Mambo In The City Salsa Podcast

Episode 43: Boxing Referee Ricky Gonzalez: Stories of Canelo, Crawford, Serrano, Salsa Stories y Mas!

• Adrian Montanez

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🎉🥊🌟 Get ready to immerse yourself in the captivating rhythm of the ring and the vibrant beats of the city streets! 🎶 On the next episode of "Mambo In the City Salsa Podcast," prepare for a salsa story unlike any other!

Join us as we welcome a remarkable guest, none other than the esteemed Boxing Referee Ricky Gonzalez! 🌟 Together, we'll plunge into the thrilling world of boxing, exploring Ricky's incredible journey within the ring and the championship Fights he has been apart of including Amada Serrano, Terrance "Bud" Crawford and Canelo Alvarez!  Get ready to hear the pulsating moments, the adrenaline-pumping experiences, and the captivating behind-the-scenes stories that make this sport the tale of Champions.

But wait, that's just the beginning! In a heartfelt tribute, we'll honor the indelible legacy of Ricky's late brother, the extraordinary Four-time Grammy Award winner & LP Artist, Jorge Gonzalez formally of The Spanish Harlem Orchestra  🥁✨. We'll celebrate Jorge's profound influence on the world of SALSA, reflecting on the passion and magic he infused into every stage performance.

This episode is an unforgettable journey through sports, music, and the soul-stirring stories that transcend them both. 🎙️✨ Don't miss out on this exceptional episode of Mambo in the City Salsa Podcast! 🌟🥁🎉


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Speaker 1:

Please welcome to the mumbo in the city salsa podcast referee Ricky Gonzalez.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much. I appreciate being here. She had me how you doing.

Speaker 1:

How are you? I'm pretty good man. I mean, I have my window open, so I'm freezing here in the Bronx because I'm trying to make sure everything's staying on you know, I'm saying how close to you, to Yankee Stadium. I Want to say I'm east of Yankee Stadium. Okay, so I'm on. So Yankee Stadium is on 161st. I'm on, I'm on East 149.

Speaker 2:

Okay, okay.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, but big you brought me Yankees fan. Huh, Huge huge, huge.

Speaker 2:

I'm like the black sheep, the family. I'm the only Yankee fan, everybody else I met them at fans, so I'm the black sheep.

Speaker 1:

Nice, nice. I mean my mom is taking to the old Yankee Stadium to go see like they winfield and all these guys way back when I'm saying, yeah, she's, you know how family is bro.

Speaker 2:

Oh, for sure.

Speaker 1:

What part of Puerto Rico did you guys grow up in?

Speaker 2:

my. My mother was one on Aguaria and my father's from Mocha. We were all raised here in New York City. I Was the only one born in Brooklyn, and then my other siblings were born in Manhattan.

Speaker 1:

So growing up I'm assuming that your father was big into music.

Speaker 2:

Yes, well, while he lived in Puerto Rico he was a musician as well. He played the team ballets, and so, of course, when he came to New York, he came to New York I think he was 16 at the time and the love of music never left him, and you know. And then, of course, it got passed on to my brother.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, your brother. You know I want to say and we had this conversation I met your brother with the late Harry. I don't know no team ball at all. You know I used to grab a conga and get into the clubs and things like that. Like a lot of people did you know back in the day Growing up, what did your brother like to do? Like, what was it like, you know, growing up in your house with you guys?

Speaker 2:

It was. It was a lot of fun. You know he was. He was Infatuated with with Michael Jackson. He wanted to be like Michael Jackson. So there were five of us and we would all bring out the pots and pans utensils and we would use it as like the ballistics, so banging on the pots and pans. And he was always what he always wanted to be like Michael Jackson, doing the dances, you know, performing. So it was. There was always that kind of environment. Every night was like like a concert.

Speaker 1:

You know, drive my parents crazy when you say that man, my uncle, who passed away as well he passed away at 17. He's gonna be a baseball player, but I remember he also loved Michael Jackson and he used to have, you know, socks on and he used to try to do the Michael Jackson spin. You can only imagine growing up with what that was like because, like you said, when Michael came out, you know everybody was doing that she moonwalking and spinning, and you know, right, right, and I'm talking about the Jackson five, when it were, you know, in that group together, when it was that young, you know.

Speaker 2:

So he wanted, he wanted us to be like the Jackson five, you know, the Gonzales five. There was no moonwalk back, you know, back in those days.

Speaker 1:

What did you want to do besides music?

Speaker 2:

He loved painting. He loved drawing. Anything you know they had to do with with with painting and this thing was was drawing mountains and and beautiful lakes and rivers. He was into that, so he would. He would get videos of Bob Ross. I don't know if you ever heard of Bob Ross. He was. He was an artist, so he would get videos of Bob Ross and that's what he would do. If he wasn't playing music, he was busy painting these beautiful oceans and mountains and rivers, you know. So that was, that was his, his thing. And as well as fish, he was. He was into fish chop. He was into Freshwater fish, swatwater fish. He had iguanas he was. He was into that kind of thing.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. You guys went to the same high school, or? Yes, we did.

Speaker 2:

Yes, we did Andrew Jackson high school that's in Queens camp your heights, oh.

Speaker 1:

Nice, nice, and you both graduated. Did he want to do something, in particular at the high school?

Speaker 2:

He wanted to be a musician. That was the only thing on his mind, you know, thank God, he listened to my father and he became a conductor. Take the test, for you know New York City Transit Authority, and he became a conductor and he secured his pension. You know, even with the transit, working for the transit, like for him that was secondary music was number one.

Speaker 1:

You get to work like you're gonna get out of here.

