FIGHTERS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

@ WWW.TRUFANBOXING.COM

 
 
"THE HAWAIIAN PUNCH" ; ANDY GANIGAN
 
Although he was one of the most dangerous lightweights of his era. Andrew Ganigan of Hawaii was not blessed with the best of chins. His live by the sword, die by the sword style of fighting made him a crowd pleasing favorite. In most cases Andy got to his opponent first thus allowing him to fight to the top of the ratings.
 


A nineteen year old Ganigan turned professional in 1972. Through 1977 he won his first 25 fights. He won 23 by KO ! Among his feats were a two round demolition of Tury "The Fury" Pineda and an eighth round stoppage of Vincente Mijares Saldivar for the NABF lightweight crown. In 1978 Andy met Chicago's rough and tough Johnny Lira. The tenacious Lira outlasted Ganigan to score a stoppage victory. This fight was for the USBA lightweight title.

In 1979 Andy defeated Mijares Saldivar again for the NABF title. Then in a major upset, Ganigan was halted in seven rounds by Roberto Vasquez. In a 1980 rematch Andy turned the tables stopping Vasquez in seven. In 1981 Ganigan was outscored by highly regarded Rodolfo "Gato" Gonzalez. Popular Sean O'Grady had failed in a bloody attempt to win the WBC lightweight title from Jim Watt. Later Sean challenged WBA titlist Hilmer Kenty. In a true "closet classic", O'Grady outscored Kenty to win the title. Due to complicated boxing politics Sean either gave up or was stripped of recognition by the WBA. Enter Sean's father Pat O'Grady who formed the World Athletic Association (WAA). Sean would defend that title against Ganigan. It was a disaster for O'Grady who was floored three times by the explosive Ganigan. The fight ended in round two with Sean shell shocked.

Andy had no use for the WAA title but used the victory over O'Grady as a springboard to a 1982 fight with Alexis Arguello. The great Arguello had won the WBC lightweight title by defeating Watt. Ganigan shocked the crowd and Arguello by flooring Alexis in the first round. Arguello had power equal to or better then Ganigan's though. Soon Alexis overpowered Andy and stopped the game Hawaiian in round five. In 1983 Ganigan would challenge the clever Kronkster Jimmy Paul for the USBA lightweight crown. Paul would halt Ganigan in round six and Andy would hang up the gloves.

Andy had lost three of his last four fights but no one who witnessed it will forget his two round slaughter of O'Grady. In all Ganigan had 39 fights. His final record was 34-5 with 30 big knockouts.During his tenure as a contender he was a force to be reckoned with !

Jim Amato

POSTER COURTESY www.antekprizering.com/posters_copy.html

 

 

SHORT ON NEW JERSEY MIDDLEWEIGHT MIKE TINLEY

 
He was one of the best fighters to come out of New Jersey in the 1980's. He was a viewer favorite during the popularity growth of ESPN boxing. Mike Tinley held his own with some of the best middleweights of the decade. Tinley turned professional in 1981 and quickly established himself as a prospect to watch. Tinley suffered the only stoppage loss of his career in 1982 due to an eye cut against Robert Thomas. Tinley came right back to upset undefeated Mark McPherson. In 1983 Tinley pulled off another upset outscoring talented Robbie Sims. Mike then won the ESPN middleweight title with a twelve round decision over Bruce Johnson. He continued to perform as a crowd pleaser by defending the ESPN crown against the game Teddy Mann. In 1984 Tinley dropped a decision to rugged contender Doug DeWitt.

Tinley got right back on track with a points win over the always tough Jorge Amparo. Tinley then won the New Jersey middleweight title outpointing Andre Cooper. A return match with Robbie Sims again went Tinsley's way after ten rounds. In 1985 Tinsley met Iran Barkley for the WBC Continental Americas middleweight crown. Tinsley lost a controversial twelve round verdict. Nine months later Tinley dropped a decision to unbeaten Michael Nunn. In 1989 Mike had one more chance to put himself into position for a shot at the world's championship. He met the cagey Tony Thornton for the USBA 160 pound championship. Again Mike fell short dropping the twelve round duke to Thornton. That was Tinley's last fight.

