precise jab. Markham was always in pursuit, but too often, was being out-boxed and out-punched in rounds that were still being closely contested.  From the 6th round onwards, Markham increased his workrate, and the pressure on Smyle, pushing his opponent onto the ropes and landing good shots to the head and body. This was really one of those fights that got better the longer it went on and there were toe-to-toe exchanges that had the audience up on their feet.

Lee Markham  Vs. Jahmaine Smyle 

After one particularly intense toe-to-toe exchange to end the 7th round, the referee Marcus McDonnell, felt moved to applaud both fighters himself. It was an unusual gesture, but one, which the fight, and both fighters deserved.

Throughout the middle rounds, Markham’s pressure took away much of Smyle’s jab, and Smyle had no option but to go toe-to-toe with his tormenter. During these rounds, Markham seemed to be making up for the loss of the early rounds by landing the better punches on Smyle, although the rounds were still tantalizingly close. 

 Going into the last two rounds, there seemed to be little to choose between each man and the fight still seemed up for grabs either way.  The 9th round was hard to give to either man, with Smyle starting the round good by trying to use his jab and movement more again, and then Markham coming on strong in the second half of the stanza, forcing Smyle into the ropes, and dragging Smyle back into the trenches.

The 10th and last round was all-out toe-to-toe action, with the crowd screaming at the top of its voice; it was a tremendous finale to what had turned out to be one of the domestic fights of the year. Markham seemed to edge this round by dint of his more aggressive work and heavier shots, but Smyle, although on the back foot or against the ropes for much of the round, still had his moments with some great counterpunching.  Like the majority of the fight, it was a round that could have gone either way, according to whose work you like best... the flashier, more technical work by Smyle, or Markham’s more basic, but heavier punches. Neither man could be faulted for effort, and in the end, it was one of those thrilling contests that could easily have gone to either man. This was portrayed in the scoring by the fight’s three judges, with one having it for Markham by three rounds, and the other two judges giving the fight to Smyle by one round. The Boxing Glove saw the match 5 rounds to 4 for Markham, with Smyle winning rounds 1, 2, 4, and 5, and Markham winning rounds 3, 6, 7, 8 and 10, with the 9th round even.  It really was that close and this was a fight where both men came out with a huge amount of credit.  If ever a fight screamed out for a rematch, then, this is one of them.

Larry Ekundayo vs. Dale Evans

In the joint main event, Larry “The Natural” Ekundayo (9-0, 3koes) clashed with Dale Evans (11-5, 5koes) in a British welterweight title eliminator.  Big things have been predicted for Ekundayo, who has been finding it hard to get fights during his career, before recently signing up with Goodwin promotions. This was a crunch fight against the dangerous and more experienced Evans. The first two rounds went to Ekundayo, as he boxed nicely, showing a good jab and fast hands. Evans stepped up the pressure in the 3rd round and took the round and the 4th stanza, as his aggressive work seemed to make Ekundayo uncomfortable, nullifying his jab as he was put onto the defensive.  However, in the 5th round, Ekundayo came out with more intent and dropped Evans heavily with a beautiful right hand, which Evans did well to get up at all. It was still early in the round and Ekundayo launched an all-out attack on his now bloodied and dazed opponent. Evans tried to fight back, but was being battered round the ring. It looked as if he might survive the round, until the referee finally called a halt with Evans pinned against the ropes, and taking more punishment than was good for him.   This was an impressive performance from Ekundayo and showed why he has been so avoided up until now. At 32 years of age, he certainly seems ready now to take the step up to British title level.

Nathan Weise Vs. Johnny Garton 

Also impressive was Johnny Garton, (14-1, 7koes) in his defence of the Southern Area Welterweight championship against Nathan Weise (10-5-2, 2koes).  This was another fast-paced contest, with Weise offering some nice boxing skills, while Garton pressured. Garton is known for his aggressive come-forward style, but he showed a marked improvement in this fight with his use of the jab and good footwork. He was applying intelligent pressure, rather than simply coming forward recklessly, as he might have earlier in his career. By the 4th round, Weise was visibly tiring from Garton’s ever-increasing attacks. Early in the 5th, Garton dropped Weise with a right hand. Although Weise bravely regained his feet, Garton was on him again quickly, and Weise was floored again, with the referee this time waving off the fight. Garton is another fighter who looks to be developing towards a crack at the British welterweight title.

