Max Boxing – Main Lead

California’s Frankie Duarte fought for 16 years from 1973 till his final battle in 1989, going through a few of boxing’s finest in his spectacular 45-8-1 (33 KO’s) profession.

After turning professional in the summertime of ’73, Duarte would go 18-2 in his first 2 years. In his first 20 bouts, he solely misplaced to undefeated, fellow Californian Joe Guevara and rugged Mexican veteran Tarcisio Gomez. Duarte would additionally seem on the famed LA boxing shrine, the Olympic Auditorium, in 14 of these 20 bouts. By the point Duarte retired he would have clocked into work 23 occasions on the iconic, downtown Los Angeles battle venue.

Racking up 10 straight wins, he earned a shot at future world champion Alberto Davila in a WBC bantamweight title eliminator in June of 1977. In a rugged backwards and forwards brawl, Davila stopped Duarte in 5 rounds. Over the subsequent 7 years, (4 combating, off for 3, from ’81-’84, on account of substance abuse points) he would go 7-3, solely shedding on factors to future world champion Rolando Navarrete, Philippine’s veteran Neptali Alamag, and world champion Richie Sandoval in a non-title battle.

From September of ’85, till his retirement in 1987, Duarte would battle 13 occasions posting a powerful 10-2-1. In his remaining stretch, he would draw with world title challenger Fred Jackson, beat future world champion Jesus Salud and beat former foe Alberto Davila. His 2 losses got here in title photographs, shedding a distance determination to Bernard Pinango, in a WBA bantamweight title battle, and to Daniel Zaragoza in a WBC super-bantamweight title bout, in what can be his final ring look.

On the remaining bell, Duarte would stroll away with 45 wins in 54 bouts, with 33 KO’s, 2 world title photographs and wins over a number of the better of his period. Spectacular stuff.

MaxBoxing had an opportunity to meet up with the well-spoken, pleasant, and really personable Duarte, from his residence in Mar Vista, California. We talked about boxing, barbering, and a life filled with nice recollections within the ring.

Invoice Tibbs: Hello Frankie. Thanks for taking a couple of minutes to talk.

Frankie Duarte: Thanks Invoice. Good to talk to you additionally.

BT: So, how did you get into boxing? Did you’ve an novice profession?  

FD: Once I received into junior highschool, I don’t know, about age 13, 14, I received in with the unsuitable crowd and began to make use of medicine. Most individuals understand how I’ve struggled with drug dependancy at occasions in my life. I preferred boxing, and my dad and I’d watch it, however he thought perhaps that if I received into boxing it might assist to straighten me out, get me away from the unsuitable crowd and the medicine. So, my dad confirmed me the way to take the bus to downtown LA to the health club. I received there and from the primary day there I cherished it. I began coaching. I used to be nonetheless getting loaded, I hadn’t stopped utilizing medicine, however I cherished boxing and I used to be going to the health club. I fought novice, Junior Golden Gloves, Regional Golden Gloves, like that. Then, I turned professional at age 18.

BT: Early 70’s, Los Angeles, and the Olympic Auditorium, was such an iconic boxing enviornment. Did you ever dream of sooner or later combating there? And, might you ever have imagined you’d battle there as a lot as you probably did?

FD: Oh Invoice, let me let you know. A quickly as I began to field as a younger child, I’d shadow field in my bed room and dream of sooner or later combating there. I had watched my idol Mando Ramos, and he’s my favourite fighter, and I’d dream of sooner or later combating there like he did. The primary time I fought there I used to be very thrilled; I couldn’t consider it was taking place.

BT: That was when Aileen Eaton was selling?

FD: Sure, and Don Chargin was doing the matchmaking. I used to be her favourite, like right here child for some time, till she gave up on me, pissed off over the drug use.

BT: Did your trainers know you have been doing medicine away from boxing?

FD: Oh yeah, you may’t disguise it from them. They knew what I used to be doing. I suppose I’ve all the time had that addictive gene. You may attempt to disguise it, however folks know. I used to be very devoted after I first acknowledged boxing, however then I’d slip again into the medicine many occasions.

BT: You fought so many nice fighters, who was the hardest you confronted?

FD: The hardest fighter is difficult to say. My hardest battle was the Rolando Navarette battle as a result of I used to be on the top of my drug use. He actually pounded on me, however I stored going ahead. One factor I actually feared was the followers booing me, followers pondering I didn’t give it my all. So, it doesn’t matter what, I all the time tried to win, I by no means took a step again. You recognize I brawled in so a lot of my fights, however after I began, I used to be a boxer-puncher, I had good boxing abilities, however I ended up brawling loads.

BT: You might be off for five years, aside from 1 bout, after the Navarrete bout.

FD: After the Navarette bout, summer time of ’79, I wished to give up. I used to be performed. The medicine have been dangerous, I wasn’t targeted and coaching correctly. I had misplaced my need and my delight as a fighter. I used to be performed. I took the 1 battle to Honolulu to make some cash and go to Hawaii.

BT: What introduced you again in ‘84? 

FD: In these 5 years, my mother had kicked me out of the home, I used to be residing with an aunt. I used to be strung out on heroin, I believed, ‘what am I doing?’. I dropped to my knees, and I cried. I believed, ‘that is no life’. There have been 2 sides to me again then. The aspect that wished to be accountable and regular and the opposite aspect that wished to be the dangerous man. However, I had the help of two individuals who by no means gave up on me. Actor Victor French and Al Goosen (father of the well-known Goosen boxing household), they by no means gave up on me. My cousin launched me to coach Joe Goosen and he was keen to take me on. He was younger and simply getting going and he was keen to work with me. I used to be making a comeback, but it surely wasn’t handed to me. I needed to begin again at sq. one. No one was handing something to me. I actually thought I’ll have 2 fights after which make sufficient to get a automotive after which get a job and be performed with boxing. I actually was fascinated with having 2 fights and that was it.

