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Boxing History

From being called “Bummy” to a Hero – Al Davis

Boxing History

John Raspanti

10/26/2026

Some people are born to fight. Al Davis was one of them. He boxed in the ring and brawled in the streets, usually for some unknown underdog. Tough, tenacious, and soft-hearted, Davis made no excuses for his failings and took no bull from his enemies. Born Abraham Davidoff on January 26, 1920, he grew up in a rough section of Brooklyn called Brownsville. (see Mike Tyson) Davis learned the ropes early. During Prohibition, Davis was a ...

Two division world champion Steve Collins – All he did was win

John Raspanti

10/20/2026

He Was Dying—and Took One Last Fight to Give His Family Christmas

Mike Goodpaster

10/14/2026

John Garfield’s mini-masterpiece – Body and Soul

John Raspanti

10/12/2026

Leon Spinks’ Missing Teeth: The Bizarre Aftermath of a Heavyweight Champion’s Robbery

Mike Goodpaster

10/10/2026

Buddy Baer, Joe Louis and Superman

John Raspanti

09/25/2026

Steeped in boxing history – The Sacramento Memorial Auditorium

John Raspanti

09/20/2026

John Raspanti

09/12/2026

Seven minutes – When James J. Corbett came this close to becoming the first former heavyweight champion to rega...

Heavyweight champion James J. Corbett grinned as he popped his sparring partner with stinging jabs. The ...

John Raspanti

09/04/2026

Barnstorming Muhammad Ail fights light heavyweight champion Bob Foster

In 1972, a few days before Thanksgiving, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali met light heavyweight champion ...

John Raspanti

08/13/2026

Power and Heart – The unforgettable Danny “Little Red” Lopez

In 1971, at the legendary Olympic Auditorium ...

John Raspanti

08/07/2026

The Phenom meets his Idol – Sugar Ray Robinson fights Henry Armstrong

Walker Smith AKA Sugar Ray Robinson turned ...

Mike Goodpaster

07/17/2026

Top 20 Welterweights in Boxing History: Where does Terence Crawford Rank?

The Welterweight division has long been a ...

John Raspanti

07/03/2026

When Mr. Ali went to Munich to fight Richard “The Lionhearted”

It was a different time in boxing, ...

John Raspanti

06/23/2026

Not such a bum – Al Davis – always a fighter

Al Davis fought all his life. He ...

John Raspanti

06/16/2026

Bogart, Steiger, The Harder They Fall

Hollywood made some very worthy boxing films ...

John Raspanti

06/09/2026

Classic Fighter, Classic Movie – Joe Louis and On The Waterfront

Joe Louis is one of the greatest fighters who ever lived. He defended his heavyweight championship ...

Mike Goodpaster

06/08/2026

Tom McNeeley: A Fighter in His Father’s Shadow and His Own Spotlight

Born in Arlington, Massachusetts, Thomas William McNeeley ...

Mike Goodpaster

06/07/2026

The Mythical Boxing Showdown: George Foreman vs. Lennox Lewis

In the world of mythical boxing matchups, ...

Mike Goodpaster

06/06/2026

Why Tony Ayala Jr. Was Overrated: A Closer Look at the Myth and the Reality

Tony Ayala Jr. is often remembered as ...

Mike Goodpaster

06/05/2026

Oscar De La Hoya: The Golden Boy’s Greatness and the Underrated Legacy

When you hear Oscar De La Hoya, ...

Mike Goodpaster

06/03/2026

Top10 Worst Heavyweight Title Challengers from 1970-1990

I am not going to lie here, ...

Mike Goodpaster

06/01/2026

Top 10 Dirtiest Boxers of All Time

Dirty boxing was more prevalent in the ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/27/2026

Top 14 Greatest Knockouts in Boxing History

Boxing is an art that requires immense ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/26/2026

Top 12 Most Controversial Fights in Boxing History

Has any sport ever had more controversial ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/22/2026

Joe Frazier vs Jerry Quarry I: They Don’t make Fighters like this anymore!

On June 23, 1969 - more than ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/21/2026

The Nine Most underrated Heavyweight Boxers of All-Time

I love making these lists. I grew ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/19/2026

Remembering the Tragic Death of Willie Classen

In some ways, Willie Classen was typical ...

Buddy Gibbs

05/18/2026

The Undeserved Pardon of Jack Johnson

On May 24th of, 2018, President Trump ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/16/2026

The 16 Greatest Upsets in Heavyweight Boxing History

Today I want to compare and rate ...

Serhan Dayi

05/15/2026

Remembering Terry Norris-Meldrick Taylor

Boxing has always had its share of ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/15/2026

Top 10 Pound for Pound Boxers of all time

At Lightweight, he was an all time ...

Christopher Shelton

05/12/2026

Esteban de Jesus, Roberto Duran y AIDS (1972-89)

Many of us dream of celebrity sports ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/11/2026

Top 19 Heavyweights of all time

Everybody has differing opinions on almost everything ...

