Mor Oknin to Fight on March 10 in Mexico City

Flyweight Mor Oknin is scheduled to fight on March 10 at the Ciudad Deportiva Carmen Serdán in Mexico City, Mexico. This fight is promoted by TT Boxing Promotions and will be Oknin's fourth fight in Mexico.

Oknin is from Netanya, Israel. BoxRec lists his record as 1-1, but he says it's 3-0 with 3 KOs. BoxRec only lists results given to them by the presiding commission, which Oknin says gave him an undeserved loss when he actually won back in 2022. His last fight, a stoppage victory after the third round on September 3, is not listed on BoxRec.

Oknin, a cancer survivor, works at his family's furniture store and offers personalized training sessions when not in training himself. He recently got in some work with former Olympian Yacov Shmuel, now a coach.

No opponent has yet been named.

Oknin is featured in the top row, second from the left.

Josh Feldman's All In

"Even if I don't have a fight, I can't stop training," Josh Feldman told SA Boxing Talk ahead of his March 8 bout against Sibusiso Muteleni at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, South Africa. "Right now, I feel I'm in the best shape."

The Cape Town native said he is all-in. "I'm taking this so seriously. I just care about training, watching film, and sleeping. I believe I'm going to be the best in the country soon."

Because of his commitment to training, Feldman has had no problem making the junior middleweight limit. "I don't have to cut a lot of weight. I feel strong. I definitely think I'll stay at this weight for maybe the next couple years." He told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "When I'm not in camp, I walk around at about 76 kg [about 167 pounds]." Two weeks from his third pro fight, he said he's now 162 lbs.

Feldman began his camp at home in Cape Town where he trains at Blood, Sweat, and Tears Boxing Gym. "My coaches in Cape Town at Blood, Sweat, and Tears worked me so hard," he told SA Boxing Talk's Hayden Jones. To The JBB, he added, "In Cape Town, I got some good sparring with a fighter named Dylan Prosser." A 24 year old, Prosser is a 3-0 pro.

Feldman's camp then shifted to Johannesburg where he trains at Colin Nathan's Hot Box Gym. "In Johannesburg, I'm sparring with a variety of people." He named a tough, young road warrior named Simnikiwe Bongco (4-4) and undefeated four-year pro Cayden Truter (7-0) as fighters who have given him good work. His usual main sparring partner, Almighty Creed Moyo, is missing this camp due to an injury.

The 19-year old is ready for his next opponent, Sibusiso Muteleni. "Actually, I saw a short video of his first fight," he told Jones. "He looks pretty basic, but looks like he might have a bit of fundamentals. But nothing I can't deal with. So, I'm really excited. I hope he shows up with his 'A' game. I'm ready for a hard fight."

For this camp, Feldman has been working on fine-tuning his skills and sitting down on his punches to generate more power. "I feel like I'm very fit, so I just want to properly hone my skills. I've learned to sit down on my punches more. It's really different than the amateurs."

His coaches helped him realize after his first fight last October that he need a change in style now that he's a prizefighter. "You're not just trying to outpoint the guy and land more punches, but you're trying to do damage. So when I'm working the bag, hitting the pads, sparring, I'm trying to properly sit down and pick my shots rather than throw more shots and not do any damage."

Feldman is anxious to stay active. "I would fight every week if I could," he joked. "I'd like to fight four or five times [this year] realistically." That activity will lead to longer fights, something Feldman craves.

"I feel like I'm starting to get very comfortable in the ring. I'm excited for the fights when they start getting six, eight rounds. I feel like I'm going to do better, because later into the fight I'm going to start adjusting, getting more comfortable, and that's when I fight the best," he said in the SA Boxing Talk interview.

"I'm a very skilled fighter, technical, so late into the fight, once I've found my range and I've gotten used to where punches are coming from from the opponent, I'm going to start then using my skills and picking him off, and eventually get a stoppage late."

Feldman exudes a quiet confidence. When asked about stablemate Sive Nontshinga, who just regained the IBF light flyweight world title last Friday, Josh's eyes lit up. He said of Nontshinga's inspirational win, "It's amazing to see, because he just trains so hard. You see how skillful he is in sparring and training. I knew he would do it, but it's great to see it actually happen."

