A BIG-TIME HIDEOUT; WORLD'S TOP FIGHTERS MAKE BIG BEAR A TRAINING MECCA.Byline: Robert Morales Staff Writer In the summer, there's hiking, fishing and boating. Come winter, there's skiing. This area known for its outdoor sports, however, could soon become boxing's mecca for training. Fighters from South Africa South Africa, Afrikaans Suid-Afrika, officially Republic of South Africa, republic (2005 est. pop. 44,344,000), 471,442 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km), S Africa. , New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. , Mexico and Poland - even less exotic locales like Oxnard, New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and Detroit - flock to this mountain hideaway to prepare their bodies and minds for the ring. They believe training in high altitude Conventionally, an altitude above 10,000 meters (33,000 feet). See also altitude. - 7,200 feet - improves their endurance, although doctors debate the effects. The solitude, they know, bolsters their psyche and allows them to concentrate on boxing. The Big Bear boom started nine years ago with just one camp - Larry Goossen's Boxing Gym. Local fighters such as Gabriel and Rafael Ruelas Rafael Ruelas (born April 26, 1971 in Yerba Buena, JAL, Mexico) was a professional boxer. Ruelas was a very popular Mexican fighter, best known for his devastating knockout loss to Oscar de la Hoya; a loss which left Oscar somewhat scorned by the Mexican community due to his became its mainstays. Today, Big Bear Lake supports four camps. ``The appeal for me as a manager is you have isolation, number one,'' said Scott Woodworth, who has trained his fighters - Roberto Garcia, Orlin Norris Orlin Levance Norris, born October 4, 1965 in Lubbock, TX, is an American boxer who held the WBA Cruiserweight Title and fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980's and 1990's. He is the lesser known brother of retired former champion Terry Norris. , Felipe Campa, Israel Correa and Carlos Madrigal madrigal, name for two different forms of Italian music, one related to the poetic madrigal in the 14th cent., the other the most common form of secular vocal music in the 16th cent. - here for 10 years. ``There are not a lot of things to do to get in trouble up there. When you have guys come to Vegas early in their careers, there are a lot of temptations,'' he said. ``And the altitude. With that kind of wind, the running and the training, by the time you get back down to sea level you are going to have more (stamina) in the (later) rounds.'' The area got a big boost from Oscar De La Hoya Oscar de la Hoya (IPA pronunciation: [ˈɑs.kɛɹ dɛ.lɑ.ˈhɔɪ.jɑ][1]) (born February 4, 1973) — nicknamed the Golden Boy , who helped make it fashionable to train here. Emanuel Steward Emanuel Steward (born July 7, 1944 in Bottom Creek, West Virginia) is a boxing trainer, commentator and inductee of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. Biography Steward was born in West Virginia, and by the age of 12, he had moved with his mother to Detroit, Michigan. has a gym here, Kronk Gym Kronk Gym was a legendary boxing gym located in Detroit and led by equally legendary trainer Emanuel Steward. The gym was run out of the basement of the oldest recreation center of the City of Detroit. It opened shortly after World War I (~1920) and closed in 2006. West. Larry Goossen's Boxing Gym is now the Big Bear Boxing & Fitness Gym. Earlier this summer, Francois Botha Francois Botha, also known as Frans Botha (born September 9, 1968) is a South African boxer, nicknamed the "White Buffalo". Botha has had a relatively distinguished career as a heavyweight boxer, having fought several World Heavyweight Champions including Mike Tyson, of South Africa and Shannon Briggs both trained in Big Bear for their Aug. 7 fight. That bout ended in a draw, but one thing was decided: Both fighters liked their Big Bear experience. Botha trained at Abel Sanchez's camp. Sanchez, considered one of the game's top trainers, is adding an indoor pool and indoor training center. ``I wish I was here (training for Mike Tyson),'' said Botha, knocked out by Tyson last Jan. 17 in the fifth round. ``Once you are up here to train, you struggle at first. But then you get in shape. Once you go down to lower level, your breathing is so much better. If you can't get in shape in this altitude, you can't get in shape anywhere. ``Look at Oscar De La Hoya. That's why he's in great shape, because he trains up here. Look how he finished against (Ike) Quartey.'' Others who have trained in Big Bear are Lennox Lewis, Fernando Vargas, ``Sugar'' Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Jesus Salud, Oba Carr, Andrew Golota, Jimmy Thunder, Carlos Navarro, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Lou Del Valle Louis Del Valle (born July 13, 1968 in Long Island, New York) is an American boxer. Professional career Known as "Honey Boy", Del Valle turned pro in 1992 and won his first 22 bouts, setting up a shot at long-time WBA Light Heavyweight Title holder Virgil Hill in 1996. and Raul Marquez. Some are local. Many are not, such as New York's Briggs, Michigan's Mayweather, England's Lewis, Poland's Golota, New Zealand's Thunder, South Africa's Botha, Hawaii's Salud, Detroit's Carr and Mexico's Gonzalez. ``I'm glad I'm not in Las Vegas, because those crap tables would be calling my name,'' said Briggs. ``I'm happy I'm here. . . . It's a beautiful place.'' Briggs, who has asthma, trained in Big Bear because he felt it helped his endurance. ``I was hearing different stories,'' Briggs said. ``I had once trained for the Olympics at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, and I had felt the difference once I went down. So I wanted to give this a shot.'' Dr. Robert Karns, a former chief medical examiner A public official charged with investigating all sudden, suspicious, unexplained, or unnatural deaths within the area of his or her appointed jurisdiction. A medical examiner differs from a Coroner in that a medical examiner is a physician. for the California State Athletic Commission, said the results of high altitude training are mixed. He said oxygen-carrying capacity of the boxer's lungs are increased, but any real benefit would only be noticed if the boxer fights in high altitude. ``If you are fighting in an area like that, you will do very well,'' said Karns, who specializes in internal medicine and cardiology. ``The boxers will have that advantage when they go down to sea level, too. They probably have one or two more grams of hemoglobin. ``Let's call it a form of blood building. But it will dissipate quickly. It really doesn't make all that much difference. Once you are down there for about a week, it is gone. It would, however, help you if you were to fight two days later.'' Gil Clancy, De La Hoya's assistant trainer, said he believes altitude training is beneficial whatever the circumstances. ``First of all, I am only concerned with Oscar,'' said Clancy. ``He has an absolute perfect training camp. He has a home up there and he is comfortable. And it is 8,000 feet above sea level, so it helps his stamina when he gets down to sea level.'' Healthy lungs are no doubt an advantage, but Sanchez, who has trained seven world champions, said there is no substitute for a strong mind. ``The solitude keeps them away from everyday life, the family,'' said Sanchez. ``When they come up here, they are coming up here for a major fight. ``So the distractions are left at home. For them it seems to work out better because they can sleep at night. They don't have to worry about what the kids are doing, the neighbor. . . .'' CAPTION(S): 4 Photos PHOTO (1 -- 2 -- color) Emanuel Steward's Kronk Gym at Big Bear Lake is where fighters such as Australian Jimmy Thunder (top right, with trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (born April 30, 1952 in Brooklyn, NY as Edward Lee Gregory) was an American boxer. Amateur career Boxing under his birth name, Eddie Gregory, Muhammad won two New York Golden Gloves Championships. ) and New York's Shannon Briggs (above) enjoy hiding out to train. (3 -- 4) The 7,200-foot altitude of Big Bear provided a workout test for Francois Botha, left, and Shannon Briggs, above, at trainer Abel Sanchez's camp leading up to their Aug. 7 heavyweight bout in Las Vegas. Keith Birmingham/Staff Photographer |
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