BT: You’ve 3 wins in ’84 to get going and then you definitely bounce manner up in school and tackle world champion Richie Sandoval in a 10-round bout.

FD: I used to be so prepared for Sandoval. I used to be in such nice form. I used to be within the 4th bout of my comeback and I’m combating the undefeated champion of the world. I believe he thought, ‘I’ll get this outdated man out of right here’, however I wasn’t going anyplace. He loaded up on me, lots of photographs early, and tried to get to me, however I stored coming ahead. I used to be the aggressor within the battle and although I misplaced it was an ethical victory for me. I used to be handled prefer it was a win after the battle.

BT: I believe that battle actually introduced you have been certainly again and then you definitely went on an actual sizzling run from the autumn of ’85 into 1987. You beat Mike Moreno, George Garcia Jose Torres – these guys fought everyone. Tearing up that Stroh’s match. You beat future world champion Jesus Salud and had a technical draw, due to the unintentional reduce, with world title challenger Freddie Jackson. Then, you get your world title shot towards Bernard Pinango. Inform me about that.

FD: It’s laborious for me to take a look at that battle with a transparent perspective as a result of I actually thought I gained that battle. He was a really tough man, slick man, he by no means harm me, by no means surprised me. With all of the factors they took away, I believed I gained the battle. After dropping him, I believed, ‘I’ll end him, I’m going to be the champ of the world’. In fact, I used to be a bit over skilled, I used to be a bit zapped later within the battle. Trying again, I actually did battle the unsuitable battle. He was an ungainly man to battle. He would come at awkward angles, he would hit me with these little photographs that form of simply peppered me, by no means harm me, however they did rating factors.

BT: Then you definitely go on a reasonably good run, together with a win over outdated foe Davila, and earn one other title shot.

FD: I actually thought I used to be performed. I used to be drained, I wished to cease. I’d had profession, I got here again from a lot out and in of the ring. However, I used to be prepared to go away boxing, get a job, get on with my life. However, I get a name from my coach Joe Goosen who says, ‘Who’s the one man folks would like to see you battle? Who’s the one man who you need to get again within the ring with?’. Earlier than he even completed the sentence, I used to be saying in my head, ‘let me guess, Alberto Davila’. The cash was good, so I believed I’ll do it, however I actually didn’t wish to battle him, or battle in any respect once more. However, it was a TV battle, good cash, . I gained the battle, however I don’t like trying again on it, I believed I regarded horrible within the battle. I by no means felt good about that battle. 

BT: Three extra wins and there you’re again within the ring in your second world title shot. Turned out to be the final battle of your profession. Inform me in regards to the Daniel Zaragoza battle.

FD: Going again to after the Pinango battle I used to be drained. There was no fireplace left for Zaragoza, I wasn’t within the best form, I didn’t really feel nice earlier than the battle. I imply I used to be in considerably fine condition, however I simply didn’t have that further factor you want in a title battle. It’s a world title shot so you’re going to take it however, like I mentioned, I used to be actually drained, the hearth was gone.

BT: So, let’s discuss life after boxing. As a bald man, I’m jealous of an incredible head of hair, and you’ve got an incredible head of hair (laughs). You possibly can give Elvis a run for his cash (laughing). You turned a barber.

FD: (Laughing). Sure, I did. I didn’t know what I used to be going to do. I didn’t have a university diploma. My father prompt perhaps I’d wish to attempt to be a barber? So, I went to barber faculty to develop into a licensed barber and I actually loved it. My daughter can also be a barber and so is my son.

BT: You might be married?

FD: Sure, I’m married. As I mentioned, I’ve 2 youngsters and I used to be just lately blessed to develop into a grandfather as my daughter simply had a child.

BT: Congratulations.

FD: Thanks

BT: You sound incredible. I’m so happy you appeared to have left boxing in good well being.

FD: I’m 68 years outdated, and I’m blessed. You recognize earlier than each battle I’d all the time pray, however by no means for a win. I’d simply pray that me and my opponent would come out of the battle okay; not get harm. That’s all I ever prayed for.

BT: What’s considered one of your best recollections from boxing? 

FD: You recognize one nice reminiscence I’ve was after the Pinango battle I used to be taken on a cruise by Wealthy Marotta. It was so good of him to do this. It was like a present to me for all that I had completed in boxing, my comeback and the whole lot. It had such an emotional impact on me, I used to be so completely happy he would do that. I filmed the entire thing. In every single place I went on the entire journey, that was 17 days, I’d get stopped and other people would ask for autographs or ask me about my profession. It was like a reward for my complete comeback. I wasn’t on the ship as Frank the fighter, or Frank the barber, I used to be “The Comeback Child” as Jimmy Lennon used to name me. My quarter-hour of fame turned out to be much more, like about 20 minutes, (laughs). 

BT: How do you wish to be remembered by battle followers?

FD: I wish to be remembered as a man who gave followers an thrilling battle, a man who all the time tried to provide the followers good fights, remembered for placing on battle each time I received within the ring.

BT: Frankie, I can’t let you know how pleasurable this has been. I used to be an enormous fan, and it was an actual honour and a pleasure talking with you. I known as and requested for a couple of minutes of your time, and we’ve been speaking for an hour (laughs).

FD: Invoice, thanks a lot for saying that. I actually admire it.