Sad news for the boxing world. World-famous trainer and boxing hall of famer, Tommy Brooks, passed away yesterday after a brief illness at the age of 71. Brooks was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and grew up in San Diego. He started his boxing career under Archie Moore and went on to fight for the U.S. Forca ajrore. He worked as a trainer with legends Lou Duva and George Benton, and throughout his career trained some of the biggest names in boxing including Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis; the Klitschko Brothers, Pernell Whitaker, Freddie Pendelton, Charles Murray, and many others.
He is survived by his wife Donna (Duva), sons Brian, Marlon, Jonathan, and daughter Cassandra and her husband, boxing trainer, Shaun George.
Details of funeral arrangements in Georgia and NJ will be forthcoming.
Las Vegas (Korrik 16, 2025) – Three-division world champion and Hall of Famer Shane Mosley has confirmed that he will appear at the Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday September 13, 2025 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 10 a.m. në 5 ores. The Expo will also coincide with the mega fight between Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford, that will take place later that evening at the Allegiant Stadium.
Mosley will hold a Meet & Greet with his fans at his 2nd Chance Boxing Promotions booth during the fan event held over the Mexican Independence Day weekend.
The Box Fan Expo is an annual fan event that coincides with some of the sports’ legjendar, classic fights in Las Vegas, including Mayweather vs. Maidana II, Mayweather vs. Berto, Canelo vs. Chavez Jr., Canelo vs. GGG II, Canelo vs. Jacobs, Canelo vs. GGG III and Canelo vs Munguia.
Centered in boxing’s long-time home – Las Vegas – this year’s Expo is a must-do for fight fans coming in for this legendary weekend, with dozens of professional fighters, nxitësit, and companies involved in the boxing industry. The Expo is the largest and only Boxing Fan Expo held in the United States. A full day of boxing fan experience awaits you! https://boxfanexpo.com – @BoxFanExpo
Biletat në Expo Box Fan janë në dispozicion online në:
https://bit.ly/BOXFANEXPO2025
Mosley will make his first appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, foto, personal items and memorabilia. Mosley will also have merchandise to sell for fans to enjoy.Boxing Fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing legend also known as“Sugar”.
“Sheqer” Shane Mosley, is a globally respected boxing icon and Hall of Famer. He competed from 1993 në 2016. Mosley held multiple world championships in three weight classes, including the IBF lightweight title, the WBA (Super), the WBC welterweight titles, and the WBA (Super) as well as the WBC and The Ring magazine light middleweight titles. He was also known as the lineal champion at welterweight (dy herë) and light middleweight.
Në 1998, the Boxing Writers Association of America named Mosley as their Fighter of the Year. He was also given the same honor by the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000. Në 2000 dhe 2001, he was named the world’s best active and pound for pound boxer, by The Ring. Here are some of Mosley’s most notable fights, such as Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto, Fernando Vargas, Vernon Forrest, Antonio Margarito, and Ricardo Mayorga among many others…
About 2ND Chance Boxing Promotions
2nd Chance Boxing Promotions is a mission-driven fight promotion company founded by Paul & Tiffany NuRoyal (formerly Nutall), in partnership with boxing legend ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley. President Shane Mosley is committed to mentoring fighters, scouting, coaching, and expanding opportunities for underprivileged athletes worldwide. His mission is to help every fighter rise—not just as a champion in the ring, but as a champion in life. As a branch of the 2nd Chance Saves Lives organization, 2nd Chance Boxing Promotions wants to empower underprivileged fighters around the world with real access to professional boxing opportunities—inside the U.S. and abroad. Their promotions spotlight grit, talent, and transformation, offering fighters not just a stage, but a path out of poverty and into purpose. 2nd Chance Boxing Promotions will promote licensed professional boxing matches across the United States while actively scouting and developing international fighters from underserved regions. The organization will partner with gyms, media platforms, and sponsors to elevate athlete visibility and create lasting impact. In addition to live events, the promotion will produce fight content, docu-series, and branded media that highlight the powerful personal stories behind each fighter. Through these efforts, 2nd Chance Boxing Promotions aims to create real economic opportunities for fighters and their families by offering contracts, formim, and the exposure needed to build sustainable careers in boxing. For more info go to: https://2ndchancesaveslives.org/2c-boxing-promotions
About Box Fan Expo
Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to meet the stars of boxing that represent the past, present and future of the sport. With hosted autograph signings, meet-and-greets with current and former boxing world champions, limited edition merchandise for sale, giveaways and more, this is the ultimate event for fans of the sport.
