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THOMAS HEARNS HEADLINES STAR-LADEN CLASS OF INDUCTEES INTO NEVADA BOXING HALL OF FAME

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Spinks brothers, Michael Carbajal, Erik Morales and Salvador Sanchez are also among the greats to be honored Aug. 12 at Caesars Palace.  
 
LAS VEGAS – Former world champion Thomas Hearns, who along with Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran dominated boxing in the 1980s and became known collectively as “The Four Kings,” headlines a 14-person class of inductees into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, Hall CEO/president Michelle Corrales-Lewis announced Wednesday.
Hearns was chosen in the non-Nevada resident boxer category, along with Michael Spinks, Erik Morales, Michael Carbajal, women’s boxing star Lucia Rijker and Salvador Sanchez. Elected in the Nevada resident boxer category was Ken Norton, Leon Spinks and Richie Sandoval.
Chosen in the non-boxer category were referee Davey Pearl, public relations specialist Debbie Munch, promoter Mel Greb, trainer/cut man Rafael Garcia and Nevada Athletic Commission chair Dr. Elias Ghanem.
Norton, Sanchez, Greb and Ghanem will be inducted posthumously.
The members of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame’s star-studded fifth-induction class will be honored at a gala dinner at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Saturday, Aug. 12. Ticket will be released Thursday, February 16th at 12pm on NVBHOF.com .
“We are very proud of this class of inductees, and it contains some of the greatest fighters who ever lived,” Corrales-Lewis said. “I’m looking forward to our gala dinner when we can honor these richly deserving people and allow their fans to say hello.”
Hearns was one of the standouts during the 1980s and participated in a series of great bouts in Las Vegas with Leonard, Hagler and Duran. His 1985 bout with Hagler at Caesars Palace is still regarded by many as the greatest fight in boxing history.
The Spinks brothers, Michael and Leon, become the first set of brothers inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame. Both won gold medals for the U.S. at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and then went on to win world titles in the pros.
Norton, known primarily for a series of close bouts with the legendary Muhammad Ali, also competed in one of the great heavyweight title bouts ever. He lost the WBC title by a razor-thin decision to Larry Holmes in 1978, among the finest heavyweight championship fights ever held.
Pearl was among the best referees of all-time and worked more than 70 championship bouts. He was the referee for both Leon Spinks’ shocking 1978 upset of Ali as well as for Leonard’s dramatic 14th-round knockout of Hearns in 1981.
The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame is an IRS 501 (c)3 charity and all donations are tax deductible. The Hall’s charitable contributions over the five years since its formation have helped boxers in need and boxing-related charities. Donations are welcome.
The Hall was founded in 2013 by noted boxing broadcaster Rich Marotta.
For more information, phone 702-3NVBHOF, or 702-368-2463.
BIOGRAPHIES OF THE NEW HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Michael Carbajal – Best known as the first junior flyweight to earn a $1 million purse, Carbajal won world titles at junior flyweight and flyweight. Known as “Little Hands of Stone” for his punching power, Carbajal was 49-4 with 33 KOs.
His rivalry with Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez was one of the best of the early 1990s and their 1993 fight was The Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. In 2004, The Ring named Carbajal as the best junior flyweight in history.
He was 98-10 as an amateur and won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.
 
