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. 

Daniel Ivanovski Off Tomorrow's Kentucky Card

Cruiserweight prospect Daniel Ivanovski was scheduled to face Anthony Price tomorrow in Louisville, Kentucky. The card is is still on, but this fight has fallen through.

Ivanovski is a 24 year old with a record of 4-0 with 3 KOs. He last fought in February. This is the second fight he has had scheduled that fizzled out since then.

Two more fights have been added to the schedule. Yan Zak is scheduled to face Stephen Nyamhanga on September 13 in Dubai. Odelia Ben Ephaim will be back in action on September 27 in Spain against Teresa Makinen. The Jewish Boxing Blog will have previews of both fights in the coming days.

Amendments to the Muhammad Ali Act Threaten Boxers' Rights

The Muhammad Ali Act, passed in 2000, granted boxers certain rights in the United States. It said promoters couldn't thrust coercive contracts onto them. It created regulations for sanctioning body rankings. It forced promoters to disclose their show's profits to the participating boxers. It made promoters honor their contracts.

The criticism of the Ali Act is that it's been toothless. Attorneys general have not brought violators to trial. It also hasn't fixed a lot of the problems that plague boxing. But the Ali Act was an important start in protecting the fighters from exploitation. Recently, Representatives Brian Jack, a Republican from Georgia, and Sharice Davids, a Democrat from Kansas, introduced legislation that could potentially strip boxers of those hard-earned rights guaranteed by the Ali Act.

"The clear intent is to favor a single promotional entity," said Patrick English, an experienced combat sports lawyer.

"This bill is designed for exactly one party," said longtime boxing lawyer and manager Kurt Emhoff. "It's not there to help the sport."

"I just can't rationalize any reason for this [bill] other than trying to let TKO have a pathway to a potential boxing monopoly," said another experienced combat lawyer, Erik Magraken.

Proponents of the proposed Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act tout provisions that would set minimum pay at $150 a round and an increase in insurance requirements as positive protections for the fighters. Even these seemingly beneficial clauses are problematic. The minimum pay is essentially moot in the current reality and the insurance premiums increase is negligible. The only result of these additions will be to handcuff small promoters.

The larger issue, however, is this new act would create something called a Unified Boxing Organization (UBO). UBOs wouldn't have to abide by the current regulations enacted in the original Ali Act. "The main story is this punches at the heart of the Ali Act protections," Magraken argued on Emhoff's podcast. "That’s what this bill really does."

To qualify as a UBO, a promotional body must have its own training facility, rehab center, and onsite testing capability. These parameters - though undefined in the bill - describe TKO, the company that runs the UFC, whose boxing wing is called Zuffa Boxing.

A 2014 anti-trust lawsuit against the UFC showed that all fighters combined to make only about 20% of the company's profits. Headlining boxers typically make considerably more than that. UFC fighters would have had no idea of their worth without the lawsuit because the UFC doesn't disclose its revenue for specific events. MMA fighters aren't covered by the 2000 Ali Act.

If this proposed act passes, UBOs, for which Zuffa would quality, wouldn't have to reveal their revenue to the fighters, leaving the athletes in the dark about how much they're worth. It's why UFC fighters are so underpaid. This proposed act also allows UBOs to act as sanctioning bodies, ranking fighters and giving out their own belts. The point seems to be to allow for Zuffa to create a monopoly within American boxing, which would be a terrifying eventuality for fighter pay. But if Zuffa falls short, boxing could see even more trivial world championship belts with more nonsensical rankings.

Of the boxers The Jewish Boxing Blog contacted for comment on this story, only a couple responded, viewing this proposition as negative for themselves and their sport. "It gives too much power to promoters," one fighter said. Brooklyn Barwick summed up the feeling by saying, "That ain't fair, but there's nothing I can do about it."

Boxers don't have a union. The Association of Boxing Commissions put out a statement in support of the new act, but they didn't consult their own Athlete's Voice Committee, a seven member panel of retired fighters started in 2023, before doing so. "A lot of fighters might not be paying attention, Magraken explained. "Five, ten years from now, pro boxing might look very different in the United States. And looking back, the question's going to be, 'Why didn't you do something about it? Why didn't you speak up?'

"There's a very short window for fighters to wake up and pay attention."

Contacting the MMAFA, a union of MMA fighters and their trainers, is one method for boxers to take collective action. Another is to lobby their representatives in Congress. Drawing media attention to the pending loss of protections for fighters who risk their lives for the fans' entertainment, is another tactic.

Magraken summed up the bill succinctly, "Very little of substance is given. A whole lot of substance is being taken away." Only a coordinated and concerted effort by those affected can prevent the impending loss of fighters' rights. Those warriors deserve the support of all those who love the sport of boxing.

Brooklyn Barwick to Stay Active

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to fight Kelly Valentina Roldan in Medellin, Colombia on August 16. Brooklyn has two more fights scheduled: one for September and another in October.

Barwick, a 25 year old based in New York, has a record of 2-0 with 2 KOs. She is a come-forward chainsaw, who showed an upgraded boxing ability in her Team Combat League debut last month. She faces Roldan, a 26 year old Colombian whose record is listed as 3-1.

BoxRec says Roldan won her first three fights, all in Colombia this year. In her last fight on June 14, the site says she lost a close decision to "Pink Tyson," Kallia Kourouni.

Brooklyn plans to be very active with a fight scheduled on September 13, also in Medellin. Her opponent is slated to be Mileydis Mercado. Mercado went pro in 2017 and has an 0-4 record. She has been stopped all four times in the first round against opposition with a combined record of 12-3-1 before they faced her.

Barwick then is penciled in to fight on October 11 in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. Her first two fights took place there. No opponent has yet been announced for this one.

Barwick is accruing experience the right way, by challenging herself in the ring. She's making up for lost time, having started boxing just two years ago. In an era when it's tough to get fights, Barwick is learning her craft on the job, which is the best way to improve.

All of her fights are scheduled for four two-minute rounds in the junior featherweight division.

Legendary Promoter Don Elbaum, 93, Dies

"I lost an old friend Don Elbaum today, as did the sport of boxing, which just became less interesting and fun," wrote Teddy Atlas upon hearing the news that the eccentric Hall of Fame boxing promoter died yesterday at the age of 93. Elbaum, who promoted boxing events for nearly 70 years, began his legendary career at a time when the International Boxing Club ruled the roost.

