Yan Zak and Abdul Ubaya Weigh In

Yan Zak and Abdul Ubaya weighed in ahead of their cruiserweight clash tomorrow at the Round 10 Boxing Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Zak came in at a fit 189.6 pounds. The 25 year old is 4-0 with 3 KOs. His previous lightest was 198.5 pounds.

Ubaya weighed in at 184.1 pounds. This is the heaviest of the 29 year old's career. His previous high was 175.3 pounds in September.

Zak's size advantage could play a role in tomorrow's bout. Ubaya is a tricky, powerful opponent, but he is coming up in weight. He's the toughest opponent Zak has yet faced, but the Israeli has shown great skills and power during his amateur career and over the course of his first four pro fights.

For a preview of the fight, click here.

Yan Zak to Face Abdul Ubaya

Cruiserweight Yan Zak faces Abdul Ubaya on Saturday at the Round 10 Boxing Club in  Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Zak was originally scheduled to face Dickson Mwakisopile. Zak's team was initially told Mwakisopile had died in a motorcycle accident, but it turned out he had simply suffered a standard cut over his left eye. Ubaya, who comes in on about two weeks' notice, is a tougher opponent than Mwakisopile.

A 25 year old, Zak is 4-0 with 3 KOs. He has been roughing up experienced journeyman thus far in his career. Ubaya is a 29 year old from Kibaha, Tanzania. Kibaha is just outside Dar es Salaam where many of Ubaya's fights have taken place. The upset-minded Ubaya has also won in Thailand and Russia, and lost by split decision in England.

Ubaya's best punch is a chopping right. He has a decent jab and a solid left hook. He's most effective throwing combinations off the jab, but he can be wild and is susceptible to counter rights and crisp jabs. Oluwatosin Kejawa snapped back Ubaya's head numerous times with his quality jab in their 2023 fight. Ubaya also uses tricky upper body movement and throws punches from odd angles to great effect.

BoxRec lists Ubaya as 10-4 with 6 KOs, but he is more experienced than that. Fights in 2020 against Richard Mazule, Michael Kalyalya, Zuber Karemba have not been included on his BoxRec ledger.

Ubaya took a disputed decision loss to Pius Mpenda in 2021. Mpenda has since been a challenging opponent for some very good fighters. Ubaya traveled to Thailand in 2023 and upset Davrobek Kurbonov, who faded down the stretch. For that win, Ubaya was awarded the WBC Asian title because it's apparently outside the World Boxing Council's purview to know that Tanzania isn't in Asia. After the split decision loss to Kejawa in England, Ubaya dominated Ibragim Estemirov in Russia last year. He then was stopped by Pawel Sosulin.

This year, Abdul beat up an out-of-shape Godfrey Paulo Kamala and had more wrinkles in his game than Stephen Nyamhanga. He will be a tough opponent for Zak. Ubaya's biggest drawback is his size. He has fought as heavy as light heavyweight, but it's a big jump up to cruiserweight. Zak needs to be careful, but his size, speed, and boxing ability should allow him to take the fight.

Zak-Ubaya is scheduled for eight rounds.

Lev Jackson Wins by Stoppage

Fighting in Jamay, Jalisco, Mexico, Lev Jackson by second round retirement. His opponent refused to come out for the third round.

Jackson is a 33 year old from Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada. The southpaw is now 5-1-1 with 3 KOs. This was his second fight this year.

More details to come...

An Evening with Brooklyn Barwick

After I secured two tickets from David Malul's mom on the front steps of his plush house in Jamaica, Queens, I fumbled in my pocket and realized I had lost my credit card. Thirty minutes of trying to figure out how to get ApplePay to work on my phone, and I was back on the F train headed to meet Brooklyn Barwick, a 5-0 featherweight who just turned pro in March.

Barwick and I had made plans to watch Malul's promotional debut, and fourth professional fight, at Melrose Ballroom, not far from my hotel. While I was trying to lock my lost credit card, I got a text from Barwick, "I'm right outside the hotel." I went outside to find her, but it turned out she was at the wrong hotel. I then realized I had left our tickets back in my hotel room, so it was an inauspicious start to the evening.

We walked to the ballroom, exchanging boxing gossip about which fighters and coaches were antisemitic, who got rocked in sparring recently, and plenty of other topics. We arrived a little before 5 o'clock for a show that was supposed to start at 7. Melrose was dark, so we decided to stroll around the block. "I forgot my energy drink," Barwick remembered as she slid into a convenience store and bought a Celsius. One hot subject was her recent appearance ringside at a Boxing Insider show in Atlantic City. She was called out by Lia Lewandowski's team during the event and felt a bit set-up by the ordeal.

At 5:30, a group of fighters opened the door to the ballroom just as we walked by, and we instinctively decided to follow them in. Our tickets weren't together, but Barwick declared, "You're sitting next me! I don't care who I have to yell at." After our slick entrance, we took our seats as a booming voice repeatedly bellowed, "Fighters and coaches only! No spectators until 6:30!" Around us security talked aloud, "Are they fighters or coaches? Should we kick them out?"

Only Barwick's extreme confidence and my meds prevented me from repeatedly gagging out of anxiety. I've never met someone so comfortable in her own skin, although she paradoxically desires plenty of validation. She spotted someone she knew and got up to go schmooze, "You're gonna be ok here? Just call me if there's trouble," she told me. When Barwick came back to her seat, she delighted in the fact that so many at the show knew who she was.

Several times the Atlantic City confrontation came up. Video shows Barwick yelling at the ring after Lewandowski's victory, but she wanted to set the record straight that she had been provoked. Some of the night, she texted with Boxing Insider promoter Larry Goldberg, who ran the Atlantic City show a week earlier. Their banter was hilarious, deserving of their own podcast, which I suggested they consider. When Barwick brought up the possibility, Goldberg shut it down, "I'll never do a podcast with you!" he replied half-jokingly.

Another prevalent topic was Barwick's conversion journey. Her father is Jewish, but she is in the process of converting to Orthodox Judaism. Wearing a NY Cops and Kids windbreaker and a long navy blue skirt, one friend told her that she was "modestly dressed," which pleased her tremendously.

She called fellow Jewish boxer Lev Jackson, who is based in Vancouver, and wished him luck on his upcoming fight in Mexico. They talked about possibly competing in next year's Maccabiah Games, where boxing could potentially make a return for the first time since 1977.

Still it was too early. Barwick yelled out to ring announcer Matt Competello, who worked the Boxing Insider show the previous week. Competello tested the microphone by describing what he saw. He later asked Barwick which tie color would be most acceptable to the majority Jewish audience. He went with a smart light blue and white tie with diagonal stripes. At one point, I joked, "Maybe we should yell, 'That tie's antisemitic! Take off that Nazi tie!'" Barwick laughed and later told Competello my joke when he stopped by. He was not amused because his concern about potentially offending the Jewish audience had been genuine.

While conversing with me, texting boxing people, and ever-mindful of her social media presence, Barwick also scoured the arena looking to network, which was more fruitful when 6:30 rolled around and other people were finally let in. "It's 6:30, we didn't get kicked out," I said in relief. Barwick chuckled. She was never going to be kicked out, even if someone had tried it, which they didn't.