Feldman has the mindset to reach his goals one day. "I'm not getting worn out by the sport. I'm just getting hungrier."

When asked about opponents down the road, Feldman responded, "Roark Knapp is the main guy. In the next couple years, I'd definitely love to fight him if he's still active. He's an inspiration to someone like me to see him climb the ladder."

He has a message, not just for Knapp, but for all potential opponents, "Catch me now, because I'm just getting better."

Benny Nizard to Make Pro Debut

Junior middleweight Benny Nizard is scheduled to make his professional debut on March 9 at Palais des sports Marcel Cerdan in Levallois-Perret, France. He will face Avend Yassin, a 33 year old with a 1-0-1 record.

Nizard is a 19 year old from Paris. The two-time French amateur champion is the son of Stephane Nizard, a popular boxer in Paris during the 1990s. Benny had his first amateur fight at 15 years old and has fought out of Maccabi Paris under the tutelage of Michael Cohen.

After winning the French amateur title late last year, he has been living in Israel the past couple of months. A southpaw, Benny won't have to cut much weight to make the junior middleweight limit. He typically walks around between 160 and 165 pounds.

Yassin is a tough opponent for Benny's pro debut. Born in Iraq, he took up boxing in 2013 in France. Yassin is from Ploufragan and trained at the nearby Plérin Boxing Club. A veteran of 45 amateur bouts, he currently owns a couple of men's hair salons in addition to his boxing exploits.

On September 29 last year, Yassin fought fellow debutant Dylan Coquillant to a draw in a four-rounder. On December 9, he beat Miguel Dumail by majority decision.

Nizard-Yassin will be promoted by Y12 Boxing and is scheduled for four rounds.

In His Brother's Shadow: A Profile of Joey Silver

Joey Silver was a popular fighter in San Francisco during the 1920s, but he never reached the heights of his older brother Jack. Though Joey was considered a good prospect, a three-year hiatus quelled his career's momentum. After a brief comeback, he retired at the tender age of 25.


Joseph Silverstein was born in the Portola district of San Francisco, California in 1907. The seventh of eight children born to Morris and Molly, he was three and half years younger than the sixth child, Jacob. Jacob, who would go by Jack, entered the Navy where he learned to box. He turned pro in 1922 and he became extremely popular in San Francisco.

Younger brother Joey hoped to follow in Jack's footsteps. He even shortened his surname to Silver, just as Jack had done. Joey turned professional on January 22, 1926 at Dreamland Rink in San Francisco. Jack had headlined at Dreamland countless times over the past few years.

Turning Pro
Joey Silver won his first bout unimpressively but stole the show in his second against Jack Colotta in February. Joey was caught flush four or five times, but he just shook his head, smiled, and fired back. The crowd loved it. Quickly, Joey built up a good record, albeit against inexperienced opponents and mediocre journeymen. By 1927, the press began calling him "promising." In May and June of that year, Silver faced Pete Meyers in a controversial trilogy.

Joey had been friends with Meyers, who grew up in the nearby Potrero neighborhood. On May 24, referee Benny Wagner raised the arms of both fighters after a tough six-round battle. Once the fans realized Wagner had called it a draw, most "hollered themselves hoarse at the referee. They thought Silver won." On June 7, Meyers was given the decision by an unnamed referee in a six-rounder. The San Francisco Bulletin felt Meyers's hand was raised "for no reason if the fight were judged on execution." It was only Joey's second loss in twenty pro fights.

Silver finally earned his revenge on June 21 over the "Potrero Pole." Benny Wagner gave the verdict to Silver after the ten-rounder. Three years later, Wagner and fellow referee Toby Irwin went public with allegations against Tom Laird of the San Francisco News, claiming the sports editor had tried to influence their decisions in certain matches, including Silver-Meyers.

"Meyers is a swell fellow. Get his hands up tonight," Laird allegedly told Wagner before the third fight. "I'm interested. You'll be taken care of." Publicly, Wagner only mentioned the third fight; the one he called for Silver. If Laird had pressured Wagner before the third fight, it's hard to imagine he didn't do so before the earlier fights as well. Apparently, nothing came of it as Laird was celebrated upon reaching his thirteenth anniversary at the paper in 1941.

