Sweet Science - Monday 6pm - Paul Ferreri Tribute

Paul Ferreri is definitely one of our unsung ring heros.

His career record certainly says plenty. But much-like Barry Michael, there's a lot more to it than just the numbers.

Paul went straight into the pro ranks in 1968.

The first stoppage inflicted on him was in 1976, and by KO king and reigning world champ Zarate, and this was a cuts stoppage.

It then wasn't until his 96th and final bout that he was stopped again!

 

Everything CHB said x2.

A fighter with little appreciation from the modern fans.. He'd have bent Fenech over and wiped his arse with Cons head at Bantam.

This will definately be on the your best shows DSS. Great to see Ferreri getting a full show.

 

So true, although you'd better add Bobby Sinn to that mix.

He faught many current, former and future World Champs and took 'em all the distance.

 

DSS, you should make the show available as a podcast mate.

 

I think it's possible to name about 30 pre-1968 fighters that would have been World title holders in todays game.

 

Another great show guys - keep the long format with the legends going.

 

I wonder if the memory of fighting Wales's Johnny Owen (Rip Johnny) is still fresh in his mind ? ive heared off some of my older mates he put in a tremendous effort that night . anyone going the full route with Johnny in that evnviroment deserves massive props IMO .

Oh and Btw can you ask Paul what was it about Brian Roberts that made him lace em up on the spot and fight him ?

 

Too late Josey they finished the program over here about 15 minutes ago - check your PM too mate.

 

Paul LOST to Johnny Owen mate in Ebbw Vale back in 78 mate .

 

Great show DSS. A travesty that Paul gets little recognition. A great fighter with few peers in many ways.

"Have gloves, will travel".... Ferreri.

"Have promoter, no need to travel".... Mandy.

 

Bollocks , ok will do mate thanks .

 

Probably a good lead-in to this excellent article. Particularly as it appears Josey missed the show tonight.


Happy 60th Birthday Paul Ferreri: Former Commonwealth Champion & World Boxing Council Title Challenger

By Tony Pritchard – Nobbs.


If he was around today they'd applaud Paul Ferreri as a “Triple A Man” but because his for purist's only style was always going to fail at the Box Office, his is not a name that sparks excitement among the younger generation of fans. Turn the clock back thirty years though and the Sicilian born southpaw was one of the world's leading bantamweights, mixing it with the very best, often on the road and challenging for the World Boxing Council 118 pound crown against Mexican icon Carlos Zarate.

Holding Australian bantam, feather and super featherweight diadems and the Commonwealth bantamweight championship, Ferreri compiled an overall record of 78-13-5 scoring 26 knockouts in an an eighteen year career. He defeated world champs Rolando Navarette and Venice Borkorsor as well as a host of Australian and international stand outs, still featuring prominently in the world ratings in his mid thirty's and with his accomplishments and longevity he deserves mention when our great little men are remembered.

Paul was born in Aidoni, Sicily, Italy on New Years Day, 1948, with his family migrating to Australia in 1952, settling in North Melbourne. He first began boxing at a gym run by Snowy Sullivan in a loft near where he lived but after Snowy died he turned pro under the expert eye of Johnny Famechon's mentor Ambrose Palmer, himself once a masterful Australian fighter from the 1930's at Ambrose's gym at the bottom of Festival Hall in West Melbourne.

What most people don't realize is that Paul is not a natural left hander. He explains “When I went to Ambrose's, I shaped up with my right hand out and he told me to stay with whatever way I feel comfortable." Considering in previous era's “lefties” were usually encouraged to fight orthodox, that is somewhat unique. Does he feel it made a difference? “Not really. I fought a lot of southpaws and beat them. If you are going to be a good fighter it doesn't matter how you shape up."

Like “Fammo," whom he boxed “hundreds of rounds” in the gym, Ferreri never fought as an amateur. “I asked Ambrose if I'd fight a few amateur fights first. He told me he didn't do amateurs. He said if I wanted to fight amateur I'd have to go some where else. It didn't matter to me - I just wanted to fight." Beginning his career with a pair of three round decisions – three days apart - over Pietro Granada in August 1968, Paul fought on eight occasions before the year was out. In his nineteenth fight he became Bantamweight champion of Australia. The night was October 17, '69, just fourteen months from his debut! He beat Allan Presnell on points over 15 rounds, his third points pat over the fellow Melbourne fighter. He opened his 1970 account with February wins over Norm Britton and the admirable Reg King, a polio victim and future NSW featherweight champion and later Scotland's John Kellie, going 8-0 that year.

He split with Stadiums Ltd house trainer Palmer after out pointing Floro Ybanez of The Philippines on Nov 16, his last bout of 1970 as the company thought his style was not suited to Television and with morale at a low he'd go winless in his next three starts, being held to draws by Tony Moreno from Texas, USA and Filipino Willie Cordova, then suffering his first loss on June 1971, in his 30th outing, a ten round verdict in Melbourne to Cordova, who had twice gone the route with future WBA bantamweight champion Arnold Taylor in between. The return with Cordova took place just five days prior to his wedding to Joy.

