Brooklyn Barwick Moves to 5-0 (5 KOs)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs In

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

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

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

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

This fight is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

Odelia Ben Ephraim Drops High-Level Fight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yan Zak Stops Fozilov in the Fourth

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yan Zak and Bakhromjon Fozilov Weigh In

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

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

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

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

Harry Wallach: Conqueror of Jackie Fields

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Ring. February 1929.

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

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

Yan Zak to Face Bakhromjon Fozilov on Friday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zak-Fozilov is scheduled for six rounds.

Brooklyn Barwick's Fourth KO

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Collection of Jackie Fields Articles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs In

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

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

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

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

This bout is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

David Malul Back in November

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

André Zeitoun's New Book

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

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

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by André Zeitoun (@andre_zeitoun)

Yan Zak to Face Stephen Nyamhanga

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Barwick Wins by Stoppage

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

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

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

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

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

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs in

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

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

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

This bout is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

The Jewish Jolter: Ronnie Cohen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steve Ward leans on Ronnie

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

U.S. Censuses from 1940 and 1950. 

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.