'El Torito'

[Ian Lord]

After reading the excellent career sims/what ifs that have been posted lately of Teo Stevenson, Greg Page, Laszlo Papp, Mickey Rourke et al, I have decided to run one of my own. I will continue to run my boxing uni A New Dawn, but I also fancy having a crack at something with a beginning and an end to it.

I've often wondered how Tony Ayala would have fared if he hadn't commited his atrocious crime and gone to jail, against the 'Fabulous Four' of Leonard, Hagler, Hearns, and Duran, whom he was calling out. My curiosity has been piqued even more recently whilst reading the excellent 'Four Kings' by George Kimball, so I've decided to run a Tony Ayala career sim, and see how it pans out.

Also, whilst working in Nottingham the other day, the hometown of Kirkland Laing, who many feel is the best British boxer never to win a world title [I myself have always thought it was Herol Graham], I wondered how well he could have done if he had dedicated himself. After beating Duran, if instead of dissappearing for a year and then returning to the ring only to lose to someone nobody had ever heard of, if he could have capitalised on the Duran win. So I'm thinking of throwing that in as well as he was also at the same weight and era as the aforementioned guys.

[mikehoudini]

Sounds like fun! I'll be watching!

[Crimson]

I'm looking forward to following along! There are many interesting possibilities for boxing and Ayala had he stayed out of trouble and not gone to jail.

[professordp]

Excellent concept--this should be a very exciting project! I'll be tuning in on a regular basis.

[CONN CHRIS]

This should be a good show Ian.

[Ian Lord]

Thanks for the kind words and interest guys. Really appreciate it. I'm currently gathering some background information and planning things out and I really hope I can do this career sim justice.

[Ian Lord]

Thanks also to Infinity, Jeff, and Lee for your messages before 'The Crash'. I read them via e-mail. Thanks guys.

[Ian Lord]

Name: Tony Ayala
Nickname: 'El Torito'
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Residence West Paterson, NJ
Promoter: Dan and Lou Duva
Trainer: Tony Ayala Snr.

[jdphx]

I've often wondered how Tony Ayala would have fared

Great idea Ian... I've always wondered this whenever his name comes up myself!

Should be alot of fun, and I'll be ringside as well for all the action!!


JD

[Rob Morris]

Sounds good Ian, keep us informed.

[Ian Lord]

TONY AYALA

Height: 5'7 1/2''
Weight: 154
Born: February 13th, 1966

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1980

DATE OPPONENT SITE RESULT

Jun. 17 Zip Castillo San Antonio, TX WKO1
Jul. 15 German Marquez San Antonio, TX WKO1
Jul. 28 Manuel Torres Corpus Christi, TX WKO1
Sept. 18 Archie Andrews Totowa, NJ WKO1
Nov. 1 Mike Baker Stateline, NV WPTS8
Nov. 20 Lester Groves Totowa, NJ WKO2
Dec. 20 Earl Liburd Bronx, NY WKO1

1981

Jan. 16 Jose Luis Baltazar San Antonio, TX WTKO2
Mar. 28 Mario Maldonado Syracuse, NY WKO3
Apr. 25 Agapito Ramirez Phoenix, AZ WTKO3
May. 23 Pat Hallacy Liguria, Italy WKO4
Jun. 25 Jerry Cheatham Houston, TX WTKO6
Aug. 23 Nicanor Camacho San Antonio, TX WPTS10
Sep. 16 Jose Baquedano Las Vegas, NV WKO1
Dec. 10 JJ Cottrell Totowa, NJ WTKO8

1982

Jan. 15 James Waire Fort Worth, TX WTKO7
Feb. 26 Nat King San Antonio, TX WKO4
Apr. 10 Dario De Asa Houston, TX WKO2
May. 2 Steve Gregory Tampa, FL WKO3
Jun. 26 Curtis Ramsey Fort Worth, TX WPTS10
Aug. 1 Robbie Epps San Antonio, TX WTKO1
Nov. 20 Carlos Herrera Atlantic City, NJ WKO3

[Ian Lord]

THE RING RATINGS
January, 1983

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

WORLD CHAMPION
MARVIN HAGLER

1. Wilford Scypion
2. Frank Fletcher
3. Tony Sibson
4. Mustafa Hamsho
5. Thomas Hearns
6. Dwight Davison
7. James Shuler
8. Fulgencio Obelmejias
9. James Green
10.Curtis Parker

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHTS

WORLD CHAMPION
TITLE VACANT

1. Thomas Hearns [WBC Champ]
2. Wilfred Benitez
3. Davey Moore [WBA Champ]
4. Tony Ayala, Jr.
5. Mike McCallum
6. Carlos Herrera
7. Clint Jackson
8. James Green
9. Roberto Duran
10.Gary Guiden

WELTERWEIGHTS

WORLD CHAMPION
TITLE VACANT

1. Milton McCrory
2. Donald Curry [WBA Champ]
3. Marlon Starling
4. Roger Stafford
5. Nino LaRocca
6. Colin Jones
7. Kevin Howard
8. Mauricio Bravo
9. Elio Diaz
10.Pete Ranzany

[Ian Lord]

WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION

Champion:
Davey Moore
1. Tony Ayala
2. Baek In-Chul
3. Wilfred Benitez
4. Mike McCallum
5. Kirkland Laing
6. James Green
7. Roberto Duran
8. Carlos Herrera
9. Gary Guiden
10.Patricio Diaz

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL

Champion:
Thomas Hearns
1. Wilfred Benitez
2. Tony Ayala
3. Luigi Minchillo
4. Carlos Santos
5. Francisco deJesus
6. Roberto Duran
7. Herol Graham
8. Mike McCallum
9. James Green
10.In Chul-Baek

[Ian Lord]

Where we're at...

