Ralph Racine 'Niagara Falls Lightweight'

Senor Pepe' · Oct 29, 2012

What was on the line.

WBA Lightweight Champion was in attendance, to watch the bout between
the Canadian Lightweight Champion - Gaetan Hart and #2 Canadian Lightweight -
Ralph Racine.

Ralph, who was also ranked as the #10 WBA Lightweight, with a record of 28-8-1
(16 KO's) had fought Hilmer Kenty in Detroit, back in August 1979. In that bout,
Ralph had floored Hilmer 'twice', but lost a close 'disputed' 10-Rond Decision.

Since that loss, Himer Kenty had won the WBA Lightweight Championship. A win
by Racine over Gaetan Hart would set up a 'natural' rematch between Hilmer Kenty
and Ralph Racine.

Ralph Racine's manager, John Sudiak had an agreement with Hilmer Kenty, for the
Championsip Challenge, provided Ralph had the Canadian Lightweight Title to claim
for himself, which would help promote the bout.

Promoter - Henri Spirer got both Ralph and Gaetan to agree to fight, by offering each
fighter a $5000 fight purse, and to meet on May 7th at the Paul Sauve Arene in Montreal.

Gaetan Hart was the Canadian Lightweight Champion. He had won the title by defeating
Nick Furlano on March 25, 1980 - regaining his Championship that he had lost earlier to
Nick Furlano.

Gaetan Hart was the only thing that stood between Ralph Racine and a chance at the
WBA Lightweight Championship.

Senor Pepe' · Oct 29, 2012

Big El

The Newspaper Accounts of the bout.

Ralph Racine rocked Gaetan Hart '3-times' in the opening round with vicious straight right-hands.

Racine was in complete command in Round 2, as again he landed fast hard right hands to Gaetan Hart's face.

But, Hart changed his strategy in Round 3, and instead of trying to trade with the harder punching Racine, he
bulled him back into the ropes, and slammed away with rough-style punching.

Gaetan's strategy worked, but he suffered 'bad cuts' around both eyes in Round 4.

Hart stayed in control in Rounds 5, 6 and 7 - as Racine fell prey to Hart's strategy, as Gaetan continued to push
Ralph backward's, preventing him from setting up to unload his heavy punches.

Racine was finally able to land some good right hands in Round 8, bloodying Hart's nose, and opening another eye cut.

But in Round 9, Hart went back to his aggessive attack, and mauled Ralph by pushing him backwards, and hammering
away while he kept him pinned on the ropes.

The same pattern followed in Rounds 10 and 11, as Racine was too tired to mount an effective offense.

Entering the 12th and Final Round, Racine was hopelessly behind, and he was exhausted. But Gaetan, still looked strong.
Gaetan came out, and started wailing away, and was in complete control. Around the 2:10 Mark, Gaetan hammered Ralph
with several hard punches, that left him with his back draped over the top rope strand, and in bad shape. Then with a
stunned opponent in front of him, Gaetan pounded away with '30' unanswered head blows that had Ralph 'out-on-his-feet'.

Referee - Guy Jutras jumped in and stopped the bout at 2:43 of the Round, with just 17-seconds left.

Ralph Racine, then staggered to his corner, and his handler's met him, and helped him sit on the corner-stool.
Moments later, Ralph fell into unconsciousness.

rodney · Dec 21, 2012

Senor Pepe' said: ↑

August 2, 1979

Detroit, Michigan

Hilmer Kenty vs Ralph Racine

Does anyone having any details on this Lightweight bout.

Hilmer Kenty 12-0-0 {8 KO's} - vs. - Ralph Racine 24-7-1 {13 KO's}

Ralph scored a 'flash-knockdown' on Hilmer in the 1st-Round, by landing a counter
left hook/right cross.

Ralph also landed a crisp straight right to Hilmer's chin that stiff-legged him near
the end of Round 1.

Ralph floored Hilmer again in Round 2, this time with a lead right-hand cross to the
chin that Hilmer never saw.

But, Hilmer collected himself, and went on to out-box Ralph, and escaped with a close
and disputed 10-Round Decision.
Click to expand...