Thomas Hearns – Hearns, 58, won recognized world titles at welterweight, super welterweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight during a career in which he went 61-5-1 with 48 KOs.
He’s most remembered for his savage three-round battle with Hagler in 1985, but he participated in many of the decade’s biggest and most electric bouts. He fought in Las Vegas 16 times, going 11-4-1 with nine knockouts.
Erik Morales – One of the most exciting fighters of the early part of the 2000s, Morales is best known for his series of outstanding fights with arch rival Marco Antonio Barrera. Morales went 52-9 with 36 knockouts but is best known for his trilogy with Barrera, two of which were named Ring Fight of the year.
Morales won major world titles at super bantamweight, featherweight, super featherweight and super lightweight, becoming the first Mexican born fighter to win titles in four weight classes.
He also engaged in a spectacular trilogy with Manny Pacquiao, beating him in the first and dropping the last two.
Ken Norton – Though he was the heavyweight champion before losing his belt to Larry Holmes in one of the great title bouts ever, Norton was best known for his three fights with the legendary Muhammad Ali. Norton defeated Ali in 1973 in San Diego in their first bout, breaking Ali’s jaw.
Ali won the two subsequent bouts, including a 1976 match at Yankee Stadium for the title. Some observers believe Norton deserved to win all three fights.
The Holmes fight was sensational and the two men stood in the center of the ring at Caesars and slugged it out in the 15th and final round.
Lucia Rijker – Rijker is regarded as one of, if not the best, women boxers in history. She was 17-0 with 14 knockouts in boxing and was 37-0-1 with 25 knockouts as a kick boxer.
In her boxing career, she scored dominant wins over the likes of Jane Couch, Marcela Acuna and Chevelle Hallback.
She later appeared in the Oscar-winning film, “Million Dollar Baby.“
Salvador Sanchez – Sanchez tragically died in an auto accident in Mexico at just 23 years old, robbing the world of one of the elite fighters in history well before his time. Sanchez was 44-1-1 with 32 knockouts and was the lineal featherweight champion from 1980 until his death in 1982.
He won the title by knocking out Danny “Little Red” Lopez, but is best known for a dominating eighth-round stoppage of Wilfredo Gomez. Gomez was 33-0 with 32 knockouts but was no match for Sanchez.
Richie Sandoval – Sandoval held the bantamweight title for two years, but his career, as great as it was, is a question of what might have been. He was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic boxing team, but he lost his chance at a medal when President Carter decided to boycott the Games in Moscow.
Sandoval won the first 29 fights of his pro career, racking up 17 knockouts, and beat the great Jeff Chandler for the bantamweight belt.
But tragically, Sandoval suffered serious boxing related injuries in a 1986 bout with Gaby Canizales and was forced to retire.
Leon Spinks – Spinks is most known for upsetting Muhammad Ali  in 1978 in just his eighth pro fight to win the heavyweight championship. He lost the title in a rematch and failed in two other attempts to win a title. He was stopped by Larry Holmes in a heavyweight title fight in 1981 and lost a cruiserweight title challenge in Reno to Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1986.
A colorful figure known as “Neon” Leon, he was an acclaimed amateur who was 178-7 with 133 KOs and the light heavyweight gold at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
He finished his professional career with a 26-17-3 mark and 14 KOs.
 
Michael Spinks – Spinks was 31-1 in his career and won both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles. He moved up from light heavyweight to defeat Larry Holmes at the Riviera in 1985, denying Holmes the opportunity to go 49-0 and match Rocky Marciano’s record.
He won the light heavyweight title in his 17th pro fight in 1981 at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas when he bested the much more experienced Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Spinks held the light heavyweight title for four years, before giving it up to move to heavyweight to fight Holmes.
A 1976 Olympic gold medalist, Spinks‘ only pro loss came in his final fight when he was knocked out by Mike Tyson in a bout for the undisputed heavyweight title.
NON-BOXER INDUCTEE BIOGRAPHIES
Rafael Garcia – Garcia, 87, is best known for his cap he wears festooned with pins and for working as Floyd Mayweather’s hand wrapper. But he had a long career as both a cut man and a trainer and was outstanding at both. He worked with elite fighters such as Mayweather, Roberto Duran, Alexis Arguello and Wilfredo Gomez.
Dr. Elias Ghanem – Ghanem as the long-time chairman of the Nevada Athletic Commission, and was responsible for helping it to earn the moniker, “The greatest commission in the world.”
Ghanem, a physician whose patients once included Elvis Presley, played a key role in the hearings after Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield, and also was instrumental in bringing the Oscar De La Hoya-Felix Trinidad bout to Las Vegas in 1999.
Mel Greb – Known as “The father of professional boxing in Southern Nevada,” Greb was a promoter and matchmaker who first brought Muhammad Ali to Nevada. Then known as Cassius Clay, Greb promoted Ali’s seventh pro fight in 1961. That week, he introduced Ali to wrestler “Gorgeous” George, and Ali patterned himself after George in many ways.
Greb died in 1996 at 75  years old.
Debbie Munch – Caesars Palace in Las Vegas was a legendary host for many of boxing’s biggest fights in the 1980s and early 1990s, and Munch, a public relations expert, was instrumental in it.
She was widely respected by promoters, boxers and the media and helped many journalists immeasurably with their boxing coverage.
Davey Pearl – Pearl was small of stature, but was a giant as a referee. He worked more than 70 world title bouts, including Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks and Sugar Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns.
Pearl was also a highly regarded judge.
boxing

NEVADA BOXING HALL OF FAME TO ANNOUNCE FIFTH CLASS OF INDUCTEES ON FEB. 15 IN LAS VEGAS

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CEO/President Michelle Corrales-Lewis to welcome “exceptional” new class
 
