Josh Feldman and Doron Zinman Back in Action on May 24

Junior middleweight Joshua Feldman and featherweight Doron Zinman are scheduled to be back in the ring on May 24 at Carnival City, outside Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa on a tournament promoted by Boxing 5 Promotions.

This will mark the third time the friends will have fought on the same pro card. Zinman made his pro debut on November 23 with a unanimous decision victory over Masibulele Mjoli while Feldman scored a first round TKO victory over Brian Shakoane on the same card. On February 21, it was Zinman's turn to win by first round TKO when he stopped Nhlakhanipho Phungula. Feldman boxed intelligently in defeating Jonas Senga by unanimous decision.

Zinman (2-0, one KO) will be partaking in only his third pro fight. At this stage, the 20 year old simply needs more ring experience, so a step-up opponent isn't yet necessary. Feldman (6-0, 3 KOs) turned pro a year earlier than his pal. He has fought in two scheduled six-rounders and gone the full six-round distance once. An opponent of a similar caliber as Senga makes sense for the 20 year old from Cape Town.

Opponents have yet to be announced for the two Jewish South African fighters.

Yan Zak to Make Pro Debut May 3

Yan Zak is scheduled to make his professional debut against Darshan Singh at the Round 10 Boxing Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 25 year old Israeli's debut has been long awaited.

Zak is a decorated amateur. He won gold at the U22 European championships in 2022 and has a wealth of experience fighting at the world championships and other important tournaments. Zak is noted for his rivalry with the respected Loren Alfonso of Azerbaijan.

A resident of Ashdod, Zak can fight in a variety of styles, but is primarily a boxer-puncher. Coached by Artur Zlat of the Tyson Mireli Team, Zak boxes with an in-and out-style in the Russian mold. But he is not one-dimensional. Against a classy boxer like Alfonso, Zak mauled the Cuban-Azeri to negate his quickness. Zak's prospects in the pro game are exciting to contemplate.

His opponent, Darshan Singh, is a 20 year old from Badiala, Punjab, India with a record of 2-4 with 2 KOs. Singh is no pushover. He has a good chin, can slip punches, and has improved since his debut. In that 2023 debut against Manbir Manbir, Singh launched wide haymakers and exhibited poor footwork. In February this year, Singh showed progress in a fight against the much heavier Jaipal Singh. He developed a jab, straightened out his punches a bit, and moved more fluidly.

Singh took hard rights to the face in the fourth round against Manbir. Jaipal, who outweighed Darshan by nearly 60 pounds, dug into his body shots and connected with clean rights to the head. Yet Darshan stood up to the blows in both fights, showing not only a good chin, but a fighter's heart. He took the punishment even while the ring lights flashed and rotated into the fighters' eyes in both contests.

All of Darshan Singh's fights have been in and around the cruiserweight division either in his native state of Punjab or the neighboring state of Haryana, both home to many people of the Sikh religion. Sikh men typically adopt the surname Singh to show equality and reject caste hierarchies, which is why four of his six opponents have shared the same name. Women assume the surname Kaur. Sikhs often keep with them a kirpan, or small curved dagger, as part of their faith. Singh may need to use it in the ring against Zak to have a chance.

Zak will need to be careful against the free-swinging Singh, but his debut is hopefully the beginning of an promising career. Zak will have six rounds, so he should remain patient and try to break down the durable Singh instead of aiming for a one-punch knockout. Singh already has gone eight rounds, so the distance won't be a problem for him while the six-round length will be an adjustment for Zak.

Yan typically fought at around 200 pounds as an amateur, but this fight is scheduled as a heavyweight contest. The last quality Jewish heavyweight pro was Roman Greenberg.

Several Jewish Boxers Honored

Several Jewish boxers have been honored recently. Jill "The Zion Lion" Matthews (1995-1999) was inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame earlier this month.

Gary "Kid" Jacobs (1985-1997), whose autobiography is available for purchase, was elected into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Hopefully, his former manager, Mickey Duff, will be elected next year. The Jewish Boxing Blog will have a review of Jacob's book Fightback shortly.

Harry "Kid" Brown (1915-1932) will be elected into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame this year. He'll join his younger brother Joe, a boxer and world-renowned sculptor.

Cletus "Hebrew Hammer" Seldin (2011-present) was honored by the Jewish Sports Heritage Association earlier this month. Seldin gave an impassioned speech denouncing antisemitism.

Brooklyn Barwick to Fight May 31

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to fight on May 31 in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. The 25 year old is looking to move her record to 2-0.

Barwick is returning to the scene of her debut, a first knockout victory over Alejandra Marruffo on March 1. She'll look to stay active this year as she builds up her ring experience and credibility in the sport.

Barwick recently sparred with Nisa Rodriguez, an undefeated super middleweight from Manhattan who is only a bout a foot taller than the 4'11" Laguna Beach native. Of Rodriguez, Brooklyn told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "She's a beast." The bicoastal Barwick also got some work in with coach Shawn Estrada, a former Olympian and undefeated pro, at Knockouts in Los Angeles.

courtesy of Robert Rosas

No opponent has yet been announced for this four round bout.

Larry Boardman's Fabulous Five-Fight String

Larry Boardman was an elite lightweight during the 1950s who beat a slew of champions. Known for his tremendous power in both hands, his ninth round knockout of Frankie Ryff on June 1, 1956 at Madison Square Garden was so ferocious, kids who watched it on television vividly remembered it fifty years later.

Boardman first burst into the consciousness of the boxing public on February 7, 1956 when he survived two knockdowns against the lightweight world champion Wallace "Bud" Smith at Boston Garden in a non-title affair to win by split decision. The "unknown" Boardman went down for the first time in his career in the first and was hurt in the ninth en route to a surprising decision victory.

Larry was just 19 years old at the time. Reports of his birthplace put him in the tiny central Connecticut town of Marlborough, which had about 300 residents on March 21, 1936 when Lawrence Boardman was born. Census records, however, place the Boardmans in Hartford in 1935, Middlesex in 1940, and Haddam in 1950, all relatively close to Marlborough.

Larry's father, Samuel J., emigrated from Russia and married Jennie from Massachusetts. Sam reportedly was a journeyman boxer and later worked as an executive at a mattress manufacture before running a gas station and roadside restaurant. As a boy, Larry was enamored with his father's boxing career. He enjoyed getting into fights at school and begged his father to teach him how to box. At nine, he received his first pair of boxing gloves. But in an attempt to dissuade Larry from taking up boxing, Sam was very tough on him. The rigorous sessions had the opposite effect though, and they turned Larry into a fighting machine.

Sam took his son down to Miami, Florida to train at the famed 5th Street Gym. Larry, who had turned pro fourteen months before his win over Smith, began his career with fourteen straight victories. His record stood at 28-2 heading into the Smith clash, in which he was a late replacement for Tony DeMarco. Boardman's shocking defeat of the reigning lightweight champion turned the tide of Smith's career for the worse. The loss started a string of eleven consecutive defeats to end Smith's career.

Two months later, Boardman faced the current featherweight and junior lightweight world champion, Sandy Saddler, an all-time great. Promoter Sam Silverman chose Boston Garden as the venue, the second time in a row Boardman would fight there.

Saddler was not only a power puncher but was known to bend the rules. "I hope it's a good clean fight fought on its merits," Boardman said before the fight, "but if Sandy plays rough with me, he'll get more than he bargained for."

