Holmes remembers: 'I wasn't Al Braverman's favourite person. Donation by Anonymous to Sophie's page on 12/08/2017. Biggest pay-day: Holyfield-Bowe, dollars 15m purse. He is now a loving husband and a proud father. He became a lieutenant to Jimmy Coonan and operated primarily in narcotics. Holmes was a top amateur whose unpaid career nevertheless ended ingloriously when he was beaten by Duane Bobick, a subsequent professional Great White Hope, at the 1972 Olympic trials. After being adopted by Cus D'Amato, he became the youngest heavyweight champion and amassed a dollars 100m fortune. Background: Lawyer. ', The other champions: Heavyweights who rule the world. The last I heard, his mother was living in the new house. I remember him coming home and, oh man, was he happy. Despite this, Sharkey distrusted the press, and questions about the Carnera fight have always rankled with him. But it is no more in real terms than Jack Dempsey was demanding in his day. Beattie mulled over his options and realized he could either wait to be killed, which he surmised would eventually happen as he couldn't hide forever, or turn to the government and become a witness, which he did. Assaulted photographer after Holyfield-Bowe I last year. Why, prudence and temptation, fear and opportunism, and fate: the usual suspects who hover about the heavyweight ring. I guess it has to be if he wants to get the free shit.'. He is still active in the ring at the age of 44. Last of the Summer Wine (TV Series 1973–2010) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He prefers talking about fly-fishing to the fights. He had a meat-, packing job but they fired him so he had to look for work. 'We laughed together and cried together. He was preceded in death by his father, Billy G. Beattie and brother, Bobby Lee Beattie and is … Holmes made an attempt in the 1980s to become a singer, but was reckoned even to have failed the Joe Frazier test. Steve Parsons and Frank La spesa were also thought to be involved in his killing. He showed them the magic tricks and the whole bit.'. They know that even in the moment of violent coronation, it is possible to mourn for the deposed. Sports Illustrated at the Wayback Machine (archived September 26, 2015) – cover – March 8, 1965 – Billy Kidd A Bullet in the Rockies; Sports Illustrated at the Wayback Machine (archived September 26, 2015) – cover – February 5, 1968 – 1968 Olympics preview – Billy Kidd & Jimmy Heuga A fight on the slopes, but a cinch on the ice Three years later, returning to the dressing-room after losing to Jimmy Young, he said he had had a religious experience, signified by the feeling of being engulfed by blood. Her ancestry includes English and Scottish. He was an enforcer in Mickey Spillane's gang at first, but after Spillane and the mafia began feuding over control of the Jabob K. Javitz Center, Billy had doubts about staying in Spillane's gang. I cut off school the next day anyway.' Claims to find boxing boring. Betty's two older brothers … What they say about him: 'Some men like to swim with sharks, but only Abraham enjoys flossing their teeth.' A benefit was held for Walcott in Philadelphia in 1992. You're shaking more than me.' He later testified against John Gotti and other Italian gangsters. He has built a large house outside Washington DC and has a fleet of luxury cars. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pinups", her shoulder-to-armpit … Legacy.com is the leading provider of online obituaries for the newspaper industry. Created with Sketch. His two top men for the conspiracy were Billy Beattie, whom Coonan had a contract on, and Jimmy McElroy. 'He doesn't give interviews,' an acquaintance said. Whitepages people search is the most trusted directory. The fight didn't happen. Schmeling was no match for Louis in the return in the US, and was knocked out in the first round. here's hoping this one works :-) xx. The Westies are a New York City-based Irish American organized crime gang, responsible for racketeering, drug trafficking, and contract killing.They were partnered with the Italian-American Mafia and operated out of the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.. No problem, said Goebbels. View the profiles of people named Bill Beatie. Before losing his crown to Buster Douglas, rumours were rife that Tyson was training on women and booze. Frazier made a comeback in the 1980s but it lasted only one fight: a draw with Jumbo Cummings. Last year Tracy Harris Patterson won a professional world boxing title. Walcott's reign coincided with the rule of Frank Carbo and Blinky Palermo, two mobsters who controlled the main weight divisions (dubbed 'accounts') through James Norris, owner of Madison Square Garden. EVANDER HOLYFIELD was born on 19 October 1962 and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. THE OLD cliches retain an eerie resonance. He told the fight judges to stick their verdict 'where the sun don't shine', a reference to 'my big black