Barwick made sure to introduce me and graciously hype up The Jewish Boxing Blog whenever talking with boxing luminaries or fans. The reactions to me ranged from polite to disinterested. Well-respected boxing journalist Ryan Songalia was the lone exception, flatteringly mentioning that he follows the The JBB and has used it for research for his outstanding articles about Malul, Cletus Seldin, and other Jewish boxers in the area. Everyone, however, was excited to meet the 5-0 fighter with 5 KOs and the effervescent personality.

To Songalia, Barwick described her 3-0 record on BoxRec as incomplete. Her last two fights in Colombia have yet to be posted on the site. Songalia, who also works as a record keeper for BoxRec on the amateur side, explained that the Colombian promoter needed to inform BoxRec before changes could be made.

Afterwards, Barwick grabbed some kosher fried chicken from Crunchy's pop up stand. She's on-weight for her featherweight fight in the Dominican Republic on December 5, so she allowed herself to indulge in a chicken sandwich. She offered me the French fries, which I happily devoured. The old cliché that boxing writers never refuse free food held true.

When the lights came on at 8:00, Barwick exclaimed, "Finally!" I reminded her that it only felt like a long wait because we had snuck in hours early, a retort she accepted. She looked around and declared, "He did it! He actually did it!" She had been worried that either promoting the event would take Malul's eye off boxing or boxing would take his eye off the promotion. But he had managed to put together an exciting show while headlining. The only oversight was the absence of ring cards; the girls instead used their fingers.

In the first fight, Paul Anthony faced Stephen Barbee. David of The Fight Photos had given us his predictions for the night and felt this would be a competitive bout. He was right. Anthony nearly stopped Barbee in the first, but took his foot off the gas and was outboxed by Barbee most of the four rounds. Barwick yelled instructions at Anthony, but Anthony didn't follow them and came away with a disputed hometown decision. Next up was Ryan Zempoaltecat, who seemed to listen to Barwick's screams and scored a stoppage victory with an overhand right. Barwick called the right punches for Joe Elzey, who also won by second round stoppage

"When does it become real to you that you're about to be in a fight?" I asked her.

"When I'm in the ring. Before, I'm chilling, but once I'm in the ring, it's like, 'Oh, shit!'"

Barwick decided to save her voice for Malul's fight, so she remained quiet during the clash between Ronny Reyes and Terrence Williams. David of The Fight Photos predicted this one correctly as well. Reyes outhustled Williams to a split decision win. Incidentally, I had it a draw.

Barwick was called down to ringside before Malul's fight. She was introduced with the other fighters present and spent the fight below one the neutral corners. After the bell rang and Malul and Colin Huntington felt each other out, Barwick could be heard around the ballroom yelling, "Melech!!" Hebrew for "King," Malul's nickname. Over the four rounds, she screamed herself hoarse, pleading for Malul to take the victory, which he did with three scores of 40-36.

After the fight, she marveled at what a great show David had put on and expressed her desire to fight on a King David Promotions card in the future. She dreamed of other fighters like Lev and Odelia Ben Ephraim rounding out an all-Jewish event.

We waited to congratulate David on his victory and successful promotion. Afterwards, we went for a short walk to decompress about a great night at the fights. The entire time, Barwick was updating her social media while maintaining conversation. Self-promotion is second nature to her. In a sport that seems to be fading with our forefather's memories, self-promotion may just well be the key to staying relevant.

David Malul Shuts Out Colin Huntington

“King” David Malul defeated Colin “The Hunter” Huntington by unanimous decision tonight at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York, USA. Malul swept the cards against a taller southpaw with more pro experience.

Huntington, a 23 year from Kalamazoo, walked to the blue corner and then waited while “Hatikvah” and “The Star Spangled Banner” played. Only then did Malul, a 22 year old, march to the ring as Eyal Golan's “מי שמאמין” blared out of the speakers. Once he was in the ring, the music shifted to T Dot Carter’s “Public Announcement.”

When the fight began, Malul applied shrewdly cautious pressure as Huntington circled into Malul’s most potent weapon, the overhand right. David landed a couple of hard rights upstairs, but he laid the groundwork for the rest of the fight with punishment downstairs.

In the second, the Queens native threw combinations to the body so frequently, Huntington’s right side looked redder than a communist. It forced him to keep his hands back in Kalamazoo. His only real offensive attempt was with the left uppercut as Malul occasionally lunged forward. David’s sole low moment of the round came when he stepped on Huntington’s foot and stumbled to the canvas.

Huntington fared no better in the third as Malul showed off his improving skills. The New Yorker set up his right hand with subtle feints on several occasions. At the end of the round, a counter right wobbled the tough Michigander. To Huntington’s credit, he fought his way out of the corner as a hail of punches rained down on him.

Malul effectively changed levels in the final round. He sported a shiner by his left eye, but continued to savagely punish Huntington’s body. After the final bell, the two warriors shook hands as a sign of respect.

David strolled around the ring with a satisfied smile and gave a knowing nod. The hard work of putting together his first promotion and winning his fourth fight was done. After all three judges predictably scored the fight 40-36, David and his buddies from the Main Street Gym danced to Golan’s song in celebration.

“This was an important win, a meaningful win,” David told Ryan Songalia of Boxing Scene. He recounted when he was near death in the hospital a few years ago and saluted his friends and family who supported him throughout that dangerous ordeal.

It was an impressive, if not perfect, performance. Malul struggled to cut off the ring at times, which would’ve set up his devastating overhand right. He threw almost all of his punches with the intention of knocking out Huntington when changing the intensity of his shots could’ve lulled the opponent into a false sense of security. But overall, Malul continues to add wrinkles to his attack that should breed sustained success.

In the end, Malul’s performance electrified the crowd, who screamed for him from opening bell until the end and waited to greet their hero when he exited the ballroom into the chilly New York night. He made new fans with his gritty style and pulled off a successful promotion. He improves his record to 4-0 with 2 KOs. Huntington is now 3-7 with 2 KOs.

David Malul and Colin Huntington Weigh In

“King” David Malul and Colin Huntington both made weight ahead of their welterweight clash at Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York, USA. The weigh-in had a brief contentious moment. This fight is the main event of Malul’s promotional debut.

Malul (3-0, 2KOs) weighed in at 146.6 pounds. This is the same weight as his debut. He was 147.4 pounds for his previous two contests. The 22 year old Queens native will be fighting for the first time since March and the first time in his home borough.

Huntington came in at 147.6 pounds, within New York’s 147-plus-one-pound allowance. The 23 year old from Kalamazoo, Michigan is 3-6 with 2KOs. Malul had a few words for Huntington during the face off when the “Hunter” methodically crossed himself, kissed the index finger of his right hand and pointed to the sky. Malul raised both arms, showing off his biceps.

When the two turned to the crowd, Huntington pounded his chest and let out a scream. Malul calmly motioned that Huntington was all bark and no bite. Huntington then crossed himself again and pointed both pointer fingers upward.

A preview of this four-round fight can be found here. Respected writer Ryan Songalia wrote a profile of Malul last month for Boxing Scene, which can be found here.

Brooklyn Barwick Back in Action December 5

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to fight on December 5 in the Dominican Republic. This fight is slated to take place in the featherweight division. No opponent has yet been named.

