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David & Goliath · **7 Likes**

Not long after my discharge from the Navy, I worked for McClatchy News Services in 1970 and was assigned to photograph the California State Bantamweight Championship fight, held in Stockton, Ca. It featured two very slight, tough little fighters, Rojelio Lara (L) and Rudy Villagonza. The fighter on the left won in a split decision, with a monstrous riot following the announcement! One fighter was Filipino, the other Hispanic.... and in Stockton, there was a lot of racial tension at the time. Perhaps the best boxing match I've ever seen..... but the riot was ugly.

**luftfluss** · 10-16-2019, 09:57 AM

Yep, this is excellent!

**Tonytee** · 10-16-2019, 04:55 PM

Superb action sports photography. I remember the days of attending fights in Boston Garden. What impressed me the most were the sports photographers who had as many as five or six cameras

draped around them. That is a lot of weight when considering that back then, the gear was all heavy metal.

Thanks for an awesome shot with a tremendous vantage point.

TT

Dewman · 10-16-2019, 05:57 PM

Originally posted by Tonytee

Superb action sports photography. I remember the days of attending fights in Boston Garden. What impressed me the most were the sports photographers who had as many as five or six cameras

draped around them. That is a lot of weight when considering that back then, the gear was all heavy metal.

Thanks for an awesome shot with a tremendous vantage point.

TT

Thanks, Tony. This was taken with a Pentax Spotmatic with a 50mm f:1.4 lens, Tri-X pushed to 1,200 ASA. It was the only way I could get the shutter speed needed to come close to freezing the action. I had ring side seats. A press pass opens a lot of doors.

bladerunner6 · 10-16-2019, 06:09 PM

The use of B&W really makes this gritty and brutal.

**OldPentaxFan** · 10-18-2019, 08:58 AM

A classic image if there ever was one!

Excellent shot and catching the mood of the fight!

**kiwi_jono** · 10-19-2019, 02:38 AM

Excellent photo that captures the moment!

**Videopilot** · 10-19-2019, 12:11 PM

Originally posted by Dewman

Not long after my discharge from the Navy, I worked for McClatchy News Services in 1970 and was assigned to photograph the California State Bantamweight Championship fight, held in Stockton, Ca. It featured two very slight, tough little fighters, Rojelio Lara (L) and Rudy Villagonza. The fighter on the left won in a split decision, with a monstrous riot following the announcement! One fighter was Filipino, the other Hispanic.... and in Stockton, there was a lot of racial tension at the time. Perhaps the best boxing match I've ever seen..... but the riot was ugly.

Great shot!

mamba909 · 10-19-2019, 03:24 PM

Excellent capture. Has a very cinematic feel to it. Thanks for sharing a little bit of history with us.

**TedH42** · 10-19-2019, 04:20 PM

Excellent sports image that captures a static but very intense moment in the fight. "Goliath", with bulging muscles and veins, and that deep groove down his back, with its dark shadow, seemingly towering over his apparently diminutive opponent. Not seeing his face makes him almost inhumanly ominous. "David", not displaying the powerful body of the opponent, but with a total focus, perhaps with a bit of apprehension, on his opponent. The high-contrast light brings out the grittiness of the action. Great composition.

A full fight story in a still moment. Superb. Thanks.

Dewman · 10-19-2019, 07:11 PM

Originally posted by TedH42

Excellent sports image that captures a static but very intense moment in the fight. "Goliath", with bulging muscles and veins, and that deep groove down his back, with its dark shadow, seemingly towering over his apparently diminutive opponent. Not seeing his face makes him almost inhumanly ominous. "David", not displaying the powerful body of the opponent, but with a total focus, perhaps with a bit of apprehension, on his opponent. The high-contrast light brings out the grittiness of the action. Great composition.

A full fight story in a still moment. Superb. Thanks.

You have great insight, Ted. This was what I had HOPED to capture.... or something along those lines....when I was sent there for the newspaper I worked for at the time. I've got an entire roll of film I shot that night, but I thought this was the best. Thanks for your comments.

**Larrymc** · 10-19-2019, 07:35 PM

An amazing shot Dewey, amazing intensity!! Also amazing is there wasn't a scintilla of autofocus involved!!

Dewman · 10-19-2019, 09:39 PM

Originally posted by Larrymc

An amazing shot Dewey, amazing intensity!! Also amazing is there wasn't a scintilla of autofocus involved!!