Born on August 6, 1932 in Cincinnati, Ohio to a Belgian immigrant named Max and a New Yorker named Sally, Donald Elbaum grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania from the age of 6. Sally was a concert pianist, and Don claimed he was a child prodigy on the piano, first playing at four years old. His uncle Danny Greenstein took him to his first boxing match, and Don fell in love. He claimed to have met the original editor of The Ring, Nat Fleischer, at the age of 13. A lightweight, Don fought numerous times as an amateur before he was shipped out to Korea.

While serving during the Korean war, Elbaum found his calling. He pitted American soldiers and Koreans in boxing matches. When he returned home to the U.S., he began promoting small shows in and around Erie. Elbaum represented both boxing's delightful irreverence and its foundational flaws.

He worked with all-time greats Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, and Roberto Duran.  "Sugar" Ray Robinson and Willie Pep too, although both were old enough to be grandfathers at the time. At an honorary dinner, he once presented Robinson with the very gloves Sugar had used in his pro debut... or so he said. Robinson was touched by the gesture until he saw the two gloves. Both were for left hands.

Elbaum occasionally filled in for no-shows on cards he promoted. When a doctor didn't turn up, he fooled the commission by sticking tongue depressors into the mouths of the fighters and deeming them physically fit to fight on his show. He also brought another outlandish future nonagenarian into boxing, an ex-felon named Don King. "And I've been apologizing to the world ever since," Elbaum explained.

A great storyteller, he often blurred the lines between fiction and reality. He hustled, fibbed, and worked hard at his craft. In one feature story, he acknowledged to a writer that he sometimes said he was 45 years old even though he was actually 49. In truth, he was almost 60 at the time. But he promoted thousands of shows, taking risks all the while. He put on nearly 200 shows at the Tropicana in Atlantic City and was elected to that city's boxing Hall of Fame.

In 2019, he was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. It was the culmination of a colorful career. "He has a core of decency about him," Teddy Atlas said, "having done so many things on a shoestring, living out of a suitcase." The writer Jack Obermayer summed Elbaum up more succinctly, "The bum is a great man."

Paradoxically, Don Elbaum was the archetype of a crusty old amoral boxing promoter and yet he was one of a kind. May his memory be a blessing.

Yan Zak Embarasses Victor Chvarkou

Cruiserweight Yan Zak performed a balletic beatdown of veteran Victor Chvarkou by unanimous decision in a six-rounder at Vere Basketball Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia today. After a slow start, Zak embarrassed his tough Belarusian foe.

Entering the ring to hardcore sounds of No Sons of Mine's Not Meant to Strive, Zak began the fight cautiously. Chvarkou, a 39 year old, feinted, slipped Zak's jab, and used his counter right to carry a slow first round.

After the first, Zak's cornerman Artur Zlatopolsky waved a towel in front of his fighter's face ostensibly to cool him off. Instead, it served to light a fire under the 25 year old Israeli. Zak looked like the Jewish Ali in the second round: boxing, dancing, and punching circles around the befuddled bearded Belarusian.

From the second round onward, the difference in class was as a wide as the Black Sea. Zak's cheetah-like hand-speed made Chvarkou's rather pedestrian punch-quickness look slower than a snail. As a result, Chvarkou decided to keep his hands close to home, only attempting to win in the opening round and at the beginning of the final one.

Zak landed some ridiculous shots. At one point, he connected with a clean lead right, brought his hand back, and smashed the same lead right onto the left side of Chvarkou's skull. Zak hit the target with a counter left uppercut from the outside. He kept both hands down in the pocket and then unleashed a four-punch combination from the oddest angles; each punch hit the mark. He also left his right hand out with his legs in an orthodox stance, but his body titled like a southpaw. Chvarkou was confused and couldn't block the left hook that came out of that bizarre setup.

Zak told The Jewish Boxing Blog he carried an injured right hand into the fight, "So we decided to fight slowly all six rounds. We also wanted experience." The injury explains why he started too slowly in the first and why he didn't press too hard for the knockout. Zak said he couldn't hit hard with the damaged right. The only problem with going rounds against Chvarkou is that Zak is several levels above and could develop some bad habits against lesser opposition It's rare that a 3-0 fighter should step up the competition, but Zak is just that skilled.

The judges' scores were not announced, but Zak won by decision. The JBB scored it 59-55 for Zak. He's 3-0 with 2 KOs. Chvarkou tumbles to 6-26 with 3 KOs.

Yan Zak and Victor Chvarkou Make Weight

Yan Zak and Victor Chvarkou both made the cruiserweight limit of 200 pounds ahead of their clash tomorrow at Vere Basketball Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Zak, a 25 year old Israeli with a 2-0 record, has weighed 199.3 and 200.3 pounds in his two pro fights, according to BoxRec. He arrived in Tbilisi on Tuesday. This will be his second prizefight in the city.

Chvarkou is a 39 year old Belarusian with a ton of experience. His 6-25 record belies his quality as a fighter. He has almost always been the B-side in the opponent’s hometown. As a result, he’s been ripped off more than once.

Chvarkou has typically fought as a heavyweight but has campaigned in the cruiserweight division more and more. Two hundred pounds is still on the lighter side for the bearded Belarusian, who has another fight scheduled for September 13.

Zak-Chvarkou is scheduled for six rounds. Visit here for a preview.

Yan Zak to Face Viktar Chvarkou

Cruiserweight prospect Yan Zak is scheduled to face veteran journeyman Viktar Chvarkou on July 25 at Vere Basketball Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia. Chvarkou is a tricky opponent for a relatively inexperienced pro.

A 25 year old, Zak is 2-0 with 2 KOs. The resident of Ashdod, Israel has been particularly impressive in his first two professional fights. He completely dominated Darshan Singh in May in Zak's debut. Three weeks later, he forced Mukkhiddin Rajapbaev to quit after the first round. Trainer Artur Zlatopolsi has Zak ready to face a tough opponent in his third career bout.

Chvarkou's 6-25 record isn't stellar, but it's actually an indicator that the 39 year old can fight. Born in the Soviet Union in what is now Kazakhstan, Chvarkou represents Belarus and lives in Poland. He turned pro in 2016 and has been in tough ever since.