Barwick is 5-0 with 5 KOs. The 25 year old based in New York was in Atlantic City for a Boxing Insider card over the weekend. Lia Lewandowski's team called Barwick to the ring where a somewhat tense interaction took place. Lewandowski moved to 3-0 that night. Barwick is also expected to support David Malul, who has a fight this Thursday at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens.

If she's successful in December, Barwick is looking to make a splash in 2026. She has a date on DAZN planned for March.

Preview of Yan Zak vs Dickson Mwakisopile

Cruiserweight Yan Zak looks to make it five consecutive wins to start his professional career when the 25 year old takes on Dickson Mwakisopile on November 29 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The resident of Ashdod, Israel will have a skill advantage when he fights Mwakisopile, a rugged 30-year-old brawler from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. After turning pro on May 3, Zak has achieved a steady level of activity. The challenge for the Terminator's handlers is to find suitable opponents for the decorated amateur. Mwakisopile will pose a certain test for Zak.

Mwakisopile's record is a mediocre 8-5 with 7 KOs. He's been stopped four times. He turned pro in 2012 and cobbled together only four fights over the next eleven years. An upset victory over undefeated heavyweight Selemani Kavuta to start 2024 energized Dickson's career. Kavuta's philly shell defense confused Mwakisopile until Kavuta opened up in the fourth and ate a concussive counter right. That TKO victory led to a clash against one-time Tyson Fury foe Sefer Seferi, a fight in which Mwakisopile quit after the second round.

A year ago, prospect Timur Bibilov knocked out Mwakisopile in the opening round with a pair of left hooks. Two weeks later, Dickson blasted out Said Mbelwa in the first round of a rematch twelve years in the making. Mbelwa had beaten the young Tanzanian in his 2012 debut. To start 2025, Dickson traveled to Russia where he was rudely welcomed by Ruslan Fayfer, who disposed of the Dar es Salaamian inside one round.

Mwakisopile is on a three-fight win streak. He's an aggressive stalker, not unlike a college friend I once had. A stone-faced power-puncher, he throws a chopping right and his hips produce significant torque for his left hook. But he leaves himself open for counters. His right hand moves away from his face when he jabs. He boxed a bit against Kavuta but is primarily a one-dimensional pressure fighter. Zak will need to be careful to avoid Mwakisopile's heavy hands, but his speed and skill should carry the day.

Zak-Mwakisopile is scheduled for eight rounds.

Boxing to Return to the Maccabiah Games?

Calling All Jewish Boxers for the 2026 Maccabiah Games!

Boxing was a staple of the Maccabiah Games from its inception in 1932 until 1977, when memorable fighters such as Kenny Bogner, Bruce Strauss, and Haim Zilberschmidt competed. Beginning in 1981, boxing has been out of the Jewish Olympics, though.

Currently, there is a push to get boxing reinstated for the 22nd Maccabiah Games, to be held from July 1 until July 22, 2026 in Israel. The Jewish Boxing Blog has been asked to help compile of list of boxers who might be interested in competing. 

If you're a Jewish boxer, or know of one, please contact The JBB by either emailing JewishBoxing at yahoo dot com or DMing the Jewish Boxing Instagram account.

The committee is particularly looking for boxers who will represent countries other than the United States or Israel. However, if you will represent the U.S. or Israel, please feel free to contact The JBB.

David Malul vs Colin Huntington: Four-rounder of the Year?

Welterweight "King" David Malul is scheduled to face Colin "The Hunter" Huntington at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York, USA on November 13. This main event between two come-forward power punchers could be tremendously explosive.

Malul, 22, is a 3-0 New Yorker with 2 KOs. He last fought in March. A bout scheduled in August was scrapped when Malul busted his nose in training. David boxed more in his last fight against Shaq Rushing, but he has already developed a reputation as a frightful puncher after scoring two terrifying knockouts in his first two fights.

Huntington, a 23 year old father of a three-year old daughter, signifies a step-up for Malul. The native of Kalamazoo, Michigan is 3-6 with 2 KOs. An aggressive southpaw, Huntington has not been matched advantageously throughout his career. Since turning pro in 2021, the opponents he has lost to held a combined record of 23-5-1 when they face Huntington. Conversely, his wins have come against three opponents with a combine record of 2-22.

Huntington took his debut on one-day's notice, moved up several weight classes, and was stopped in the second round. He gained his first win in his third fight with a devastating knockout of Marlon Hardnick Jr in the second. Hardnick has been knocked out in all nine of his fights, including eight by first round stoppage.

The Hunter came out boxing against Jaime Cuesta in their fight two years ago. He countered from the outside in the first. Cuesta's aggression and punch variety inside trapped Huntington in the corner where he mostly had to cover up. In the third, Cuesta gave himself some space and landed two rights at range. The full extension of the first right almost separated Huntington from his senses and the fight was stopped.

Against fellow southpaw Lance Smith in May, Huntington started the fight landing crisp shots while pressing forward. Smith floored him twice with counter lefts and took control of the fight. Smith managed to pin Huntington against the ropes for most of the next two rounds until the man from the 'zoo retired after the third.

Both men have power and have been knocked down in their pro careers. Huntington has the height and experience advantages. He's no pushover and his southpaw stance could give Malul problems. Huntington leaves himself open when pushing forward and can become a sitting duck while against the ropes. Malul should get inside, negating Huntington's southpaw advantage and then find openings as the Michigander can be be touched up in a phonebooth. It's setting up to be a memorable fight.

This four-rounder will mark Malul's promotional debut.

Lev Jackson to Fight on November 22 in Mexico

Lightweight Lev Jackson is scheduled to fight on November 22 in Jamay, Jalisco, Mexico. The promotor is Teofista Boxing. Jackson is 4-1-1 with 2 KOs.

Lev is a 33 year old from Vancouver, Canada. He recently became a father and was looking for a stay-busy fight. He fought in Mexico in April, ending a year and a half layoff. Though he acknowledges this is a tune-up fight, he knows it won't be easy. If he can get past his as-of-yet unnamed opponent, he's looking for a bigger fight in 2026.

Review of The Baddest Man

Baddest Man: The Making of Mike Tyson
By: Mark Kriegel

Penguin Press, 2025

When I heard that one of the most prominent boxing writers going today wrote a biography on the well-trodden topic of Mike Tyson, I rolled my eyes and figured it was simply an attempt at a cash grab.

I was wrong.

Kriegel's Baddest Man travels down the same lane as David Halberstam's Breaks of the Game. Tyson is so well-known, there's no way to produce completely new information, but Kriegel manages to find unique angles that truly illuminate Mike Tyson's personality, providing context to his warts, his successes, and everything in between.

In the process of retracing Tyson's early life until his demolition of Michael Spinks in 91 seconds, Kriegel challenges such lazy narratives as Cus and the kid and Robin Givens as gold digger. D'Amato and the great Jewish handball player and fight film collector, Jimmy Jacobs, were less saviors than self-interested enablers. That's not to say they didn't care for the young Tyson, just that they helped mold him into the heavyweight champion of the world at the expense of personal growth. Tyson was merely another in a series of high-profile relationships in Givens's life. If her mother made a mistake, it was bringing Don King into the family's orbit as she tried to put distance between Tyson and his managers, particularly the unlikeable Bill Cayton.

