STORY WAS BROKEN HERE IN EARLY 1990’S
San Francisco, CA– Before I had even gotten out of bed Monday morning, there was a message on my cellular and three emails asking that I delve into the temporary “ban” on all amateur boxing in California. This all started in the early 90’s when Lenny Albert, a former Golden Glove champion, then a trainer, noticed that an 83 lb. kid with eight fights had been matched up with a 68 lb. youth with no fights!
AMATEUR BOXING IS NEVER ABOUT THE KIDS! Even though Lenny had put up a stink, the fight was allowed to go forward and the lighter kid sans experience was stopped in the blink of an eye! Not knowing exactly how to proceed, Lenny followed the “grievance” procedure and found himself up to his hips in political bull s*it and cronyism.
NEPOTISM LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN IT
At one hearing, then North Calif. amateur boxing head Sonny Marson was on the hot seat. Incredibly, Marson’s son and best friend were appointed to act as judges in the matter. This brought about litigation initiated by Albert that had former North Calif. USA Boxing treasurer Fran Jones on the witness stand crying because she couldn’t account for $105,000 in checks she had written and then cashed!
PEDRO NOT TAKING EITHER SIDE HERE!
Having been put on notice by both sides, the two entities are pushing me to back one party or the other. The “you’re either with us or against us,” was the message I got twice on Monday. That being said, I’m siding with the kids here! Amateur boxing across this country has always had the smell of an outhouse. And while bad decisions and political chicanery are the rule, in addition millions of dollars have gone missing in the past 15 years.
CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL AN IDIOT
When Lenny and I put this case together for Kelvin Gong, a lawyer with the California Attorney General’s office, he fumbled the ball and let the case go. Had Gong, a bureaucratic boob if ever there was one, had he acted with prudence, amateur boxing in California would not be where it’s at today!
OUTHOUSE NEEDS TO BE CLEANED OUT!
As I stated early on, I’m not taking sides here. One thing is certain, amateur boxing in the nation, not only in California, needs to restructured from the ground level up. The program is a failure folks! Toss the scandals aside, the fact that we’ve only had three Olympic champions in the past five Olympiads should cement the notion that USA Boxing is at best miserable failure, and at worst, a criminal enterprise!
“Ring Talk News”