Mike Goodpaster

05/10/2026

The Truth About Rocky Marciano

A lot has been said on social ...

John Raspanti

05/09/2026

Back from the dead – Ron Lyle fights Muhammad Ali May 1975

Stabbed by a fellow inmate, Ron Lyle, ...

Jeremiah Preisser

05/08/2026

Part One: The Greatest Defensive Fighters Ever–Willie Pep

Willie Pep once stated, "The best advice ...

Mike Goodpaster

04/19/2026

Top 9 Fight Cards in Boxing history

I keep hearing how this past Saturday ...

Chris Benedict

04/10/2026

Nothing is Stronger Than a Triangle: The Unbreakable Bond Between Marvelous Marvin Hagler and the Petronelli Brothers

His personal motto was “Destruct and Destroy.” ...

Buddy Gibbs

04/02/2026

Fritzie Zivic vs. Jake LaMotta: Trouble in Forbes Field

Some fights are simply impossible to make ...

Chris Benedict

04/01/2026

From the Madhouse to Muldoon’s House: Nellie Bly’s visit with John L. Sullivan

Nellie Bly arrived in New York City ...

Buddy Gibbs

03/30/2026

Leonard Morrow–The California Kid: Part II

An eye for an eye After pulling ...

Jeremiah Preisser

03/29/2026

Yuri Arbachakov: The post-Soviet Flyweight Champion

On October 22nd, 1966, in a place ...

Buddy Gibbs

03/28/2026

Leonard Morrow–The California Kid: Part I

While most students at McClymonds High School ...

Buddy Gibbs

03/27/2026

Wars Behind Closed Doors

If a boxer wants to have any ...

Jeremiah Preisser

03/26/2026

Ezzard Charles and Harry Greb: A light-heavyweight perspective

It’s not often that the well-rounded “Cincinnati ...

Buddy Gibbs

03/08/2026

The Story of “Tampa” Tommy Gomez

“My daddy was a one-generation immigrant. Most ...

John Raspanti

03/06/2026

Who was Joe Calzaghe’s most difficult opponent? The answer might surprise you

Joe Calzaghe engaged in 46 professional fights. ...

Mike Goodpaster

03/04/2026

Top 10 All-Time Greatest Mexico vs Puerto Rico Fights

Today's list is a combination of how ...

Mike Goodpaster

03/02/2026

Boxing Myth or Fact: Jack Johnson/Stanley Ketchel was a fixed fight?

Most boxing fans who look into the ...

John Raspanti

02/26/2026

Armando Muniz Remembers the Worst Robbery in Boxing History

It was a little over forty-three years ...

Mike Goodpaster

02/22/2026

Top 12 Greatest Punchers in Heavyweight History

This list includes all heavyweights, including active ...

Mike Goodpaster

02/21/2026

Top 10 Come from Behind wins in Boxing history!

The men on this list snatched victory ...

Mike Goodpaster

02/18/2026

Top 10 Greatest Welterweight Boxers of All Time

The welterweight division has long been one ...

Mike Goodpaster

02/11/2026

Top 10 First Round Knockouts in Boxing History

First-round knockouts can lead to disappointment for ...

John Raspanti

02/09/2026

Buckled and floored, Joe Louis butchers Tony Galento

Tony "Two Ton" Galento was short, fat, ...

Mike Goodpaster

02/08/2026

Comparing Muhammad Ali to Mike Tyson: Why the comparison is stupid

I keep seeing all of these younger ...

Mike Goodpaster

02/04/2026

Top 10 Mexican Boxers of All Time: Who is the Greatest of them All?

Mexican boxers are often defined by toughness, ...

Mike Goodpaster

01/24/2026

Top-11 Lightweights in Boxing History, Is Roberto Duran really number one?

The lightweight division (135 pounds) has long ...

John Raspanti

01/23/2026

Embarrassed Joe Louis fights for redemption against Jersey Joe Walcott

Heavyweight champion Joe Louis felt ashamed. On ...

John Raspanti

01/12/2026

Henry Armstrong – Indisputable Greatness

What Henry Armstrong achieved in the late ...

Mike Goodpaster

01/11/2026

Frazier vs Daniels: Terry Daniels in the Lion’s Den

As it takes only moments to name ...

John Raspanti

01/03/2026

Round 14 – Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier throw hands for the last time

Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought for ...

John Raspanti

12/15/2025

Unforgettable: The fourth fight between Bobby Chacon and Rafael Limon

Strolling around downtown Sacramento recently, I spotted ...

John Raspanti

12/07/2025

Dec. 7,1970 when “The Greatest” fought “Ringo” at Madison Square Garden

Barely a month after stopping top-ranking contender ...

John Raspanti

11/28/2025

Joe Louis fights light heavyweight champion John Henry Lewis

In 1939, undisputed heavyweight champion Joe Louis ...

