Mike Rossman vs Gary Summerhays - Golden Age Of LHW's From Madison Square Garden w/ Ali

Rossman had some skills. Heard from people that were around him he was a bit of a jerk.

 

Yes, he was a jerk.

 

When Mike Rossman beat Victor Galindez for his light heavyweight title on the Ali-Spinks II undercard, Bob Arum proposed that Ali make the first defense in 1979 against the light heavy champ Rossman.

Arum wanted to sell it as the "The Muslim vs The Jew."

(Which would've been particularly volatile given the times: Egypt vs Israel, Shah of Iran being overthrown and fleeing the country, hostage crisis in Iran, etc. )

Ali declined.

 

Good stuff Russell!
Somehow i missed it first time around, no doubt due to certain people, with their 5-6 Heavyweight threads daily, pushing it down to page 2.

 

Never really got into Rossman. He did come off as fairly full of himself. He has good skills and a bit of pop but he ran into a bit of threshing machine in that era of truly hard men. For some reason, I wish he had fought Camel (who I do like quite a bit)...

 

Playboy Mag did a good interview of Rossman back in the mid 70's. He and Mike Quarry had a tough 3 bout series with Rossman winning Fight 2 & 3.

Link to Rossman v Ali proposed fight:
https://newspaperarchive.com/cumberland-news-oct-31-1978-p-12/

 

Thought they fought 3 times with Mike winning the first?

 

You are rt. Fixed it. Thanks.

 

I agree with RC. Something about Rossman's family along with Mike beating some guy to a pulp, dumping him into the trunk of their car and dumping off the side of the road somewhere. Help me with the facts here. My late friend loved Rossman and, even tho I knew Victor was 'long in the tooth', when Rossman stopped him in the first fight I had to endure my friend's crowing afterwards which left a pit in my stomach. Fortunately Victor laid the wood to him in the rematch so I was able to do a little crowing myself .
Sidebar: Being an Indy boy, we saw all of Marvin's early pro fights at the downtown Armory. They pan fed Marvin with beatable opponents early on. In his 7th or 8th fight they brought Summerhays to town, Marvin's first viable opponent. We were upstairs (which was the place to be at the Armory). Marvin hit Gary with everything but the proverbial kitchen sink but Summerhays was going nowhere. Clear UD for Johnson. Exciting nite! When we were leaving I told my bud: "These Canucks can sure take a wallop".

 

Mike Quarry won the first of a 3-bout series, I would have bet on 'Mike' Every time. I Know Mike Nixon, I also would have bet on 'Mike"