After two more wins, Silver beat the Hawaiian champ Johnny Priston when the latter broke his hand in the fourth round. Two weeks later, in September of 1927, Toby Irwin disqualified Silver for a low blow in the second round against Billy Adams. "Billy Adams missed his vocation," wrote Alex X. McCausland. "He should have been an actor, not a fighter." It amounted to another frustrating loss for the man known mostly as "Jack's brother."

Facing the Best
Silver next fought the reigning Olympic featherweight champion and future two-time welterweight world champion, Jackie Fields. It would be Joey's toughest test. Fields had knocked out his brother Jack the previous year. The fight against Joey was almost nixed at the last moment. The headliner, welterweight world champion Joe Dundee, wouldn't fight until he received his guarantee in cash before the fight. The promoter asked if Fields could fill in for Dundee and fight in the main event, but Fields's manager was opposed to the last minute change. With all the commotion, the fight was delayed a couple of hours.

Silver had some good moments in his biggest fight. He hurt Fields twice during the ten rounds, but Fields opened up a cut over Joey's left eye and split his lip. Fields won seven of the rounds in a fight that was overshadowed by the Dundee affair. After snatching revenge from Billy Adams, Silver closed out the year by facing the other toughest opponent of his career.

Hyman Gold fought under the name Oakland Jimmy Duffy. He had amassed a hundred wins in his career by the time he faced Silver late in 1927. Duffy came in overweight, six and half pounds heavier than Silver for their bout in Oakland. Duffy outboxed Joey to win by decision, but he was later suspended for missing weight so badly.

By 1928, Silver was considered a rising young welterweight. He didn't pack a powerful punch nor was he the nimblest boxer. Joey's popularity was due to his gameness. On March 14, he fought Jimmy Evans. Silver was the favorite, but Evans whipped him. Joey didn't fight again for five months, and when he did, he lost twice. Then, he retired.

Two Retirements
Even in retirement, his brother stole the headlines. Jack and Joey retired together, which earned Jack top billing. A desire to make a steady income was the reason given for their retirement. But it was likely more. Their mother had died that year. And Joey's year in the ring had been exasperating; ridiculous decisions and a spate of losses likely contributed to his impulse to do something else.

In his time away from the ring, Joey drove a truck, worked as a clerk, and became a patrolman. Failing to settle on a career, he came back to boxing in 1931 and gave a good account of himself in a draw against veteran George Brazelton. Joey scored three wins before the comeback fizzled.

Early in 1932, Silver retired again, this time for good. He felt he couldn't get the big names into the ring. "What's the use of remaining in the racket," he wondered. "Every time I try to get 'em into the ring with me they play the duck." He finished with a record of 25-10-4 with 9 KOs.

By 1935, Joey moved to Reno, Nevada and worked as a dealer at the dangerous Bank Club Casino. At some point before 1940, he married Catherine, a New Yorker who had moved to San Francisco. He spent some time serving as a judge for amateur boxing tournaments. In 1944, he was working as an electrician in a local war plant. After the war, he returned to his job as a dealer at the casino.

In 1962, Joey got into a car accident. On February 2, he tragically died of his injuries caused by the wreck. Survived by his wife and three children, his obituary described him as "a prominent San Francisco boxer in the 20's and a brother of Jack Silver, well known referee." Jack Silver's brother was 55 years old.


Sources
Baum. A.T. "Irwin, Wagner Aver Approach Made by Same Newspaperman." The San Francisco Examiner. Sep. 11, 1930. Pg. 21.
"Evans Winner over Joey Silver in Ring." Los Angeles Times. Mar. 15, 1928. Pg. B1.
"Joey Silver Dies at Age 55." The San Francisco Examiner. Feb. 4, 1962.
"Joey Silver Vows He Will Whip Meyers." San Francisco Bulletin. Jun 20, 1927. Pg. 12.
McCausland, Alec X. "Adams Declared Victor on Foul over Silver." The San Francisco Examiner. Oct. 1, 1927. Pg. 30.
"Sports Notables Fete Tom Laird, S.F. Sports Writer for 30 Years." The Fresno Bee. Feb. 11, 1941.
“Title Bout is Flop." Los Angeles Times. Nov. 4, 1927. Pg. 1.
U.S. Censuses from 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950.

