Posts by Juan:
Touching Gloves with…Albert Davila
March 28th, 2013By Dan Hanley
A recent question posed to me by one of my fellow boxing nutjobs had, of course, nothing to do with the woes of the world, but was very explicit in the fine arts. The question posed was, who were the best pure boxers I had ever seen. I did not have to dwell on this for a prolonged period as nothing else relevant ever seems to infiltrate the old noggin outside of leather-slingers, so, I answered succinctly, ‘Willie Pep, Lionel Rose and Albert Davila’. Sadly, the two former are no longer with us, however, I was fortunate to sit down and have a good hard-nosed hash-session with the latter.
DH: Albert, where do you hail from originally?
AD: I was born in Dimmitt, Texas and lived there until I was 12 years old. At that time we moved to Pomona, California, which was no easy task with 6 boys and 5 girls in the family.
DH: What interested you in the sport?
AD: Well, it was shortly after arriving in California that a bunch of us went down to the Sacred Heart Athletic Club where they just happen to be teaching boxing. We all got involved. I had two older brothers and three cousins at it. Of course (laughing), my first memory is getting the crap beaten out of me, but I just got into it. Read the rest of this entry “
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Donovan George Delivers, But Judges Don’t, in Acid Test at the UIC Pavilion
March 23rd, 2013A Pair of ‘Split Decision Draw’ Rulings Mar George-Lopez and Granados-Cintron Battles
By Juan C. Ayllon
Photos by Greg Rodil and Associate Staff
Donovan George (at right) rips a right hand to David Lopez’s body (Associate Staff photo)
CHICAGO — The hometown fighters were matched well tonight at the UIC Pavilion. Matchmaker Jerry Alfano said, “They’re all in up to their eyeballs. We’re going to find out if they’re real or not.” He wasn’t kidding.
They were sorely tested and gave their all, but in the end, the judges’ scores failed to clarify whether they’d passed their tests or not. Read the rest of this entry “
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Donovan George: ‘If I Never Win a Title or Get Close, My Whole Career is a Bust!’
March 21st, 2013
Donovan George, right, works the focus mitts with his father, Pete.
Chicago middleweight Donovan “Da Bomb” George says there will be more than a win or a loss on the line when he steps in the ring against former world title challenger David “The Destroyer” Lopez this Friday, March 22.
According to George, he must win or his boxing career has been a waste.
George (24-3-1, 21 KOs) will drop down to middleweight to face Lopez (41-13, 23 KOs) of Nogales, Mexico, in the 10-round middleweight main event, at Chicago’s UIC Pavilion and televised live on ESPN Friday Night Fights. Read the rest of this entry “
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Hopkins and Thurman Ring Some Bells as They Win Respective Bouts in Contrasting Styles
March 11th, 2013By Juan C. Ayllon
Tavoris Cloud, at left, and Bernard Hopkins exchange blow up close (photo courtesy of espn.go.com)
BROOKLYN, NY – If Bernard Hopkins would have just stood still so he could hit him squarely and often, Tavoris Cloud might still be champ.
However, like a kid making the move to little league from T-ball – where the baseball sits atop a tee for the batter to hit – Cloud took on a challenge at a whole new level on March 9th at the Barclays Center. Read the rest of this entry “
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Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman Looks to Make It an Early Night on Saturday
March 8th, 2013By Juan C. Ayllon
Keith Thurman (photo by Juan C. Ayllon)
CLEARWATER, FL – It was November 24, 2012. The savagery began with a single, thudding left hook to the ribs that nearly ended it in the first round and terminated with a walloping right to the head in the fourth. Lead-fisted Keith Thurman had won the NABO junior middleweight title by halting the dangerous former WBO welterweight champion Carlos Quintana in four.
A native of Clearwater, Florida, Thurman is trained by Dan Birmingham (whose résumé includes former world champs Jeff Lacy and Ronald “Winky” Wright) and managed by Al Haymon. At 19-0 with 18 knockouts, the 2008 Olympic trials silver medalist won The Ring magazine’s “Prospect of the Year” award in 2012. Read the rest of this entry “
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