MNBOXINGFAN: November 2018

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Dec.1st-Alexandria, MN - Grand Opening

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Myth Became Legend: Pep vs Graves

Fact or Fiction?

Willie Pep vs. Jackie Graves

Did Willie Pep really win a round without throwing/landing a single punch?

If you’re a boxing fan the odds are good that sooner or later, you’ll hear about the legendary boxer from Connecticut, Willie “Will o’ the Wisp” Pep, and the day he squared off against Minnesota Boxing great Jackie “The Austin Atom” Graves.

Willie Pep is widely regarded as one of the best featherweight fighters of all time. Some of his honors include:

International Boxing Hall of Fame - inductee class of 1990
Ranked 6th on Ring Magazine’s list of the “80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years” back in 2002.
Ranked 5th on ESPN’s “50 Greatest Boxers of All Time” in 2007.
Ring Magazine’s ‘Fighter of the Year’ in 1945
Voted as the Greatest Featherweight Ever by the Houston Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014.

Jackie Graves honors include, but are not limited to:

World Boxing Hall of Fame inductee
Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame inductee
Ring Magazine correspondent for many years after his fighting career ended

Boxing fans regularly cite Willie Pep as having once won a round without throwing a single punch. The fight they’re referring to was against Jackie Graves on July 25th, 1946, in Minneapolis, MN, at the Auditorium. Although sadly, most boxing fans who cite this Willie Pep fun fact couldn’t tell you who Pep was fighting against nor that the fight was held in Minneapolis. That included me up until last night as well.

So, what happened last night? Well I ran across some fight fans debating this infamous issue of whether Pep really won a round without throwing a punch last night on Facebook. I kept out of the debate since I was ignorant to most of the facts. Although upon reading the back and forth and I learned that the fight Pep supposedly did this was against Minnesota boxer Jackie Graves. I knew Graves was in the Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame, but not much else about him. Now I had the urge to know more about this guy nicknamed “The Atomic Atom” and whether or not Pep had really won a round without throwing a punch.

Researching boxing is really fun and to be honest I’ve gotten really sucked into this story. I’ve been enjoying learning more about MN fighter Jackie Graves, but also learning more about the amazing Willie Pep as well.

However, rather than try to make a case on whether the story is actually true or not I thought I’d simply compile as much info, photos, and links referring to this urban legend as possible.

Then present them here on my blog all in one place for the fight fans to have easy access to. Hopefully you’ll learn something new about boxing or just have fun reflecting on some history of the sweet science.

One thing all fight fans should all agree on is our love of the sport of boxing. Whether you believe the legend about Pep winning punch less round or not it’s created a fun buzz and started conversations, sometimes heated, and stoked the fire for fans love for the sweet science.

Have fun viewing the links below and let’s keep the fights in the ring.

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Willie_Pep_vs._Jackie_Graves

Interview with Jackie Graves - by Jake Wegner

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/w0403-jw.html

Honoring Jackie Graves by Daily Herald

https://m.austindailyherald.com/2011/07/honoring-jackie-graves/

John Thomas “Jackie” Graves

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12401135/john-thomas-graves

ESPN article: ‘Little Big Men: Willie Pep’ by Bert Randolph Sugar - Oct. 10th, 2006

http://www.espn.com/espn/classic/news/story?id=2622504

ESPN article: ‘Could Pep have won a round without landing a single punch?’ by Don Stradley - Aug.6th, 2008

http://www.espn.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3522638

Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame bio on Jackie Graves - MNBHOF induction class of 2011

http://www.mnbhof.org/Jackie_Graves.html

Willie Pep’s Boxrec link:

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/43

Jackie Graves Boxrec link:

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/76

‘Boxing Legend Gets Tombstone’ by Jason Schnoonover - May 1st, 2012 - Albert Lea Tribune

https://m.albertleatribune.com/2012/05/boxing-legend-gets-tombstone/

Don Riley obit. Pioneer Prrss article by Jaime DeLage Jan.1st 2016 - Riley was 92

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.twincities.com/2016/01/01/don-riley-longtime-pioneer-press-sports-columnist-dies-at-92/amp/

Friday, November 16, 2018

Hawley Boxing Invitational Postponed

UPDATE!

Nov.17th - The Hawley Boxing Invitational - has been postponed due to weather. Here is a photo of The Gold Room’s Ben Tighe’s Facebook post updating everyone on the situation:

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Support Rice St. Old School Boxing Gym

Rice Street Old School Boxing

Coming Soon!

Donate/Support via link here:

https://fundly.com/rice-st-old-school-boxing-gym

Sunday, November 11, 2018

DEC.15th - Pugilists & Punches II

Friday, November 9, 2018

Happy Bday's to MN HOF ACES

November is a special month for Minnesota fight fans.

In our Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame reside the names of three special fighters who share quite the bond.

Two were brothers. Glen and Del Flanagan.

Together with their childhood friend, Jerry Slavin, they all celebrated their birthdays in November.

Del Flanagan’s birthday was Nov. 6^th. He passed away on Dec. 26^th, 2003. If Del was alive today he’d be a whopping 90 years old! So happy belated 90^thbirthday Del!

The anniversary of Del’s older brother Glen Flanagan’s birthday is coming up on Nov. 16^th. Followed by Jerry’s which is on the 20th.

Glen Flanagan passed away on Jan. 28^th, 1979 but would’ve been 92 this year.

Sadly Gerald E. (Jerry) Slavin passed away this past May 9^th, 2018. He would’ve been 91 this year.

Another fun fact is that all of these childhood friends shared the same trainer. Their trainer is a Minnesota legend in his own right, Earl Kane (Kaehn). The boys were known to fans as Kane's '3 Aces'.

Tonight, as we brace ourselves for cold winds and the chance for more snow, let us reflect on these three special MN HOF fighters (and their MN HOF trainer Earl Kane!) and dream of future Minnesota hall of famers to come.

I encourage you to visit the Minnesota Boxing Hall of Fame website and read about these wonderful aces and their trainer. Then google them or YouTube them and watch some fights!

Happy Birthday Aces!

Prost!