On November 20, 1982, Tony Ayala knocked out Carlos Herrera in the third round to establish himself as the WBA's number one contender to Davey Moore's crown. That bout is expected to happen within the next six months, and is fast developing into a grudge match.
Moore has refered to Ayala as an 'alcoholic' and a 'little fat guy', and has also related a story where he sparred with Ayala in San Remo, Italy, a few years back, and claims to have trapped Ayala in the corner and pounded away for a full minute.
"That liar!" Ayala screamed down the phone when told the story. "I'll kill the b******!"
Davey Moore first defends his WBA strap against Gary Guiden in January at New York's Madison Square Garden. Ayala has signed to fight Leslie Gardner* as a final tune up bout in Totowa on January 26th.

*Bear and Proffesordp kindly posted there ratings of Leslie Gardner on the forum. Unfortunately I'm having problems importing the ratings into the game, so I may have to change the opponent.

[Crimson]

Love it!! Davey Moore vs. Tony Ayala would have been a helluva fight.

[CONN CHRIS]

When's the little fat guy going to get his chance Ian?

[Ian Lord]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

When's the little fat guy going to get his chance Ian?

Hi Chris. I've just simmed his fight against Leslie Gardner, and should get the write-up done tommorrow, or Wednesday at the latest. Going to get this moving now, and I'm really interested in seeing where Ayala's career path goes.

[Ian Lord]

San Antonio Express-News

AYALA STAYS ON TRACK
by Tex Bacon

Tony Ayala, San Antonio jnr.middleweight, stayed on track for a shot at Davey Moore's WBA strap with a sixth round stoppage against Detroit's Leslie 'Sweet Lemonade' Gardner, at The Ice World in Totowa, New Jersey.

Ayala entered the ring in peak condition. The same couldn't be said of Gardner, who according to rumours has been shirking training and instead making nocturnal journeys into Totowa's ghetto's to satisfy a drug habit. The match was made at middleweight, making many wonder whether Ayala is fast outgrowing the 154 pound division.

Ayala made a good start at the opening bell, but by mid-round had suffered a nasty cut above his right eye. This proved problematic throughout. The corner went to work on mit between rounds, and managed to close the wound.

Ayala came storming out for the second, and got docked a point early on for repeated low blows. He then trapped Gardner in the corner and dropped him with an uppercut. Gardner was up at four, but was then floored again following a hurtful body shot then a huge cross to the jaw. He barely beat the count and was staggering at the bell.

Ayala took the third comfortably, and the difference between the two was apparent, with Gardner's right eye beginning to swell.

Both men let it all loose in the fourth, in what was undoubtedly Gardner's best round. Ayala was caught flush coming in at one stage and staggered back into the ropes and Gardner, whose eye was now causing him major problems, failed to capitalise.

The fifth was also fast paced, with Ayala's cut re-opened and inspected. It was allowed to continue. Ayala landed some devastating punches mid-round, causing Gardner's eye to become an ugly mass of swollen flesh.

The end came in the sixth, when, with Ayala's cut again re-opened and inspected, Ayala cut loose, muscling his way inside and dropping Gardner with a cross for a four count. When the fighters were waved together, Ayala immediately landed a body shot before dropping Gardner with a sizzling combination to the head. This time Gardner was up at eight and looked finished but bravely carried on. Another combination to the chin had him down again straight away. To the crowds amazement he was up at three and allowed to carry on, which he bravely did. Ayala staggered him again with an uppercut, then began swinging away at the body until referee Frank Cappucino decided he had seen enough and stepped between the two combatants at the 2.34 mark.

Ayala ran his pro log to 23-0 [20] and with him being the WBA's number one contender to jnr.middleweight champ Davey Moore, we can expect to see that fight in the summer.

[Crimson]

Nice write up! Tony Ayala Jr. vs. Davey Moore should be an excellent fight. I'm looking forward to the outcome. It's a fight I wish had really taken place back in 83.

[Ian Lord]

Originally Posted by Crimson

Nice write up! Tony Ayala Jr. vs. Davey Moore should be an excellent fight. I'm looking forward to the outcome. It's a fight I wish had really taken place back in 83.

Thanks Crimson! I'm glad you enjoyed the write-up. I'm looking forward to the Moore-Ayala fight and seeing what the outcome is. Whilst simming the Ayala-Gardner fight, after Ayala was cut above the right eye in the opening round and it kept on being inspected, I must admit I sat watching it unfold with mouth agape, thinking that the Moore-Ayala match could be scuppered. Thanks for the interest.