For The Suits Essentials: Sta Prest

RIP Johnny Tapia

We’re getting real sick of losing not only great people, but great boxers. Johnny Tapia was an especially gruesome member of boxing’s seemingly endless hard luck cats. His father was murdered before Johnny’s birth and an eight year old Johnny later witnessed his mother brutally murdered. It’s hard to imagine someone ever getting past that but Tapia was able to find solace and a place to release his aggression and frustration in the cold unforgiving environment of a boxing gym. It’s a great irony that in these sort of surroundings so many troubled kids find their first real home. Johnny quickly showed an elite talent level at both the amateur and professional levels and was certainly one of the best in the weight classes he battled in throughout his career. But as one might imagine with a cat who had such a brutal upbringing Johnny battled drug and alcohol problems throughout his career and they continued on after it. Life in the ring ain’t nothing compared to what Johnny battled through. Unfortunately on Sunday that battle ended and boxing lost yet another one of it’s greats.

Well Done Cobra

Is there any doubt that Carl Froch’s KO victory over Lucian Bute puts him in the class of not only the best British fighter out there today, but possibly all time? He still has things left to do and scores he needs to settle (you listening Mikkel Kessler?) but his current run of fights is one of the toughest of all time. Although we here at For The Suits certainly believed that Lucian Bute was simply not at Froch’s level, the general consensus in the boxing media seemed to be Froch was the underdog. The bookies had him one as well. But the quality of competition that competed in Showtime’s “Super Six” tournament certainly showed itself with “The Cobra’s” mauling of Bute. Any worries about favoritism being shown on the cards at the end of 12 rounds quickly went out the window on Saturday evening when it became clear Froch had no plans to let the fight get that far. So here’s to Nottinghams finest, Carl “The Cobra” Froch. His lady ain’t half bad either.

"I Am The Ruler" by Derrick Morgan

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Here’s hoping you have a great weekend, from For The Suits. We’ll help you start it out right with a great rocksteady track supplied by the legend himself, Derrick Morgan.

Ups and Downs

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This video captures it all. From going down last season and the excruciating heartbreak that it brought with it all the way through the euphoria Vaz Te’s winner was responsible for inducing. Sit yourself down and watch.

Duke Reid

Duke Reid spinning a platter that, most likely, mattered. A foundation man of the Jamaican music scene, with the exception of Coxsone Dodd you won’t find a man who had a more profound affect on the birth and growth of the Jamaican music industry. A one time police officer, Reid decided there was better money to be made in the sound system industry. It wasn’t long before he took over the Tom the Great Sebastian’s sound, likely with a little bit of help from the “dancecrashers” Reid became familiar with during his time wearing the badge. One the desired sound of R&B started drying up in the States Reid decided to move on and produce his own tunes, working out of the now legendary Bond Street studio with the tunes being released on the legendary Treasure Isle label (amongst others). Although Studio One certainly ruled the day during the ska period, he hit his stride during the rocksteady era which can likely be attributed too Reid never developing a real appreciation for the ska sound. His Trojan Sound System was legendary in Jamaica and once he started putting out his tunes in the UK on the Trojan label created for his productions the rest was history. As you know by now, they were kind of a big deal.

Reggae

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Someone has gone to the trouble of putting the entire “Reggae” documentary, directed by Horace Ove, onto YouTube. A lot of the classics are present here including “Skinhead Moonstomp” and “Israelites”. Skinheads, suedeheads and rude boys are all present in this one as well. Sit back and enjoy.

Inna Bristol Dancehall

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Great clip of some of Bristol’s West Indian population dancing the rocksteady in 1968. Classic stuff!

Vaz Te, You Legend

Ricardo Vaz Te is a legend after his late winner yesterday. Truth be told he’s been massive for West Ham since he signed in January and cemented a place in West Ham folklore with yesterday’s strike. Nice bit of business from Big Sam we’d say. James Tomkins had a season as well, hasn’t he?

We're Coming Back!

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Couldn’t play this in the lead up to the Playoff Final for superstitious reasons. Now it’s getting played a few times. The feeling after Vaz Te scored was something that cannot be forgotten. Ever.

Be With Us Bobby

Our Bobby outside Wembley. We need his spirit with us tomorrow.