Tinley engaged in 29 pro fights and won 22 of them. He met three men who would claim world titles. He reminded me a lot of Cleveland middleweight Sanderline Williams who also campaigned around that time. They both could compete with the best. They just couldn't catch a break.

Jim Amato

RE: Yes, Iran Barkley told me once that Tinley was by far his toughest opponent. He could box your ears off, he claimed. J. Monte

 

 

 

 

Ernie Terrell--Chicago's Heavyweight Champion

By Peter Wood

Terrill has never been the one to whine about the fact that Ali didn't give him a rematch, or the purses he missed out on. His outlook is one to be admired.

 

While most sophomores in high school are playing video games, learning to shave or discovering the opposite sex, Ernie Terrell was doing something different.

 

Ernie Terrell was turning pro.

 

 “It wasn’t that our family needed money, or that I needed to be the man of the household.  Sure, money was tight, but we had a large, close-knit family with five brothers and four sisters.  Economically, we all pitched in.”

 

Terrell, the sixth in a family of 10 children, was born in Inverness, Missippippi, the son of a farmer.  As a baby, they moved to the rough South Side of Chicago, where fighting was commonplace.

 

Terrell, who still lives on The South Side with his wife, said over the phone, “Boxing just grabbed me.  The day I walked into The Midwest Gym in Chicago, I looked at the heavy bags and realized--Hey, I could do this!   I was big for my age, pretty coordinated, and pretty soon I got my jab working good. 

 

“The gym was on the 5th floor of the Midwest Hotel, on the corner of Madison Street and Hamilton Avenue.  I became the elevator operator, so I didn’t have to pay the $3 entry fee,” he chuckles, “or the $3 monthly fee.”

 

“At that time, in the mid-1950s, boxing was more popular than basketball.  Boxing ruled. Being 6’ 3”, basketball never grabbed me—but boxing did”

 

By 17, Ernie got his jab working real good.  He was doing his roadwork in Garfield Park with the other fighters, and had already established himself as the back-to-back light heavyweight champion in the Chicago Golden Gloves. 

       

In his sophomore year, in 1957, Ernie turned pro. 

 

“I figured, Why not?  The guys I was beating in the amateurs were just as good as the pros.”

 

In Terrell’s first three years as a pro, he campaigned around Chicago learning his craft.  “I went 13-2.  My only losses were to Johnny Gray--split decisions, both in the Chicago Stadium.  Gray was a veteran boxer with an influential manager, Frankie Tomaso, but I honestly think I won both fights.  In truth,” adds Terrell, without a hint of braggadocio or anger, “in my entire career, I feel I, legitimately, lost only 4 fights.”  His ledger, however, lists nine. 

 

In 1959, Terrell ventured out of Chicago for the first time to cop an easy 8-round decision over tough Tunney Hunsaker in Louisville; the same Tunney Hunsaker selected to meet Cassius Clay in Clay’s pro debut.

 

In 1960, Terrell’s boxing career began to gain serious recognition.   He ratcheted-up the caliber of his opponents and scored big wins over fellow Chicagoan Joe Hemphill (17-1-0), and Clay Thomas (11-1-1). His only loss came at the hands of rugged Wayne Bethea, from New York.  “Well, that was a questionable split-decision,” remembers Terrell.

 

In April, 1962, Terrell and his manager Julie Isaacson decided it was about time to hunt bigger game.  Enter “Big Cat” Cleveland Williams.  Terrell traveled to Texas for the bout, a fight which handed Terrell his “first legitimate loss.”

 

“Yeah, “The Big Cat” TKOed me in 7.  He was the strongest fighter I ever fought.” At the time, Williams was 51-4.

 

But, to Terrell’s credit, he climbed back into the ring with Williams and, a year later, avenged his loss, winning a 10-round split-decision.

 

“After the two Williams’ fights,” says Sean Curtin, Chicago referee and co-author of “Chicago Boxing” with J. J. Johnson, “Terrell got more cautious.  As an amateur, he was an exciting fighter to watch--even as an early pro.  But after Williams, Terrell became more of a grabber and jabber.” 

 

Boxing is, indeed, a beat-down business.