Past boxing stars that have participated include: Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Lennox Lewis, Julio Cesar Chavez, Roy Jones Jr., Juan Manuel Marquez, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, David Benavidez, Teofimo Lopez, Andre Ward, Ryan Garcia, Claressa Shields, Fernando Vargas, Edgar Berlanga, Oscar Valdez, Marcos Maidana, Devin Haney, Mikey Garcia, Errol Spence Jr, Rolando Romero, Sergio Martinez, Tim Bradley, Jose Ramirez, Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Abneri Mares, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Floyd Mayweather sr., Vinny Paz, Mia St. Nevojtore, Franchón Crews-Dezurn, Seniesa Estrada, Jorge Linares, Leo Santa Cruz, Chiquita Gonzalez, Badou Jack, Nico Ali Walsh, Terry Norris, Riddick Bowe, Earnie Shavers, Michael & Leon Spinks, Brandon Rios, Anthony Dirrell, Danny Jacobs and many more…
Exhibitors include boxing promoters, gear, veshje, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who showcase their brand to fans and the boxing industry as a whole.
Throughout the next few months leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.
Tickets to the Box Fan Expo are available at Eventbrite:
PARIS, Francë (Prill 18, 2021)– European Super Featherweight ChampionSamir Ziani (32-3-1, 7 KO) has called outTevin “American Idol” Farmer (30-5-1, 6 KO), former International Boxing Federation World Super Featherweight Champion, to fight June 5thfor the WBC Silver belt in a World Boxing Council (WBC) Lufta eliminimi. The winner would position himself for a title fight against WBC World championOscar Valdez.
The battle of left-handed super featherweights would be on the June 5thTriller pay-per-view card in Florida, headlined by undefeated World lightweight championTeofimo Lopez (16-0) vs. George Kambosos, Jr. (19-0), supported by an exhibition fight between 4-time World heavyweight championEvander Holyfield dhe Mike TysonconquerorKevin McBride.
According to Ziani’s managerGary Hyde, was offered the WBC eliminator against Farmer and the Frenchman immediately accepted, while all has been quiet from Farmer.
“”I was excited to fight Farmer on a great Triller show,” Ziani said, “especially because it is my dream to win a World title in the United States. “I am surprised to hear that Farmer has chickened out of our fight, but I suppose je knows his boxing is slipping downwards.
“I want you, Farmer! Accept the fight and be a real warrior. Don’t run away from me. I want to box in the capital of boxing, the United States, to show American fans what I can do. They say you’re a technician, I will show you that I am a true warrior. The ring is for real men with the ambition to beat the best, not box the weakest, kështu, let’s give true value and pay respect to our noble art of boxing.”
Ranked No. 11 nga WBC, si edhe Nr. 9 in the International Boxing Federation (IBF), the 30-year-old Ziani is the reigning EBU European champion, riding a 10-fight win streak. Në luftën e tij më të fundit (Shtatë. 5, 2020) and second title defense, Ziani dropped a bloodyAlex Dilmaghian (19-1-1) three times en route to a 12thround win by technical knockout with 9-seconds left in what was a Fight of the Year candidate.
Ziani’s last loss was 4 ½ years ago to World title challenger and fellow Frenchman,Guillaume Frenois (41-1), by a razor-thin margin, 115-113 tri herë, në Paris. Më parë në karrierën e tij, Ziani also suffered a disputed 10-round loss by decision (97-93, 96-94, 96-94) in Denmark to current IBF World Lightweight ChampionRichard Commey (18-0) në 2014.
“Ziani is an all-action fighter with an enormous work rate,” the Ireland-based Hyde added. “It would be a tantalizing match between two talented southpaws with the winner going on to fight for the WBC World title.”
