Brooklyn Barwick to Face Alejandra Marruffo Tomorrow

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

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

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

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

The Indominable Drive of Yonatan Landman

Good luck finding a harder worker than Yonatan Landman.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joshua Feldman on the Senga Fight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick to Make Pro Debut Saturday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And I'm ready for it."

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

David Alaverdian Wins Comeback Fight by Decision

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

David Alaverdian Makes Weight, Morales Within Allowance

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joshua Feldman Boxes to UD Victory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Doron Zinman Wins by First Round TKO

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

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

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

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

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

Zinman and Feldman Make Weight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Daniel Ivanovski Moves to 4-0

Cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski defeated crowd favorite Romelle Terrell by unanimous decision tonight at the Durham Armory in Durham, North Carolina, USA. Terrell pressured all through the fight, but Ivanovski's clean punching at range carried him to victory.

The shorter Terrell from nearby Cary pressured from the outset. He landed some right hands as Ivanovski tried to box. The 23 year old Israeli had trouble keeping Terrell off of him early. Towards the end of the first, Ivanovski fired several consecutive left hooks with great success.

Daniel, who was announced as hailing from Philadelphia and was called "David" by the broadcast team, dominated the second round. He landed his beautiful left hooks and chopping right hands at will. He won the third round too as Terrell tired. Terrell's right uppercut on the inside found the target on occasion, but it wasn't nearly enough.

The man from North Cackalacky ran out of the corner to start the final round as if his shoe was lit on fire. He landed a right and came boring in when his head cut Ivanovski by the left eye. Ivanovski then boxed which soon negated Terrell's aggression and saved his eye from further damage. The Israeli landed some nice one-twos, overhand rights, and kept his left hook pumping.

The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout 39-37 for Ivanovski. One judge agreed with The JBB while two others gave Daniel every round, scoring the contest 40-36. Terrell, who was 196.6 pounds, is now 0-1-1. Ivanovski, who was 192, is 4-0 with 3 KOs. This was his second victory in eight days.

Ivanovski is a fluid boxer with a stunning left hook and solid jab. Because his left is such an effective weapon, he is susceptible to right hands. He has been active since turning pro in September, but the cut will surely slow down his progress. There's a lot to like about the cruiserweight prospect, but his defense needs to improve as he steps up.

The Hebrew Hammer Mark Weinman Dies

Mark Weinman died on February 8 in Mesa, Arizona at the age of 62. Weinman was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, and given three to five years to live. That was a dozen years ago.

Mark Pate Weinman was born on August 5, 1962 in Jacksonville, North Carolina. His parents, Clyde and Eva, had gotten married at Camp Lejeune that February. Mark was raised in the Whitestone neighborhood of Queens, New York where he and his brother David learn box. Mark became a decorated amateur, racking up a record of 42-4; his career culminating in an appearance in the 156-pound final of the 1983 New York Golden Gloves.

Nicknamed the "Hebrew Hammer," Weinman turned pro on November 21, 1985. Possessing a muscular upper body and massive thighs, the 5'8" junior middleweight was a come-forward fighter and dedicated body puncher. Commentator Randy Gordon once said, "I put Weinman, as a body puncher, in the same class as Mike Tyson." Usually wearing a yellow Star of David on his trunks and trained by Tommy Gallagher, the Hammer could've been a solid defensive fighter, but he chose to throw caution to the wind and exchange with his opponents in the pocket, which created exciting fights.

Weinman reeled off five straight knockouts to start his career and eleven victories in total, developing a vocal following along the way. He fought primarily at the famed Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York. In his eighth pro fight, Weinman was an underdog against the hard-punching Charles Bullock. In the third round, the Hammer landed a short right to score a knockdown. He built upon his advantage in the fourth and forced a stoppage in the fifth.

"He looked like a world beater," promoter Steve Tannenbaum told Cliff Brunt of the AP. "He was known in the gyms all around. I mean, he fought everybody. He would beat everybody in the gyms. Just beat them up. He was that good."

Mark married his bride Susan in 1987 before fighting LC Robinson, who Weinman knocked down twice in the first round with right hands. In the third, a left hook floored Robinson and a right scored the fourth and final knockdown of the fight. His record was then 11-0.

