By Jack Hirsch
TO THE younger aspiring boxers at the Palm Beach Boxing facility, coach Charles Mooney is royalty not just for the approach he teaches them however for what he achieved in his personal youth as a silver medal winner in the 1976 Olympics. Mooney was a part of a US boxing team that many regard as the best in Olympic historical past. It produced 5 gold medal winners, a silver and a bronze.
Of the 5 gold medalists, 4 of them – Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Spinks, Leon Spinks and Leo Randolph – would go on to win world titles as professionals. The different, Howard Davis, would by no means attain that pinnacle however boxed for a world crown on a number of events. The bronze medalist, John Tate, would win additionally declare a world belt. As for Mooney, he didn’t even attempt, deciding to retire proper after the Olympics and he didn’t field once more. Yet he has outlasted all of his Olympic teammates by nonetheless sustaining a wholesome involvement in the sport at the age of 73, by doing what he loves greatest: Training fighters.
The fitness center is positioned in a small strip mall, however it’s a powerful facility inside. As I enter, Mooney is in the ring working the pads with one among his boxers. He sees me, reaches over the ropes for a fast fist bump and then will get again to work. I’m having fun with watching the exercise in the ring the place the varied boxers are going by means of their paces and I’m in no rush however Mooney sees me standing nonetheless with pen and pad in hand and seems for a greater strategy to maintain me occupied.
He tells me to take a look at all the footage and memorabilia which adorn the partitions. I deliberately stretch out my tour round the fitness center so he feels no strain to expedite his session in the ring. Mooney is sweating, most likely extra from his work in the ring than the Florida warmth and humidity. He seems remarkably match for a 73-year-old man.
Winning an Olympic silver medal is a good achievement however, each invariably and unfairly, it comes with baggage: The recipient will at all times be requested about lacking out on the gold. For Mooney it’s no totally different. In massive half as a result of he by no means turned professional, Charles has been the forgotten man on that nice United States squad. That was evident again in 2016, when on Hall of Fame weekend in Canastota, a fortieth anniversary reunion of the team befell. They sat on the dais throughout the banquet and watched clips of their Olympic matches, earlier than it was time to say a couple of phrases to the crowd. “The USA won the gold,” Leonard proclaimed proudly. In actuality 4 didn’t medal: Louis Curtis, Davey Armstrong, Clint Jackson, and Chuck Walker. So if we’re to fee Mooney’s Olympic efficiency compared to his teammates he comes out precisely in the center, forward of 5, however a step behind the 5 gold medalists.
”I don’t actually assume my life would have turned out in a different way had I gained the gold medal,” surmises Mooney. “For the most half my legacy would have been the identical for right this moment’s followers, who don’t admire boxing historical past like we did again in the day. I’ve talked to the youngsters in the fitness center, however they don’t perceive that what occurred in historical past determines the future. When I used to be youthful, I might find out about so lots of the ring greats like Willie Pep, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Jersey Joe Walcott.
”Getting a certain quantity of fame from the Olympics was nice. I loved that, however by no means severely thought of going professional. Had I accomplished so I feel I might have been very profitable. Pep requested me to show professional, however I used to be in the army at the time. Another issue is that there was not sufficient cash in my weight class (bantamweight) to make it worthwhile.
“My situation was different from other fighters. I had a great job in the army. I was in the service for 22 years overall and Seargent 1st Class for seven of them. I got to travel the world and experience many great things. I always fooled around with boxing, but never started seriously with it until I was 19.”
Mooney is from the Washington DC space which neighboured Maryland, a hotbed of beginner boxing expertise at the time, identified for producing Ray Leonard, who later can be Mooney’s roommate on the Olympic team. “What people don’t realise,” stated Mooney, “that as great as Ray turned out to be, the biggest amateur star in the area was not him but Derrick Holmes.” Ultimately, Mooney must work his approach by means of Holmes to garner a spot on the United States squad. That he did efficiently, combating three shut matches with Holmes and successful all of them on factors.
The mountain that Mooney needed to climb to make it to the Olympic Games was in Bernard Taylor, who at the time was arguably one among the greatest amateurs in the world at any weight. Mooney knew that from expertise having misplaced their first two conferences. Taylor defeated Mooney by a 5-0 resolution in Wisconsin, on September 6, 1975 in the USA Pan American Games trials finals. Then on May 15, 1976 in Las Vegas, Taylor repeated the feat, successful once more on factors in the National AAU finals (119lbs division). Crazy because it appears, it was Mooney’s fourth match in as many days.
