The Greatest Upset in Boxing History: It Started in Columbus, Ohio

 

Columbus, Ohio’s James “Buster” Douglas crushing blow sends Mike Tyson on his way to the canvas, in the greatest boxing upset of all time.

Columbus, Ohio’s James “Buster” Douglas crushing blow sends Mike Tyson on his way to the canvas, in the greatest boxing upset of all time.

Mike Tyson lost all his world heavyweight boxing titles to 42-to-1 underdog James “BusterDouglas, on February 11, 1990  in Tokyo Japan. This was a fight that would baffle boxing pundits and boxing naysayers forever. But not me! I know why and how and most importantly where it all started.I was involved with the boxing program in Columbus, Ohio which at the time had a reputation of producing what they call bum fighters. Columbus did produce a champion out of Former Light Weight Champion Hilmer Kenty, but in history he went down as the first Detroit Kronk Gym Champion.  

Kenty captured the WBA Lightweight Title with a TKO over Ernesto España. Stars like legendary boxer Thomas Hearns would become one of the greatest boxers of all times as Hilmer Kenty’s career suffered after his title defense loss to Sean O’ Grady in 1981.

Something that a lot of people do not know is that I go way back—as late as 1975 when Bill Dynamite Douglas  (Buster Douglas’s father), world light heavyweight title contender  Vonzelle Johnson,  and National AAU Champion Terry Moore were boxing.  The list goes on with: Michael Bradley, Mike Johnson,  Marcus Holder ,Tony Johnson, James Boonga Tatum, Marcus Holder, Jeff Murray,  my brother, Daryl Allen,  Milton Pete Seward, Vance Crawley,Greg Dyer,  Robert Adams, Edward Johnson, Roger Rice, Tony Snow, Dean Walker, Kenny Snow, Andre Johnson, Andre Cray Virgil Mcclendon,  Kemper Morton, Wes Caldwel, Tony Johnson, Jasper Brown Richard The Fly Rozelle, John Summerall, Vincent Nelms, Delbert NelmsJohn Moore, Kip Cane,Craig Featherstone, Coach Wayne Pruitt, Michael Clark,Cecil Cooper,George Bowman, Norman Burke, Roger Burke,   Tyrone Taylor,  Steve Gregory, Keith Bradly, Mitchel Ellison. Mark Woods with brother Daryl Woods, Gary Kenty, Maurice Chinn, Robert Cook, Daryl Henery, Jasper Brown, Calvin Mcclinton, Forest  Winchester, Jose Spierman ,Gary Kenty, Doug Stevens, Vincent Nelms, Charles Buggs, Brett Persons Frankie Walton, Kenneth Key, Teddy Walls, Tyrone Walls, Michael Adams, Brian Battles, Kenneth Battles, Henery AgeeToby Rushing,  Mark Mckeiver, Arthur Dawson, Linwood and Ricky Allison, Robbie Barber, Junie Johnson, Kenny Rogers ,Wayne Walker, Brian Llyod, Kenneth Battles and Charles Culpepper. These are the names that came first and I am certain there are plenty more names that didn’t come to my memory.

Yes! Once upon a time—Columbus,Ohio dominated boxing.

In the amateur division Columbus was really awesome under the boxing program that the legendary Bill Cummings Jr. ran. The Ohio State Fair National Amateur Boxing Tournament was the biggest boxing amateur tournament in the world.  Yes, the world!  It was started by Bill Cummings Jr.

1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Jerry Page was also in that group as well as myself. Once again I would like to mention that there was way more talent than I have  named

Columbus Ohio was the boxing capital of the world!  Legendary amateur and professional boxing trainer Emmanuel Steward implemented Columbus, Ohio’s boxing program at the his famous Kronk Gym in Detroit. Emmanuel Steward and the Kronk stable would not even have existed (or at least be successful as they we’re) had it not been for Bill Cummings Jr. 

As I am writing this story I got off track about Douglas and Tyson because Columbus, Oho I still can’t believe how loaded it was with talent—so much crazy—I mean crazy talent!  Like Kamal Hassan and Marvin Greene. 

The Ohio Youth Commission (OYC) boxing team that I belonged to and coached by Mr. Cummings would go on trips to Detroit to take on Kronk Gym and the Yo Mama jokes would start flying. Yo Momma Jokes? Well, the origin started in the 1970s. This will be talked about in my next story.

Hell, Hilmer Kenty Beat Aaron Pryor. This city of Columbus,  Ohio—no wonder Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson.  Buster came from the boxing capital of the world!  

Columbus was so talented we even had the greatest Ring Side announcer Vernon Robinson. I remember at the Ohio State Fair just listening to Mr Robinson’s voice, He was the greatest boxing announcer that ever lived. There was a man named Mr Gorby and Charles Sanders, both men could put up a boxing ring quicker than you get dressed. That’s right Columbus, Ohio had it all! A better and more dominant boxing program than the legendary Detroit Kronk Stable.

