Tag Archives: New York

New York City boxing leader Tony Mazzarella has passed away

NEW YORK CITY (Jan. 27, 2015) – New York City boxing leader Tony Mazzarella passed away after a long illness this past Monday at the age of 75.

 

During his long career in boxing, Mazzarella was a former New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) Deputy Commissioner and inspector – honorary NYSAC Deputy Commissioner the past few years – Ring 8 treasurer, New York State Sports Commission member, amateur (including Golden Mittens and Mayor’s Week of Boxing) and professional promoter (co-promoter of Ring Promotions) and the major influence in the founding of the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF).

 

“Tony was a loyal, dedicated Ring 8 member for more than 30 years,” his close friend and Ring 8 & NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy said.” Without his restaurant, the Waterfront Crabhouse (in Long Island City), serving as the home of Ring 8, I don’t think there would be a Ring 8 today if not for Tony’s generosity and perseverance. He kept Ring 8 alive and due to his diligence, Ring 8 has always maintained its integrity. It was his idea to found the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.

 

“We were partners (Ring Promotions) and great friends for the past 25 years. Tony enjoyed being part of events, whether it was promoting shows or hosting award dinners. He was very generous to fighters. Tony was also a good baseball player and an avid fan. He was a leader and remains a legend in New York City boxing. He was without question the most respected Ring 8 member. We will all miss Tony Mazarella more than words alone can properly describe.”

 

Tony Mazzarella (standing, far right) shown here with the NYSBHOF Class of 2013

 

A native of Queens, Tony resided in Tappan, where his funeral will be held this Friday(Jan. 30, 11 a.m.) at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church (120 Kings Highway). His wake will be held this Thursday (Jan. 29), from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m., at Pizzi Funeral Home (120 Paris Ave. in North Vale, New Jersey).

ABOUT RING 8: Formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, Ring 8 became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association – hence, RING 8 – and today the organization’s motto still remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.

 

RING 8 is fully committed to supporting less fortunate people in the boxing community who may require assistance in terms of paying rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need.

 

Go on line to www.Ring8ny.com for more information about RING 8, the largest group of its kind in the United States with more than 350 members. Annual membership dues is only $30.00 and each member is entitled to a buffet dinner at RING 8 monthly meetings, excluding July and August. All active boxers, amateur and professional, are entitled to a complimentary RING 8 yearly membership. Guests of Ring 8 members are welcome at a cost of only $7.00 per person.

Dmitry Salita, Star of David Boxing Promotions Team Up With Boxer Junior Wright To Honor NY Police  Thursday Night, Jan. 22nd at Webster Hall in Manhattan

For Immediate Release

Brooklyn, NY (January 20, 2015)– Boxing and law enforcement working in tandem have a long and admirable history. Police Athletic Leagues have provided a haven for wayward youths, and allowed at-risk youth and law enforcement personnel to interact and form bonds which prove personally beneficial, and also help strengthen fragile communities. With that in mind, promoter Dmitriy Salita and his headliner on the Thursday, Jan. 22 pro boxing card at Webster Hall in Manhattan are teaming up to honor the memories of the two NYPD officers slain last month in a tragic incident.

Junior Wright is a 12-0 cruiserweight, with 10 KOs, who fights tough Texan Rayford Johnson on the Salita show. He stepped up and decided he wanted to do his part to honor the cops’ memory, and also smooth out the trauma in the community, perhaps aid in minimizing the friction between cops and youth in some disadvantaged neighborhoods.

“I heard about the two New York City police officers that were ambushed in December and all the trouble that’s been going on,” Wright said. “I grew up in Chicago and all that comes with it. All my dealings with the police have been above board. They’ve helped me a lot with my career.” His manager Steve Clemente is a 25 year veteran of the Illinois State Police while co-trainer Pete George recently retired after nearly 30 years as a suburban Chicago police officer. With that, Junior has dedicated this fight to the memory of N.Y.P.D. officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos.

When Salita heard the plan, he was more than happy to come on board. “Junior is a great role model,” Salita said. “He is hard-working, determined and focused on making a positive influence through boxing.”

N.Y.P.D. officers who attend Thursday night will receive a half-price ticket.

“We will also have a ceremonial 10 count for the fallen heroes before the main event,” said Salita.

Webster Hall is located at 125 East 11th Street, New York, NY 10003.

Doors open for the 10-bout card at 7 PM ET, with ticket prices starting at $40.

 

 

Please log on to DSalita.com

for up to date information on the Jan. 22 show.

Upcoming Events at Gleason’s Gym

January 31, 2015

Bare Knuckle Championships

Between Gleason’s Bobby Gunn and Tank Abbott.

