Teofilo Stevenson Pro Simulation

[Mad Bomber]

Originally Posted by professordp

As you would expect, Fidel assigned Alcides Sagarra as Teo's trainer. Not only did Sagarra develop Stevenson, but more importantly he was the architect who designed and built the powerful Cuban national boxing team.

In 1962, Fidel did two things that had a major impact upon Cuban athletics. He banned professional sports and designated Sagarra as national boxing coach. During his thirty years at the helm, he brought home 32 Olympic gold medals, won 63 Senior world championships, and 64 junior world titles.

I've rated him below, and you might think that the numbers are a little high--but he was that good. Now all I need is for my pal Greg to get me a good cut man!

Discipline: 10
Motivation: 10
Strategy: 9
Reduce Swelling: 0
Close Cuts: 0
Train Defense: 9
Train Offense: 9
Training Avg.: 9

Well Professor, considering he was just as comfortable working with the four round fighters as he was with the main eventers, and also considering the time period I would suggest the legendary Eddie "The Clot" Aliano.


Greg

[professordp]

I'll use him! Now all I need to do is work my storyline to explain why he's working for Castro. I think I'll let our pal Skip Bailey figure this out for me.

Well here's the Ediie "The Clot" Aliano pic from the game

[Jersey-Jim]

Originally Posted by professordp

I think it's what we don't have that is more important! Forest fires, mudslides, earthquakes, destructive hurricanes, massive flooding, tornado threats. In this respect, God has smiled upon us.

What we have isn't too good---dirty air, high taxes, and the most dishonest politicans in the nation---LOL!

We do have good - Italian Bread/Food (North Jersey especially), good Chinese Food, the Jersey Shore, and the Sopranos. Not too bad, I guess?

[professordp]

"State Department Bars Famous Cutman From Working Stevenson Fight"

The New York Free Press
January 5, 1977

The United States Department of State today announced that it has denied legendary boxing cutman Eddie "The Clot" Aliano permission to travel to Cuba and serve as a cornerman for Teofilo Stevenson who makes his debut in a professional ring in Havana on January 22nd.

As a result of several congressional acts and executive orders of the president, American citizens must apply for a license to travel and conduct any business transactions within Cuba. The policy was put into effect shortly after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959.

Licenses have been granted rarely in the past. However, three weeks ago, ABC Sports, which will be broadcasting the Stevenson fight, won approval to enter into a contract with the Cuban government and to ultimately send its personnel to Havana for the event.

State Department spokesman Nathaniel Brewer explained that Aliano's application was substantially different from the one filed by ABC.

"If Teofilo Stevenson were fighting as a professional boxer, we would have given Mr. Alibano's request more consideration. Under those circumstances, his status would be as Mr. Stevenson's employee. But President Castro has clearly indicated that all monies earned from the fight will go directly to the Cuban government. By serving as a cornerman, Mr. Albino would not be working for Mr. Stevenson. He'd be, in effect, an employee of the Cuban government. This is clearly not permitted under current American law."

When contacted at his Philadelphia home, Alibano appeared somewhat philosophical about the ruling.

"Listen, I know Alcides Sagarra (Stevenson's trainer) for a long time. He asked me to work the corner for him as a favor, and I was honored," Alibano said.

"My game is boxing, not politics. If I knew that helping him out would have put me on Castro's payroll, I would have told him no without a second thought. Still I wish him well. He's got a real promising kid in Stevenson."

[CONN CHRIS]

You spin a great tale.

[professordp]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

You spin a great tale.

Thank you very much!

[Mad Bomber]

Truly unfortunate that Aliano will not be able to serve as cutman for Teofilo,
but that is what happens when politics get in the way.

Professor, I will see if my contacts can somehow find someone who could be
considered acceptable under these circumstances. I will let you know.


Greg

[professordp]

CounterPunch
February 1977

"Stevenson Cruises to Victory in Maiden Voyage"
by Skip Bailey

The long-awaited debut of Cuban Olympic star Teofilo Stevenson took place before a highly partisan Havana crowd who saw their hero win a lop- sided decision over journeyman Lloyd Walford.