Speaker 2:

He like he was very lucky because he had to hook up at work. So if you needed to travel, he was so lucky they would hook him up and he would get to travel and then he'll come back and bring them Like the best over near that you can possibly get you know, so that can continue.

Speaker 1:

It's like Everybody says Eddie Montalvo, you know he used to work for the Canadian. I mean, I used to see Eddie. We leave for work in the morning, you know. But then everybody wonder how he did it. And you know, like I said, like you said, it's a little give and take there you know it's funny.

Speaker 2:

You know, if you mentioned Eddie Montalvo, um, he's a. He's such a great guy. He's such a great great guy. Um, I was. I was a New York City police officer for 20 years and Eddie Montalvo, he had a conga that had um, that was especially made for him. Inside of the conga was it was bulletproof. So he gave me that conga. Wow, I said is there? You know, I still have it.

Speaker 1:

I retired in 2004, so that was around 2001, maybe and and you and you get thankful because the city's crazy man, I mean, made it. I'll say you, can you, you know, and change your career, you know? Um, but man, you know, I was gonna be a police officer as well. I moved to Jersey, I took the test and I passed it, and then they went into hiring freeze. You say holy, oh, I came back to.

Speaker 1:

I came back to the Bronx after that but I was in Jersey for about a year or so. Yeah, I mean Probably wouldn't have passed the exercise part. Bro Cuz, you already know you got a run and all that shit and you got a break of kind of record.

Speaker 2:

Well, come on, you got a boxing background. You know, I'm sure you know you would have what it came back, you know.

Speaker 1:

Imagine there's something about getting it. I mean, when did you first realize or notice that your brother was taking music?

Speaker 2:

even more serious, um, I Would have to say he's, he's seven years old. He was seven years older to me, honestly, but I was around ten years old, so he was maybe 16, 17. He was constantly leaving the house, going to Gates. He recorded his. He did his first recording at the age of 16.

Speaker 1:

Wow.

Speaker 2:

He, uh, he would listen to music 24 seven and I'm not exaggerating man. It was like 20, 24, 7, you know um he was. He was obsessed. He was obsessed with the music, like that's all he thought about. You know, right, every every other word, would you know? I had to do with salsa music, this and that you know. So he was. He was obsessed with, with the music yeah, that's awesome, man.

Speaker 1:

I mean, you have to be obsessed with with salsa in order to be, because, look, look, what came down the pike for him. You know so many, so many Uh, concerts, meeting other musicians, you know, and, um, and I remember, I remember your brother and Harry Harry, for those who don't know, harry, I don't know, the late Harry, I don't know, was a team ballerou and you know, I remember rehearsals, when they will go, when they were gonna rehearse for Ruben Blades and Willy Colón, you know, for Venezuela. Know that, you know. And I remember Harry sometimes picking up your brother, meaning him in the street to go to a gig, or you know, it was just good times, you know. I mean, do you remember the first time you saw him perform At a club?

Speaker 2:

the first time I saw him perform, I would have to say, again, it was at the cost. So I don't know if you remember I've heard of it about the cost. So, um, every single major band would perform there. Yeah, that's a great photo. Uh, wow, awesome, yeah, every, every major Band would perform at the cost. So, like, the cost was the happening place. So you had to be 21 years old to get in the cost. So I was maybe 13, 14 years old and and you know, he was already, you know, playing in the cost. So so, um, he would tell me he said, listen, he goes, carry my bongos and pretend that you know you're the band boy, you know, so I would carry his bongos and I would get in. So that was the first time that I saw him perform. I think it was with uh 4077.

Speaker 1:

A lot of people didn't know that's the okey-doke man. That's how you got in, you know? Yeah, you know, you know, but uh, yeah, that was how I got in you know it was to the point where I used to set up Harry's team ballas on stage, you know, taking the part of the Together and you know, you know, you know what I used to do.

Speaker 2:

I mean, I used to literally take the clavis and I would. I would go out in the back of the stage and I would pay the clavis while the band was playing, you know. So I kind of made it seem like, yeah, I was part of the band, but you know, yeah. They allowed me to do it and thank god it wasn't kusa while I was playing the clave, you know, you know, you know, it happened a couple of times my brother turns around and gives me that look and I'm like, oh man, okay.

Speaker 1:

It's tremendous, bro. See, I took it a little further because Harry had a confidence and even if I sucked at being a musician which I did Harry would let me do solos and and you know, and I'm pretty sure your brother was right next to me when I was doing those solos back in the day, thinking, you know, I mean because because Harry was like that, harry, even though he knew that I sucked, he still gave opportunity. You know, sometimes you get somebody do get it out of their system, so to speak, and uh, yeah, harry, harry, harry was like that. But I remember, you know, even playing with the bands that they played. You know, they always were chill about it, like it's cool, like oh yeah, we just played with Celia Cruz, we just played with, you know, whatever, you know, whatever, whatever the case was, you never saw them get off the stage and and brag about those things. It was just meant to be there.

Speaker 2:

You know, amazing, bro, like that was you're right, because I mean, like, honestly, that's one of the traits that I loved about my brother he was so humble. Yeah, you know, that was great.

Speaker 1:

That was great you know he was Johnny Pacheco. He was Pacheco in the years. Let's go through some memory lane here.

Speaker 2:

This is.

Speaker 1:

Puerto Rico. Look at this photo. Yeah, you have Ostar Roberto Ruena Ibelito, a young Mark Antony. Yeah, you have your brother there on the far what's that left?

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you have Titecure Alonso, you know. Yeah, ruben Blades, you have Montalvo de Gerirribas. Who else you have? You have the late Rafferizari, who we lost not too long ago.

Speaker 2:

Right right.