LAS VEGAS (February 13, 2017) – The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame will announce its fifth class of inductees on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 11 a.m. PST, Hall CEO/ president Michelle Corrales-Lewis announced. The 2017 class of nine boxers and five contributors will be revealed at Real Boxing, 5137 W. Oquendo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89118.  Lunch will be provide by TC’s Rib Crib.
The honorees will be formally inducted at the popular gala dinner on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Caesars Palace. Ticket information will be released shortly.
“We have elected yet another exceptional class of inductees and I can’t wait to introduce them,” said Corrales-Lewis, whose late husband, Diego Corrales, was a member of the NVBHOF’s inaugural class in 2013. “We have some of the best boxers ever in this group and I know fans are going to be excited to have the opportunity to meet them.
“Our class of contributors is very strong as well and all have made a significant imprint upon boxing in Nevada.”
Past inductees include some of the greatest fighters who have ever lived, including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis and more.
The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame is an IRS 501 (c)3 charity and all donations are tax deductible. The Hall’s charitable contributions over the five years since its formation have helped boxers in need and boxing-related charities. Donations are welcome.

The Hall was founded in 2013 by noted boxing broadcaster Rich Marotta.   For more information, phone 702-3NVBHOF, or 702-368-2463.
For Media Credentials Contact:                    For Information And Sponsorship Opportunities Contact:
Media Coordinator Jon Hait                             Chief Executive Officer Michelle Corrales-Lewis
Email: jhshark@aol.com                                  Email: michelle@nvbhof.com
Phone: (702) 277-1020                                    Phone: 702-3-NVBHOF (702-368-2463)
boxing

Box Fan Expo to be present at the 54th Annual WBC Convention in Hollywood, Florida 

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The ultimate fan experience event that gives boxing fans the opportunity to meet-and-greet top fighters, boxing celebrities and industry people in an up-close, personal setting will return on Cinco de Mayo weekend 2017
For Immediate Release
Las Vegas (December 12, 2016) – The Popular Box Fan Expo will be present with a booth at the 54th, annual WBC convention, to greet boxing fans as well as industry people and give out info on the Next Boxing Expo. The WBC convention will be held from December 11th, to December 17th.

The booth will be located at the famous Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. Fans and boxing industry people can stop by and say hello.

Box Fan Expo has been a huge success with Boxing fans and Boxing industry people. Many boxing stars have attended the last two Expo’s such as Mike Tyson, Roberto Duran, Tommy Hearns, Roy Jones Jr., Sergio Martinez, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Tim Bradley, Deontay Wilder, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Fernando Vargas, Zab Judah, James Toney, Mikey Garcia , Leo Santa Cruz, Terry Norris , Riddick Bowe , Earnie Shavers, Leon Spinks and many more…

The third annual Box Fan Expo will take place in Las Vegas on May 6th, 2017 (Cinco De Mayo weekend) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, from 10a.m to 5pm. Box Fan Expo is the ultimate boxing fan experience event, and it also coincides with a major fight event weekend.

Tickets for the Box Fan Expo can be purchased at: http://goo.gl/6hnTOb

The event allows fans to Meet and Greet Boxing Superstars of today, Legends of the sport and other boxing Celebrities at their booth. On Site, fans will experience different activities from Autograph Sessions, Photo Sessions, FaceOff with your favorite boxers, as well as a chance to purchase merchandise and memorabilia from their booth, plus so much more… you won’t want to miss this must-attend Expo!

Box Fan Expo will also feature top boxing organizations, promoters, ring card girls, famous trainers and commentators as well as boxing gear companies “ALL UNDER ONE ROOF”.

Throughout the next several months leading up to the Event, there will be weekly updates on the many stars that will commit their appearance at the Boxing Expo.

And for anyone in the Boxing industry or other Exhibitors (non-industry), who would like to be involved and reserve a Booth, contact Box Fan Expo:

