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6th annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2017 induction ceremony review

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(L-R) – Seated – Alex Ramos, Boby Bartels, Doug Dewitt, Stan Hoffman and Gaspar Ortega; standing – Don Majeski, Renaldo Snipes & Ron Katz
All pictures by Peter Frutkoff
NEW YORK (May 1, 2017) – More than 300 people thoroughly enjoyed yesterday’s sixth annual New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) induction ceremony at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York. NYSBHOF is sponsored by Ring 8.
“It seems like yesterday that we started the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame but here we are in our sixth year,” NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy said opening the festivities. “I’ve been asked what VIPs were coming here and I said the 15 inductees are VIPs.   This is how we remembers our New Yorkers in boxing.  We recognize them for their achievements in boxing and all of them are great guys, too.”
“Today is a validation of their (inductees’) careers,” added Ring 8 president/Chairman of the NYSBHOF Induction Committee Jack Hirsch.  “This is a great honor for all of them.  Congratulations to all of the honorees.”
Living boxers inducted into the NYSBHOF were Manhattan welterweight Gaspar “El Indio” Ortega (131-39-6, 69 KOs), Yonkers’ world heavyweight title challenger Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes (39-8-1, 22 KOs), Yonkers middleweight Doug “Cobra’ Dewitt (33-8-5, 19 KOs), and world middleweight title challenger Alex “The Bronx Bomber” Ramos (39-10-2, 24 KOs)
Posthumous participants inducted were Queens’ former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion Dick Tiger (60-19-3, 27 KOs), Brooklyn/Manhattan light heavyweight world champion Jose “Chegui” Torres(41-3-1, 29 KOs), and Williamsburg’s middleweight world champion, “The Nonpareil” Jack Dempsey (51-4-11, 23 KOs).
Non-participants now in the NYSBHOF are Brooklyn/Bronx manager Stan Hoffman, Long Island matchmaker Ron Katz, and past Ring 8 president/NYSAC judge Bobby Bartels and Queens’ International agent Don Majeski.
Posthumous non-participant inductees were Brooklyn boxing historian Hank Kaplan, Long Island cut-man Al Gavin, Bronx referee Arthur Donovan and New York City columnist Dan Parker.
Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF.
The 2017 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members:  Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair, Angelo Prospero and Neil Terens.
All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career.
Past world champions and NYSBHOF inductees Iran Barkley, Vito Antuofermo and Mark Breland were in attendance, as were retired boxers and others such as Dennis Mitlon, Bobby Miller, Jimmy Lange and Richard Brown.
(L-R) – Michael & Gaspar Ortega.


Gasper Ortega: “I’m very honored to have people come out to honor me.  It’s truly a pleasure to be here. I want fans to know how much I appreciate their support.  Right now, I feel like a champion; I’m on top of the world.”
Stan Hoffman
 
Stan Hoffman: “A lot of things have been said about me in boxing and I’m grateful for the success I’ve had in boxing.  I wish I had 200 friends but the problem is I [probably have a 1000, so I can’t name them all today.  This is special because I’m going into the Hall of Fame the same year as my godson, Ron Katz, who was the best matchmaker.  He’s terrific.  Boxing has been good to me.”
(L-R) – Ron & Barbara Katz


