Doron Zinman to Face Thabang Mofula

Doron "Buzzsaw" Zinman is scheduled to fight Thabang "Big Engine" Mofula at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, South Africa on April 18. Zinman is 3-0 with 1 KO. The 21 year old from Cape Town will be coming off of a nearly eleven-month layoff when he enters the ring.

Zinman is a shorter fighter, who likes to fight on the inside and trap his man against the ropes. He spent much of last summer training with Brandon Woods stateside in Las Vegas, Nevada. He's now back in South Africa working with Colin Nathan.

Mofula is 1-3 with one KO. From Orkney, Northwest, South Africa, he was an excellent amateur boxer last decade. The 28 year old won his debut eight years, but he has lost his last three. His career stalled after his second loss in 2020. He took a five-year layoff and fought again last year. Mofula, who has never been stopped, will be the most experienced opponent Zinman will have faced.

Zak-Dorodola Canceled

The cruiserweight clash between Yan Zak and Ola Dorodola has been canceled. The fight had been scheduled to take place on April 10 in Dubai, but the current war in the Middle East has grounded many flights out of Israel.

Israel and the United States attacked Iran on February 28, assassinating Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While the U.S. and Israel continue to strike Iran, Iran and its allies have countered with strikes against Israel and several Arab nations. Several Iranian drone strikes have hit Dubai, where the government of the United Arab Emirates has arrested any citizen filming the destruction.

In an address to the country, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to say today that the timeline for ending the war is "two-to-three weeks." Yesterday, he explained, "We're finishing the job, and I think within maybe two weeks, maybe a couple of days longer, to do the job."

But President Trump has shifted his timeline during this war. In early March, he said, "We projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that." On March 9, he said "I think the war is very complete, pretty much." He added, "We're very far ahead of schedule."

Eleven days later, President Trump reiterated, "I think we won. We've knocked out their Navy, their Air Force. We've knocked out their anti-aircraft. We've knocked out everything." On March 24, he said, "We've won this. This war has been won." And yet it persists.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained his timeline yesterday. "It's definitely beyond the halfway point," he said. "But I don't want to put a schedule on it."

As the war continues, Yan Zak and the other Israeli boxers sit on the sideline, which unfortunately has become an all-to-frequent occurrence since the attacks of October 7, 2023. Those attacks and the resulting conflict in Gaza understandably put boxing on the backburner. Last summer's twelve day war against Iran also caused a disruption for the boxers.

The military actions of the Israeli government since the October 7 attacks have been widely unpopular outside of the country. The global criticism of Israeli foreign policy has drifted into the realm of antisemitism at an alarming rate and negatively affected many Jewish boxers regardless of their position on the subject, from getting fights to experiencing verbal attacks online and in person.

When fighters can't get fights due to politics, it typically has to do with managerial and promotional contracts. But the recent history of the Jewish people can accurately be told through the lens of  boxing, and the events of the present are no exception.

The Harder They Fall

For 2026, the writer Andrew Rihn conjured up an informal book club called "Hitting the Books," consisting of four boxing-themed novels with the first being Budd Schulberg's The Harder They Fall.

Schulberg was raised in Hollywood and grew up a big boxing fan. His father, B.P., was a famous movie producer. Budd became friends with Jewish boxers Jackie Fields, Mushy Callahan, Newsboy Brown, and Maxie Rosenbloom among others.

First published in 1947, The Harder They Fall is loosely based on the career of former heavyweight champion Primo Carnera. Toro Molina is plucked from his job as a strongman in the circus back in Argentina and used by an amoral manager, Nick Latka, to enhance his bankroll. Unbeknownst to "the big bum," Molina's fights are all fixed and it's the job of the narrator, Eddie Lewis, to build up the fighter in the eyes of the public and the press.

Though explicitly Gentile, Lewis is at heart a Jewish character. A New York schmoozer, who constantly grapples with the morality of his occupation, he's always questioning himself and his surroundings. An aspiring playwright, Eddie feels more comfortable in the often contradictory world of boxing. By the end it's clear that he is nothing more than a schlemiel, destined to remain in the shady realm of pugilism.

The novel is littered with actual Jews, from Bummy Davis to Daniel Mendoza, Lew Tendler, Abe Attell, Callahan, and Benny Leonard. An Irishman named Danny McKeogh, who along with the Jewish hunchback Doc Zigman, train Toro Molina. The fictional McKeogh had been knocked out by Leonard in the first round and then became the trainer of Leonard's potential successor, Izzy Greenberg.

Schulberg's novel is immensely quotable and one of the less profound is about the fictional Greenberg, who traveled around the world fighting "the Australian champion, the Champion of England, the Champion of Europe, which is not as much trouble for Izzy as slicing Mazoth balls with a hot knife."

Danny is the impetus for an observation from Eddie, "There's nothing duller than an old ball player or an old tennis star, but an old fighter who's been punched around, spilled his blood freely for the fans' amusement only to wind up broke, battered and forgotten has the stuff of tragedy for me." It's hard not to concur.

Boxing is "a genuinely manly art, dragged down through the sewers of human greed," Eddie explains the thesis of the novel toward its end. It's a profound statement that still resonates today.

