We all know Panama Lewis is a scumbag and a waste of human life. What about Luis Resto? Do you think he might actually be telling the truth that he didn't know, or is he full of it? I heard that after the fight, Resto looks at Panama like he's been caught for doing something bad when Collins's dad meets him and yells out about the padding, but I've never seen that version of the fight. The one I have cuts to Brent Musburger talking about it after the fact. Here's a good article about Resto. http://www.boxing-monthly.co.uk/content/0003/two.htm
He is a guy with a good sense of humour and played a little joke with Collins who took it far too seriously
who knows. it's tough to give him the benefit of the doubt when you consider he was thrown out of school for assaulting his teacher, and then hospitalized for psychiatric treatment. also, i found it odd that his chief complaint regarding the coverage of the incident was that pictures of his own injuries weren't published in addition to Collins'. i'm thinking, uh, unlike yours, Collins' gloves hadn't been tampered with. that seems kind of socio-pathic to me. and let's not forget. there's all kinds of nice and pleasant socio-paths out there. just because the guy is affable doesn't mean he's innocent.
I just watched the fight, and before every round Panama would perform an adjustment on the gloves, trying to reposition the padding so that it wouldn't be obvious that a chunk is missing. He had to know. If you're a boxer, you know what a normal set of gloves feels like and you would be able to tell if a chunk is missing.
I have the version that shows the post-fight. Collins' dad feels his gloves and starts screaming for the commissioner. Resto gets a look on his face like a kid who was just caught with his hands in the cookie jar, then he started yelling for his trainer. He knew.
Nahhhh Luis Resto is not living in morris park I use to live with him well not with him but in another room he is a good guy. Resto is always thinking about that time of the fight from what I understand he was a good fighter. Yes in my heart I believe he had to know that the padding was missing but my question is where were the state inspector's. I believe Resto had to leave the gym because of the new renovations there doing to the gym by new owner Dexter can't spell his last name but Resto does have family in the area that he has close ties to and yes he does work. Resto is a good person just sometimes stuck in the past.
Resto I remember Resto quite well. Resto was a good and tough fringe contender fighter back in the early eighties who sometimes wore a slicked back ponytail. I actually trained with Billy and Mr. Collins briefly in early 1982, and they were nice fellas who took boxing and the art of boxing, very seriously, they trained very hard. Billy was a tall kid, ligament strong, and he knew how to use his height and reach to pretty good advantage, but would sometimes give that up as he liked a good punchout. Mr. Collins boxed one of the greatest fighters ever, Emile Griffith in fact, and told me that he thought Emile was one of the greatest fighters ever. Nice boxing guys to spend time with. Karl
Well that was a quarter of a century ago, and I am sure he regrets it as it seems Luis has wound up homeless on skid row.
I just saw this short clip in the youtube for the film. I agree with you. If you didn't know the gloves were tampered with, I tend to think in that situation, you'd be surprised, acting like "what are you talking about?", not "Ah man, he knows".
great post. you have every reason to be biased or even avoid the question, but you instead tackle the subject head on. much respect.