Ron Katz: “During the past 42 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many great fighters, over 200 world champions.  I’ve had the pleasure to work for some great promoters, to say I’ve world for some of the giants of this industry is an understatement.  I learned so much from Johnny Bos, Mickey Duff, Bruce Trampler and my mentor, Teddy Brenner.  I’m so grateful to them.”
(L-R) — Melvina Lathan, Doug Dewitt & his son
Doug Dewitt: “I could have done better in the Tommy Hearns fight.   Took Robbie Simms too lightly but I won the rematch.  I was No. 3 (in the world) and I was going to fight Marvin Hagler, who was world champion when there was only one.  Boxing is a tough business.  I’m not walking around like I used to 20 years ago.  I had some good teachers.  I had a good career, I wouldn’t call it great.  Thank you very much.”
(L-R) — Renaldo Snipes & Mike Taroli
Renaldo Snipes: “I have a lot of friends. I had a lot of enemies but now they’re friends. You have to know how to get along with everybody even though you had to fight some in the ring.  You can’t go into the ring without freaking killer instinct.  I’d like to thank everybody who supported me.  I took what I learned in boxing and took it into the business world.”
(L-R) — Bobby Bartels & Lenny Mangiapane
Bobby Bartels:  Dick Tiger wanted me to go to Africa with him but I said I couldn’t.  I wish I had gone with him.  When I was in Stillman’s Gym sparring, Gasper helped me a lot. He’s a beautiful man.  I want to congratulate all the inductees.  It’s great to be inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.  It’s been a long road from the gym, through Golden Gloves, becoming a judge, and then Ring 8 president for nine years.  This is the icing on the cake.”
(L-R) — Alex Ramos & Bob Duffy
Alex Ramos:  First, I want to thank the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame and everybody here from the bottom of my heart.  I want to thank Shelly Finkel, who did so much for me, and all the people who trained me.  I was my own problem. I had a brain injury but it’s great to be alive.”
(L-R) — Michael Griffith, Don Majeski & Jack Hirsch
Don Majeski: “I have much to be humbled about.  I congratulate all the inductees for their hard work and incredible contributions to boxing.  I’m a beneficiary for all the fighters who gave me a chance to be a small part of their careers.  This is a great honor, probably the only one I’ll ever get.  It’s been a wonderful life in boxing the past 50 years.”
Master of Ceremonies Dave Diamante
 
CLASS of 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 and Arthur Mercante, Sr.
CLASS of 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 and 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 and Tom O’Rourke.
CLASS OF 2015: Saoul Mamby, Joey Giambra, 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, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon and 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 and Jimmy Jacobs.
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.
boxing, Ring 8

New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2017 

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Sunday, April 30 Induction Dinner
Dick Tiger, Jose Torres, Gaspar Ortega, Renaldo Snipes & Arthur Donovan head new class
NEW YORK (December 26, 2016) – The New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF), sponsored by Ring 8, has announced its 15-member Class of 2017. The sixth annual NYSBHOF induction dinner will be held Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 p.m. ET), April 30, at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
“Once again, “said NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy, “we’re honoring New York’s finest in our sport. This is all about recognizing great fighters, as well as others involved in boxing, from the state of New York.  We’re expecting another knockout night.”
Living boxers heading into the NYSBHOF include Manhattan welterweight Gaspar “El Indio” Ortega (131-39-6, 69 KOs), Yonkers’ world heavyweight title challenger Renaldo “Mr.” Snipes (39-8-1, 22 KOs), Yonkers middleweight Doug “Cobra’ Dewitt (33-8-5, 19 KOs), and “The Bronx Bomber,” world middleweight title challenger Alex Ramos (39-10-2, 24 KOs)
Posthumous participants being inducted are Queens’ former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion Dick Tiger (60-19-3, 27 KOs), Brooklyn/Manhattan light heavyeight world champion Jose “Chegui” Torres (41-3-1, 29 KOs), and “The Nonpareil”, Williamsburg middleweight world champion Jack Dempsey (51-4-11, 23 KOs).
Non-participants heading into the NYSBHOF are Queens’ International agent Don Majeski, Long Island matchmaker Ron Katz, Manhattan manager Stan Hoffman and past Ring 8 president/NYSAC judge Bobby Bartels.
Posthumous non-participant inductees are Brooklyn boxing historian Hank Kaplan, Long Island cut-man Al Gavin, Bronx referee Arthur Donovan and New York City columnist Dan Parker.
Each inductee will receive a custom-designed belt signifying his induction into the NYSBHOF.
The 2017 inductees were selected by the NYSBHOF nominating committee members:  Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., Randy Gordon, Henry Hascup, Ron McNair, Angelo Prospero and Neil Terens.
All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees must have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers or during the prime of their respective career.
 