behind'. £10.00 + £0.00 Gift Aid. He invested heavily in property in his home town through his company, Larry Holmes Enterprises. What they say about him: 'He never moves or fidgets. They went out a couple of times trying to find him but were unsuccessful. They will be welcoming their second child in January 2018. Sharkey is remembered less for his title victory over Max Schmeling than for the controversial manner of his defeat to the 'Ambling Alp', Primo Carnera, in his first defence in 1933. Frazier was pulled out by Futch at the end of the 14th round. Most extraordinarily, Holmes had himself held back against Ali, beseeching the referee to stop the fight, even though it was Ali's lingering aura that stood infuriatingly between Holmes and the acceptance he craved. Holyfield's finest hour may have come during his first fight with Bowe, when, outweighed and outgunned, he rallied on heart alone to trouble the champion-in-waiting and make the fight respectably close. He just had this self-destructive spirit. Wit and wisdom: 'I may look like a wimp, but I'm not.'. An entourage of hangers- on materialised. William "Billy" Beattie (date of birth unknown) was an Irish-American mobster and member of New York's notorious Irish mob The Westies. After the Ali fight Leon Spinks went missing. He lives on his estate in Berrien Springs, Michigan, but travels frequently. I've seen a film of it and although Carnera is a guy who's had a lot of laughs at him, you can tell that he wasn't that much of a clown in the ring. At the weigh-in, ringsiders learnt why. Spinks and his brother were guided by Butch Lewis, an ambitious young black promoter, after they had both won gold at the 1976 Olympics. According to one eye-witness: 'He did not look well. Frazier runs a gym in Philadelphia, and his personal appearances are managed by Marvis. As a professional, he seemed destined to play the role of fringe contender and his manager, John Johnson, that of bit player. After their meteoric rise, Douglas and Johnson performed a vanishing act. View the profiles of people named Billy Beattie. Beattie died on 9 July 2020 at the St. Margaret’s Hospice in Clydebank, aged 93. Businessman Colin Beattie, a long-time champion of the arts, commissioned the larger- than-life bronzes of Billy and fellow comedy legend Chic Murray a … A rematch loomed. He has suffered since the early 1980s from Parkinson's Syndrome, which impairs his speech and reflexes. My final memory of Beattie was the Stevenage game in the league which we needed to win. Unlike his brother Leon, he did not want to turn professional. FLOYD PATTERSON was born in Waco, North Carolina, on 4 January 1935. In 1938 Louis, by then champion, had his revenge in the most politically charged heavyweight bout in history. Background Checks. These days there are many 'championships', but there is a true line of succession (shown on left). Read our full mailing list consent terms here, Johnson talked of discovering the first Russian world heavyweight champion. He claimed that Coonan and Edward Cummiskey once held him at gun point as he sat in a bathtub taking a bath, silencers pointed at his head, and forced Beattie to sell out Paddy Dugan. He became a follower of the Nation of Islam before his title fight with Liston in 1964. From prison Tyson has relayed conflicting messages. Beattie was in the box expecting a cross....so he was waving his arms around and giving Sharp daggers for daring to shoot. Promoted Muhammad Ali until 1974. 'My father is just having fun,' Marvis says. Frazier then managed Marvis's pro career, and was criticised for encouraging his son to fight Mike Tyson. He grew up in the Brownsville ghetto in Brooklyn. Bill Beattie (Australian politician) (1912–2006), Australian politician. 'They said no, so Cus went to Florida and got 90 from another promoter. In 1954 a Sports Illustrated story carried an allegation by a former heavyweight, Harry Thomas, that he had been offered a bribe by Schmeling's manager, Joe Jacobs, to lose to the German in 1937. The Lone Ranger (TV Series 1949–1957) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. 'All Michael wanted was to get a job,' Butch Lewis, their manager, says. ), Wit and wisdom: 'There's only one rule anyone connected with boxing must keep in mind - everything you hear in boxing is a lie.'. JACK SHARKEY, 'The Boston Gob', was born on 26 November 1902 and is, at 91, the oldest living former world heavyweight champion. Wit and wisdom: 'Yesterday I was lying, today I'm telling the truth.'