 

During the next four years Terrell proved his mettle, and increased his stature, by beating the toughest heavyweights in the division: Amos “Big Train” Lincoln, Zora Folley, and Germany’s Gerhard Zech--all by 10-round decisions in New York’s famed Madison Square Garden.

 

“In July, 1964, I knocked out Bob Foster.  Our styles were alike, but I was a bit bigger and faster,” recalls Terrell, who dropped Foster with a right hand to the chin. When Foster rose groggily, Arthur Mercante, the ref, stopped it in the 7th round.  Foster staggered along the ropes and fell to the canvas without being hit.  “Foster’s a funny guy,” recalls Terrell, of the future, great light heavyweight champion. “When I went up to his corner after the fight, he mumbled, ‘You ain’t done nothin’’.” 

 

But he had done something.

 

By the end of 1964, Terrell had cleaned out the entire heavyweight division. 

In 1965, Terrell won the vacant WBA title with a hard-fought 15-round decision over Eddie Machen.  He defended his title twice with points wins over Toronto’s George Chuvalo and rugged Doug Jones.

 

“All those guys back then were the backbone of the division.  Folley, Machen, Williams, Jones.  No one wanted to fight them.  Folley and Machen were top-shelf material.  Only old Archie Moore knew more boxing moves,” says Terrell. “Chuvalo was rough, but he was made to order for my jab.”

 

Muhammad Ali was next.  In this legendary, yet ugly, heavyweight title unification match, Ali from the start, taunted and jeered Terrell stating time and time again, “What’s my name?”

 

“Clay!”

 

“What’s my name?”

 

“Clay!” 

 

In the second round Ali thumbed Terrell’s left eye.  “The muscles that turn my eye got hung up,” recalls Terrell. “He pushed the bone in my eye, and the soft tissue and the bone behind the eye became damaged.  My eye muscles jammed.”

 

From the second round on, Terrell was seeing two Muhammad Alis--or two Cassius Clays--or one Cassius Clay and one Muhammad Ali.

 

“My left eye wasn’t moving the same as the right,” he recalls. “I was expecting it would go away, but it never did.  What I shoulda done was close one eye.  But that’s hindsight.”

 

To make matters worse, during the fight, Ali was criminal by grabbing Terrell in a headlock and rubbing his injured eye against the top rope.  He continued to use his thumbs in round six and choked Terrell in the clinches. Ali also spat at Terrell’s feet and sneered at him. 

 

“Clay sure fights dirty,” said Terrell. 

 

Ali seemed to be writing his own rules as referee Harry Kessler, the so-called ‘millionaire referee’ watched, and let the humiliation and pitiless taunting continue. 

 

In the 13th round Ali landed 30 unanswered punches, but Kessler, amazingly, stood back.  Ali’s nonstop combinations backed up a battered Terrell, who finished with both eyes virtually swollen shut and a long cut over his right eye. He was immediately examined by a Houston eye specialist and flown to a Philadelphia hospital.

 

“Today, the eye is good—about 98%.  Only problem I have is looking up,” he says.

 

Six months later, Terrell, astonishingly, was back in the ring with Thad Spencer.  It was part of a heavyweight elimination tournament for the WBA title. (The other fighters vying for the crown were Jimmy Ellis/Leotis Martin; Oscar Bonavena/Karl Mildenberger and Jerry Quarry/Floyd Patterson.) 

 

He lost a unanimous 12-round decision.  Spencer knocked him down in the second round.  “Yeah, I might’ve lost that fight,” concedes Terrell. 

 

After a “questionable” loss to Manuel Ramos two months later at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City, Terrell hung up the gloves.

 

Terrell, unlike many fighters re-invented himself.  In 1973, he toured with his

R&B band, Ernie Terrell & the Heavyweights.

 

 “At that point, I was more interested in writing songs, playing guitar with my brothers J.C. and Leonard, and singing with my sister, Jean (who later replaced Diana Ross of The Supremes.)  We played Las Vegas, Miami, toured Canada, and sang for the US troops in Greenland.” Terrell laughs, “Lord have mercy! Greenland!  It’s twenty four hours daylight in Greenland.  You wouldn’t think that would bother you, but it does.” 

