Final chapter, final Page likely written for former champ

Final chapter, final Page likely written for former champ
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
June 18, 2013

A week ago today, former WBA welterweight titlist James Page was arrested in Northern California in connection to six bank robberies that took place around the Bay Area over the past six months. According to the Bay Area News Group, he is being held on $395,000 bail.

It was just over a year ago that Page emerged from prison following an 11-year sentence stemming from a bank robbery in Atlanta in 2001. After serving his time, Page left prison a cut and ripped 159 pounds, intent on returning to the ring in an attempt to find old glory.

Page's comeback received little fanfare, though he took it much more seriously than most fortysomethings coming off more than a decade of inactivity. Page sparred with the late Omar Henry at King's Gym in Oakland, as well as junior middleweight contender Alfredo Angulo under the watchful eye of Angulo's trainer, Virgil Hunter.

In doing a story for the February edition of the UK publication Boxing Monthly, this writer recalls discussing Page with Hunter when it first became apparent that he was out of jail and looking to return to the ring. Hunter instantly brushed off the idea of it. He'd had a change of heart after seeing Page go toe-to-toe with Angulo in sparring.

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James Page's Battle to Turn Back the Clock

In the February 2013 edition of British boxing publication Boxing Monthly, I have a four-page spread on the unlikely comeback of former WBA welterweight titlist James Page, who returned to the ring in November 2012 after a 10.5 year jail sentence stemming from multiple bank robberies. In fact, Page's picture makes it on the front cover in the upper right corner. Though Page's comeback didn't go as planned, there was still a worthwhile story behind the ring return.

I was very proud of this piece. Unfortunately, the photographer I used pictures from was completely unprofessional and refused to provide me with shots of Page getting worked over by his opponent in that comeback fight, telling me "Page is her homie". This despite the fact I lined her up to get paid for the photos.

James Page's comeback unsuccessful, stopped in two rounds

James Page's comeback unsuccessful, stopped in two rounds
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
November 19, 2012

NATOMAS, Calif.--Saturday night, on a small club show in Natomas, Calif., former WBA welterweight beltholder James Page returned to the ring for the first time in more than a decade at 41 years of age in the six-round main event at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel against journeyman Rahman Yusubov of Azerbaijan.

In the first 30 seconds, Page (25-5, 19 KOs) nearly made it a triumphant return as he wobbled Yusubov (9-9, 7 KOs) with the first left hook he landed, but due to a deterioration of skills caused by spending 11 years behind bars after being a party to multiple bank robberies, he was unable to land the follow-up barrage that would have ended the night early.

In the closing seconds of the opening round, Yusubov landed some harsh shots with Page on the ropes that rocked the comebacking Pittsburg, Calif. native badly. In the 2nd round, Yusubov would continue his assault, landing tremendous blows that had Page in bad shape from the first moments of the round. Page took shot after shot, somehow remaining upright before Yusubov finally put him down in a heap at the midway point of the round and the referee called the bout off.

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Page comeback derailed

Page comeback derailed

Mark E. Ortega

Martinez News-Gazette

November 19, 2012


NATOMAS, Calif.--Last Saturday night, former WBA welterweight champion James Page did the improbable, returning to the ring for the first time following a 10-and-a-half year prison sentence, fighting rugged journeyman Rahman Yusubov in the six-round main event at the Four Points by Sheraton in Natomas, Calif. Unfortunately for Page and his team, the result wasn't what they were hoping for.

Page had been out of jail since the early part of the year, training at famed King's Gym in Oakland with a number of quality professional fighters, including middleweight prospect Omar Henry and junior middleweight contender Alfredo Angulo. He had worked himself down to 153 pounds for the fight, just one weight class heavier than where he contested most of his bouts in his prime in the late '90s.

Former Titlist James Page Begins His Unlikely Ring Return

Former Titlist James Page Begins His Unlikely Ring Return
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
November 17, 2012

There is an old boxing adage that a fighter's power is usually the last thing to go. Before that, they lose their reflexes, stamina and often their punch resistance.

Saturday night, on a club show in Natomas, Calif. at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, 41-year old former welterweight titleholder James Page of nearby Pittsburg will attempt to prove that old adage correct, as he returns to the ring for the first time in over a decade after spending 11 years behind bars as he served time for multiple bank robberies in the Atlanta area at the early part of the millennium.

Page last saw action as a professional pugilist in 2001, when he was stopped by Andrew Lewis in seven rounds in an HBO Boxing After Dark bout where he was attempting to regain the WBA belt that he'd been stripped of the year before for failing to show up to the weigh-in for the initially scheduled Lewis bout.

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Mares stakes claim to Donaire, tops Moreno

Mares stakes claim to Donaire, tops Moreno
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
November 13, 2012

LOS ANGELES--Saturday night at Los Angeles' famed Staples Center, Abner Mares added another impressive name to his resume as he outpointed Panamanian slickster Anselmo Moreno over twelve rounds in their super bantamweight scrap.

The victory helps make a case for Mares being the most likely opponent to give San Leandro's Nonito Donaire his most difficult fight to date. Though Mares is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Donaire by Top Rank, some are optimistic the fight can now be made.

Former Pittsburg boxing champion tries to turn Page

Former Pittsburg boxing champion tries to turn Page

Mark E. Ortega

Martinez News-Gazette

October 18, 2012

OAKLAND, Calif.—Adoring the walls of King's Gym on 35^th St. in Oakland are legions of fight posters and photographs that likely number in the thousands.

Among the plethora of worn and torn snapshots of history are a handful from the glory days of Pittsburg's James Page, the one-time WBA welterweight champion who held the crown briefly from 1998-1999.

Now, more than a dozen years since he first defeated Andrey Pestryaev of Russia in two rounds for the vacant title, Page has returned to the famed East Bay boxing gym as he readies himself to climb back into the ring for the first time since losing in his attempt to regain his crown against Andrew Lewis in 2001.

NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4

NorCal Boxing Report, Feb. 4
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
February 4, 2012

Team Eloy Perez Moves Camp To SoCal In Prep For Adrien Broner 

With just three weeks to go before they make their arrival on the big stage, Team Eloy Perez has relocated their training camp to Oxnard from Oakland, Calif., according to assistant trainer Sam Garcia. The move is in preparation for his HBO debut against WBO 130-pound beltholder Adrien Broner, set for Feb 25 in St. Louis, Mo. in the co-feature to the intriguing welterweight scrap between Devon Alexander and Marcos Maidana. Perez and company have been working at King's Gym in Oakland for the past few weeks with Virgil Hunter and his growing stable of fighters, including junior welterweight Mike Dallas Jr. and lightweight Stan Martyniouk. Perez will now be down in Oxnard at Robert Garcia's gym to spar with undefeated former WBA 135-pound titlist Brandon Rios as well as fellow junior lightweight Argenis Mendez.

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