http://xoteria.com/CH1.html Must see. Gleason talks about 2-ton and others including Jack Johnson, SRR.
A great one Phys..Gleason loved the sport...and knew all the champs going back to Dempsey. He jokingly took exception to Cassius Clay calling himself "The Greatest"..Gleason was often referred to as "The Great One"..
Thanks. Yeah I think Clay/Ali and Gleason had some verbal sparring over the use of "the greatest" back in the day. Interesting that Jackie's mates let him get into it with 2-ton when they knew who he was--some friends. Jackie did some Am boxing, and was thin[ner] when young when this happened, but still 2-ton had dropped Joe Louis, so someone should have warned jackie. Coulda been killed--no gloves used here! OTOH, should 2-ton not have been arrested with the hands as lethal/legal weapons dictum? Just saying. Because it sounded like Jackie was just talking when 2-ton suckered him. Coulda been killed.
Galento probably didn't hit him with full power. Just a little tap from a man like that would be enough to send most street guys to sleep. Galento was a pure street-fighter, the roughest toughest as Rocky said, even in the ring he barely followed the Queensberry rules.
Yeah, but at least in the ring, he'd be wearing gloves. And 2-ton was real foul. All he had to do, and shoulda done, is to tell Jackie, "Do you know who I am?" and not jumped at the chance to do what he did. I thought most fighters were cautious about such things precisely because of the law and the "hands as lethal weapons."
Gleason used to get loud when loaded he got into a row with Graziano in a restaurant ,[Toots Shors] ? ,called him punchy ,and Rocky ko'd him.
Yeah, Gleason had his own reputation as trouble-finder. I'd take his version of events regarding the Galento set-to with a pinch of salt.
found a mention in this book [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Jacobs-Beach-Mob-Fights-Fifties/dp/1605981230/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top[/ame] thanks again, gents