It didn't take long to get back on a winning run. Thirteen victories and one draw (in Tahiti against French bantam champ Guy Cauldron) out of his following fourteen – notably, not in order, a second win over John Kellie on September 16, '72 - to begin the first of two reigns as Champion of the Commonwealth that spanned fourteen years - Soweto's Kid Snowball, two over Mexico's Fernando Sotelo (a Lionel Rose conqueror ) plus highly ranked locals like Harry Hayes (2), Willie Leslie, Jim Bowen, Big Jim West, Brian Roberts - he was matched with Arnold Taylor, by then the world champion in an over the limit affair in Cape Town, South Africa, losing on points after ten stanzas on March 18, 1974. The Victorian was outweighed by three and a half pounds. With the Commonwealth title he earned a number nine world ranking and his stocks only rose with his further wins and showing against Taylor.

Winning three and drawing one in Italy among his next twelve, going 9-1-2 (the loss being to Brian Roberts at Marrickville), he then challenged Zarate on August 28, 1976. The bout prior, Paul outpointed Rolando Navarette in Cebu City. Navarette became WBC super featherweight champion in 1981, knocking out Ugandan Cornelius Boza Edwards in five rounds. By this time Ferreri was in Jack Rennie's stable, where he stayed for the rest of his career, having previous stints with Johnny Cooper and former Australian champion Gilberto Biondi.

Hall of Famer Zarate was 25 year old, stood a lanky 5' 8 and had 41 knockouts in his 42-0 slate upon entering the filled 13,000 seat Inglewood Forum in Los Angeles. After being given the toughest test to that date by the Aussie, the human Torpedo from Tepito, Mexico emerged victorious on a cut eye TKO in round twelve. “I was told to pace myself. I wanted to go at him from the start and make him work hard. I could feel him tiring when it was stopped. Had I got right at him from the first round I would have stopped him. He had trouble hitting me and I was getting to him. He had a lot trouble making weight. The plan was to wait until the later rounds before I picked it up but they stopped it because of the cut” said Paul. “Jack had a bad leg and after a few rounds couldn't even get up into the ring and he was just giving me instructions from the floor. But that is how it goes. I had my chance. I can't worry about it now."

To give a form guide on Ferreri's effort that night, the following year Zarate scored a four round destruction of countryman and World Boxing Association counterpart Alfonso Zamora (29-0, all knockouts) in an over the weight war. (Zamora had won the title, KO 4 over Soo Hwang Hong who'd taken it of Taylor and one of his defenses had been a KO 2 over future featherweight great Eusebio Pedroza). Zarate made eight successful knockout defenses before losing the world title when another Mexican Lupe Pintor was awarded a highly controversial split decision despite being floored in the fourth.



Returning in 1986, “Carlos The King” finally ended his career at 66-4, 63 KO's, losing his last two fights against Jeff Fenech and Daniel Zaragoza in challenges for the WBC super bantamweight title. He'd been knocked out in an attempt at the same belt by Puerto Rican puncher Wilfredo Gomez while still bantam boss. Gomez at the time was 21-0-1, with 21 whacks, having drawn his first paid bout after being selected to box at the Munich Olympics as a fifteen (yes 15!) year old and went on to be a three division champion.

After outpointing Merv Wockner at Cardiff, NSW, Paul journeyed to Accra, Ghana, dropping a fifteen rounder and the C/Wealth title to Sulley Shittu. Returning with wins over Guinnea Hillier, Brian Roberts (he was 6-1-1 over all against NSW's Roberts, a class performer who challenged Azumah Nelson for the C/Wealth 126 lb title in 1981), Roger Henry (to win the Australian 126 lb title) and Brian Schofield, Ferreri then out pointed Venice Borkorsor, the former WBC flyweight champ over ten heats in Melbourne on May 9, '78.

After losing on points to Nepatali Alamag in Manila, he had a couple of wins in Australia and then lost to the tragic Johnny Owen in Ebbwe Vale, Wales, for Commonwealth honors on points over fifteen. (Owen died in 1980 from injuries sustained in a brave crack at Pintor's WBC title).

On February 18, 1979 at the Horden Pavilion in Sydney he had a TKO 3 victory over Rocky Gattellari, former world flyweight title challenger and top draw card of the 1960's who was making a come back. The star studded card was televised live nationally and was supposed to show case the best of Australia's boxing talent. In the main, Gattellari quit – effectively doing a “No Mas”. “That wasn't a fight” shot Ferreri when I mentioned it. “It was a farce”!

At “stake” was the Victorian's Aussie featherweight strap. Following victories over Roberts, Henry (twice), West (twice - one for the Aussie 130 lb title), Thai Dejvarin Hollywood and Olympian Denis Talbot, Paul then regained the C/Wealth 118 pounder by outscoring undefeated Danish based Kenyan Mike Urungu in a fifteen rounder in Copenhagen on May 21, '81.


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