Standing about 6'4", Chvarkou is the consummate B-sider. His main goal is not to be knocked out, so he can fight again quickly. If he feels like he can win, he'll try, but if the opponent becomes too dangerous, Viktar will fight to survive. Early in his career, he opened up more and targeted the body. Evgeny Romanov clobbered him with a hellacious left hook in Chvarkou's second pro fight, earning a third round stoppage victory.

Georgia will be the ninth country Chvarkou has traveled to, fighting hometown favorites all along the way. In his third fight, the judges stole the bout from him and awarded it to Zamig Atakishiyev. It's not the only time he has been on the wrong side of a bad decision.

Trained by Andrej Gronovs, Chvarkou knows how to survive. He understands distance and mostly avoids the midrange. On the outside, he paws with the jab and looks to land counter rights. On the inside, he holds, especially against tall British heavyweight prospects such as Tommy Fletcher, Luis Wright, and Lewis Williams. The Belarussian isn't adverse to using foul tactics when needed and was disqualified for intentional headbutts in a 2019 bout against Christian Thun that Viktar was winning.

Chvarkou has lasted the distance against some known opponents. He heard the bell both times he fought Callum Johnson, who once knocked down Artur Beterbiev. He has only been stopped three times: in his second fight against Romanov, due to an injured right hand against Nelson Hysa, and against Arlo Stephens he was caught cold in the first by a looping right hand that he didn't see.

Unless he thinks he can win, Chvarkou will approach this contest against Zak cautiously. He just lost a decision last week and has a fight scheduled for September. He presents a challenge for the young prospect, though. The veteran is going to try to muck things up on the inside and stay out of range on the outside. It's up to Zak to find the right punches to stop the tough Belarussian. Chvarkou drops his hands a bit when he throws, which could leave him open to Zak's counters, but Yan will most likely need to lead in this contest. Combinations that start with jabs or hooks to the body and end with rights to the chin, could be the ticket for Zak.

This bout is scheduled for six rounds in the cruiserweight division.

Daniel Ivanovski to Face Anthony Price

Daniel Ivanovski is scheduled to face Anthony Price on August 9 at the Bluegrass Harley Davidson in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. This is a battle between undefeated cruiserweights.

Ivanovski, a 24 year old Israeli, turned pro last September. He now sports a record of 4-0 with 3 KOs. He's a skilled operator with a varied attack. The prospect has been susceptible to overhand rights in the past, but that won't be a problem against Price, a 33 year old southpaw from Stockbridge, Georgia.

Price had his pro debut in 2022. He pummeled 18-fight veteran Jalyn Anthony for just over five minutes, scoring five knockdowns. Price's straight left is his best punch, which he can use either to the head or to the body. He forced Byron Harkley to quit after the second round of their 2023 clash in Atlanta. His last fight was over a year ago against Matthew Caleb Esch, the son of hard-punching fan favorite Butterbean. In the second round, Price pawed with a straight left to the head, which brought up Esch's guard. The Georgian then went to the Esch's exposed body with a straight left. Esch crumbled in pain, writhing on the canvas. The fight was halted.

Ivanovski has the age and pro experience advantages. Price is listed at 6'1", so Daniel also has a slight height advantage. Ivanovski's hands are faster, but both men have very good technique. Price keeps a tight, responsible guard and uses subtle foot movement in and out to set up his punches. He hasn't shown much of a right hand yet during his brief pro career, though.

Ivanovski's career has been akin to the first line of a Dickens novel. He dominated his two fights in Louisville, where this one will take place. But in a fight in Philadelphia last year, Ivanovski was tagged by Marcus Smith's right repeatedly. In a close fight, Daniel stopped Smith with 14 seconds left in the contest to salvage a victory. Ivanovski's last fight was not his strongest performance. A clash in North Carolina against Romelle Terrell was his second in eight days and Daniel wasn't as sharp as usual. He also suffered a bad cut late in that fight which put him out of action for several months.

Price represents a very stern test for the Israeli prospect. Ivanovski will need to pull out more of his Louisville magic to get the victory. The left hook and right uppercut will likely be the key. This bout is scheduled for four rounds.

David Malul Off August 23 Card

"King" David Malul's next fight will have to wait. The undefeated welterweight prospect suffered an injury in camp recently. A fractured nose was the issue. He tried to push through but soon realized it was smarter to take some time off. Malul had been scheduled to fight on August 23 at Suffolk Theater in Riverhead, New York, USA.

On Instagram, Malul announced that he would be back in a few months. The prognosis is about six months of recovery time. Malul is 22 year old from Jamaica, Queens, New York. He trains at the Main Street Gym under Mike Stellate. David boasts a record of 3-0 with 2 KOs.

The Brief Career of Dino "Casino" Berkowitz

Dean Allan Watt was born on January 20, 1957 in Mount Holly, New Jersey to Raymond Watt and Beryl Berkowitz Watt. Dean came from a big family with five siblings. In his early twenties, he became a barber and hairstylist. He worked hard and eventually owned multiple salons.

Around this time, Watt added boxing to his busy schedule. He was trained by Joe Tete, a decorated bodybuilder and boxing coach. They worked out of the Moorsetown Gym in New Jersey, a hotbed for fighters in the area at the time. Watt assumed his mother's maiden name, Berkowitz, for his boxing career. Dean was an avid gambler and loved to make the hour drive southeast to Atlantic City, so his nom de box was Dino "Casino" Berkowitz.

"He just wanted to be a fighter," Coach Tete told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "He never had any amateur fights, just a lot of guts and some training."

Berkowitz turned pro on June 26, 1983 at the age of 27. Fighting just above the lightweight limit, he faced fellow debutant Joey Whitfield at the Cherry Hill Inn in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. A writer at the Courier-Post was unimpressed. "Believe it or not," the scribe wrote, "a Mount Holly hairdresser named Dean Allan Watt will make his pro debut on the bill, fighting under the moniker Dino 'Casino' Berkowitz. C'mon, give me a break." Whitfield didn't give Berkowitz a break and stopped him in the third round.

Casino Berkowitz next fought on October 9, 1984 on a card promoted by Don Elbaum. He took on Charlie Briscoe of Philadelphia at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. Berkowitz knocked out Briscoe at the end of the first round. He was in tough in his next fight on November 20 at the same venue. Casino's opponent was Johnny Bizzarro Jr. of Youngstown, Ohio. Bizzarro was only 1-1 at the time but would go on to have a very good career. He stopped Berkowitz fifty seconds into the second round.