The one factor that Mooney had going for him was maturity. He was in the service at the time and, having represented the military, confronted robust competitors from inside. Mooney had already traveled the world. And at age 25, he can be the oldest man on his Olympic team. While others might have been intimidated by the earlier two losses to Taylor, Mooney was assured. “I was an all army champion,” says Mooney. “Taylor was a nightmare for me except for the last fight. Although I had won the Nationals a couple of times, I still think I was a little inexperienced at that level for our first two fights. I initially had a little fear of Taylor because he was so busy and threw a lot of punches just like I did. But he did lose a match to a Hawaiian boxer (Elichi Jumawan), who I had beaten right before facing Taylor in the finals of the Olympic Trials.”
The match in Vermont on June 26, 1976 is one which Mooney remembers for the nice nervousness it precipitated him. “I was so hyper during the fight that I drained myself of energy. In the corner after the first round I was sucking oxygen. My coach saw how tired I was. He told me to look into the crowd and pointed to a girl, saying she wanted to meet me if I won. That relaxed me,” Mooney laughs. A rejuvenated Mooney bought his second wind and outpointed Taylor, securing his spot on the team. Four years later, and with Mooney retired, Taylor earned a spot in the 1980 squad, however the USA’s boycott of the video games disadvantaged him of the Olympic expertise.
“We had a close knit group,” Mooney says of his Olympic teammates. “Some of the sparring classes had been higher than the actual fights. Whenever Howard Davis and Aaron Pryor (Olympic alternate) sparred they went at all of it out. Everyone in the fitness center would cease and watch. Leonard and Davis had been so lightning fast they couldn’t hit each other irrespective of how onerous they tried.
”Chuck Walker (middleweight), was the solely white man on the team, however he fought like he was black” Mooney jokes. “He was so fast and skillful.” After successful his opening match in the event, Walker was eradicated on a controversial 3-2 resolution in his subsequent. “He won that fight,” Mooney contends. “I watched it from the stands. He had desires like the remainder of us. I hated to see his finish that approach.
“Because of our familiarity it was solely pure that me and Leonard turned roommates. My mom moved to Palmer Park (Maryland) and lived round the nook from his household. His brother Roger was a good friend of mine.
“We all wanted to win badly, but I don’t think anyone was quite as hyper as Ray was about it. He would literally get out of bed and punch the cubicles in the walls at night while I tried to sleep.”
The huge story in Montreal occurred three days earlier than the Olympics had been about to start when Davis’ mom handed away. Not certain whether or not to remain or not, the Glen Cove, Long Island resident gained consolation from conferring together with his teammates. “I remember me and Ray on the balcony talking with him,” says Mooney. “Ray told him to do whatever he thought was best.” Davis stayed and not solely gained the gold, however was awarded the Val Baker trophy as the excellent boxer of these video games.
“We had all been together in camp in Michigan, before arriving in Montreal,” says Mooney. “Our coaches Pat Nappi and Sarge Johnson ran a great training camp. I knew them from the service and enjoyed having them as coaches.” Tragically, coach Johnson would later lose his life in the airplane crash of 1980, headed from New York to Warsaw, during which 22 representatives of the USA boxing team (fighters and employees), had been killed. “A lot of my friends were on that plane,” sighs Mooney. “It pains me to speak about it.
“Although we were on business in Montreal, we enjoyed one another’s company a great deal.” One humorous incident stands out specifically for Mooney. “I was watching a cartoon when John Tate told me to change the channel. I told him I wouldn’t. He said shut up, little guy. He then picked me up in the air. Leon (Spinks) saw it and shouted, put him down. Tate did immediately because he was scared of Leon. In all of their sparring sessions, Leon would beat Tate up. I was close with both Leon and his brother Michael. Leo Randolph and Chuck Walker are close friends as well.”