Mike Goodpaster

11/19/2025

The Real Story Behind Cinderella Man: James Braddock, Joe Gould, Max Baer, and the Shadows of the Fight Game

Ron Howard’s 2005 film Cinderella Man presents ...

John Raspanti

11/16/2025

November 21, 1972 – Muhammad Ali and Bob Foster throw hands

Muhammad Ali returned to boxing in 1970. ...

Mike Goodpaster

11/13/2025

Iron Will, Iron Chin: The Legend of Bennie Briscoe

Few fighters in boxing history embodied pure ...

John Raspanti

11/07/2025

“Rocky Balboa” like Billy Backus upsets future Hall of Famer

It took Jose Napoles 64 fights to ...

Mike Goodpaster

11/07/2025

George Chuvalo: A Heavyweight’s Triumphs and Tragedies

George Chuvalo’s life story reads like a ...

Mike Goodpaster

11/05/2025

Boxing: The Slow Death of a Once-Majestic Mainstream Sport

For nearly a century, boxing stood shoulder ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/31/2025

What If: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvelous Marvin Hagler had met in 1982

Boxing fans have long debated one of ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/30/2025

So Close to Greatness: The Life and Career of Hedgemon Lewis

Born February 25, 1946, in Greensboro, Alabama, ...

John Raspanti

10/27/2025

Underrated former light heavyweight champion John Conteh – skill and style

John Conteh was one heckuva a fighter. ...

John Raspanti

10/15/2025

Sensing the ghosts of history at the old Los Angeles Sports Arena

As you age, you reminisce. I was ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/10/2025

Tommy Morrison and AIDS: The Truth about what happened, and how he Died.

Tommy Morrison burst onto the professional boxing ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/09/2025

Michael Dokes: The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Heavyweight Champion

Michael Dokes was born in Akron, Ohio—a ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/08/2025

Kiko Bejines: A Promising Bantamweight’s Journey to a Fatal Title Fight

Boxing has always carried with it both ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/07/2025

Oscar Bonavena: The Colorful Life, Storied Career, and Tragic End of Argentina’s Wildest Heavyweight

Oscar “Ringo” Bonavena wasn’t just a boxer—he ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/06/2025

Gerald McClellan: “He got what he gave” – A Divisive Legacy

Boxing has always celebrated its knockout artists—fighters ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/05/2025

Top 17 Latino Boxers of All Time

Boxing’s history cannot be told without the ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/04/2025

Top 10 Boxers of the 1940s

The 1940s were a golden decade for ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/03/2025

Mike Rossman: The Jewish Bomber’s Journey To Boxing Glory

The 1970s produced a golden age of ...

Mike Goodpaster

10/02/2025

The Army Boxer Who Knocked-Down Muhammad Ali (1960)

In the vast folklore of American boxing, ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/30/2025

Beyond the Gloves: The Journey of Kallie Knoetze

In the 1970s, South African boxing enjoyed ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/29/2025

Tony Sibson: The Leicester Lionheart

In the rich tapestry of British boxing, ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/27/2025

Clearing the Smoke: Why Sugar Ray Leonard Never Ducked Aaron Pryor

Boxing history is filled with debates about ...

John Raspanti

09/26/2025

Angry Rocky Graziano goes after Charley Fusari

Though gentle and, as his wife said, "sweet" ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/25/2025

Top 11 Cruiserweights in Boxing History: Usyk or Holyfield at No.1?

The cruiserweight division has long been one ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/23/2025

Marcel Cerdan: The Moroccan Bomber

Marcel Cerdan was born on July 22, ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/22/2025

The Super Fight: Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns I (1981)

By 1981, boxing’s welterweight division was the ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/18/2025

Tony Tubbs: A Career of Skill, Struggles, and Short-Lived Glory

Anthony “Tony” Tubbs was born on February ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/16/2025

Nick Wells: The Man Who Knocked Out Larry Holmes Twice

Boxing history is full of fighters whose ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/14/2025

There Truly Was Only One Ricky Hatton

Ricky Hatton was born on October 6, ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/09/2025

Razor Ruddock: The Smash That Shook the Heavyweight Era

In an era when the heavyweight division ...

John Raspanti

09/08/2025

When 90,000 boxing fans showed up to watch Jack Dempsey and Georges Carpentier fight

1921. Novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, fresh off ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/03/2025

José “Mantequilla” Nápoles: a complete life and career retrospective

José Ángel Nápoles—“Mantequilla,” Spanish for “Butter”—was the ...

Mike Goodpaster

09/02/2025

Joe Bugner: The Enigmatic Heavyweight Who Battled Legends

Joe Bugner was born József Kreul Bugner ...

John Raspanti

08/29/2025

Tury “The Fury” Pineda: A rising star who burned out quickly

Young fighters who can punch, tickle the ...

Mike Goodpaster

08/27/2025

The 1981 Battle of the Little Giants: Salvador Sánchez vs. Wilfredo Gómez

By the summer of 1981, boxing was ...