Berkowitz floored by Bizzarro

Berkowitz retired from the ring with a record of 1-2, all three fights ending early. "I love that guy. He was a real character," Coach Tete remembered. "He was a tough guy, a good guy, and had a great following." Dino loved the beach and was always spotted with a tan. He lived in Florida for a time, but moved back to New Jersey where he always made it a point to visit the casinos in Atlantic City.

On November 20, 1995 Dean Watt died under tragic circumstances. He was just 38 years old.

Sources

Interview with Joe Tete.

Marder, Phill. "Rossman Readies for 'step two' in his attempt to regain the title." Courier-Post. Jun. 11, 1983. Pg. 9.

Snyder, Craig. The Boxers of Youngstown, Ohio. 2018.

Watt, David. "Dean Allan Watt." Find a Grave.

"King" David Malul Back in Action in August

"King" David Malul is scheduled to make his fourth pro start on August 23 at the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead, New York, USA. Malul, a 22 year old native of Queens, is 3-0 with 2 KOs.

Malul has shown tremendous power early in his career as a prizefighter. He exhibited improved skill in his last fight, a unanimous decision victory over Shaquille Rushing last March. This fight will be about an hour's drive east of the Paramount Theatre, the venue for Malul's first three fights.

David observes Shabbat, so his fight won't start until after sundown, which will arrive at 7:37pm on August 23 in Suffolk. Its eastern location benefits David, because the sun will set earlier in the day than in a more western city in the same time zone.

No opponent has been announced as of yet, but whoever he faces can expect an assault to the body.

Danielle Cohen's Fight Cancelled

Danielle Cohen was scheduled to fight tomorrow in Fort Lauderdale, but the entire card was cancelled to due several unforeseen events. Next LVL Promotions announced that it hoped to have a show in August. Cohen, whose fight was scheduled to take place in the junior featherweight division, is 2-0 with one KO.

Unfortunately, multiple Jewish boxers had fights cancelled this month. After an exciting four month period for Jewish boxing, it seemed as if the trend would continue in June, but it was not to be. July currently looks like a slow month, but the in-ring action should heat back up in August.

Israel-Iran Hostilities Affecting Jewish Boxers

The fallout from the current Israeli-Iranian conflict has affected the world of boxing. Not only did the hostilities force Igor Lazarev to forego a big opportunity in Canada this week, but it has impacted Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick's merchandise as well. She was advised by a third party that an international warehouse would not make her merchandise if it contained "any Israeli flags or anything alluding to Judaism." She was told that it would be "destroyed in transit by workers."

Barwick, who wore an Israeli flag on her trunks last fight, is devastated. "It hurts," she told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "Censoring the Star of David is wrong. I wouldn't care if the opposite side had their symbols because it's what they represent. I proudly represent a lot of things and respect others who represent their culture and religious beliefs." As of this writing, a ceasefire is holding between Israel and Iran. The hope is the ceasefire will help usher in a swift end to the conflict.

A junior featherweight, Barwick is scheduled to fight on August 16. She is 2-0 with 2 KOs.

Lazarev off Thursday's Card in Canada

Igor Lazarev was scheduled to face hot prospect Wyatt Sanford this Thursday, but he and his team are unable to make the fight. Lazarev is based in Israel and the hostilities between the country and Iran have made it too difficult to leave for the fight in Canada. Lazarev was scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Eye of the Tiger Promotions, the company hosting the event, shared a bout sheet earlier today with Lazarev's name still present. His team, however, told The Jewish Boxing Blog that he had passed up the fight.

Lazarev was going to be in tough against Sanford, a former Olympian. Igor, who holds a record of 9-4-1, hasn't fought in over two years. But it was a great opportunity for the 38 year old veteran. The event will be broadcast on ESPN+, and a good showing certainly would've helped Lazarev's career. Of course, a bad performance could've spelled the end.

Sanford is now scheduled to face Mark Andrejev.

News and Notes

Cleaning up some news from the previous weekend: cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski had been scheduled to fight in Kentucky last Saturday, but that entire card was cancelled a little while ago. Ivanovski is scheduled to put his 4-0 record on the line on August 16 in Greenville, North Carolina.

David Malul was briefly on the schedule to fight last Saturday. He observes Shabbat, which makes it difficult for him to fight on Saturdays during the summer because the sun sets so late in New York in those months.

Odelia Ben Ephraim has left the Blagnac Boxing Club. She's recovering from hand surgery, taking care of an injury that has plagued her for nearly two years. In the meantime, she signed with Insideout Boxing's Eoin Mundow.

Yonatan Landman has been working with famed trainer John David Jackson in Florida. The 7-0 flyweight has not been in the ring this year so far after a very busy 2024.

Brooklyn Barwick, now 2-0 with 2 KOs, is scheduled to come back to the ring on August 16. More details to come.

Boxing.5 Promotions is holding a tournament at Carnival City in South Africa on August 23. We'll see if Joshua Feldman and/or Doron Zinman fight on that card.

The Human Sponge: Alf Ros

Few fighters fit the mold of a true road warrior as well as Alf Ros. From 1921 until 1939, Ros fought on four continents against countless good and great opponents. He battled Jackie Fields, Ben Jeby, Vince Dundee, Tommy Freeman, Young Corbett III, and Lou Brouillard: all current, or future world champions when Ros faced them.

Jewish boxers from North Africa have a tradition of success. Victor "Young" Perez, Alphonse Halimi and Robert Cohen are the best remembered, but there were many quality Jewish boxers coming out of Algerian, Tunisian, and Morocco. Ros was the first to make a name for himself.

Alfred Ros was born on January 20, 1903 in Oran, Algeria to a Spanish mother and an Algerian father. France had taken control of Algeria in 1830 and incorporated the country into France in 1848. Algerian Jews were given French citizenship in 1870 as part of France's strategy to divide and conquer. Though considered part of France, Oran had a significant Spanish influence with much of the city's large European population hailing from Spain.

Ros started his professional career in Morocco in 1921. He fought under the first names Alf or Fred and his surname was sometimes spelled "Ross." After several fights in Morocco, he began campaigning in France the following year against good competition. Following a fight in Italy, he made his homecoming on March 3, 1923 when he fought Pedro Sáez, a notable boxer from Spain.