Interviews with a myriad of people who knew Tyson, particularly lesser known folks from his early years, present a fuller picture of the often-caricatured champ. We all know he grew up in a very difficult situation, but it's important to discover just how amoral his upbringing was. That isn't to excuse his often harmful behavior but to show there was nothing innate in Tyson's path. He was a product of his environments: from the drug-pushers and pimps of Brownsville to the bloodsuckers of boxing.

If there's a criticism of this book it's that the author needlessly inserts himself into the narrative on occasion. Certain figures such as D'Amato, Jose Torres, and some writers come across, perhaps unfairly, as villains. Even Tyson's eventual ear-biting incident against Evander Holifield can be traced back to D'Amato, who loved recounting the story of protégé Artie Diamond, a Jewish boxer who bit the ear off the toughest inmate upon his arrival in prison. Former light heavyweight champion Jose Torres, the chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission at the time, acted more like Tyson's protector than a regulator. Other New York scribes are usually deemed as bootlickers or enablers.

As with Matt Bai's retelling of the Gary Hart scandal in All the Truth is Out, Mark Kriegel's Baddest Man deals with a salacious subject in a responsible manner. It corrects false perceptions and adds new information about a globally famous figure. Baddest Man is a must read for the countless legions of Mike Tyson fans.

David Malul and Yan Zak in Separate Fights Next Month

Welterweight David Malul and cruiserweight Yan Zak are both scheduled to be in the ring next month. Malul will face Colin Huntington at Melrose Ballroom in Queens, New York, USA on November 13. Zak is taking on Dickson Mwakisopile in Dubai, UAE on November 29.

Malul (3-0, 2 KOs) will be making his promotional debut when he faces Huntington, a 23 year old from Kalamazoo, Michigan. The 22 year old "King" David will be fighting in his home borough for the first time as a professional. Huntington sports a record of 3-6 with 2 KOs. He has been stopped four times.

Zak, a 25 year old, has a record of 4-0 with 3 KOs. The resident of Ashdod, Israel has been active since turning pro in the spring. His opponent, Mwakisopile is a 30 year old from Da es Salam, Tanzania. Mwakisopile has a record of 8-5 with 7 KOs. He has been stopped four times.

The Jewish Boxing Blog will have full previews of both fights in the comping weeks.

Brooklyn Barwick Moves to 5-0 (5 KOs)

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick won her fifth fight when Adis Camacho quit on her stool following the second round in Medellin, Colombia today. Barwick showed new wrinkles in her game in front of some new fans from Chabad Medellin, who were in attendance. Building off of her fourth fight, she boxed more against Camacho than she had previously. Her combinations were more precise and her punch-picking was better.

Camacho was not a particularly skilled opponent, but she came out trying to win, hoping to land a wild shot. At first, Barwick jabbed while Camacho tried to counter. Then Camacho led with her untamed swings, and Barwick effectively countered. The Colombian caught the 25 year old New Yorker a couple of times early in the first, but took most of the punishment.

About midway through the two-minute first round, Barwick began to box. She told The Jewish Boxing Blog that she wanted to avoid injury, eluding to the nasty headbutt she suffered in her third pro fight back in August. The resulting bruise and headaches took weeks to subside.

She used feints to set up her combinations. She threw a left to the body, which led to a hard sweeping right to the head. Barwick's corner, coach Jimmy Sosa and fellow boxer Nisa Rodriguez, pleaded for her to pressure Camacho, but Brooklyn was contend to land head-snapping rights from the outside.

Barwick smacked around Camacho to start the second round, making the Colombian look like a bobblehead doll. She faked a right to connect with a crisp left hook. A 1-2 combo set up some body work. She even caught a Camacho punch with her right glove and immediately fired back a counter jab.

About a minute and half into the second, Camacho began looking for a way out of the bout. She briefly put her hands down, and soon landed a nice left hook to the kidneys, an illegal punch for which she wasn't warned. Afterwards, she put her hands down again and gave a longing look towards her corner. She then switched to southpaw in desperation and ate a tremendous right cross in the process. Camacho eventually made a business decision and quit before having to face Barwick for a third period.

Brooklyn has not faced the toughest competition, but she has proven herself to be a real bulldog. Aggressive, with a strong chin, she has been boxing more recently, adding her to ever-burgeoning arsenal in the ring. Out of the ring, she attended Shabbat services at Chabad Medellin without Rabbi Levy, whose wife had a baby yesterday. Mazel tov to the rabbi and his wife.

Barwick is now 5-0 with 5 KOs after seeing the second round for the first time. Camacho falls to 0-7-1. It was the sixth time she has been stopped.

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs In

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick weighed in ahead of her fight tomorrow against Adis Camacho in Medellin, Colombia. She came in at 121.5 pounds. Camacho was 120.3.

Barwick, a 25 year old based in New York, has settled into the junior featherweight division her last several fights. She's 4-0 with 4 KOs. This will be her third fight in Medellin, all since late August.

Brooklyn flew down to Medellin early Wednesday and observed Yom Kippur at the local Chabad with Rabbi Levi. She brought kosher food down to Colombia for the rest of her stay. Barwick's father is Jewish, but she is currently in the process of converting to Orthodox Judaism. She'll be back at Chabad Medellin tonight for Shabbat services.

Camacho (0-6-1) has fought as a bantamweight and junior featherweight recently. She began boxing professionally in 2009, took twelve years off, and restarted her career in 2022. She fought twice last year and has been stopped five times. She went the full six round distance in her last fight back in December. Camacho was ranked 18th in the world at minimumweight in 2010.

This fight is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

Odelia Ben Ephraim Drops High-Level Fight

Odelia Ben Ephraim lost a decision to up-and-comer Teresa Makinen tonight at Pabellon Lara Gonzalez in Santa Pola, Spain. It was an exciting, high-level fight between two talented fighters.

Makinen, a 21 year old Finnish fighter based in Spain, showed tremendous skill throughout the fight. She opened the bout with a hard counter right. Ben Ephraim, a 25 year old from France, pressed forward and landed a couple of eye-catching rights, but Makinen's movement and counters carried the first four rounds.

Ben Ephraim jabbed well in a close second, but Makinen finished the round with a three-punch combination, followed by a two-punch combo, snapping Ben Ephraim's head back and stealing the round. Makinen effectively countered Odelia's pressure in the third round. She threw intelligent combinations; a straight right to the body set up a left hook to the head. Ben Ephraim was competitive, but Makinen's activity, ring generalship, and power won her the rounds.

The young Fin carried the first half of the fourth round and looked dominant, but Ben Ephraim has a great chin, a ton of heart, and loads of ring IQ. She came back with a good left and finished the round with a 1-2 combination upstairs.

Makinen faded a bit in the second half of the eight-round fight. That slide started in the fifth. Ben Ephraim's body shots allowed her to grab her first round of the contest. Makinen came back in the sixth, starting with a variety of combos. She connected with a left, overhand right and a right, left hook. Both did damage. Odelia's right hand gained back some ground, but not enough to win the round.

Makinen somewhat took the seventh round off and Ben Ephraim's right hand wore down the Finnish boxer. Odelia scored with a left uppercut and a double jab. Makinen seemed a bit out of ideas, switching to southpaw at one point. She tried to steal the round at the end to no avail. But she came out firing in the eighth, as did Ben Ephraim. Teresa's body shots punctuated a highly-skilled, entertaining battle.

