Arthur Mercante, JR. was the third man in the ring for the March 13, 1999 world heavyweight title fight at Madison Square Garden between Evander Holyfield and Lennox Louis that ended in a draw
Rātapu, April 28, Dinner arataki
Don King, Jimmy Cannon, Jimmy Carter & Wilfredo Benitez headline Class of 2019 inductees
NEW YORK (March 20, 2019) – International boxing referee Arthur Mercante, JR. will join his father, te mutunga o Arthur Mercante, Sr., in the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) to become the first father-son inducted into the NYSBHOF.
The 24-member Class of 2019 will be inducted at the eighth annual NYSBHOF induction dinner on Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. AND), April 28, i te Russo On te Bay i roto i te Howard Beach, New York.
Mercante, JR. was an amateur boxer who lost in the 1976 New York Golden Gloves to Juan Laporte (NYSBHOF inductee, Class o 2014). “I felt I beat him, and I wanted to turn pro,” Mercante, JR. explained how he got into officiating. “My father said no as long as I lived in his house, but he suggested I try referring.”
Mercante, JR. started refereeing in 1979 in the amateurs and moved up to the pro ranks in 1984. He has referred 336 whawhai, whai wāhi 72 whawhai taitara. Mercante, JR. has some wonderful memories, including a humorous story in which he was accidentally punched.
“I was referring a fight (unified world super middleweight title fight, i runga i Jan. 14, 2017 at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn) i waenganui i Badou Jack a James DeGale,” Mercante, JR. remembered. “I heard the 10-second warning at the end of the sixth round and started counting 5-4-3-2-1. I te wa ano, Jack hit me in the face with a left hook, and I slipped. Beau asked me if I was alright. I said I was fine. I muri mai, he said that he had hit me with a good shot and that I owned him a good shot. I muri i te whawhai, he told me I can take a good shot.”
Mercante, JR. believed the key to be a good referee is breaking apart fighters in clinches and staying out of the picture, because a fight isn’t about the referee.
One of his most memorable moments of his career was working the same show as his father, ko wai te 81 wā, for the first time in 1981 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Father worked the main event between Roy Jones, JR. a David Telesco, Mercante, JR. handled a fight between David Izon a Derrick Jefferson.
Na, Mercante, JR. is heading into the NYSBHOF to join his father. “I never thought I’d be in any Hall of Fame,” Mercante, JR. kōrero. “When the call came January 27th (2019) i Bob Duffy (NYBHOF president), it couldn’t have come at a more special day, because my father would have turned 99 i taua ra.
“Ko te he honore, especially going in with this class. I worked a fight between Michael Olajide and Iran Barkley and Michael is getting in this year. Don King, o te akoranga, and I worked a lot of shows with Wayne Kelly. Ring 8 has always been a great organization. I’d like to thank everyone involved.”
kaimekemeke ora ahu ki te NYSBHOF ngā (Bronx-born) three-time, toa e rua-wehenga te ao Wilfredo Benitez (53-8-1, 31 Koó), Canastota welterweight Dick DiVeronica (44-13-1, 13 Koó), (Hempstead) WBO super featherweight world championRogelio Tuur (46-4-1, 30 Koó), (Bronx) 1968 U.S. Häkinakina Davey Vasquez (19-15, 6 Koó), WBO super middleweight world title challenger Michael Olajide (27-5, 19 Koó), of Manhattan, a Kuini’ world heavyweight title challenger Monte Barrett (35-11-2, 20 Koó).
Posthumous participants being inducted are (Bronx) three-time lightweight world championJimmy Carter (84-31-9, 34 Koó), Brooklyn Welterweight al “Bummy” Davis (65-10-4, 46 Koó), (Schenectady) toa Welterweight te ao Marty Servo (47-4-2, 14 Koó), (Bronx) world heavyweight title challenger Roland LaStarza (57-9, 27 Koó), Brooklyn world lightweight champion Paddy DeMarco (75-26-3, 8 Koó )and Manhattan’s Lower East Side lightweights Sid Terris (94-13-5, 12 Koó) a Leach “The Fighting Dentist” Cross (35-10-4, 22 Koó).
In addition to Mercante, Jr., other living non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are New York City-based promoter Don King, Flushing judge John McKaie, Brooklyn sportscaster Steve Albert, and Bronx trainer Bob Jackson.