Sáez was recovering from a devastating low blow in sparring and began the bout firmly in survival mode. In the seventh round, Ros butted Sáez, who was knocked to the ground. The referee gave Sáez a minute's rest to recover, but Sáez was unable to continue and the fight was ruled a TKO victory for Ros. Later than night, Sáez saw the referee at a concert of Bizet's "Carmen" and futilely confronted him about his ruling, believing he should have won by disqualification. It was the only time Sáez was ever stopped in his career.

Ros fought a few more times in Oran, then several times back in Casablanca, before relocating to France and sneaking in a fight in Belgium. He was based in Bois-Colombes, a suburb northwest of Paris. One of his best wins came against Arthur Schaekels on September 2, 1925 in France's capital city. Ros won the ten-rounder by decision. A famed denizen of the city took notice. The following January, Ernest Hemingway wrote to a friend that Schaekels's dominance in Mexico immediately after the Ros fight - even winning the Mexican welterweight title - showed just how tough Ros was (pg. 3).

In 1926, Ros married Hélène, a French woman a year older than himself. That year, he beat future French welterweight champ Yvan Laffineur and drew with the current champ Emile Romerio before traveling to London. Ros was constantly in the ring, learning veteran tricks along the way. On January 11, 1927 Ros lost a rematch for the French title against Romerio, but picked up a big win twenty days later in London when he avenged a loss to Joe Rolfe with a 13th round knockout.

Alf Ros

Back in Paris, Ros went on a rampage in the ring. On September 7, 1927 Ros stopped French welterweight champion Alfred Pegazzano in the seventh round, but Ros was overweight so the title didn't change hands. Despite multiple efforts, he never would win the coveted French crown.

On November 20 and 21, 1927 Ros fought in back-to-back fifteen rounders in London. He lost to veteran Billy Bird and then drew with Billy Adair. Alf only fought twice in 1928 before setting sail for the new world. He received his visa to travel to the United Sates on August 23. Boarding the Rochambeau at Havre, France on October 31, Ros arrived in New York ten days later. He worked in two fights in Puerto Rico before the end of the year, traveling with fellow a Wahrani boxer named Antoine Ascencio.

On February 22, 1929 Ros fought in the continental United States for the first time. The venue happened to be the center of boxing: Madison Square Garden. Ros upset veteran Billy Adler, battering him around the ring for nine rounds before the fight was stopped. Ros was "the real hit of the night" and described as "a pocket-edition of Tom Sharkey."

On March 11 at MSG, Ros couldn't get inside against the much taller future welterweight world champion Tommy Freeman. He then lost to quality fighters like Nick Testo, Canada Lee, and My Sullivan. His biggest win in New York came against future middleweight world champion Ben Jeby, but he lost the rematch in October. Still, Ros was "hailed as one of the hardest hitting European welterweights."

In New York, Ros was a stablemate of the Spanish heavyweight Paulino Uzcundun, known as "The Basque Woodchopper." Alf lived on 111th Street in Manhattan with his wife, who arrived on May 28, 1929 and Americanized her name to Elaine. Fellow fighter Gaston LeCadre, "The Fighting Apache of Paris," lived two doors down.

On January 6, 1930 Ros fought the welterweight world champion Jackie Fields in a nontitle affair. The two fighters thrilled the Philadelphia crowd with their constant exchanges. Fields typically boxed, but against the shorter Ros, he was forced to fight, and it made for an exciting showing. Alf's stock rose.

He lost to future middleweight world champion Vince Dundee and future welterweight world champion Young Corbett III in successive months. Ros went down in the fourth and ninth rounds against Corbett, a tricky southpaw. He came back to decision Abe Attell's nephew, Gilbert on June 25.

Described as "a human sponge" because he could absorb so much punishment, Ros was something of an enigma to the American press. They called the short, stout fighter with the hairy chest "swarthy." They alternately labeled him as Spanish, Moroccan, Belgian, South African, Armenian, French, Algerian, and Hebrew.

One scribe declared, "Ros is heralded around New York as the greatest club fighter of all time." During his ten year career and likely over a hundred fights to that point, Alf had never been stopped.

On February 6, 1931 Alf fought future two-division world champion Lou Brouillard. In the sixth of an eight-rounder at Boston Garden, Ros was finally stopped. It would be the first of only two times he lost by knockout.

After a few more losses, Ros traveled to Mexico and fought there for a year, including a draw against the popular Mexican-American Bert Colima. He spent the next year and a half toiling in Costa Rica. In October of 1933 Ros faced an old nemesis, Arthur Schaekels, in Chile of all places. They fought to a draw. The next year, Ros stopped Felix "Kid" Thomas, the Nicaraguan welterweight titlist, in the fourth round in Managua. Ros then relocated to Peru, where he fought until 1936, with one comeback fight in 1939.

According to BoxRec, Ros's record was 57-37-16 with 24 KOs, but due to the itinerant nature of his career, he surely fought more. Alf's legacy extends beyond his own personal accomplishments, though. He laid the foundation for generations of North African Jewish boxers who were able to build upon Ros's labor and create championship careers.

Sources

Eckersall, Walter. "Mandell Meets Vicentini at Stadium Tonight." Chicago Daily Tribune. Sep. 6, 1929. Pg. 21.

"Fast Bouts Await Fans Who Attend Moose Hall Bouts." Shamokin News-Dispatch. Apr. 22, 1931. Pg. 6.

Hughes, Ed. "Paulino's Slugging Too Big a Puzzle for Christner to Solve." Brooklyn Eagle. Feb. 23, 1929. Pg. 10.

Vackner, Charles. "Braddock Demonstrates Punching Prowess Stopping Slattery." The Brooklyn Daily Times. Mar. 12, 1929. Pg. 23.

Immigration records, New York City, 1928, 1929.

U.S. Census, 1930.

The Top 10 Jewish Boxers according to Teddy Atlas and Ron Katz

Teddy Atlas is a Hall of Fame trainer and announcer. Ron Katz is a legendary matchmaker who belongs in the Hall of Fame. Atlas gave his top ten Jewish boxers on his podcast. Katz announced his on Twitter/X.