Weinman then lost two fights by knockout within two months. He took four years off before suffering a third knockout loss. "I think he was mishandled tremendously by management," his brother David told Brunt.

Weinman didn't get back into the ring for 21 years, the eighth longest layoff in boxing history according to a list compiled by Mike DeLisa and shared with the IBRO. In the interim, Weinman worked as a boxing trainer and lived in Melbourne, Florida and Petrolia, California among other places.

On September 7, 2012, a 50 year old Weinman resumed his career with a second round stoppage victory against Elvis Martinez. He no longer had a mustache or hair on his head, and also had a different mentality. "I figured I’m different than I was when I was back in my 20s," Weinman told Ray Aspuria of the Times Standard. "I came out really aggressive in the first round. This time, I came out nice, calm, and cool so I could feel him out." Weinman said he would've come back a year earlier, but he had been bitten by a rattlesnake.

Just four months later, Weinman was back in the ring. He faced Jahaad Wingfield, an 0-6-1 fighter. Wingfield punished Weinman to win by first round stoppage. Mark vowed to fight on. "I have to," he said. "I have to rectify this debacle."

But he didn't. Around this time, he was diagnosed with IPF. In later years, Weinman had unfortunate brushes with the law. He was arrested for criminal damage in Arizona in 2018 and for corporal injury to spouse/cohabitant in 2023 in California.

As humans, we are all imperfect, some more than others. As a boxer, Mark Weinman's story was one of promise, disappointment, and ultimately redemption. May peace be upon him.

The JBB's 2012 A Look Back: Mark Weinman

The Unexpected Danny Green is Back

Paul R. Friedman has released an audiobook version of his debut novel The Unexpected Danny Green narrated by Dave Fennoy. The book introduces the heroic character Danny Green, a fictional boxer from Mississippi who moves to New York to pursue his career. Friedman spoke with The Jewish Boxing Blog about his boxing influences that contributed to the writing of Danny Green's journey.

Friedman's interest in boxing was shaped by respected acting coach Sal Dano, who was also well-versed in the sport. Friedman was 18 years old and "out of control" due to unchecked emotions when he met Dano, who came just at the right time for the teenager.

Friedman describes Dano as "powerful and complicated." He got the sense that if Dano turned dark, he could hurt someone, but the coach was both street smart and classically intelligent. Mentor and protégé watched fights together, and Dano analyzed the boxers' movements in a way that went deeper than the understanding of a mere fan, teaching Friedman to appreciate the sport on another level.

Because of Dano's mentorship, Friedman even put on the gloves himself and boxed with friends. He learned not only technique, but also not to fight emotionally. Dano taught Friedman about himself and about humanity and directed his life's trajectory. A secret Paul shared with The JBB is a character in the book is not only based on Dano, but is also an anagram of his name.

Friedman, who worked as Vice President of Creative Content at CBS for decades, once met "Sugar" Ray Leonard backstage at an event honoring Muhammad Ali. Leonard confided in Paul, "Without Ali, there's no Sugar Ray." Ali and Leonard were two of Friedman's favorite boxers, a list that includes Mike Tyson, and a less famous fighter: James "Bonecrusher" Smith. Friedman also marveled at the amount of punishment Joe Frazier took to get inside, and relayed a revealing story about another smaller heavyweight. At a Grammy party, he ran into Evander Holyfield and decided, perhaps unwisely, to put his arm on the champ's shoulder. "I never met someone who was made out of rock before," Paul quipped. Holyfield's shoulders were so muscular they were like "marble."

Danny Green's career was influenced by real life events. In the book, a character illegally wraps his hands with plaster of paris, an episode based on Antonio Margarito's fight against Miguel Cotto. Margarito was caught with the illegal wraps before his fight against "Sugar" Shane Mosley six months later, which led to the belief that he had used the outlawed substance against Cotto, since his punches grew harder as the fight progressed.

Friedman was also moved while watching a fighter get knocked out but continue to throw punches in an unconscious state from the canvas, a sad event featured in the book.

