I never knew Marlon Starling was involved in such a tragic fight.

[Salardo]

I have been watching boxing since almost 20 years and study the history of boxing since at least 15 years, and I thought I knew all the tragic fights which involved famous boxers. I know about SRR vs Jimmy Doyle, Gabe Ruelas vs Jimmy Garcia, I know that Max Baer, Primo Carnera, Lupe Pintor, Ray Mancini, Sugar Ramos, Ezzard Charles, Jesus Chavez, Bob Fitzsimmons (sparring) and many others were involved in tragic fights.
But I never knew that Marlon Starling was also involved in a tragic fight. Found out today that he was. In his 6th pro fight.
Did you guys know that?
That is strange that I never heard or read that before, even though I read tons of books, spend time in the history section, read lots of boxing magazines.
But I never heard that before. What about you guys?

[BigStereotype]

That sucks...but wait up, Bob Fitzsimmons killed a guy in sparring?! What?!

[Barn]

That sucks...but wait up, Bob Fitzsimmons killed a guy in sparring?! What?!

I'm sure Bob Fitzsimmons killed two people in the ring.

No idea who off the top of my head though.

[Ray Corso]

This was one of those nights in boxing that can devastate people when your there in person. I was!! Moochie was fighting Charlie Newall a very likeable young man who was fighting on a prison pass to work!! Charlie was an inmate at Somers Prison and qualified for the work release program there. His trainer and my older brother were good friends as kids and I brought my kids to Somers to take part in the prisons "in house" program. In fact my young welter beat Charlie in house the year before and Charlie beat him during the release effort a few months before the bout with Marlon!
Charlie was a comparable fighter who was pretty slick and had a good jab and long reach. Moochie caught him early and set the tone for the fight. I can't remember the exact round but I'll guess 5th or 6th Moochie caught him stepping back if I remember right and Charlie went down hard at the edge of the apron and the hall got quiet during the count!!! I was standing against the wall to the lockers and I knew it was bad, theres a feeling in boxing thats vety obvious when someone suffers a bad KO, its sickening!!!
Charlie never regained conscience and I think was pronounced dead a day or two, from the bout. Again I might have that actual detail wrong! I do remember Moochies trainer and manager Mac Buckley investigating Charlies past and finding that he was in a serious auto accident and he had suffered head injuries years before the bout that were very serious. Many thought the state had negated his total exam to be found fit to box or there was a mix up with the prisons exam paper work! Either way Charlie died and it hurt everyone who knew him. Moochie got a little relief from the findings but it bothered him then and I'm sure it still does! Moochie had and I'm sure still has a big heart!! ..........bless Charlie Newall!!!! Ray Corso

[TBear]

Thanks for the input on this Ray Corso.

Here's A story on the tragedy.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=3612,5332471

[TBear]

It is always very sad when a fighter falls in the ring. I was watching tv that sad day when DuK Koo Kim fell against Boom Boom Mancini and that was the first time I had ever seen a fighter lose his life in the ring. It is not only a tragedy that the fighter loses his life but also sad for the family and friends of the fallen warrior. Such moments often severly affects the life of the other fighter as well.

I believe this was the case with Gabe Ruelas who stopped Jimmy Garcia back in 95. Garcia in his previous bout lost a decision to Genaro Hernandez for the WBA belt and this was a chance for Gabe Ruelas to show his skills in comparision. On the same night as his fight with Garcia, Gabe watched his brother Rafael get destroyed by De La Hoya and that wasn't enough, he had a good showing stopping Jimmy Garcia in the 11th round. Unfortunitely Garcia died of injuries after the fight. Gabe Ruelas was never the same after that night and many say it ruined him as a fighter.

[Ray Corso]

I remember my family friend Gaspar Ortega getting ready to fight my favorite fighter at that time Benny "Kid" Peret!!! Gaspar was one of my teachers and a friend that was cheerished for his honesty and loyalty. I had a problem who to pick to be the winner, it was that long ago I realized that a good fight was what to rout for and the safety of the fighters was a very real wish.
I think they split 2 bouts or Gaspar won 2 out of 3, I don't recall but it wasn't much longer that I watched my favorite fighter get overwhelmed by Emile and I can still see the ref just moving around and not stepping in to stop the pinned "Kid" in the corner! I remember yelling at the ref to stop the fight!!
Serious "game" this sport of boxing, thats why I get mad when I hear some jerk in a crowd call a fighter a bum!! He's in the stands, paid to get in and he's calling someone risking his life for the sport he loves a "bum"! Sad! Ray.


R.I.P Benny the "Kid" Peret terrific boxer, and fan favorite!!

[Barn]

It's Benny Paret, by the way.

[raskat]

Come on guys, let's not start arguing and insulting each other. Let us go back to the topic of the thread. No need to be mean to each other.

[greynotsoold]

It is always very sad when a fighter falls in the ring. I was watching tv that sad day when DuK Koo Kim fell against Boom Boom Mancini and that was the first time I had ever seen a fighter lose his life in the ring. It is not only a tragedy that the fighter loses his life but also sad for the family and friends of the fallen warrior. Such moments often severly affects the life of the other fighter as well.

I believe this was the case with Gabe Ruelas who stopped Jimmy Garcia back in 95. Garcia in his previous bout lost a decision to Genaro Hernandez for the WBA belt and this was a chance for Gabe Ruelas to show his skills in comparision. On the same night as his fight with Garcia, Gabe watched his brother Rafael get destroyed by De La Hoya and that wasn't enough, he had a good showing stopping Jimmy Garcia in the 11th round. Unfortunitely Garcia died of injuries after the fight. Gabe Ruelas was never the same after that night and many say it ruined him as a fighter.

Just days after the Mancini/Kim fight I was at the Dallas -Ft. Worth airport and saw the Korean amateur boxing team waiting for a flight. I remeber wondering what they were thinking about...