The president of NoWhere2Hyde Management, Hyde has managed numerous world-class boxers during his career including world championsGuillermo Rigondeaux,Youri Kalenga dhe Simpiwe Vetyeaka.
This week we had the pleasure of interviewing Francois Botha, AKA “The White Buffalo.” We discussed his new fitness venture, his hopes to rematch Mike Tyson and how he got his nickname, among a few other topics. dëgjoni këtu:
WORCESTER, Në masë. (Dhjetor 14, 2020) – Prior to his sensational performance on the recent Mike Tyson-Roy Jones, Jr. pay-per-view event, undefeated lightweight prospectJamaine “The Technician” Ortizwas boxing’s best kept secret. No more, megjithëse, as Ortiz firmly established himself as a rising star in front of countless fans among the 1.6 million PPV buys.
Ortiz flew from Boston to Los Angeles on Thanksgiving. He was driven to his hotel, where he immediately saw Jones, checked his weight, and walked to Staples Center. “I was comfortable from the start,” said the young fighter who was fighting for the first time as a professional outside of New England. “I was there to get the job done. I was on a mission. I walk to see the Staples Center and that was cool. I later took my run around the Staples Center and there were a lot of statues. It was beautiful. It was cool seeing the Lakers locker-room.”
The 24-year-old Ortiz (14-0, 8 KO), the reigning World Boxing Youth World champion, rrëzuan ngaSulaiman Segawa (13-3-1, 4 KO) with a bruising body attack, hurting his opponent in the sixth round, and closing the show in spectacular fashion in the seventh for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) USNBC (U.S) Silver lightweight title. Segawa had never been stopped before as a professional.
Ortiz displayed his overall arsenal: stiff jab, lightning quick hands and feet, switching back and forth effortlessly from orthodox to southpaw stances, punishing hooks up and down, and the most lethal body shots seen from a New Englander since“Irish” Micky Ward.
“I was calm and cool before the fight,” Ortiz added. “I like to go into a fight, mendërisht, like it was a sparring session and I always do good. I started out in an orthodox stance, established my jab and used it a lot. I think I should have used it more and could have beaten him with it. I listened to my coach (Rocky Gonzalez) and he told me when to switch. Body punching is the No. 1 thing with Rocky. I may not have shown it nearly as much in other fights, but he drills that into me all the time. In the sixth round, he told me to go more to the body, not looking to catch him, and in the seventh I really hurt him to the body.
“Segawa was definitely tough. He had beaten a lot of guys, including a few he upset. Every fight is a stepping-stone and I’m my worst critic. I felt that I could have knocked him out in the second round, but I didn’t want to go off the game plan
Ortiz set-up Segawa from the opening bell, thyen atë poshtë, and finished the show in grand style as Seqawa was hurt and trapped on the ropes, drawing kudos from highly respected people in the industry such as“Sugar” Ray Leonard, Teddy Atlas, and others. Ortiz’ fanbase grew exponentially as boxing fans rushed to sign up to follow Jamaine during and after his breakout fight.
“Once people saw me perform and my style,” Ortiz continued, “they liked me. I could have shown more and thrown more combinations. I really needed to fight in front of the world. I got 5,500 new Instagram flowers that night. I guess, I’m no longer the best kept secret in boxing.”
“Our main goal is to win a world title,” Gonzalez commented. “This was fun and a great opportunity, but the motivation to be world champion is stronger. He dealt with this fight as just another fight, and he followed our game plan.
“His body shots set up the ending. I’m always telling him about Micky Ward’s body shots. You know, boxing is a dance, a salsa. Boxers need to dance; I don’t think they should just be orthodox. They all need to fight the other way and when Jamaine switched stances in the third, he never let up. I’ve trained him hard. I’m always on him and what better way to shut me up than ending it like he did on pay per view? It was a drop the microphone moment!"
Ortiz is promoted byJimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment and Sports) and advised byRichard Shappy dheEddie Imondi.
Because of the uncertainty in boxing due to the pandemic, Ortiz’ 2021 schedule is unknown, but he isn’t boxing’s best kept secret anymore, “The Technician” is a bonafide rising star.