Speaker 1:

So your brother was around. You know I don't have to tell you, but your brother was around, the greats of the greats man, I mean.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh man, yeah, you know it's. Yeah, I had the photo. I mean it's great to hear other musicians speak so highly of my brother. You know, I mean of course he. I'm biased because, yes, he is my brother and I love him dearly and he was always the way he is with you. He's the same way with us, like he was so humble.

Speaker 1:

Like I was saying before, I was listening to an interview he did with Jose Maso and I was getting a little emotional because, you know, you remember this. Like you just said, the guy treated everybody the same. You know, and with musicians, once you meet a musician, it's like you know them forever. Look at Ray Ray, I know over 20 years your brother. I can say I know over 20 years as well. Look at that. But we never had a long conversation, though. It was just like I get to the venue, he's standing there saying, hey, what's up, ray, you playing on the chat? Get on stage and just watch him do what he does. It's, you know, it's amazing and I'm meeting your family. This is awesome, bro.

Speaker 2:

All right, who's this? Oh, that's my cousin. He's in Rochester, Melvin. How you doing? Thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1:

It's amazing, man All right Hilton, Hilton Bonilla, okay.

Speaker 2:

Hey Hilton, how you doing, bro. Thank you, I appreciate it.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome, man. And so, while your brother was playing, you were in the police and you were running the city. What was that like the experience of being a New York City police officer?

Speaker 2:

It was always drama, it was always a show every night. I used to work the midnight and I worked in Brooklyn, crown Heights breakfast divison. So you know, I yeah it was tough. It was tough. But I tell you one thing I couldn't wait to complete my 20 years because I wanted to get out so bad, so bad, and I felt like a prisoner because I used to cross up the calendar Every day that I went by. I would cross it off, you know, but they closed it to retiring.

Speaker 2:

So, finally retired in 2004. And the 20 years, and you know, thank God, I'm still collecting my pension.

Speaker 1:

You're doing that in a whole lot more, bro. I mean I get to your stories, I mean, but I mean that's a crazy time. I mean 20 years in Brooklyn at midnight.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, brooklyn midnight, and then, of course, 9-11,. You know, yeah, had that experience too. So you know, there was another reason why I couldn't wait to retire, I'm sure.

Speaker 1:

Sure, so you would. You're a police officer during those years and you also go into the clubs. Do you remember what clubs you hung out at more or less?

Speaker 2:

Well, my brother was performing. You know, like, to be honest, I wasn't a party animal and, believe it or not, he neither was my brother, even though he went to clubs because of his profession. He wasn't a party animal, he went there because of business. So I was the same way, like I never liked to hang out, so, but I would go to see him perform. So, yeah, the Copa, the Palladium, the Corso, the Club, broadway, you know, yeah, the main ones, you know.

Speaker 1:

There's so many others.

Speaker 2:

I can't think of them with hand, you know. And then, of course, the concerts that he did in Madison Square Garden. You know, I was right there with him, I was a shadow.

Speaker 1:

This is a photo that I took of your brother at Lincoln Center. Oh, he was dancing, you know. Oh, that is nice. He went by the name in La Campana Que Baila right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's right, and then he gave him that name, you know, and that was a great interview as well with Ray Vieira. You know, ray Vieira was a great guy.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you guys grew up almost all together. Man, I mean yeah.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that was in Venezuela when they went to. They actually went to Azigheon's house, Wow. He was the manager of the Chicago White Stocks at the time and you know, and my brother learned a lot about him and vice versa you know, to find out that Azigheon's favorite war player was Roberto Clemente. You know.

Speaker 1:

Not by that, yeah, wow.

Speaker 2:

That's a great photo. Yeah, it was amazing. Like I think about it all the time. You know, again, like I was just telling someone the other day I said, how many people get to actually go to the White House and actually shake hands with the president? You know, yeah, you know, look at that Clinton at the time. You know, yeah, and he was shaking hands with the president, you know.

Speaker 1:

I'm telling you, bro, you know, and that's all because of that's, I believe that's when he was already part of Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the Ruebenblades.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I think at that particular time he was performing with the Ruebenblades. Wow.

Speaker 1:

What a moment, bro. So this is we've met an American president. Now do you remember the bands that you're, or do you want to tell the public the bands that your brother, you remember him playing with? Or?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, absolutely. You know it's a who's who, because look Ruebenblades Celia Cruz, ipeto, santa Rosa, johnny Pacheco, eddie Pauro. He performed.

Speaker 1:

The Fine War.

Speaker 2:

Stars Eddie Montabo. Eddie Montabo had a little band, ray Vieira, ray Sepulveda, who's who? You know any really? Cologne, there you go. You know it's like there's just so many. I mean all of the great artists in Southam music, larry Harlow, oh. Larry Harlow you know there's so many, you know and you know I'm thankful that you know he got to do what he loved and left his this legacy.

Speaker 1:

And sadly we lost George this year.

Speaker 2:

My parents moved back from Puerto Rico in 2015. He took them in. He lived in Long Island and they had medical issues. He took them in and he was the caretaker. He did everything for them. It got to the point where he almost gave up the music because he was so involved with my parents and the music didn't faze him because he wanted to help my parents. So then my father passed away in 2020 during the COVID epidemic. He had some other issues and he passed, and then it was just him and my mom in his house. So then my mother she had Alzheimer's and it was fully blown. It was really, really, really bad. So when she passed in January of this year, he was heartbroken I mean, we all were, of course, but because he was taking care of her, that was like his mother, his baby, you know, his everything. So she passed in January. Two and a half months later, my brother passed and that was a shock.

Speaker 1:

But that's what happened. Yeah Well, he put his full effort into taking care of your parents and again, that's a blessing in itself. You have those years with your parents and I'm sure it wasn't easy for him. It wasn't easy for anybody?

