Eugene 'Cyclone' Hart

Philly,,,,,,,,

I was being 'sarcastic',,,, sorry about that.

Cyclone taking on Boogaloo, another tough battle.

Cyclone Hart following the loss to Willie Monroe in February 1974, moves to
Catskill, New York - to train at Cus D'Amato's 'Gym Facility'.

The plan, to train hard to get down to the 154 lb. Light-Middleweight Division,
where the lean 5' 11 1/2" tall - Eugene Hart wouldn't have to tangle with the stronger 160 lb.
Middleweights.

The weight contract for the bout versus Bobby 'Boogaloo' Watts was agreed upon at 157 lbs.

The upcoming bout for Cyclone Hart, now 23, was extremly important, as a loss would surely
send him tumbling out of the Top 20 rankings, where he was currently ranked as the #19 Middleweight,
following the February 1974 loss to Willie 'The Worm' Monroe.

 

July 15, 1974

The Spectrum, Philadelphia

'The Battle of the North Philly Friends'

Promoter, Russell Peltz, matches the 'two' friends, in a battle for the Neighborhood Championship'

#19 (Middleweight) - Eugene 'Cyclone' Hart - 24-3-0 (23 KO's) {Age; 23...Height; 5' 11 1/2"...Weight; 157 lbs.}
vs.
#13 (Light-Middleweight) - Bobby 'Boogaloo' Watts- 23-3-1 (10 KO's) {Age; 24 1/2...Height; 6' 0 1/2"...Weight; 157 lbs.}

Attendance; 11,500

The 'skinny' on Bobby 'Boogaloo' Watts, another North Philly fighter. The opposite of Cyclone Hart,
as Bobby who campaigned as a 154 lb. Light-Middleweight, wanted to move uo to Middleweight,
where the fight purse money was better. Another tall 'rail-thin' fighter, 'Boogaloo' usually fought
at the 156 lbs. range.

Watts, with a 23-3-1 (10 KO's) record, was ranked as the (#13 Light-Middleweight).
In his last '11' bouts, Bobby had gone 9-1-1, but had only registered '3' Knockouts.
Though a pretty good puncher - at the time he was not regarded as a 'knockout-puncher',
but more of a mover-boxer, and a difficult guy to figure out in the ring with what he called
was a 'shake-n-bake' style.

A busy fighter in 1973 with '6' fights (all wins), 'Boogaloo' then disappeared for '8-months',
and this will be his 'first-bout' in 1974. In his last bout (December 1973), Bobby struggled
with New Jersey Middleweight, southpaw 'club-fighter' Mario Rosa, and won a 'disputed' (W Split-Dec 10)
in a bout held at the Felt Forum in New York City.

 

July 15, 1974

" The 'Boogaloo' Shakes-and-Bakes the Cyclone in One"

Bobby 'Boogaloo' Watts wasted no time in 'flattening' his friend
'Cyclone' Hart, at 2:49 of the '1st-Round'.

In front of 11,000 Spectrum fans, most from North Philly, to root
their two local favorite boxers on, a shocking end to an anticipated 10-Round fight
occurred.

'Boogaloo' abandoned his usual dancing and moving style, to go toe-to-toe
with one of the hardest hitting Middleweights in boxing today.

For 'two-minutes', the two 'North Philly' bangers go at it, in 'rock-em-sock-em' exchanges.
Near the end of the 1st-Round, after a mid-Ring exchange, Watts uncorked a right-hand
that staggered Hart, who then backed up.

There, 'Boogaloo' unloaded a lightning '5-punch' flurry, which all landed,
dropping the Cyclone to the canvas, who then rolled under the lower ring ropes, and
on to the ring apron.

Hart who was out momentarily, tried to get up to get back in the ring, but his
leg was caught on the ring apron strap, and he was unable to return
to ring as referee Hank Cisco administered the '10-second count'.

Bobby 'Boogaloo' Watts was awarded the 1st-Round Knockout at 2:49 of the Round.

Cyclone Hart, upon returning in the ring, complained, that his leg was caught in the apron-strap,
and that he had injured his leg, preventing him from getting back in the ring.

This content is protected

 

August 26, 1974

Felt Forum, Madison Square Garden, New York City

* Eugene 'Cyclone' Hart 24-4-0 (23 KO's)
vs.
* Eddie 'The Flame' Gregory 8-1-1 (5 KO's)

The "Skinny',

Cyclone Hart, after suffering 'back-to-back' losses, has dropped out of the Top 20
Middleweight Rankings, and will not drop down to 154 lbs. Light-Middleweight
like he had planned, and will compete at Middleweight.

In a 'Semi Main-Event' at the Felt Forum, 'Cyclone' desperately needs a good win,
and former 1971/1972 Amateur Champion Eddie Gregory looks to be a 'good target'.

Eddie 'The Flame' Gregory, from Brooklyn, is a promising Middleweight. The 22 year-old,
who only two-years earlier, was campaigning as a 147 lb. Welterweight in the amateurs,
is now a solid 6' 0" 160 lb. Middleweight, but has only fought in '10' Pro-bouts.

In his last bout, in May 1974 and in France, 'The Flame' held World-rated Nessim Max Cohen to
a 10-Round Draw.

 

Lord Tywin,

Correct on the photo,,,,,,I cannot download the photo's from the

Boogaloo Watts 'knockout' over Cyclone Hart.

Cyclone later claimed an injured leg, or at least that's what his Trainer/Manager
Cus D'amato told him to say.

 

jowcol,

Eddie Gregory turned Professional in 1972 at age 20.

When he fought, Nessim Max Cohen (May 1974) he was 22, still young.

Hard to imagine, he was campaigning as a 147 lb. Welterweight when he turned
professional.

He blew it 'big time' in the Amateurs too, getting upset at the 1972 Olympic Trials.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Eddie 'The Flame' blasted out 'Cyclone' Hart by Knockout (KO 4) in that 'bizarre' August 1974
fight at the Felt Forum, Cus D'Amato cut the 'Cyclone' loose.

Three losses in a row, was too much for Cus too absorb.

 

jowcol.....

You should start a thread on the Eddie 'The Flame' Gregory

He nearly killed Eugene 'Cyclone' Hart.

The guy was afraid of no one. He was the #1 WBA Ligh-Heavyweight when he
fought James 'Great Scott' Scott in Rahway State Prison, and in line to fight
WBA Champion, Mike Rossman.

He blew another one.

 

While 1974 was a 'disaster' with '3' losses, and '2' by devastating knockout.

1975, 'Cyclone' Hart was the 'Philly Comeback Fighter of the Year'

With his first '3' bouts at The Arena, in Philadelphia.

* January 1975... KO 8... Radames Cabrera 16-1-0 (9 KO's)
* April 1975....... KO 4... Mario Rosa 16-5-0 (7 KO's)
* June 1975....... KO 6... Jesus 'Chucho' Garcia 96-35-7 (62 KO's)

The victory over Radames Cabrera was 'impressive', as Cabrera had a 10-Round
Decision win over Eddie 'The Flame' Gregory.

And, the victory over New Jersey 'southpaw' Mario Rosa was also 'impressive', as Rosa had lost a 'hairline'
Split-Decision to Bobby 'Boogaloo' Watts, and nearly knocked-out Eddie 'The Flame' Gregory,
by flooring him 'twice' before losing by a {L TKO 8}.

The '3' wins bumped the 'Cyclone' up to 27-5-0 (26 KO's), and got him moved back into
the Top 20 Middleweight rankings, at #17.