Boardman started the fight by attacking Saddler and landing his spiteful right. The champion was hurt in the first round when an uppercut induced a bloody nose, and again in the third. Saddler was up to his old tricks, hitting on the break while on the verge of being stopped for only the second time in his illustrious career. He managed to finish the ten round fight, but Boardman won the non-title affair by unanimous decision. Willie Pep, who was one of the best fighters to ever live despite having been stopped by Saddler thrice in their four-fight rivalry, said that Boardman gave "Saddler one of the worst beatings of his career."

Saddler never fought again. He injured his eye in an automobile accident that summer and doctors deemed his condition too tenuous to continue fighting.

Larry vaulted into the top ten of The Ring's lightweight ratings on the strength of his two impressive victories over current champions. Television clamored for the up-and-coming 20 year old and his next fight came against Frankie Ryff, the 1954 rookie of the year. Ryff had grown into a top contender and had a style made for television. Despite Boardman's recent success, Ryff was the favorite heading into their June 1 matchup at Madison Square Garden.

With 46 seconds left in the ninth round, Ryff was counted out, a victim of Boardman's concussive right which had followed a left hook. Ryff's trainer Cus D'Amato had a heck of time trying to wake up his fighter. The striking fashion of the victory cemented Boardman's stardom. It was the first time Ryff, who later was badly injured in fall down an elevator shaft, was knocked out.

"I guess we showed 'em tonight," bellowed Sam Boardman. "They said that Frankie Ryff was too much fighter for Larry, but we showed 'em, didn't we son?"

Sam had done a masterful job bringing his boy through the ranks. When Larry declared he was determined to become a fighter, Sam smacked him with an overhand right. "He slugged me alright," Larry remembered years later. "The hardest punch I ever took.... he wanted to see if I had the stuff to make a fighter."

"I never went looking for set-ups," Sam said of his managerial strategy. "He had tough opposition from from his first fight on and learned something that stuck with him in every fight. Mind you, I was always sure he wasn't overmatched, but I never wanted him in an easy fight."

After three impressive victories, Sam suddenly had trouble getting Larry a fight. He had to turn to the International Boxing Commission (IBC), run by notorious mobsters Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo. "I thought Frank could get the big matches for us," Sam said.  And then, as if by magic, Boardman was suddenly scheduled to face former welterweight champ Jimmy Carter on September 11 at Boston Garden.

Carter outboxed Boardman early in the fight, but in the eighth round Boardman floored the former champ three times, which was once more than Carter had hit the canvas in all of his previous 104 fights combined. The fight was stopped in that round, and Boardman was hailed as "the new Benny Leonard." Carter would post a losing record of 6-8 the rest of his career.

Boardman vs. Saddler (left), Ryff (center), and Carter (right)

Boardman was called the uncrowned lightweight champion. Two months after the win over Carter, Larry faced another former champion, Paddy DeMarco.  True to his reputation, DeMarco "used every roughhouse trick in the book. He mauled, pushed, grabbed, tackled, hit on the break, and charged in his famous billy goat style." He lost the fourth round on fouls. In the fifth, Boardman scored a knockdown with a flush shot to the chin. He won by wide unanimous decision. In his last eleven fights following the Boardman loss, DeMarco would win only two.

Boardman suffered cuts over both eyes and a damaged left hand in the DeMarco brawl. His team said he'd be out for eight weeks. He deserved a rest to heal after an incredible five-fight string. Instead, the IBC ordered him to fight Orlando Zulueta a slick Cuban fighting out of New York, only one month after the DeMarco fight. Zulueta made Boardman miss early and often. "He hits hard with both hands," Zulueta said after the fight. "I knew he would hit in 1-2 combinations, so I stepped back to watch him throw two and then hit him." Boardman lost by majority decision. Blinky Palermo was indignant, believing Zulueta ran all fight. "Zulueta did absolutely nothing. The referee warned him to fight all night."

After a win, Boardman was slated to fight another former world champion, the ex-welter king Tony DeMarco. DeMarco battered Boardman, knocking him down twice in the fifth. The sequence that led to the first knockdown began with a right uppercut. At the end of the round, Boardman was hanging halfway out of the ropes for another knockdown, but the bell saved him. He went into survival mode and showed grit to last the ten rounds.

Boardman had success during the rest of his career, which lasted until 1960 with two comeback fights in 1963, but never again did he reach the heights he climbed in 1956. In May of '57, an opponent of Boardman's refused to fight when only 200 people showed up to the venue.

Two years later, the California State Athletic Commission suspended both Boardmans when Larry pulled out of a fight promoted by Don Chargin. Sam claimed Larry had a nose injury and a bad right hand, but the commission would have none of it. The Boardmans packed up and fought in Florida and Boston instead.

Larry Boardman finished his career with a record of 45-10-1 with 23 KOs. After his career, he worked for Sears in Jacksonville, Florida for 25 years before retiring. In 2008, he was inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.

Sources
"Any Larry Boardman recollections?" BoxingForum24.com. Sep. 24, 2011.

Bernstein, Ralph. "Boardman Win Over DeMarco May Be Costly." The Evening News. Nov. 13, 1956. Pg. 25.

"Boardman Decisioned by DeMarco." Independent. Mar. 31, 1957. Pg. 31.

"Boardman Knocks Out Ryff 46 Seconds of Ninth Round in Garden Contest." New York Times. Jun. 2, 1956. Pg. 15.

"Boardman Outpoints Saddler in Boston." New York Times. Apr. 15, 1956. Pg. 209.

"Boardman Stops Carter in Eighth." Los Angeles Times. Sep. 12, 1956.Pg. A1.

"Boxing Cuban 'Dodges' Way to Split Win." The Wichita Beacon. Dec. 18, 1956. Pg. 17.

"Boxing Pilot is Suspended." The Sun. Jun. 11, 1959. Pg. S24.
"Class of 2008." Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame. 

Cuoco, Dan. "A Look Back at the Career of Lightweight Contender Larry Boardman." IBRO. Sep. 24, 2008.

"Fighter Won't Fight; Not Big Enough Crowd." Chicago Daily Tribune. May 29, 1957. Pg. B3.
"Larry Boardman." OOTP Forum. Jan. 9, 2005.

Pep, Wille and Robert Scachi. Friday's Heroes. 2008.

Weston, Stanley. "The Strange Case of Larry Boardman". Boxing and Wrestling. Feb. 1957.

All Eyes on Brooklyn Barwick

Coming off a first round stoppage victory in her professional debut, Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick hopes to reenter the ring in May. Her plan is to compete somewhere between bantamweight and featherweight this year, but the Laguna Beach native is willing to take on all comers from flyweight up to lightweight. She just wants to fight.

The 25 year old came to boxing later than most. A former gymnast and wrestler, the 4'11" fun-sized fighter broke into the sport through the world of influencer boxing two years ago. Though Barwick became disgusted by the antics she was required to perform in order to hype those events, she found she enjoyed this brutal sport. "I actually started to love boxing and decided to take it seriously," she told The Jewish Boxing Blog.

Barwick not only trains out of New York but also worked out at Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas. She employs a coterie of coaches. The hard work has already begun to pay off. Compared to her influencer days, she showed noticeable improvement in her debut against Alejandro Marrufo in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico on March 1. Barwick hounded her opponent with relentless pressure, eating a few shots on her way to an exciting, albeit brief, first round TKO win after just 54 seconds of action.

The Big Deal has big dreams. The only active female Jewish pro boxer in the United States, she's aiming for a world title and has already called out Francesca Hennessy, an undefeated British junior featherweight.

