Some things just stay in your head, as insignificant as they might be in the overall course of life events. Such is the case with Skinny Jimmy Rothwell, a mid-to-late 70s welterweight fighting out of Philly.
Back in the late 1970s, a friend and I would watch this obscure boxing program,
The Cavalcade of Boxing, over UHF (remember that funny, round antenna on the back of your tv?).
One Saturday morning, the show broadcast a bout featuring Mike Everett, younger brother of Tyronne, against this local guy, Skinny Jimmy Rothwell.
Everett was clearly favored, and the bout was a warmup for Mike's upcoming match with Pennsylvania welter champ Alfonso Hayman.
As you might expect, Rothwell was this lean, lanky type that looked like a blow to the gut would rip right through to his back. But Everett was a bit over confident and undertrained. For six rounds, Skinny Jimmy picked him apart, scoring a TKO upset victory.
I don't know what possessed us, but once the contest went into the second round, my friend and I were repeatedly screaming, "Go Skinny Jimmy! Go!" I have no explanation why.
Well Skinny Jimmy got that shot against Hayman and picked up the PA welter crown via a ten round decision. Unfortunately, two fights later he was in Detroit facing this young guy with an 8-0 record named Thomas Hearns. It was over for Skinny Jimmy in the first round.
Rothwell was your typical Philly fighter. Good boxing skills, tricky, and a fine counter-puncher. He was a regular at the City of Brotherly Love's major boxing venues, fighting frequently at the Blue Horizon and the Spectrum. He only ventured out of his hometown twice in his nineteen pro bouts, losing both contests. In addtion to the Hearns loss, he was kayoed in the seventh by tough Jo Kimpuani when the two met in France. This was to be Skinny Jimmy's last fight.
Sadly, Jimmy passed away back in 1993.
Still, to this day I have the strong urge to yell, "Go Skinny Jimmy! Go!" just one more time
