After the trip out to Vegas on January 12 to try and bet on Roy Jones, I went back home to snowy New Jersey to contemplate my next move. I had noticed when I was in Vegas, that Kevin Kelley was fighting Louie Espinosa on Friday, February 2 at the Boulder Station Casino Hotel. The odds were pretty much even, so I had no choice but to head out that weekend to try and keep what flicker of a dream I had still alive.
With little cash left, I knew the odds of me making some magic happen were slim. After checking in at the Circus Circus to try and save some money, I headed down to the Boulder Station to catch the bout. I put $3,000 on Louis Espinosa, who had won for me the previous July at Caesar’s Palace. I would cash out about $3,000 back, a nice payday if it happened. This was a crapshoot at best, what’s left when you’re in desperation mode.
The whole night was a nightmare, with Kelley winning almost every single round. My dreams of eleven months earlier had been reduced to this crap, and I left the arena beyond disgusted. When I got back to my hotel room, I took my travel bag and wailed it against the brick wall. My frustration was boiling over, and I knew I had only one more chance the following Friday, or I was done.
I flew to Vegas again on Saturday February 9, 1996, but this time stayed at the much nicer Rio Hotel off of the strip. I figured if this was gonna be my last shot, I was going out in more style than the crappy Circus Circus. This trip was to lay what little money I had on Scott ‘Pink Cat’ Walker against Julio Cesar Chavez on the over prop. After buying my ticket, I took my seat at Caesar’s Palace Sports Pavilion, and hoped for a miracle.
Those hopes were quickly dashed, when Walker went out in just two rounds. I was officially done with all this crap, and hurried from the arena in a daze. There was no money left, no hopes to bet my way out of debt, and my dream was totally shattered.
The next day, I had to come to grips with my reality. I figured I had done my best after making a few mistakes the previous summer, but was proud of myself that at least I had the guts to try. Knowing my original plan would have worked perfectly had I stuck to it, gave me solace, and I still take comfort in that. Not many people would risk more than they made in a year on bouts, and be totally confident of victory. Looking back on ‘My Big Gamble’ 30 years later, it’s still something that moves me, with excitement and frustration. Mostly, I’m happy I took my best shot, because I’d rather try something in life and fail, then sit back and do nothing.
As I work hard on my blog daily, something George Foreman said early in his comeback after 10 years away from boxing, still speaks directly to my heart. “If you can’t dream, you might as well be dead….”. Nothing could be further from the truth, and with God Almighty’s help, my dream to make my blog and podcast successful will come true.
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