CLASS of 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 and Arthur Mercante, Sr.
CLASS of 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 and 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 and Tom O’Rourke.
CLASS OF 2015: Saoul Mamby, Joey Giambra, 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, Charley Goldman, Jimmy Johnston, Cedric Kushner, Harry Markson, Damon Runyon and 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 and Jimmy Jacobs.
Tickets are priced at $150.00 per adult and $70.00 for children (under 16), and include a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 PM/ET, as well as dinner (prime rib, fish or poultry) and open bar throughout the evening.  Tickets are available to purchase by calling NYSBHOF/Ring 8 president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304.  Ads for the NYSBHOF program are available, ranging from $80.00 to $250.00, by contacting Duffy. Go on line at www.Ring8ny.com for additional information about the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.
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.
boxing, ESPN Boxing, PBC on ESPN, Premier Boxing Champions

Connecticut’s top all-time great fighters & Foxwoods’ best fights

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PBC on ESPN & ESPN Deportes Doubleheader 
Thursday, July 21
From Foxwoods Resort Casino – 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
 
MASHANTUCKET, CT (July 19, 2016) — Connecticut may not have equal status with New York City or Las Vegas in terms of being a fight capital, but the Nutmeg State has produced five Hall-of-Famers with Foxwoods Resort Casino, located in Mashantucket, CT, hosting many of the sport’s greatest fighters and fights over the past two decades.
The tradition continues on Thursday, July 21, as rising middleweight contender Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (8-0, 6 KOs) faces former world champion Sam “King” Soliman (44-13, 18 KOs) in the 10-round main event of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN & ESPN Deportes.
Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and features a 10-round middleweight clash between powerful Ievgen Khytrov (13-0, 11 KOs) and California’s Paul Mendez (19-2-2, 9 KOs).
Connecticut’s all-time greatest boxer is the late Willie “Will ‘o the Wisp” Pep (229-11-1, 65 KOs), who was born in Middletown and lived in Rocky Hill. Pep, who fought professionally between 1940 and 1966, was a two-time world featherweight champion who had an epic rivalry with Sandy Saddler.
Other Hall-of-Famers from Connecticut are world heavyweight champion (1926-28)Gene “The Fighting Marine” Tunney (65-1-1, 48 KOs), of Greenwich, who defeated the legendary Jack Dempsey twice; Ukrainian-born world featherweight (1925) titlist Louis “Kid” Kaplan (108-22-12, 72 KOs), from Meriden; world light heavyweight champion (1933) “Slapsie” Maxie Rosenbloom (222-42-31, 2 NC, 19 KOs), of Leonard Bridge; world light heavyweight titleholder (1926-27) Jack “Bright Eyes” Delaney (73-11-2, 43 KOs), who was born in Canada but lived in Bridgeport.
Over the year, many other Connecticut fighters have made an impact on the sport including Hartford’s NBA featherweight champion Battling Battalino (57-26-3, 26 KOs), who was the first world champion to lose his title on the scale, Hartford’s two-time world welterweight titlist Marlon “Magic Man” Starling (45-6-12, 27 KOs), Norwalk’s WBA junior middleweight champion “Tremendous” Travis Simms (28-1, 21 KOs), New Haven’s three-time world light heavyweight champion “Bad” Chad Dawson (33-4, 18 KOs) and world welterweight contender Gaspar “El Indio” Ortega (131-29-6, 69 KOs), Stamford’s world No. 1-ranked welterweight Chico Vejar (92-20-4, 43 KOs), and Bloomfield’s 1996 Olympic Team USA captain Lawrence Clay-Bey (21-3-1, 16 KOs).
The No. 1 Foxwoods fight of all-time, held on April 16, 2011, was also promoted by DiBella Entertainment, and was selected as the 2011 Ring Magazine and BWAA Fight of the Year. Defending champion Andre Berto (27-0) and challenger Victor Ortiz (28-2-2) battled for 12 rounds, each getting dropped twice, with Ortiz winning a hard-fought decision (114-111, 114-112, 115-110) for the WBC welterweight title.