. ', Patterson adopted a boy named Tracy Harris. Or as a Dempsey, Louis, Ali or a Tyson, a great among greats? Animal Planet is planning a special tribute to Steve Irwin at 6pm EST. He is reported to have spent much of his money. Vis profiler af personer, der hedder Beattie Billy. Beattie believed that Coonan had put a contract out on him. 60 Followers, 178 Following, 59 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Bill Beattie (@billy.beattie) According to his fellow Columbus fight manager Mike Laquatra, who has known the pair since the early days: 'John did sign this big Russian guy but when they brought him over it turned out he couldn't fight. MAX SCHMELING'S most famous victory was not his 1930 world-title defeat of Jack Sharkey - to whom he lost the title two years later - but his knockout of Joe Louis in 1936. Then he discovered he could fight. He would almost certainly have taken gold had he not knocked out his New Zealand opponent on the break in the semi-finals and been disqualified. This combination allowed Holyfield to cash in with defences against the division's ancients, Foreman and Holmes, although not without scares on each occasion. He has avoided contact with the press for many years. An ambitious power axis was discussed; partners to include Norris, Rosensohn, Ahlquist, the British promoter Jack Solomons, and Johansson. Walcott's manager was Felix Bocchicchio, a hood aligned with Carbo. He formed a band (lead vocals: J. Frazier) which met with critical bewilderment. His two top men for the conspiracy were Billy Beattie, whom Coonan had a contract on, and Jimmy McElroy. Billy Lane was able to return to his normal life after serving his time. Patterson won the Olympic middleweight gold medal at the 1952 Olympics and turned professional under the guidance of Cus D'Amato. The Big Yin is one of the celebs paying tribute to the star in Radio Scotland show Johnny Beattie: The Variety of Life. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. 'He was OK, but I don't like seeing him that way. 'I last saw Leon about four months ago,' Butch Lewis says. 10695 Rte D, … By using the site, you agree … He became a street tough and spent his adolescence in institutions. I don't know the eastern hemisphere very well, but I suspect he'd be one of the worst people there too.' Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. He would box when he was released: he then said that he wouldn't. He kept team-mates amused with plausible mimickry of Muhammad Ali. Coonan and Cummiskey would stay at the apartment, waiting for Dugan to come to the apartment to murder and dismember him. JAMES 'Buster' Douglas was born on 7 April 1960 and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. But Frazier's third fight with Ali in Manila was widely reckoned to have been so hard that it ruined both men's ring futures. Lee publicly denied them but on the stand took the Fifth Amendment. He was an enforcer in Mickey Spillane's gang at first, but after Spillane and the mafia began feuding over control of the Jabob K. Javitz Center, Billy had doubts about staying in Spillane's gang. (Dan Duva). In 1964, Bentvena … D'Amato made a stand against the Madison Square Garden Mobsters, depriving them of Patterson's services. The president of the Discovery Network, Billy Campbell, released a statement, saying:[34] Our entire company is … He now owns properties in upstate New York and lives a comfortable life training boxers and counselling offenders. He was even able to outbox Bowe at times, raising the thought that had he not let his fighting heart rule his head, one of the most ingeniously improvised heavyweight title reigns could have run even longer. Holmes says he will retire soon. He was given a title shot against Floyd Patterson because he was the only contender not tied up with Norris and the Mob: a condition Patterson's manager, Cus D'Amato, insisted upon. Bliv medlem af Facebook, og få kontakt med Beattie Billy og andre, du måske kender. A private detective friend of mine visited Sharkey recently and said he's still very much alive. In the 1990s Walcott was again indirectly involved in unwanted controversy when his then-deputy, Bobby Lee (now chairman of the IBF), was named in unproven bribery allegations. What they say about him: 'If Shelley's guilty of anything, it's taking too much care of Mark Breland.' Shirley MacLaine was born Shirley MacLean Beaty in Richmond, Virginia. (Cus D'Amato). Background: Lawyer. INGEMAR JOHANSSON was born on 16 October 1932 and grew up in Gothenburg, Sweden. In February 1990, in the biggest upset since Braddock beat Baer, Douglas knocked Tyson out in 10 rounds. He made his professional debut in October 1960, outpointing Tunny Hunsaker. It is one that has meaning for the heavyweight champions. And, like Thanksgiving dinner, apple pie, and baseball, Leave it to Beaver has remained supreme in the pantheon of American culture. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Afterwards, his life was said to have stabilised but his wallet was always open. (Total generated: dollars 70m. He kept upsetting the odds, despite the efforts of Don King's matchmaker, Al Braverman, who disliked Holmes and by his own admission tried everything to get him beaten. Sorry it is late! Donation by Sarah Allen to Sophie's page on 17/07/2017. ', But Mike Tyson, who he challenged in 1988, was different. Ford was born Elizabeth Anne Bloomer in 1918 in Chicago, Illinois, the third child and only daughter of Hortense (née Neahr; 1884 – 1948) and William Stephenson Bloomer, Sr. (1874 – 1934), who was a traveling salesman for Royal Rubber Co. She was called Betty as a child.. Hortense and William married on November 9, 1904, in Chicago. Son of Lou, boxer and manager. Holmes fought hard opposition from the start, often being given a last-minute opponent. 