Ken Norton Passes Away

Norton was  on the receiving end of some questionable decisions in his fights with Ali...

Norton against Larry Holmes was one of the greatest fights I ever witnessed.  It was close and they both gave it their best effort... it is hard to believe many fighters could dish out more pain and absorb more punishment giving Boxing fans one of the great heavyweight fights of all time... IMO. 





FILE - In this Sept. 10, 1973, file photo, Muhammad Ali, right, winces as Ken Norton hits him with a left to the head during their re-match at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Norton, a former heavyweight champion, has died, his son said, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013. He was 70. Photo: File

FILE - In this June 9, 1978, file photo, Ken Norton, right, follows through with his right as Larry Holmes misses during an early round of their heavyweight championship fight in Las Vegas. Norton, a former heavyweight champion, has died, his son said, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013. He was 70. (AP Photo/File_ Photo: AP

Former heavyweight champion Norton dies

By TIM DAHLBERG, AP Boxing Writer

 
LAS VEGAS (AP) — He was the second man to beat Muhammad Ali, breaking Ali's jaw and sending him to the hospital in their 1973 heavyweight fight.

Ken Norton frustrated Ali three times in all, including their final bout at Yankee Stadium where he was sure he had beaten him once again.
Norton, who died Wednesday at the age of 70, lost that fight for the heavyweight title. But he was forever linked to Ali for the 39 rounds they fought over three fights, with very little separating one man from the other in the ring.
 
He beat a lot of guys," said Ed Schuyler Jr., who covered many of Norton's fights for The Associated Press. "He gave Ali fits because Ali let him fight coming forward instead of making him back up."

Norton is the only heavyweight champion never to win the title in the ring, and boxing fans still talk about the bruising battle he waged with Larry Holmes for the title in 1978.

But it was his first fight with Ali that made the former Marine a big name and the two fights that followed that were his real legacy.

Few gave Norton, who possessed a muscular, sculpted body, much of a chance against Ali in their first meeting, held at the Sports Arena in San Diego, where Norton lived. But his awkward style and close-in pressing tactics confused Ali, who fought in pain after his jaw was broken.


"Norton was unorthodox," Kilroy said. "Instead of jabbing from above like most fighters he would put his hand down and jab up at Ali."

Norton finished with a record of 42-7-1 and 33 knockouts. He would later embark on an acting career, appearing in several movies, and was a commentator at fights.


Norton, born Aug. 9, 1943, in Jacksonville, Ill., started boxing when he was in the Marines, and began his pro career after his release from duty in 1967.  He lost only once in his early fights but had fought few fighters of any note when he was selected to meet Ali.

After that bruising first bout, they faced off two more times, including the final fight at Yankee Stadium on a night when police were on strike and many in the crowd feared for their safety. The fight went 15 rounds and Ali won a decision.
 
His fight against Holmes in 1978 at Caesars Palace was his last big hurrah, with the two heavyweights going back and forth, trading huge blows inside a steamy pavilion in the hotel's back lot. The fight was still up for grabs in the 15th round and both fighters reached inside themselves to deliver one of the more memorable final rounds in heavyweight history.

When the decision was announced, two ringside judges favored Holmes by one point while the third favored Norton by a point.
 
Norton fought only five more times after losing his title to Holmes. His final fight came Nov. 5, 1981, when he was knocked out in the first round by Gerry Cooney at Madison Square Garden.





  

 

MANDINGO! ( Full Length Movie Feature, 1978 )

 

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Link:  http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Former-heavyweight-champion-Norton-dies-4825866.php

Mayweather bout judge stepping away from ring By KEN RITTER, Associated Press

In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 14, 2012, boxing judge Cynthia C.J. Ross, left, waits to hand her scorecard to the referee after the seventh round of the fight between Canelo Alvarez and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas. Ross is temporarily stepping away from the ring after drawing widespread criticism for scoring the fight a draw when two other judges scored Mayweather the clear winner.