"Do It To Me Baby" by Lloyd and The Groovers

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“Isn’t it good to do the rocksteady?” might be one of our favorite lines ever. It’s real damn good to do the rocksteady when its this tune you’re moving too. Lloyd and the Groovers backed by the stellar Lynn Tait and his Band on the very first Bunny Lee production ever. If you’re an avid reader of this blog, you probably understand why that’s such a huge deal. Hell if you’re simply a fan of Jamaican music you should understand why this record is a huge deal. Caltone put out some great stuff.

Bobby "Schoolboy" Chacon

We’re not sure if boxing has ever had a more determined and unbreakable man to step between the ropes. Bobby Chacon is simply one of the most awe inspiring fighters ever. He regularly exhibited a supernatural reserve of stamina and willpower that surfaced at a time when most men would have been utterly and completely broken. Bobby began his journey in the fight game after his wife, Valerie, suggested he give the sport a try as a professional. He wasted no time in doing so and compiling a 19-0 record before stumbling in a typically valiant effort against champion Ruben Olivares. This was only a minor setback and led to a quick succession of fights, one of which was against fellow fan favorite Danny “Little Red” Lopez. All this was simply steps needed to be taken in order to progress, leading to another title shot this time against Alfredo Marcano. Unfortunately his greatest victory, to that point in his career, also proved to be a fateful introduction to a lifestyle of partying, boozing and run ins with the law. Unsurprisingly Bobby lost his second title defense, another defeat at the hands of Ruben Olivares. This led to a period of moderate success for Chacon, but it was at a point in his life when many figured him a shot fighter that his fame dramatically increased.

Sadly Bobby appeared to be incapable of having success and living a happy life. Valerie, the wife who suggested he enter the sport, had tired of seeing Bobby get battered and bruised in the ring. She suggested a change, a move to Hawaii aimed to keep Bobby out of the gym and away from promoters who could lure Bobby back into the ring. Boxing proved to be a greater addiction for Bobby than the love for his wife. Although she had found jobs in Hawaii Bobby simply could not pull himself away from the sport he loved. Before his fight with Salvador Ugalde Valerie committed suicide, a single rifle shot ending her battle with Bobby over his refusal to leave the sport behind. This occurred the night before the Ugalde fight. Bobby went out and fought the next night, winning by a third round KO. He has said he tried to kill Ugalde that night. One can only imagine any pain inside the ring was of no consequence, which is all we can think of too explain the next two fights in Chacon’s career. Rafael “Bazooka” Limon was a long time adversary of Chacon’s, having fought three times previous. The fourth meeting between the two was to be by far the greatest and one of the most memorable fights of all time. The two pushed one another to, quite simply, superhuman limits. Moments of the fight look as if the two are fighting in fast forward, which makes it all the more impressive that they keep up the action for almost the entire 15 rounds. By the championship rounds one is left astonished they can even stand, let alone still trade leather. If there is one fight you need to watch, it’s this one. Bobby wasn’t done though, and went on to meet Cornelius Boza Edwards, another man he had fought previously. This fight would prove to be, in our opinion, the one which sums up Bobby Chacon perfectly. Another all out war, one in which Chacon was badly losing, ends in a late KO victory for Bobby. Bleeding profusely from a series of cuts, his corner constantly asking for one more round rather than having the fight stopped, Bobby refusing to give up when the Doctor asks him if he can still fight, this was Bobby Chacon. Asking Bobby if he wanted to keep fighting was almost an insult. One of the most blood and guts boxers of all time and you leave the choice in his hands? Bobby would have died in the ring that night. Physical pain is nothing after the psychological hell he lived through.

This Looks A Bit Special

The cats over at Hot Shot Sounds are putting on quite possibly the best weekender ever seen in North America. Every performer is better than the last and would likely warrant a show each themselves but they’re giving us more bang for our buck and putting together all these phenomenal artists in one weekend. Our only question is, if Friday and Saturday have such killer lineups who could possibly be left for Sunday? Time to book a flight.

Matthew Saad Muhammad versus Marvin Johnson II

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To truly understand the kind of warrior Matthew Saad Muhammad really was, you have to watch his second showdown with Marvin Johnson. Contested for the WBC Light Heavyweight title, these two simply brutalize each other. But the fight is not simply a brawl, there is also a lot of great technical boxing on display with both men exhibiting an understanding of basic boxing fundamentals that seem lost on some fighters today. We think you’ll enjoy.