Barwick knows she's not yet ready for the big fights. "Now it's all about proving myself and working my way up," she said. But she's uniquely situated to succeed in boxing. The combination of her fan-friendly style and her expansive social media reach will serve her well in this business. Despite Turki Al-Sheikh and Dana White's proposed league, there's no current centralized marketing push in boxing. It's every boxer for themselves. In this climate, Barwick's ability to draw eyes will surely be an asset as her career progresses.

Review of Boxing's Greatest Controversies

Boxing's Greatest Controversies: Blunders, Blood Feuds, and Mob Corruption

By Louis Joshua Eisen

Dundurn Press, 2025

In Boxing's Greatest Controversies, Lou Eisen delves deep into eleven significant fights, ranging from a bareknuckle brawl to Mike Tyson's gnawing on Evander Holyfield's ear. Heavyweights dominate the book as Eisen examines the seminal moments from the careers of Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, and Muhammad Ali. Legendary lightweights Joe Gans and Roberto Durán are also featured.

Each chapter provides background on both fighters involved and the wider context of the sport at the time. That's followed by a diagnosis of the controversy and its ultimate significance. To avoid spoilers, analysis of Eisen's forcefully delivered conclusions to each controversy, which often buck conventional beliefs, will be omitted from this review.

In providing those conclusions, Eisen carefully and gradually lays out his case for each one. Since a few of the fights he covers took place around a hundred years ago, there's some necessary speculation surrounding Eisen's findings. The writing is at times rhythmic due to the author's frequent deployment of hypophora. A touch of moralizing seeps into the accounts of fistic battles with managers often the culprits of any mischief.

Nine of the eleven fights covered are truly integral to telling the story of boxing. The less important Carnera-Schaaf bout is the weakest chapter because of some inconsistencies. Boxing has produced so many fights that could have been included, it's unfair to suggest any replacement, but it would have been enlightening to read Eisen's treatment of the Jack Britton-Benny Leonard fiasco.

Boxing's Greatest Controversies is a great introduction to the history of the sport through several key fights. This book is an illuminating gateway for those who want to learn about boxing history, but don't know where to start. For those more versed in boxing history, Eisen's conclusions provide fodder for argument about these memorable events by challenging established narratives.

Lev Jackson Wins by KO

Lightweight Lev Jackson won tonight by second round knockout over Jonathan Hernandez Pelayo in Jamay, Jalisco, Mexico.

The 32 year old Vancouverite came into this fight without any knowledge of his opponent for the first time in his pro career. "I was patient and boxed, no brawling," Jackson told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "I waited him out because he wanted a street fight."

Hernandez, a 26 year old from Zapopan, fought as a southpaw and hoped to lure Jackson into exchanges. Jackson, though, kept his distance and landed accurate shots from the outside.

In the second round, Jackson scored a knockdown with a well-timed left to the body. He then connected with a two punch combination to the midsection and a left to the temple to score the knockout. Referee Alejandro Zaragoza counted to ten and waved off the fight two minutes and 24 seconds into the round.

BoxRec currently has listed the wrong date for the event and the wrong round of the knockout. The site also says Jackson won by TKO even though Zaragoza reached the count of ten, constituting a KO. If the winless Hernandez was actually the opponent, he had on trunks worn by Christian Acevas Rivera on March 15, but Hernandez had turned the trunks around so that the back was in front.

Jackson was so focused on the fight, he didn't pay attention to the name of the opponent. He thought he heard his foe was named Ivan, but was too locked in. Ivan Amescua, a southpaw, fought on the same March 15 card as Aceves when he wore those trunks.

In any event, the experience taught Jackson to be prepared for anything. He appreciated the opportunity to fight outside his native Canada for the first time. Lev's record improves to 4-1-1 with 2 KOs. Hernandez is now 0-10 and has been stopped eight times.

courtesy of Jackson's IG page

Lev Jackson Weighs In

Lev Jackson and Jonathan Hernndez Pelayo weighed in ahead of his fight tomorrow at Jamay Center, in Jamay, Jalisco, Mexico. Teofista Boxing is promoting the show.

The 32 year old from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada will be facing a substitute opponent in a lightweight bout. The all-action fighter flew down to Mexico today for his first fight outside of Canada. Jackson, who is 3-1-1, was last in the ring on July 20, 2023.

Pelayo (0-9) is a 26 year old from Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Nicknamed "Palas." his weight was 136.3 pounds, the heaviest of his career. His lightest was 121.5 pounds in 2021. His previous high was 135.8, which has been twice before fights.

Jill Matthews to be Inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame

Jill Matthews will be inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is a deserved honor for a woman who was both a pioneer and a quality boxer.

A former gymnast, Matthews was nicknamed "The Zion Lion." In 1995, she became the first woman ever to win a New York Golden Gloves title when she stopped Dee Hamaguchi in the first round of the 101-pound final at Madison Square Garden.

Matthews turned pro later that year and lost her first fight. In 1998, she won the IFBA light flyweight world title. Later that year, she avenged that debut loss to win the IWBF light flyweight world title. She finished her career in 1999 with a hard-fought record of 9-4-1 with 7 KOs and two world titles belts.

A college graduate, Matthews was a musician before and after her boxing career. Around 2013, Matthews was diagnosed with brain cancer. She fought bravely and beat the disease. Mazel tov to Jill Matthews for her induction into the IWBHOF.

Staying Focused: David Malul Discusses His Third Fight

David Malul showed some more of his skills in his third fight, a unanimous decision victory over Shaquille Rushing last Saturday. His jab and his dedication to the body were two key factors in his win.

"I believe in my jab," Malul told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "It was the gameplan to use the jab and I saw openings for it." The importance of the jab is espoused by his coach Mike Stellate at the Main Street Gym. "Everything is based off the jab," Malul said.

Bodywork is also stressed. "Body in Hebrew is behtan (בטן). Everybody in the gym knows the word behtan, because I say it so much." David understands just how essential body punches are. He's learning how to use them to break down opponents. "When you see it work, you believe it. Going to the body wasn't just the gameplan for this fight. It's the gameplan for every fight."

In November, Malul scored a devastating knockout of Zachary Davis. In the second round of that fight, he loaded up on head shots. "If I see an opening, I'm going to take it," the 22 year old explained. "He had an awkward frame that wasn't sturdy. I knew his punches wouldn't hurt me even if he caught me, so it was low risk," he said of his second pro fight. "If I can take you out early, I'll put you to sleep. I don't get paid overtime." In the third round, he set up the vicious knockout blow with a couple of shots to the ole behtan.

Malul was originally scheduled to fight Rushing on February 13, but the fight was delayed five weeks because of an illness to a main event fighter. David himself suffered from the flu in early February, having to cut weight and spar while sick. He was initially disappointed with the postponement because he had pushed himself so hard to get ready. But Coach Stellate helped him reorient his mentality. "My coach said, 'Now you have more time to train and have a better performance.'"

Curiously, Rushing is listed as a southpaw on BoxRec. Malul had seen his first fight and was prepared for him to fight from an orthodox stance, but he was ready for anything. He brought in "Lefty Gunz" Matthew Gonzalez to spar in case Rushing fought as a southpaw.

At the weigh-in, a fighter in another matchup refused to show up, which delayed the proceedings for over an hour. Coach Stellate kept Malul focused and reframed the situation. "Just imagine how hungry your opponent is," the coach told his charge.