Yonatan Landman to Face Simon Tackie in Ghana

Flyweight Yonatan Landman is scheduled to face Simon Tackie on March 5 at the famed Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana.

Landman is a 19 year old from Kiryat, Israel. He won his pro debut on January 31 when he stopped Agayev Gasim in the first round in Baku, Azerbaijan. Fellow Israeli flyweight David Alaverdian has been training with Landman for some time and has noticed improvement. "He gets better and stronger every year," David noted.

For Landman, this contest is about the experience of fighting in Ghana. His opponent, Simon Tackie (0-2), won't put up much resistance. In his 2021 debut against the wonderfully named Marvellous Dodoo, Tackie spent the first round covering up while standing in front of Dodoo, absorbing the winless fighter's random slapping swings. To Tackie's credit, he changed strategy in the second, holding on for dear life as if Dodoo was a mountainous cliff and the sport of boxing was a 1,000-foot drop. Tackie lost a point for holding in the third, spent twenty seconds on the canvas after a slip, and retired after the round.

BoxRec claims Tackie then gained 30 pounds and fought six days later, losing to Gabriel Coffie. If it sounds unbelievable, it's because it is. Though Tackie was listed as the opponent, it was actually Emanuel Allotey who fought Coffie. Poor Simon, credited with a loss in a fight in which he didn't even participate.

A year ago, Tackie fought Daniel Otoo, another winless foe. Simon was relatively better than in his debut, landing a jab and a left hook in the first round, but he kept his gloves around his forehead and held his elbows out wide. In the second, Otoo battered Tackie from corner to corner smashing a well-placed overhand right in between.

After the round, Tackie's trainer spent a little over a minute trying to convince him to go get knocked out. Too often in boxing, fighters are labeled as quitters when they show good sense. Tackie won the argument, and the fight was stopped. What he lacks in heart, he more than makes up for in sanity. He'd likely make a better lawyer than fighter. Tackie's best quality as a boxer is the courage he shows to get in the ring.

This bout is scheduled for four rounds.

Review of Smash Hit

Smash Hit: Race, Crime, and Culture in Boxing Films
By David Curcio
Armin Lear Press, 2023

In Smash Hit, David Curcio expertly plays the roles of film critic, boxing historian, and cultural commentator. His immense knowledge of film, boxing, and American culture coupled with the way he weaves them all together in almost every one of the twenty chapters (each about one film) is an astonishing achievement. While this book would fit comfortably in a college or graduate level curriculum, it can be enjoyed by anyone interested in the history of cinema or boxing.

Of the five movies discussed that I've seen (it should be noted I'm the antithesis of a cinephile), Curcio provides perfect analysis for four of them. Not only do I agree with his interpretations of those films, but they go beyond what I had considered. The other fifteen chapters are just as informative, and the writing is excellent.

The chapter on Rocky III is the only one in which I disagree with Curcio's view.  He writes, "Adrian is relegated to an ancillary character, once again struck dumb and keeping the film firmly rooted in the male realm." But this ignores the scene on the beach where Adrian delivers a fiery speech to reignite Rocky's passion for boxing after he has decided to quit the sport. It's the moment Adrian breaks out of her shell and forces Rocky to face the harsh truth of his fear. "How did you get to be so strong?" Rocky asks her when the shouting is done. "I live with a fighter," Adrian's replies. Overly ambitious, the context provided in the Rocky III chapter doesn't flow as seamlessly as in all the others. Instead, it reads more like a series of tangential asides.

The only other section that isn't top notch is about Gentleman Jim and only because of a few minor factual errors, mostly involving dates, such as Jim Corbett's career being placed in the 1880s instead of the 1890s (dates for Ali-Frazier I & Lewis-Tyson also have typos). In that chapter, Curcio discusses a Corbett foe, Joe Choynski, one of many Jewish boxers, actors, and characters covered.

Tons of Jewish history is present here. Curcio delves into the story of actor John Garfield and other Jews who were blacklisted or targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Edward G, Robinson is just another of the many Jewish actors mentioned. There are great anecdotes such as when Mushy Callahan doubled for Errol Flynn during the boxing scenes in Gentleman Jim. Barney Ross is the subject of a couple of the movies covered. So is Max Baer. And who could forget Rocky's trainer Mickey Goldmill? Those are just some of the Jews featured in these pages.