Ivan Stupalo vs. Leon Mackenzie

Leon Mckenzie Defeats Ivan Stupalo

In the evening’s other 10-rounder, Leon Mackenzie (6-0-1, 2koes), collected his first professional title, with a 10-rounds points decision over Ivan Stupalo (10-10, 2koes) to win the Super-middleweight Masters title. Mackenzie dominated the fight with his southpaw jab, while Stupalo was content to spend most of the fight on the defensive, while offering the occasional punch back in retaliation. The only moment of drama for Mckenzie came in the 10th and final round when a right hand from Stupalo seemed to hurt him, but Mckenzie held and rode out the rest of the round on the move.
Winning this title was a huge achievement for Mckenzie, who only turned professional in his mid-30s, after ending a successful football career. The number of footballers who have made a successful switch to boxing are very limited, and Mckenzie has already justified his taking up boxing, and there may be more titles to come for him.

Joe Mullender vs. Edwards Geronimos

On the undercard, there were plenty of other fights to keep the fans happy.

In a scheduled 8-rounder Joe Mullander (8-1-0, 3koes) stopped Edwards Gerasimov’s (6-3-1, 6koes) to win the Middleweight International Masters title. Mullander landed a body shot early in the round, which made his opponent pull up and stop fighting, provoking the referee to stop the fight with Gerasimov still on his feet.

 The other 8-rounder of the night was a lively welterweight contest between Matt McCarthy (11-1-0, 2koes) and Stanislav Nenkov (12-11, 1ko) which went the whole 8 rounds distance. McCarthy dominated the contest with his jab, and showed some good skills in being able to switch between orthodox and southpaw, and still maintain his rhythm. Nenkov was durable and willing, but had no answer to McCarthy, who won a wide points decision.


The rest of the fights on the night’s bill were all scheduled for 4 rounds:

Super-bantamweight Josh Kennedy (2-0, 2koes) looked impressive in dispatching Valentin Marinov (7-13-1, 4koes). Kennedy floored Marinov 3 times in the first round, mainly with body shots, then had him down again at the beginning of the 2nd round, prompting the referee to halt the fight.

At flyweight, debutant Prince Patel (1-0, 1ko) looked good in stopping Patrik Kovacs (0-3) in the 1st round, with Kovacs crumbling almost as soon as Patel connected.  Patel performed some Naseem Hamed style antics, which provoked a mixed reaction from the crowd, but during this short contest, he showed that he has a good jab and impressive power for such a little man, and may well be one to watch in the future.           

Heavyweight Louie Darling (1-0) made his debut with a workman-like point’s victory over the tough Moses Matova (5-53-4) over 4 rounds.

Cruiserweight Joe Lopes (3-0, 1ko) looked impressive in scoring a 3rd round stoppage over Marko Rupcic (3-13-1, 1ko).  Rupcic came to fight and was game until the end, and protested the stoppage vehemently. Lopes showed some good boxing skills and a solid punch. 

Also at Cruiserweight, Aji Sharif (3-2, 1ko) was looking for revenge against Imantas Davidaitis (4-1, 2koes) after Davidaitis had stopped Sharif in the 2nd round last December. Sharif seemed to have the lead going into the 4th and final round, having been the more active fighter, but he was still struggling with the 6’ foot 9” inch Davidaitis’ reach. Davidaitis wasn’t throwing enough punches though, seemingly waiting to land the big one, which came early in the 4th round, with a left to the top of Sharif’s head, and sent him sprawling down into the ropes. Although Sharif beat the count, his legs and balance were all gone, and the referee had no option but to stop the fight. 

Former English Flyweight champion Ashley Sexton (15-2-2, 5koes) had his first fight in 2 years and posted a 4-round points win over Elemir Rafael (29-90-3, 5koes). This fight was fought at featherweight.

In the first contest of the night light-middleweight Ashley Hill (3-0, 1ko) scored a victory over Andrejas Loginovs (16-36-1, 9koes)

Boxing is fighting for recognition and publicity in Britain, as more and more of the media turn their back on the grass roots of boxing, including almost unbelievably, the trade paper, “Boxing News.” It is important for shows like Saturday’s events at York Hall to receive the kind of support from the public that it did on the night of the show. One thing that “Ultimate Glory” proved is that small hall boxing is far from dead in London.

Boxing fans don’t have to wait long for the next Goodwin show at York Hall, as their next show “Best of Enemies” takes place next weekend, on March 21, 2015.

Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

Book Review: Reaching For the Stars: The Howard Winstone Phenomenon

The Sunday Book Review by Peter Silkov

 “Reaching For the Stars: The Howard Winstone Phenomenon. In And Out Of the Ring “   By Brian Hughes

 “If I could find a boxer as good as Howard Winstone, I would make millions. He’s the nearest I have seen to the great Willie Pep. -Angelo Dundee”

Howard Winstone

“Reaching For the Stars: The Howard Winstone Phenomenon. In And Out Of the Ring “ is a lovingly put together biography of Welsh featherweight boxing legend Howard Winstone. Perhaps no British boxer since the WW2 has mastered the art of the sweet science to such an extent as Winstone. He was quite simply, a wizard with the jab, and had a marvelous defence.  Winstone could also fight on the inside and could go toe-to-toe when he needed.  In fact, Winstone was as close as a fighter can be to being a complete boxer. His only deficit at world class level was a lack of a true knockout punch and this was due directly to an industrial accident he suffered as a teenager that cost him the tips of the fingers on his right hand. The fact that Winstone was able to adapt his style after such a serious injury, and turn himself from an aggressive brawler, into a highly skilled boxer with a rapier left hand, is a testament to his courage and dedication.

Born on April 15, 1939, in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, Howard Winstone fell in love with boxing at an early age and was already a highly regarded amateur before he injured his right hand. Ironically, after his accident, Winstone was to transform himself into an even more formidable fighter; a master boxer.  Winstone won a commonwealth gold medal at bantamweight in the 1958 Cardiff Games. He then turned professional in 1959, for what would be an illustrious 9-year career, that would see him posting a record of 61(27koes)-6.

Howard Winstone and Vicente Saldivar

Winstone fought at a time when world titles usually belonged to one person and one person only. He also fought at a time when the Featherweight division was over flowing with outstanding talent, both at home, and abroad. Despite this, it is probable that Winstone would have dominated the division, and had a substantial reign as world featherweight champion, save for one man who stood in his way, that being the legendary Mexican, Vicente Saldivar.  Saldivar was a boxer-fighter of the highest degree, and during the mid-1960s, Winstone (who was by now the British and European champion) challenged Saldivar three times for the world featherweight crown. Although he lost all three fights, Winstone and Saldivar’s rivalry has gone down in boxing lore as one of the greatest ever seen in the featherweight division’s history.

Author Brian Hughes gives us a great portrait of Howard, both as a man, and as a fighter. This was someone who loved to box, but was uninterested in the trappings of fame and celebrity. When he was out-pointed by Saldivar in their second contest, despite many thinking he had done enough to win, Winstone refused to be bitter about the defeat.

Hughes takes us through Winstone’s life and boxing career, follows his early amateur days, overcoming the severe injury to his right hand, and his rise up the professional ranks. Winstone’s trilogy with Saldivar is written in great detail, from the build-ups, to the fights themselves, and the aftermath.  We also get an insight into how the sacrifices that a dedicated boxer has to make can affect his personal life.  By the time Winstone met Saldivar for the third and final time, his marriage was falling apart, at least partly due to his dedication to his boxing career.

Howard Winstone

Winstone did eventually win the World featherweight title, following the retirement of Saldivar, but his world title reign was almost anticlimactic. The wars with Saldivar had drained him and he was visibly not the boxer he had been.  Winstone held the title for just six months before losing it in his first defence, and never fighting again.

This book is a fascinating analysis of Winstone’s life, primarily his life as a boxer, and the highs and lows which he experienced, both in and out of the ring. We see clearly the price that boxers have to pay for their dedication to their trade. Also, the different effects of victory and defeat and how Winstone built a reputation as a modest and gentlemanly boxer who was admired by all who came into contact with him.

Howard Winstone

Taking into account Winstone’s ability as a boxer and his gentlemanly personality outside of the ring, it is surprising that he did not have more recognition from the boxing world in his retirement. Unfortunately, Winstone seems to have been more or less forgotten by most of the boxing world outside of Wales by the time of his death in 2001, at the age of 61. It seems to be a cruel oversight that a boxer of Winstone’s brilliance is so seldom talked about today.

The cover of this biography carries a quote from legendary boxing trainer Angelo Dundee regarding his views upon Winstone’s fistic ability:

“If I could find a boxer as good as Howard Winstone, I would make millions. He’s the nearest I have seen to the great Willie Pep.”