WORCESTER, Në masë. (Nëntor 17, 2020) – Undefeated lightweight prospectJamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (13-0, 7 KO), the reigning World Boxing Youth World champion, hopes to steal the show on the November 28thMike Tyson-Roy Jones, Jr. pay-per-view card, presented by Tyson’s Legends Only League, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The 24-year-old Ortiz, fighting out of Worcester, Massachusetts, will fight on the undercard against Maryland southpawSulaiman Segawa (13-2-1, 4 KO) in an 8-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) USNBC (U.S) lightweight title.
“I feel good and I’m ready,” Ortiz said. “I’m privileged for this opportunity to fight on the Tyson-Jones card and get good exposure. I hope to steal the show. As a kid, I followed them both, especially Jones. I tried to imitate him”
Like all fighters, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected his career, although he has managed to train, albeit in various gyms and mostly by himself.
“It wasn’t too bad,” added Ortiz, who is an apprentice carpenter. “Not all of the facilities I use to train were open. Early on, I trained by myself, and did a lot of running. We were quarantined until late June, early July, but then I was able to get good sparring. So, i përgjithshëm, it wasn’t too much of a change.”
Ortiz is promoted byJimmy Burchfield (Classic Entertainment and Sports) and advised byRichard Shappy dheEddie Imondi.
“We’re happy our fighter, Jamaine Ortiz, will be getting such great exposure and he will show the world what we already know here in New England,” Shappy commented. “Jamaine ‘The Technician’ Ortiz is a force that will have to be reckoned with.”
COLORADO SPRINGS, Prehër. (Mars 9, 2020) – By any standards, U.S. Olympian and former unified World heavyweight championRiddick “Big Daddy” Boweis inarguably one of the all-time greatest boxers, amator dhe profesional.
Born and raised in the infamous Brownsville section of Brooklyn, Nju Jork, which also produced fellow World heavyweight championsMike Tyson dheShannon Briggs, Bowe started boxing at 13 in the Bedford-Stuyvesant Boxing Association Gym.
“I wanted to do everythingMuhammad Alidid,” Bowe explained why he got into boxing. “He was my idol. I wanted to join the Marines, but I fell in love with boxing and stayed with it. I forgot about the Marines.”
Bowe developed his craft and became an outstanding boxer, hartimin e një 104-18 rekord amator, highlighted by his controversial silver-medal winning performance at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea e Jugut.
A four-time New York Golden Gloves champion, Bowe also captured top honors at the 1986 Junior World Championships, along with a bronze medal at the 1987 Pan American Games, despite fighting in his final match with a fractured hand he hid from his coaches.
Bowe had a rivalry withRobert Salters, with whom he split four matches, but he defeated Salters, 3-2, në U.S. Box-Offs to qualify for the 1988 USA Boxing Olympic Team. His Olympic teammates includedRoy Jones, Jr., Ray Mercer, Kennedy McKinney dheAndrew Maynard.
Controversary surrounded his Olympic championship fight against future World heavyweight champion, Canadian super heavyweightLennox Lewis, who returned home with the Olympic gold medal. During his fight with Lewis, Bowe was deducted a point for a “ghost” head butt that never happened, and the referee gave Bowe a pair of disputed standing-eight counts, the last of which resulted in the stoppage of the fight in Lewis’ favor.
“That fight never should have been stopped,” Bowe commented. “I’m still happy about winning a silver medal. I still have it. And then I turned pro. My mother had 13 kids and I wanted to make my mother happy. I wanted to buy her a house. That’s what inspired me to box.”
“Bowe’s success as an amateur and professional has made him a household name amongst USA Boxing Alumni,"ThaChris Cugliari, USA Boxing Alumni Association Director. “His combination of power and skill, along with his legendary battles with other USA Boxing Alumni at the pro ranks, establishes him as one of the greatest fighters that USA Boxing has ever produced.”
USA Boxing Alumni Association
Created to champion lifelong, mutually beneficial relationships between USA Boxing and its alumni, –boxers, officials, coaches and boxing fans — The Alumni Association connects generations of champions, inspiring and giving back to USA Boxing’s future boxing champions, në dhe nga unaza.