Once the fight started, David trusted his skills more. "Slowly, the ring is becoming a home to me," he said. One skill he's had to learn is tuning out the crowd. His fans are boisterous and it affected him in his debut, a fight in which he was knocked down twice in the first before winning by knockout that same round. "When I say I didn't have much experience, it's not just the ten amateur fights. I didn't have experience with the crowd. Now I'm zoned in. I had to learn to dial out the crowd."

For the Rushing fight, David wore "Bibas" on his orange trunks to honor Shiri, Ariel and Kfir. The mother and her two sons were kidnapped and murder by Hamas in 2023. Yarden Bibas, who was released after 484 days in captivity, wrote a note of appreciation to David for the gesture. "I wanted to win to honor them," David said.

While his commemoration of the Bibas family has gained some publicity, flying under the radar is the fact that David flew out wounded Israeli soldiers and bought them front row seats to show his gratitude for their sacrifice.

David's heart is in the right place, but so is his head. When asked what he can improve in the ring, he was adamant, "My whole game entirely," he said. "My jab, my right hand, everything. I'll be working on it in the gym. I truly believe my best skill hasn't come out yet."

When it does, the crowd will surely be rocking and the opponent will soon be sleeping.

David Malul Sweeps the Cards

"King" David Malul defeated Shaquille "Gold Rush" Rushing by unanimous decision at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York, USA. The fight was the main event of Star Boxing's Rockin' Fights 50.

Malul came out with an improved jab that he threw accurately and with purpose throughout the fight. The 22 year old from Jamaica, Queens, New York went to the body early and often. He varied his power downstairs and landed with both hands, but mostly with left hooks. The body shots didn't quite set up the knockout blow upstairs as they did against Zachary Davis last fight, though.

Rushing - a 29 year old from Lakeland, Florida - threw punches, but very few were effective. His best punch of the fight was a counter left hook in the third after Malul had thrown one of his many left hooks to the body.. Rushing's best qualities were toughness and a tremendous heart.

Malul threw right uppercuts, left hooks, overhand rights, straight rights, and chopping rights, but Rushing was able to stand upright throughout. He wobbled just before the bell to end the first round, but he managed to use the minute rest period to recover.

All three judges and The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the fight 40-36 for Malul. David wore orange trunks and had "Bibas" across his trunks to honor Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas who were kidnapped on October 7, 2023 and eventually murdered. He also dedicated the fight to his late grandfather who died recently. "I felt his presence," David said.

Now 3-0 with two KOs, Malul is motivated to continue to succeed. "If they want to beat me," he said, "they'll have to kill me." Rushing is now 0-2.

photo courtesy of Star Boxing

Malul and Rushing Make Weight

"King" David Malul and Shaquille "Gold Rush" Rushing weighed in ahead of their 148-pound clash tomorrow at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York, USA. They are scheduled to fight on Star Boxing's Rockin' Fights 50.

Malul (2-0, 2 KOs), a 22 year old New Yorker, weighed 147.4 pounds for the second straight fight. He was 146.6 for his debut. This bout was announced at a catchweight, a pound above the welterweight limit. In preparation for this fight, he sparred with several of his Main Street Gym stablemates. Some fighters he sparred with were Ronnie Reyes, Joe Elzey, and Yeuri Andujar. "All sharp guys who pushed me every session and made sure I was ready for anything on fight night," Malul told The Jewish Boxing Blog.

Rushing (0-1), a 29 year old from Florida, came in at 144.6. He was 141.5 pounds for his debut. BoxRec lists Rushing as a southpaw, but he fought his debut in the orthodox stance.

There was a delay before the fighters could weigh in, which Malul called "a little bit of a drag." Fighters often have to cut weight, and any wait can add more strain to the body. "I stayed focused, kept my energy right, and made sure I was ready when it was time to step on the scale," Malul explained.

Malul-Rushing is scheduled for four rounds. The fight can be stream at StarBoxing.tv.

Lev Jackson Returning in April

Lightweight Lev Jackson is scheduled to return to the ring on April 5 in Jalisco, Mexico on a show promoted by Teofista Boxing. Jackson last fought on July 20, 2023.

A 32 year old from Vancouver, Jackson is an all-action fighter. He defeated the bigger Luis Prieto by majority decision in his last fight to move to 3-1-1 with one KO. Then, he experienced an unexpected 20-month layoff. Jackson was scheduled to fight that December, but the commission pulled the opponent and a replacement couldn't be found in time. Lev was then scheduled to fight last April, but that fight fell through.

Since his last fight, Jackson has had better luck out of the ring. A butcher by trade, he got engaged and his first child in on the way. Lev has reunited with coach Junior Moar for this fight, his first outside of Canada.

Seldin Wins Tough Fight by MD

Junior welterweight Cletus Seldin defeated Yeis Solano by majority decision in a tough fight at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA on 360 Promotions St. Patrick’s Day card this evening. Seldin’s constant pressure and activity carried the contest.

The 38 year old Seldin, wearing purple sequin trunks, came out to Rick Derringer’s “Real American” as a portion of the crowd chanted “Hamma, “Hamma!” Solano, a 32 year old Colombian, marched to the ring to “Lejos de Casa” by Dandy Bway.

Seldin came out of the gate like a bull. Solano, a southpaw who is naturally right handed, immediately fought off the backfoot. In the pocket, the “Hebrew Hammer” dipped to his right. Solano soon caught on and started landing straight lefts.

Seldin had Solano against the ropes throughout the fight, beginning in the second round. Seldin ravaged the body to take the round and even the score. But Cletus’s left eye started to swell.

The third started with some heated exchanges that didn’t do much damage. Solano boxed well, connecting with right hooks. “El Tigre” maintained the momentum into the fourth. He walked Seldin onto his hooks and straight lefts. After four, Seldin appeared to be down three-to-one and searching for answers. Someone from press row joked, “Looks like he left his hammer at home tonight.”

Cletus possesses superior stamina compared to most fighters and it served him well in this fight. He never relented, never stopped throwing his hands. Conversely, Solano wore down. He got on his bike in the fifth as Cletus kept after his midsection.

To start the sixth, referee David Fields called the doctor over to look at Seldin’s eye. Once allowed to continue, he launched a big right. Solano alternated between holding and running. To his credit, the Colombian came back in the seventh and was responsible for the eye-catching shots. Cletus though never stopped bullying Solano against the ropes.

Seldin needed a convincing eighth and final round and he delivered. Solano mostly tried to survive, perhaps thinking he was ahead, or perhaps he was gassed. Seldin exhibited a great motor right through the final bell.

One judge had it a draw; the same score as The Jewish Boxing Blog. But two judges scored the bout for Seldin, 78-74, 77-75. After the fight, Cletus and his wife announced that they have a baby on the way. Daddy Hammer is now 29-1 with 23 KOs. Solano falls to 16-5 with 10 KOs. Mazel tov to the Seldins!

Seldin and Solano Make Weight

Cletus Seldin and Yeis Solano both made weight ahead of their clash tomorrow at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA. Seldin came out with a leprechaun hat and tossed it into the crowd before the ceremonial weigh-in.

Seldin (28-1, 23 KOs) came in at 139.2 pounds. This is the lightest the 38 year old Seldin has been since the William Silva fight in 2021, three bouts ago. His lightest was 138.25 pounds against Zab Judah in 2019. His heaviest was 148 pounds early in his career.

Solano (15-4, 10 KOs) weighed 139.4 pounds. This is the lightest the southpaw has weighed since 2019, which was his first fight in the United States. The 32 year old Colombian's lightest weight was 130 pounds ten years ago. His heaviest was 143.75 pounds in 2021.