Speaker 2:

No, it wasn't, especially when the person has Alzheimer's.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

It was bad, but the fact that he was there says you know your family, you know the fact that you guys were there and then doing those things. It's just you know. That's the beauty of it. You know, unfortunately, life is life, but that's the beauty of it. Your parents are. Look, my mom came to visit me at work today. She wasn't going out because of the pandemic for a long time but today, you know, she I got I'm not going to do a suffetix guy and he's like I was surprised and I look at him as her.

Speaker 2:

That's great. That's great. That's what it's supposed to be.

Speaker 1:

Again, you know, condolences to your family. Thank you, thank you. You know. I remember seeing photos of his funeral online, the Facebook. And again, nothing bad to say about your brother from anybody.

Speaker 2:

I mean anybody, I still you know, during his wake, you know like there was so many people there, so many musicians showed up, but when you see Ruben Blades and Willie Cologne come to your brother's wake, that's like speaking volumes. You know, especially with Ruben Blades take the time you know from his extremely busy schedule, you know, and he was so humble and he says some great, great words about my brother and you know I'll never forget that.

Speaker 2:

And then you know it was nice because during the week they did like a little jam thing for my brother, you know, bobby Allende and a couple other musicians and stuff, and it was really really nice. You know, yes, george, george Zagalo, of course he was there as well doing, you know, doing the little memory jam thing that they did, you know, and I got to and I got to actually play some novels. You know, and you know, honor and memory of my brother.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, bro, I remember sitting in between because I wanted to be a team mother. You know, like I said, failed at that. But I remember, during the rehearsal that Boyz Harbor, you know, I would sit between your brother and Harry and I would watch your brother play. You know, and again knew that close to somebody that great, you know, as a musician, you know those things like that, you just like, you know. I think I appreciate it more now, you know, because of course I didn't know him like that, you know, right away. But now, thinking like this great, great times man, you know, and music is music, the world is blessed with his, with his music and his recordings. You know those, those iconic man, those are never, you know, they're never going to go away. You know those memories, you know. Yeah, it was nice.

Speaker 2:

It was nice, I mean like my parents had the house and Queens were moving growing up. Our bass was hooked up like a like a rehearsal studio, I mean we had every major instrument and it was like a live band every day, every day, you know. So that was, it was fun. We had fun growing up, especially with music. It was great.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. Man. What's your favorite you know favorite album that he recorded that you play once a while, or you know?

Speaker 2:

to be honest, I mean, you know, for me they were all great, you know. But I guess I guess Spanish Harlem you know because because I guess you know he was with them for so long, you know and then Ray Vieira's album is like incredible. So it's like between Spanish Harlem and Ray Vieira like I listen to those a lot, especially when I'm working out, and I got a list of aggressive salsa and Ray Vieira and Spanish Harlem aggressive.

Speaker 1:

This is the Mambo in the City Salsa podcast. We're here with referee Ricky Gonzalez. We're going to get to why he's a referee in a few minutes, but let you guys know that we have some events Now we, but there are events happening in New York City. How about this protective song? This is the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Red Ruis and with Ferro Algas. This is going to be Saturday, February 10th, 2024. Ready to go into 2024. And a lot of people are getting this for Valentine's Day bro.

Speaker 2:

Look at that Richie Bastar, that bongo cello. You know it's funny because Richie Bastar and I were the same age and when he, when he used to live in the Bronx, he and I, we, we. There he is, he's such a great guy, yeah yeah, we used to go together to get Jerry curls when that was a big thing back in the day, me and Richie used to go together to get Jerry curls. He's like he's going to kill me now when he hears this.

Speaker 1:

Times, man, those are good times.

Speaker 2:

I got to.

Speaker 1:

I got to see a photo of you and I'm rich with the Jerry curls. I'm assuming this is when Richie was like with classical right those years.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean, I was like maybe 18 years old, 17, 18, you know, and you know we're getting Jerry curls, you know and it was drifting. You know the whole thing, you know.

Speaker 1:

What was the name of that movie? Was it coming?

Speaker 2:

to America. Coming to America, you mean up against the wall, and so stamed you know.

Speaker 1:

I love you. Better than better than Uh-oh brother.

Speaker 2:

Here we go, Richie. What's up, Richie? I gave it up man. I told him we used to get Jerry Curls.

Speaker 1:

Absolute gold man. You got to find a photo of Richie and you in the yard and Jerry Curls. I love you bro, we love you bro.

Speaker 2:

You're a come-up.

Speaker 1:

All right, so your brother's playing Southside around the world, and how do you get into refereeing?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, my father. He was, besides being a huge Southside fanatic, he was the same way we boxed him. He loved boxing. He was. That was like his number one sport, you know, yeah, so whenever there was a big fight on TV Like Felix, Felix he was.

Speaker 1:

I don't know if he looked before that. Before that, when there was no cable.

Speaker 2:

There was no cable. You know there was no cable. So whenever there was a big fight, they would show it on ABC Sports or NBC. You know it was free, right.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So it blew to the TV, I was the only one that would actually sit there with him and watch it. And then I was like I was obsessed, I loved it so I never missed a fight. And then when I turned 15, then I started going to the boxing gym, you know. So I started to have that love at such an early age. And then he knew it. So when he purchased a home in Queens he hooked up the garage like a little boxing gym, he bought us a heavy bag and then that's kind of like pretty much where that love came from. Joey's thing was the music and then my thing was just boxing.

Speaker 2:

Right and the very first time that I went to see a fight live was at Madison Square Garden. Got to see Durant fight Sugar Ray Leonard, but close circuit. It was like on the screen but there were also some life fights as well. And then I was like man, this is incredible, you know, to see it up so close. So then one day a cousin of ours he was around maybe 13 years old, 14 years old, he wanted to get into boxing Started going to the gym.