 

Terrell discovered that singing on a stage with his family was infinitely more rewarding than getting punched in the eye in the ring, alone. Their R&B music was released on Chess, Argo and Calla labels.

 

After three years, however, Terrell needed to step back into the ring.  He was 31. 

 

Why?  Did he miss the roar of the crowd?  Was it money?

 

“No.  I wanted another crack at Ali.  I wanted to fight him differently. I had a plan.”

 

He racked up seven straight wins.  His comeback was climaxed by a sixth-round KO over Venezuela’s Jose Luis Garcia, the number three heavyweight contender.  Terrell knocked Garcia out of the ring in the 6th   but the Venezuelan came back fighting after taking a nine count, only to fall to the canvas seconds later. 

 

The victory garnered Terrell Ring magazine’s “Fighter of the Month” award.

But that was as close to Ali Terrell would get.

 

Ernie lost a flagrant hometown decision to Chuck Wepner at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City.  Sam Solomon, Terrell’s trainer screamed, “Willie Gilzenberg, (the promoter), was telling Harold Valen, (the referee and sole judge) change this round, change that round.  When I asked Gilzenberg what was going on, he said, ‘This guy doesn’t know how to add’.”

 

The press corps unanimously scored the fight for Terrell, with some giving him as many as 10 of the rounds.  Ring magazine’s scorecard was 9-3 Terrell.

 

“As long as you have people who are cheap in their moral dignity and code of ethics, you will have something like this,” mused Terrell. 

 

Then came lanky Jeff “Candy Slim” Merritt, a murderous punching heavyweight, who is probably best known for being the very first fighter that Don King took under his wing. He was also known as one of hardest punchers from that era, comparable to Shavers and Foreman.

 

Ernie was knocked out in round one.

 

Ernie called it quits. 

 

Once again, in 1977, Terrell re-invented himself.  This time as a successful boxing promoter.  “Some of my Chicago-based fighters were James “Quick” Tillis, Alonzo Ratliff, Leroy Murphy, Johnny Collins, Lenny La Paglia and Renaldo Snipes.”

 

Tillis and Ratliff became champs and Snipes fought for the heavyweight championship of the world under Terrell.

 

By most measures, Terrell’s promoting career was a success.  “My fighters made some good money.  Me?  I broke even,” he says, laughing. 

 

Curtin, with a grin, says, “Ernie, as a promoter, was clever with a buck. He learned from his own manager—Julie Isaacson.”

 

When asked about Terrell, Bill Carlin, his publicist and good friend says, “I can’t think of a better representative for the sport of boxing than Ernie Terrell.  The man’s always a gentleman.  Nothing is ever off color.  He’s never negative.  Some people are always fighting the fight they lost.  Not Ernie.  He let’s it go. I never heard Ernie moan.  After a fight, one fighter’s hand is raised and that’s it.  That’s what Ernie says.

 

“Try and dig up some dirt on Ernie.  You can’t.  Ernie’s never been a drinker or smoker.  He’s religious. He’s a vegetarian. You can’t come up with anything bad on Ernie.

 

“Ernie is part of the forgotten era of heavyweights,” says Carlin.  “Ernie traveled with Sonny Liston and sparred over 100 rounds with him.

 

“Ernie once told me: ‘Liston paid me my biggest compliment.  Sonny was talking about me and didn’t know I was listening. He asked his trainer, ‘Am I sparring Terrell today?  Man, I gotta duck down to his knees not to get hit.’

 

“Ernie Terrell is a historical link to boxing’s colorful past,” says Carlin. “Joe Louis, the great heavyweight champ, was in Ernie’s corner when he won the WBA title and Ezzard Charles, another heavyweight champ, worked with Ernie in the gym plenty of times.”

 

After promoting fights for 20 years, Ernie re-invented himself a third time. 

 

In 1990, he created Ernie Terrell Inc., a lucrative janitorial company which developed long-standing contracts with the Chicago Public Schools, and the police and fire departments.  His company employed, depending upon the time of year, 375 to 800 people.  “It was rated tops in Chicago’s Better Business Bureau,” says Bill Carlin.

 

Today, Terrell is at peace with his accomplishments, as well as his defeats.  His eye might be 98%, but his soul is 100%.