'And the night of the Ali fight she said we had to go to bed because we had school the next day. In 1959, Bentvena became an associate with the Gambino crime family and in 1961 became a full member, or made man. After Johansson had beaten Patterson, however, this independence came under threat. Their first daughter, Kennedy Brynn, was born in August 2016. I told Muhammad and he said, 'Bring 'em up.' Coonan and Featherstone however were skeptical about the meeting and thought it could have been a setup to have them killed. How will Bowe be written about in 20 years' time? His last amateur fight was not auspicious: he was disqualified at the Helsinki Olympics for not trying. MIKE TYSON was born on 30 June 1966. Power base: Evander Holyfield; Pernell Whitaker; promotion generally. But the comeback earned him at least dollars 25m and neither Foreman nor his parish faithful should go hungry again. Beattie and other Westies also had a no-show jobs provided to them through their connections in the Genovese and Gambino crime family. When the Kefauver Senate hearings investigated Mob involvement in boxing in 1960, Norris was asked why he had paid Walcott, the challenger, substantially more than Marciano. He acquired further fame in retirement from his exploits as a fisherman who could land a fly on a dime. He doesn't have a lot of money but it's not like he's out on the street.'. They had arranged for a waiter at the restaurant to call the gang if Coonan and Featherstone should be taken away or if trouble was to break out. Television was still relatively young when one of the first American sitcoms, Leave It to Beaver began airing on October 4, 1957. Awards. Biggest pay-days: Tyson v Spinks, 1988. He became the most famous sportsman the world has seen. But early on he nailed Louis with a right; Louis never recovered, being knocked out in the 12th round. Post Jun 02, … Beattie and Lamont separated in 1982, and she died in 1994. ', Even light-heavyweight champions such as Billy Conn and Bob Foster had failed at the heavier poundage. Ten years on, Foreman's comeback was launched with the professed aim of raising funds for his parish. 'He wasn't bad. Tenant Screening. He testified against Coonan and helped convict him. Frazier was managed by Yank Durham and trained by Eddie Futch. William Beattie (politician) (born 1942), former minister and Unionist politician in Northern Ireland. In retirement Walcott became a New Jersey sheriff and then, in the 1970s, the New Jersey State Athletic Commissioner. I'd taken him to the championship, but I'd failed to realise Leon was still Leon.'. But in the sixth round Sharkey went down from a punch which many ringsiders claimed they did not see. He received the 1981 Benno Schotz award as TV Personality of the Year. When Walcott lost his title to Marciano (also Carbo-influenced) in 1953 there was a clamour for a return because Rocky Marciano was behind on points before the knock-out. Indianapolis proved one stop too many. Between fights, Tyson would cross the country hiring limousines and hotel suites, rooting out excitement. He became a lieutenant to Jimmy C… Beattie witnessed the downfall of the Westies as it's members began to abuse drugs and to turn on each other. What they say about him: 'A liar and a thief, the greediest bastard I've ever known.' Finally donating again since the last one didn't go through! Rosensohn thought he had the contract for a return bout; to service it he needed a new friend, who turned out to be Norris, even though Norris was banned from promoting by the courts. When Patterson had to fight an eliminator against Hurricane Jackson (a Mob-controlled fighter), he was offered a dollars 20,000 purse. Douglas had broken all room-service records. Background: Ex-rock promoter. 'I went into Tyson's dressing- room before the fight and he was literally punching holes in the wall. (TV Series 1962–1967) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The money was unimaginable. Born in Brooklyn, little is known about Bentvena's early life other than that he grew up in the same area as Lucchese crime family associates Tommy DeSimone and Henry Hill. Like Tyson he grew up in the tough Brownsville section of Brooklyn, attending the same school, but with a somewhat less spectacular profile and attendance record. 'People said Cus was harming my career,' Patterson says. Headaches: Morrison losing to Bentt. (Sports Illustrated). And I ain't no spring chicken any more.'