The Maurice Richard Arena in Montreal hosted all the boxing occasions over the two week interval. After wins over Mohamed Rais (Morocco), Juan Francisco Rodriguez (Spain), Bernado Onori (Italy) and Chul Soon Hang (South Korea), Mooney was assured at the least a bronze. He believed the greatest impediment to gold was who awaited in the semi-finals, Russia’s Viktor Rybakov. “To me he was the favorite,” says Mooney. “He hurt me badly to the body. It was a very close fight that could have been scored either way. Had he been given the decision I would not have complained,” Mooney stated of the verdict he was awarded by a 4-1 margin. Rybakov would return to the Olympics 4 years later in Moscow and win yet one more Bronze medal.
On July 31, 1976 simply two days after defeating Rybakov, Mooney squared off towards fellow southpaw. North Korea’s Young Ju Gu in the bantamweight gold medal match. In his earlier combat, Gu had crushed Britain’s Pat Cowdell. “He wasn’t friendly at all. I spoke to him in Korean, but he didn’t reply” he says of Gu.
Reportedly Mooney was sick going into the combat, one thing he confirms, however says it didn’t have an effect on his precise efficiency inside the ring. “I thought I won the fight, and the coaches thought I won the fight,” Mooney says of the 5-0 resolution that went towards him.
“When I connected with hooks the referee said I was slapping and took away points. I find it hard to believe that not at least one judge scored it for me.” Mooney additionally thinks there might need been an ulterior motive behind the judges’ scores. “Some folks had been sad that I used to be given the resolution over Rybakov the match earlier than. This might need been their approach of night issues out.
”What I keep in mind most is strolling again to my dressing room afterwards whereas one other combat was happening. The crowd stopped watching the combat and gave me an ovation. It warmed my coronary heart.”
The match with Gu was quick paced. Gu’s punches had been tougher, Mooney’s slightly crisper. A tough combat to attain in that neither man actually confirmed superiority over the different. This was confirmed in the by no means earlier than seen CompuBox statistics of the combat that had been offered to this author by Lee Groves, that had been signed off by firm proprietor Bob Canobbio. When I forwarded it to Mooney he was ecstatic. It was a type of redemption to Charles in that he might now present proof he carried out a lot better in the combat than the judges gave him credit score for.
Exactly how shut it was may very well be mirrored in the numbers which noticed Mooney land three extra punches total and throw 23 extra. Statistically talking he was the busier fighter that evening. In summarising the match, CompuBox’s notes stated that Mooney deserved, a lot better than a shutout verdict. “A 3-2 decision either way would have been more reflective of the action inside the ring.”
One factor that’s by no means talked about is how unbalanced the Olympic schedule was. Mooney needed to win 5 fights simply to get to the gold medal match, Gu simply 4. As for his American teammates, the just one who was required to field as many instances as Mooney, was Leonard. Howard Davis’ gold medal match got here in his fifth combat, the identical with Leon Spinks. Michael Spinks and Leo Randolph had simply 4 fights in the event in comparison with Mooney’s six.
Leonard introduced the first of his a number of retirements from the sport at the conclusion of the Olympics, saying he deliberate to attend faculty. Few believed him.
Mooney’s scenario was totally different. He already had a profession, one which gave him the lifetime advantages that went together with it.
Even had Mooney gained gold, the street to an expert championship would not going have been any simpler had he tried. Like he says there was little cash or curiosity in American fighters in the decrease weight courses throughout that period. And in actuality, for Mooney, boxing was not the finish all.
When he bought out of the service, Mooney went into the faculty system as an RTC teacher. He additionally began the Charles Mooney Academy of Boxing in Laurel, Maryland. And all through the years he has educated the likes of William Joppy, Keith Holmes, Shambra Mitchell, Simon Brown and Tony Thompson. In truth, Mooney labored the nook of Thompson’s two stoppages over David Price in the UK.
Currently Mooney trains a number of amateurs he hopes to someday flip professional. He can be working with former belt holder Bermaine Stiverne, however admits that being in his 40s he’s not too captivated with the fighter’s comeback. “He thought he was still under contract to Don King, but isn’t,” Mooney chuckled.
Mooney factors to a punching bag at the reverse aspect of the fitness center. “Mike Tyson drops by now and then to hit that bag,” he says. “He has a house in Boca Raton (a couple of 40-minute drive).
“Not all the guys from the ‘76 team are still around, but I keep in touch with those who are. We were very close, always rooting for one another. It was great seeing the guys and reminiscing when we had that reunion in Canastota.”
Mooney’s title will at all times be linked to that Olympic team. That is one thing of which he’s darn proud.
Jack Hirsch with Charles Mooney
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