SHORT TERM BOXING CHAMPIONS

LOOKING BEYOND THE TOP TEN CHAMPIONS:  by Brian Zelley

Much of the discussion about boxers of the past tends to get stuck on

 a select number of all-time greats such as Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali,

 Archie Moore, Sugar Ray Robinson, Henry Armstrong and others.

But, there were some former champions that get overlooked in fan polls 

such as Max Baer, Rocky Graziano, Luis Rodriguez, Al Singer,
Harold Dade, and many others.

Regardless of the limited recognition, one thing that cannot be forgotten

 is in a brief  they were the best in the world for their weight division. 

THE FORGOTTEN OR OVERLOOKED CHAMPIONS"

*Over time this story will focus on some of those champions from 

heavyweight to flyweight champions of the world.

AL SINGER:

JIMMY BRADDOCK

MAX BAER

WILLIE PASTRANO

ROCKY GRAZIANO

MARTY SERVO
*In 1967, Lew Eskin of "Boxing Illustrated wrote and article
about Marty Servo titled: "Marty Servo - Fate Dealt Him
A Cruel Blow" - Boxing Illustrated, January 1967.



JOHNNY BRATTON: (1927 - 1993)
*Johnny won the NBA welterweight title with a victory
over Charley Fusari for the vacant title but several months
later he would lose the title to KID GAVILAN.

LUIS RODRUGUEZ

HAROLD DADE

SUGAR RAMOS

TERRY DOWNS

LEON SPINKS

InsideToronto Article: Boxing coach an Ontario trailblazer

InsideToronto Article: Boxing coach an Ontario trailblazer

1963 BOXING HISTORY: upsets, tragedy and magic scales win the day

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS:  By Brian Zelley

Introduction:
The year 1963 will always be important 
for me as that was the year I became involved
in boxing when I joined the newly formed club
in Nanaimo by George Nepper which 
was called the Newcastle Boxing Club. 
 But, beyond the local amateur world, the
 professional boxing scene was
an exciting sport to follow and watch.


(photo:  brian zelley in my early days of a boxing journey)


1963: UPSETS, MAGIC SCALES and TRAGEDY
==  Joey  Giardello  ==

*Joey Giardello had been fighting for
about 15 years and had one previous
title fight, but when he stepped into the
ring with middleweight champion
DICK TIGER, Joey was the underdog.
But, someone forgot to tell Giardello.
Joey used all his experience to box
Tiger and not get into a banging war.
At, the end of the bout, Joey reminded
us of Rocky Graziano when Rocky
was an underdog against the 
"Man of Steel" Tony Zale.  In 1963,
Joey would become the middleweight champion of the world.


== Willie Pastrano ==

In light-heavyweight division, champion
Harold Johnson had worked hard to 
get universal recognition after the 
great Archie Moore was ending his
last years as an active fighter.


That recognition for Harold came in
1962, but before the glory had 
evaporated to a regular role, it 
all was lost by a split-decision 
when the classy boxer 
Willie Pastrano edged the skilled
and experienced Johnson with the perfect combination of
speed and foot movement for one of the big upsets of 1963.


Another round of tragedy strikes in the featherweight division.
Sadly, champion Davey "the Springfield Rifle" Moore would
lose his title and his life in his bout with Sugar Ramos. Unlike
the Paret tragedy of 1962, the cause of the loss of Davey 
appeared to be one of those accidents that just happen.
Davey was knocked down but hit the base of his skull on a 
tight ring rope that caused the fatal blow.


==  Flash Elorde's magic scales at weigh-in ==
Johnny Bizzarro from the USA had his shot for
'the junior lightweight title held by the slick
Flash Elorde.  In that contest, the strangest
event was the weigh-in where the Flash did not make 
the weight, then faster than a flash when he jumped
on and off the scales for a second shot, there was
some sort of magic in the room when the watcher 
called out the right weight to allow the fight.  Johnny
lost the fight, but to some it wasn't only Elorde's
fists that won the day, it was those magic scales.  

1962 - boxing moments

1962 BOXING HISTORY:  by brian zelley


Beyond the tragedy of the Emile Griffith vs Benny Kid Paret,
the year 1962 produced a wide variety of interesting boxing
stories with new champions and a wide variety of challengers.


It was the year SONNY LISTON would stop FLOYD PATTERSON
in one round with his explosive power.  In other divisions there were
some suprises such as big underdog  flyweight FIGHTING HARADA
winning the title from PONE KINGPETCH.


EMILE GRIFFITH would bounce back from the tragedy when he
regained the welterweight tile from Paret and defend against
Ralph Dupas and Jorge Fernandez.  And, light-heavyweight champ 
HAROLD JOHNSON would get universal recognition after his
defeat of the young and capable Doug Jones.  And, the Pacific
Northwest would get a world champion when Portland's 
DENNY MOYER won the vacant jr. middleweight title
with a victory over Joey Giambra.


It should have come as no great shock, but a young CARLOS ORTIZ
won the lightweight title from JOE "Old Bones" BROWN.  And, 
bantamweight champion EDER JOFRE and featherweight champion
 DAVEY MOORE held onto the titles with  wins.  Moore travelled
to Helsinki to defeat one Olli Macki.


 Not to be overlooked was the
Jr. lighweight victory by FLASH ELORDE over Auburn Copeland.


In the middleweight division we had the two champions with
PAUL PENDER regaining the title from TERRY DOWNES
and DICK TIGER defeating GENE FULLMER.