. (Frank Maloney). Was to promote Morrison-Lewis. My son and I walked into the hotel lobby and a couple of kids recognised me. Her mother, Kathlyn Corinne (MacLean), was a drama teacher from Nova Scotia, Canada, and her father, Ira Owens Beaty, a professor of psychology and real estate agent, was from Virginia. Madison Square Garden promoted most of Frazier's early fights, but after he beat Ali in August 1971 Frazier's name was forever made, and he went wherever the big money took him. 'What he didn't know was that Slim was getting ready to kick Holmes's ass. Schmeling had been brought in as an Aunt Sally for the seemingly invincible Louis. 'He lived day by day,' Lewis says. Associated persons: Bobby L Beattie, Brandy Beattie (727) 785-4867. Aged 88, he still works for a soft-drinks business in Hamburg, and lives alone. Beattie however, would later relate that when he and the rest of the Westies members met at the apartment they ended up having a "little party", smoking marijuana and snorting cocaine. As an amateur he had the reputation of being naturally gifted but unmotivated. Bentvena was a protegé street soldier for Carmine Fatico and later John Gotti. Schmeling has shunned publicity since. Presumed owner of the real estate located at 9101 1st St NE, St Petersburg. Hank Kaplan, a famous fight historian who has corresponded with Sharkey over the years, says: 'The press, I believe, were somewhat unfair to him over that fight. Spinks was knocked out in the first. His manager was Herbert Muhammed, the son of the Nation of Islam founder, Elijah Muhammed. According to Lewis: 'The networks were saying that Slim was too good for his own good. When the money starts sounding good again, they all come back. Yet as a professional Foreman assumed a brooding image that, with the encouragement of his management team, was inspired by the menacing persona of Liston. The world heavyweight championship is the Greatest Prize In Sport, the most visible canvas of the Noble Art. {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, Boxing: The living legends of boxing: Fifteen men still alive - two of. The house is equipped with cinema, swim-up pool bar and library. Subsequent promotions included 'super-fights' like Leonard-Duran, Hagler-Hearns. Beattie was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2007 New Year Honours list. Since no one else could be found to meet D'Amato's high-minded standards, Johansson and Patterson carried on fighting each other, with Johansson suffering two painful knockouts. They went out a couple of times trying to find him but were unsuccessful. Sandwiched between The Beverly Hillbillies and Green Acres, Paul Henning’s Petticoat Junction was one of the most memorable sitcoms of the ’60s.With Kate Bradley running the Shady Rest Hotel, the viewers couldn’t help but adore her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, and Betty Jo. Power base: Tyson; WBC; middleweights; a few heavyweight has-beens. There have always been two Mike Tysons. The FBI got Mickey to flip in 1986. LARRY HOLMES, the 'Easton Assassin', was born on 11 March 1949 and grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania. Others marked him down as a head-case, and no big promoters came in. View phone numbers, addresses, public records, background check reports and possible arrest records for Billy Beattie. He also witnessed but didn't participate in many other vicious crimes committed by fellow Westies gangsters. They had all gotten so high that even if they had been called to aid Coonan and Featherstone, they probably wouldn't have even answered the phone. The last cliche is: The King is dead; Long Live the King. Completed High School . Queensland Premier Peter Beattie commented (in an interview shown on television) that Steve Irwin was a lovely person and a great ambassador for Queensland and Australia. Until recently, he lived alone in a large house in New England but recently moved to a nursing home. Three, Gould added, 'is that you get Hitler to stop kicking the Jews around'. He never talks to the editorial staff. He was always looking to get me beat, so it wasn't easy for me and I had to work as a sparring partner.'. Occupation: Sales (727) 570-8154. A rematch occurred and became the object of speculation when Walcott went down on one knee to be counted out in round one. Billy has been forced to sleep in separate beds to his wife (Picture: Getty Images) Legendary comedian Billy Connolly has revealed he’s no longer able to … He became a preacher in Texas. Billy P Beattie, age 88. Wit and wisdom: 'There's no magic to what Don King and Bob Arum do. Johnson declined to give Tyson a rematch and instead made himself available to talk business with the Holyfield camp. Asked the main benefit that being champion gave him, Patterson says: 'Space. Futch's expert tuition made it seem that Bowe was progressing at a faster rate than Lewis. William Beattie (rugby league) ( c. 1889–1917), Scottish rugby league footballer of the 1910s. Style: Mr Angry. There's the lost little boy and there's the street tough. Beattie had owed Coonan a lot of money, but Beattie hadn't paid any of them. 