Imagining the younger version of a lithe building super in New York, Friedman created the character of Danny Green with the intention to inspire readers. Green is a well-rounded diamond in the rough, someone who is physically gifted as well as intelligent. It stems from Paul's belief that if we all apply ourselves we can overcome hardship and become successful. Friedman is a living embodiment of that belief.

The audiobook version can be purchased here.

David Malul's Fight Pushed Back to March 22

Welterweight David Malul is now scheduled to fight Shaquille Rushing on March 22. The fight had been planned for this Thursday at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York, USA. It will take place at the same venue, just a bout a month later.

The entire event was pushed back when the headliner of the event, Joe Smith Jr., recently came down with the flu, which progressed to pneumonia. This writer experienced the same illness last October and November. Hopefully, Smith is able to recover in time.

For a preview of Malul-Rushing, visit here.

David Alaverdian to Face Josue Morales

David Alaverdian will step into a professional ring for the first time in 22 months on February 22 at the Westgate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. He's scheduled to face Josue Morales in a step-up fight.

Alaverdian is a 31 year old with a record of 8-0-1 (6 KOs). His lone draw was due to- quite frankly- a bullshit decision. David dominated another Morales, Angel Geovanny Meza over six rounds in Mexico, but judge Gary Eder Lopez somehow sided with his countryman, Meza Morales, who has more names than punches landed that night. Another judge, Jorge Luis Romero Cota inexplicably called it a draw. Only Carlos Parra scored the fight accurately, 59-55 for the Israeli from Nahariya.

Josue Morales is a 32 year old from Houston, Texas with a record of 31-16-4 (13 KOs). Alaverdian's fans may have preferred a softer touch for his comeback bout, because Morales knows how to box. In his 52 prizefights, he has never been stopped.

Boxing fans might expect this paragraph to be about the tough Mexican-American's iron jaw, but Morales, nicknamed Zurdo, is a classy southpaw. He's defensively oriented and falls into moments of passivity on offense. He keeps a high guard, expertly catching the opponent's punches on his gloves. Morales usually fights on the backfoot and moves around the perimeter a good deal. He's also adept at using subtle foot movement to avoid punches. All combined makes for a fighter who doesn't get hurt in the ring.

Josue is a true road warrior. He started boxing 20 years ago and turned pro in 2013. Since then he's fought in the U.S., Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico (which is a U.S. territory). He has fought the far better competition as a pro. He lost to Olympian Nico Hernandez and to Jesse Rodriguez when Bam was just a baby long before his face tattoo. Every time Morales has stepped up to a certain level, he's lost by decision. A lot of his wins are against inexperienced opponents, but he has beaten some good fighters as well. And he often fights in the opponent's hometown, which has led to a couple of unfair losses.

Morales has picked up some minor titles along the way. He won a title from the UBO, which has about as much credibility as a country bumpkin claiming to have seen a UFO. He also has collected other tchotchkes including the ABF America West super bantamweight title, the ABF intercontinental super flyweight title, the IBA intercontinental super flyweight title, and the WBC USA silver flyweight title. If that all sounds impressive, keep in mind that in boxing terms, the value of those belts is primarily to keep one's pants from falling down.

Morales started his career with a mediocre record of 11-12-4. Since then, he has gone 20-4, the inverse of a typical boxer's arc. In addition to having more experience than Alaverdian, Morales has also been far more active. David last fought in 2023 while Morales has fought ten times since then, more fights than David has in his entire five-year career. Zurdo is also the naturally bigger man, fighting as high as 127 pounds and campaigning mostly above the bantamweight limit. Alaverdian has his share of advantages though: hand speed, agility, punch and style variety, and power. 

Years ago, Morales described himself as a boxer in the hit-and-don't get-hit style who prefers to counterpunch, but he rarely counters. He's more of a your-turn-my-turn guy, throwing 2-3 punch combinations when it's his turn. Conventional wisdom suggests the best way to fight that type of opponent is not to give him a turn and just keep throwing. Alaverdian isn't a volume puncher, he's more of a boxer-puncher, but he can fight in different styles. Changing levels and utilizing his angles are the best chances to get to Morales. With his high guard, Morales does leave his body open at times.