“Reaching For the Stars: The Howard Winstone Phenomenon. In And Out Of the Ring “ is a carefully crafted biography, which should go a long way to restoring the name Howard Winstone to the minds of today’s boxing followers. This is also a chance to relive the days in boxing when the best fought the best, and to be world champion you really needed to be the best.

Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to 

www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Father's Fight to Raise Awareness For DMD

By Michelle Nardi
The Boxing Glove Editor

Darren Powell and Robin Reid

 In Northwest England there is something very special going on that started out as a concept to get people healthy and fit. In 2010, a 10-week program was developed by Steve Shewan that enabled “people from all backgrounds and abilities the opportunity to get involved in boxing in a professional and controlled environment.” There is nothing unusual about a fitness program such as this, you see them all of the time popping up around the world, especially in the UK, where people incorporate boxing into their daily workout to burn fat and get in shape. People can be very competitive, it is what pushes industry forward and makes personal growth of an individual climb to great heights. When the element of competition in the boxing ring is added to the concept, called White Collar Boxing, along with the ability to raise funds for a charity of the competitor’s choice, something very special has been created at Funkin Fitness. This gym is where we find the unique and inspiring stories of people that are working very hard to not only change their world, but to help those in need, change theirs. 

Gavin Powell

Earlier in the year, I had written about Gavin Powell, a man from Crewe, England, who was fighting and raising funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Gavin and his brother Darren joined Funkin Fitness in 2014. While Gavin was not quite ready to compete for his boxing debut that year, Darren, his brother, did get into the ring and make his boxing debut. According to head trainer, Steve Shewan, “Gavin’s brother Darren fought on the last show and raised approximately £1,450 for Muscular Dystrophy. Some over achieve, some under achieve, but as long as they make an effort then it’s fine. To give you a little bit of insight on Gavin and his brother, Darren, they are both big heavy lads. I remember the first night they started. They had to stop every 2 minutes to rest, and both said they were feelin’ a bit like spare parts as they struggled to do anything. Move forward several weeks and their persistence paid off, they now train well and help the novices out.” 

Gavin is developing and almost ready for his boxing debut at the event that is happening on March 28th, where Funkin Fitness is hosting the White Collar Boxing charity event at the Studio Night Club in Nantwitch, Cheshire, England. The event itself is set up where novices take part in a 10-week vigorous training program that concludes with an opportunity to step into the ring. There are three rounds, with each round lasting two minutes. Each team member who chooses to participate in the White Collar Boxing events has to commit to raise the minimum donations of  £100 for a charity. Gavin has reached his goal of £100.00 and is currently at £257.00, but is still trying very hard to raise that amount to help his cause. He recently gave an update, “training’s going brill, feeling sharper n’ fitter than I have ever felt! It's time to complete my final step and do the fight. I’ve chosen my fight entrance song to so I'm all ready pretty much now all ready. I kind of got a charity lined up for the next fight I do.”

“The reason I did my boxing matches is my son has a terminal illness called Duchenne muscular dystrophy which is life limiting...”

I cannot help but think of two iconic images that remind me of these two brothers. The lion cub and a boy staring into a long mirror, the lion cub sees a mighty lion roaring, and the boy sees an image of Muhammad Ali with boxing gloves, ready to strike!

Lewis Powell

It was Gavin who reached out to share the two brother’s story, but Darren also contacted me to give a simple ‘thank you’ and to tell me that he appreciated The Boxing Glove giving attention to the White Collar Boxing event and for writing his brother’s story. This is where I discovered that 42 year-old Darren Powell was not just a competitor who was doing a simple deed to help a charity, but his own life story is one that has been directly affected by a crippling disease. With the words “The reason I did my boxing matches is my son has a terminal illness called Duchenne muscular dystrophy which is life limiting” I knew that Darren was a man on a mission that was far more meaningful that competing in a boxing match to get in shape.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is one of nine types of muscular dystrophy. The absence of a protein, dystrophin, that helps the muscles remain complete, is the cause of DMD. Progressive muscle weakness and degeneration characterize this genetic disorder that usually begins in at an early age (3-5 years old) and mainly affects boys. It is rare for a girl to be affected. This disease is progressive and will generally begin with muscle weakness in shoulders, arms, hips, pelvic area, and thighs. This generally makes it difficult for people to do simple tasks as getting up and down, raising their arms, and going up stairs. As the disease progresses, it begins to affect the muscles of the heart and respiratory system.

