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
Sunday, April 28, Casho Induction
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, dabayaaqadii ah 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. IYO), April 28, at Russo ayaa On The Bay ee 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 of 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 dagaallan, lugu daro 72 title fights. 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, on Jan. 14, 2017 at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn) dhexeeya Badou Jack iyo 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. Isla mar ahaantaa, 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. Later, he said that he had hit me with a good shot and that I owned him a good shot. Ka dib markii la dagaallanka, 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, kuwaas oo ahaa 81 markii, for the first time in 1981 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Father worked the main event between Roy Jones, Jr. iyo David Telesco, Mercante, Jr. handled a fight between David Izon iyo Derrick Jefferson.
Hadda, Mercante, Jr. is heading into the NYSBHOF to join his father. “I never thought I’d be in any Hall of Fame,” Mercante, Jr. commented. “When the call came January 27th (2019) ka Bob Duffy (NYBHOF president), it couldn’t have come at a more special day, because my father would have turned 99 maalintaas.
“Waxaa sharaf noo ah, 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, Dabcan, 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.”
biireen waxaana ku nool galo NYSBHOF waxaa ka mid ah (Bronx-born) three-time, Kooxda heysata horyaalka adduunka laba-division Wilfredo Benitez (53-8-1, 31 KOs), Canastota welterweight Dick DiVeronica (44-13-1, 13 KOs), (Hempstead) WBO super featherweight world championRogelio Tuur (46-4-1, 30 KOs), (Bronx) 1968 Laga xoreeyo. Cayaaraha olombikada Davey Vasquez (19-15, 6 KOs), WBO super middleweight world title challenger Michael Olajide (27-5, 19 KOs), of Manhattan, iyo Queens’ tartanka miisaanka culus aduunka Monte Barrett (35-11-2, 20 KOs).
Posthumous participants being inducted are (Bronx) three-time lightweight world championJimmy Carter (84-31-9, 34 KOs), Welterweight Brooklyn Al “Bummy” Davis (65-10-4, 46 KOs), (Schenectady) Kooxda heysata horyaalka welterweight adduunka Marty Servo (47-4-2, 14 KOs), (Bronx) tartanka miisaanka culus aduunka Roland LaStarza (57-9, 27 KOs), Brooklyn world lightweight champion Paddy DeMarco (75-26-3, 8 KOs )and Manhattan’s Lower East Side lightweights Sid Terris (94-13-5, 12 KOs) iyo Leach “The Fighting Dentist” Cross (35-10-4, 22 KOs).
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, Crown, 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, ee Brooklyn.
inductee kasta oo ka qayb (ama aad farac si toos ah) waxay heli doonaan suunka caadadii loo qorsheeyay a tuso isaga ama iyada induction galay NYSBHOF ah.
The 2019 inductees ay doorteen xubnaha guddiga xulidda NYSBHOF:Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Don Majeski, Ron McNair, iyo Neil Terens.
All soo biireen waxaana loo baahan yahay si aan firfircooneyn ugu yaraan saddex sano si ay xaq ugu induction NYSBHOF, oo dhan inductees waa in aad deganayd New York State qayb weyn oo mustaqbalkooda feerka ama inta lagu guda jiro ra'iisul ay mustaqbalkiisa kala.
NYSBHOF
CLASS ee 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 iyo Arthur Mercante, Sr.
CLASS ee 2013: Jack Dempsey, Johnny Dundee, Sandy Saddler, Maxie Rosenbloom, Joey Archer, Iran Barkley, Mark Breland, Bobby Cassidy, Doug Jones, Junior Jones, James “Buddy” McGirt, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Bob Arum, Shelly Finkel, Tony Graziano, Larry Merchant, Teddy Brenner, Mike Jacobs, Tex Rickard iyo 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, Lagu saaraa D'Amato, William Muldoon iyo Tom O'Rourke.
CLASS OF 2015: Markaasaa Saa'uul Mamby, Joey Giamba, Johnny Persol, Harold Weston, Lonnie Bradley, Paul Berlenbach, Billy Graham, Frankie Genaro, Bob Miller, Tommy Ryan, Jimmy Slattery, Bob Duffy, Mike Katz, Tommy Gallagher, Bruce Silverglade, Ghartey Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon iyo Al Weill.
CLASS OF 2016: Aaron 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 iyo Jimmy Jacobs.
CLASS OF 2017: Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo “Mudane.” Snipes, Doug DeWitt, “The Qarax Bronx” Alex Ramos, Dick Tiger, Jose Torres, “Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey, Don Majeski, Ron Katz, Stan Hoffman, Bobby Bartels, Hank Kaplan, Al Gavin, Arthur Donovan iyo Dan Parker.
CLASS OF 2018: Lou “Honey Boy” Valley, Jake Rodriguez, Terrence Alli, “Baby” Joe Mesi, Chocolate Kid, James J. “mudane 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.
Tikidhada waxaa lagu jaban $125.00 halkii dadka waaweyn iyo $60.00 carruurta (under 16) oo ka mid ah Alighieri dhamaystiran iyo saacad is biirsaday dul entry, laga bilaabo 12:30 p.m. IYO, iyo sidoo kale cashada (feeraha ra'iisul, kalluunka ama digaagga) iyo bar u furan maalintii oo dhan. Tickets are available to purchase by contacting NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304 amadepcomish@aol.com. Ads barnaamijka NYSBHOF ayaa la heli karaa, laga bilaabo $80.00 si ay u $200.00, adigoo la xiriiraya Duffy. Tag on line at www.Ring8ny.com wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan Boxing New York Gobolka Hall of Fame.
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