At the press conference, Cletus Seldin said he belongs on the 360 Promotions' St. Patrick Day card because he's 3% Irish. The Hebrew Hammer is about as Irish as a potato latke, but Cletus showed appreciation to promoter Tom Loeffler for including him on this show. Seldin told Inside The Ropes that he has tried to get on cards up and down the East Coast this past year, but the free agent hasn't much luck. Seldin's last fight was on 360 Promotions' St. Patrick's card last year.

The weigh-in can be viewed at Fight Hub's YouTube page. The Jewish Boxing Blog's preview of the fight can be viewed here.

Seldin-Solano is scheduled for eight rounds and will be streamed on UFC  Fight Pass's YouTube page. The event is scheduled to start at 4pm New York time, and Seldin's fight in the third bout.

Review of The Knockout

The Knockout: Sport's Most Decisive Moment
By Andy Clarke

Aurum, 2024

In The Knockout, Sky Sports commentator Andy Clarke examines the moment a fight is stopped through the perspectives of the victor, the vanquished, the coach, and the referee. The views of Carl Froch, Tony Bellew, David Haye, and Matthew Macklin make up the majority of the book and are its strength.

The fighters share their mentality heading into battle. Most acknowledge that they can- and at some point will- get knocked out, an illuminating revelation. They discuss their fear, their nerves, and their focus. They provide a fascinating window behind the scenes.

Knockouts are broken up into two categories: the one-punch shot and the type that involves breaking down the opponent. Clarke explains everything thoroughly so that someone new to the sport can follow along. However, the insight from the boxers will satisfy a hardcore fan and resonate with current and former fighters.

The Knockout comes up short in some ways, however. It's organized thematically, but the best portions are when the focus is simply on one person for an extended portion. Those parts made Clarke's journalistic introductions, describing where he met the interviewee, more relevant. The chapter on "Fear" left the most to be desired in terms of organization.

The book could've used better editing. Long-winded sentences and inconsistent comma usage probably don't matter to most readers, but those who care will struggle with some parts of the book. The numerous clauses in a sentence can muddle Clarke's points, "Despite my reservations above, I do believe, having discussed it with numerous parties, that 'everything happens for a reason' can be a helpful navigational tool (especially in a career as unpredictable as that of a professional boxer), if employed as a philosophical overview, as an ongoing course of treatment, if you will, rather than as a cure for a specific ailment (pg. 196)." Many of Clarke's sentences are pithy and enlightening, but there are too many tedious ones like this example.

British English and American English disagree on some forms of comma usage. Personally, I favor commas after introductory phrases, the oxford comma, and the consistent employment of commas. It helps make things clearer. For fear of going to deep into a lesson of commas, suffice it to say, this book had its issues regardless of which system is used.

The Knockout had the potential to be mentioned alongside Mike Silver's important Arc of Boxing, but the above issues hold it back. The final fight covered at length, between Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker, didn't even end in a knockout. But there are plenty of interesting anecdotes to make it worth a read, especially for those interested in the British boxing scene.

The Desire to Improve: Doron Zinman Discusses the Phungula Fight

Doron Zinman's dominant first round TKO victory on February 21 signified an improvement over his pro debut. "I worked hard to perform better this fight and will continue to do as such," Zinman told The Jewish Boxing Blog.

In his debut last November, Zinman showed a noteworthy ability to adjust mid-fight and take control of the contest after a slow start. In his second fight, the "Buzzsaw" spent a few seconds assessing the situation before attacking his opponent, Nhlakanipho Phungula.

"I realized quickly that my best attack would be on the inside where I can land my hard shots while he would struggle with no room," Zinman explained.

While Phungula was on the ropes in the Philly Shell style of defense, Zinman saw openings for his right to the head and threw accordingly.  "I tried to go to his body, but his hands were tied to his midsection, leaving his chin open for my punch." Zinman dissected. "The angle which I was standing made it ideal to land the right hand at will. That caused both the knockdown and the stoppage when he shelled up."

While chopping away at Phungula with rights up top, Zinman slipped in a right uppercut that initiated the knockdown. It was a beautiful adjustment that showed Zinman is a fast learner. The 20 year old from Cape Town didn't have much of an amateur career, but he was able to quickly develop a winning strategy against a tricky defensive style. While Phungula is not exactly George Benton or Floyd Mayweather, Zinman's ability to pressure his man, eat some punches along the way, and still process information rapidly bodes well for his future in the ring.

But Zinman knows he's not a finished product yet. "There is a lot to learn from this fight," he said. "It was far from what I am capable of doing. My footwork, range management, and head movement definitely need my attention and continuous improvement."

In addition to his other qualities, the desire to improve means Doron "Buzzsaw" Zinman is one to keep an eye on.

Preview of Cletus Seldin vs. Yeis Solano

Cletus Seldin is now scheduled to fight Yeis Gabriel Solano on March 16 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, USA. His original opponent on the 360 Promotions card was Issouf Kinda, who was replaced a couple of weeks ago.

Seldin, a 38 year old New Yorker with a record of 28-1 (23 KOs), last fought a year ago at the same venue in an event run by the same promotor. The "Hebrew Hammer" started strong against Jose Angulo, scoring a knockdown in both of the first two rounds before winning by majority decision. In the meantime, Cletus, who proposed to his long time girlfriend immediately after the Angulo fight, got married.

Solano (15-4,10 KOs) is no pushover for Seldin. The 32 year old southpaw from Colombia doesn't have the prettiest record, but the man called "El Tigre" has been in tough in recent years. After winning his first twelve fights in his native land and two in Mexico, he relocated to Las Vegas. His last five fights have all been in the United States against good fighters.

On ShoBox, Solano effectively fought off the ropes against an aggressive Argentine named Elias Araujo in 2019. Though Araujo controlled the tenor of the fight, Solano scored a knockdown in the fourth and countered enough to earn a split decision victory.

A year and a half later, Solano returned to ShoBox where he lost his undefeated record to Mykquan Williams, who outboxed the Colombian. After a split decision defeat to Alberto Palmetta, another Argentine, Solano was dominated by Gabriel Gollaz nearly two years later. Gollaz won by sixth round KO.

Last November, Solano retreated to the ropes against fellow southpaw Kelvin Davis in an attempt to draw the taller man to him. Davis wisely kept his range and convinced Solano to leave his hands at home. Davis scored a late knockdown and a wide unanimous decision victory.

An experienced amateur, Solano is a natural righty with a good right hook. He can fight in different styles, but recently prefers to stay on the perimeter and counter. Seldin will want to bully Solano, keeping him on the ropes because it will neutralize Solano's southpaw advantage if the Colombian is squared up with his back to the ropes. However, Solano is the rare fighter who seems to enjoy fighting off the ropes.

When Seldin fought Zab Judah, a southpaw, he spent some of that fight as a lefty which is another route he could go if he needs it. Seldin switched to southpaw against William Silva when he was being outboxed. Solano can box, but not like Judah or Silva. Seldin should use his strength advantage and muscle Solano, but be mindful of counters.

Seldin-Solano is scheduled for eight rounds and can be streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

Brooklyn Barwick Wins Debut with First Round TKO

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick won her pro debut by first round TKO tonight at Salon CTM in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. She stopped Alejandra Marruffo fifty-four seconds into the opening stanza.