Named after the French neurologist Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne who first described DMD the in the 1860s, it took roughly a century for researchers to discover more about this disease. In 1986, researchers, who were supported by the organization MDA, were able to identify a gene that is particularly located on the X chromosome. If this gene is damaged or changed it could lead to DMD. Further research in 1987 identified the protein associated with this gene and discovered the lack of this protein makes the muscle cells more likely to be damaged or weakened. 

"Children with DMD were not expected to live past their teen years..."

Children with DMD were not expected to live past their teen years, but, thanks to research that has been going on since the late 1980s, the life expectancy has increased for many young adults who have this disease. The life expectancy for these children who have DMD has increased through the years and many boys have not only lived past their teen years, but some have gone to college, married, and lived into their 50s.

Lewis Powell Showing his Support

Darren’s son, Lewis, has DMD, and is having his own personal war with this debilitating disease. “My son is now 13 and in a power wheelchair. He now cannot walk and his movement is very limited; he has to regularly travel to Alder Hey Children's hospital to see specialists regarding his condition. He is waiting on a major operation to have steel rods put in his spine to keep his back straight, as he now has curvature of spine. I have four daughters besides Lewis and my wonderful wife who is a rock for my son. It can be very challenging at times, but also very rewarding to have such a special son who I am immensely proud of.”

There will also be an auction held later in the year by Macmillan and Leighton Hospitals to auction boxing gloves that Robin Reid, former World Super Middleweight Champion, had signed for Darren. Robin Reid had participated in the last White Collar Boxing event with Funkin Fitness as a guest referee and has become a hero to many of the competitors that are inspired by his generosity. Again, Robin Reid has agreed to be a guest referee for the upcoming show.

 “ I would like to give a big shout out to Robin Reid..."

Although not competing this time in the White Collar Boxing event on March 28th, Darren, ever-grateful to the people who have been part of his training and success goes on to say “ I would like to give a big shout out to Robin Reid who was our special guest referee on the night, and was a true sportsmen and gent for signing two boxing gloves for me. One, I have donated to Macmillan cancer unit at Leighton Hospital, which they will be auctioned. Also, the other glove will raise funds for a much-needed body-scanning machine at Leighton Hospital. So, in all, three separate charities have gained.”

The Funkin Fitness Team

Funkin Fitness is a place that gives many people hope, drive, and when asked about the brothers Powell and other team members, Steve Shewan said “The club has grown from within. The lads who trained at the start are now the trainers and use the experience they gained to help the novices. I have novices of all ages, from 18 to 53. The atmosphere in the gym is second to none that I’ve experienced, as it’s a total group effort and the comradeship is brilliant, the guys train together and fight each other.”

 “Training with my brother Gavin Powell has made our relationship stronger and the rest of the team are fantastic to train with..."

 

The Lads Working Out at Funkin Fitness

 Family unity is what bonds many people in the face of hardship and adversity. Darren and Gavin’s commitment to create change physically in their own lives, as well as using this commitment to help others in their own life challenges is truly inspiring. In Darren and Gavin’s case, this quest for fitness has strengthened the relationship between the two brothers. Their family has pulled together to support the lads as they try to achieve their goals. “It was a fantastic experience fighting to raise money and awareness for my son Lewis Powell's life limiting condition. It is heartbreaking as a parent to watch my son deteriorate day by day!” Darren goes on to praise his team and brother “Training with my brother Gavin Powell has made our relationship stronger and the rest of the team are fantastic to train with. I managed to raise a lot of money on the night and can’t thank my friends and family enough for their generosity and support.”

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world."

Steven Shewan has worked to put together a great event that has brought a community together, that not only supports their hometown heroes, but gives them the opportunity to give support to people around the world who have life challenges. Like the salt that has been mined in Nantwich, England, for hundreds of years, the people training at Funkin Fitness and those involved with creating a catalyst for change and awareness, are also the salt of the earth.

The next White Collar Boxing event will take place on Saturday, March 28, 2015, at the Studio Night Club in Nantwitch, Cheshire. 

Tickets for the boxing night cost £20 each and are available by calling 07766 644222 or by emailing Steve@funkinfitness.com. Funkin Fitness on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkinfitness

To donate to the Macmillan Cancer Support, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/company/FunkinFitness

To support Gavin “The Power” Powell, please visit his Just Giving Page and donate today to the Teenage Cancer Trust! https://www.justgiving.com/Gavin-Powell/

To follow Funkin Fitness and to watch videos of  the progress of the team, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/funkinfitness

Book Review: Bummy Davis vs Murder, Inc.