In Smash Hit, Curcio shows he is a writer of the highest quality. There is no one better suited to cover the blend of boxing and film and, any disagreements aside, the book is executed brilliantly. Whether or not you've seen any of the movies featured in Smash Hit, it's definitely worth reading.

Sagiv Ismailov to Fight Fran Verdeguer

Sagiv Ismailov is scheduled to fight Francisco Verdeguer on March 23 at Centro Deportivo Boxing Unitres in Picanya, Spain. Ismailov has been active lately, fighting four times last year, but he faces a tougher test this time.

Ismailov (7-0, 2 KOs) is a 21 year old resident of Ashdod, Israel who has shown a lot of improvement in his last three fights. He's turning into an adept defensive fighter with a smart and creative offense. He showed a lot of dimensions in his last fight on December 23 against Evghenii Shabazov. That fight was Sagiv's first six-rounder and he finished strong.

Verdeguer is a 5'11" 30 year old from Albal, Spain. He's essentially had two different pro careers. He went 1-3 from 2012-2014 before he spent nearly eight years away from the ring. After winning his debut in 2012, Verdeguer dominated Ivan Salcines in the first round of their fight back in 2013, pounding away at his opponent's body and putting combinations together. But Verdeguer never saw Salcines's short left hook. By the time he woke up, the fight was over.

Verdeguer, now donning an array of face tattoos including a giant cross on his left cheek, decided to reignite his career after the birth of his child. In his first fight back, he faced 10-2 David Loy. In the fourth round, Loy tackled Verdeguer over the ropes in frustration. Verdeguer fell on the ring apron while Loy landed on the floor. The fight continued, and Verdeguer pulled off the upset by split decision. He has lost his last three, but his opponents were a combined 12-0 when he faced them.

The Spaniard's record is an unimpressive 2-6, but that's misleading. A former Spanish junior amateur champion, he is rated as the fifth best light heavyweight in Spain, according to Espabox. He's ranked above several fighters with better records because of the strength of his opposition. After falling to Jose Antonio Traicovich by decision in 2022, Martin Foru knocked him out with a left hook in the second round at York Hall in London.

Last fight, he faced Cyrano Lorenzo on March 4, 2023. Because Verdeguer kept his left low, Lorenzo landed some early right leads. Verdeguer adjusted, but his hands weren't fast enough to compete with Lorenzo. He tried to parry with his right, but it was often too slow. He landed some sneaky punches and the occasional combination, however.

Verdeguer has some advantages over Ismailov. He's naturally the bigger man. While Ismailov has never weighed in over 170 pounds, Verdeguer has fought as heavy as a cruiserweight. The Spaniard has faced the tougher opposition and he lands thudding punches and is a willing body puncher. The fight will also be in his home country.

Ismailov cannot take this opponent likely. He'll want to use his hand and foot speed advantages. Verdeguer doesn't show much foot movement, so Ismailov should box early and only stay in the pocket when the fight is under control. The left hook could be the ticket to knockout. It's the punch responsible for Verdeguer's two KO losses.

This fight is scheduled to be in the super middleweight division according to BoxRec. It's slated for six rounds.

Josh Feldman to Face Sibusiso Muteleni Amid BSA Turmoil

Junior middleweight Joshua Feldman is scheduled to face Sibusiso Muteleni on March 8 at Box Camp Booysens in Johannesburg, South Africa. Boxing in the country, however, has grinded to a virtual standstill due to legal issues.

Zizi Kodwa, the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture in South Africa, completely replaced the board of Boxing South Africa (BSA) last November. BSA regulates the sport in the country. The new board took over on December 12. The day after, it repealed the suspension of Operations Director, Mandla Ntlanganiso.

The National Professional Boxing Promoters Association sued Minister Kodwa, arguing that the NPBPA hadn't been consulted before the board was replaced, which violated the law. As a result of the lawsuit, the new board has since ceased to function. The old board's term ran out on December 11, so there is currently no active commission in the country. South African boxers cannot fight abroad either since BSA is responsible for granting them approval to do so.