Wearing all pink, Barwick raced out of the corner and started throwing punches immediately. She showed an improved jab and changed levels effectively. Touching Marruffo's body created openings up top, which Barwick took advantage of. Marruffo tried to throw back, but her ill-conceived punches couldn't stop Barwick's constant attack. Referee Daniel Alberto Duarte jumped in after Marruffo ate several shots while her back was to the ropes.

While Barwick fought much better than she had in her previous exhibitions, Marruffo was not a capable opponent. This bout was announced as a lightweight contest in contrast to Marruffo's first fight in November, which was scheduled for twenty pounds lighter, a difference of six weight divisions. The 32 year old from Mexico is now 0-2 with two first round stoppage losses.

Barwick would be wise to stay active this year against lower level competition and then step up only after gaining more pro experience. The 25 year old is now 1-0- with 1 KO.

Brooklyn Barwick to Face Alejandra Marruffo Tomorrow

Brooklyn Barwick is scheduled to face Alejandra Marruffo tomorrow at Salon CTM in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico.

A 25 year old, Barwick is making her pro debut tomorrow. She had a few fights on the influencer circuit. Her opponent, Marruffo, is a 32 year old from nearby Magdalena, Sonora.

Marruffo fought Alison Jazmin Correa last November and lost by first round TKO. Based on her lone pro performance, Marruffo didn't have the proper coaching beforehand. She dropped her hands and slapped and swiped at Correa, leaving herself open for counters. Marruffo was game and showed courage to get into the ring, though.

Barwick-Marruffo will be streamed on the JR Boxing Promotions Facebook page.

The Indominable Drive of Yonatan Landman

Good luck finding a harder worker than Yonatan Landman.

"Yonatan always trains hard," fellow Israeli flyweight David Alaverdian told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "I've never seen someone work as hard as him. It's like, does this guy take a day off?"

Under the guidance of his father Shai, Yonatan is currently training in upstate New York. "It can't just be shadowboxing, hitting the pads, and working the bag. You have to do different things," Landman told The JBB over the phone. "We're in the woods, so I'm cutting wood with an ax. It's fun."

Fun? Only a laser-focused laborer would think chopping wood is fun.

Landman trains as Luis Ortiz looks on,
5th St, Gym, Miami

Yonatan is unassuming. He looks like a guy you would cheat off of during a test in school, donning a shock of red hair on his head. During an in-ring interview after one fight, he was asked, "Why do they call you 'The redhead boxer?'" The 20 year old from Kiryat, Israel politely retorted, "Well, I have red hair, and I'm a boxer."

Landman's training regime is intense. In addition to shadowboxing, hitting the pads, working the bag, and cutting wood, he does pushups, uses bands, repeatedly beats a tire with a hammer, uses dumbbells to strengthen his wrists, works his neck, does balance exercises, explosive force drills, and  mimics getting knocked out by having to box while dizzy.

Is he worried about overtraining? "David has talked to us about overtraining," Landman said of Alaverdian. "We take off holidays."

Shabbat is treated as a day of rest, and he takes off a week every several months. Landman says that if he tells his dad he's tired, they do a lighter exercise. When a fighter has to try to convince you he doesn't work quite so hard, you know he's as diligent as they come.

Landman trains incredibly hard for two reasons. "To be the best," he said matter-of-factly. "Also, I started late. Ninety percent of boxers start at a young age," he said of the second reason. "They start in a good place like the U.S. Israel doesn't have the same level of coaching as elsewhere. I started at 15." He's ambitious and making up for lost time.

Landman was a national champion kickboxer before switching to boxing. "It was a difficult transition in the first year," he said. The stance is different, there's a lot of jumping in kickboxing, and it requires one to be bulkier and stronger. To box, one needs to be fast and accurate. Yonatan and his father Shai realized there was nowhere else to go in kickboxing, and boxing offered recognition and more money. Shai suggested Yonatan should try boxing, and the kid liked it.

Shai, who used to box, graduated from the Wingate Institute, known as the preeminent sports school in Israel. After Yonatan's switch, Shai searched out many boxing coaches for help, not just in Israel, but in Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Germany. Father and son spent two years in London, including at the Finchley club. Shai studiously took notes and videotaped what the coaches were doing. He took pieces from each coach, applying what fit Yonatan's abilities and style.

The story of fathers coaching their sons in boxing is not always a happy one. For every Joe and Enzo Calzaghe, there are plenty of fathers that stymie their son's progress. Even Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his father had trouble working together. But it works for Shai and Yonatan because Shai is willing to learn, and Yonatan is willing to listen. They've shared personal videos of Yonatan's fights with The JBB where Shai can be heard providing instructions during the action. He presses the joystick and Yonatan executes the punches to great effect.

Shai decided his son should turn pro when the ginger-haired warrior was 19. Many people in Israel told him that Yonatan was too young to go pro; he should stay in the amateurs for another four years. "We are going to do something different," Shai declared. Yonatan explained, "Ninety nine percent of boxers in Israel are amateurs, but it's difficult to progress in the amateur system." It's costly, time-consuming, and often times corrupt. Israeli amateur boxing is still affiliated with the discredited International Boxing Association.

Landman has fought professionally in Azerbaijan, Tanzania, and Ghana. He describes the two events in Baku as "well-managed." They had to register, there were doctors, and the competition was run beautifully. However, the opponent pulled out two days before Landman's debut. "Two days before, the guy who made the fight told us, 'The other guy was skiing and broke his leg.'" Skiing? he was asked in disbelief. "Yeah, skiing. Who goes skiing two days before a fight?" Fortunately, a replacement was found. Landman dismantled him.

In Tanzania, his fight took place on the island of Zanzibar. And how was it? "Wow, amazing!" The fight was supposed to be right on the beach. The Landmans trained locally for a week, but the venue was changed at the last minute. Father and son always try to watch as much video of the opponent as they can get their hands on. In this fight, they overestimated the Tanzanian opponent who wasn't nearly as strong in real life as on tape.

Ghana, where Yonatan has fought four times, was completely different. Before one weigh-in, he waited for six hours partially dressed in the boiling heat. Things are more open, so lots of people came to see what was happening. Landman loves the excitement the people brought. They often screamed things, sometimes even antisemitic taunts.

Before his last fight in Ghana, the opponent's trainer used pads labeled "Free Palestine" during their warmup and shouted, "Kill all Jews!" Price Patel, a self-assured British-born boxer and promoter who has been instrumental in Landman's career, told the 20 year old, "Don't fucking listen to this guy! If he says it again, give his guy a beating." Landman was so focused, the threats didn't both him in the moment. He carried tzitzit with him to the ring and then administered a proper beatdown.

That resounding victory was the culmination of two fights in Accra within eight days of each other. After defeating Asamoah Wilson in what Yonatan calls his toughest fight, he started training again the next day. His face was marked up, but he worked each day before resting on Friday, two days before the fight. The hotel had a gym, which he utilized frequently although he didn't spar that week.

In his first year as a pro, Landman won seven fights, all by knockout. "He punches hard for his weight," David Alaverdian said. The Landman clan recently spent five weeks in Miami where Yonatan trained at the legendary 5th Street Gym with coach Herman Caicedo and former heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz. Yonatan said both were great guys. He marveled at Caicedo's knowledge and Ortiz's generosity.

Prince Patel applauds after one of Landman's seven victories in 2024

Now, he's in camp up in New York where he said, "I'm making a lot of progress." As for this year, he explained, "We're looking for as many competitions as possible." He and his dad are in the U.S. looking for a good coach, someone with good connections who can take Yonatan to the next level.