The judges scored the fight for the home fighter. The Jewish Boxing Blog gave Makinen six rounds to two, but all eight rounds were competitive. Ben Ephraim is now level at 5-5, but her record is nowhere near an indication of her talent, ability, and courage. She has been in tough, including in this fight. Makinen, who is now 4-0, looks like a future star.

Yan Zak Stops Fozilov in the Fourth

Cruiserweight prospect Yan Zak defeated Bakhromjon Fozilov by fourth round TKO at Sport Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia today. Zak dictated the action from the opening bell as Fozilov could not overcome the Israeli's size, skill, and speed advantages.

Zak, a 25 year old, immediately took control of center ring. Though he faced a southpaw, the resident of Ashdod used his jab often, primarily as a range finder. Fozilov's best defense in the first round was his feints.

After a relatively slow opening stanza, Zak ratcheted up his attack. He jabbed to the body and landed straight shots down the middle in the quiet moments. He added a sneaky right uppercut. Fozilov moved, occasionally throwing wild homerun shots. He caught Zak with a wide right hook, but Yan was able to walk through it. Zak effectively cut off the ring, which negated B.F.'s escape plan.

Fozilov, a 28 year old from Fergana, Uzbekistan, went down four times in the third round. The first two were called slips, but he couldn't deal with Zak's relentless body work or his quick combinations. Fozilov took a knee to assuage the beating. When he got up, Zak placed a combo to the body and Fozilov fell once again.

By the fourth round, Fozilov's punch resistance to the body had evaporated. Zak scored two more knockdowns with shots to the Uzbek's midsection. The referee mercifully stopped the fight.

Zak improves his record to 4-0 with 3 KOs. Fozilov is now 10-5-3 with 9 KOs. This is the second time he's been stopped.

Yan Zak and Bakhromjon Fozilov Weigh In

Yan Zak and Bakhromjon Fozilov weighed in ahead of their cruiserweight clash tomorrow at Sport Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia. Zak is taking a step-up fight while Fozilov is trying to redirect his career.

A 25 year old from Ashdod, Israel, Zak is 3-0 with 2 KOs. He weighed in at 199 pounds. The boxer-puncher's weight has been remarkably consistent, between 198.4 and 200.3 pounds during his pro career.

Fozilov is a 28 year old from Fergana, Uzbekistan. His record is 10-4-3 with 9 KOs. B.F. has mostly fought as a super middleweight, so his 190.7 pounds is over 25 heavier than his previous high. Fozilov weighed 165.5 pounds in his debut in 2020. His low is 154 pounds against Pavel Sosulin in 2023. He was 164 pounds in his last fight last year. Fozilov looked soft in the middle. He's only been stopped once, but we'll see if he can take the punch of a true cruiserweight.

Zak-Fozilov is scheduled for six rounds. Here's a preview of the fight.

Harry Wallach: Conqueror of Jackie Fields

Dominant amateur Harry Wallach made the 1924 U.S. Olympic team as a featherweight, but never got the chance to compete in Paris. After the disappointment of the Games, Wallach turned pro and stitched together a noteworthy nine-year career as a contender.

Harry Wallach was born on March 20, 1907 in Brooklyn, New York. Or maybe he was born on May 17 that year, as his 1924 immigration form states. Either way, he lived on 462 Bradford Street in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn. Harry was introduced to boxing by his uncle Dr. Louis Wallach, a well-known dentist. Uncle Louis was well-known because he was also a future Hall of Fame boxer who fought from 1905-1921. Nicknamed "The Fighting Dentist" and using the pseudonym Leach Cross, he was idolized by the Jewish boys of New York, including the great Benny Leonard.

Leach's nephew Harry trained in a local gym in East New York. Beecher's Gymnasium was run by a fellow Jew, ex-boxer Willie Beecher, whose brother Charlie joined him in running the enterprise. Wallach first appeared in the newspapers early in 1923 when he won an amateur tournament at 118 pounds. Amateur opponents couldn't deal with the power-punching southpaw. Wallach later swept through the competition at Madison Square Garden to win the New York state featherweight title.

Harry was so dominant as an amateur, he not only beat all of his opponents, he also knocked out most of them. Only the flu could stop Wallach, who doctors deemed medically unable to fight in a local qualifier to make the Olympic trials in 1924. Because of his impressive amateur record, he was given an opportunity to fight in the national championships in Boston two weeks later in late May.

Wallach made it to the semifinals of the featherweight tournament when he faced the hottest rising star in amateur boxing: Jackie Fields. Wallach posed two problems for young Fields: Fields had re-broken his right hand and Wallach was a southpaw. "I never fought a southpaw before," Fields recalled. "He walked out and I said, 'Hey, turn around. You're fighting wrong.'"

Wallach beat Fields by decision and went on to face Fields's best friend, Joe Salas, in the finals. Harry came up short, but in 1924 countries were allowed to send two boxers in each weight class. As a runner-up at nationals, which also served as the Olympic trials, Wallach was all but assured of a spot on the Olympic team.

The coach of the U.S. boxing team, Spike Webb, made the strange decision to take four featherweights aboard the USS America, bound for Paris, France. Wallach, Fields, Salas, and Patsy Ruffalo set sail on June 16, 1924. On the ship. Fields beat Ruffalo, who would experience internal injuries and was rushed to a French hospital upon arrival in Europe. That left three featherweights: two competitors and one alternate. Joe Salas had won the national title, so he made the team. It seemed as if Wallach would be the second featherweight entry and Fields the alternate.

Once in Paris, the U.S. team trained at Raquencourt. Fields remembered, "I fooled around, not training diligently, because I didn’t think I was going to fight." Assistant coach Al Lacey alerted Fields that Webb was going to pit Fields and Wallach against each other for the right to make the team. Salas helped Fields with how to fight a lefty. After their sparring, Webb picked Fields. Wallach, 17 years old at the time, must have been crushed.

Fields went on to beat Salas in the Olympic final, the youngest boxer ever to win gold. He received glory and fame; Wallach, who had beaten Fields two months earlier at the trials, could only watch. He never got the chance to fight at the Olympics, though he did battle in an exhibition in Paris. The papers would later report he didn't fight because he came down with an illness as a way so he could save face.  Wallach arrived back home with the rest of the team on August 6, 1924 via the USS America.

Harry turned pro on September 10 against Arnold Ryan. Wallach looped a left in the second round to score a knockdown and carried the fight the rest of the six rounds. He then fought seven times in two months beginning on November 3. His only loss in the stretch came to the experienced Sid Rabin. Wallach then won ten fights in a row over the next six months.

Frank Churchill managed Wallach. Churchill conjured up a headshot of his charge with the title "conqueror of Jackie Fields" written on top. Churchill was an associate of feared mobster Owney Madden, a major bootlegger. Churchill and Madden collaborated to guide the farcical career of future heavyweight champion Primo Carnera.

In the summer of 1925, Churchill took Wallach on a west coach swing. He was in tough against Billy Wallace and Tod Morgan, Wallach's two losses on the trip. Churchill tried to arrange a blockbuster rematch against Fields, but the Olympic gold medalist was a sought-after man. It would've been a natural fight for Wallach, but not so much for Fields, who was chasing a popular young fighter named Jimmy McLarnin. Fields would go on to win the welterweight world championship twice and become a Hall of Famer.

