Any recollections of Johnny Persol?

I remember him ,he was a muscular ,broad shouldered guy looked good beat Eddie Cotton ,Harold Johnson,and heavies like Amos Lincoln,he had a pretty short career ,seemd to fade rather quickly ,dont know why.

 

Johnny was a very, very good boxer but he had NO chin and couldn`t take a big shot to save his life. However, if you didn`t knock him out he was a very difficult guy to outbox. I believe he was also an outstanding amateur fighter, and had loads of amateur fights if I am not mistaken before even turning pro. Perhaps having all those amateur fights had something to do with his having a short pro career, as the wear and tear caught up to him not too long after he went pro.

 

I saw the Persol - Jimmy Ellis fight on home TV when Ellis (a blown-up middleweight) knocked out Persol in one round.

That victory got Ellis into the:
Elimination Tournament for WBA Heavyweight Title
(Ellis-Martin/Bonavena-Mildenberger vs. Quarry-Patterson/Spencer-Terrell)

Ellis beat Persol, Leotis Martin, Bonavena, Quarry in succession, for the title, then defended against Patterson.

Too bad he then took on Joe Frazier at his absolute prime.

 

When Persol came out of the NY Gloves, he was gonna follow in a long line of guys that were gonna be the next Robinson: Johnny Saxton, Howard Davis, Jr., Mark Breland, Junior Jones, and on and on. But as smooth and sure-fire as they looked winning multiple titles in the gloves, some piece of the puzzle was always missing.

At a weigh-in, Persol was magnificent looking -- huge shoulders, long arms, and a straight, lightening fast combination puncher in the ring. Early on, he did conjure-up SRR.

If memory serves, he had to hang'em up because of an eye injury.

 

My impression was that he was very quick and a good boxer, but had a weak chin.

 

Your statement that Johnny Persol "had no chin" is inaccurate. Johnny Persol was one of the greatest light heavies of the '60s whose career ended prematurely due to a detached retina. In fact, recently, Persol was given a belt entitled "The Uncrowned Light Heavyweight Champion." Persol won the golden gloves twice in his amateur career and never lost a fight as such. Early in his pro career he beat several past world champions, and he moved to the heavyweight division because the light heavyweight champion would not give him a title shot. Although a light heavy, Johnny Persol beat numerous heavyweights including Von Clay and Amos "Big Train" Lincoln. He was ranked by Ring Magazine in two divisions at the same time: Number 4 lightheavyweight and number 10 heavyweight. Every fight Johnny Persol lost was because he could not see because of the detached retina. Also, keep in mind that while Jimmy Ellis beat Persol and went on to become the next Heavyweight Champion after Ali was strippped from the title, Johnny Persol beat Jimmy Ellis in his first golden glove title. Johnny Persol was one of the most colorful fighters who mastered every aspect of the game from jabbing, counter punching and overall ring generalship. Had he not suffered a detached retina, he would have been at least a light heavyweight champion as no other figther could match his speed or boxing abilty.

 

Persol was a good fighter. He did well against some of the best most dangerous lightheavyweights of that era in Eddie Cotton, Allen Thomas, Drew with henry Hank, and beat a 36 year old Harold Johnson.



I would have liked to see persol take on bob foster, prime harold johnson, and mauro mina. Both him and Mina suffered the same injury that derailed their careers

 

raggin bull knows his stuff

 

Johnny also beat ex middleweight champ, Bobo Olson. This fight is available for purchase. Just goggle Johnny Persol. Also, you seem to know your stuff too. How do you know so much about Johnny Persol from the '60s?

 

As has been posted, Persol had a real hot streak going in the '60s
until the night he met Jimmy Ellis in MSG on the undercard of the Zora Folley-Muhamad Ali title fight in March of 1967.

The Ali fight was nationally televised that night, and when it ended early, to fill the remaining time, the network showed the taped replay of Ellis and Persol.

Ellis absolutely destroyed Persol in one round. Angelo Dundee commentated on the replay and was so proud of Ellis.

Remember it like it was yesterday.

 

However, at the time Johnny Persol was a light heavyweight fighting as a heavyweight because Jose Torres, the light heavyweight champion, would not give Persol a fight for the title. The only reason Ellis beat Persol that night was because Johnny Persol had double vision and could not see. Even Gil Clancy states that the only fights Persol lost were the ones he could not see. Finally, unlike punch drunk Joe Frazier, and Jimmy Ellis before he died, Johnny still has a great mind and looks good.

 

Jimmy Ellis has not passed away to my knowledge.

He is a very fine gentleman still active in his community, the last I heard.

 

Persol is doing very well in fights I have seen against Olson and Hank, but in the second Jimmy Dupree fight he has absolutly no punch resistance. Sad sight, at least he did not fight on.

Woller

 

Sorry, but this made me laugh.