Speaker 2:

I started going with him and one day he competed as an amateur. That particular day they needed an extra judge because it was like an in-house type of tournament. It wasn't sanctioned by USA Boxing, so it was in-house, so they needed an extra judge. And I was like, if they say you want to do it, I say yeah, sure. I said I'm watching the boxing, I guess I can probably judge, or whatever.

Speaker 1:

So once I did it, I was like I was it.

Speaker 2:

Like I had that bug, like I just wanted to officiate. So then I joined USA Boxing in Metro and I became an official and that was like back in 1998 or 1999. And then I did the amateurs for about seven years and when I retired from the oh yeah, benji and Earl Brown that's one of my mentors right there, benji.

Speaker 1:

Benji, established, established, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

And. But yeah, when I retired from the NYPD that same year I went to the commission's office because I already had seven years out of my boat as an amateur. So I went to the commissioners office and then I gave him my resume and it was just strictly I was lucky because he so happened to be there as I was walking in and I handed him my resume. He's looking at it all. He's like this whole thing. He goes you're the kind of guy that we want in our commission Because you're a retired cop. So that kind of helped being a retired cop. That kind of gave it a little push or whatever I don't know. But yeah, then that's his history, thank God.

Speaker 1:

So how many fights have you reff over at that time, when you started to know what would you say?

Speaker 2:

I think about 450.

Speaker 1:

About 450 fights.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, 50 professional fights Wow.

Speaker 1:

I don't think I want to put the total number on. So 450 fights, that's pretty intense, man. How do you maintain staying in shape? Because you got to work backwards, you got to work forward, you got to run around the ring. So how do you maintain your balance?

Speaker 2:

I tell you and that's why I kind of mentioned with the music, like I need to listen to a progressive salsa. Because of my occupation as a boxer referee, I have to maintain a certain physical peak. So I work out every day, I work out six days a week and I run six days a week, I do weights and I do not a lot of weights, but I do boxing routines twice a week and then I do my running six days a week.

Speaker 1:

So yeah, that's pretty much what I do. That's awesome, man and I got up to 4.45.

Speaker 2:

I get up before 4.45 in the morning just to do that.

Speaker 1:

Every day, every day, yeah, wow, yeah, I wonder. Man, you're in great shape. Now you're on TV on pay-per-views. If you guys have been seen breaking on pay-per-views, well, let's go over a couple of. You know, this is the beginning, right? Michael Buffer, behind you.

Speaker 2:

That's the yeah Lomachenko. That was in the garden. That was actually a great fight. He got dropped for the first time in that fight, lomachenko.

Speaker 1:

That's crazy, man. Look at the stair, bro. You've seen a lot of these stair downs. Do you think you can tell who's going to make it and who's not going to make it, based on the stair down? Because a lot of guys start off with fighting with that face like I'm going to go through you and it doesn't really happen like that.

Speaker 2:

You know what? To be honest, I'm not even thinking about that, I'm just giving the instructions and just you know what's going through my head. I'm just like, ok guys, you know, just give me a clean fight. You know, yeah. But yeah, you know, that's kind of like goes out the window once that ball rings, you know?

Speaker 1:

Wow, you didn't see the body posture. You know it's like it's such a head game there. Talking about somebody who's been in, I think I boxed maybe four or five times. I was in, you know, but I have to say the scariest shit as a boxer for me was the instruction. I was nervous in this because you face the face of the guy Right before that ball rings, bro. That's when I used to think what the fuck are you doing? Yeah, you know what you want in the corner and you're like ready, you ready, you ready, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

You know it was funny. I'll tell you a funny story. When I made my pro debut, I made my pro debut in Poughkeepsie, so you know, everything was fine. I went there, you know I was excited. I'm like, oh my God, I'm going to actually do this, you know. So I went into the dressing rooms, I gave the fighters instructions, so now the fight takes place. I get in the ring, but I noticed that as I'm climbing up those stairs to go through the ropes, my legs were a little shaky. So then I get into the set of the ring, the boxes come close, right, so I can give them the instructions. My legs were like spaghetti, they were shaking like crazy. Thank God the camera didn't, you know, angle down so that way you can see my legs, because I was like I was present, you know. Yeah, so oh, that was the Canelo fight.

Speaker 1:

Wow bro, let me ask you this how, how much of a thud for those who will never be in front of Canelo operas, like me and a lot of people, how much of a thud is a Canelo punch?

Speaker 2:

Okay, that's a great question, because I've been asked that a few times, like who was the fighter that you would say was the hardest puncher in the ring? Or Listen, I've done every single weight category, every single weight category. Canelo's punches, they sound different. They sound different from every single fighter that I've been in that ring with. They sound different and, and, um, by far, canelo Hardest. The hardest punch I've ever heard In my career was Canelo. It was, you know, like it sounds like, uh, like a truck, you know I would.

Speaker 1:

What is? What does his opponent sound like when Canelo hits them?

Speaker 2:

You can actually hit him, you know, like knocking the breath out of it. You know, kind of like what Tyson used to say. It's the same way with with Canelo, you know, and uh, you know I feel bad for the guy, you know. When I think three times in that fight.

Speaker 1:

Wow. So at what point do you decide, you know, even though, again, boxers don't want to give up. You know this, I don't have to tell you. But at one point do you, you know, mentally, see what? What do you see that will For the, for the person watching says he can still go. What do you see in front of the? Uh, what's in front of you, like Well, you know, usually, the body language.

