Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts is from a unique period, a time when most of the time, fighters embraced challenges and took on all comers. It was the 1970’s and in the event you wished to be somebody within the middleweight division, you proved your value by coming to Philadelphia to do battle.
“Boogaloo” laced up the gloves again when The Metropolis of Brotherly Love was buzzing with high-caliber expertise at 160, warriors like Willie “The Worm” Monroe, Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, Stanley “Kitten” Hayward, and “Dangerous” Bennie Briscoe. The entire prime 160 pounders in Philly had been harmful fighters who appeared ahead to matching abilities; there was no consideration given to avoiding a troublesome match as a result of it was a badge of honor to be topped “Philadelphia’s greatest.” These males had pleasure.
Over a two yr stretch, Watts combined it up with the most effective together with “Cyclone” Hart, “The Worm” Monroe and the pleasure of Brockton, Massachusetts and future all-time nice, Marvelous Marvin Hagler. “Boogaloo” acknowledges the rivalry amongst Philadelphia fighters. “We had been associates however all of the Philadelphia middleweights had been operating in the identical circles. You wished to be the most effective so that you knew ultimately you would need to battle.”
And the place the place all these nice battles happened was the Philadelphia Spectrum. The fabled area, now a reminiscence because it was torn down in 2010, was dwelling to so many glorious fights, together with certainly one of Boogaloo’s largest wins, a primary spherical knockout of “Cyclone” Hart.
Coach and supervisor Augie Scimeca remembers the matchup fondly. “Bobby knocked ‘Cyclone’ out of the ring. He knew Hart had a superb left hook, so he needed to go on the market and bounce on him quick. That proper hand Bobby’s bought, if he hits you, you’re going to sleep.”
“Boogaloo” recollects it this manner: “I used to be pumped up and indignant with the entire world. As soon as that bell sounded, I knew it was going to be me otherwise you. And I went proper at him. My greatest mixture was a left hook, proper hand, then one other left hook and proper hand. However I embraced him after as a result of I knew him nicely.”
Up subsequent for “Boogaloo” was Willie “The Worm” Monroe, greatest identified for his boxing skill and his tall, rangy physique. Watts knew he couldn’t let Monroe dictate the tempo and each males landed their share of blows over the primary 4 rounds. “The Worm” picked up the tempo within the fifth and went after “Boogaloo” however Watts wasn’t fazed. He then got here on over the second half of the match, taking full management in spherical eight after hurting “The Worm” with a vicious left hook. In a light upset, Watts was awarded a well-earned ten spherical determination win.
“Willie was an excellent fighter,” recollects Bobby. “I needed to be cautious with him. However I used to be a lot faster than he was and I employed a tall fighter to coach with. He surprised me with a few large photographs, however I beat him with counter-punching and velocity.”
The third and ultimate bout of this Spectrum trilogy pitted Watts in opposition to future Corridor of Famer and all-time nice, Marvelous Marvin Hagler. “Boogaloo” entered the competition at 26-3-1 with Hagler sporting a 25-0-1 file. Watts, who was a basic boxer/puncher, employed a preventing fashion of drawing the opponent in and countering, and this method was efficient in opposition to the long run champion, with Bobby touchdown left hooks to the top and proper fingers to the physique. Hagler fought out of a crouch, pursuing Watts along with his acquainted southpaw stance.
It was an entertaining and hard-fought ten spherical battle, with each males meting out their share of punishment. Hagler took many of the early rounds however beginning within the fifth, Watts picked up the tempo. The second half of the match noticed loads of heated exchanges and the ultimate end result was a controversial majority determination victory for Watts. Promoter Russell Peltz, who was accountable for staging so lots of the profitable Spectrum reveals within the 1970’s, displays on the end result:
“There’s no query it was a foul determination. The President of the Spectrum got here down and talked to me and mentioned ‘How may they do this?’ One of many headlines the subsequent day was ‘Welcome to Philadelphia, Marvin Hagler!’ I apologized to Sam Silverman, Hagler’s promoter, after the battle. It was both six to 4 or seven to a few for Hagler. And if it was six to 4, you knew who had the six, no query about it. That mentioned, it wasn’t the worst determination of all-time.”
“Boogaloo” on his win over Hagler: “I used to be sparring with heavy southpaws to get me prepared. I pushed Marvin off and I might maintain him after which transfer away to maintain him on the surface. When he tried to get inside, I might tie him up. Within the final two rounds, I knew I wanted to field him to win and I knew I couldn’t let him get shut. I linked with my left jab and proper hand excessive and simply saved shifting.”
“Marvin appeared superb within the battle,” continues Watts. “He was very aggressive and busy. And he was so sturdy. He knew what he wished to do within the ring. And I knew in the course of the battle he had a shiny future.”
Watts would by no means get a world title shot. At the moment, after getting wins in opposition to harmful battlers like Hart and Monroe, he would almost definitely be awarded a championship strive, not to mention after the overcome Hagler. Does he maintain any resentment that he by no means acquired a crack on the belt?
“I’m happy with what I did. Generally it’s who you recognize. And you need to know tips on how to transfer your fighter. I beat two primary contenders. My opponents didn’t come the way in which I assumed they need to have. And I believe I ought to have fought at extra common intervals. Perhaps then I may’ve been extra in style.”
After the Hagler bout, “Boogaloo” defeated a collection of mediocre contenders earlier than dropping losses to David Love and Mustafa Hamsho. In 1980 he confronted Hagler in a rematch and Marvin stopped him within the second spherical. Later that yr Hagler would go on to defeat Alan Minter for the undisputed world title.
After “Boogaloo” hung up the gloves, he knew he was going to remain within the sport and did so by coaching different boxers. Among the many fighters Watts labored with had been world champions Buster Drayton, Calvin Grove and Charles Brewer.
“I loved working with the youngsters,” displays Watts. “I taught them what I might do and everybody I skilled went to the highest. I labored with Brewer since he was 14-years-old and took him all the way in which to the title. Buster had a superb, awkward fashion and he may punch. I had the expertise to go down and I taught all of them I knew.”
When requested what it was prefer to have a Philadelphia boxing legend as his coach, Brewer is nothing however grateful. “Boogaloo was a father determine to me in boxing. He talked to me like a mother or father would. My mother all the time wished him to verify I used to be okay, since I used to be only a child. The top results of every little thing he taught me is I’m grateful to him.”
The legendary “Boogaloo” might have been the most effective of the Philadelphia middleweights in that period and positively was in that two yr interval within the mid 1970’s. The actual fact he didn’t get an opportunity to win a world title is unlucky, if not unjust. However the reminiscences of what he was capable of obtain on the Philadelphia Spectrum is not going to quickly be forgotten.
Scimeca places Watts’ profession in perspective: “I realized from him. He taught me; I didn’t educate him. He knew what to do within the ring. It’s a disgrace Bobby shouldn’t be within the Corridor of Fame. We labored collectively and trusted one another and had a good time. I cherished him.”
— Thad Moore