Rank	Atlas	Katz
1	Benny Leonard	Benny Leonard
2	Abe Attell	Barney Ross
3	Barney Ross	Ted Lewis
4	Maxie Rosenbloom	Maxie Rosenbloom
5	Ted Lewis	Abe Attell
6	Lew Tendler	Lew Tendler
7	Louis Kaplan	Battling Levinsky
8	Benny Bass	Joe Choynski
9	Jack Berg	Jack Berg
10	Jackie Fields	Max Baer

Atlas also named two honorable mentions: Battling Levinsky and Mike Rossman

Devin Strübin Beats Jasmin Ramic

Devin Strübin defeated Jasmin Ramic by two majority decision at Stadthofsaal in Uster, Switzerland today.

Strübin put Ramic down in the fifth round. Referee Thomas Walser deducted a point from Ramic in the same round. The loss of the two points proved to be the difference in the fight. One judge scored it even at 56. He was overruled by the other two judges who scored the bout 58-54 and 57-55.

Strübin improves has s record to 8-1-1. Ramic is now 1-4.

Devin Strübin Weighs In

Devin Strübin and his opponent, Jasmin Ramic, weighed in ahead of their six-round super middleweight clash tomorrow at Stadthofsaal in Uster, Switzerland.

Strübin weighed 168.3 pounds. The lightest of his career has been 167 pounds while the heaviest was 174 for his last fight. Ramic, who flew in from Bosnia & Herzegovina today, was 164.5 pounds. He has been as light as 152 pounds back in 2019 and as heavy as 167.5.

Ramic & Strübin at the weigh-in

For a preview of the fight, visit here.

Brooklyn Barwick Calls Out Danielle Cohen, Cohen Responds

After scoring her second career knockout and tackling the Team Combat League in the span of eight days, Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick is looking for bigger challenges. One such challenge could be a fellow Jewish fighter, Danielle "Pitbull" Cohen.

"I'm the only female Jewish professional boxer in the U.S." Barwick told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "Cohen's a Jewish combat sports athlete. She's ain't a boxer; she's an MMA girl."

The 25 year old junior featherweight had a message for Cohen, a 28 year old lightweight from Florida, "If she wants to come down to featherweight, I'll whoop her ass."

"Tell her management to contact my manager," Cohen responded. "Let's book the fight."

Both fighters are 2-0. Barwick has two KOs while Cohen has one. Cohen has a fight scheduled for June 28. Barwick last fought on May 30.

Cohen is taller, bigger, and has more combat experience, but Barwick has made great strides recently. If it happens, it'll surely be an exciting battle. Barwick is a come-forward fighter who can bang to the body. Cohen is typically a potshot artist from the outside. It all makes for a fascinating clash of styles.

There's also the possibility of history being made. The great champion Hagar Finer faced Jewish opponents in Israel early in her career, but a fight between Barwick and Cohen would potentially be the first professional boxing match between two Jewish women in the United States.

Barwick

Cohen

Igor Lazarev to Face Olympian Wyatt Sanford

Junior welterweight Igor Lazarev is in tough on June 27 against 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Wyatt "The Kennetcook Kid" Sanford at Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Lazarev heads into the fight with quite a few disadvantages.

The only advantage the Russian-born resident of Ashdod, Israel possesses is pro experience. Lazarev's record stands at 9-4 with 3 KOs. He's boxed 56 professional rounds in nine different countries, including six dominant rounds against Polish prospect Dominik Harwankowski in 2022. Lazarev completely exposed the home fighter, but was robbed blind by the Polish judges. Igor has also faced prospects Angelo Peña and Greg McGuiness.

Lazarev is now 38 years old and hasn't fought in two years and four months. He'll have a slight height disadvantage, and his hands aren't as fast as Sanford's, which are blazing quick. Sanford, a highly-touted 26 year old prospect from Kennetcook, Nova Scotia, is a southpaw. He's 2-0 with two first round stoppages and is signed with the home promoter, Eye of the Tiger. The Canadian is also the naturally bigger man. He likes to lead in order to counter the opponent's counter. His hands are fast and fluid and he knows when to go to the body.

In Sanford's pro debut last month, he scored a knockdown with a right hook, but his straight left is also very dangerous. His second fight took place last Thursday, when he wiped out Tomas Lastra.

The overhand right is the premier punch for Lazarev, who is also a vicious body puncher. He'll need to set up his power shots because Sanford is too slick to get hit by lead rights. The two-time Olympian poses a tall task for the tough Israeli. With everything against him, if Igor gets out of the first round, consider it a win.

courtesy of Nir Roitman

Devin Strübin to Face Jasmin Ramic on Saturday

Devin "The Honey Badger" Strübin is scheduled to fight Jasmin "The Lion's Heart" Ramic on Saturday at Stadthofsaal in Uster, Switzerland. Ramic will pose a tougher test that his record suggests.

Strübin (7-1-1, 6 KOs) is a 30 year old from the nearby town of Urdorf. The southpaw super middleweight will apply smart pressure as he attempts to wear down Ramic. Strübin, who has spent some of his training camp in Israel, last fought in December, a fourth round TKO victory over veteran Zdenk Bule.

Ramic is from Biljeljina, Bosnia & Herzegovina. And before Mauricio Sulaiman and his ilk stir up any faux outrage: in the Balkans, Jasmin is typically a male name. As a boxer, Jasmin is only 1-3 and hasn't fought since 2022, but he has tons of experience as a kickboxer. Strübin also began as a kickboxer but made the switch ten years ago while Ramic has never left the sport.

Though there are key differences between boxing and kickboxing - some obvious and some less so - plenty of fighters have made the transition successfully. Chris Algieri and Tenshin Nasukawa are just a couple of examples.

A member of the Roma community and a farmer, Ramic throws hard clubbing punches. Since Strübin won't be hard to find, it should be an exciting fight for as long as it lasts. This bout is scheduled for six rounds.

Barwick Game in TCL Debut

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick was game in losing her Team Combat League debut by unanimous decision to Anna Verbeek at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA.

Barwick represented the Phoenix Fury, who faced the Miami Assassins tonight. Miami won the eight "launch" rounds by a score of 77-72 on the back of Victor Abreu, who stopped Joseph Rivas in the second to grab a 10-7 round. When Barwick stepped into the ring for round eleven, her Fury were trailing 97-90.