Speaker 2:

You know, there's this, this body language. If a guy's taking a pounding, um, you know he'll start backing up, get away from the punches you can see of his, his, his face, uh, you know, um, there's a little distorted, you know, from from the agony of the pain, um, so there's you, there's, there's you. Just look at the body language. You know, and the body language just doesn't lie, you know, and a lot of times, uh, these guys they're thankful because you're doing the right thing by stopping the fight. You know, and of course I've I've had situations where the guy wanted the fight stopped, but then he would kind of like play it off and like hey what you know what are you doing, but you know that's part.

Speaker 2:

That's part of the game, though you know.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know. I mean it's probably the promoter that's probably gonna complain more than more than the boxer at the end of the night, right, I mean some promoters yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's like something you show.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but you know, you know what I mean. I've had that done. I've had that like, just exactly like you said, but At the end of the night, commissioner, don't want to tells me you did a great job.

Speaker 1:

That's all that matters, you know.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I don't care what the promoter says, but but you're right. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And, as a former police officer, the intimidation is out the window because, you know right, I'm up at 445, bro. All right, here's a question there you go.

Speaker 2:

Hey, that would be a great fight. That would be a great fight. You know, I can't give a prediction, because it might take place in new york, I might get the fight. So I can't, I can't make a prediction, but that would be a great fight.

Speaker 1:

Awesome bro, I'm a, I'm a big. Have you done heavyweight like like? You haven't done like yeah no, I never.

Speaker 2:

I never did Tyson fury, but I know I've done a lot of heavyweights and, um, and like I said, I mean even with the heavyweights that I've done, kind of those punches. They seem harder and louder.

Speaker 1:

That's crazy, man. Do you do happen to have any of these like hung up at home or you know, I have. A few. The guy in the front there on the bottom, on the bottom right hand, that's why I want to be growing day. I'm sure there's a lot. Matter of fact, just give the people Just a glimpse of what happens when you're on a showtime pay-per-view which is no longer exists. Right, showtime is done.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you're right now.

Speaker 1:

It's the zone you know the zone pretty much over yeah but when you were, when you would, let's say, you do one of these big fights with canelo when you got to the arena, what's the atmosphere? Like you know when you're walking in, you know production.

Speaker 2:

Well, especially, you know, being in the garden, just the garden itself.

Speaker 1:

It's the magnitude of the event.

Speaker 2:

Um, you, you can, you can feel it. I mean, you can just feel like there's just an atmosphere that's different from any other venue and uh, and then, of course, being in new york, you have a lot of, uh, latinos, a lot of mexicans, so they were all out in force for for canelo.

Speaker 2:

Um, and then you can, you can, you can feel it, you know, you can just feel that whole vibe and the atmosphere, um, so you know, I'll get, I'll get to the venue and, um, you know, I just kind of like block everything out. Come to the dressing room hey, how you doing, you know, and I kind of like, I kind of like to be by myself, you know, in those situations just to get my thoughts together, um and uh, you know, and then when it's time, when the box is in the box to get to the dressing room, I like to go there immediately because you know they want to prepare, you know, so I'm going to give them the instructions and then I can get out and then just give them their time to, you know, to prepare or to relax and get ready for the fight you know, are there?

Speaker 1:

are there any particular instructions? You know? Is there any different from the amateur fighters? I mean, I'm aside from being in the garden. It's kind of the same routine though, right, yeah, yeah, you know.

Speaker 2:

I don't, you know, there's some referees that go into a whole thing of the instruction. I just, I just want to go over the basics. And go over the basics, make it short, sweet, um, fight clean, fight hard, and you know, and uh, uh, yeah, that was, that was a, that was a great fight.

Speaker 1:

So how hard does Amanda Serrano hit bro she's she punches hard.

Speaker 2:

She punches hard. You know what her thing is? She's, she has Speed, she's very, very fast, she's very fast and very durable, like she's like, like a machine, like non-stop punching. Yeah, she's not stop punching, like the energizer bunny rabbit. You know no non-stop punching. You know this. It was, uh, a lot of action.

Speaker 1:

What a great photo, bro. I mean, honestly, man like this is, this is iconic stuff. You know, you and your brother very talented people, man. I mean thank you, man, I appreciate that. You know you have check this out. Look at this. Crossfit yeah what do you fight here? Crossford Um.

Speaker 2:

I forgot the guy's name. He has a long name. I think he's Greek, so he has one of those like long names. Uh, but um, but yeah, I was. Uh, that was a good fight too, I was at the garden right yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Do you enjoy? Do you only do the new york state ones, or do you you get to travel and do other?

Speaker 2:

Oh no, I mean I'm, I'm licensed in new york, I'm licensed in jersey road island, um, and then um, I belong to um. No, I'm also licensed in the, the mohegan son, um, and then I belong to the ibf Organization. So you know, if there's like a championship fight out of the country, you know they'll, they'll send me out of the country.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, wow man, what a time bro.

Speaker 2:

I mean it was nice because you know, I got to um, my, my boxing idols were voted the ring, so I did, I did a fight for the ibf in Panama. So when I went to Panama, the guys that picked me up you know we're talking, or whatever so they asked me you know, have I ever been to Panama? I was like no, this is my first time, you know. I said, um, you know my, my idols from here. So they were like well, who's your idol? They know who it was, you know. But they just wanted to ask, right. So I said I said I said Roberto Durán. And they're like okay, tomorrow we're gonna go to his restaurant and we're gonna go meet him. So I'm saying to myself, oh yeah, right, okay, you know. I said okay, thank you. Next day they picked me up Go to the restaurant. There was one person standing outside the restaurant. That person was a brother Durant.

Speaker 2:

Come on and I got out the car and approached him. He hugged me and he kissed me on my cheek. I mean, I meant to say that Roberto Durant kissed him on the cheek. I was like at Christmas. I'm sorry, I was like a kid at Christmas.

Speaker 1:

You know, At that moment, you know you're thinking about your dad and you're saying Again thanks to him.