One thing's for sure, whoever that coach will be is going to have a tough time finding anyone who works harder than Yonatan Landman.

Joshua Feldman on the Senga Fight

About an hour or so after his unanimous decision victory over Jonas Senga this past Friday, Joshua Feldman seemed to be a bit disappointed in his performance. He felt he could've done better and stopped his opponent.

Asked about why he felt he could've stopped Senga, Feldman told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "I don't know if he didn't want to be there, but I just felt like I wanted to be there more.

"There was a point where I hurt him to the body and I heard him go like [grunt]. I heard him exhale very loudly. It was those kind of moments where if I pushed the gas maybe a little bit more and went downstairs more, I could've forced the stoppage. It would've been hard to put him down. I just don't think he was the type of guy to actually go down. But the ref could've stepped in if I pushed the gas a little bit more."

That very well might be true as Senga visibly tired during the second half of the fight, but he was still dangerous throughout. After watching the fight later, Feldman's assessment changed. 

"It would've been stupid to risk pressing the gas too much in the last round and maybe get knocked out or hurt, because he was a big puncher. I knew if I just boxed and used my jab in the last round, I would've got the win on points."

Feldman played it right. Up big on the cards against a tough guy with power, there was no sense in taking a reckless chance in the hopes that the referee might jump in to stop the fight.  The 20 year old junior middleweight from Cape Town understands this, "I can't afford to lose this early in my career."

To begin the fight, Feldman quickly decided to box Senga, a fellow southpaw. He stayed with that strategy most of the way. "Even though he was a southpaw and he was a smart boxer, I knew that my boxing skills are better than his," Feldman said. "There were times when I was setting him up with little traps and he was falling for it. I knew I could easily outbox this guy even though he's very strong. I felt I was in a little better condition than him, so that if my output was more and I didn't let him hit me, I was just going to coast through the rounds."

But there were times Senga was able to land flush counters. Feldman took the shots well and appeared unfazed by the blows. When complimented on his chin, Feldman sheepishly replied, "No boxer wants to say they have a good chin; it's not something I'm proud of." That's because he doesn't want it to be tested. "I do know I've taken some big shots in sparring and in a couple of fights. I've never gone down from a headshot," he said. "I definitely trust my chin a lot."

The Senga fight wasn't the first time his chin has been put to the test. He got plenty of hard sparring at the Blood, Sweat, and Tears Gym in Cape Town, and now gets those tough sparring sessions at the Hot Box Gym in Johannesburg.

"I knew that he hit very hard," Feldman said of Senga. "I did think that if he lands clean he could hurt me, but never in the fight was I hurt."

With the win, Feldman is now 6-0 with 3 KOs. He hopes to have an active year in the ring. As Josh says, It's "on to the next."

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick to Make Pro Debut Saturday

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to make her pro debut on Saturday at Salon CTM in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. The 25 year old from Laguna Beach, California comes from the world of influencer boxing.

Barwick, who stands 4'11", now resides in New York. A former gymnast, she started boxing only two years ago. "I got an offer from an influencer promotion," Barwick told Jeff Mayweather. "I thought it would be a one-off thing, but I've got ADHD, so I'm very hyperactive. This actually chills my brain out, so I went with boxing."

Barwick explained, "My amateur career is influencer boxing."

She decided to move away from influencer boxing because she was expected to perform crazy antics to sell her fights. She also found the competition wanting. "I have better skills than what those girls provide," Barwick declared. "There's not much competition there. I wanted to try in the pros. I take this sport seriously. They're all doing it for clout. At the end of the day, I have respect for the sport and for myself."

Whether she is out for clout or truly respects the sport will be determined by her performance in the ring. Brooklyn Barwick is no Barbara Buttrick. At least not yet. During her time in the ring, Barwick showed more moxie than skill. Her influencer record is a bit unclear but less than stellar. She has one win by knockout and has lost at least three times. Another fight is listed as a split decision loss on one site and a draw on another.

In those fights, Barwick fought out of a crouch. She switched stances although it would be more accurate to say that her stance is to boxing as a Jackson Pollock painting is to realism. She showed a great chin, massive heart, and a boatload of courage as she absorbed a ton of punishment in a couple of her fights. She has described herself as a power puncher although her punch technique has not been textbook.

Jewish on her dad's side, Barwick's in the process of converting. She'd love to fight in Israel sometime and hopes to partner with Jewish brands. "I love my people and want to show my support in anyway I can," she told The Jewish Boxing Blog. 

In preparation for her debut, the Big Deal has recently worked with some experienced coaches: Bones Adams, David McDonough, AJ Easley, and Alex Solomon. During her influencer career, she trained with a different, less effective team. She now realizes how much better her current coaches are. She appreciates how Adams has taught her the fundamentals. She understands her previous shortcomings and is looking to improve on them as she traverses through the pro ranks.

"There is going to be a big skill divide," Barwick said of the difference between influencer boxing and the pro game. "It's going to put me to the test. It's going to put my physical and my mental abilities to the test.

"And I'm ready for it."

A featherweight, Barwick's  opponent has not been announced.

David Alaverdian Wins Comeback Fight by Decision

Flyweight David Alaverdian defeated Josue "Zurdo" Morales by unanimous decision tonight at the Westgate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. This was Alaverdian's first fight in over 22 months.

Alaverdian, a 31 year old switcher from Israel, boxed for much of the first two rounds against Morales, a 32 year old slick southpaw from Texas. Both exhibited expert defense, which left them frustrated offensively. The result was that the early rounds sometimes resembled a dance competition more than a fight. Alaverdian even gave a little shimmy in celebration after each round.

At one point, Morales imitated Alaverdian's bolo windup and then mocked David's stutter step, which has been known to freeze an opponent and leave them open. Just ask Jeno Tonte. Morales paid for his taunts. Midway through the second round, Alaverdian started to walk down the Houstonian.

Morales had some success to the body, but Alaverdian landed some bombs. As a righty, his left hook downstairs produced many sickening thuds. As a lefty, his right hooks and lefts to the midsection were pulverizing. David was also very creative with his offense, which was necessary because of Morales's high guard. He often threw the jab upstairs to set up his body shots. Hooks to the body occasionally came off pivots, and he juked Morales with deceiving footwork, which created openings. Alaverdian also executed a pull counter at the beginning of the third round.

Morales had his moments throughout the fight, but there weren't enough of them. His punches didn't have the same pop as Alaverdian's. David slipped and blocked many of Morales's attempts. Zurdo blocked Alaverdian's punches early in the fight, but David adjusted and used his inventive offensive moves to connect far more than did Morales.

The fifth round was the best one for the Texan since the first. He was tired of the beating his ribs were taking, so he threw combinations of his own downstairs. But David came back with a more damaging assault. The sixth was more of the same in favor of the Israeli.

The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout 60-54 for Alaverdian. The judges had it 59-55 (twice) and 58-56 the same way. It has been a long road back for David, who performed well against a tricky opponent. When he found his rhythm in the third, his innovative offense was fun to watch. This was David's third six-rounder while Morales has now boxed 288 rounds in his 53 fights.

David has had a busy week; he got married on Tuesday and fought on Saturday. With his win tonight, he is now 9-0-1 with 6 KOs. Morales falls to 31-17-4 with 13 KOs. He still has never been stopped.

David Alaverdian Makes Weight, Morales Within Allowance

David Alaverdian is making his return to the ring tomorrow after nearly two years away. Read more about what kept him on the sidelines in my article for The Sweet Science.