Though Schulberg published The Harder They Fall over 75 years ago, he sums up not only boxing, but the American political climate when he writes, "Hope is the blind mother of stupidity."

As Eddie tries to sell Toro Molina to the press, he encounters a skeptic and laments, "A historian yet! In every town you hit, there's always one jerk like that, the natural enemy of the press agent, the guy with integrity." For over fifteen years, the founder of The Jewish Boxing Blog has strived to be that jerk.

The next Hitting the Books entry is The Professional by W.C. Heinz.

Barwick Shows Heart as Boston Falls to Phoenix, 15-13

Brooklyn Barwick fought in two rounds in the Team Boxing League matchup between her new team, the Boston Butchers, and her old team, the Phoenix Fury. She showed a strong chin and a heart the size of the Grinch after he gives back Whoville's gifts, but was outclassed in her two rounds.

Boston jumped out to a 7-1 lead before Barwick entered the ring for the ninth round against her friend, Tierra Brandt. Hall of Fame broadcaster Al Bernstein described Brooklyn as "a good professional" before her round began. Barwick came out aggressively, but Brandt used her height and superior counter punching to completely dominate the three-minute period. Brandt used 1-2s and left hooks to the body as Barwick was forced to cover up for much of the round.

Dave Bontempo, a terrific veteran announcer, declared it was  "a tough introduction against a very good fighter," for Barwick this season.

Phoenix stormed back in the middle rounds to take an 11-9 lead when heavyweight Manuel Villalobos stopped Kimbo Boykin for a four-point sixteenth round. Boston's Rashidi Ellis, Ronald Ellis, Skylar Lacy, and Jahyae Brown all took care of business, but none could score a knockdown or a stoppage to offset Villalobos's four point outburst.

Barwick climbed through the ropes for the 22nd round against Brenda Hernandez. Hernandez had lost to Brandi Robinson in third, but she had a reach advantage over Barwick. The two fighters exchanged fire to open the round with Brooklyn boxing well, but Hernandez gradually wore down Barwick, landing clean overhand rights and right uppercuts as the round progressed.

Phoenix went up by two points after the 22nd and that's where margin lay at the end of the contest. Boston falls to 0-1 while Phoenix rises to 1-0.

This was invaluable experience for Barwick, who needs to work on her lateral movement and counter punching in order to prevent onslaughts like she faced tonight. She's 6-1 as a pro with 6 KOs, but is still a relative neophyte in the sport of boxing, having first picked up the gloves just three years ago. The 26 year old has come along way since then, but still has room for improvement.

Brooklyn Barwick Weighs in Ahead of TBL Clash

Brooklyn Barwick weighed a flat 128 for her two rounds tomorrow in Boston. Barwick is a member of the Boston Butchers of Team Boxing League, where a group of boxers compete in one or two rounds as part of a team competition.

At the weigh-in, Barwick said the other fighters were acting like “hyenas.” She spoke up and told them to calm down. One of the Phoenix Fury told her to, “Shut up, fucking Jew.” Barwick, who wore a Star of David pendant, was pissed, but her coaches told her that while it was messed up, she should try to stay focused on the fight. 

Mazza and More sponsored her refuel: grilled chicken and mushroom rice with corn. She had a cinnamon kokosh  and washed it down with two bottles of Keten grape juice and a bottle of water.

Barwick will face her friend Tierra Brandt in one round. The two showed respect for each other at the face-off and vowed to hang out after the fight. Brooklyn will face Brenda Hernandez in a “money” round.

Barwick is using the TBL to gain important experience. Her next pro bout is scheduled for May 16 in South Carolina. She then will face Grecias Novas in a rematch of a disputed decision loss.

Alan Blyweiss - The Inspirational Sparring Partner

"I was set to be the heavyweight champion of the world," Alan Blyweiss said ruefully. "The first Jewish heavyweight champion."

Instead, Blyweiss made a living sparring the likes of Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and Riddick Bowe. After a small fire had broken out in his house earlier in the day and under the threat of a tornado warning, Blyweiss spoke with The Jewish Boxing Blog about his harrowing life. Alan believes he threw away his opportunity to achieve more in boxing, but the difficulties he endured have allowed him to pass on his hard-earned wisdom to the next generation of fighters.

A self-described "heroin baby," Alan Joel Blyweiss was born on March 14, 1969. Born less than a year after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the subsequent riots, he was adopted by Lithuanian Jewish parents and raised in the Southeast D.C. community of Barry Farm, an almost exclusively Black neighborhood. "There's nothing white beyond the White House except the Blyweisses," a catchy area saying went.

Alan's father Harold was a mensch, but his mother was "mean and abusive." The unrelenting physical and emotional abuse shaped Alan's entire life. An angry kid, he began boxing at seven years old. By nine, he was the first Jewish white kid jumped into the Bloods. "I stayed in that life far too long," he admitted. In Barry Farm, crime increased exponentially during the 1970s and by the 1980s, it was widely regarded as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country. At the age of 13, Alan and his family moved north to Columbia, Maryland.