Stay tuned for Part II of The Greatest Upset in Boxing History: It Started in Columbus, Ohio

 

 

 

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President Obama, Congress Drama and Why Don’t Black Folks Vote

Under his watch President Barack Obama has not allowed a major terrorist attack on American soil. He did not get America into Iraq or Afghanistan nor was he the cause of the last recession. However, under his leadership Osama bin Laden was found and eliminated, almost all of the U.S. troops have withdrawn from Iraq and America is slowly but surely climbing its way out of the economic morass he and his administration inherited. And you want to go back to a having a Republican administration in the White House?

A wake up call for America’s first black president

The 2010 Midterm elections were a wake up call to the Obama administration. President Obama’s support declined rapidly as home foreclosure hit record highs, unemployment off the charts and even now there is something new— high gas prices, a problem created by big oil and world greed.

OK back to the point.  2010 was a big disappointment for our first black President. Democrats did not turnout to vote and as a result congress was lost to the Republicans.

Black America: This man is fighting for you!  Yet black Americas don’t vote in the numbers they should. So many people gave their lives— both white and black—so we could have the privilege of voting, however, we sat on our butts and gave power to the Republican party.

Here is a reality check for white folks as well: Barack Obama is also white—and guess what—you white Democrats dropped the ball, too. Or maybe you voted for a Republican congress 10 2010 due to the President being too gentle with congress. Whatever the case my be, the one thing I have realized is that President Obama finds a way out of every bad hand congress deals to him—and us. He does it even without total Democrat support.

If only George Bush would have handled Iraq like Obama did Libya there would not have been a recession. Osama bin Laden is dead wow!!! Another feather in his cap and his approval rating skies. Then the reality of  empty middle class wallets settles in and the voters send a message during the midterm elections

What was the message ? Well the message was certainly not to crash our economy!

This has to be the stupidest congress in history. These guys, who by the way represent the top 1 percent, we’re actually trying to crash our economy. In all fairness to congress I think they didn’t get the real message the voters were sending. The message was a bipartisan effort to fix the Bush, Dick Cheney mess not crash the economy, stupid.

Thank you congress, our credit rating has been downgraded. You guys even managed to downgrade many of the people who were once middle class and sent them packing to go live in the streets. Thank you congress, the extension of unemployment for millions of people has stopped and many more families no longer can feed their kids or pay their utilities without assistance.

I ask all of congress to read the word of God and see if Jesus hung out with people who had the bling. No he hung out with fishermen and a tax collector. Does anyone know the salary of a tax collector. I bet it is not anywhere near as much as John Bheiner’s salary.

Jesus was a healer and now you Republican Christians are trying to stop what you call Obamacare. You arrogant republicans outside of congress complain about the Obama’s policies, but then you take advantage of them every chance you get! Also while I am venting, why does everyone close their eyes to what congress is doing?  It’s so obvious that they do not want Obama in office—they will go to any lengths to make sure their objective is reached, even to the point of turning on their own.

The supreme court will more than likely kill Obamacare. The good news is that the Republicans that have children older than college-age will no longer be able to carry them on their insurance policies. I  say again—you are stupid! There is no better word to describe what Republicans do.

Democrats who did not vote in the midterm elections—stupid!

I am gonna say this and I am putting my reputation on the line: More white people were loyal to the President than blacks.

Black people don’t vote!  How do I know this?

I am black and a lot of my friends—grown folks— do not vote. To my friends who don’t vote—you are stupid!

I think it is a shame that white folks are more involved in our cause than black folks. Case in point: Sean Penn is over living in Sudan. He’s been over there for years helping Africans with an aggressive humanitarian effort to get food to people who are being killed by their own government. John McCain has called for President Obama to intervene with the Syria and stop its government from killing their own people. This has been going on for years in Sudan and I don’t see anyone standing up and stepping in. If only Sudan had major oil deposits then maybe this would be a crisis.

Over the last 3 to 5 years I have become so tired of being divided. I am so tired of racism. I am tired of blacks people who complain all the time and don’t vote.  Listen people, please! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the black and white thing is just a smoke screen to hide the real villain—the rich and greedy. They are so convincing, these rich people and Republicans. Especially the latter because Republicans attempt to implement policies that ultimately hurt the very people who support them.

Have you ever had to loan a Republican money? I have.

I did not confront this person on his political convictions I just felt sorry for their ignorance. Just like I feel sorry for the ignorance of people—especially my black: brothers, mothers, sisters, brothers and others who do not vote.

Finally, maybe Obama has not fulfilled the promises in his presidential campaign, but don’t forget about the Republicans that blocked his every move.

Let’s get behind President Obama like we did the first time, because if nothing else moves the ones that have drifted away from their original fervent support for Obama in 2008, remember this old Irish proverb:

“The Devil you know is often better than the devil you don’t know.”

I don’t know Mitt Romney except for he is a Republican, so I’m not taking any chances on him getting into office and taking us backwards. Everyone: Never ever forget the damage to this country—and to the world—caused by George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz and the rest that Republican-led gang. Many of the same cast of supporting  characters that were in the Bush administration would be hanging around the top of a Romney presidency.

Don’t go backwards in 2012: Get up, get out and vote Obama!

 

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