WEIGHTS, MEASURES AND OTHER INTRUSIONS By George Elsasser

Was the war years of the 1940s ... and we finally had the bad guys backed to the ropes - and then 1945 - and the mother of all 2-punch combinations closed the show at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  

A time prior to the magic-lantern in every living room ... the radio era of Dunphy & Corum with the blow by blow and color ... the next day it was a race to the corner candy store for the newspaper coverage.

Was still a time of the club fights ... .75 cents bought the cheap seats ... for those with more coins in the pocket it was ringside at a buck-fifty.

Saw some dandies in them 8-round main events ... Graham, Pellone, Hairstone, Cartier ... and the Paddy's DeMarco and Young  ... and "Tiger" Jones, Janiro out of Youngstown, and Castellani and Giambra from Scranton and Buffalo.

A different scene back then and that's for sure ... altho', natural fighting talent still exists today ... the cream rising to the top ... and one day a plaque on the wall at Canastota.

Problem here is not the fighters ... punchers, boxers, skilled, unskilled, they all get my respect ... a receipt earned from a career choice that stands far above the demands of them other sports.

And I'm aware that time brings changes ... some good, some not so good, but most with best intentions in mind - ring strands from three to four ... catch weights in hopes of balancing the playing field ... all well and good.

But not all work as planned ... New York first with the 3-knockdown and standing eight count rules ... others followed ... and from day one it made no sense to me.

Thought it superfluous as the other one ... removing the scoring from the referee and adding a third judge ... was said the referee had enough a burden in overseeing the ring action to recall what had just transpired during each three minute interval of ring action.

Eventually most commissions swept away them standing eights and 3 knockdown rules ... but the 3-hack scoring system remains.

Took a spell for me to see through some of it ... adding of the third judge more political than anything else ... a plum for a party member in good standing.

For those on the alert for wrong doing how about that  3-knockdown rule ... what better tool for a bought ref ... the old judgment call ... and come a slip, a push, and maybe a flash knockdown is all it takes.

But enough history ... lets get to the rhyme and reasons of this mini-essay ... somebody please explain how the newest arrival to this entourage scene made the fight roster.

The never before heard of "nutritionist" guy ... and coupled with the once forbidden, but today popular with some fighters iron-pumping must surely have poor old Charlie Goldman, Whitey Bimstein, Cus, Eddie Futch turning in the grave.

First hint of non-fighter training intrusions caught my eye when the self proclaimed warrior Fernando Vargas began with the photo-ops in a standard body builder pose. And he raved over his new addition to the "team" ... funny, I've never seen pro boxing as a team sport ... was always manager, trainer, fighter ... and cut man.

The ferocious one was subsequently tamed in nasty fashion by both Trinidad and Hoya ... so much for pumping iron and vitamins - both Tito and Oscar remain as was in the physique department.

Interesting indeed, thinking back and seeing photos of prime Louis, Robinson, Pep, Saddler, Bob Foster, Charles and not a body builder look among them ... and today a Hopkins as well getting by nicely with the body of a fighter.

Guess here is the solid trainers and tutors doing business today such as a Steward, Mayweather Sr., McGirt would dispatch any "nutritionist" applicant to the nearest bathhouse before letting him near their charges.

Returning to that WW2 era I spoke of ... the popular magazines of the day would routinely carry Charles Atlas ads ... the guy with the body beautiful ... the muscular Atlas posing in the forefront and some skinny guy in a beach scene having sand kicked in his face.

The promise, follow the Atlas muscle building and the former wimps would do the sand kicking at the beach ... and don't ya know, those in my former B'klyn naborhood that answered the call, remained the same pigeons as before but with prettier bodies ... and worthy of male model status.

And this ... Roy Jones Jr. out of the Olympics with a solid frame, super fast hands and matching quickness of feet ... begins moving up in seemingly natural growth to light heavy and he dominates. Then readied to test the waters at heavyweight ... selects the perfect foil in slow moving Johnny Ruiz ... helps that Ruiz gives too much respect come fight nite.

All went well for Jones ... claims share of heavyweight crown ... but something was different in Roy ... had the good moves but never put together the flurries he did in the past  ... and the body pretty much ratted him out. Roy trained differently ... the bodybuilder look of a weightlifter and possibly some other additive ... nobody dared whisper to "Superman' that bulking up doesn't add up in boxing.

Then that last one at 175 with Antonio Tarver ... and Tarver fought a good enough fite to make it a coin-flip ... and the former untouchable came away with the win but also touched and tired.

And then Shane Mosley ... proudly boasting of his past weightlifting feats that he returned to once moving up to junior middle ... and the body showed it ... and a sleek in style and physique was traded in for magazine covers ... and a guy named Winky come and wacked him time again over 12 frustrating candles that ended with the sweet one on the short-n-sour side.

Moral of story:  You want to be a boxer search out  the proven ones ... a fight trainer and not one better suited for ballet ... do the roadwork, the gym work and learn the trade ... and if the ticker is strong and the drive as well, it just might be worth it all.

GEL