Though Churchill was undoubtedly tied to gangsters, it didn't necessarily mean Wallach's fights were fixed. Boxers needed deep-pocketed backers, and gangsters were obvious choices. Welterweight contender Ruby Goldstein explained that all top boxers had mob sponsors in those days.

Wallach worked his way to Madison Square Garden during the summer of 1926. He fought there twice and both resulted in disappointing knockout losses. Against Harry Cook, Wallach put on a clinic before a thumb caught his eye and forced him to pull out in the seventh. Hilario Martinez blasted the New York southpaw out of the Garden for good in the second round of their September 30 fight. Harry lingered at lightweight for a few more fights before he moved up to 140 pounds by 1927.

The Ring rated Wallach as the eighth best junior welterweight in its 1929 February edition, but Harry couldn't quite get past the other top contenders. Bruce Flowers, Tommy Cello, Andy DiVodi, and Baby Joe Gans all bested him in the late 1920s. In 1928, he stopped Joey Silvers in the seventh round in a rematch. The two had faced off four years earlier, not in the ring but on the billiards table.

As a welterweight, Wallach dropped two decisions to Manuel Quintero in 1930. Harry won his share of fights, but not against top opponents. He moved up to middleweight by 1932 and was stopped by former welterweight world champion Tommy Freeman. Wallach retired from the ring in 1933. BoxRec lists his record as 55-21-4, including newspaper decisions. Though he was a puncher as an amateur, his power didn't transfer to the pro game. He stopped 13 foes and was halted six times. His southpaw stance, often treated like a case of the Spanish flu during his career, and his inability to get a signature win in the pro game, prevented his prizefighting career from reaching the heights that would've avenged his Olympic snub.

Wallach lived until the age of 62, passing away on January 30, 1970 in Los Angeles. In the last decades of his life, he was remembered as the conqueror of Jackie Fields, slighted from competing at the Olympics.

Sources
Acevedo, Carlos. "The Duke of the West Side: Owney 'Killer' Madden." Hannibal. 2019.

"Baker Stops Ryder; Wallach Wins Award Over Ryan." The Brooklyn Standard Union. Sep. 11, 1924. Pg. 14.

"Harry Wallach in Pro Debut at the Ridgewood." The Brooklyn Citizen. October 26, 1924. Pg. 16.

"Harry Wallach Picked to Win Olympic Title." Brooklyn Eagle. Jul. 10, 1924. Pg. 24.

Heller, Peter. "...In This Corner." 1994.

The Ring. February 1929.

"Wallach and Silvers in Billiards Match." The Brooklyn Standard Union. Oct. 3, 1924. Pg. 17.

"Wallach, Stopped by a Thumb, Will Return to Ring Soon." Brooklyn Eagle. Aug/ 1, 1926. Pg. 38.

Yan Zak to Face Bakhromjon Fozilov on Friday

Cruiserweight prospect Yan Zak is scheduled to fight veteran Bakhromjon Fozilov on Friday in Tbilisi, Georgia. Fozilov represents a step up for the 25 year old Terminator from Ashdod, Israel.

Zak was originally scheduled to fight Stephen Nyamhanga in Dubai on the 13th, but Zak's team wanted to face a tougher opponent and give his injured hand some more time to recover. Zak has been blasting through experienced journeymen and the crude Nyamhanga likely wouldn't have posed much of a challenge.

Next up was Reinis Porozovs, an uber-experienced fighter from Latvia. The 35 year old has 43 professional boxing bouts under his belt, but is even more decorated as a kickboxer. Porozovs came down with an injury a couple of weeks ago leaving Artur Zlatopolsky and the Mireli Pro Boxing team a date this Friday in Georgia with no opponent. They finally found a tougher opponent than Zak has faced as a pro.

Fozilov is a 28 year old from Fergan, Uzbekistan. A decorated amateur, his pro career got off to a slow start during covid. He began his career 0-1-2 although his loss in his debut to Ivan Erkov was a bit unfair. Nicknamed B.F., Fozilov then stopped two lesser opponents: Carlos Takam and Nozimjon Tojiboev.

B.F. completely dominated Alan Dzhanaev, scoring two knockdowns, but Dzhanaev begged off with a cut early enough that the fight was ruled a technical draw. Fozilov entered the rematch with an uninspiring record of 2-1-3. A short right hook starched Dzhanaev in the first round. That dramatic KO started a streak of six stoppage victories for the southpaw Uzbek. He went the distance against Diego Ramirez in a battle of wide-punching lefties. But Fozilov has lost his last three fights.

Bakhromjon often had a height advantage at super middleweight, but he'll be the shorter man in this contest. He prefers to fight at distance, though he can take control of center ring and push forward against lesser competition. Against Vadim Tukov, Fozilov was the ring general for the first few rounds, but was then thoroughly outboxed down the stretch. Fozilov became so frustrated at Tukov's crafty movement that he ran after his Russian opponent and threw an illegal rabbit punch in the ninth round.

Pavel Sosulin struggled early in his fight against B.F. as well. He threw straight shots and stayed on the line while Fozilov found angles to work. Fozilov threw a nice straight left, a looping left, and a clubbing right. But Sosulin quickly broke down Fozilov with repeated left hooks to the body and forced Bakhromjon to quit after the fourth round for the only time in his career.

Fozilov is dangerous early in contests. He's a big puncher and has an awkward southpaw style. He's a master of distance. But he hasn't shown the ability to adjust later in fights. He doesn't jab much or work the body too often. Fozilov can be worn down and can be outboxed. Zak should be cautious early and then walk down the naturally smaller man.

Zak-Fozilov is scheduled for six rounds.

Brooklyn Barwick's Fourth KO

Brooklyn Barwick defeated Yulis Monterroza in Medellin, Colombia when Monterroza's corner unwrapped the tape from her gloves following the first round. This fight took place on the heels of Barwick's third fight, a first round stoppage of Mayerlis Romero.

Barwick, a 25 year old based in New York, boxed more than she had in previous fights. She landed good right hands in exchanges and went to the body effectively.

The Big Deal began the fight in her usual aggressive manner, but quickly backed off and followed a shrewd game plan. She showed the jab to induce a counter and then landed with a pinpoint straight right counter of her own. Romero was no pushover and exchanged with Brooklyn while the two fighters were in close. Those exchanges in tight quarters favored the shorter Barwick.

Barwick's improvement is noticeable, but there are times when she lunges with her punches. Romero landed a right uppercut as Barwick pressed forward with her head in front of her lead foot. The Colombian finally began to use her height advantage and connected with lead rights from the outside. But her hair came undone and the action was stopped.

After Romero's hair was taped up, Barwick dominated the closing seconds of the three-minute first round with short rights.

Both fighters sat in their respective corners for the rest period. Jimmy Sosa instructed Barwick as fellow boxer Nisa Rodriguez assisted. Towards the end of the minute, a man just outside of Romero's corner motioned to the fighter and her trainer to pull the plug on the fight. The trainer began unwrapping Romero's gloves, and Barwick was awarded the victory somewhat anticlimactically.

Barwick, who is converting to Orthodox Judaism, is now 4-0 with 4 KOs. She is scheduled to fight again on October 4. Monterroza is now a hard luck 0-5.