 

And he has absolutely no problem looking up. 

 

Today, Ernie Terrell remains fast on his feet: Boxing:…Music…Promotion…Business.

 

“Yup, that’s Ernie Terrell,” says Carlin, “our Chicago Heavyweight Champion--and as unpretentious as they come.”

 

That’s Ernie Terrell--a Chicago success story. 

  

(Peter Wood is the author of “Confessions of a Fighter” and "A Clenched Fist –The Making of a Golden Gloves Champion," uplifting memoirs about boxing, both published by Ringside Books. Wood was a 1971 NYC Middleweight Golden Gloves Finalist.)  

If you'd like to read more of Wood's superb work, click here:

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url
 




 

 

 

 

TERRY HINKE : Just Another Northwest Heavyweight

 
When you're a professional heavyweight and you win forty of forty eight fights, chances are you could fight a little. Oregon's Terry Hinke could fight. Although he would never reach the heavyweight " A " list, he was good enough to do well against some fairly good competition.

Terry turned pro in 1969 and quickly ran up a 21-0-2 record and was considered a good prospect. He suffered his first loss in 1971 being stopped by the capable Wendell Newton. A year and a half later Newton was good enough to lose a split decision to highly ranked Ron Lyle. In 1972 Hinke dropped a ten round verdict to journeyman Charlie Reno. In 1973 Hinke scored an important victory outscoring rugged Rodney Bobick.

In 1974 Terry was surprising halted by Charlie James. He bounced right back to beat Lou Bailey, Terry Daniels and Elmer Rush. Then he met Chuck Wepner. The bout saw Wepner penalized four points for an array of rule infringements. Nevertheless tough Chuck sent Terry down three times in the eleventh and the bout was stopped in Wepner's favor. The win over Hinke helped Wepner toward securing a 1975 title shot against Muhammad Ali.

In 1976 Hinke was halted by the big South African, Mike Schutte. Terry would have one more fight and retire. His overall record was a respectable 40-5-2 with one No Contest. He scored thirty knockouts while being stopped himself on four occasions.

Jim Amato
 

 

 

HISTORY REMEMBERS CLEVELAND'S CECIL SHORTS

 
I learn more about the history of boxing in the great city of Cleveland everyday. Talking to knowledgeable people in the area like Jerry Fitch, Gene Glen, Tom Huff, Jim Borgen and Sal Marino, well...I just learn something new all the time.

Cecil Shorts was a wonderful welterweight who fought out of Cleveland in the 1950's and 60's. Born in 1938, Cecil turned pro in 1956 and won his first ten bouts. Among those wins were decisions over Larry Boardman and soon to be Hall Of Famer Eddie Perkins. Cecil lost his first bout in 1958 dropping a decision to Rudy Sawyer. He was then stopped in two rounds by Perkins in a rematch. Cecil bounced back to win three straight including a split decision victory over Benny " Kid " Paret. He was then halted by another Hall Of Famer, the crafty Luis Rodriguez.

Cecil had an up and down career against some of the best welterweights in the world. In 1960 he lost to Phil Moyer but defeated tough Vince Martinez. In 1961 Cecil suffered a KO loss to Gomeo Brennan and a decision defeat to Mick Leahy. He came back to beat the capable Isaac Logart but was then taken out in eight by Virgil Akins. Shorts lost a decision to rugged Jorge Fernandez but then got a points verdict over Billy Collins.

Shorts did not fight in 1962 and when he returned in 1963 he was stopped by Chuck McCreary. Next came a ninth round disqualification loss to Akron's Fate Davis. A 1964 return match with Davis saw Cecil on the short end of the decision. Cecil had one more fight winning a six rounder over Doug McLeod and then retired.

In all Cecil had 33 fights posting 21 wins and a draw. He lost eleven fights. He registered nine knockouts while he was stopped six times. He met four men who held world titles. Eddie Perkins, Benny Paret, Luis Rodriguez and Virgil Akins as well as several contenders. The city of Cleveland should be proud of the accomplishments of Cecil Shorts.