 Photo: Eric Jamison 

 

 LAS VEGAS (AP) — A veteran Nevada boxing judge who drew widespread criticism after scoring a weekend title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez a draw is giving up her ringside job, at least temporarily.

 

Ross scored the world 152-pound title fight a 114-114 draw on Saturday night, but Mayweather won a majority decision after two other judges scored Mayweather the clear winner. Those scorecards had the fight 116-112 and 117-111 for Mayweather, who remained an undefeated 45-0.

Ross also drew attention as one of two judges who scored Timothy Bradley the winner in a controversial split-decision welterweight title bout over Manny Pacquiao in June 2012 in Las Vegas.

State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer said Wednesday he respected Ross' decision to take time off and appreciated her more than 20 years of service to boxing.


Ross, a retired casino surveillance official and mechanical designer, said she has been scoring fights for 22 years and estimated that she had judged more than 30 previous championship bouts.

She defended her scoring of the 12-round Mayweather-Alvarez fight.

Ross said she thought second-guessing on social media has changed boxing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Link:  http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/sports/article/Mayweather-bout-judge-stepping-away-from-ring-4824473.php#photo-5203196

 

 

BOXING

Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, foe of Mayweather, stirs fan fervor

The 23-year-old is expected to be the crowd favorite in his title fight at Las Vegas' MGM Grand against Floyd Mayweather Jr. A promoter compares his popularity to Fernandomania.

By Lance Pugmire



LAS VEGAS — All the measuring sticks show that Saul "Canelo" Alvarez's popularity continues to rise to almost unprecedented levels.


The 23-year-old Mexican star will be the crowd favorite Saturday night inside the MGM Grand, site of Alvarez's junior-middleweight world title fight against unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. for which $20.03 million in tickets — a U.S. boxing record — sold in one hour.

Alvarez promoter Richard Schaefer said that the sports director of Mexico television network Televisa, Alberto Sosa, expects the Mayweather-Alvarez fight to be one of the most widely viewed events in the country's television history.

Mexico's tourism board joined Corona beer as one of the bout's lead sponsors, with each investing more than $1 million, Schaefer said.

And Showtime, which is handling the Mayweather-Alvarez bout pay-per-view sales ($65 to $75), said U.S. sales of the fight broadcast could break the record of $137 million set by the Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya fight in 2007.

Alvarez "is a phenomenon and it's developed almost into a mania," Showtime Sports Executive Vice President Stephen Espinoza said. "The last time you saw this in this country with a Mexican-born athlete was probably Fernando Valenzuela. It's a similar-type hysteria in the Mexican audience."
Last spring, Alvarez rejected an opportunity to fight on the undercard of the Mayweather-Robert Guerrero fight at MGM. Instead, betting on his growing popularity, Alvarez opted to headline his own boxing card against little-known Austin Trout at San Antonio's Alamodome. Alvarez filled the place with a crowd of 40,000.

"The English-language, mainstream audience has now found out about this redheaded guy, and it's catching on like wildfire," Espinoza said of Alvarez. "What started as interest from the Mexican American audience is now meeting this pent-up demand for a new, fresh face in boxing. He's good-looking, is humble and above all is a very skilled boxer."

Nearly four years ago, Alvarez caught the attention of Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions when its representatives learned a freckle-faced teen nicknamed "Cinnamon" was knocking out foes and drawing television ratings close to those of the Mexican national soccer team.

Alvarez takes a 42-0-1 record, with 30 knockouts, into the bout against the 36-year-old Mayweather (44-0, 26 KOs).

But are Alvarez's strength, size and youth advantages enough to propel him to victory against the faster, more experienced Mayweather?

"No one wants to miss the fight that Floyd loses, and this could be it," Espinoza said.

"I'm not here just to fight," Alvarez said through a Spanish interpreter this week. "I'm here ready to win."

Alvarez has the fight he has long sought. And if he can do what no other boxer has done, and defeats Mayweather — who is more than a 2-1 betting favorite — Alvarez's popularity could reach previous Manny Pacquiao-like peaks.
Mayweather isn't lacking confidence going into the bout. He chided Alvarez for accepting a lower guaranteed purse of $5 million, compared to Mayweather's $41.5-million guarantee, and he forced Alvarez to agree to fight at a catchweight of 152 pounds, two pounds below the usual junior-middleweight limit of 154 pounds.