A Collection of Jackie Fields Articles

I've been working on a biography of Jackie Fields for the past couple of years. In the meantime, here are some articles I've published about his career.

Jackie Fields fought his best friend Joe Salas in the final of the 1924 Olympics (The Fight City). Boxing at the 1924 Olympics was wild (Boxing News 24).

This past February marked the one hundredth anniversary of Jackie's Fields's debut (The Jewish Boxing Blog).

Two years into his career, Fields fought Buddy Saunders, who had a fascinating story (The Spit Bucket, pg. 30)

In 1929, Fields fought Young Jack Thompson for the for the vacant NBA title. A deadly riot interrupted the eighth round of the fight.

During Jackie's first reign, he fought Fred "Dummy" Mahan in a nontitle bout. This is the story of the remarkable Mahan (The Fight City).

If anyone had the pleasure of meeting Jackie Fields, please contact me by clicking the link where it says "Email the editor above." I would greatly appreciate talking to you!

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs In

Brooklyn Barwick made the junior featherweight limit ahead of her clash tomorrow in Medellin, Colombia against Yulis Monterroza. Barwick, whose father is Jewish, announced that she has begun the process of converting to Orthodox Judaism.

Nicknamed the Big Deal, the 25 year old fights out of New York. Barwick (3-0, 3 KOs) weighed 121.3 pounds. She arrived in Colombia this morning and headed straight to the weigh-in after checking into her hotel. After the weigh-in, Barwick ate kosher chicken tacos she brought from Long Island Infusery, a raspberry pastry, and drank a ton of water. She added an almond milk latte and eggs as part of her rehydration.

Barwick has been attending a synagogue on the Upper East Side. As part of her conversion process, she has reduced her social media usage, started dressing modestly, and has switched to a kosher diet.

Monterroza weighed in at 122 pounds. The 33 year old from Tolu, Colombia sports an 0-4 record. Her opponents were a combined 19-6 when she fought them. She has been stopped three times. Monterozza, who turned pro in 2021, will have a height advantage over the diminutive Barwick.

This bout is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

David Malul Back in November

David Malul is not only scheduled to return to the ring on November 13 at Melrose Ballroom in his home borough of Queens, New York, USA, but he is set to make his promotional debut that night.

Malul had to back out of  fight this summer because of an injured nose. During his recuperation time, he announced his new promotional entity, King David Promotions. His motto is "Built by a fighter, for fighters."

Malul, a 3-0 22 year old with 2 KOs, is scheduled to fight in a four-rounder against an opponent not yet announced. Rumor has it that there might be other Jewish boxers featured on the card.

Odelia Ben Ephraim to Face Teresa Makinen in 50-50 Fight

Odelia Ben Ephraim is scheduled to fight undefeated prospect Teresa Makinen at Pabellon Lara Gonzalez in Santa Pola, Valencia, Spain on September 27. This contest should be a high-speed battle involving ever-changing tactics.

Ben Ephraim, a 25 year old from Blagnac, France, has experienced a lot of changes since her last fight. She left her gym and signed with a new promoter. Her 5-4 record belies her tremendous ability. The former French featherweight champion throws constant combinations while picking her punches well.

Ben Ephraim's opponent is no pushover. Makinen is a 21 year old from Finland who is based in Spain. A decorated amateur, Makinen has started her pro career with three straight victories, including one over veteran Eva Cantos.

Makinen throws combinations as well. A supremely skilled boxer, she is great at getting her head off the line when she punches. She'll be very difficult to counter to the head. The Finnish fighter has yet to finish an opponent, but her power shouldn't be underestimated.

If Makinen thinks Ben Ephraim will come into this fight with a B-side mentality, she's dangerously mistaken. Ben Ephraim will want to pressure the younger prospect and work the body, a risky proposition, but the best way to wear down the elusive Makinen.

Though Makinen has the makings of a world class fighter, Ben Ephraim's toughest opponent on September 27 might be the judges. She has been unlucky in her four losses, and this fight will take place in Spain, where Makinen has had all three of her professional fights.

Ben Ephraim-Makinen is slated for eight two-minute rounds in the junior featherweight division.

André Zeitoun's New Book

André Zeitoun is out with an autobiography of his view from the corner. Zeitoun was a Muay Thai fighter and is a legendary coach in the sport. He has lots of ties to Jewish boxers including his father, who was an amateur boxer, Odelia Ben Ephraim, and Odelia's father David.

Zetoun's book Le Plus Bleu Coin du Monde, in French, can be purchased here

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Yan Zak to Face Stephen Nyamhanga

Yan Zak is scheduled to face Stephen Nyamhanga in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on September 13. Zak is an undefeated cruiserweight prospect.

Zak, a 25 year old, is coming off a six-round unanimous decision victory against veteran journeyman Victor Chvarkou in last month. The Israeli from Ashdod entered the fight with an injured hand and intended to go rounds against a defensive-minded foe. Nyamhanga poses an altogether different challenge.

A 26 year old from Mianzini, Tanzania, Nyamhanga is a free-swinger. BoxRec lists his record as 3-2-1, but his record is at least 4-3-1 with 4 KOs. He comes out of the corner firing. Nyamhanga has been rocked early in fights against Hassan Athuman and Mohamed Mtambo, but he came back to win both by KO. Against Athuman, Nyamhanga was wobbled  and hurt in the first before scoring a comeback KO in the second round. Nyamhanga didn't wait until the second round to recover against Mtambo and score a knockout.

Nyamhanga is lanky guy, coming up in weight. He carries power and throws punches from odd angles. He also doesn't let his opponent rest at any point during the three-minute rounds. But he is wild, and a superior technician like Zak should take advantage of Nyamhanga's openness, as long as his hurt hand has healed. Zak will need to watch out for those wild bombs, but if he does he very well may be able to stop the tough Tanzanian early. It will be exciting to find out.

Brooklyn Barwick Wins by Stoppage

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick defeated Sindy Berrio in Medellin, Colombia tonight. Barwick's aggression forced Berrio into an untenable spot.

The 25 year old Barwick came out of the corner as if her shoes were on fire. She raced after her 24 year old opponent, launching bombs. Barwick barely threw the jab, but when she did, it stopped Berrio in her tracks. At one point, the New Yorker illegally landed an overhand right on the break. Though against the rules, the punch showed Barwick's mean-streak in the ring. Brooklyn's best shots were to her taller foe's body.

Berrio winced when hit with a two-piece to her midsection. It was the beginning of the end, as she started looking for a way out of the bout. Shortly after the body assault, the fighters' heads clashed. Berrio raised her hands as if to call timeout and the referee complied, giving Berrio some time to recover. He then warned Barwick for butting, but it wasn't either fighter's fault. Berrio brought her head down, and Barwick came forward while throwing.

Shortly after the action resumed, the two fighters knocked heads again. This time, Berrio had been swinging her head wildly in an attempt to avoid Barwick's barrage of blows. The referee insisted Berrio fight. Instead, she took a knee and arose at the count of nine. After she got up, she indicated that she didn't want to continue, and the fight was waved off a minute and 40 seconds into the action. The left side of Barwick's head showed damage from the butts.

Barwick is now 3-0 with 3 KOs. If her head heals in time, she has a fight scheduled for September 13 in Medellin against Katherine Tineo (1-3). Berrio falls to 0-2.