Matthew Saad Muhammad

Boxing isn’t short on hard luck stories. The numerous kids who grew up dirt poor under hard circumstances later becoming a man and a world champion is part of the great folklore and history of the sweet science. But very few have every overcome such tremendous hardship as Matthew Saad Muhammad. Muhammad, who fought a large part of his career under the name Matt Franklin, was abandoned at the tender age of 5. His mother had recently passed away and the care of Muhammad and his older brother was undertaken by an aunt. Care might be a strong word as the aunt instructed his older brother to get rid of him because she couldn’t afford both children. Muhammad’s tale of running as hard and fast as he could to try and catch up with his older brother after being left at the side if the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is absolutely heart wrenching. To imagine a child so young being in those circumstances is hard to fathom. Muhammad ended up being picked up by some police officers and brought to Catholic Social Services. It was here he was given the name Matt Franklin. Matt, as he was known then, was a Philly boxer through and through. The kind of cat who never took a step backward and was always willing to take a good shot and continue to move forward. Anything he faced in the ring could hardly top the hardship he had faced outside of it. Only 18 fights in his career Muhammad had already made a point of making it clear he would fight anyone, anywhere. How good you were supposed to be didn’t matter, Muhammad feared no one. His two wars with Marvin Johnson are absolute classics, the second fight in which Muhammad won the WBC Light Heavyweight crown being the better of the two. In Johnson he found a kindred spirit, another true warrior who refused to stop coming forward. Seven successful title defenses followed before he ran into another brawler in Dwight Muhammad Qawi. He was never the same and only fought sporadically for the rest of the 80’s until hanging up his gloves. But the fact he rose to the heights he did was why he’ll forever be known as “Miracle Matthew”.

Safe Travel

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Phil Pratt with the excellent “Safe Travel”. Apparently being a rather talented singer wasn’t enough for Phil as he also produced this track. Then went on to record and produce numerous other tracks for Ken Lack’s Caltone label. His productions were criminally underrated and scarce until just recently when the wonderful Pressure Sounds label out of England decided it was time to share some of his prime cuts with the world. The “Safe Travel” LP they put out of his rocksteady productions is an absolute essential in any rocksteady fans collection.

The Classic Suedehead Blazer

Photo of a bunch of suedehead lads looking proper. A blazer (with a football club patch on the breast pocket), button down shirt, sta-prest and loafers is one of the smartest looks that won’t cost you a fortune if you don’t have the money for a full suit. Don’t forget the red socks. Proper.

Rupie Edwards

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Alright, we’ve got to admit too it. We’ve slept on Rupie Edwards productions for far too long. You know how it goes, you get wrapped up in Joe Gibbs and Bunny Lee and Lee Perry produced tunes. Soon you’ve completely lost sight of the fact there was a handful of other producers during the early/skinhead reggae period. But fret no more, we realize we’ve messed up. This is just one of Edwards fine productions. Producers were certainly spoilt with choice during this period as there seemed to be no shortage of absolutely incredible musicians available. Gladstone Anderson is on the keys for this tune, his piano playing being a highlight of the track. Rupie was another one of those cats who left the performing side of the business to begin producing his own tunes. Originally he recorded as a solo vocalist before moving onto a duo, The Ambassadors, which he formed with Junior Menz. Shortly after Dobby Dobson joined the group to become a trio, known as The Virtues. One particular piece of rocksteady magic we’d love to get our hands on is the Virtues track “Falling in Love”. Rupie happened to produce this track, an early sign of the talent he possessed in the studio. It was shortly after this track was produced that he started putting out some topic early reggae productions such as “Promoters Grouse”. Although not the best producer of the period, he’s certainly an underrated and oft forgotten one and we’re hoping this does a bit to remedy that situation.

Floyd Mayweather's Proving Ground

It’s hard to say if more fans watch Floyd Mayweather Jr. because they enjoy watching one of the greatest defensive fighters of all time, or because of a primal bloodlust to see one of the most abrasive personalities in the sports history lose. Wait, no it isn’t. People tune into Mayweather fights for the off chance he gets beaten or, better yet, knocked out. Floyd realizes this, it’s what has made him a millionaire. But this past Saturday, fans came closest to seeing “Money” lose as they have in over a decade and it just may have had the opposite effect of gaining him respect.