But Golden Boy executives say Alvarez's ultimate purse for the bout could climb to $12 million or beyond with pay-per-view bonuses. As for making the weight limit, Alvarez said Wednesday he weighed 153 pounds, with the weigh-in scheduled for Friday.

Ready or not, he has Mayweather.

"Mexicans were waiting for their next idol who can connect with the people, like Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. did," Schaefer said. "He's the total package —- the hair, the freckles, his fighting style, how he adjusts. It all fits."

Schaefer said the ascending popularity of Alvarez, with likely more than a decade left in his fighting career, was considered during negotiations of the deal with Mayweather. In addition, Mayweather routinely generates about 1 million pay-per-view buys.

Alvarez "really wanted the fight and entry to the club as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world," Schaefer said. "Floyd paid that same price when he accepted a few million to Oscar's $50-million [purse] in 2007.

"It's a good deal for Canelo. If he wins, it's a game-changer in the sport. If he loses, he's still bigger than he ever was. Already, 'Canelo-mania has swept the country."
Schaefer said Thursday that closed-circuit and merchandising sales for the Mayweather-Alvarez bout have eclipsed records for Golden Boy fights.

"The way I fight, my personality, I guess I satisfy them with my victories," Alvarez said of his fans. "The only way I can repay them is with a victory."
And that is his plan for Saturday night.

"Without a doubt, I'm going to win," Alvarez said. "I'm a firm believer that you only get nervous when you don't prepare or work hard. So I don't have nerves. Money doesn't matter to me, only winning."

 

Source:  Los Angeles Times

 

 Link:

 http://www.latimes.com/sports/boxing/la-sp-canelo-alvarez-20130913,0,3890889.story#axzz2ek0LLNDh

 

 

 

 

Floyd Mayweather THE FAVORITE in upcoming fight against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez

 

"Money" Mayweather is not only the superlative defensive boxer who can punch and give many different looks in the Ring... he is a pretty good money making machine for the cable Sportscasters.  Remember  his Uncle Roger was known for knocking out all the great Mexican Champions of his day.  Floyd has more talent than Roger and no one would like to see the Gravy Train come to an end.  My guess is that Floyd will find a way to offset the 23 yer old Canelo's strength and punching power. 


Shayne Mosley said nice things about Canelo but hinted that Floyd may have too much poise and talent for the kid to overcome. He said if Floyd gets his groove on, he will outpoint Canelo down the stretch because once he figures his opponent out, he becomes unhitable and unleashes his big punches at will.  Shayne says Canelo needs to 'jump on' Floyd immediately and keep up the pressure.  Unfortunately, CANELO IS A SLOW STARTER.

Let's hope the fight does not have the kind of end where Floyd sucker punched Victor Ortiz.  That was a real stinker...

How do you preserve Canelo's marketability and still see Floyd win?  AT 23 YEARS OLD CANELO HAS PLENTY OF TIME TO REDEEM HIMSELF.

The Wall Street Journal HAS A VERY GOOD ARTICLE THAT PRAISES FLOYD AND HARDLY TALKS ABOUT HIS OPPONENT'S TALENT:

..........................

 

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Floyd Mayweather Jr. dodges a punch from Juan Manuel Marquez in a 2009 bout using his patented shoulder roll.

Las Vegas
 

Floyd Mayweather: The Fighter That Nobody Can Punch

The Boxer's Rules of Elusion: Shoulder Roll, Check Hook, Jab

Every generation or two, a boxing champion captures the imagination of his peers.

Fighters in the 1970s looked to mimic Muhammad Ali, dancing around the ring with their hands down, flicking jabs. In the 1990s there were Mike Tyson wannabes.