The Sunday Book Review by Peter Silkov
"Bummy Davis vs. Murder Inc: The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Mafia and an Ill-fated Prizefighter"   By Ron Ross

Al “Bummy” Davis was a hard-hitting welterweight who had one of the sport’s most feared left hooks during the 1930s and 40s. Davis had a roller coaster career, which saw him shoot up to contendership almost over night, and then suddenly fall from grace, becoming one of those fighters that the fans and the press loved to hate. In the end, people had to totally re-evaluate Bummy when he died a hero trying to tackle armed raiders with just his bare fists.

Ron Ross brings Bummy to life, along with the multitude of characters that surrounded him. 40 years before Mike Tyson emerged snarling and raging from the depths of poverty in 

Brownsville, Al “Bummy” Davis came out of the same dark 

 and deprived streets, looking to escape with his gloved fists. Davis grew up in the midst of the Jewish mob, and his older brother was a notorious racketeer, but Bummy himself always resisted the pull of the underworld, despite what many in the boxing press seemed to believe. In a irony that would colour his whole life, Bummy was targeted and smeared by many in the press who believed that he was guilty by association, and that his brother’s crimes were his as well.

This biography shows in great detail Bummy Davis’s efforts to distance himself from the gangsters with whom he had grown up, while at the same time, remaining loyal to his brother, and the code of the streets.

In a boxing career that would last from 1937, to his premature death in 1945, Davis would cram together 79 fights, of which he won 65 against 10 losses and 4 draws, with 46 of his wins coming inside the distance, often by virtue of his dynamite left hook. Davis fought such notables as Tony Canzoneri, Tippy Larkin, Joe Ghnouly, Lou Ambers, Fritzie Zivic, Beau Jack, Bob Mongomery, Henry Armstrong, and Rocky Graziano. Yet, although he had some notable wins, his best being over Canzoneri and Montgomery, Al Davis never got to fight for a world title.  Indeed, after reading this book you come away with the belief that Davis was one of those unlucky people in this world who just turn out to be in the wrong places at the wrong time, though really no fault of their own.

Al “Bummy” Davis comes through these pages as a man who was much more than simply the ‘tough guy’ whom he revealed on the surface. He was a man with hopes, dreams, and a code of morality that didn’t always sit well with the environment in which he found himself growing up. As for boxing, the vehicle in which he had pinned his hopes of making a better life on, Bummy soon found out that the fight game was in its own way as much as a racket, as the rackets on the Brownsville streets that he had fought so hard to avoid. Although Bummy was only 25 years-old when he was fatally gunned down in the street by four gunmen, he was already at the stage of his boxing career where his dreams of glory had given way to a jaundiced and battle scarred view of the boxing world, especially the men that run it.  Davis’s life was one tainted with irony, from the nick name “Bummy” which he hated, to his death as a hero tackling the armed hoodlums holding up his friend’s bar. 

This is a book full of atmosphere and a host of colourful characters, from the sweat and blood stained boxers, to the often ruthless and psychotic gangsters. We are shown a fascinating panorama of the gangster subculture of the 1930s and 40s, and how it was intertwined with the sport of boxing, and we see how Bummy struggled to keep himself free of the underworld shadow, even while his honesty was being besmirched by members of the press.  Unfortunately, Bummy Davis’s life ended with an act of stubborn, useless, yet, admirable bravery, which made nearly all his detractors think again about Bummy Davis.

Ron Ross’s biography of Bummy reads like a great novel and would fit well on the movie screen.  It is a great boxing story, but more than that, it is a great human life story about one man trying to make good against all the odds, and  how he eventually finds a bittersweet redemption in his heroic death.

Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to 

www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com

Book Review: Live Fast, Die Young: The Life and Times of Harry Greb

 

 The Sunday Book Review by Peter Silkov

 "Live Fast, Die Young: The Life and Times of Harry Greb" By Stephen Compton

Harry Greb is one of the most mythical figures in boxing history. “The Pittsburgh Windmill’ fought almost 300 fights in a career that ran from 1913 to 1926, and despite being just a middleweight, Greb fought all comers, from middleweight to heavyweight, regardless of size or colour.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1894, Harry Greb’s life both in and out of the ring was a whirlwind of excitement and incident, and eventually tragedy.