Speaker 2:

You know, like of course you know, and in fact From there I sent them a the photo. I sent him a photo and you know yeah. I'm being Roberto Durant. You know what do you say he was? He was so, so happy, so proud. You know, I got to eat with Durant and we, we sat together for like two hours. I mean, like it was. It was just amazing. It was amazing.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome, bro. Hold on, I'm gonna share. Uh, I'm gonna show you an action. This is the canelo fight, all right? So what are you looking for here, bro? What are you? Well, you know, I'm given.

Speaker 2:

I'm giving the guy a chance. I'm giving him a chance. You know, I'm hoping that he shows me something. You know, if you've thrown punches, you know, um, but you know I see that he's, he's, it's the one sided. So I'm trying to, you know, give Canelo a little space, not not into fear, you know, and and um, and then, of course, at the same time, just Uh, observe, I Was that body shot.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so this count right here is coming from. For people who don't know when is this count coming from, what is this start?

Speaker 2:

You pick it up from from the, the knockdown ref. There's a knockdown ref, so your your. Your first job is to send the the fighter, to neutral corner. The fighter that scored the knockdown. You send him to a mutual corner and then you pick up the count from the knockdown ref.

Speaker 1:

Gotcha. So there's a lot of people don't know. That's right, you know. So right there you have five. So somebody who doesn't know that is thinking that you know you're already counting fast, but you actually. You have somebody on your side there. Okay, let's see.

Speaker 2:

Right, right, yeah, you know, and then, of course, you get them mandatory account.

Speaker 1:

Okay. So when you check the guys, uh, I've always wondered this what does it mean when you check the guy's hands, like that?

Speaker 2:

Well, because sometimes you know there's particles on the canvas, so you don't want those particles to go on as a glove. And then if he punches his opponent it can scratch him with those particles, you know. So that's pretty much why you wipe. You know the gloves.

Speaker 1:

Gotcha. Okay, hold on. So Are you giving instructions to him at this point? Oh listen, you know, show me something, or are you?

Speaker 2:

I think I said that after the second, the second knockdown, he got knocked down three times. So I think after the second one I said I said that to him.

Speaker 1:

So you got to show me something. So now you now the radar's on him right, Because now he has to show you something- yeah, but yeah, his arms and and side was was bruised.

Speaker 2:

It was right.

Speaker 1:

Wow, what'd you learn this distance from? Because a lot of box, a lot of refs stay away, you know, or get a little closer, but you, you have a nice, a nice, you know distance here to see everything.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, thank you. I appreciate that. You know, like I said, I learned a lot from from Ben. I learned a lot from a lot of referees. You know Ben was one of my mentors, adicolio, and you know and uh of course knows lane. I used to love those lane Come on.

Speaker 1:

No, I don't know. Okay, that's the bell. Right there, bro. Now then, between the bell, what do you do? What happens if you have to like you don't use restroom?

Speaker 2:

Let's just say See, I mean, right before I went to the ring, I make sure I, you know I use the bathroom and you know, and I'm talking about number one.

Speaker 1:

That number two, yeah, I mean as a ref. I mean I would think when you know this is the time to go right, if you're gonna do anything, it's the time right here you know now, you know my first referee, a referee referee my fight. He's sitting in the crowd here. I'm gonna show you who he is and then you tell me Now what happens if cano doesn't step back.

Speaker 2:

When you say you know, etch a patra when the boxer scores a knockdown, if that boxer doesn't go to a neutral corner, you're actually he's actually helping out his opponent, because the referee's not gonna pick up the count until he goes to a neutral corner and stays there right.

Speaker 1:

Wow, maybe people don't know that, bro. I mean, look this guy's trying, bro, but that's canelo abba.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it was, he was just, it was, you know, way out of his league, unfortunately, you know.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, but again, these are, these are the wars, bro. This is what you train for, is what you Mildred.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, who's lame.

Speaker 1:

Okay, wait a minute. Why did you come to that? Let me ask you that.

Speaker 2:

Oh, the first, your furthest neutral corner.

Speaker 1:

I see okay, so he goes down Like no, no, that way.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, because this, this corner was a little close into the boxer, so you sent him. You sent him to the furthest neutral corner, meaning you know from where the book, where that fighter is over, the fighter is down.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Right there. I told him you got to show me something, but I'm supposed to. He didn't. He didn't. You know that was it. He showed me that, you know.

Speaker 1:

You know, I just wanted to let him know that it was coming you know, yeah, like I'm sorry, bro, but you know, at least you gave him a little chance there, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 1:

Let me see if I could just find my uh, my my, my uh, one, the referee that did my face, did you turn pro? No, I was, I made it to, I think, golden gloves or something like that. Okay, okay, sorry, junior Olympics, I mean it's a junior.

Speaker 2:

Oh wow, that's, that's a great achievement, that's great, that's a great achievement.

Speaker 1:

So many people say that was like gleason's gleason's gym.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, gleason. Wow, that was, that's that gym. I used to love that gym. Do you know his background? Was he a correction officer here? We go, here we go oh yeah, this guy here you talking about.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, with the, with the white goatee, yeah, yeah that's, he used to be a correction officer.

Speaker 2:

Was, did he? Yeah, he used to be a correction officer. He's the top inspector in new york for, uh, the commission. Yeah, he's the number one inspector and, um, wow, he's a good guy. He is a good guy, real good guy.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's my ref, bro, right there.

Speaker 2:

Oh wow, look at that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, george, he's a big guy, you know who his cousin is. Who's that you? You follow, you follow wrestling.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, diesel, you know, diesel, the big big diesel, that's, that's his cousin. Wow, who knew.