The USA Boxing Alumni Association is open to anyone who has a love for boxing and would like to stay connected with amateur boxing. Members are granted access to a wide variety of special events hosted by the Alumni Association, including its annual USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame reception.
To join the Alumni Association, simply register atalumni@usaboxing.orgfor a $40.00 per year membership fee. New members will receive a T-shirt, keychain and e-wallet.
With legendary trainerEddie Futch në këndin e tij, Bowe became the first truly unified World heavyweight champion, winning the title belt for all four recognized major sanctioning bodies: WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO.
Bowe retired with an amazing 43-1 (33 KO) pro record. He had a 5-1 (4 KO) mark in world title fights, 7-1 (5 KO) versus past world heavyweight champions such asEvander Holyfield (dy herë), Pinklon Thomas, Tony Tubbs, Bruce Seldon, Michael Dokes dheHerbie Hyde.
Bowe later avenged his lone pro loss to Holyfield, winning two of three fights with the “Real Deal.”
“I’m very happy with my pro career,” Bowe added. “I beat Holyfield two times and I think it should have been three. I’m not a sore loser, but I was the World heavyweight champion. How did he win that fight? The challenger needs to take the belt from the champion, and he didn’t do that. I thought I won by a point, at worst, maybe it should have been a draw, but I shouldn’t have lost the fight. I did become the first to ever knockout Holyfield. My pro career wasn’t too bad. I kept working hard and became two-time World heavyweight champion.”
Tani 51 and living in Maryland, Bowe has some advice for the American boxers trying to qualify for the 2020 Team USA Boxing Olympic Team.
“Just don’t think about it,” stressed Bowe, sounding like a Nike commercial. “Just do it! It worked for me. I showed up and didn’t think about it. And always finish strong.”
Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015, left his mark in amateur and pro boxing. Nobody can ever take that away from the big guy from Brownsville.
INFORMACION:
www.usaboxing.orgi
Eksitim: @USABoxing, @USABoxingAlumni
Instagram: @USABoxing
Facebook: /USABoxing
PR Boksin në SHBA:The mission of USA Boxing shall be to enable United States’ athletes and coaches to achieve sustained competitive excellence, develop character, support the sport of boxing, and promote and grow Olympic style boxing in the United States. The responsibility of USA Boxing is not only to produce Olympic gold, but also oversee and govern every aspect of amateur boxing in the United States.
Las Vegas (Shkurt 20, 2020) – Two-division world champion Michael Spinks has confirmed that he will appear at the sixth annual Box Fan Expo on Saturday, Maj 2, 2020, at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas from 10 a.m. në 5 ores.
Spinks will hold a Meet & Greet with his fans at his booth during the fan event held over the Cinco De Mayo weekend.
The Box Fan Expo is an annual fan event that coincides with some of the sports’ legjendar, classic fights in Las Vegas, including Mayweather vs. Maidana II, Mayweather vs. Berto, Canelo vs. Chavez Jr., Canelo vs. GGG II, and Canelo vs. Jacobs. Centered in boxing’s longtime home – Las Vegas – this year’s Expo is a must-do for fight fans coming in for this legendary weekend, with dozens of professional fighters, nxitësit, and companies involved in the boxing industry. The Expo is the largest and only Boxing Fan Expo held in the United States. http://boxfanexpo.com– @BoxFanExpo
Spinks will make his second appearance at this years’ Expo and will be signing gloves, foto, personal items and memorabilia. Spinks will also have merchandise on sale at his booth, and fans will also have an opportunity to take pictures with this boxing legend also known as “Jinx.”
About Michael Spinks Spinks is a two-division world champion, having held the undisputed light heavyweight title from 1983 në 1985, and the lineal heavyweight title from 1985 në 1988. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994. As an amateur he won a gold medal in the middleweight division at the 1976 Olimpiada Verore.