Boxing5 Promotions head Larry Wainstein, who promotes Feldman, criticized the NPBPA. He said in an interview with SA Boxing Talk, "They represent maybe twenty promoters in the country. They don't represent all the promoters. They don't represent the boxers. There are 705 registered licensed boxers. There must be countrywide- and I'm guessing because I've asked for the number and nobody can even tell me the number- fifty promoters." Wainstein then suggested the NPBPA was the tail wagging the dog.

Promoter Rodney Berman postponed his March 9 show and expressed frustration with the impasse. "This state of flux makes it impossible to go ahead as planned," he said.

Jackie Brice, another promoter, has canceled his proposed March 16. He fumed to Ink Sport, "The National Professional Boxing Promoters Association is killing boxing in this country." Bruce recently resigned from the association.

Wainstein intends to go ahead with his March 8 card, or "tournament" as shows are called in South Africa. He has asked Minister Kodwa to appoint an interim board so that boxing can continue while the legal process runs its course.

It is in this context that Feldman (2-0), a 19 year old southpaw from Cape Town, prepares for his third professional fight. His opponent, Muteleni, is from Guateng. He lost his lone pro fight on May 28 last year to Douniama Gislain by first round KO. Muteleni threw a few jabs, but mostly walked in behind a high guard and paid the price. He was knocked down twice. After the second knockdown, he stayed on a knee for the count.

Hopefully, Feldman and his fellow South African boxers will be allowed to fight soon. "They're complaining about the minister never followed procedure. Ok, he never followed procedure," Wainstein acknowledged before asking, "Must all the other people be held to ransom because the [NPBPA] want to be seen as putting their people in place?

For the sake of South African boxing, let's hope not.

Cletus Seldin Speaks at Opening Press Conference for March 15 Bout

Cletus Seldin addressed fans and media at the opening press conference of a 360 Promotions event scheduled to take place on March 15 at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York, New York, USA. Seldin is expected to take on Jose Angulo on a card headlined by Callum Walsh.

“Finally! Finally! It took me six years to get back to this opportunity," Seldin began. It has actually been even longer, over twelve years, since he last fought at Madison Square Garden Theater. His mention of six years likely references the point when he neared the top of the sport. At the end of 2017, Seldin fought on HBO in back-to-back months. After a jaw-dropping third round knockout of Roberto Ortiz on November 11 that year, Cletus suffered his only career defeat a month later. Pundits instantly wrote him off.

Touching on his inactivity since his HBO stints, Seldin said, "I've been held back through this entire time. And for me to be here at Madison Square Garden in New York has been one hell of a ride."

Cletus then turned his attention to the March fight before laying out his credentials. "I’m excited! I'm going to show the best version of "The Hebrew Hammer." We're fighting at Madison Square Garden! I’m 27-1 with [23] knockouts. I'm ranked 9th in the world by the WBA."

Recognizing this is a moment of heightened antisemitism and his role as an athlete is to inspire the fans, Cletus declared, "And if there’s ever been a time for a Jew in New York to be fighting and winning, it’s now!"

He concluded, "So come out March 15. Irish crowd, Jewish crowd, one hell of a place. New York, we are ready to rock and roll!”

Yonatan Landman Wins Pro Debut

Yonatan Landman won his professional debut yesterday at the ABU Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan. The flyweight won by knockout 31 seconds into the first round.

Landman is a 19 year old from Kiryat, Israel. He has been trained in the art of combat almost as long as he's been trained in the art of using the potty. His father Shai began coaching him when Yonatan was just four years old. After a decade of kickboxing, Yonatan switched to boxing four years ago.

For six weeks Landman prepared to fight Ramazan Babayev, a 33 year old veteran of ten fights from Lankaran, Azerbaijan. The day before the fight, the promoter told Landman that Babayev had broken his leg. Yonatan and Shai didn't know anything about the new opponent, Agayev Gasim, who was two pounds heavier than Yonatan. In fact, Yonatan still doesn't know his name.

It didn't matter. Landman (110.7 pounds) landed a sharp jab and a sweeping right to score a quick knockout of his overmatched opponent, who came in at 112.5 pounds. Landman credits his father's game plan for the victory. "I did exactly what my father told me to do," Yonatan told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "and it worked out better than expected."

Landman is next scheduled to fight on March 5 at the famed Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana. BoxRec currently lists Landman's opponent as Simon Tackie (0-2).