Angelo, Ali, & Bundini Brown circa 1963
GODFATHER OF BOXING TRAINERS LOSES LIFE PARTNER
San Francisco, CA
– When I heard earlier today that Helen Dundee, the woman that has had boxing trainer Angelo Dundee’s back for better than a half century, like all of you, offer my deepest condolences for the most prolific fight trainer of the second half of the 20th century. Having been around for a while, I have a couple of stories that relate to Mr. & Mrs. Angelo Dundee.
GAFFED HELEN’S NAME REPEATEDLY ON LIVE RADIO!
Circa 1992, I was going out with an incredibly beautiful runway runner (model turned flight attendant) for United Airlines named Song Hong (Susan Joyce). As Angelo and I are doing an edition of “Ring Talk Worldwide,” that coincided with his being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, I on more than one occasion during the interview referred to Helen Dundee as “Susan or Joyce Dundee.”
CLASSY ANGIE GAVE ME A PASS
Just before concluding the ten-minute segment, I would thank both “Angelo and his lovely wife, Joyce” Angelo, he never said a word. Shortly after the show was over, Helen and Angelo came together with me at Graziano’s Inn, the #1 hangout of the fight crowd during the Hall of Fame week. “Pedro,” says Helen, “You know my name is Helen, right?” I answered to the affirmative. “Then, why did you call me Susan and Joyce during Angie’s interview?” The big mouth was speechless!
CLASSY HELEN GAVE ME A PASS TOO!
Embarrassed beyond belief, by my late friend and three division champ Alexis Arguello, still in his partying mode, aka drunk and stoned, I can still hear AA laughing at me as I sat Helen and Angelo. Mrs. Dundee, seeing that I was obviously moved (and not in a good way) with my blowing her name a handful of times during the show. “Pedro, that’s OK, nobody knows who I am.”
HELEN SEEMED THE QUIET & SUPPORTIVE TYPE
I would see her once more circa late 90s at an event in Florida with Angelo. In recent years, Helen’s health would take a turn for the worse. Having been around Angie when his elder brother Chris Dundee, the man that ran boxing in Miami before dying in the early 90s, Chris’ death, although he had been comatose for some time, it hit Angelo in the gut like never before. In closing, I’m sure Helen’s passing this week will be even more painful for the Godfather of boxing trainers, the great Angelo Dundee.
SPEAKING FOR THE STAFF & YOU THE READERS
Our deepest condolences to Angelo and the entire Dundee family.
TOMORROW THE LATE GREAT BENNIE BRISCO
For those of you this that know nothing but boxing, and at the same time want to know when Manny Pacquiao defecates, Bennie Briscoe, another great fighter that Pedro crossed paths with has passed away at 67.
Pedro Fernandez