BROOKLYN BOXING: A History of World Champions and Championship Fights In NYC’s Storied Borough

BY STEVE FARHOOD

The opening night of big-time boxing at the Barclays Center serves as a link to history -- and a time when Brooklyn and boxing were linked as closely as Peter Luger’s Steakhouse and the porterhouse for two.

Boxing's ties to Brooklyn date back no less than 130 years:

* John L. Sullivan, who was the first heavyweight champion of the modern era, fought in Brooklyn in 1882, just before the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge.

* The legendary lightweight champion Joe Gans fought in Brooklyn in 1896 and 1897. In 1898, Brooklyn, which had been independent, became part of New York City.

* The great middleweight champion Harry Greb first fought in Brooklyn in 1917, one year after a Polish immigrant named Nathan Handwerker began serving hot dogs from a stand on Surf Avenue in Coney Island.

* Jack Dempsey fought an exhibition in Brooklyn in 1918, just as the population of the borough reached 2-million. (It is now estimated at 2.5-million.)

In fact, most of the stars of boxing’s golden age fought in Brooklyn at some point in their careers.  Tony Canzoneri (47 times) led the way. Native New Yorkers Rocky Graziano (18 times) and Benny Leonard (14 times) appeared regularly.  Sugar Ray Robinson, Jake LaMotta, Sandy Saddler, Kid Gavilan, Abe Attell, Kid Chocolate, Joey Giardello, Terry McGovern, Battling Nelson, Ad Wolgast and Tommy Loughran are some of the hall of famers who fought in Brooklyn.

In all, there have been 37 world title fights in Brooklyn, most of them coming at various athletic clubs that have long since shut their doors.  James J. Jeffries won the world heavyweight title at the Coney Island AC in 1899, knocking out Bob Fitzsimmons.  The last world title fight was on August 5, 1931, when Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom retained the New York World light heavyweight title with a decision over Jimmy Slattery at Ebbets Field.

Eighty-one years later – on Saturday, October 20 -- there will be four world title fights on one card.

In one of those fights, Brooklyn’s own Paulie Malignaggi will make his first defense of the WBA welterweight title.  Eleven years ago, Malignaggi turned pro on the last major fight card in Brooklyn, at KeySpan Park (now MCU Park) in Coney Island.

Malignaggi is about as Brooklyn as it gets.  While you might associate Michael Jordanwith North Carolina, Al Capone with Chicago and Mae West with Hollywood, they were all born in Brooklyn as well.

So were a string of heavyweight champions:Floyd Patterson, Michael Moorer, Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs and Riddick Bowe-- all born within a few miles of one another.

Other recent champions born in Brooklyn include Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Junior Jones, Zab Judah, Luis Collazo, Mark Breland and Kevin Kelley.

The Dodgers left Brooklyn after the 1957 baseball season, and the demolition of Ebbets Field, the site of many a major fight card, began in 1960.

A new chapter in Brooklyn’s history begins on Oct. 20. The Dodgers aren’t likely to ever come back, but boxing has returned, and the Barclays Center is its new home.

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World championship boxing returns to Brooklyn with an inaugural night of fights at the new Barclays Center on October 20 headlined by Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny Garcia against future Hall of FamerErik Morales presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Box Latino and supported by Golden Boy Promotions sponsors Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T.  In the co-featured attractions, Brooklyn’s own Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi puts his WBA Welterweight World Championship on the line against hard-hitting Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano, number one rated WBO middleweight contender Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillinof Manhattan takes on unbeaten Hassan N’Dam for N’Dam’s WBO Middleweight World Championship in a fight presented in association with Asventure Promotion and Devon Alexander faces Randall Bailey for Bailey’s IBF Welterweight World Championship in a bout presented in association with The Great Promotions and DiBella Entertainment.  The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).  Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The undercard is loaded with many of New York’s top fighters, including Brooklyn’s hot middleweight prospectDaniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs, former World Champion Luis Collazo, the Bronx’s rising star Eddie Gomez, former world title contender Dmitriy Salita and Brooklyn prospect Boyd Melson.

Stars & public came out in force for Inaugural New York State Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Dinner

(photo by Stanley Janousek)

NEW YORK (April 3, 2012) - Boxing stars joined a sold-out crowd of 500 at this past Sunday's inaugural New York State Boxing Hall of Fame ("NYSBHOF") induction dinner, sponsored by Ring 8, at Russo's On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

"Boxing in New York will not be forgotten," NYSBHOF founder Tony Mazzarella said. "Boxers, cornermen, judges, promoters, announcers and others in boxing are being honored."

Inducted into the first NYSBHOF class were "Sugar" Ray Robinson, Jake LaMotta, Mike Tyson, Carmen Basilio, Riddick Bowe, Carlos Ortiz, Vito Antuofermo, Emile Griffith, Mike McCallum and posthumously Gene Tunney, Benny Leonard and Tony Canzoneri.

Non-participant inductees are judge/HBO analyst Harold Lederman, coach/instructor Steve Acunto, trainer/cutman Jimmy Glenn and, posthumously, trainers Gil Clancy and Ray Arcel, The Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer, New York Daily News boxing reporter/cartoonist Bill Gallo, and referee Arthur Mercante, Sr.