Walford turns thirty-seven this month and had not fought in over a year. His last win was five years ago. Weighing in at 185, Walford was really a beefed up light heavy who gave away thirty pound and at least six inches in height to the towering Stevenson.

Despite the inactivity, Walford was able to scrape away much of the ring rust and apparently trained hard for the bout. Nevertheless, throughout the bout he declined to mix it up with Stevenson and was simply intent on surviving.

After a lackluster, "getting-to-know you" first round, Stevenson became more aggressive. Midway through the second a powerful hook off the jab open a cut over Walford's left eye. Although not serious at the time, it was enough to distract him and by the end of the frame, Stevenson bulled him into the corner, slamming him with combinations to the head and body.

Stevenson continued the attack in the third, and Walford could not keep him from working inside where Stevenson delivered considerable punishment with a mixture of hooks and uppercuts. The few times Walford tried to ward him off, Stevenson used fanciful footwork to avoid the blows.

As they came out for the fourth round, Stevenson appeared intent on putting his opponent away and opened with a crippling uppercut to the body that doubled Walford over. Midway through the round he landed a sharp right cross that reopened Walford's cut. With thirty seconds remaining in the round, Stevenson decked Walford with a strong right forcing his smaller opponent to take an eight count. Walford went into his defensive shell and survived the final twenty seconds.

In the fifth, Stevenson was frustrated by Walford's defensive tactics. Attempting to buy time, Walford got on his bicycle causing Big Teo to chase him around the ring. Stevenson did succeed in cornering the Jamacian native twice, but Walford's defensive shell and effective ducking led to a number of missed punches.

When the bell rang for the final round, it was obvious that Walford's tank read empty. His problem was compounded by Stevenson coming at him full throttle. Teo's hooks and crosses staggered Walford twice before a crisp cross turned Walford's cut into a nasty gash. With little more than a minute remaining, referee Oscar Pellot stopped the bout and escorted Walford to the ringside physician. Blood was now gushing from the wound and the fight should have been stopped. After some hesitation, Dr. Ricardo Martinez indicated that Walford could continue thus allowing Stevenson to administer even more punishment before the final bell ended the fight.

I had Stevenson pitiching a shutout as did Cuban judge Martin Herrera who scored the fight 6-0. In an obvious act of charity, both Rudi Roebusch of Germany and Italian Giacomo Nice gave Walford the first frame thus seeing the bout as a 5-1 affair.

Stevenson was impressive on several levels. His hand speed is rare among heavyweights as is his footwork. He also showed that he has a variety of weapons in his arsenal and knows how to use them. I thought he was extremely effective in mixing his punches up and working the head and body alternatively.

Still a number of Teo's weaknesses were quite obvious. Known as a precision puncher, Walford caused Stevenson to miss often, and by wide margins. Throughout the fight, I couldn't help thinking how much trouble Stevenson would have with a crafty fighter like Jimmy Young.

In the amatuers, Stevenson used his 6'5" to consdierable advantage in avoiding the blows of his opponents and has adopted rather rigid, straight up stance. Trainer Sagarra needs to spend more time in the gym with Teo teaching him some upper body movement. If Teo wants to move up through the heavyweight ranks, he'll be facing bigger men, men much bigger than Walford. If he doesn't develop some upper body moves, he'll be a sitting duck

There was more action outside of the ring than inside. For boxing buffs, the bout was on hallowed ground. Orchid Park was the locale where Jess Willard dethroned Jack Johnson back in 1915. Castro shut down the facility, which was used for horse racing, shortly after he came to power in 1959.

To showcase his Olympic hero, Castro refurbished and renamed it. It is now know as "Che Guevara Park." El Presidente gave a "brief" two hour prefight speech extolling the virtues of socialism to an enthusiastic crowd of some thirty thousand.