It’s no hidden secret the majority of boxing fans have always respected the warriors willing to go out and lay it all on the line to earn a victory. The sports working class fan base doesn’t make it very hard to understand why these types of boxers are championed. When you’re a blue collar guy it’s hard to support anyone who doesn’t give it their all. It’s even harder to support someone who has far more money than you could ever imagine and he rubs your face in it. What’s often forgotten and swept under the rug when it comes to those who have a hatred for Mayweather is the amount of hard work that goes into being as good as he is. One would be hard pressed to come across a fighter who puts in more work in the gym. But too often in the criticism of fighters, fans and journalists lose the perspective on just how much work goes into being one of the best.

No one knows more about the hard work and dedication necessary than those that make up Floyd Mayweather’s entourage. No one needs to preach to them or remind them how hard he works. But the general public got a bit of understanding about it on Saturday night, because Mayweather needed every bit he put into training to come to the forefront so he could survive against Miguel Cotto. In typical Mayweather fashion he’s tried to play it off as he was simply making the fight interesting for fans. Deep down you have to figure even Mayweather feels ridiculous making that statement. It was plain to see for the world that Mayweather wasn’t executing some grand scheme to have an interesting fight, he was fighting for his life and his undefeated record.

That natural urge for survival and the resulting performance could be what turn the tide in terms of public opinion for Mayweather. To see him face adversity in that manner and come out the other end victorious is exactly what fans needed to see. It made Floyd look human, like anyone else who sometimes has to struggle through hard times. It was a rare endearing time for a man whose often done everything he can to make himself appear just the opposite.

It also served as a reminder as to what exactly makes Mayweather a great boxer. His defensive ability has for a long time been the hallmark of his career, as it certainly always will be. But he showed a great chin on Saturday, taking some heavy shots for a big puncher. Cotto might not have one punch KO power but he certainly ain’t in the business of handing out love taps either. Mayweather also reminded everyone of his uncanny ability to change gameplans mid fight. Too often a fighter will have a corner able to change a gameplan faced with a fighter unable to execute it. No such problem with Floyd. In his toughest fight in a long while, he may have made the best case for being one of the best of all time.

Ode To The Barbershop

We love barber shops (in your in Calgary, Alberta the only place to go is London Barbers) and we love black and white photos. Before the word “mancave” became a thing, the men in any given community would congregate at the barbershop to talk shop and get cleaned up. Straight razor shaves should be some sort of ritual for boys to become men. After all, what makes you feel more like a man than trusting someone else to put a sharpened piece of metal to your throat? And you can’t scream like a little girl when your barber slaps some Brut on you when you’re all done, can you?

Nigel Benn

Nigel Benn just might be the quintessential East End boxer. Born and raised in Illford, Benn did 18 months time on patrol in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Kind of makes stepping into the ring seem like a cakewalk, wouldn’t it? Both a World champion at middleweight and super middleweight Benn possessed all the tools to be one of the greatest English boxers in history except he always seemed to lack that final bit of drive that differentiates the good and the great. Not to say that there wasn’t some tremendous triumphs in Benn’s career, he took out Iran Barkley in one round, nuff said. But his fight with the tremendously talented Chris Eubank was to be another misstep in a career full of them on the biggest stage. With the heart of a champion and ability to match it, it’s scary to imagine what Nigel would have accomplished if he could take it too the next level.

Oh Gingham

This light blue Gingham might be our favorite shirt for summer. We’ll be doing a bit on summer style later this week.

Let's All Stand for Fabrice

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This might be one of the most beautiful moments in football history. Regardless of who you support, moments like this are what makes the sport the most popular in the world. From the darkest lows to the highest highs, the sport never fails to be an emotional rollercoaster and Fabrice took the entire sporting world on an incredible journey from his collapse to his subsequent miraculous recovery.

Wembley Bound

We’re going to Wembley.

Stinky on Boxing

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Stinky Turner’s back at it again. We could listen to the geezer talk boxing all day, in fact we’d be honored too have a chat with him about the sport. We’ll give him the point on Lennox Lewis not being included because of fighting under the Canadian flag, but come on! Not even on the list? That’s a tragedy. Enjoy.