Now, in almost every parlor of sweat and punch, you are sure to encounter amateurs and pros inching forward with their chin tucked, shoulders narrow—as though between two panes of glass—and left hand down at a 90-degree angle. They are practicing the sweet science perfected by Floyd Mayweather Jr. 

 
On Saturday in Las Vegas, in a bout sure to be one of the biggest financial bonanzas in fistic history, Mayweather (44-0, 26 knockouts) will scrap with 23-year-old Mexican sensation Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (42-0-1, 30 knockouts).

A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Mayweather hails from a city and family famous for its fighters. Hall of Famers Stanley Ketchel and Wes Ramey, to say nothing of Buster Mathis and Tony Tucker, developed their craft in Grand Rapids, as did Floyd Mayweather Sr. and his brothers Roger and Jeff.

All three of the senior Mayweathers were elite professionals, but the eldest, Floyd Mayweather Sr., was the one who taught his son the inimitable fighting form that "Money" Mayweather banks on. As Sugar Ray Leonard—who defeated Floyd Sr. in 1978—pointed out, "Floyd Jr. fights just like his dad. It is just that Junior hits harder!"

One needs to be a history detective to trace boxing techniques to their sinewy point of origin. Henry Grooms, who managed Floyd Mayweather Sr. for a good part of his career, contends that the style "was really one that Floyd Sr. developed on his own." Floyd Sr., who had his son in the gym at 10, said, "I picked a lot of it from Bob Tucker," the father and trainer of former heavyweight champion, Tony Tucker.

Floyd Jr.'s uncle and longtime trainer, Roger Mayweather, disagrees. "It was Dale and Mitch in Kalamazoo," he said.

Informed of the conflicting accounts, Mayweather Jr. chuckled, "To be honest, I think it was a style that came from all the great gyms in Detroit," he said.

Either way, the younger Mayweather describes his ring method as one based on "timing and inches." "You have to stay in the pocket, behind the left shoulder," he said.

The move widely associated with the Mayweather style, the shoulder roll, goes back to Walcott, Robinson and Moore. When Alvarez launches his powerful right hand on Saturday night, Mayweather likely will roll his left shoulder to the right with the incoming punch.

This technique doesn't tie up a fighter's hands and leaves him in perfect position to return fire.

All sweet scientists know the jab is an offensive and defensive weapon. A boxer uses it to attack and set up the big blows but also to gain separation.
Mayweather said he has "at least" three different jabs: a regular jab, an up-jab and a punch that his dad tabs the spear jab.

With the up-jab, Mayweather's left is held low and he simply whips it up like a stick at his rival's chin. As for the spear jab, "you slip inside the other guy's left and throw a hard jab."

After a pause, and with a twinkle in his eye, Mayweather added, "You will see a lot of fighters move to their left and jab, but I do something no one else does—I walk out to my right and jab."

The best pure boxer of this era, Mayweather, 36, can be vulnerable to the jab, something he remains wary of. "The left hook is the punch that can knock you out because you don't see it coming," he said. "I keep my right hand by my cheek to catch the hook. But I don't try to catch the jab."

Mayweather sports one of the best counter right hands in the history of boxing. Poke at him with a left and he will pull away, load up his power on his back leg and crack a right that will give any fighter pause about punching. Asked how he became so impossibly good with this shot, Mayweather grins, "God-given talent, I guess." And 25 years of practice.

For those who attack bull-like such as Ricky Hatton, whom Mayweather defeated in 2007, Mayweather has the "check hook," a devastating punch from a bygone era. Here, Mayweather slides a step in retreat, coils the springs of his back leg and unleashes a left hook that comes from outside his opponent's field of vision.

Balance is often the factor that distinguishes the good boxer from the great one. Mayweather is seldom off kilter. As elusive as a wraith in the ring, he prides himself on his unpredictable movements and balletic pivots. Pressed to the ropes, he will invariably slip under incoming blows, pivot out and reverse positions.

When most boxers release their power shots, they tend to tip forward and get off balance. Mayweather, however, can detonate multiple right hands without ever falling off the beam of punching position. On this point, he boasts, "Go back and watch my [2003] knockout of Phillip Ndou. I did it with four right hands in a row!"