Alaverdian weighed in at 111.8 pounds ahead of tomorrow's bout at the Westgate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. His opponent, Josue Morales, was 112.6 pounds, which is over the flyweight limit, but under the one-pound allowance both fighters were given. Alaverdian wasn't told of the allowance until after he weighed in.

David has split his pro career between flyweight and super flyweight, so his weight is within his normal range of 110.5 and 115.75 pounds. Morales's low is 108.5 pounds, which he weighed for a fight last year. His heaviest came early in his career when he was 127.5 nine years ago. He has only been above the super flyweight limit once since 2021.

To get ready for this fight, Alaverdian sparred with a speedy southpaw prospect named Jerick Padsing and DeeJay Kriel, a former world champion from South Africa who fights out of an orthodox stance. He also sparred a couple amateur southpaws to get ready for Morales's style. Finding southpaw partners isn't always easy, but it's probably easier than finding partners who switch stances as Alaverdian does.

After the weigh-in, David drank a Pedialyte to help rehydrate and loaded up on fruit, including bananas, some pineapple, and grapes.

Alaverdian-Morales is the co-main event and is scheduled for six rounds. It will be streamed on BoxeoLV Facebook page. For The Jewish Boxing Blog's preview of the fight, click here.

Joshua Feldman Boxes to UD Victory

Joshua Feldman outboxed Jonas Senga on his way to a wide unanimous decision victory in a six-round affair at The Box Camp in Johannesburg, Guateng, South Africa today.

Feldman boxed and moved most of the fight against Senga, a fellow southpaw. The 20 year old from Cape Town repeatedly switched up the direction he circled, forcing Senga to become almost exclusively a counterpuncher. Senga landed some spiteful short counters, particularly in the first round, but Feldman typically led the exchanges and also punctuated them.

Senga's best round was the first. He connected with a right hook to the head, one to the body, and a short counter left. Feldman's right hooks to the body punished Senga's midsection, setting the tone for the rest of the fight.

Senga was still competitive in the second with his sharp counters, but he was outworked. By the third Senga was tired. Feldman's sustained body assault wore down his opponent. The fourth went badly for Senga, except for a few eye-catching right hooks. Feldman moved smoothly and picked apart Senga's midsection. He landed some clean headshots that clearly staggered Senga.

The fifth was a microcosm of the fight. Feldman outboxed Senga, who had a couple of bright moments with his counter right, but Senga's mouth was perpetually agape. He looked spent in the corner after each round. Referee Brian Ncapai took a point from Senga for a litany of minor offenses which finally went too far when he kept shoving Feldman's head down.

Feldman boxed smartly in the sixth. At one point, he threw a right hook, slipped under the counter, and came back ready to fire. Incorporating more of those slick moves will be the next step in Feldman's progression. To his credit, Senga went for broke in the final ten seconds.

All three judges scored the bout for Feldman. One had it 60-53, which shocked Senga. The JBB also had it 60-53, and there really weren't any close rounds except for maybe the first. Another judge had it 59-54. Riann Rensburg's score was announced as 57-54, a preposterous score that was misread by the ring announcer. The score should've read 59-54. Feldman is now 6-0 with 3 KOs, and Senga falls to 2-3 with 2 KOs.

Doron Zinman Wins by First Round TKO

Doron Zinman lived up to his "Buzzsaw" nickname during his first round demolition of Nhlakanipho Phungula at The Box Camp in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa today. The 20-year-old featherweight from Cape Town pinned Phungula against the ropes and unleashed a constant attack.

Zinman actually boxed for the first seven seconds before charging in and pushing Phungula to the ropes, a position the two stayed in most of the fight. Zinman landed jabs and left hooks to the head and rights to the body. Phungula snuck in some crisp right uppercuts and a couple of fluid left hooks.

Defensively, Phungula tried to employ the Philly Shell without much success. He shook his head defiantly after eating a few punches, but Zinman quickly found his rhythm and scored an overhand right, threw a couple more clubbing rights, and then a right uppercut, which forced Phungula to bend over. A right to the side of the head, which was legal because Phungula's body position, scored a knockdown halfway through the first round. It was the second knockdown Zinman has scored during his nascent career.

Phungula got up, but Zinman quickly landed some more rights and forced his foe to the ropes yet again. A flush left hook at the end of a combination forced referee Pumeza Zinakile to step in and stop the fight at the 2:40 mark of the opening round. Phungula immediately yelled, "No! No!" But he had not answered a number of Zinman's shots.

Zinman moves his record to 2-0 with one KO. It was a very impressive performance and fun to watch. He was susceptible to right uppercuts as a shorter fighter leaning forward on the inside, but he showed a high punch output. Phungula is now 0-1.

Zinman and Feldman Make Weight

Doron Zinman and Joshua Feldman made weight ahead of their separate bouts tomorrow at The Box Camp, formerly known as Booysens Box Camp, in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. Feldman's opponent Joseph Senga comfortably made junior middleweight, but Zinman's opponent Nhlakanipho Phungula came in over the featherweight limit.

Zinman (1-0) weighed 125.55 pounds, which is right about where he was for his pro debut in November. Phungula, nicknamed "The Grand Maestro," couldn't orchestrate a proper weight cut for his pro debut and came in at 127.76 pounds, over a pound a half more than the 126-pound limit. After his weight was announced, the taller Phungula apologized to the Buzzsaw, saying, "Sorry about that," as he extended his hand. Zinman was gracious and accepted the apology.

Generally speaking, an opponent missing weight is very frustrating for boxers. Both fighters sign a contract and are expected to honor the deal, which states they must make weight. Cutting weight is extremely difficult. "It feels like you might die," former boxer turned promoter Dmitriy Salita once told The Jewish Boxing Blog. It's unfair for only side to have to do it. There's also a reason why boxing is divided into weight classes; a discrepancy in weight can be an advantage for the heavier boxer if their skill levels are even enough.

As part of Zinman's training, he sparred with "a ton of great guys," including world champion Phumelele Cafu, quality veteran Sikho Nqothole, prospect Tumelo Mphalele, and Sinenkosi Mlotshwa who is also on the card. "It was a phenomenal camp," Zinman told The JBB. "I'm ready to perform tomorrow."

Feldman (5-0, 3 KOs), who like Zinman is a 20 year old from Cape Town, weighed 153.55 pounds. He is a pillar of consistency and professionalism when it comes to his weight. This is Josh's seventh pro weigh-in as one fight was canceled at the last moment. He's always made the 154-pound limit, and his weight has always been within a pound and a quarter. Senga (2-2, 2 KOs) came in at 149.7 pounds, which is right about where he has been for his four fights. He told SA Boxing Talk that he is straddling the welterweight and junior middleweight divisions, which is consistent with his weight.

Despite a two-fight losing streak and a 16-month layoff, Senga is confident. Of Feldman, he said, "He's a good boxer, but it's my time." Feldman is ready, too. His main sparring partner was a familiar face, Creed Moyo, who's fighting soon as well. "We had fantastic sparring this camp!" Feldman told The JBB.

After the weigh-in, Feldman replenished his body with fruit and cereal. Zinman ate fruit and pasta after downing rehydration drinks.

Zinman's fight is scheduled for four rounds while Feldman's is slated for six. The event will be streamed on DAZN and Vision View tv. 

To view the weigh-in, watch SA Boxing Talk's coverage. The JBB's preview of the Zinman fight is here and of the Feldman fight is here.