I think the real story here is why in the hell did a Houston Area Urban League give Reggie Johnson 120 grand to put on a series of boxing camps? And why did they give it to him up front before any of the camps took place??? Is this tax payers money or is this some kind of foundation? Whoever authorized this transaction needs to be investigated.
I think the real question here is why would anyone let Reggie Johnson put on a boxing camp. Maybe the plan was for him to just pop in a tape of his fight vs Roy and tell the students to "be like the guy that isn't me"
Page was one of those guys that was "institutionalized" even while he was on the outside. He wanted to go back to the slam before 6 Heads Lewis cleaned his plow, and pulled a stickup job knowing he would be caught, just so he could go home in an environment where he felt he fit in and belonged. He had a classical fight when he beat Lopez, who seemed set for fame and fortune himself after the draw with Ike Quartey, but preferred surfing and smoking weed to training and was another waste of talent. I liked the fight where Page beat Sam Garr, who at one time was a hell of a welterweight and former National Amateur Champion, and they put some nice moves on each other in that one. Page always reminded me a lot of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in appearance and also a bit style-wise, though Carter had a tighter guard and stayed set most of the time, whereas James liked to bound around at times as he had solid balance Page also knocked Oscar flat out in the gym, that is a fact. Too bad about him, and had he been a diligent trainer and nicer person, could have made a ton of money. Karl
Are you calling Karl a liar. I dare you to go to Savannah's gym and tell him that in his face. You've probably never even laced them up. You're probably some cyber punk hiding behind his keyboard but don't have the guts to back it up. Karl will snap your back. Cupey
Reggie got caught up in a bunch of fraudulent grants that the Urban League helped put together. This was Hurricane Katrina relief money for the people of Louisiana. At the time many were displaced across east TX, and Reggie's group was to put together some boxing youth camps. They took the money and instead promoted his fight vs. Julio Gonzales, in which Reggie was given a questionable decision. The promotion lost money, so the pot never got replenished. I think Reggie was the figurehead more than the mastermind.. Plus, he's been locked up for over 2 yrs awaiting this trial.. Remember the police tracked him down hiding in his bedroom closet or something like that. I dont know about any bad check priors, but thought he had a fleeing charge after some traffic warrants out in west TX. Reggie was a great middleweight and just ran into Roy when Roy was one of, if not THE BEST boxer ever. After Big George, Reggie is the best boxer that Houston has ever produced. TEXAS needs prison boxing. HBO coulda done 3 shows with Kirkland in the past year.. Ettienne just wanted to go back it seems.. Following in his shackled footsteps is Hasan Henderson. He also learned to box in the Louisiana Penitentiary system and after gaining his release, was building himself into a decent fighter at Savannahs in Houston. Got to 5-0. But eventually also did something seemingly planned just to go back to where he was more comfortable perhaps.
:: :atu: Cupey I swear with your tiny dinosaur arms you probably barely reach that keyboard but when you do reach it sometimes you make me laugh pretty hard !!
I first remember Page when he blew out Alfred Ankamah in 1995. Ankamah had looked extremely impressive to that point and Page came in 12-2. No way a 12-2 guy was going to beat Ankamah. It made a lot more sense when the 2 losses were put into perspective later...the first was a points loss to Zack Padilla and the 2nd was a majority loss to Stevie Johnston.
What does roy jones have to do with him being or not being a great middleweight? He fought Roy at light heavyweight? :scratcher:
He wasn't too bad at light heavyweight either.. was in response to comment about him being inferior to Roy and not deserving of respect as a boxer who could run a boxing camp for youths.
Reggie Johnson was a terrific middleweight. I saw him beat James Toney at the Las Vegas Hilton in person, yet get robbed of the call. Toney barely laid a glove on him, and he gave Toney the second biggest boxing lesson of his life, right after the one Roy Jones gave him.
I guess anybody can be a so-called "Champion". Beating Ole Klemsten and Will Taylor was some great feat for Reggie to be a champ :atu:
Most boxing folk thought Reggie was just going to be a scalp for then red-hot and big punching William Guthrie, whom HBO had hoped to groom into a popular opponent for Jones.