'He rings up our circulation department and asks to have free copies of the magazine sent to the jail. Foreman won the heavyweight gold at the 1968 Olympics. Two, that the referee be American. Carnera was thought to be an easy mark for Sharkey. I understand James is living in Vegas. The move to heavy was caused by finance. join the Westies. Beattie recounted how Jimmy Coonan and Mickey Featherstone were once summoned to a meeting with Paul Castellano, boss of the Gambino crime family who wanted to meet the Westies leaders at a restaurant in Manhattan to arrange a partnership with them and to talk to them about they're brash and wild manner of operating. Savannah. In retirement the enigmatic Johansson worked, and still works, for a television station in Stockholm. Nigel Collins, of New York's Ring magazine, thinks the latter is unlikely to happen. Coonan's whole purpose was to restore his father's hono… Don King. 'That year I was reading a newspaper and I saw that the town of New Paltz where I live was high on the list of drug crime and I decided to do something about it. Beattie was an altar boy as a young man but would later become a career criminal. 'Cus said, 'I want 90,' ' Patterson says. Despite new technology, it is remarkable how constant the elements of the heavyweight title arena appear, even over the course of a century. He was a man on a mission.'. He had eight brothers and slept three to a bed. In 1978 Leon Spinks caused one of the biggest upsets in boxing history when, in only his eighth professional fight, he beat Muhammad Ali by a points decision. join the Westies. 'You can't go on forever 'cause you get old. Compassion is an odd quality for a heavyweight champion to have but the greatest ones had it. When Jimmy Coonan offered Beattie a place in his gang, Beattie accepted. Leon Spinks gave Lou and Dan their first big break when he beat Ali for the world title in 1978. One, that dollars 500,000 be deposited in a bank. RIDDICK BOWE was born in New York on 10 August 1967. Her mysterious disappearance from the public eye only fueled the public's fascination. 'It wasn't difficult to manoeuvre Don King into thinking it was another easy payday for Larry Holmes,' Lewis says. Even then Holyfield was recognised as perhaps the most obvious professional talent on show, but his achievements in the earnings department must have eclipsed even his banker's wildest dreams. He testified against Coonan and helped convict him. I went with him to a reception in Washington recently with Clinton. Poached Ali from Arum in 1974. Historically it has also cast the longest shadows of the Ignoble Business. He sits there like the Lincoln Memorial and just does his business.' He grew up in Merchantville, New Jersey. Featherstone is still alive in WPP. He still resides in Sweden, where professional boxing is outlawed. Style: Senior partner, LA Law. Join Facebook to connect with Bill Beatie and others you may know. Join Facebook to connect with Billy Beattie and others you may know. In fact, for two decades no MICHAEL SPINKS was born on 13 July 1956 and grew up in St Louis. I just told the kids I wanted them to meet somebody. 'I just own a little piece of it.' We do boxing that tells a story.'. ', Patterson was world champion from 1956 to 1959 but subsequently took bad beatings from Liston and Ali. Norris said was that it was 'a very foolish deal'. So Ali answers the door and one kid is so excited he starts shaking. Johansson told Life magazine that he did not want to be associated with Norris. His son Marvis, himself a former professional heavyweight contender, remembers: 'When he came back from the Games he had a broken hand. He lost even on the tank-town circuit in the Midwest. https://mafia.wikia.org/wiki/Billy_Beattie?oldid=32938. Spinks spiralled downwards into the role of journeyman loser. Foreman took a beating, and later lost to the latest White Hope, Tommy Morrison. Spinks unified the light-heavyweight division. Has cashed in since. But no one thought he would ever imitate Ali's feats in the ring. 'Everyone thought Michael was just a clumsy kid who'd got lucky. A title shot followed against Holyfield. And who will be the judges? I still own that house today.'. His suspicion would be proven correct when Mickey Featherstone came to Beattie in Central Park and said that Coonan had given him the order to kill Billy. We never had any when I was a kid, so when I became champion the first thing I did was buy the biggest old house I could find and moved the whole family in. He won a gold medal at the 1964 Olympics and attracted investors, but times remained hard. He was convicted of raping a beauty-pageant contestant in room 606 of the Canterbury Hotel. But he always had this belief that he was going to be champ. No other arena can afford more wealth to the prudent, more temptation to the reckless, and more opportunity to exploiters of the even slightly naive.