Cletus Seldin once told me, "Rust is real." For Alaverdian, coming off a long respiratory illness which led to a long layoff, he shouldn't press for the knockout. Morales has done just enough to lose against some of his better opponents, so if David stays within himself, he should pull off the best win of his career. Morales will need to up his work-rate and ditch his safety-first mentality to beat Alaverdian and grab the best win of his career.

Alaverdian-Morales is scheduled for six rounds in the flyweight division.

Daniel Ivanovski Wins by Stoppage

Cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski defeated Stephen Kirnon by second round TKO last night at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky, USA last night. Referee Marvin Whittamore stopped the fight a minute and twenty seconds into the round.

Ivanovski, a 23 year old Israeli who weighed 192 pounds, is now 3-0 with 3 KOs. Kirnon, 193 pounds, falls to 2-8-1 with one KO. This was the fifth time he has been stopped, all against undefeated prospects. More details to come about this fight.

Ivanovski is next scheduled to fight at the Durham Armory in Durham, North Carolina, USA next Saturday against Romelle Terrell.

The 100th Anniversary of Jackie Fields's Debut

On February 5, 1925 Jackie Fields made his professional boxing debut at the Armory in Pasadena, California. The previous summer, the reigning Olympic champion had become the youngest boxer ever to win a gold medal at the Games, a record that will never be broken. By stepping through the ropes as a pro against Benny Pascal, Fields was breaking the rules.

After Fields beat his friend Joe Salas in the gold medal match at the 1924 Paris Olympics, he traveled first to his native Chicago before arriving in his adopted hometown of Los Angeles two weeks later. Fields heard chatter that Salas had been badmouthing him, accusing Fields of butting Salas in the final. A rematch was set up for September 18 at the Vernon Arena. Both boxers were paid $500 for the fight, far more than amateurs were typically allotted.

After a close three rounds, a spontaneously arranged fourth round was ordered. Fields won and thus held two wins over his now former-friend.

Jackie asked his coach and mentor, George Blake, if he could turn pro. Blake balked. He told Jackie that he felt the boy needed more seasoning before becoming a prizefighter. Plus, Blake would be busy managing the burgeoning career of Fidel LaBarba, the Olympic gold medalist in the flyweight division. LaBarba was a fellow Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) member and two and a half years older than Fields.

“I couldn’t get mad about his concentrating on LaBarba," Fields said later. "He was a great little fighter."

So Fields continued to fight in amateur bouts and the occasional smoker that fall. He was scheduled to take on Salas in a third fight on December 18, but a major change threw a wrench into those plans.

On December 10, Joe Salas had his pro debut. Afterwards, Jackie again asked Blake if he could turn pro. After all, he had beaten Salas twice and now Salas was a pro. "You’ll have to have more time to bring you along," Blake replied. "I’m too busy, anyway, with Salas and LaBarba."

A distraught Fields later admitted, "It broke my heart, and I went home and cried."

Fields split with the LAAC and fought a couple of more times as an amateur. In December, he played a supporting role in a silent film called Battling Bunyon. But Fields needed to make more money. His father's restaurant had turned sour and so had his old man's health.

Jackie's father Morris was dying of tuberculosis. The family had moved from Chicago to Los Angeles in 1921 because warmer, drier climates were seen as beneficial for sufferers of TB. Jackie's older brother Max had gone back to Chicago, so it was up to Jackie to make money for his rather large family.

In mid-January, just as Jackie's idol Benny Leonard was retiring, the young Olympic champ signed with William "Gig" Rooney, a well-known figure within L.A.'s boxing circles. Rooney said he would move the youngster slowly, have him fight only every two or three months. Other managers felt Rooney was babying Jackie.

Jackie was, after all, just a babe. The minimum age for a boxer to fight in the state of California was 18. Jackie was famous for winning the gold medal at the sprightly age of 16 and would only turn 17 on February 9, four days after his pro debut. That debut was scheduled for six rounds, an amount that was an impossibility in California just weeks earlier.

On January 1, 1925 California enacted a law that essentially legalized boxing in the state. The law ended the the so-called four-round era and allowed decisions in fights up to ten rounds. The new law coincided nicely with the start of Jackie's professional boxing career.

