I mentioned this on the last BATB Post-Fight Wrap-Up show, but it bears repeating. The acclaimed HBO documentary "Assault in the Ring" is now out on DVD and there is a special feature on the DVD that gives this tragic story a local angle.
For those who haven't seen this superb documentary, filmaker and former boxing agent Eric Drath looks back at one of the most tragic incidents in the history of the sport -- The 1983 bout between undefeated prospect Billy Collins, Jr. and journeyman Luis Resto held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Resto won the bout but after the gloves were checked, no padding could be found. The bout was later changed to a no contest. The battered Collins never fought again and later died in a car accident at the age of 22. Resto and trainer Panama Lewis were sent to prison. Resto was banned from boxing permanently. Lewis was never allowed to work a corner again, although he can still train boxers in his gym. Twelve years after this tragedy, Lewis worked with Simon Brown in preparation for his bout against Vincent Pettway at the USAir Arena.
The DVD has a special feature that presents the local angle through DC welterweight Robert "Boo Boo" Sawyer. In the early days of ESPN's boxing coverage, the network had a welterweight tournament. Sawyer won the tourney and became the ESPN Welterweight champion. In his second defense of that title on December 16, 1982, Sawyer faced Resto in Atlantic City, NJ. Resto won the title by 12th round knockout. Sawyer (whose final record was 14-16, nine KO's) was never the same after that bout, winning only three of his last 13 fights before retiring in 1996.
In the special feature, Sawyer travels to New York to confront Resto saying that Resto's gloves were tampered in their bout, which was two contests BEFORE Resto fought Collins. What takes place is riveting, fascinating and in the end, heartwarming. Every boxing fan should get this DVD immediately.
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5 comments:
Havent't seen the video yet but I'm very interested in it. I trained at Morris Park BC in the Bronx and got to know Resto very well. He was living in the gym at the time, apparently for years. He was always very helpful to me and a great guy. We spoke about the incident (from his perspective) and its an all around tragedy what happened.
It was a great documentary. Resto appears to be tormented because of what happened. His emotion seems very genuine and remorseful. Unlike that pimp Panama. It was a awkward moment watching Resto try to reach out to collins' family.
It was a great documentary. I remember watching the fight. I think Resto feels for what he did. But Panama Lewis could care less he is a real piece shit!
Thanks for the heads-up, Gary. I hadn't heard about the doc and will seek it out. Boxing has been blessed with some truly great films over the years, both documentary and features, and even a few good plays.
On a quasi-related side note, I recently watched the DVD of the Oscar-nominated "Frost Nixon," about the series of landmark interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon in the late 1970s.
As both a boxing and film fan, I picked up the boxing imagery right away--the way that the two men engaged each other, the various traps, cover-ups (at which Nixon was especially gifted,)holds, circling, etc.
Even the function of the supporting characters on each side mirrored the different roles of various cornermen. During the DVD commentary, director Ron Howard mentioned that this imagery was quite deliberate, as both he and the cinematographer were big boxing fans.
Ron Howard, as some will recall, also directed "Cinderella Man," where sometimes-Jimmy Lange cornerman Angelo Dundee served as offscreen consultant and onscreen cornerman.
This is a story that touches a lot of lives around me. My father and uncle trained with Collins in nashville for most of their teenage years and recall many of the stories about Billy and their friendship. My dad still tears up when he talks about Billy's death. A must see documentary!!
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