Biologist Thomas Huxley once wrote, “Misery is a match that never goes out.” Huxley was, of course, referring to the sort of match that lights a candle or a powder keg, and definitely not a boxing match, but, lacking any sort of potential pop and with bouts unending, uneventful, last night’s local smoker at Crowne Plaza in [...]
The Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) has announced the winners of its annual Bernies (formerly “Barneys”) contest, which each year recognizes the best writing about boxing by BWAA members. The strong field of prize-winning works appeared during 2012 in a wide range of print and online outlets and shows that boxing journalism is as vital [...]
Full gallery of shots in black & white . . . |more| Fight report with shots by Jose Leon Castillo . . . |more|
“Albuquerque, I’m still your hometown champion . . . .” Those were the words Johnny Tapia never failed to yell into the camera, in between the rounds of his countless TV fights. That and “I love you, Grandma, Grampa.” Those two sentences said more about the man than his 162 amateur bouts (150-12), two National [...]
New Mexico’s greatest hometown fighter has passed away. Former five-time world champion Johnny Tapia was found dead in his home today.
Roman Gonzalez, pictured above with former champ, fellow countryman Ricardo Mayorga was one of the fighters who made weight at today’s event in Las Vegas. Gonzalez will be defending his WBA 108-pound belt against Omar Soto . . . that is, if Soto can find away to shed four pounds without sawing off his leg. [...]
With little ill will and drama between main eventers Rafael Marquez and Toshiaki Nishioka, today’s presser at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas might’ve been called the Johnny Tapia and Ricardo Mayorga show. Quote of the day? While sitting down with “Mi Vida Loca,” Tapia looked over at Mayorga, laughed, and said, “He’s a loon.” [...]
Flashback to October 7, 2000: Johnny Tapia (left) and Paulie Ayala duke it out in their second meeting at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Newly-crowned WBA 154-pound champ Austin Trout is making Chris Cozzone’s life harder. Cozzone, hard at work on a book on the history of boxing in New Mexico, will now have to elongate the massive project for Trout recently became the fourth New Mexican (male) to win a world title – the first three being Bobby [...]
5.11.10, Albuquerque, N.M.: One fighter may be coming off a cream-puff win over a former sparring partner; the other, a narrow escape and win over an opponent with an overwhelmingly crappy record. In this rematch, none of that matters. Sure, both, five-time world champ Johnny Tapia and former contender Frankie Archuleta, have seen better days. [...]