Posthumous non-participant inductees are Utica matchmaker Dewey Fragetta, Karauna, Queens referee Johnny LoBianco, Garden City referee Wayne Kelly, Flushing sportsman Harry Hill, award-winning journalist Jimmy Cannon, of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and NYSAC official/former NABF president Joe Dwyer, o Brooklyn.
Ia inductee te haere (ranei uri whakaheke o) ka riro i te whitiki ritenga-hoahoa hei whakaatu i tona ranei tona arataki ki te NYSBHOF.
Te 2019 tīpakohia inductees i te taha o nga mema o te komiti whakaingoa NYSBHOF:Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, a Neil Terens.
kaimekemeke katoa e hiahiatia ana ki te kia hohekore mō tau i te iti rawa e toru ki te kia āhei hoki NYSBHOF arataki, a me inductees katoa kua noho i roto i te New York State mo te wahi nui o to ratou mahi mekemeke i te pirimia o to ratou mahi tēnā ranei.
NYSBHOF
CLASS o 2012: Carmen Basilio, Mike McCallum, Mike Tyson, Jake LaMotta, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, “Sugar” Ray Robinson, Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard, Tony Canzoneri, Harold Lederman, Steve Acunto, Jimmy Glenn, Gil Clancy, Ray Arcel, Nat Fleischer, Bill Gallo a Arthur Mercante, Sr.
CLASS o 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Tanitī, Sandy tera hōiho, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones , Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Harumu, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard a Don Dunphy.
CLASS OF 2014: Floyd Patterson, Tracy Harris Patterson, Billy Backus, Kevin Kelley, Juan Laporte, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho, Howard Davis, Jr., Lou Ambers, Jack Britton, Terry McGovern, Teddy Atlas, Lou DiBella, Steve Farhood, Gene Moore, Angelo Prospero, Whitey Bimstein, CuS D'Amato, William Muldoon a Tom O'Rourke.
CLASS OF 2015: Haora Mamby, Joey Giamba, Johnny Persol, Harold Weston, Lonnie Bradley, Paora Berlenbach, Billy Graham, Frankie Genaro, Bob Miller, Tommy Ryan, Jimmy Slattery, Bob Duffy, Mike Katz, Tommy Gallagher, Bruce Silverglade, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon ko Al Weill.
CLASS OF 2016: Arona Davis, Charles Murray, Vilomar Fernandez, Edwin Viruet, Hector “macho” Camacho, Rocky Graziano, Rocky Kansas, Joe Lynch, Joe Miceli, ed Brophy, Joe DeGuardia, Randy Gordon, Dennis Rappaport, Howie Albert, Freddie Brown, Howard Cosell, Ruby Goldstein ko Jimmy Jacobs.
CLASS OF 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes, Doug DeWitt, “Ko te rererangi Bronx” Alex Ramos, Dick Tiger, Jose Torres, “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey, Don Majeski, Ron Katz, Stan Hoffman, Bobby Bartels, Hank Kaplan, Al Gavin, Arthur Donovan ko Rana Parker.
CLASS OF 2018: Lou “Honey Boy” Raorao, Jake Rodriguez, Terrence Alli, “Baby” Joe Mesi, Chocolate Kid, James J. “taata Jim” Corbett, Jack McAuliffe, Billy Costello, Melio Bettina Ralph “Tiger” Jones, Charley Norkus, Dave Anderson, Pete Brodsky, Herb Goldman, Bobby Goodman, Melvina Lathan, Ron Scott Stevens, Johnnie Addie, Johnny Bos, Murray Goodman, Bert Randolph Sugar and Sam Taub.
Utu Tickets e i $125.00 ia pakeke me te $60.00 mō ngā tamariki (i raro i 16) a ka whakauru i te moko oti, me te cocktail haora ki runga ki te urunga, tīmata i 12:30 p.m. AND, me te tina (rara pirimia, ika heihei ranei) me te tuwhera pae puta noa i te ra. Tickets are available to purchase by contacting NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304 raneidepcomish@aol.com. E wātea ana Pānui mō te hōtaka NYSBHOF, mai $80.00 ki $200.00, mā te whakapā Duffy. Haere i runga i te raina i www.Ring8ny.com hoki atu ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te New York State Mekemeke Hall o te Rongonui.
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