Telephone number: (514) 572-7222 or Las Vegas Number (702) 997-1927

For more information, visit: www.BoxFanExpo.com
boxing, Ring 8

Edwin Viruet Ring 8 Guest Speaker Tuesday night

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Edwin Viruet
Ring 8 Guest Speaker Tuesday night
NEW YORK (May 16, 2016) – New York State Boxing Hall-of-Famer Edwin Viruet will be Ring 8’s guest speaker at Tuesday night’s (May 17) monthly meeting, starting at 7 p.m. ET, at O’Neill’s Restaurant, located at 64-21 53rd Drive in Maspeth, New York.
“Edwin was inducted into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2016,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said.  “He was unable to attend the induction ceremony, so we will present him with his Hall of Fame belt at our meeting.  Edwin embodies what the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame (NYSBHOF) is all about in terms of his overall achievements and accomplishments as a New York State fighter.  We’re very happy that Edwin will have this opportunity to be honored and we’re all interested in hearing him speak about his boxing career.”
Viruet (32-6-2) was a standout amateur boxer, albeit brief, registering a perfect 18-0 record, highlighted by his winning two New York Golden Gloves Championship in 1968 as a 118-pound sub-novice and the following year in the 126-pound division, Edwin and his brother,Adolpho Viruet, were declared co-champions.
In 1969, Viruet turned pro and two years later, he fought a draw with future world championSaoul Mamby and he won a decision over another future world champion, Alfredo Escalara.  Three years later, Viruet scored a decision victory against fellow 2016 NYSBHOF inductee Vilomar Fernandez at Madison Square Garden.
Viruet went the distance twice with world lightweight champion Roberto Duran, losing a decision both times, the first in a non-title fight in 1975 and the second as a world title challenger in Philadelphia two years later.
In 1983, Viruet retired as a boxer after having fought in all of the top New York venues – MSG, The Felt Forum, Sunnyside Garden, Nassau Coliseum, Singer Bowl and Audobon Ballroom.
Viruet also enjoyed a successful career as a trainer with heavyweight Alex Steward, a Golden Gloves champion who, as a professional, fought Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfieldand George Foreman.  Viruet also trained actor Wesley Snipes.
Several Vinny Maddalone fights, courtesy of Charley Norkus, Jr., will be shown on six television screens during Tuesday night’s buffet.
 
Ring 8 Summer Picnic
Ring 8’s annual summer picnic will be held Sunday afternoon, August 28, at Brady Park in Massapequa Reserve, Nassau on Long Island, New York.  Complete details coming soon.
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CONTACT:  Bob Trieger, Full Court PRESS, 978.590.0470, bobtfcp@hotmail.com @fightpublicist
ABOUT RING 8:  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, with a current boxing license or book 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

Pinolero Boxing Promotions and Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée Enter into strategic alliance

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Nicaraguan Promoter of the Year adds

Canadian PR & Marketing Firm to its corner

Atty. Michael Schmidt (center) is shown here with Hall-of-Famer Roberto Duran (L) and his son Robin Duran (R)

 

KITCHENER, Ontario, Canada (June 10, 2015) — Marcelo Sanchez, of leading Nicaraguan-based promoter Pinolero Boxing, and Canadian lawyer Michael J. Schmidt, on behalf of public relations and marketing firm Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée, today jointly announced a strategic alliance to expand the Pinolero brand on an International basis.

 

“Both companies have short and long term goals that perfectly fit together,” Schmidt said. “Pinolero Boxing Promotion’s in the business of developing regional, national and World Champions. Both companies will be looking at various means to move Pinolero boxers into a further International framework. Pinolero has a proven track record of developing a strong brand of champions and all efforts are being made to further maximize the Pinolero talent. Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée will provide additional public relations and marketing expertise.”

 

“Obviously,” Schmidt added, “there will only ever be one Alex Arguello, as well as only one Roman “El Chocolatito” Gonzalez – I believe he should have serious consideration as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today – but Pinolero Boxing has a tremendous depth of talented individuals ready to blossom into their own legendary status.”

 

“We are well aware of Mr. Schmidt and Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée through his steady and professional work in Panama, and work he has done for boxing media personalities throughout the world,” Sanchez, speaking on behalf of Pinolero Boxing, commented. “We both agree that there is a tremendous talent which should make for exciting marketing. Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée and Pinolero share the same joy in developing these young men, not only towards National Championships, but also a World Championship vision, focusing on efforts to brand our company and boxers in the ring, and in terms of their image and ability to earn income outside of the ring”.

 

Promising prospects such as 20-year-old Junior Ramirez (12-0, 9 KOs), the World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Silver super lightweight champion, knockout artist Roberto Arriaza (10-0, 9 KOs), the Nicaraguan welterweight champion, and minimum-weight Byron Rojas (15-2), are all perfect examples of Pinolero Boxing’s stable of rising talent.

 

Schmidt is particularly excited by Nicaraguan fighters such as Cristofer Rosales Gonzalez, a 20-year-old with a record of 13-2, who, Schmidt notes, “hasn’t been afraid to step up and take on undefeated International competition.”

