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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lev Jackson to Fight on November 22 in Mexico

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

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

Review of The Baddest Man

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

Penguin Press, 2025

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

I was wrong.

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

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

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

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

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

David Malul and Yan Zak in Separate Fights Next Month

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Barwick Moves to 5-0 (5 KOs)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs In

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

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

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

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

This fight is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.