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs in

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick weighed in ahead of her clash against Sindy Berrio in Medellin, Columbia today. She was a fit and ready 119.5 pounds for the junior featherweight affair.

Barwick arrived in Medellin two days ago. While wandering around the city, she stumbled upon a kosher restaurant. Though she ate arepas, a Colombian staple, upon arriving, she refueled on fish and chips after the weigh-in with fellow fighters Nisa Rodriguez and Ny "Super Fly" Nakhjiri, and coach Jimmy Sosa.

Berrio is a 24 year old from San Juan de Uraba, Colombia. A late replacement, she is 0-1. In her debut in April, she faced a very experienced opponent named Alys Sanchez and was stopped in the first round. She was a lightweight against Sanchez. The 122 pound limit seems to be more of a natural weight for Berrio.

This bout is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

The Jewish Jolter: Ronnie Cohen

Jewish fighters are often stereotyped as intelligent, crafty boxers. Southpaws are typically slick cuties. When you combine the two, you get Ronnie Cohen, a wild-swinging power puncher who rose out of a dysfunctional childhood to become an exciting brawler during his brief professional boxing career.

Ronald Cowell was born to Richard and Rosalie née Klein in 1937. Ronald was the middle of three children and was raised in Brooklyn, New York. His dad made a $1,000 a year working for the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal government agency. But Richard, who left high school after ninth grade, was unemployed when he was drafted into the military in October of 1940.

By the time Ronnie was 13, his family had dissolved. His mother was serving time in prison, and his parents had divorced. His father started a new family with a waitress named Susan. Richard supported his new wife and the couple's young son, Ronnie's half-brother, by working part time loading newspapers onto trucks before delivery.

Ronnie, along with his older brother Richard and his sister Lillian, survived together at Leake and Watts Children's Home, an orphanage in Yonkers. The children yearned for their mother, Rosalie, who had been immured at the Women's House of Detention, a prison of deplorable condition which such assorted women as Mae West, Ethel Rosenberg, and Angela Davis once reluctantly called home. The prison was reserved for rebels, lesbians, and Jezebels in addition to those who may have done something illegal.

Upon her release, Rosalie volunteered extensively for the American Legion beginning in 1952 to honor her father, a veteran of World War I. She encouraged her sons to enter the military.

Ronnie took up his mother's suggestion. An athlete who allegedly once got a tryout with the New York Yankees, he learned to box while in the military. He decided to change his name for his newfound profession. "Cohen sounds like a fighting name," he reasoned.

On February 10, 1959, Cohen fought veteran Chuck Bloss to a split draw in six rounds of scintillating, show-stealing action.  After two decision wins, Cohen fought Leroy Howard in April. Their fight was the highlight of the night as Cohen floored Howard in the first with a looping left to the body. The same punch to the head, knocked out Howard in the second. 

Cohen fought Bloss in a rematch on June 28. This time, he stopped Bloss in the sixth round, but there was an unfortunate downside to the victory. Fewer than 500 fans showed up to watch the fight at the Kingston Armory in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The silver lining was the crowd was three times bigger than the promoter Gus Shorts's previous show.

The win over Bloss in the rematch started a streak of twelve consecutive knockouts and fourteen straight victories for Cohen over the course of a year. Ronnie was on such a streak that Madison Square Garden's legendary matchmaker Teddy Brenner placed him alongside Emile Griffin, Florentino Fernandez, and Jose Fernandez when listing the current crop of elite welterweights.

Irving Cohen, the manager of former middleweight world champion Rocky Graziano claimed, "Pound-for-pound, Ronnie hits harder than Rocky."

Ronnie's manager Scoop Gallello brought him to Charley Goldman, the legendary trainer of Rocky Marciano and a former bantamweight. "So far as being a boxer, you can throw that idea out the window," Goldman told Gallello. "Just teach him a little defense and how to bob and weave a bit so he doesn't catch too many punches. His wallop will take care of the rest."

Alan Goldstein of the Baltimore Morning Sun once wrote, "Cohen, a wild swinging southpaw with a tremendous wallop in either fist, had about as much chance of developing into a Fancy Dan boxer as Primo Carnera."

Throughout 1960, writers debated Cohen's Jewishness. Ultimately, it was uncovered that his mother Rosalie was born Jewish, while his father Richard was not. The curly-haired Cohen identified as Jewish throughout his career.

Steve Ward leans on Ronnie

Midway through 1960, Cohen's win streak snapped when Gale Kerwin knocked him down three times in the second round on August 8 at Madison Square Garden. A win over Kerwin would have earned him a shot at Benny Paret's welterweight championship. It would be the closest he'd come to a title shot. Ronnie won two of his next three, all at St. Nicholas Arena and all ending in stoppages. He then finished his career with six straight losses, showing that power without the requisite skill can only get a fighter so far.

Cohen's last win came on December 12, 1960 against Eddie Antonetti, a fighter with a losing record. Cohen stopped him in the eighth and final round, but at a cost. "I think I see birds," he said aloud in the locker room after the fight. "They're not supposed to come out until day time, but I think I see them." A doctor came into the room and asked, "How do you feel, Ronnie?"

"I feel fine," he replied. "Got an aspirin?"

On December 11, 1961, Cohen officially retired from the ring. In 33 action-packed fights, he finished with a record of 20-11-2 with 16 KOs and he was stopped five times. The state athletic commission recommended the retirement based on the wars he had fought. "Cohen made a stir a few years ago," Larry Merchant wrote in 1964. But "he was easy to hit."

Cohen fought in charity exhibitions throughout the 1970s. Chico Vejar, who initiated many of the charity events, was a common opponent. In 1978, he was honored along with Frank Sinatra, Jack Dempsey, Cat Davis, and another Jewish boxer named Bobby Halpern by the Westchester County Veteran Boxers Association. Cohen was the lone boxer inducted into the county's boxing Hall of Fame that year.

Ronnie Cohen died on February 4, 2007. The southpaw slugger provided hope for Jewish fans in America at a time when fewer and fewer f their fellow tribesmen were lacing up the gloves.

Sources
Apmann, Sarah Bean. The Women's House of Detention. Off the Grid. Jan. 29, 2018.

Burke, Billy. "Old Timer's Scrapbook. Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader. May 23, 1960. Pg. 19.

"Cohen TKOs Bloss." Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader. Jun. 29, 1959. Pg. 19.

"Cohen's Ring Career Ends." The Standard-Star. Jan. 15, 1962. Pg. 16.

"Dempsey, Sinatra to be feted at boxing dinner." The Herald Statesman. Jun. 22, 1978. Pg. 42.

Diaz, Joey. "Rosalie Cowell, 81, American Legion Volunteer." The Miami Herald. May 9, 1997. Pg. 260.

"Getting Punchy." Fremont Times. Jan. 6, 1961. Pg. 10.

Merchant, Larry. "Jewish Youth Who Came to Fight." 

Mullins, Eddie. "Charity Games Coming." The Amarillo Globe-Times. Jan. 30, 1961. Pg. 10.

Sparse Crowd Sees Sugar Hart Drop Foe in First Round." Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader. Apr. 29, 1959. Pg. 37.

U.S. Censuses from 1940 and 1950.