6/4/07 - Jim Amato NICOLINO " El Intocable " LOCCHE By Jim Amato article written 5-27-07 He turned professional in 1958 and ten years and one day after his pro debut he became a world champion. Nevertheless it was a long road for Argentine defensive wizard Nicolino Locche. By the time he met Paul Fuji in Tokyo, Japan for the World Boxing Association Light Welterweight title, Locche had amassed over one hundred fights. He halted the pained and frustrated Fuji in the tenth round to capture the crown. From the beginning Locche fought almost all his battles in his native Argentina. His early career had its ups and downs but he won far more times then he lost or drew. In 1963 he burst on to the international scene with a decision win over former world lightweight champion Joe " Old Bones " Brown. In 1965 Nicolino met newly crowned lightweight titlist, the slick Ismael Laguna. The non title, overweight affair was judged a draw. Laguna then lost the title back to the great Carlos Ortiz and in 1966 Locche met Ortiz in a non title affair. Again the crafty Nicolino had to settle for a draw. Locche then set upon securing a world title shot for himself. In 1966 he won a non title ten round verdict over reigning world light welterweight champion Sandro Lopopolo. In 1967 he beat rugged L.C.Morgan and former champion Eddie Perkins. In 1968 he defeated Mexican Al Urbina. Then the shot came against Fuji who had defeated Lopopolo. In 1969 Locche defended against former champion, the very dangerous Carlos Hernandez and the talented Joao Henrique. In 1970 he turned back the challenge of the able Adolph Pruitt. In 1971 he defeated Domingo Barrera Corpas and scored a masterful victory over Antonio " Kid Pambele " Cervantes. Finally in 1972 Nicolino was enticed to go to Panama where he met Alfonso " Peppermint " Frazier. The underdog Frazier out hustled the aging Locche to annex the crown. Nicolino would then put together a four fight win streak while Frazier lost the title to Cervantes. In 1973 Nicolino met Cervantes in Venezuela and was stopped in the beginning of the tenth round. No longer a champion, the proud Locche reeled off seven straight victories in hopes of regaining his crown. Finally in 1976 it became apparent that a title shot was not going to materialize so Nicolino hung up the gloves for good. Locche ended up with an amazing 117-4-14 record. Although he was not a hard hitter as he scored only fourteen knockouts, Nicolino was a master boxer. He ranks right up there with the great Willie Pep as a defensive genius. He was not nicknamed " El Intocable ", ( The Untouchable ) for nothing. Nicolino was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 2003. He passed away in 2005 leaving behind a true legacy of his tremendous talents. 
 Ray Anderson By Jim Amato article written 6-1-07 Back in the early and mid 1970's, northeast Ohio had three world class light heavyweight contenders campaigning for a world title shot. Ray Anderson of Akron would be the one who was fortunate enough to receive a shot at the brass ring. The other two, John Griffin and Billy Wagner of Cleveland fell short of their title fight dreams but they did wage two memorable wars against each other. Ray Anderson was born in 1944 and began his professional career in 1965. Ray showed early promise as he won his first fourteen bouts before losing by knockout to also unbeaten Willie McMillan in his Madison Square Garden debut. Ray would regroup to win his next sixteen bouts. Among his victims were respected boxers such as Amos Johnson, Hubert Hilton, Marion Conner, Frank Niblett and Karl Zurheide. Then on December 10, 1969 Ray faced a 5-0 heavyweight named Ted Gullick. Anderson was outweighed by twenty pounds and although he took an early lead, the bigger Gullick who was a good puncher wore Ray down and stopped him in round nine. Two fights later Anderson drew with tough Allen Thomas. Then disaster struck in the form of the devil. Charlie " The Devil " Green that is. The ever dangerous Devil flattened Ray in 1:36 of the first round and his once bright star was diminishing rapidly. Trying to get back in to the thick of the title picture, Ray met the talented John Griffin in Norton, Ohio. Griffin won a close ten rounder. The two squared off again five weeks later in Akron and again Griffin outscored Anderson. One month later Griffin would lose to the rugged Hal " TNT " Carroll. Then Anderson was matched with Hal Carroll in Ashland, Ohio. I grew up in Cleveland but Ashland, Ohio is my adopted hometown. I've lived in Ashland since 1977 but I had no idea this bout ever took place here until a week or so ago. With the help of the Ashland Public Library's Micro Film Department I was able to gather the newspaper information and account of this bout. The Anderson-Carroll match was the headline bout of a live card at the Ashland College Physical Education Center on November 18th, 1970. It preceded the closed circuit telecast of the George Foreman-Boone Kirkman bout from Madison Square Garden and then to Detroit for the world heavyweight title bout between titleholder Joe Frazier and light heavyweight champion Bob Foster. Wooster, Ohio native and All Star Major League pitcher Dean Chance was the promoter. Ray Anderson was said to have sparred over 400 rounds with Joe Frazier up to this point in his career. Ray won a unanimous decision over the game Carroll while Foreman mugged Boone Kirkman in two rounds. Frazier ended the night by nearly decapitating Foster in round two. Still when Foster next defended the 175 pound title, Hal Carroll would be his opponent. Foster took Hal out in round four to retain his crown. Next up, Ray Anderson. On April 24, 1971 Bob Foster won a lopsided fifteen round decision over Ray Anderson to retain his championship. The televised bout was painfully dull even though Ray may have won a moral victory by going the distance with the vicious punching Foster. Anderson's career seemed to nose dive after the loss to Foster but every now and then he would post a surprise victory. In 1972 he won a decision over the clever Gregorio Peralta. In 1973 he was beaten in eight rounds by the red hot Jorge Ahumada. Ray then came back to draw with Jimmy Dupree. In 1974 he was stopped in two rounds by future champion Victor Galindez.Then Ray lost a decision to the streaking James Scott. Surprisingly in 1975 Anderson upset Ahumada over ten rounds. Ray would go on to lose to three future champions, Miguel Cuello, Marvin Johnson and Mike Rossman. Finally in 1977 Ray decided to hang them up. He retired with a very respectable sixty bout career. He was 36-19-5 and met top shelf opposition throughout most of his career. NOTE ; Former middleweight contender Doyle Baird of Akron jumped up in weight to take on W.B.A. light heavyweight title claimant Vincente Rondon. That bout took place on December 15, 1971. Rondon halted Doyle in round eight. jimsboxing@zoominternet.net
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