Castro also played some politics by convincing ABC not to have Howard Cosell cover the bout. Apparently, Fidel feared that Cosell's "tell-it-like-it is" style might embarass Stevenson and the Cuban government. A compromise was reached and the venerable Don Dunphy was brought in and provided his patented blow-by-blow call of the fight. Always the consummate professonal, Howard bowed out with grace. Of course, he called the Foreman-Agosto match which was broadcast in conjunction with Stevenson's debut, knowing that he'd get more air time in Pensacola than he would in Havana.

Finally there was the cutman issue. Sagarra asked boxing legend Eddie "The Clot" Aliano to work Stevenson's corner, but the U.S. State Department refused to grant Albiano a travel visa. His place was taken by Izzie "Poppy" Hernandez who has had a long involvement with Cuban boxing.

For the immediate future, Stevenson is scheduled to fight German heavyweight Hartmut Sasse later this month. The fight will not be broadcast by ABC, although the Cuban government has given it permission to show clips of the fight on the network's Wide World of Sports. Under its agreement, ABC will broadcast a Stevenson bout in Mach as part over a three hour boxing broadcast that will highlight the newly created U.S. Championship tournament. As we go to press, Stevenson's opponent has not yet been named.


See you next month

[professordp]

Every column that Skip writes must have his picture with the byline--it's in his contract with CounterPunch.

[professordp]

Teofilio Stevenson (left) coasted to an easy victory over crafty veteran Lloyd Walford (right)

[professordp]

The fight was held in the former Orient Park which was the site of the Jess Willard-Jack Johnson title bout in 1915. (left)

Cuban President Fidel Castro rededicates the area "Che Guevara Park". (right)

[professordp]

See caption in previous panel

[professordp]

More than thirty thousand attended the dedication (left and center) and watched their hero defeat Walford.

President Castro watched the bout from the comfort of his presidential box. (right)

[professordp]

Controversy arose over who would call the bout during the ABC broadcast. Castro objected to Howard Cosell (left) who was replaced by boxing legend Don Dunphy (right)

[professordp]

Eddie "The Clot" Aliano (left) was denied a travel visa to Cuba by the U.S State Department to serve as Stevenson's cutman.

He was replaced by Cuban national Izzie "Poppy" Hernandez (right).

[Mad Bomber]

Excellent article, but I am surprised Teo was unable to stop Walford. Also, I support the decision of Castro to go with the legendary Don Dunphy.

Greg

[professordp]

Originally Posted by Mad Bomber

Excellent article, but I am surprised Teo was unable to stop Walford. Also, I support the decision of Castro to go with the legendary Don Dunphy.

Greg

I had a role in that! I tried to figure what strategy Sagarra would use. I thought that he would want to prove to the world that Teo was not just a three-round fighter, so I had him as a boxer (he's rated "either") the first two rounds. By the third round, I switiched him to slugger and went for the KO in the fourth and fifth. There was really nothing left of Walford at the end of the sixth. His endurance rating was exhausted and his defense at the minimum. And the cut seemed to be getting worse and beyond repair. From the simulation data, I doubt that he would have finished the seventh round. Also, I selected Walford purposely because I wanted to see Teo deal with a boxer (Teo's rating is better against a slugger), and Walford is rated very high for his defense in TBCB.

That said, I'm glad you enjoyed the fight!

[professordp]

I neglected to mention, I'm using a "pre-prime" career stage for Stevenson at this point. I had to strike a balance here. He had too much amatuer experience (in my view) to start as a "beginner" but not enough for "prime", thus I compromised. This also would factor into his inability to put Walford away in a six round fight. I suppose I should have used Walford's "end" career status, but I wanted to give the poor guy a shot, so I used "post-prime" instead.

Finally, Skip Bailey said that he thought the fight should have been halted in the sixth, and there is more than a suggestion that the attending ring physician made the wrong call letting the fight continue.

[Jersey-Jim]

I tried importing Stevenson, but he didn't show up in TBCB 2.5. It says he's in there, but then he doesn't show up in the search (Heavyweight, All).

[Jersey-Jim]

Okay, I found a few rating files from older versions that I just copied and created by hand. I've got him, now. I think he is rated higher by most people than Felix Savon.