The CompuBox numbers attest to Mayweather's supremacy. Bob Canobbio, founder of CompuBox, said that in his last 10 bouts, "Mayweather has a punch connect percentage of 41. The only one with a higher rate is Alvarez (42%)."
"However," Canobbio added, "Alvarez has not faced anything close to the same level of competition as Mayweather."

On the defensive side, Mayweather's opponents have only landed 17% of their punches. "The number that counts the most is what I call the 'plus/minus,'" Canobbio said. "You subtract the rate of punches that hit you from your connect rate." With a plus/minus of 24, Mayweather reigns as the statistical king of the ring.

Mayweather's core strength is his uncanny ability to anticipate punches, said legendary trainer Brother Naazim Richardson. "I don't look anywhere in particular when I'm fighting," Mayweather said. "I scan their whole body and in about two rounds I have them figured out."

Unlike some of his boxing brethren, Mayweather has no urge to acquire the macho credentials that come with being able to absorb punishment. With a glance that belies an appreciation for the perils of the gloved game, he said, 

"Defense is an art and with a great defense you can last a lot longer in this sport."

A version of this article appeared September 11, 2013, on page D7 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: The Fighter That Nobody Can Punch.

Kitten Speed Bag

 

Muhammad Ali-’cat’

June 15, 2012 Posted by seattle99 | cats/dogs/goats/bears/whatever, gif | Alley-cat, boxing, cat, gig, humor, Muhammad Ali 

 

Float like a Butterfly, Sting like a Bee

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.; January 17, 1942) is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist.

Ali was both idolized and vilified.

Originally known as Cassius Clay, Ali changed his name, after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964, the same year his friend Malcolm X would leave, subsequently converting to traditional Islam; Ali would follow suit in the ’70s.

In 1967, three years after Ali had won the World Heavyweight Championship, he was publicly vilified for his refusal to be conscripted into the U.S. military, based on his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War – “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong… No Vietcong ever called me nigger” – one of the more telling remarks of the era.
~
Ali is generally considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time by boxing commentators and historians.

Ring Magazine, a prominent boxing magazine, named him NUMBER 1 in a 1998 ranking of GREATEST heavyweights from ALL ERAS.
~
You can read more of this extrodinary man’s life, HERE:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali .

Marijuana Argument Given By Superior Court Judge James P. Gray

Th8is is an old video but little has changed in most states....

 uploaded on Oct 28, 2009


 

Retired Superior Court Judge James P. Gray testifies in favor of a marijuana legalization bill in the California Assembly on October 28, 2009. Judge Gray is a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, which any citizen can join for free at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/

• Category

  Education

• License

  Standard YouTube License

 Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKgY5eOlhEc

Muhammad Ali

“I know where I’m going and I know the truth, and I don’t have to be what you want me to be.
I’m free to be what I want.”
― Muhammad Ali

Migraines 'can cause permanent brain damage'

This article tells us how delicate our brain really is... and yet we design sports that involve the kind of collisions that injure this vital organ.  

 .....................

 29 Aug 2013

Migraines 'can cause permanent brain damage'

Migraines can cause permanent brain damage, especially in those who experience flashing lights before the onset, a study has found.

Experts have discovered that migraines, which affect 10 to 15 per cent of the population, raise the risk of “white matter” brain lesions and altered brain volume compared with people without the disorder.


The association was even stronger in those with migraine with aura — when there is a warning sign before the migraine begins. Dr Messoud Ashina, one of the study’s authors from the University of Copenhagen, said:

“Traditionally, migraine has been considered a benign disorder without long-term consequences for the brain. Our review and meta-analysis study suggests that the disorder may permanently alter brain structure in multiple ways.”

Dr Ashina reviewed 19 studies to see whether people who experienced migraine had an increased risk of brain lesions, silent abnormalities or brain volume changes on MRI brain scans compared with those without the condition.

The results showed that migraine with aura increased the risk of white matter brain lesions by 68 per cent and migraine with no aura increased the risk by 34 per cent.