Spinks is the brother of former world heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, and uncle of Cory Spinks, a former welterweight and light middleweight champion. Spinks went undefeated in his first 31 lufton profesionale, beating such opponents as Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Marvin Johnson and Eddie Davis en route to becoming the undisputed light heavyweight champion. Following ten successful title defenses, Spinks moved up to heavyweight, and as an underdog defeated long-reigning IBF heavyweight champion Larry Holmes; duke bërë kështu, Spinks became the first reigning light heavyweight world champion to win the heavyweight title. Spinks only defeat in his professional career came to the hands of Mike Tyson on June 27, 1988. The International Boxing Research Organization and BoxRec rank Spinks among the ten greatest light heavyweights of all time.
About Box Fan Expo Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, which allows fans to meet the stars of boxing that represent the past, present and future of the sport. With hosted autograph signings, meet-and-greets with current and former boxing world champions, limited edition merchandise for sale, giveaways and more, this is the ultimate event for fans of the sport.
Past boxing stars that have participated include: Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Andre Ward, Mikey Garcia, Marcos Maidana, Devin Haney, David Benavidez, Errol Spence Jr, Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Abneri Mares, James Toney, Jessie Vargas, Vinny Paz, Mia St.John, Leo Santa Cruz, Badou Jack, Terry Norris, Riddick Bowe, Earnie Shavers, Michael & Leon Spinks, Danny Jacobs, Claressa Shields, Teofimo Lopez, Brandon Rios, Jorge Linares, and many more.
Exhibitors include boxing promoters, gear, veshje, equipment, energy drinks, supplement products, broadcasting media, sanctioning bodies, and other companies who showcase their brand to fans and the boxing industry as a whole.
Throughout the next few months leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.
MANCHESTER, Conn. (Shkurt 12, 2020) – Women’s pioneerJackie Kallen, the first and arguably most successful female manager in the boxing history, strongly believes unbeaten 21-year-old“Marvelous” Mykquan Williams (15-0-1, 7 KO) will develop into her sixth world champion.
Williams, fighting out of East Hartford, CT, is the reigning the World Boxing Council (WBC) United States super lightweight champion.
“Mykey has a lot of the qualities as some of the greats in boxing,” Kallen said. “He has some of the flash and speed of fighters likeRay Leonard, and the training habits and dedication ofThomas Hearns dhe Mike Tyson. He also has a killer smile and good looks likeHector Camacho, Sr.
“Mykey can go all the way to a world title. He has the speed, attitude, and heart, along with exceptional boxing ability. He has been groomed perfectly by his trainer, Paul Cichon, who has kept Mykey true to his style, working hard to perfect his skill. Mykey trains hard, eats right, and takes the game seriously.”
“Jackie’s very experienced and knowledgeable in boxing,” Williams remarked. “She’s worked with some great, world-class fighters, so she knows the route to take for me to get there.”
Cichon added, “I sought out Jackie as our manager because of her love for the sports, as well as the knowledge of that she brings to the table. She’s very well respected, as she certainly deserves to be.”
Boxing has dramatically changed since Kallen covered her first fight for a Detroit daily newspaper in 1978. The card showcased Hearns andMickey Goodwin. She became an instant fan and wrote about boxing on a regular basis. A legendary trainer/manager based in Detroit, Emanuel Steward, hired her as a publicist for his famed Kronk Gym. Some of her best friends to this day are fighters who she worked with back then. She and Hearns still get together.
After serving as Kronk’s publicist for a decade, Kallen decided to branch out and she started managing fighters. Her first client was heavyweightBobby Hitz, who today is a successful promoter and restaurateur in Chicago. She went on to manage a group of Who’s Who fighters, including world championsJames Toney, Bronco McKart, Tom “Boom Boom” Johnson, Pinklon Thomas dheNonito Donaire.
Kallen, who overcame sexism in the boxing industry, is best known, mbase, for her working relationship with Toney, largely because her life during that period was the inspiration for the popular 2004 movie, Against the Ropes, starringMeg Ryanas Kallen.
“Boxing today is a totally different animal,” she explained. “That’s not to say it’s better or worse, just different. There used to be more gyms in every city, heavy amateur programs, lots of shows on television networks, and enough local club shows to keep a young fighter active. I had guys back then who fought 8 në 10 times a year, që, sigurisht, is almost impossible in 2020.
