Posts Tagged ‘Roland Cummings’

Things did not go as planned in Atlantic City for Team Pavlik.  “The Ghost”  lost his championships and Sergio Martinez danced around the champ all night.  Jack Loew and Pavlik did not make any excuses, they took the loss with dignity.  The conversations in Youngstown are swirling around gaining twenty pounds and fighting heavier and slower despite coming in as strong as ever.  Another public gripe has been the work of Sid Rumbuck, the corner cut man who could not stop blood for very long in any round.

Negativity stated, I refuse to jump ship.  I have great respect for Kelly Pavlik and below are the five biggest reasons why I will keep rooting for him.

1. Loyalty.   Too many times when a person becomes famous, they have a tendency to forget where they came from.  Pavlik has always represented Youngstown and has vehemently stated he does not want to go anywhere else and that he is happy here.  “Defend Youngstown” instilled a sense of pride into a beaten community.  Saying it was one thing, but living it was an elevated statement.  To live in the greater Youngstown area, I admire Pavlik for staying home and representing this area with such passion. 
2. Pride.  Martinez won the fight, but this war is far from over.  When Pavlik said he doesn’t like to lose and he will get his belts back, he hinted where his heart is.  If he opts to move up to 168, he better drop the sledgehammer and trade those monster truck tires in for a jumprope.  Pavlik can dominate at 160 as long as he can keep making the weight.  The decision that Team Pavlik is weighing is a tough one.  I think the pride factor will kick in and Pavlik will exercise the rematch clause he has with Martinez.
3. Heart.  Roberto Duran screamed “No Mas” and wasn’t really even cut.  Pavlik took all Martinez had for the last four rounds and still didn’t get knocked out.  He didn’t quit either.  All too often in sports, an athlete is called a warrior.  Seldom does the title accurately describe the effort, even in a loss, that a participant displays.  For Pavlik to fight with limited vision and just catch punches throws him into warrior status for not quitting.
4. Jack Loew.  Loew has been paramount to the success of Kelly Pavlik.  Nationally, people sputter and shoot their mouths off about how much better Pavlik would be without Loew.  Loew is the most underappreciated person in boxing.  He knows the game and knows what his fighters are capable of.  He is quick with a quote, fast to defend what he believes to be the truth, and understands what needs to be done to win.
5. Champion.  Ray Mancini, Harry Arroyo, Greg Richardson, Ken Sigurani, Roland Cummings, etc.  None of them, including Boom Boom, held a title as long as Pavlik did.  In my eyes, that would make him the best.  Being a champion means you dictate what happens in your career.  Pavlik plays golf and darts with his friends, but he also spends so much time and effort on charity work.  Almost every major fundraiser in the area was not a draw unless Pavlik would show.  Using that sort of leverage in positive ways makes him a special champion. 

If you were a Pavlik fan but decided not to be anymore because he lost, you were never really a fan.  If you are still a Pavlik fan, embrace the future with a sense of optimism.  With the recent  loss, I would make him the marshall of any parade in Mahoning County for what he has achieved, but more importantly, what is still left to achieve.

I had the pleasure of growing up in the Youngstown, Ohio area to witness the careers of some of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport. Kelly Pavlik is still providing the excitement. But the names of Roland Cummings, Jeff Lampkin, and Harry Arroyo, have held a spotlight in the national boxing picture at some point. Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini was a huge success in the eighties. His career was filled many happy moments, as well as tragedy that no one can wish for.

Ray inherited the name “Boom Boom“ from his father Lenny. The elder Mancini was a top-ranked contender in the 1940’s. Lenny suffered injuries which prevented him from regaining his status while serving the United States of America in WWII. Lenny got Ray involved in boxing at a young age and had him training in gyms to prepare for what he would be the best at. After a great amateur career, Ray turned pro in 1978.

Because of his “in your face” aggressive style, Mancini was an instant hit with boxing fans and the media. Anyone who watches the first round of Mancini vs Arturo Frias will clearly understand how much heart Ray brought to the ring. This is probably one of the single greatest rounds of boxing ever fought. Both fighters connected with almost every punch and by the end of that round they both looked like they had just went 15 rounds.

Mancini fought the legendary Alexis Arguello for the WBC lightweight title. Ray was taking it to Arguello in the first half of the fight and was ahead on the cards. However, by the end of the fight, the crafty Arguello’s experience proved to be too much for a game Boom Boom. It was mancini’s first loss as a professional.

Mancini won the WBA lightweight championship from Rudy “The Jet” Carmona in 1982. Mancini got rocked just fifteen seconds into round one but regained his composure and really let loose on Carmona forcing the ref to halt the contest. He defended that title against Ernesto Espana with a sixth round TKO.

On November 13, 1982, Mancini fought Duk Koo Kim. Kim had problems makind the weight for the fight and was severely dehydrated before the fight. After 14 rounds of punishment the fight ended with Mancini named the winer. Duk Koo Kim sustained severe brain injuries during the fight and died five days after the fight. Kim’s mother committed suicide four months later, and the ref for the fight, Richard Green also killed himself in July of 1983. Mancini was never the same fighter or person, holding himself responsible for the death of Kim. A few years later, the WBC and WBA shortened title fights to twelve rounds as part of the fallout from this tragedy.

Mancini tried to regroup and defeated George Feeney, a British champion, in a lackluster ten round decision. He next fought Mexican folk hero Bobby Chacon on HBO. Mancini made short work of Chacon who only lasted three rounds with Boom Boom.

In June of 1984, Mancini lost a slugfest to Livingstone Bramble. After the first Bramble fight Ray needed 71 stitches around one of his eyes. In the rematch, Mancini lost a unanimous decision by one point on each of the judges scorecards. Mancini was coaxed back to face Greg Haugen, but had clearly lost his form and constant aggression, losing to Haugen in six rounds.

Mancini officially retired in 1982, finishing his career with a 29-5 record, racking up 23 KO’s along the way.Besides being an analyst for Celebrity Boxing, Mancini has gotten very involved in the production of films in California. Ray has not forgotten where he came from and follows the career of Kelly Pavlik very closely. He still has family in Youngstown and visits the area when he can. His legacy has seen a rare pendulum swing of the best and worst things life has to offer, yet he has still been able to succeed and be a role model to so many.