The risk for brain abnormalities increased by 44 per cent for those with migraine with aura compared with those without aura. Brain volume changes were also more common in people with migraine and migraine with aura than those with no migraines.

Dr Ashina hopes the study will provide insight into the lasting effects of regular migraines on the brain. He said: 

“Migraine can cause a substantial personal, occupational and social burden.  

We hope that through more study, we can clarify the association of brain structure changes to attack frequency and length of the disease. 

We also want to find out how these lesions may influence brain function.”
 

(Edited by Andrew Marszal)




Source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10271060/Migraines-can-cause-permanent-brain-damage.html

 

BATTROBORG - MOTION CONTROLLED BATTLING ROBOTS

 

Remote Control Fighting Robot Cyborgs - Tomy BattroBorg 20 #DigInfo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMSxhspcFIg

Battroborg updates Rock'em Sock'em Robots for the Wii generation, we go hands-on  

By Terrence O'Brien posted Jan 25th, 2013 

When Battroborg hit shelves in Japan last June we were, admittedly, a tad jealous. Where were our tiny, motion controlled boxing bots? Well, if you can be just a bit more patient, the vicious little toys should be landing stateside in time for Christmas.  

... beyond the obvious Wii and Rock'em Sock'em Robots comparisons, what's it like piloting these puny pugilists through battle?

When Tomy rep, Jamie Kieffer, took out the Battroborgs we were immediately struck by how small they were.   ... at about two or three inches tall, they're damn-near pocketable, which was a tad unexpected, we'd say they were cute. 

Their exceptionally light plastic bodies have two arms with joints at the elbow and shoulder, which allow them to throw straight rights and jabs. 

We also discovered, accidentally, that if you pop the elbow joint out of place you can "teach" the little guys to throw a hook.  

  ...accelerometers that translate your furious flurries into robot rights and lefts.

Operation is pretty simple. 
   

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/25/battroborg-updates-rockem-sockem-robots-for-the-wii-generation/ 

 

With Battroborgs, you punch using hand-held radio controllers.

By ROY FURCHGOTT

---

August 27, 2013

Forget the Punching Bag, Try the Robots

By ROY FURCHGOTT

Battroborgs, an electronic update of the old Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots toy, are a lot of fun, and hardly need the hype that the marketing team for the toy has thrown at it. 

The advertising, Web site, and the free Battroborg Trainer app show animations that variously make the Battroborgs look as if they shoot sparks, use martial arts moves and have light-up eyes. They don’t. 

They do two things: Throw a punch with the left, and throw a punch with the right. 

And that’s plenty enough to have fun. 

You punch using hand-held radio controllers. Hold one in each hand, and when you throw a punch, the Battroborg does too. Alternating lefts and rights move the robot forward. Throwing repeated punches with one arm turns the Battroborg. It can take a little bit of practice just to get them in fighting proximity. 

The toy also comes with a “fight arena,” something like a boxing ring, which can be set up so the ropes restrict the toys to advancing toward each other, a help to wee ones impatient to get to the punching. 

When a Battroborg takes a punch, a light on its backpack signals the level of damage until blinking red signals it’s game over and shuts down the Battroborg. 

There is also a single-play mode, “Auto Drone,” that lets you play against a Battroborg throwing automated punches. 

Some of the marketing hype is in good fun. The head of the Battroborg, where you aim your punches, is referred to invariably as the “Neurocranial-Optic Visor.” The on/off switch is on the “Triton Processor.” Cardboard cutouts you can practice punching with are “Training Drones.” 

The toy kept two adults entertained for a good 15 minutes, which would have been longer except for looming deadlines — and the fact that the batteries need a recharge at about 20 minutes. A full recharge also takes about 20 minutes. 

The Battroborg play set is $80 with the arena and two Battroborgs. Additional Battroborgs are $35. 

 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/29/technology/personaltech/forget-the-punching-bag-try-the-robot.html

Link: http://us.battroborg.com/#content/en/home.html