Barwick, who gave up at lest five inches of height, rushed forward, targeting Verbeek's body. Barwick was so anxious to let her punches go, she was warned twice by referee Luis Pabon for hitting after he had yelled for the action to stop.

Verbeek had some success catching Barwick on the way in and landed a sweet left hook towards the end of the round. Barwick absorbed the punches as if they were love taps, though. Her looping right to the body needed to be tightened up, but her foot movement was more fluid than in the past. There's no doubt that Brooklyn has a great chin, a ton of heart, and a mountain of grit. Her skills continue to improve as well.

Verbeek was awarded the round by unanimous decision, 10-9, which increased Miami's lead to 107-99. This was a great experience for Barwick, who cheered for her teammates from ringside after her round. This tussle against Verbeek should help Brooklyn's pro career, which has started with two straight knockout victories.

Miami beat Phoenix 230-222.

Introducing Devin Strübin

Devin "The Honey Badger" Strübin is a 7-1-1 super middleweight with six knockouts. The 30 year old southpaw from Urdorf, Zurich, Switzerland turned pro in 2022.

"My fighting style is to make pressure," Strübin told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "I look for the infight and make pressure, punch by punch, round by round, until my opponent is broken."

He made the switch from kickboxing ten years ago and his stance reveals that experience. Though a pressure fighter, he's not a volume puncher, preferring to set up big accurate shots. But his come-forward approach tests the will of his opponents.

"Physically, he's incredibly strong," his coach Mortiz Hager told Zo Online, "He's rather calm and thoughtful, certainly not a hothead."*

Strübin picked up the nickname "The Honey Badger" because he initially fought at a heavier weight, which put him at a height disadvantage. He battled so ferociously, "The trainer said I fought like a honey badger," he told The JBB. He researched the animal and learned they are naturally aggressive and surprisingly fearless for their size. He felt the nickname was apropos.

"Working with Devin is a dream," said Coach Hager in the same Zo Online interview. "He's humble, always tries to implement my instructions, and isn't someone who's too proud to repeat the same exercise over and over again. He knows how important certain automatisms are."

After stopping his first two opponents, he faced 13-fight veteran Valeri Gojiashvili on June 10, 2023. Strübin's pressure and power punches behind a high guard wore down his more experienced foe, but Gojiashvili's hands were more active. The Georgian lost a point in the fourth and fifth rounds for excessive holding, which was his main defense against fatigue. Even with the point deductions, the judges unfairly saddled Strübin with a majority draw.

After a TKO victory, Strübin fought Yoncho Markov on December 2, 2023. During Strübin's ring-walk, Markov stood in the center of the ring and gyrated in an awkward attempt at dancing. In the second round, Strübin battered Markov to the canvas with lefts and then imitated Markov's "dance" before waving for him to get up. Markov became enraged, but his anger signified nothing as The Honey Badger stopped him in the next round.

On April 14 last year in only his sixth pro bout, Strübin fought 45-fight veteran Sandro Jajanidze. Though he used his customary pressure, he was too cautious early and Jajanidze scored a knockdown in the first. Devin did better in the middle rounds, but Jajanidze's experience carried him home. Though Strübin has fought all of his contests in Switzerland and this was a six-rounder like eight of his nine fights, this bout has been his only experience without judges. The sole arbiter, referee Diana Drews Milani, felt the knockdown was the difference and scored the contest 57-56 for Jajanidze.

After a comeback TKO victory in July, Devin faced Eman Rekanovic last September 8. In the second round, a ring malfunction delayed the fight for an extended period. In the fourth round, Rekanovic was disqualified for repeatedly keeping his head too low. After the fight, Strübin proposed to his girlfriend in the ring. She said yes!

He last fought in December, a fourth round TKO victory over the experienced Zdenko Bule in the light heavyweight division.

The son of a Yemeni Jewish mother from Israel, Devin recently worked with undefeated flyweight David Alaverdian at the Nakash Gym in Tel Aviv. "I held the pads for him, and he can definitely crack," Alaverdian told The JBB. "In this boxing circle, I've met a lot of bad people, but I can honestly say he is a good person."

Strübin is scheduled to fight next on June 14 in Ulster, Switzerland. He is certainly one to watch.

*Coach Hager's quotes are translated from German.

Brooklyn Barwick to Fight Saturday for Phoenix Fury in TCL

Fresh off her second pro KO last week, Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to fight on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA as part of the Phoenix Fury of the Team Combat League. Phoenix faces the Miami Assassins.

The Team Combat League involves matches between two clubs, each representing a city. Each team puts up 24 boxers who fight in one three-minute round. Of the nine men's and three women's weight classes, each team fields two fighters. Barwick will represent Phoenix in one of the two women's featherweight rounds.

Brooklyn is in tough against Ana Maria Verbeek, who is 2-1 in her four Team Combat League rounds. The 30 year old native of Breda, Netherlands will boast a five-inch height advantage. Verbeek is 1-0 as  a pro.

This should be good experience Barwick, who starched her two opponents so quickly, she hasn't even fought two minutes of pro action yet. Her aggressive, volume-punching style is well suited for this format.

More information about the contest can be found here.

Danielle Cohen Back on June 28

Lightweight Danielle "Pitbull" Cohen is scheduled to fight on June 28 at Xtreme Action Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Cohen is 2-0 as a boxer and has a wealth of combat experience.

Cohen is a 28 year old from Plantation, Florida. In her 2023 debut, she outboxed Danielle Wynn, effectively dictating range and landing eye-catching potshots from the outside. Her second fight, this past April, was one of the more bizarre contests in recent boxing history. Her opponent, Amber Clark, was visibly frazzled at the opening and immediately took a knee before a punch was landed. The fight was stopped after just ten seconds and Cohen awarded a TKO victory.

Cohen will be anxious to show her skills after the brevity of her last outing. This will be her second fight in her home state. No opponent has been announced yet.

Brooklyn Barwick Wins by TKO

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick won her fight tonight by TKO at Gimnasio Municipal in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. It took her only 49 seconds to stop debutant Laura Veronica Hernandez Fernandez and win her second pro fight,

Barwick began the fight aggressively, landing a combination with a right to the body and a right to the head.

