If wasn’t for my grandfather, I wouldn’t have identified a lot concerning the Southern California boxing scene again within the 1960’s and ’70’s.
On Saturday nights, my grandfather watched boxing televised from the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. The Olympic was a mere 20 miles from his driveway, however going there was out of the query. His routine was set for Saturday night time.
Each few months, he’d name me, or drop me a line, (I used to be dwelling in Oklahoma on the time) with info on fighters who impressed him.
I keep in mind him mentioning Mando Ramos, Ruben Navarro, and “Irish” Frankie Crawford, who all had simply begun their careers. He had a watch for expertise.
Just a few years later, we had been chatting about Armando Muniz, Zovek Barajas, Carlos Palomino, Tury “The Fury” Pineda, Danny Lopez, and Bobby Chacon.
Throughout considered one of our many telephone calls, he talked about Crawford once more.
“Crawford is so gritty,” mentioned my grandfather.
Sure, he was. Just a few weeks in the past, throughout a dialogue with former welterweight contender, Randy Shields, the topic of Crawford got here up.
“My dad (Sunny-Defend’s coach) instructed me that Frankie Crawford was the hardest little man he ever met.”
Crawford was one helluva of a fighter. The query will all the time be: How good he may he have been if he had been dealt with in another way?
Sadly, we’ll by no means know.
Rising up in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and California, the scrappy Crawford was first observed when he captured the Cleveland Golden Gloves in reportedly his third newbie bout. Suggested to show skilled, Crawford hitchhiked to California the place smaller fighters had been extra revered.
He turned skilled a day earlier than his twentieth birthday. Because of his aggressive fashion, Crawford instantly grew to become a crowd favourite on the Olympic, preventing 10 instances in eight months.
Then he hit the street, boxing in San Jose, San Diego, Tijuana a couple of instances, Mazalton, and even Ecuador. Heady stuff for a rising fighter however maybe not one of the best ways to go.
Mentioned Jeff Crawford, “He fought powerful from day one.”
Sure, he did, and infrequently. Crawford had received 21 of 27 fights when he was matched in opposition to rising famous person Mando Ramos on the Olympic on October 5, 1967. Crawford, outweighed by seven kilos, and a giant underdog, opened up an enormous gash over Ramos proper eye within the early going. The 2 children went tooth and nail for 10 laborious rounds, with Crawford profitable the combat by majority determination. A rematch went down 4 months later. This time Ramos managed the motion, maintaining Crawford on the tip of his jab all night time. The choice for {the teenager} was unanimous.
Crawford was accepting of the loss.
“Exterior of feeling embarrassed, I really feel fairly good,” Crawford instructed AP after the combat. ”Mando fought a wise combat.”
Crawford hit a tough patch after the Ramos bout. He misplaced a combat in Hawaii, and was stopped, for the primary time in his profession, by Dwight Hawkins.
Previous to the Hawkins bout, actor Robert Conrad (star of”The Wild Wild West”) signed on as his supervisor, however that partnership lasted solely 18 months. Crawford by no means trusted Conrad, feeling the Hollywood large shot was stealing from him. A narrative goes that Conrad favored to have Crawford practice on the studio. He beloved the publicity. Conrad additionally favored to get within the ring with Crawford and spar, although not significantly.
Apparently, in keeping with the story, Conrad considered himself as an actual fighter. Earlier than a fast spar, he was requested how he would do in a “actual” combat in opposition to Crawford. Conrad complimented Crawford’s boxing expertise, however he felt, since he had a considerable weight benefit, the combat could be shut. Crawford, sitting close by, overheard the complete dialog. He didn’t react and mentioned nothing. As soon as within the ring, the pleasant sparring instantly turned lethal. Crawford fired his left hook, knocking Conrad into dreamland. After gathering his senses, Conrad noticed Crawford standing a couple of ft away. Crawford wagged his finger in Conrad’s face.
Crawford and Conrad quickly parted methods. Crawford fought seven instances after the Haskins match, profitable 4, and drawing in two others, highlighted when he captured the USA state featherweight title. Nonetheless ranked within the prime ten, and solely 24, Crawford felt like his profession was caught in impartial. He wanted to make a change.
In 1970, he made one, hooking up with future Corridor of Fame coach, Jackie McCoy.
“He may have been significantly better than what he was if he had had Jackie McCoy from the beginning,” mentioned Jeff Crawford. “He would have been a world champion for years.”
Crawford traveled to Japan to combat for a world title in 1970. The bout bought off to a promising begin for Crawford when he floored defending champion Shozo Saijo with an ideal left to the jaw. The hometown hero beat the depend and battled again, seemingly hurting Crawford late in spherical 9. Each spherical was shut, making it tough to evaluate. Many gave Crawford the sting, however the determination went to the champion by break up determination.
Coach McCoy summed up what number of felt after the match.
“While you combat within the different man’s hometown, it’s a must to determine you might have a few factors going in opposition to you. I believe when hometown officers have it that shut, that sort of tells the story.”
They fought once more eight months later in Japan. Crawford gave it his all, however Saijo, sharper this time, retained his crown by unanimous determination.
Crawford was devastated.
“That’s once I misplaced my will,” Crawford instructed author Jody Berry in 1977.
The details converse for themselves. Because of monetary causes, Crawford needed to let McCoy go. He fought 16 extra instances, dropping as many as he received. A few of his loses had been notable: former champions Vincente Salvador, and Eder Jofre, and future title holders, Ben Villaflor, and Bobby Chacon. Some weren’t. All of them stung.
Crawford was within the midst of a comeback in 1976 when his new coach shot him within the again. He survived however fell right into a deep melancholy. His weight dropped to 90 kilos. He instructed associates he’d stroll once more—preventing the considered being paralyzed for all times, however he couldn’t beat it.
In 1982, it was reported he shot himself. He was lifeless at 36.
It was throughout, however many who noticed him combat will all the time surprise how good he may have been if…