“There wasn’t as much information available on opponents either. If you were lucky, you could buy a tape. If the fighter hadn’t been on television, megjithëse, you were out of luck. There was no Internet, so there was nothing like BoxRec to check opponents’ records. You just had to believe the matchmaker. I had fighters expecting to fight a 14-4 guy who found out at the weigh in that he was actually 16-0.”
Boks, likely the second-oldest profession, has continued to survive, albeit often on a roller-coaster ride.
“Today’s fighters are not as quick to fight each other as they were in the days of Hearns/Hagler/Leonard/Duran,” Kallen noted. “Back then, fighters wanted to really fight to be the best they could be. I see fighters today being more analytical and taking less chances.
“There are also more sanctioning organizations today. Back then it was most the WBA, WBC and IBF. Not to mention there was never one person who managed dozens and dozens of boxers at the same time. The game has definitely changed!"
Kallen, though is still heavily invested in the sport she loves. Confident Williams will be her next world champion, her dream is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with Toney.
“In 1992,” Kallen concluded, “I was named ‘Manager of the Year’ and my love for the sport has never waned. As long as there is talent out there needing guidance, I will stay active.”
Last weekend’s middleweight title showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs also featured the annual Box Fan Expo, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The amazing memorabilia on display and live amateur boxing action complemented an array of past and present world champion fighters available for quick meet and greets.
As a lifelong boxing fan, it was a shame that I only had a little over two hours to spend at the event before heading back to the T-Mobile Arena for the start of the undercard bouts. The time I was able to spend was thoroughly enjoyable. The prices were reasonable to meet these fistic legends and have a few moments to talk and take photos. The average $20 -$25 price for a photo op was significantly less than what would have been lost at the casino in a single roulette spin.
James Toney was there in a suit, proving that he can even make plaid look stylish. For a guy known for a surly nature, he was very accommodating and mentioned he will be in Philadelphia for a live show on June 7 and hopes to see me there.
In the booth next over was Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Al Berstein, who I had the privilege of interviewing in 2011. When told of my admiration of his classy work and being a fan since his days with Barry Tompkins on ESPN’s Thursday Night Fights, he was humble and appreciative.
The line to meet Roy Jones Jr. was long but worth the wait. While the time to talk with Roy was short, I was able to mention what an honor it was to meet one of the greatest performers of my generation and how I sat only a few feet from him when he was on the Creed II set.
While the line to meet the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard was exceptionally long, you could see he was truly enjoying himself, flashing that million-dollar smile and doing his famous fists-raised photo op with fans. Unfortunately, with time running short, I did not have the opportunity to meet one of my favorite fighters growing up. I would have loved to have shown him a photo when I was four-years-old, swinging away on the Sugar Ray Leonard punching bag I was given.
A few feet away was one of Sugar Ray’s most-famous rivals, the great Thomas “Hitman” Hearns. While the Hitman has shown some slowing as he has aged, he still proves to be an imposing figure, but he now replaces that fearsome glare with a warm smile.
Also coming up to meet Thomas Hearns was current IBF Super-Featherweight Champion Tevin Farmer, a fellow Philadelphian, who I’ve had the opportunity to watch grow from a 7-4-1 journeyman boxer to a 29-4-1 kampion bote.
My visit wouldn’t be complete without stopping to see “The Pazmanian Devil” Vinny Paz, always one of my favorite action fighters and charismatic personalities. Instead of a handshake, he greeted me with a big hug and expressed disappointment that my dad didn’t join me at the expo.
In the short time frame, it was impossible to meet all of the great fighters there including Michael Spinks, Riddick Bowe, Errol Spence, Anthony Dirrell, and Earnie Shavers. With it being Cinco de Mayo weekend, the lines for some of the Mexican legends wrapped around the convention center floor. Mikey Garcia, Marco Antonio Barerra, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Marquez all proved to be exceptionally popular. But nothing compared to the roar of the pro-Mexican crowd when the great Julio Cesar Chavez was introduced.
Attending this event was a dream come true and I could only wish I had more time to spend at the event. Everything was so professionally done and those in attendance were beyond accommodating.
Kudos toBox Fan Expofor such an exceptional event.