Jim Amato
 

 

CHAMPIONS WASTELAND ; SHOZO SAIJO

by Jim Amato

 
Today with so many governing bodies and organizations around it has become very hard to take someones claim of " world champion " seriously. I mean there is the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, IBA and God knows how many more will pop up in the future. Split titles are not anything new to boxing but in days gone by it was a lot less complicated. As much as I hated it when either the WBA or the WBC " stripped " a champion of his crown for some bogus reason and then " made " their own champion. At least it kept the rift between just two claimants. In some cases there were much needed unification fights like Bob Foster and Vincente Rondon or Carlos Monzon against Rodrigo Valdez. There were also cases where a unification bout would have generated a lot of fan interest and cleared up the situation but they never came off. Some bouts that come to mind are Salvador Sanchez vs Eusebio Pedroza, John Conteh vs Victor Galindez and Carlos Palomino vs Pipino Cuevas. There is one bout that could have taken place in 1971 pitting two champions from Japan who each claimed a portion of the featherweight title. They were WBC title holder Kuniaki Shibata and his WBA rival, Shozo Saijo. Alas the fight never materialized. It seems that today Shibata is still remembered as the man who made great Vincente Saldivar surrender. What about poor Shozo Saijo ? He has been long forgotten outside of Japan and somehow that just does not seem quite fair.

Saijo was born in 1947 and turned pro in 1964. Shozo was not an instant sensation and over his first twenty fights he compiled a less then earth shaking 14-4-2 record. In 1968 he lost a decision to the highly regarded Jose Luis Pimentel. In a rematch Saijo turned the tables and he got the verdict. That led to a fight with the rugged Raul Rojas.After the retirement of Saldivar, Rojas defeated Enrique Higgins to claim the vacant WBA featherweight title. Rojas was matched with Saijo in a non title battle and Saijo copped the decision. On September 27th, 1968 in a rematch with the title on the line Saijo became the new WBA champion.

Saijo did not just sit on his laurels. He was a very active champion who defended his title five times and won seven of eight non title affairs. His only loss was to WBA super featherweight champion Hiroshi Kobayashi with no title at stake. Finally on September 2nd, 1971 Shozo lost his championship when he was hallted in five rounds by Venezuala's Antonio Gomez. Saijo never fought again. His overall record stood at 29-7-2. He scored eight stoppage victories and suffered only one knockout loss and that was to Gomez. The path of Saijo and Shibata never crossed when they both held the title at the same time.Shibata held his portion of the title from 12-11-1970 to 5-19-1972. Saijo had a longer reign from 9-27-1968 to 9-2-1971, holding his piece of the crown for nearly three years. A champion like Saijo should not be forgotten.

Jim Amato

 

 

 

Cleveland's Bivins Battled The Best.

 
   Although he was born in Dry Branch, Georgia it was from Cleveland, Ohio that Jimmy Bivins made history. He was a major player in putting Cleveland on the boxing map during the 1940's and 50's. He may well have been the best heavyweight and light heavyweight to ever come out of this great boxing town.
 
   Jimmy Bivins was born on December 6, 1919. His professional career began as a middleweight in Cleveland on January 15, 1940. In his sixth pro fight he  beat a solid veteran in Nate Bolden. On September 3rd  Jimmy was good enough to outpoint the highly respected Charley Burley. This has to be considered an outstanding feat at this stage of Jimmy's budding career. Bivins closed 1940 by splitting a pair of tough bouts in Cleveland with Anton Christoforidis. The loss in the second bout to Anton was the first of his career.
 
   The year 1941 saw Jimmy lose a few bouts but he was really in with top shelf opposition. He beat Teddy Yarosz and Curtis "Hatchetman" Shepperd. He lost decisions to Lem Franklin and Tony Musto. He defeated Nate Bolden again but lost to Melio Bettina. Jimmy was a full fledged light heavyweight by now. In some fights he was coming in as a heavyweight.
 
   Jimmy started 1942 with a bang as he outscored Billy Soose and Gus Lesnevich. Bivins then lost to the smooth boxing Bob Pastor. On June 6th at Cleveland Municipal Stadium to of the greatest boxers in Cleveland's history met. Jimmy squeaked a split decision over the crafty Joey Maxim.
 