Watch it live from Casper, Wyoming at 8:00 pm on PPV.

 

 

February 12-13-14, 2015

Seventh Annual Masters Only Clinic and Show

 

Gleason’s Gym will host it’s seventh annual Masters Clinic and boxing show.

Thursday February 12

Morning will be the arrival into New York.

Orientation will be from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm.

The first workout will be from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

A discussion on Masters boxing will be from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Free time after that.

 

Friday February 13

Training from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.

The afternoon session will run from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

A discussion on Amateur boxing and White Collar boxing will be from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Free time after that.

 

Saturday February 14

Light training from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.

Match ups for the evening show will take place from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm.

An optional workout for those not competing in the evening show from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

The weigh in for the show will be from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

The sanctioned Master Boxing Show will begin at 6:00 pm and will end by9:00 pm.

 

 

The cost of the Clinic is $349.00.

 

If you are interested please contact Bruce Silverglade at (718) 797-2872 or email bruce@gleasonsgym.net.

 

February 14, 2015

Master’s Only Boxing Show

 

You can compete on this Master’s only show without attending the clinic.Just, email our matchmaker Jieun at matchmaker@gleasonsgym.net. We now do all our matchmaking by email.

 

The weigh in for this show will begin at 4:00PM and the first bout will begin at 6:00PM.

 

All our bouts are sanctioned by USABoxingMetro. All boxers must have their boxing book with them in order to participate.

 

The ticket price is $25 per person. Children 6 and under are not charged. All gym members and registered amateurs with their books in hand pay $15 per person.

 

 

P.S. If you can’t make it but still want to see the fights, they’ll be streaming at

Gleason’s Gym website: www.gleasonsgym.net

 WBU title on line Pagliara vs Robertson on Thursday, January 22 at Webster Hall in New York City

Press conference this Thursday at Capizzi Restaurant (West 41st st at 9th ave) at 2 PM

 

Brooklyn, NY (January 13, 2015)-– Dmitry Salita announced today that the WBU Americas Featherweight Title will be up for grabs as an added co feature to his popular Brooklyn Brawl Boxing Series.

Floriano Pagliara, The popular Italian from Cecine Italy and now residing in Williamsburgh Brooklyn will take on slick moving Antwan Robertson from Minnesota USA

Pagliara has held title belts as the IBF Mederteranian Champion and Italian Federation in the Jr. Lightweight Division.

“Floriano loves America.  He has become very popular with the local Italian communities in the tri state area. He is very honored to fight for an American title in front of his American fan base. People respond to Flori. Dmitry and his promotional team will be very happy with the fan support that Floriano brings” quoted Rich Komissar, the American promoter for Pagliara.  “His fans support him” added Komissar

The move to featherweight is something that the Italian has been thinking of since his move to America a few years back.

“I always try to think of making the featherweight limit but in Italy my training and diet did not allow for this. But in America I have the best training for this and now I am never more than 132 lbs when I am regular time and not training” said the affable Italian with his operatic dialect.

“Star of David Promotions is happy to add this bout as a co feature” said Dmitry Salita of Star of David Promotions. “I have seen Floriano fight a few times here in  New York Area. He is far and away one of the New York Area’s most popular fighters. He always brings a good crowd and he gives a great show. I believe the matchup we are giving you here (Pagliara / Robertson) will produce an all out action packed fight that the fans will like. Antwan Robertson is never in a dull fight. He reminds me a little bit of Junior Jones… This fight will be a war”.

The Brooklyn Brawl Series will hop over the river to Manhattan for this show on January 22nd. The card will be held at the world famous Webster Hall 125 East 11th Street NYC New York 10003.

There will be a press conference this Thursday at Capizzi Restaurant at 2 PM.  Capizzi is located at West 41st street and 9th ave.

Below is a video of Pagliara, who has been coined “The Brooklyn Rocky”

 

 

 

Please log on to DSalita.com

for up to date information on the Jan. 22 show.

Full Brooklyn Brawl card announced for Webster Hall

Star of David Promotions will kick off their 2015 year in boxing on Jan. 22, with a jam-packed show at Webster Hall in New York City.

Promoter Dmitriy Salita is pleased to announce a compelling main event for the January 22nd card at Webster Hall in New York, which pits cruiserweight contender Junior Wright, a Chicago-based pugilist, against tough Texan Rayford Johnson in a 10-round bout.  “Junior was in camp with Adonis Stevenson for Adonis’ fight on Dec. 19, and Junior is ready to challenge the best in world,” Salita said. “He’s looking to make a statement.” Johnson is still buzzed from beating 16-1 Vincent Miranda last September so Wright will need to be on message.