A close second place is the 2003 BWAA Fight of the Year, in which future Hall-of-FamerJames Toney (65-4-2) won a 12-round decision over reigning IBF cruiserweight champion Vassiliy Jirov. The action started days earlier at the pre-fight press conference when a skirmish erupted as tables were overturned and glasses thrown. The animosity continued between the two fighters and their respective camps right up to the final bell. Previously undefeated, Jirov (31-0) started fast but faded, getting decked in the final round.
In 2004, New England favorite Scott “The Sandman” Pemberton, hailing from nearby New Bedford, MA, was involved in a great 12th round, come-from-behind knockout of always-tough Omar Sheika in a rematch of a previous draw, for a regional super middleweight title.
Two other N.E. fan favorites who fought regularly at Foxwoods were multiple-time world champion Vinny Paz (Pazienza during his boxing career), fighting out of Cranston, RI, and New Bedford’s all-action “Sucra” Ray Oliveira. Paz had a 13-3 record at Foxwoods, highlighted by his 1998 decision over Glenwood Brown and his 50thcareer win in his retirement fight against Tocker Pudwill in 2004. Oliveira was only 6-7-1 fighting at Foxwoods, but he faced nothing but iron and he did defeat a world champion, Vince Phillips, in their 2000 non-title fight that produced the second-most total punches (2,989) recorded at that time.
Brazilian boxing fans always turned out in force when countryman Acelino “Popo” Freitas fought at Foxwoods, primarily because of the large Brazilian community in Connecticut. Freitas fought there four times, all in lightweight world title fights, defeatingZahir Raheem and Artur Grigorian and losing to Juan Diaz and Diego Corrales.
Other great fights at Foxwoods include future world middleweight champion Andy Leecoming back from the brink of possibly getting knocked out to stop Craig McEwan in the 10th round of their 2011 fight, Carl Froch‘s dramatic late surge in 2009 to knock outJermain Taylor (who was well ahead on the scorecards) in the 12th round for the WBC super middleweight championship, Pernell Whitaker taking a close decision fromAndrey Pestryaev (115-113, 115-112, and 114-113) in their 1997 WBA eliminator (later ruled a No Decision due to Whitaker’s failed drug test), and Ike Quarteyovercoming two knockdowns to successfully defend his WBA welterweight title versusJose Luis Lopez in 1997 (Quartey was originally awarded a win by majority decision, but a scoring error was discovered and the fight was ruled a majority draw).
Two of the greatest boxers in modern boxing history, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Roy Jones, Jr., both fought at Foxwoods in 1998. In his 15th pro fight, Mayweather registered a third-round technical knockout of Miguel Melo, while Jones successfully defended his WBC/WBA light heavyweight titles with a 10th-round TKO of Otis Grant. In the Jones-Grant co-feature, IBF lightweight champion Shane Mosley successfully defended his title against Jesse James Leija, who was unable to answer the bell for the 10th round.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $150, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt, @FoxwoodsCT, @ESPNBoxing and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/premierboxingchampions. Highlights are available to embed at www.youtube.com/premierboxingchampions. PBC on ESPN is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

BUD GREENSPAN’S “KINGS OF THE RING: FOUR LEGENDS OF HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING” TO AIR TONIGHT, FRIDAY, JUNE 10 AT 8 P.M. ET/PT ON SHOWTIME®

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SHOWTIME Sports® presents “KINGS OF THE RING: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing” featuring legendary heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis. The captivating film-length documentary written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Bud Greenspan, is airing on SHOWTIME Friday, June 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

 

“KINGS OF THE RING” explores the lives of four of the greatest heavyweight champions of the 20th century, who made an impact in history in and out of the ring, advocating for political issues and civil rights. The athletes not only pushed the boundaries by becoming champions, but they also achieved greatness while changing the world in the process.

 

An encore presentation of “KINGS OF THE RING: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing” will replay on SHOWTIME EXTREME on Saturday, June 11 at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT. It will also be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning June 15.