   Then Jimmy went on a rampage. In this order he defeated Joe Muscato, Tami Mauriello, Bob Pastor in a rematch. Then he beat Lee Savold to close 1942. He opened 1943 beating Ezzard Charles and winning a rubber match with Christoforidis. He defeated Mauriello again and then beat Watson Jones, Pat Valentino, Lloyd Marshall, Herbert Marshall and Bettina in a return engagement. The year ended with a win over Lee Q. Murray.

courtesy Antekprizering.com

 
   Bivins picked up right where he left off in 1945 by beating Murray again. Three fights later he drew with the always tough Bettina. On August 22nd Bivins scored one of the most important wins of his career. Jimmy had Archie Moore on the canvas several times enroute to a sixth round stoppage.
 
   Jimmy opened 1946 with four straight victories but on February 25th he was outscored in ten rounds by Jersey Joe Walcott at the Cleveland Arena.Two fights later in Pittsburgh he lost to the great Ezzard Charles. Jimmy got a few more victories but on March 10, 1947 he was halted by Ezzard Charles in four rounds. On September 8th he was kayoed in nine rounds by a determined Archie Moore in Baltimore.
 
   Jimmy put together a six fight win streak into 1948 including another win over Pat Valentino. In June he lost a decision to Moore and in September in Washington D.C. he lost a verdict to Charles. He closed 1948 with a points loss to Maxim.
 
   )n April 11, 1949 he was again stopped by Archie Moore. He would lose to Leonard Morrow but beat him in a return bout. He stopped the talented Clarence Henry and was then outslicked by the clever future light heavyweight champion Harold Johnson. In 1950 he lost Sid Peaks. In 1951 he beat Tiger Ted Lowry but was again kayod by Archie Moore. In June he lost in a return with Clarence Henry.
 
   On August 15th at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore Jimmy entered the ring to face the great comebacking former champion Joe Louis. At one point when Louis was champion but inactive due to his being in the Armed Forces, he named Jimmy the "Interim Heavyweight Champion". Now they were in the ring together. Joe won over ten rounds. Next Jimmy would lose to undefeated Bob Baker but closed the year beating Doc Williams.
 
   In !952 Jimmy beat Coley Wallace and Wes Bascom. He then lost to Tommy Harrison. He was then defeated by Charles once again. He opened 1953 by losing to Tommy Harrison for a second time. He was able to close the year with wins over Claude Wolfe and Chubby Wright.
 
   Jimmy was inactive for two years but returned in 1955. Bivins closed his career with a six round points call over Mike DeJohn.

Bivins drops Moore  . . .

current photo Photo Pat Orr

 
   Jimmy's record was an impressive 86-25-1 with 31 KO's. What makes his career special and more then justifies his place in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame are the names of the great boxers he defeated during his heyday.
 
   If you can say that you defeated Charley Burley, Anton Christoforidis, Teddy Yarosz, Billy Soose, Gus Lesnevich, Joey Maxim, Tami Mauriello, Bob Pastor, Lee Savold, Ezzard Charles, Pat Valentino, Lloyd Marshall, Melio Bettina and Archie Moore... You deserve to be in the Hall Of Fame. In other words, you were great !
 
                                                                                                                                                                                                               Jim Amato
 
More on Bivins - contact: http://jimmybivins.com/Pages/contact.htm

Bivins record click here

 

JOHN GRIFFIN
 
Although Ray Anderson and Doyle Baird received title shots and Billy Wagner came within on fight of garnering one, the state's best light-heavyweight may have been overlooked. John Griffin of Cleveland who holds a pair of wins over both Anderson and Wagner might have been too good for his own good.

He turned pro in 1967 and by 1969 he had defeated established veterans Charlie Polite and Eddie Vick. John had trouble getting bouts with light-heavyweight outside the Cleveland-Akron area so occasionally he was forced to take on heavyweights.

John received his first big break in March 25, 1970, when he met the talented Eddie "Bossman" Jones in Las Vegas. The perennial contender Jones won a ten round decision. John returned to the area and posted back to back verdicts over the touted Ray Anderson. John caught another break when he was matched with rugged Hal Carroll. Again John lost a ten rounder.


