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Tuesday, February 29, 2000
Les Keiter
in middle of
‘Hurricane’
A fight he called over 35 years ago
By Pat Bigold
is the center of controversy
in a movie about boxer
Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter
Star-BulletinWatch Universal Pictures' version of the Joey Giardello-Rubin Carter middleweight championship fight in the movie, "The Hurricane."
In the segment, you'll see Carter pummel the weak-kneed defending champ, who was a hometown favorite that night of Dec. 14, 1964, at Philadelphia's Convention Hall.
See Carter bull him into the corner in the 15th round as blood trickles down Giardello's face.
Watch as the bell ends the final round and the blow-by-blow broadcaster comments on the delayed decision of the judges: "It's taken 35 minutes for these judges to tell us what this home town crowd already knows. Joey Giardello is about to lose the crown to Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter."
Referee Bob Polis raises the rag doll arm of Giardello, announcing a unanimous decision in his favor and fans scream foul. The implication is that racism was a factor in the decision.But that's not the way it was, said Les Keiter yesterday morning in his Aloha Stadium office.
The former local TV sports anchor, who was behind the microphone for many big fights of the 1960s, did the Giardello-Carter fight in a telecast to five eastern states.
"It wasn't at all like the movie," said Keiter, who is convinced Giardello won the fight in a fair decision.
"Carter was ahead of Giardello in rounds four, five and six, while rounds eight through 13 were even," said Keiter. "But it was all Giardello in 14 and 15."
He has the videotape of his telecast to prove it, sent to him by George Bochetto, a Pennsylvania attorney who is suing Universal, Beacon Communications and Azoff Films on Giardello's behalf.
Bochetto, who involved Keiter in a media teleconference with Giardello a couple weeks ago in Philadelphia, said yesterday he expects to take a deposition from the retired broadcaster at a later date.
Bochetto seeks financial damages and a guarantee that when the movie is released on VHS and DVD, footage of Keiter's telecast will be included.
Keiter played the videotape in his office yesterday. Not once did Keiter suggest, as did the fictional broadcaster in "The Hurricane," that the bout was lopsided.
During the sixth round, he said, "Carter is gaining confidence and may feel Giardello can't hurt him."
But by the eighth round, Keiter said that Carter was weakening.
Before Round 12, Keiter said, "Carter has slowed considerably."
Late in the 15th round, Keiter referred to Giardello as "a master champion who is apparently not going to be hurt in the final round."
Keiter's summation before the judges' and referee's scores (69-64, 70-67, 72-66) were read indicated the even nature of the contest.
"Certainly tonight, he (Giardello) was the master craftsman in there, champion of the world, against the challenge of a devastating puncher, 'Hurricane' Carter," Keiter said.
As for the cries of injustice in the hall, Keiter said he didn't sense anything close to the hostility the movie showed.
"I noticed a kind of a cheer and then a background of some boos," said Keiter.
"In the movie, you could feel the animosity in the air. There were strong feelings of resentment in the movie, but there was nothing like that in the real fight."
Keiter said it must be noted that most of the 6,000 fans that night were Giardello's fans because he was the hometown boy.
The two fighters are even seen chatting with each other in the Keiter tape as they await the decision.
Giardello, who had a record of 100-25-7 with 32 knockouts, saw "The Hurricane."
"I was a little upset and humiliated," he said in an Associated Press story. "I beat him fair and square. There was no question about it. I beat him easy. I won the fight."
