"The Ring Magazine Scandal"

Arum did the same things -- he had the WBA by the balls and King had the WBC

 

Don't forget the three major television networks, all of which had telecasts of bouts thirty-five years ago. Many of the bouts were mismatches. I always thought that it was hypocritical of Howard Cosell to complain during the telecasts of mismatches on ABC while not laying some blame on doorstep of the ABC bigwigs, notably Roone Arledge. Moreover, no network had to deal with the likes of Don King unless it wanted to.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Yep people forget Arum screwed Gerry Cooney out of a WBA title shot in 1981. Cooney was WBA #1 Contender and Mandatory and he paid off the WBA to enforce a fight between his fighter #3 James Tillis and Champion Weaver. Screwed Weaver out of a huge payday also as he was to make 3.5 mil against Cooney had the fight happened.

 

If I recall correctly, Nat Fleischer died about a year or so before and management of Ring was not as tight as it was in the past. Perhaps someone in it was looking for extra cash or influence. In truth, I had forgotten about this scandal which, I believe, went largely ignored by the press at the time since everyone knew what a sleazebag Don King was and always will be.

Marvin Hagler was initially denied a title bout because he refused to participate in the alleged kickback part of the deal. But ultimately he got his shot and excelled like the true Champ he was. I do not believe there was any criminal prosecution as a result of the scandal - but could be wrong. Anyways, it was forgotten and pro boxing in the USA enjoyed some very good years from the mid 70s onward.

 

Nat Fleischer died during 1972 while the ABC Tournament fiasco didn't take place until the late 1970s. It is my understanding that while Fleischer remained the face of Ring Magazine and wrote the editorials for a few years up to the time of his death, Nat Loubet essentially managed the magazine during that time with Johnny Ort playing an important role. Under Loubet's stewardship up to the ABC Tournament fiasco, Ring Magazine didn't appear to be as good as it was during Fleischer's heyday.

After Bert Randolph Sugar took over about 1979, the magazine became absolutely terrific. But it turned out that Sugar had very little business sense despite his ability to put out a good magazine. It became obvious that the amount of money being spent on putting out the magazine wasn't justified when taking the relatively small size of the readership into account. About 1983, Sugar left.

- Chuck Johnston

 

It wasn't Sugar's business sense he bled the magazine dry by flying out to all the fights first class and staying in 5 star hotels he knew what he was doing. I read an article where he essentially maxed out the Magazine's credit then left them to out to dry. He used it as his personal travel and leisure fund basically. Bert should have stuck to being a failed baseball writer.

 

Rico- You may be right in regards to Bert Randolph Sugar flying to fights first class and staying at five-star hotels, but Ring Magazine also had lavish production values with Sugar at the helm, which must have cost a lot of money. Under Nat Loubet, the production values of the magazine were very ordinary in comparison.

To be sure, there were people who blamed Sugar, not Loubet, for the magazine's troubles. But the magazine took a huge hit in the ABC Tournament fiasco with Loubet at the helm.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Sometimes I should look these things up before commenting as my memory is becoming increasingly less reliable in my dotage.

I just looked up Ring on wiki as it says this:



Scandal

In 1976 The Ring magazine fabricated records of selected boxers, to elevate them, thereby securing them lucrative fights on the American ABC television network, as part of the United States Championship Tournament. [8]
The United States Championship Tournament was a promotional effort by promoter Don King to capitalize on the patriotism surrounding the United States Bicentennial and the American amateur success at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. King's idea was to defeat the non-American boxers who held the vast majority of world titles below the Heavyweight division. Keeping in line with the patriotic theme of the promotion, King held shows at "patriotic" locales—such as the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, as well as on an aircraft carrier stationed off Pensacola, Florida.
Despite the above, the 1977 Ring Record Book contained the fictitious additions



Thus, while Fleishcer died in 1972 as you rightfully indicated, the scandal started in the mid 70s just a bit earlier than 1979. My feeling is that Fleischer would never have stood for this.

 

Nat F would have never, integrity came first and he took pride in Ring, Nat Loubet was more of the Wrestling Mag Guy and John Ort knew boxing but he was Nat L's son in law and had clout at the time up there on 31st st. He was calling the shots and had a free hand under Nat L., Nat F. never let go of quality control

 

"Flash" Gordon is the unsung hero bringing this sham and fraud to light.He gave the heads up to Alex Wallau,who was with ABC TV at the time,who in turn handed the info over to Roone Arlidge,the Sports honcho and writing the cheques for ABC at the time.
Gordon deserves Hall Of Fame credentials for this and other frauds which he brought to light in the boxing industry.Despite what another poster claims,it is not true that Flash was beaten over this issue.Being a New Yorker,I and many others know the true events which happened.
Why the dolts in the Hall of Fame don't recognize Flash just goes to show you what they are all about-money and influence.It is a sham,and why many don't support this group.

 

I wonder how many more of us will chime in on behalf of Flash's IBHOF enshrinement before this is over. He's certainly no unsung hero among those who read his newsletter back in the day. Guy had more balls than many of the fighters he wrote about. [And I'm not talking about Pe Suh **** and Willie Fall either.]

 

It was a fairly big deal. My father, who hated all sports, even commented on it once. It would've been a bigger deal if bigger names were in the tournament, but when LeDoux got robbed, not too many people were interested.

The Ring was a fairly crappy magazine at the time. The writing and editing were abominable, covers were often partially colorized black and white photos, and the information was always months old by the time it arrived. Bert Sugar cleaned it up tremendously sometime around '79, I believe.

 

I became a proud subscriber to Flash Gordon's Tonight's Boxing Program after the ABC Tournament scandal became big news in the boxing world. But I must admit that I have my doubts about inducting him into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Heck! I think that Flash would be embarrassed by it because he always felt that he was an outsider.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Yeah, he'd likely do the whole Johnny Rotten on the Sucks Pistols going in the R&R HOF, "It's a **** stain!":**** declaration.

Groucho Marx said he'd join no club which would have him for a member, but I suspect that if Malcolm Gordon actually showed up in Canastota, he'd more inclined to live up to his nick-name once on the podium, and FLASH!:ass