European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday september 28, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 25 Simpkins not wedded to games by Rob Staggenborg staff writer blood. A amps Rob Staggenborg for Mannheim newlywed Marlon Simpkins a a everything does t count on Quot making the 1992 olympic team. A victim staggers to his Knees Defeated. The weapon fists. Two of them both packing a sizable pop. Sweat. The shirt is soaked. The Boxer wipes his face. The Digga a Digga a Digga a of a Speed bag slowly fades to a Low rumble. Tears. None Here. Only a smile. Satisfaction. A lot of it. The smile belongs to Mannheim a Marlon Simpkins a 178-Pound Wall of a Torso chiselled from Granite and connected to huge biceps and Bony Gauze wrapped fists. Gold medal fists. The 1992 olympics a if it does no to happen. I ainu to Gonna fall to Simpkins says. Selina Simpkins his wife since last March Rolls her eyes. A a in la still have my health and my wife. Ainu to that enough he wraps his left Arm around her pulls Selina close and pecks a kiss on her lips. A newlyweds a Marlon jokes. The Barcelona olympics next summer weigh heavily on the Light heavyweight s mind. He a one of the Best Amateur 178-Pounders in the nation. And with an Amateur record of 35-7, his spot on the olympic team is essentially his to lose. Losing is not something the Newark n.j., native has become accustomed to. There have been a few losses in his otherwise Stellar career but he a not one to pout. Or gloat. A i love boxing. Its been everything to me a he says Selina hanging to his every word. Newlyweds. A if i win in the olympics and get a couple of pro fights and Start making some Money then in a getting out of the army no question. You go where the Money a greed not really he insists. It s a Case of getting his. As much As he can get. The american Way. He a already ranked seventh in the nation a with an asterisk. A a that Sas a heavyweight a Marlon s Quick to add. During last year s All army trial Camp he jumped up a weight class at the beckoning of professional managers Mark Roberts and Hank Johnson the former army boxing coach. Simpkins did Well a not enough to win the weight class a but he admits he was clearly out of his element. With the olympics on the horizon he a out to prove he a the country a Best shot at a medal in the 178-Pound class. A mentally and physically in a ready for anything boxing has to offer Marlon Simpkins was never a Model of modesty. In 1989 s Usa eur boxing championships he dominated his class winning easily and letting everyone know beforehand he would. He shies away from Community level smokers and fight nights. His contribution is to serve As Mannheim a boxing coach. The kids Good at what he does. He knows it As do a lot of other people. A a in a like wine. I get finer in finer As the years go he credits former Mannheim boxing coach emeritus . Ross with his Success and olympic dreams. Ross coached the . Olympic team in the 1968 Mexico City olympics before settling into his Niche at Mannheim where he churned out some of the army a Best boxers. He has since retired and is living the High life a somewhere near Berchtesgaden Quot Simpkins said. Quot or. Ross has been so Good to me a Marlon said. A you know like being Here at Mannheim has done a lot for me As far As boxing goes. But my unit Isnit big on sports. As far As sports and athletes in the military go they need More support from the lowest level in the Chain of command. Some of the Best athletes in the world Are in the military but they re getting nipped in the Bud by the system. The systems keeping them that same system that kept him from International Competition last year has rewarded him with a spot in the army a world class athlete program which takes the military s Best athletes in olympic sports and assigns them to a unit where they train for a year leading up to the olympic games. A i would be liked to have done it sooner but circumstances have prevented me a he said. He a leaves for an army leadership course in november and will report to fort Hua Chuca ariz., by january of next year. A a the Camp gives the individual boxers the Chance to concentrate just on boxing but it also puts your name in the being Over Here you done to get that like you do in the a a in a behind my husband 100 percent in whatever he does Quot Selina said Marlon hanging on her every word. A was far As the olympics and everything i know he a capable of doing it but we re taking it one Day at a time. Going with the flow. He knows what he has to win win often win convincingly. A i know this will be my last Opportunity at the olympics but everything does no to count on it. In five years. Ill be sitting in my living room bouncing my child on my knee my wife right next to me a with or without fighting in the he smiles. Selina pecks him on the Cheek. Newlyweds. Marines attain ring dominance Mannheim Germany a the army has lost its Edge in military boxing to the Marine corps one of the . S top Amateur referees said. Carmen Williamson officiated the 1984 summer olympics in los Angeles said Friday that the stranglehold the army once held on boxing is gone and that the Marine corps is turning out better boxers a for now. A before the Marine corps was always chasing the army but with a changeover in coaching the army is trying to catch up with the marines. The Navy and the air Force Arentt even close Quot Williamson said during a break in the Usa eur boxing clinic where he is chief clinician. Marines such As Sergio Reyes and Erie Griffin have been winning bouts internationally hut the army boxers Are not even making International teams with As much frequency As they had in the past. The fluctuation in the number of International stars should be of Little concern Williamson said. Quot in an olympic year like 84, we were right on top of the wave. But after the wave there a a decline a Low Point. This year you la see some boxers coming Back up on that wave in time for Barcelona. A a the boxers and coaches that got the military to where they were in 1984 and 88 Aren t there anymore but the people Here now Are just As capable of reaching that wave for �?T92. The program of teaching still remains. The athletes Are new. But the techniques Are the the clinic attracted boxing from across Europe and will culminate in a Tigu a it n the Benjamin Franklin Village Arena at Quot n a a endured coma might have been drunk Indio Calif. A Boxer Fernie Morales tested positive for alcohol and might have been legally drunk during a bout that subsequently saw him undergo emergency brain surgery. Urine samples taken minutes after saturday nights fight showed that Morales had an .06 percent alcohol level. A backup test indicated .05 percent. Or. Robert Karns told the los Angeles times which reported the Story in fridays editions. A alcohol detoxifies quickly so .06 or .05 Levels would Tell you that when Morales went into the ring the Levels would have been higher Quot said Karns was assigned to work the Morales Orlando Canizales fight. A you would strongly suspect then that he was legally drunk .08 when the fight Morales 25, automatically has been suspended from boxing in California because of the alcohol Reading. His ease will be reviewed routinely at the november meeting of the state athletic commission. The i paso Texas Boxer remained in serious condition late thursday at John 1. Kenned Hospital where ire had a blood clot removed lion ins brain. He had been listed in critical condition for three Days but Csc Igod irom a coma Early wednesday evening. A file s serious but stable and continues to improve Quot nursing Supei isor Lou Schwartz said a a lies a no longer m a