 

Salita is pumped for a “fight of the year potential” clash pitting lightweight Dimash Niyazov against former NYS lightweight champion Ariel Duran in a bout scheduled for 6-rounds.. “That will be Dimash’s toughest test,” Salita said.

 

Rising prospect Gary Beriguette of Brooklyn is looking to impress in a junior welter clash; he meets NYC fan favorite Raphael Luna of Albany in a six round bout, someone who has never engaged in a dull fight, and Salita expects him to continue that trend onJan. 22.

 

A KO is a distinct possibility when fight fans see the SODP debut of heavyweight bomber Ytalo Perea, an Ecuador native, looking to leave his mark on Emilio Salas in a 4-round bout.  The Pan Am Games champ seeks to bring a heavyweight belt back to his native land to show off proudly.

 

Salita looks to be cornering the market on heavy hitting prospects at cruiser and heavy; another one in that category, looking to show off his stuff in NYC,  is Russian Alexey Zubov, a 28-year-old hitter who craves KO climaxes.  He will face Eric George in a 4-round bout.

 

Welterweight prospect Treysean Wiggins, out of Newburgh, NY, is another KO-craver under the Salita banner who wants to lay the smack down at Webster Hall when he takes on Llyas Aksbaev.

 

Fan favorite Floriano Pagliara draws hordes of fans who love his high-volume punching, pleasant personality and attractive visage; he will be in action on Jan. 22 as well in an 8 round bout against Antwun Robertson in a 8-round bout.

 

Rising middleweight Akil Auguste is looking to score another KO, extending his perfect streak of wins-by-KO to six when he takes on Eddie Edmond in a six-round bout.

 

National and NY Golden Gloves champion Marcos Suarez, a possible future star in Salita’s eyes, wants to steal the show at Webster Hall.  He takes on undefeated Usiel Hernandez of Geneva, New York in a 4-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

 

Damien Yero of the Bronx will look to make his pro debut a successful one as he takes on Brooklyn slugger Mack Babb in a 4-round Welterweight bout.

 

The Star of David team clapped hands for their heavyweight hopeful Jarrell Miller, who rose to 11-0 on Friday night, with a decision win over Aaron Kinch in California. It was high-profile outing, featured on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights.”

Please log on to DSalita.com

for up-to-date information on the Jan. 22 show.

GH3 Promotions CEO Vito Mielnicki comments on Jerry Odom’s controversial disqualification

Nutley, NJ(January 12, 2015)–This past Friday night at the Madison Square Garden Theater, previously undefeated Super Middleweight Jerry Odom suffered his first professional defeat when he was controversially disqualified when he was ruled to have hit Andrew Hernandez while he was down following a knockdown.

“Jerry dropped the kid and the referee was way out of position.  The referee was in the opposite corner,””said GH3 Promotions CEO Vito Mielnicki.

“We signed Hernandez before the fight so I am looking to do an immediate rematch as soon as mid February.  As everyone saw, Jerry was well on his way to stopping him.  Hernandez is a good prospect but Jerry got the best of him.  I think Andrew knew that Jerry was breaking him down.”

“The referee was way out of position to make a call like that  They could have given him five minutes to recover.  Stuff like this is a black eye for the sport.  All that being said, Andrew knows that if he wants to become something, he has to take the rematch.  I am going to talk to the commission on Monday and see what my options are in terms of an appeal but making the rematch is the first order of business for us.”

“We know that Jerry is still the top Super Middleweight prospect out there and we will not let this terrible ruling effect our plans for Jerry going forward.

 

GH3 Promotions features undefeated Middleweight Antoine Douglas, Super Middleweight’s Jerry Odom & Derrick Webster, undefeated Featherweight Glenn Dezurn Jr., undefeated Super Bantamweight Adam Lopez as well as Jr. Middleweight John Thompson, Jr. Lightweight Wanzell Ellison, Featherweight Jorge Diaz, undefeated Super Bantamweight Qa’id Muhammad and Light Heavyweight Lavarn Harvell to the GH3 Promotions stable.

KENNETH SIMS JR. IMPROVES TO 5-0, LOOKS TO HAVE BIG 2015

 

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (January 11, 2015) – Chicago’s undefeated Jr. Welterweight prospect, Kenneth Sims Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs) extended on his winning streak this past Saturday at the Madison Square Garden Theater with a dominating unanimous decision against tough opponent, Christian Steele (4-12, 1 KO).