Fields's opponent, Benny Pascal, was an 18 year old hard-hitter from Philadelphia. The tough two-and-half year pro was entering his 50th fight in the paid ranks. Making $150 for the fight, Fields comfortably outboxed Pascal over the first four rounds. The pink-cheeked debutant knocked down his veteran foe in the fifth and finished the final round strong.

Jackie Fields, the youngest ever Olympic gold medalist boxer and a future two-time welterweight world champion, was 1-0.

Note: I'd like to announce that I've been working on a biography of Jackie Fields for the past two and half years, doing a ton of research and a lot of writing in that time. I still have a ways to go and would love to hear from anyone who met or knew Jackie Fields. Please email me at JewishBoxing at yahoo dot come. Thank you in advance!

2025 Israeli National Amateur Championships

It's time to be bullish about Israeli amateur boxing. The national championships, which took place on a basketball court in Lod this past week, was littered with pugilistic talent.

Nothing exemplifies that point better than Alex Karchevski's early round exit this year. The 33 year old light heavyweight is a multi-division national champion and is 1-0 as a pro. But he fell to Rony Partouche in a highly-skilled battle. Karchevski kept his guard high and tight, looking for openings to unleash power shots. Partoushe used fluid combinations, picking his punches well, on route to a quality upset victory. But the 80 KG division in Israel is such that Partoushe lost in the next round of the tournament.

International stalwarts Yan Zak, Daniel Ilyushonok, and Miroslav Kapuler were also present in the ring. The 27 year old Kapuler is perhaps the most successful Israeli amateur boxer of his generation. Now a middleweight, he won the national title in a grueling fight against Ahmad Jabarin. Kapuler's 3-0 as a pro, but hasn't fought for pay in over three years. Fans of Jewish boxing would love to see the slick intelligent boxer back as a prizefighter.

Yan Zak had the most impressive performances in the tournament. The 25 year old heavyweight, who has had a number of successes on the international stage, stopped each of his three opponents. If he goes pro, he would instantly be a highly rated prospect in the cruiserweight or heavyweight divisions. Fans hope he goes in that direction soon.

Ilyushonok, a light heavyweight born in 2002, is a little younger than Kapuler and Zak and needs just a little more seasoning before jumping into the pro ranks. But he has all the tools to go a long way, particularly length and power.

Cruiserweights David Bazov, a 21 year old southpaw who nearly went pro in 2023, and Arik Prilutsky, who is younger and bigger than Bazov, fought in a competitive final at 86 KGs. Prilutsky scored a knockdown in the first, but was bloodied in that round. Bazov boxed, landing many sneaky right hooks in a rough fight that was fought at a high level. Bazov was awarded the victory, much to Prilutsky's chagrin.

Tomer Benny, a southpaw welterweight, flirted with the pro ranks last year. The 20 year old dominated his first fight, but was badly cut in the semifinal. That should put his pro debut on hold for a while until he heals. Igor Novokov eventually won the gold.

Another Benny, Benny Nizard, fared the same fate in the junior middleweight final. The former French national champion is 1-0 as a pro. He relocated to Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks. The 20 year old southpaw was cut by an accidental butt when his taller opponent leaned into him in the second round. The fight was stopped and the victory was awarded to his opponent, Muhammad Isa. Afterwards, Nizard teased an upcoming announcement about his pro career.

Shlomo Niazov, a 1984 Olympian with a pro record of 4-1, graced the fans and boxers with his presence.

Israeli boxing is in need of funding and hopefully some deep-pocketed benefactors will see the opportunity for the sport to grow in the country. The tournament is neither streamed nor televised. Exposure will only inspire the next generation. National champs don't automatically get to fight in international tournaments because of a lack of funding. They miss out on a chance to improve against better boxers. This needs to be corrected for Israeli boxing's future.

Unfortunately, the Israel Boxing Association is still affiliated with the corrupt International Boxing Association (IBA). The IBA was suspended from running the boxing tournament at the 2020 Olympics and subsequently banned for repeated corruption. A new- hopefully less corrupt- organization called World Boxing hopes to take up the mantle and keep the sport in the Olympics. The Israel Boxing Association should recognize which way the winds are blowing and change course.