As his nickname indicates, Greb was a human windmill of a fighter, never stopped throwing punches, and from more angles than seemed to be humanly possible.  It seems that he never stopped fighting either during his career; building up one of the busiest records of all time. Greb fought on average 22 times a year, and in 1919, had an astonishing 44 fights. Greb’s accomplishments in the ring are even more impressive when weighed up by the fact that he fought the latter years of his career, including his whole world middleweight title reign, virtually blind in his right eye. 

Greb’s reputation is sealed by his premature death at the age of just 32 years-old in 1926; just another facet of Greb’s life, around which a multitude of myths and half truths have grown.

At the pinnacle of his career, Greb held the World middleweight championship for three years. But, his achievements in the ring go much deeper than that. He was the only man to defeat the master boxer Gene Tunney, the man who would go on to win the World heavyweight title from the legendary Jack Dempsey. The same Jack Dempsey, who it is said, shied away from a fight with Greb. 

Despite his remarkable career, Greb has always been a mysterious figure in boxing history. There isn’t any existing footage of him fighting; just a few silent minutes of him training. Biographies of him have also been totally absent, save for the quirky “Give Him to the Angels” by James Fair, which turned out to be as much a novel as it was a straight biography. Over the years, many legends and stories have grown up around Greb, about him never training, that he was a womanizer and heavy drinker, and one of the dirtiest fighters in boxing history. He has also been hailed by some as the greatest fighter, pound-for-pound, of all time. Until now, there has been little to distinguish some facts from the fiction, and some of the stories about his life and mysterious death have grown in mythology. 

However, S. L. Compton aims to finally shed light on the legend of the mysterious Harry Greb in “Live Fast, Die Young: The Life and Times of Harry Greb.” If the wait for a definitive biography on Greb has been a long one, this biography makes the wait worthwhile. It would be difficult to find a more in depth, acutely researched biography than this book.  S. L. Compton has produced a work of encyclopedic proportions.  Live Fast, Die Young: The Life and Times of Harry Greb weighs in at 715 pages, and features a fight-by-fight analysis of Greb’s career, and also his life outside of the ring.  Previous myths are burst in these pages, not least the idea that Greb was an undisciplined playboy, or that he was simply an unskilled brawler prone to fouling. 

If myths are exploded here, the reality bursts out more impressive than the myth.  Greb emerges as a truly brave and dedicated warrior of the ring, with a unique style, and a strong morale sensibility.  

In an era where many of the top white fighters frequently drew the colour line, Greb wished only to fight the best, regardless of the colour of the man’s skin. Stephen (S. L.) Compton doesn’t just give us a depth analysis of Greb himself; he also sheds light on the lives and careers of Greb’s opponents.  The book also holds a tremendous collection of hundreds of photographs, many of them never seen before. 

Indeed, “Live Fast, Die Young: The Life and Times Of Harry Greb” gives a fascinating portrait of the times and world in which Harry Greb lived, and had to fight so hard to survive in. 

We also find out the truth about Greb’s lost sight in his right eye and how it affected him in the later years of his career. It is revealed that much of Grebs ‘dirtiness’ as a fighter was due to him having to adapt his fighting style to adjust to his fading vision.

Greb’s premature death is also de-mystified, which in a strange way only serves to accentuate the tragic irony of Greb’s life and fighting career.  

 Despite its encyclopedic content, this is a very readable book, that isn’t bogged down in its huge detail.  S. L. Compton keeps things flowing nicely throughout, and the reader is drawn into Greb’s life and career, as he battles his way to the top, and his fight to stay there.  

We see the evidence of Greb’s courage and brilliance in this biography. One needs only to look at his record to be assured of this fighter’s uniqueness, but the exhaustive details within these pages brings Harry Greb’s greatness alive to our eyes.   

In “Live Fast, Die Young: The Life and Times of Harry Greb,” S. L. Compton has brought back to life one of the most mysterious and storied fighters of all time, and provides ample evidence that he was also one of the greatest of all time. This is a book, which is highly recommended for anyone who has an interest in boxing history, and would like to be illuminated about the life and times of Harry Greb.  

Copyright © 2015 The Boxing Glove, Inc. Peter Silkov Art. All Rights Reserved. Peter Silkov contributes to www.theboxingglove.com and www.theboxingtribune.com