Yes.
I was assisting John Sudac and was in Ralph's corner.
1st round -- Hilmer (5'11") came right at Ralph (5'8") with his blistering hand speed and combinations, backing Ralph to the ropes. Ralph spent practically the whole round bobbing and weaving barely throwing a punch or 2 in return.
2nd round -- Both fighters came storming at each other. Hilmer ran right into a powerfull straight rt. hand and went down hard. Ralph went for the finish throwing hard body shots and hooks. Hilmer desperately fought back and by the end of the round got himself back in the fight.
Rounds 3-6 were basically toe to toe, mostly in the centre of the ring with Ralph throwing hard bombs and Hilmer throwing fast combos. Emmanuel Stewart told us after the fight that Hilmer's legs were gone and that he had to fight like that.
7th round -- Hilmer went down again from a left hook. Again a repeat of round 3 with Ralph going hard to the body and Hilmer throwing desperation fast combinations.
For the rest of the fight it was basically toe to toe. Hilmers fast combinations vs. Ralph's power punching.
The decision went to Hilmer. Very close fight. A great war. Hilmer's volume punching vs. Ralph's power punching.
Nevertheless, despite the fight being in Detriot, it was difficult loss for Ralph to take, especially being the benifactor of 2 -- 10-8 rounds of a 10 round fight. Emmanuel Stewart was suppose to get a tape of the fight.
We never got it. No body seems to have a copy.
We know it was filmed by the local media.
Hilmer went on to become world champion.
Possibly they didnt want the public to see the very difficult time he had during this fight.
Too bad. It was a hell of a war. One that fight fans would have loved to see.

rodney · Dec 21, 2012

Senor Pepe' said: ↑

Ralph Racine came back to New York on May 21, 1979

But instead of a 'rematch' with Marco Barahona -

He got Julio 'El Diablito' Valdez, a 27 year-old Dominican who was a 'tricky' boxer with
fast hands and great movement.

The 5' 7" Dominican, had a deceiving record of 16-8-1 (2 KO's) - as he had gone
14-1-1 in his last '16-bouts', with his only loss a 15-Round Decision to WBA
Super-Featherweight Champion in his last bout in February 17, 1979.

'El Diablito', the #5 WBA Super-Featherweight - was not a heavy puncher, but his
fast hands and clever inside fighting helped him score victories over Alfredo Escalera,
Francisco Villegas and Marco Barahona.

The Fight,

Ralph went right after 'El Diablito' in the opening round, and Valdez was right there
slugging away, when suddenly after a brisk exchange, Valdez whipped in an overhand
right to Ralph's chin, dropping him.

For the next 6-Rounds, Valdez out-punched and out-smarted the plodding Racine, by
landing overhand rights time and again to Ralph's head, stunning him several times.
Valdez easily built up a shut-out on the cards, as Ralph was swinging at air.

Ralph was able to close the distance on Valdez in Round 7, and over the last 4-Rounds,
as he was finally able to land some medium-power punches to Valdez' upper-body, but his
offense was limited to single-punches only, as Valdez would smartly tie up Ralph
whenever he got momentum.

Ringside Scorecard {6-2-2} for Julio Valdez.

Losses in 2 out of 3 bouts to World-ranked Super-Featherweights dropped Ralph Racine
to 24-7-1, and out of the Top 20 Lightweights.
Click to expand...

There were no knock downs in this fight.
Valdez ran like a rabitt and fought the whole fight from the outside on his bicycle. For the most part Ralph was trying to walk Valdez down, throwing big shots but was unable to cut the ring off. Valdez deservingly got the decision.

rodney · Dec 21, 2012

Senor Pepe' said: ↑

Winnipeg Free Press

April 13, 1980

Municipal Auditorium - Kansas City, Missouri

Ralph Racine won his '3rd' straight bout since losing to Hilmer Kenty in August 1979 in Detroit.

Ralph (137 lbs.) scored a {TKO 8} over #14 Light-Welterweight - Dale Hernandez (Omaha, Nebraska) who
came into the ring with a 36-3-0 (22 KO's) record. The 24 year-old Canadian had some trouble
with the stubborn 29 year-old veteran in the early rounds, as the Hernandez scored with good punches
to the head, which kept the hard-punching Canadian off of him.

But, Ralph came on, using his hard right-hand and speedy punches in Round 5, pushing the (136 lb.)
Hernandez backwards.

The 5' 10" tall Racine, stunned the shorter Hernandez in Rounds 5, 6 and 7 - before battering his
opponent with hard right hands in Round 8, driving him across the ring and leaving him defenseless
before the Referee stopped the bout.