Auto focus? Heck, back then through-the-lens metering was a miracle of the ages! Spotmatic was KING!

Dewman
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10-16-2019, 09:57 AM	#16
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,628	Yep, this is excellent!

10-16-2019, 04:55 PM	#17
Tonytee Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 21,532	Superb action sports photography. I remember the days of attending fights in Boston Garden. What impressed me the most were the sports photographers who had as many as five or six cameras draped around them. That is a lot of weight when considering that back then, the gear was all heavy metal. Thanks for an awesome shot with a tremendous vantage point. TT

10-16-2019, 05:57 PM	#18
Dewman Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,492 Original Poster	Originally posted by Tonytee Superb action sports photography. I remember the days of attending fights in Boston Garden. What impressed me the most were the sports photographers who had as many as five or six cameras draped around them. That is a lot of weight when considering that back then, the gear was all heavy metal. Thanks for an awesome shot with a tremendous vantage point. TT Thanks, Tony. This was taken with a Pentax Spotmatic with a 50mm f:1.4 lens, Tri-X pushed to 1,200 ASA. It was the only way I could get the shutter speed needed to come close to freezing the action. I had ring side seats. A press pass opens a lot of doors.

10-16-2019, 06:09 PM	#19
bladerunner6 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,080	The use of B&W really makes this gritty and brutal.

10-18-2019, 08:58 AM	#20
OldPentaxFan Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Independence, MO via North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 371	A classic image if there ever was one! Excellent shot and catching the mood of the fight!

10-19-2019, 02:38 AM	#21
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Excellent photo that captures the moment!

10-19-2019, 12:11 PM	#22
Videopilot Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: New Jersey Photos: Albums Posts: 481	Originally posted by Dewman Not long after my discharge from the Navy, I worked for McClatchy News Services in 1970 and was assigned to photograph the California State Bantamweight Championship fight, held in Stockton, Ca. It featured two very slight, tough little fighters, Rojelio Lara (L) and Rudy Villagonza. The fighter on the left won in a split decision, with a monstrous riot following the announcement! One fighter was Filipino, the other Hispanic.... and in Stockton, there was a lot of racial tension at the time. Perhaps the best boxing match I've ever seen..... but the riot was ugly. Great shot!

10-19-2019, 03:24 PM	#23
mamba909 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: L.A. County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 405	Excellent capture. Has a very cinematic feel to it. Thanks for sharing a little bit of history with us.

10-19-2019, 04:20 PM	#24
TedH42 F/8 & Somewhere Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Colorado Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,412	Excellent sports image that captures a static but very intense moment in the fight. "Goliath", with bulging muscles and veins, and that deep groove down his back, with its dark shadow, seemingly towering over his apparently diminutive opponent. Not seeing his face makes him almost inhumanly ominous. "David", not displaying the powerful body of the opponent, but with a total focus, perhaps with a bit of apprehension, on his opponent. The high-contrast light brings out the grittiness of the action. Great composition. A full fight story in a still moment. Superb. Thanks.

10-19-2019, 07:11 PM	#25
Dewman Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,492 Original Poster	Originally posted by TedH42 Excellent sports image that captures a static but very intense moment in the fight. "Goliath", with bulging muscles and veins, and that deep groove down his back, with its dark shadow, seemingly towering over his apparently diminutive opponent. Not seeing his face makes him almost inhumanly ominous. "David", not displaying the powerful body of the opponent, but with a total focus, perhaps with a bit of apprehension, on his opponent. The high-contrast light brings out the grittiness of the action. Great composition. A full fight story in a still moment. Superb. Thanks. You have great insight, Ted. This was what I had HOPED to capture.... or something along those lines....when I was sent there for the newspaper I worked for at the time. I've got an entire roll of film I shot that night, but I thought this was the best. Thanks for your comments.

10-19-2019, 07:35 PM	#26
Larrymc Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Mississippi, USA Posts: 5,252	An amazing shot Dewey, amazing intensity!! Also amazing is there wasn't a scintilla of autofocus involved!!

10-19-2019, 09:39 PM	#27
Dewman Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Idaho Posts: 5,492 Original Poster	Originally posted by Larrymc An amazing shot Dewey, amazing intensity!! Also amazing is there wasn't a scintilla of autofocus involved!! Auto focus? Heck, back then through-the-lens metering was a miracle of the ages! Spotmatic was KING!

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