Ok, well from Thursday-Saturday I was at the International Boxing Hall Of Fame Induction Weekend, and I had a blast. I got 30 autographs and saw a good 7-8 more celebrities. I got greats such as Carmen Basilio, Alexis Arguello, Aaron Pyor, Angelo Dundee, Jose Torres, Lou Duva, Christy Martin, Leon Spinks (not a great, but still...), Michael Carbajal Ruben Olivares, Frank Cappucino, and Carlos Ortiz just to name a few. I also got Bert Sugar who was a very funny guy. I almost got Emile Griffith and Gene Fullmer, but their family said no, even though both men were reaching out for the pen and book. I enjoyed hearing lectures and Q & A with guys like Ernie Terrell, Michael Carbajal, Gerry Cooney, Ron Lyle, and Marlon Starling. I watched workout sessions with Hector "Macho" Camacho, Nate Campbell, Chazz Witherspoon, Steve Cunningham, Christy Martin, and an up and comming Austrailian fighter who's name I forgot already. Greats like Camacho and Whitaker looked me dead in the eye and blew me off, even though I was very polite about the signatures, but didn't suck up either which what they were looking for. Both of those two only signed for women (white) and were both complete jerks. Ed "Too Tall" Jones was also very stuck up, especially for only having a whopping 6 fights. Carmen Basilio smacked a guy right in the face in front of me, then turned and signed my autograph book. I was still cracking up at that as he signed. Gerry Cooney was a very funny and nice guy aswell. A lot of the champs didn't stick around for long because they were having fun just hanging out with eachother for the first time in years at the bar. I didn't mind that much that Larry was there in the period I was because I will see him later in the week anyway. A theif was amongst our ranks aswell. A book signed by people like Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton was stolen, then as great ref Frank Cappucino (who I also got and who was a very nice guy) announced his retirement as a ref was giving his speach and goodbye to being the 3rd man in the ring, someone stole his bag which was on a chair by the stage. His bag had his wallet and some very special boxing things to him. Whoever that low life is, he could get hit by a train for all I care. He ruined poor old Frank's good time. All in all it was very fun and I am glad I went. It was a great time.
Sounds like a great time. I didn't even know some of those guys were still around. But Carmen Basillio smacked a guy in the face? Smacked or punched? In fun or in anger?
I wish I could have gone myself. Glad to hear you're having fun. Sorry about the thing with Larry, but it looks as though you got to meet him if I read some of your other posts correctly.
I get to meet him about every week so it's not a big deal of not seeing him. I just feel bad that came from all over to see him.
Im glad I was never a fan of whitaker, what a peice of **** for doing that to you, you deserve better bill. keep up the training. good stuff my man. How did you get to go anyway?
Good read Bill, thanks. Some excellent insider stuff. You should have told Camacho you were a pal of redrooster! Autographs abound then
How was Cooney's health? Also, if you catch up with Holmes, let us know what his take of what happened is. I've heard at least 3 different versions and there's always two sides of a story like this. Not that Larry is so objective, but still.
My dad has been a huge boxing fan since the 60's, and we figured that it would be cool to go up and see Larry, mainly just to see how he would react, and to add him to the autograph book and so he could use the pen all the others did (it is now an ordinary pen turned special). We have a cabin a little less than 2 hours away from it, so it was an easy ride to get there as well.
Cooney still looked good and in shape, except his hair is all grey and thinning. Out of all of the lectures he seemed to have the most fun. His opening line was "It's a good thing Larry's not here or I'd kick his ass!", then someone called out "He's down at the bar!" and Gerry responded "That's because he knows I'm here!" and he was just having a blast with us.