Barwick arrived in Mexico late Wednesday and weighed in at 121.3 pounds this morning, a pound lighter than Hernandez. Afterwards, she refueled with a breakfast of eggs over easy on top of a steak with French fries, rice, and a bowl of fruit. That's a change from her debut when her first post-weigh-in meal involved a trip across the border to Olive Garden.

Barwick is now 2-0 with 2 KOs.

Brooklyn Barwick is BoxRec's Fighter of the Week

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick has been voted the BoxRec Fighter of the Week.

"Every week, we highlight fighters you may not be familiar with [the] BoxRec Fighter Of The Week," noted the self-proclaimed official recordkeeper of the sport.

"Our fighter of the week this week is Brooklyn Barwick, based out off Manhattan, New York! Brooklyn started her professional boxing journey this past March with a TKO1 over Alejandra Marruffo in Sonora, Mexico. Brooklyn also had bouts on the influencer and Rough N Rowdy circuit before deciding to move to New York and focus on becoming a professional boxer... best of luck, Brooklyn!"

Barwick returns to the ring this Friday in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico.

Brooklyn Barwick's Fight Now on May 30

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick was scheduled to fight on Saturday, May 31 in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. Her fight has now been pushed up a day to Friday, May 30 at the same venue. The change in date was precipitated by the Mexican government due to geopolitical issues.

Barwick has a new opponent as well. She had been scheduled to face super flyweight Sandra Gutierrez, but the 25 year old from Laguna Beach, California will now face a debutant featherweight who has not been publicly announced just yet.

Barwick is a relative novice in the sport, but has developed a fan-friendly come-forward style. She has her eyes on bigger things, calling out more experienced opponents, but she understands she must take it one fight at a time to reach her goals in professional boxing. Her bout is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

Joshua Feldman Shines in Tough Fight

Junior middleweight prospect Joshua Feldman won a tough fight against a game opponent, Siphiwe Ntombela, today at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Gauteng, South Africa. Nicknamed "The Maccabee," Feldman's fluid boxing carried the fight against an unexpectedly stout challenge from the veteran journeyman.

From the opening chime, Feldman gracefully slipped Ntombela's shots and landed pinpoint counters of his own. He savagely ripped the body with either hand and worked in quite a few left uppercuts. A southpaw, Feldman's straight lefts - both leads and counters - were picture perfect. He landed them consistently throughout the fight. His smooth right hook found the target without fail.

Feldman put on a masterclass through nearly four rounds. Contrary to past fights, Ntombela became more resilient as the fight progressed. Previously, his punch resistance had waned late in fights, but he was at his best tonight. At the end of the fourth, he rocked Feldman. The 32 year old showed his left to land a short chopping right. Feldman was wobbled on the ropes at the end of the round. Though Ntombela finished the fourth strong, it really wasn't enough to overcome an otherwise dominant round by Feldman.

Ntombela carried his newly found momentum into the fifth and gave Feldman the worst round of his pro career thus far. He added clubbing rights to his chopping rights and backed up The Maccabee. Feldman had his moments in the round, particularly to the body, but it was a clear Ntombela round.

Heading into the sixth and final round, it was conceivable that Feldman was only up three rounds to two, if Ntombela was given the fourth with his late surge. That possibility made the last round paramount. Feldman came out with lefts to the body Ntombela answered back with a right to the body of his own. But Feldman's counters won the round. He even wobbled his rugged opponent with a straight left late in the fight.

The judges had the contest 59-55, 58-56, and 58-57 for Feldman, The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout 59-55 for Josh.

Though he punished Ntombela, who had been stopped eight times, the lack of a clean knockdown shouldn't be viewed as an indictment of Feldman's power. Josh could have added more combinations to his attack but at the risk of getting caught by Ntombela's short right. Ntombela fought the best fight of his career and deserves a lot of credit for his performance. He came to fight and was willing to go through the fire to try and win.

As for Feldman, he showed a load of skill, creativity, and grit in this fight. He believed he would be better as the competition improved, and he has shown that to be the case in his last two fights. He is now 7-0 with 3 KOs. Ntombela's record is a hard-fought 4-12 with 3 KOs

Doron Zinman Wins Messy Fight

Featherweight Doron "Buzzsaw" Zinman beat Ronaldo Sibisi by unanimous decision today at the Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Gauteng, South Africa. Sibisi mucked up the fight by constantly holding Zinman.

A 20 year old from Cape Town, South Africa, Zinman spent the entire fight pressing forward. Sibisi, a tall fidgety southpaw, occasionally caught Zinman coming in, but mostly fought very defensively. With thirty seconds to go in the first, Zinman dug a hard right into Sibisi's lean midsection. Sibisi began to crumble, helped by Zinman's left pushing him down to the canvas. Referee Mfundo Mvandaba ruled no knockdown, a judgement call.

Sibisi started the second round a bit better with some straight shots from the outside. He briefly switched to the orthodox stance. He soon began holding Zinman relentlessly, making for a frustrating fight to watch. With a minute to go in the second, Mvandaba took a point from Sibisi who learned it's unwise to hold a Buzzsaw. Zinman punctuated the round by popping the debutant with a left hook.

Sibisi fought the first forty seconds of the third round sans mouthpiece. After belatedly receiving it, he twirled in front of Zinman. Mvandaba stopped the action, not to warn Sibisi for turning his back to his foe, but curiously to warn Zinman for some unnamed infraction. Sibisi landed a couple of lefts in the round, but spent much of it holding Zinman as if they were two teenagers at a school dance. Zinman tried to work with his free hand while he was being held.

Mvandaba gave both men a stern talking to before the beginning of the fourth round. Sibisi left his right arm extended at times, but Mvandaba ignored the violation. Zinman landed some eye-catching left hooks, but Sibisi managed to mark up under the Buzzsaw's right eye though he continued to constantly clinch. Zinman closed the fight with some crisp rights.

One judge scored the fight 40-35. The two others had it 39-36. The Jewish Boxing Blog could not find a round for Sibisi, scoring it 40-35 for Zinman.

Though it's inconceivable that Sibisi won even a round on any judge's card, it wasn't a scintillating performance for Zinman. He allowed himself to be held far too much. As a pressure fighter, he'll need to deal with opponents trying to wrap him up. This fight against Sibisi wasn't one for the highlight reel, but it was good experience.

Doron is now 3-0 with one KO. Sibisi is 0-1. With his negative style, Ronaldo should look elsewhere for work.