"We're all proud of those sitting on the dais for their achievements," NYSBHOF & Ring 8 president Bob Duffy commented. "The biggest joy, for me, is for what Mrs. Arcel, Mrs. Gallo and the members of the Canzoneri, Tunney, Mercante, and Clancy families said to me. They left a track record, like those sitting up here, but they're so happy that their inductees were not forgotten. Ring 8 specifically had these one-of-a-kind belts (all inductees received) designed for the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame."

Inductees attending the gala festivities were LaMotta, McCallum, Griffith, Ortiz, Antuofermo, Acunto, Glenn and Lederman. (See acceptance speech quotes below.) The families of Robinson, Canzoneri, Tunney, Arcel, Gallo and Mercante were also represented.

The inductees were selected by a six-member NYSBHOF nominating committee comprised of Jack Hirsch, Steve Farhood, Henry Hascup, Bobby Cassidy Jr., Ron McNair and Neil Terens. All but Cassidy (family vacation) were award presenters during this festive boxing affair.

Boxing dignitaries in attendance included world champions Iran Barkley, Juan La Porte, Junior Jones, Mark Breland and Mia St. John; boxers such as Vinnie Maddalone, Renaldo Snipes, Brian Adams, Michael De La Rue and Gasper Ortega; promoters Kathy Duva (Main Events) and Cedric Kushner (Gotham Boxing); boxing judges Julie Lederman, Steve Weisfeld and Glenn Feldman; referees Steve Smoger and Mike Ortega, New York State Athletic Commission chairperson Melvina Latham, International Boxing Hall of Fame matchmaker Bob Goodman, World Boxing Council Cares Jill Diamond, Gleason's Gym owner Bruce Silverglade and trainer Tommy Gallagher.

Popular ring announcer, David Diamante, rushed back from Jamaica to serve as the event's Master of Ceremonies. The traditional 10-count was given in honor of the late Bert Sugar. A special presentation - autographed portrait of Lederman - was made on behalf of HBO's boxing group and Harold's friend and HBO partner, Jim Lampley, sent a congratulatory message that was read.

Commemorative plagues listing the names of the inductees and NYSBHOF board members and nominating committee will be on display at the Waterfront Crabhouse, New York State Athletic Commission, and NYSBHOF board member Dr. Jerry Lynn.

All boxers needed to be inactive for at least three years, in order to be eligible for NYSBHOF induction, and all inductees had to have resided in New York State for a significant portion of their boxing careers.

Go on line at www.Ring8ny.com for additional information about the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.

Acceptance Speech Quotes


(L-R) Jake LaMotta & Bob Duffy (photo by Peter Frutkoff)

Jake LaMotta (90 years old): "I'm very happy to be here with my very good friends. I fought 'Sugar' Ray Robinson so many times it's a wonder I don't have diabetes. He broke my jaw but you can see he never broke my nose. The greatest pound-for-pound fighter who ever lived is 'Sugar' Ray Robinson. It's unbelievable I fought him so many times. Right now, I finally made it when they made the movie, Raging Bull. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards and Robert DeNiro was so great in the movie. If you asked me, DeNiro is the greatest fighter who ever lived. How'd he play me? He sparred and shadow-boxed 1000 rounds and when I was finished with him he could have turned pro."


Mike McCallum (Photo by Peter Frutkoff)

Mike McCallum: "It's an honor to be here today and be part of this great ceremony. New York City is big! I came to American and the greatest place there is. I'm in the International Boxing Hall of Fame but, why not the New York State? Now I'm here. It's a wonderful feeling."


Vito Antuofermo (Photo by Peter Frutkoff)

Vito Antuofermo: "I'm very honored to be here today and to be in the first induction in the first New York State Boxing Hall of Fame. As a young boy, I struggled in a new country. Boxing is much more than a sport to me. I learned about the world and myself. The only limit a person has is one on himself. I thank boxing. I am very happy to be part of New York boxing and to have some success here. I know the Hall of Fame will grow and be successful. I congratulate my fellow inductees."


Carlos Ortiz (Photo by Stacey Verbeek)

Carlos Ortiz: "I'm proud to be here and to be inducted onto the New York Hall of Fame. I love it! I want people to remember me and that's beautiful. It's nice to be here. I love New York."



Harold Lederman (Photo by Peter Frutkoff)

Harold Lederman: "Today I'm an immortal...April's fool. Floyd Mayweather claims he's be the greatest fighter who ever lived. He's not for two reasons: No. 1, he has to fight 158 more times to catch Sugar Ray Robinson; No. 2, he's never fought in New York. The greatest fighters all fought in New York. Boxing has been a huge part of my life and home. I owe a lot to some of the boxing commissioners here."


Steve Acunto (Photo by Stacey Verbeek)

Steve Acunto (95 years old): "I'm profoundly honored to accept this recognition today. I'm almost overwhelmed to see all these boxing people today. Every kid should have an idol to occupy his time. When I was a kid a bought a book written by Gene Tunney and I got the bug."


(L-R) Tony Mazzarella, Jimmy Glynn, Mevina Latham (Photo by Peter Frutkoff)

Jimmy Glenn: "I thank everyone for coming out for me. And they really came out for me."