1971 saw griffin win his first four bouts including a decision over fellow Clevelander Billy Wagner and an upset points verdict over huge heavyweight Jack O'Halloran. On July 11, 1971, John met W.B.A. light-heavyweight champion Vincente Rondon in a non-title match and lost a decision. In his next bout he met heavyweight contender Jose Luis Garcia. The hard punching Garcia stopped John in the seventh round. John returned to Cleveland to meet another heavyweight, Vic Brown who also halted John in seven.

1972 was a good comeback year for griffin as he knocked out arch rival Billy Wagner in the twelfth round of their rematch. John then outpointed the colorful Californian, Ray "Windmill" White. He closed out the year with a decision win over Sam McGill. In 1973 John was halted by crafty Greg Peralta in five. In 1974 John dropped a ten round duke to Denmark's Tom Bogs.

On February 15, 1975, John got one more chance at the brass ring. He again met the W.B.A. champion in a non-title bout except this time the titleholder was the great Victor Galindez. Griffin was stopped in the sixth round and his tenure as a world class fighter ended.
 
                                                                                      Jim Amato

 

 

 

MIKE NIXON ; SO CLOSE BUT YET SO FAR...

 
If a fighter had " future champ " stamped on his forehead, Mike Nixon did. He was a smooth boxer with a good punch. He had solid skills and a lot of heart. He was a real crowd pleaser. For all the attributes Mike had he lacked one thing...The ability to take a good punch. He was stopped six times in his thirty seven bout career. In fact he stopped in three rounds by Larry Davis in his pro debut in 1970. Mike was a raw eighteen year old kid at the time and he showed the grit and determination to come back and win thirteen in a row. In 1971 he was halted in nine by George Davis. In 1972 he was kayoed twice by Art Davis. Mike learned to stay away from guys with the last name of Davis.

Mike would reel off eight victories in a row plus a ninth round no contest against the rated David Love in 1974. In 1975 he lost a decision to Olympic Gold Medal winner Sugar Ray Seales. He then scored an upset points verdict over future light heavyweight champion, Mike Rossman. The rematch produced one of the most devastating knockouts I've ever seen. In the seventh round of a close and competitive fight, Rossman launched a right hand that landed like a guided missile on Nixon's jaw. Need I say " lights out " ? It was one of the hardest punches I've ever seen landed.

Nixon would return and in 1976 he lost in ten to clever Tony Licata. Then in a stunning upset Mike stopped the highly touted South African Gert Steyn in five rounds. Nixon was now back in the thick of the middleweight picture. In 1977 Nixon was matched with the rough and tumble Vito Antuofermo. Vito, who was on his way to the world's middleweight championship ended Mike's dream in the fourth round. That was Nixon's last fight. He retired with a very respectable 27-8-1 record. During his career he gained some acclaim as the Jerry and Mike Quarry's brother-in-law. Nixon though cut his own path through the ratings and although he did not reach the top, he did mix with some of the best.
 
                                                                                         Jim Amato
 

 

CINCINNATI'S TOMMY AYERS

 
The State of Ohio has turned out many outstanding boxers. Champions like Joey Maxim, Ezzard Charles, Johnny Kilbane, Ray " Boom Boom " Mancini, Aaron Pryor and the hard punching Harry Arroyo. Top contenders like Earnie Shavers, Ray Anderson, Billy Wagner and a fighter who should have been a champion named Jimmy Bivins.

There are so many other great champions and contenders I could have mentioned but that would take up quite a bit of space. One of Ohio's best fighters of the 1980's was Cincinnati's own Tommy Ayers. Tommy turned pro in 1981 and began racking up victory after victory. He won 16 straight through 1982 but the streak continued on into 1983. That year he stepped up the quality of his opposition defeating the likes of Adriano Marrero, Milton Steward and former title challenger Bruce Finch.

In July of 1983, Ayers took a 21-0 record into the ring to face the slick Marlon Starling. Although he would go on to become a two time world welterweight champion, at this time Marlon held the USBA and NABF welterweight titles. Starling proved to be a little too much for the young Ayers as he won a twelve round decision. Tommy took six months off but upon his return he registered a 1984 decision o