But despite winning, Ralph is continuing to take too many blows to the face and head.

Racine now improves to 27-8-1 (15 KO's), and is now ranked as the #10 WBA Lightweight. Ralph has
a scheduled bout with Gaetan Hart on May 7, 1980 for the Canadian Lightweight Championship.

If Ralph Racine wins that bout, he has been guaranteed a bout with WBA Lightweight Champion
Hilmer Kenty on June 20, 1980 - on the undercard of the Ray Leonard vs Roberto Duran WBC Welterweight
Championship.

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Click to expand...

Ralph was down in the 3rd.
Took the 4th round off staying on the outside using mostly his left jab.
Then back to the attack.
He said that Hernandez was short and thick, not much of a defence and easy to hit. The fight was stopped in the 8th with Hernandez unable to avoid Ralph's big shots. Despite that , Ralph said that Hernandez was hard as nails and Ralph tweeked his left hand while throwing a hard hook to Hernandez's body.

rodney · Dec 21, 2012

Senor Pepe' said: ↑

Ralph Racine,

Following his exciting win over 'World Ranked' Ezequiel 'Cocoa' Sanchez in New York City
on February 26, 1979

The 22 1/2 year-old Racine, who had won '7' straight with (5 KO's) was regarded as one of the
more exciting Lightweights in Northeast, and featured a 'paralyzing right hand', to go with a record
of 23-5-1 (12 KO's).

6-weeks later - April 6, 1979

Teddy Brenner of Madison Square Garden then brought back the Niagara Falls Lightweight
to New York, to take on talented Nicaraguan Super-Featherwight - #9 WBC-ranked
Marco Barahona 15-1-1 (4 KO's).

Marco Barahona, a stable-mate of Alexis Arguello was a test for Ralph Racine, to see
if he would be a capable opponent for 'The Explosive Thin Man', and possible May 21, 1979
bout at Madison Square Garden.

With, Alexis Arguello in attendance watching.

The near 23 year-old, 5' 9" 133 lb. Ralph, pressed early, and rocked the 22 year-old 5' 8" 135 lb.
Barahona back on his heels in the first '2-Rounds', with his devastating right hand, while trying
for an early stoppage. Ralph was over-whelming Barahona with his strength, and looked like it
was going to be a blow-out.

But, midway thru Round 4, the slick-moving boxer had figured the Canadian out, and smoothly out-jabbed
his taller and stronger opponent. Barahona would double-jab as Racine pressed forward, then as
Ralph would load up to throw his devastating right hand, Barahona would slide to his right and duck,
then with Ralph off-balance, Barahona would counter with a crisp right to Racine's face.

After getting out-boxed in Rounds 5, 6 and 7 - the right-hand happy Racine was finally able to land
some decent punches in Round 8, and was able to catch his fleet-footed opponent with a good left
hook that shook him, then followed up with several good combinations, forcing Barahona to flee.

In Round 9, Barahona re-grouped, and continued with his successful jabbing and countering,
while Ralph Racine punched at air. Entering the 'final round', the Nicaraguan appeared to have
a 1-point edge on the scorecards.

Coming out for Round 10, Ralph Racine attacked, much like he did in his bout with Ezequiel 'Cocoa'
Sanchez. Racine stalked the 'slickster' Barahona, while trying to land his right hand. Barahona was
able to slide, and stay away, until late in the round when he got caught with a hard left hook that
buckled his legs. The Felt Forum fans arose from their seats cheering, while Ralph pounced on his
stunned opponent and bombed away with right hands.

With his back to the ropes, Barahona was hit with several hard punches and looked ready to crash,
but he was able to absorb Racine's hard blows and barely stayed on his feet until the final bell.

Marco Barahona was awarded a 'disputed' 10-Round Split-Decision.

'Racine Hot After N.Y. Loss'

Ralph Racine was 'hot' after his disputed 10-Round Spilt-Decision loss to Marco Barahona.
The Niagara Falls fighter is one of the best Lightweights in boxing today. His Manager
John Sudiak said he would seek a rematch with the Barahona in late-May, and in New York,
to set the record straight.

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Click to expand...

Barahona was also dropped in the last round. Bad decision.

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Ralph Racine 'Niagara Falls Lightweight'

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Ralph Racine 'Niagara Falls Lightweight'

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