Ramblings:-->Warren Zevon & "Boom Boom" Mancini

"Hurry home early.
Hurry on home.
Boom Boom Mancini's
fighting Bobby Chacon."
Warren Zevon
One of my favorite rockers by the "Wizard of Words"...Warren Zevon...is the little known nuggett..."Boom-Boom Mancini"...off his fantastic "Sentimental Hygiene" album.

It has a deliciously powerful beat...and a terrific hook.
And should have been a radio staple jam...drawing new listeners to the...Zevon Zoo.

Anyway...the song was about the real life... lightweight champion boxer..."Boom Boom Ray Mancini".

One of the reasons he became so popular...was "Boom-Boom" would always run out to the middle of the ring at each bell...and immediately start whaling his opponent with a barrage of punches.
Boom Boom Mancini

Because his fights were always tasty slugfests...ABC began televising his fights live...drawing huge viewer numbers.

He soon became world lightweight champion at 20...defeating Arturos Frias in the 1st round.

"Boom Boom" vs Arturos Frias

And though "Boom Boom" fought all the well-known challengers of his day...it was his second defense of his title that...unfortunately...defined his career.

In 1982...fighting the #1 contender from South Korea...Duk Koo Kim...on live television from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas...21 year old Mancini...TKO'd...Kim in the 14th round.

Five minutes after the fight...Kim collapsed and went into a coma. Five days later he died...shocking the boxing community.

"Boom Boom" vs Duk Koo Kim

Many people criticized that the fight should have been stopped. And 3 months later...referee Richard Greene...committed suicide. Four months later...Kim's mother committed suicide.

The boxing community quickly decided to change the number of rounds in an official boxing match...to twelve in hopes of protecting the boxers.

The young Mancini went into a depression...putting his gloves away for nearly a year. In 1984...up-and-coming Bobby Chacon challenged Mancini for his lightweight championship belt. Chacon already held 2 other Championship Belts from different weight classes...and there was quite a buzz as to how Mancini would perform in the ring.

"Boom Boom" knocked Chacon out in round number three.

"Boom Boom" vs Bobby Chacon

Warren Zevon captures the excitment fans felt...when learning of his upcoming fight with the great Bobby Chacon.
Good Stuff!

Casey

Warren Zevon:-->"Boom-Boom Mancini" (Sentimental Hygiene) (1987) (Must Own)

Comments

Jim said…
I grew up in NE Ohio, and in the early 80's, we really didn't have a lot to look forward to. Boom Boom was the one thing we did have. I remember that Kim fight like it was yesterday. What an epic battle that was. I had never seen two guys stand toe to toe and wail that hard for that long on each other. It was an amazing fight, one of the best I have ever seen, marred only by the death of a great fighter.
September 30, 2007 at 9:02 AM
Casey said…
Boom Boom didn't waste time posing for the camera. He got in there and
shimmed the sham! I like catching Mancini on ESPN every now and then.
And Zevon captures the feel dead-on!
Later!
October 1, 2007 at 1:05 AM
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