 

Sims Jr., who was fighting in is second 6-round bout in only his fifth pro fight, showed why he was a top amateur standout, showcasing advanced boxing skills winning every round convincingly.  With each fight Sims Jr. feels he’s improving and wants to have a big 2015.

 

“I’m enjoying my journey as a professional,” said Kenneth Sims Jr. “I feel I’m getting better every time I step in the ring.  There is always room for improvement and I’m going to continue working hard in the gym.  Gary Shaw has said there will be many opportunities for me to take my career to the next level in 2015 and I want take full advantage of everything that comes my way. I’m hoping to make a quick return back to the ring.”

 

“Sims Jr. is progressing nicely as a professional prize fighter,” Gary Shaw said. “I think he’ll graduate to 8-round bouts after one more fight.  He seems to be making the 140 lbs weight limit with ease so we’ll keep him at Jr. Welterweight.  He’s got the height and reach attributes to give anyone in the division problems.  I see him having a big 2015.”

TUREANO JOHNSON WINS WBC SILVER & WBA INTERNATIONAL BELTS

NEW YORK (January 11, 2015) – This past Friday at the Madison Square Garden Theater, Bahamian middleweight contender, Tureano Johnson (18-1, 13 KOs) captured the WBA International and WBC Silver titles, with a bruising victory against Colombian contender Alex Theran (17-2, 2 KOs).  Johnson thumped the former Olympian Theran over five rounds, dropping him once in the 4th round, then again in the 5th.  Theran, who suffered an injury and could not return for the 6th round, was taking a beating before bowing out of the bout.

 

Rated WBC #8, WBA #12 and IBF #12, Tureano Johnson is looking to step up and challenge any of the champions in middleweight division.  After beating a solid fighter like Theran, and being robbed in the Curtis Stevens fight, Johnson is confident he can beat any of the current champions at 160 lbs.

 

“I’m ready to fight Gennady Golovkin, Miguel Cotto, Jermain Taylor or any other champion out there,” said Tureano Johnson.  These are the type of fights I would like to pursue.  David Lemieux is also on my hit list. I’m here to take over the division.  Everyone knows I should be undefeated so I’m going to leave no doubt about it every time I step in the ring.  I can’t afford to be robbed again.  With Gary Shaw putting me in a great position, I’m going to make the most of every opportunity.  My goal in 2015 is to become a world champion.”

 

“Tureano Johnson is marching up the rankings and should be applauded for his fighting style.” said Gary Shaw. “He’s the type of fighter everyone wants to see.  I’m going to push hard to get him back on TV, hopefully against a guy like Gennady Golovkin.  Johnson is a force in the middleweight division and you will see him in some big fights coming up.”

Melson Mourns the Loss of Bernie Lenahan

New York, NY (January 11, 2015) – Bernie Lenahan was a rare breed by today’s boxing standards. Not only was he dedicated to the sport, spending countless hours at New York’s Mendez Boxing Gym, Lenahan was an honest family man that built special friendships with his fighters.

 

Having worked with various fighters in the Big Apple, Lenahan learned his craft by spending time around New York’s greats. He guided multiple fighters to New York Golden Gloves titles and played a key role during his four years as Boyd Melson’s assistant trainer and cutman. In multiple fights, Lenahan prevented tides from potentially turning by effectively closing Melson’s cuts between rounds. He was also in the gym guiding Melson as he prepared for battle.

 

Shockingly, Lenahan passed away last week, leaving behind a wife, daughter, granddaughter, two sisters and a brother.

 

“I spent more time with Coach Bernie these past four years than any other man on this planet,” said Melson. He made me his. My heart broke when I heard the news, and a part of it will be broken until my time is up in my own body. It wasn’t just because of how he loved me and how much I loved him that this hurts me so much, but it is because when Coach passed, hundreds and hundreds of people lost something very special.”

 

“Coach Bernie offered an unconditional kindness, acceptance and welcoming that you only find in children. When you see a child, you know that you won’t be judged, and you will be offered love for no other reason beyond that child just wanting to love you. At some time in almost all humans’ lives, we tend to lose this. We stop loving everyone, and we start judging everyone. With Coach though, we felt safe as seeing him put instant smiles on our faces because we always felt loved and welcomed.  He made you feel that he truly wanted you there and really cared about you. I wish everyone alive on this planet could have met Coach Bernie to experience that feeling. At the end of every practice for the past three years, I hugged Coach Bernie, kissed him on the side of his forehead, thanked him for training me that day, and said I love you to him. He would smile and quietly say “love you too.” Forever and a day, I thank you Coach for this.”

 

Donations to the Lenahan family can be made by going to https://www.crowdrise.com/BernieLenahan/fundraiser/jamescoppinger