Speaker 1:

That's true man. Yeah, my first fight. I knocked the guy out. Uh, 30 seconds into the first round. Nice nice, he didn't even count them, bro, so Right that's when. That's when I knew that was that good, and I retired right that night.

Speaker 2:

He's telling to lala land, there you go.

Speaker 1:

The one creed and the rocky movies came out. You're completely pass that away. But buying this and training are two different things.

Speaker 2:

What? What did Mike Tyson say? You everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.

Speaker 1:

Speaking of Mike, look at my Mike Tyson funko here, bro. I'm ready for you, bro. You know good times, man Terrence. So how hard? How hard does Terrence hit? I mean?

Speaker 2:

He, he is very, he's like a very determined fighter. He's so, so determined like you can see it in his eyes, you can see in his movement. He just wants to win, like he has that hope, that the right attitude as a fighter. Um, and he does. He hits hard, he hits hard and I can say, you know he's the hardest puncher, but he does hit hard.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so can you? Can you kind of tell more or less you know, or you can't tell more or less? I was gonna say you know how soon a guy you know, based on his record, you know if he's able to put somebody away pretty quick.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you don't, you know. I mean like to be honest, like what I do is like, uh, once I know I'm doing championship fight, I'll YouTube the guy just to see what his style is like. You know, if I don't know anything about him, you know, just to know what I'm getting into and and, uh, you know. So I kind of like do my homework, like that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

But you know, I don't go in there like saying, okay, he's gonna knock him out, or you know, I just let it, let it happen. You know, whatever happens, happens.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, bro, what a great time. Ricky, I want to thank you so much. It's a night for, you know, giving us insights into your family life, um, insight into your club years. You know your bro, you know and and your experience. You know family life growing up and your experience in the ring. You know these are stories that you know people may not know about or or be able to. You know, hear from, uh, from somebody who's in there with the greats. This is the first time I really have a conversation with Ricky as well, because we him go back and forth on tiktok right.

Speaker 1:

I don't know if you want to give you social media, but do you want uh, you know folks to follow you.

Speaker 2:

They can follow me on Ricky Gonzalez on facebook. Ricky Gonzalez on facebook and um tiktok is uh boxing ref, boxing ref on tiktok Right, that's awesome man.

Speaker 1:

And so I was going back and forth. I put a post up of of your brother. The last time I saw your brother performing, unfortunately, was at, um, uh, lincoln Center when they had spanish Harlem orchestra and he did a bongo solo. You know, it was him, george and lustu quintero, and he did a bongo solo and I recorded it because I'm a fan. And, um, fortunately, that was the last time, you know, uh, I saw him perform, so I put the video up, and then I saw Ricky come with him and then I looked and I said, queen, he looks like a minister town, you know. And then I didn't know that he was your brother and so, you know, after that I reached out and and you know, I was in my condolences and and then I said what are you the referee like? Like, I had a, you know, I see these fights live and I didn't know that you were the guy in the ring, you know.

Speaker 2:

Bongo's.

Speaker 1:

I purposely bought them upstairs. I bring them here, bro, let's see them yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, he's a bongo that he used for most of his his gigs and uh recordings.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome, bro. So the top of the stand, so people can see the refrikes. Your brother, have you seen the top of there? You see that, bro, top. Yeah, bro, they tuned Wow nice. Yeah, that's awesome, bro. Thank you for sharing that man. That's Classic, bro. You know. And again, I miss your brother, I miss seeing him perform, I miss his conversations, you know, and smile, and you know the way he was, at least with me I can say that he was always chivalry, you know, since day one.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for saying that and you, I mean, you think that's. He's only equalito. You know you have a son.

Speaker 2:

Yes, I do. Yeah, he's, uh, he's 16 and he's also a musician. He's, uh, he plays the saxophone. It's in a marching band, regular orchestra. Uh, they have this Quintet now with, with just the, the saxophone players. They're gonna be performing a concert for, uh to christmas. So he's, he's doing this thing. Love you too, melvin, thank you.

Speaker 1:

Here's my mom. She's saying I'm the greatest fight in the world, mom.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, he is, he is.

Speaker 1:

Ricky would have stopped it in the second round Very good, you raised.

Speaker 2:

You raised a great, a great son Awesome.

Speaker 1:

You appreciate it. Thank you, man. Again, guys, we want to thank Ricky Gonzalez for tonight. Well, again, this has been the mambo in the city salsa podcast. It's been a pleasure having referee Ricky Gonzalez on here and something I never forget. So you know, you're my first guest, that's not a salcedo or that's not a salsa artist. You know, in my first guest of the referee and um the stories and the moments. Again, you know, for those of you, those of you who are just joining us, you know Ricky's been part of some amazing fights. So make sure that when you're watching fights on the zone and not in the zone now, or you know, oh you go to the garden. Would you ever do UFC? Would you ever?

Speaker 2:

uh, referee? No, no, I mean years ago I was asked if I wanted to. Oh, yeah, I wanted to do that, but uh, I refuse. You know just too many rules to remember. You know I don't want to mix them up with boxing. And then you know I'm doing a boxing match and all of a sudden I'm doing UFC rules during that boxing match, and vice versa.

Speaker 1:

So I just wanted to stick with just one sport um, something that that I know and uh, so, yeah, that's awesome. Also, thank you, guys for commenting and and, and the questions and everything about Steven, steven Rary he's out in Puerto Rico and rabie era for joining and which you, which you are telling also your family, um, let me try to miss my mom. Thank you so much, melvin, you know, for uh, hanging out with us and hearing some stories, you know. All right, guys, that is it. That's for the mumbo in the city salsa podcast. Again, we want to thank ricky gonzalez so much and, um, we'll see you on the next one, on the mumbo in the city salsa podcast. Thank you.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 1:

I pleasure.

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ADRIAN MONTANEZ

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