 

Pinolero Boxing will shortly celebrate its 100th promotional show by hosting a major boxing event in Nicaragua. “We will input a full set of resources and expertise, through the direction of Marcelo Sanchez at Pinolero Boxing,” Schmidt remarked. “We are excited to work with a promotional company that, under the direction of Marcelo Sanchez, has such exceptional talent. Hopefully, within the next year or two, the nature of this relationship will show in the form of more boxing champions being crowned under the Pinolero banner, but also in young men who conduct themselves with class and skill, inside and outside of the ring, which is so inherent in the nature of some of the legendary Nicaraguan fighters.”

 

“We look forward to Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée working for and on behalf of Pinolero Boxing in helping to provide add-on services in the development of opportunities and marketing channels appropriate to our boxers,” Sanchez concluded. “Our July show will be a special event for Nicaragua and we welcome having Schmidt and Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée on board.”

 

INFORMATION:

 

Jensen Strauss Agency Limitée: C/O Atty. Michael Schmidt: mjschmidtlaw@hotmail.com, 519-578-1448 (office),
www.schmidtlawoffices.net

 

Pinolero Boxing: www.facebook.com/pages/Promotora-de-boxeo-Pinolero-Boxing/206277329399716
boxing

Manager John Seip signs Italian super middleweight prospect Daniele Marco Scardina

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(L-R) – Daniele Marco Scardina and John Seip

 

MIAMI (April 6, 2015) – Veteran boxing manager John Seip has signed highly decorated Italian amateur boxer Daniele Marco Scardina to an exclusive managerial contract.

 

Seip is best known for guiding Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin to the World Boxing Organization (WBO) world middleweight title. The native New Yorker also manages rising British super middleweight Steed “The Stallion” Woodall (7-0-1, 5 KOs).

 

The 21-year-old Scardina hails from Rozzano, a town of less than 40,000 people in the Province of Milan. He started boxing in 2008 at the age of 16, following in his uncle’s footsteps who was a boxer at that time, as well as Daniele’s role model.

 

Scardina, who had 56 amateur bouts, captured top honors in numerous Italian tournaments including the Rovereto National, National Silver Glove, and two National Golden Gloves. He also won a bronze medal at an International event.

 

In 2013, he boxed for the Italia Thunder Boxing Team in the World Series of Boxing, winning his only match against a German opponent.

 

Scardina first caught Seip’s attention at the world famous 5th St. Gym in Miami Beach, originally opened in 1950 by Chris Dundee, and the home of countless world champions have trained there including Muhammad Ali, Carmen Basilio, Willie Pastrano, Emile Griffith, Archie Moore, Roberto Duran, Sonny Liston and Willie Pep. The rich tradition continues at the new 5th St. Gym, located nearby at 1434 Alton Street, where top fighters from around the world such as Bernard Hopkins still train.

 

“I first saw him training at the 5th St. Gym and he looked like a typical amateur,” Seip explained. “He threw wide punches and didn’t know how to throw a good jab. Trainers Guy Laieta and Dino Spencer started working with him and now he’s using his reach, fighting at a distance, and throwing combinations of jabs and hooks. He’s passionate about boxing, listening and learning every day. Daniele has good hand speed and power. He’s a handsome kid, too. I saw something in him, intangibles, and decided to sign him.

 

“Dino is an owner who has created a top-notch gym with great sparring opportunities in an atmosphere featuring so many talented fighters who really push each other. It’s already apparent that Danielle has improved his skills training there. He’s long, fast and powerful. His work ethic is incredible; he’s the first in the gym, last to leave. You can’t hurt this kid, either. We all believe that he has a very bright future.”

 
Scardina hits heavy-bag at 5th St. Gym in Miami Beach

Unlike fighters from Russia and former Soviet-bloc nations, as well as those from Latin America who come to the United States to establish their professional boxing careers, Italian-born fighters rarely have followed the same route as Scardina, who moved to Miami last year and sleeps on the floor of his brother’s apartment.

 

The lone Italian-born world champion who fought professionally in America is Vito Antuofermo (50-7-2, 21 KOs), who was the WBC/WBA middleweight champion in 1979-1980. Antuofermo, though, moved with his family to Brooklyn from Puglia, Italy when he was 17 and he learned how to box in America.

 

“I have always wanted to be a champion in America,” Scardina said. “That’s the American dream for me. I think I’ll have a great opportunity in this country to be the greatest boxer I can be with the right help. John Seip is the right manager for me because he believes we can the world championship together as a team.”

 

Scardina’s favorite boxers are Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Guillermo Rigondeaux and Miguel Cotto. “I’m working on perfection as an outside fighter and to main my arms closer,” Scardina added. I’m fighting to become world champion.”

 

Scardina is expected to make his pro debut this May or June.

 

Follow Scardina on Instagram @danieletoretto.