Shortly after his Bar Mitzvah at Beth Shalom, Blyweiss was sent to juvenile detention for two years after holding his abusive mother at knifepoint for 16 hours. He wasn't going to kill her, but he wanted her to feel something akin to what she had put him through. When he got out of juvie, he showed promise as a high school soccer player. Alan hated to run, but his dad felt soccer would force him to get in shape for boxing. But Alan was never far from trouble. He was kicked out of Atholton High School and didn't last much longer at Mount Hebron.

After getting in trouble, a school official told Harold that his boy needed some tough love. Harold strongly disagreed, but the official quickly discovered the importance of listening Mr. Blyweiss the hard way. As the bloody official expelled Alan for good, Harold quipped, "I did warn you."

At 15 years old Alan was sent to Cus D'Amato in Catskill, New York. He sparred a few rounds with Tyson when he was the heavyweight champion of the world. Throughout his career, Blyweiss learned from other such luminaries as Emanuel Steward, Kevin Rooney, Eddie Futch, and Angelo Dundee.

He said he had over 100 amateur fights although different sources give varying numbers as is customary with records in the unpaid ranks. He said he rose to be the third ranked amateur heavyweight in the country. He took on Tommy Morrison in Kansas in the final of a big tournament. He fought smokers at the Hillcrest Heights Boxing Gym.

Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank showed interest in Blyweiss and gave him a $125,000 signing bonus. Alan blew through the money in three months. Instead of training, he partied and used cocaine. "I was given everything, and I blew it," he said.

Trained by Vardell McCann and sporting the nickname "The Rock," Blyweiss had his pro debut on April 18, 1990 against Gus Linver at the Pikesville Armory. Even in the amateurs Blyweiss suffered from anxiety, but it came to a head in his debut. His mother's constant criticism contributed to his crisis in confidence. The anxiety would build as the fight approached. "I felt anxiety because I knew I hadn't trained properly," Blyweiss said.

Pikesville, Maryland was a hub of Jewish life at the time. Alan and his dad used to go to Pikesville on Sundays to get bagels and herring. He came to the ring wearing a tallis and a yarmulke. About 800 Jewish fans packed the armory, roaring for Blyweiss. "The crowd was awesome. I was ready to take care of business. Except I wasn't." He was stopped in the second round.

After a first round stoppage loss to George Harris in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania on November 15, 1991, Blyweiss says Arum froze his contract for six years, effectively ending his pro career. He then became a full time sparring partner.

Blyweiss had been a southpaw, but an elbow injury forced him to switched to an orthodox stance. He sparred Terry Ray under the watchful eyes of Kevin Rooney. As a small speedy heavyweight, Blyweiss fought in the style of Evander Holyfield. "I hit like a mule, and I could take a punch," he recalled. "Against big heavyweights, I boxed their ears off."

Jerry Rabinowitz, a cantor from Pikesville who loved boxing, gave Alan a salary of $850 a week and he also made $100 a round to spar. He was often used as a sparring partner for Holyfield's opponents, including for Riddick Bowe during his trilogy with the cruiserweight and heavyweight champ. Blyweiss said he traveled for three years with Lennox Lewis working with him.

At one point, Blyweiss was offered another $600 a week and a hundred a round to travel up to Philadelphia and spar with James Thunder. "He had muscles on top of muscles," Alan said of Thunder. "I looked at him and said to myself, 'I'm not too sure about this.' I sparred six rounds with him and then I told them that my beeper went off. When I came back, I said my grandmother had just died. I had to go home."

She hadn't. "Over the years, I've had a lot of grandmothers die," he deadpanned.

In 2000, Alan was near death himself. While staying in Boston, he was shot and stabbed. In the hospital, he was induced into a coma. He needed eleven abdominal surgeries. His dad was told to come up to Boston and say his last goodbyes.

Alan survived, but health problems persisted. His boxing career was done. He trained fighters, but bad luck stuck to him like velcro. In 2017, he was diagnosed with probable CTE and Parkinson's Disease. That year a card near Baltimore called "Punches and Prayers for Alan Blyweiss" was promoted to help Alan with mounting medical bills.

Despite many health challenges, things are looking up. Alan and his wife have remarried after previously divorcing. He works at 5 Stones Fight Club in the Hershey, Pennsylvania area. There his Jewish, Muslim, and Christian pupils have an opportunity to safely talk about their differences and similarities. The world, hopelessly divided, needs more of what Alan is giving his charges.

In addition to his boxers' recent success at the Central PA Golden Gloves, he advises popular MMA star Natan Levy, an Israeli who is recovering from knee surgery. Alan reports the plan is to get Levy back into the UFC or the PFL. In the meantime, Levy is on tour speaking out against the rising wave of anti-Semitism.

Alan's life has been a struggle since the beginning. Some of it has been self-inflicted and some the result of inexplicable misfortune. Those difficulties have provided the necessary experiences to help the next generation of fighters learn from his mistakes.

Brooklyn Barwick's TBL Season Starting March 29, U.S. Debut May 16

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick is jumping right back into the ring after a disputed hometown decision loss to Grecia Novas last month. The 26 year old is a member of the Boston Butchers of Team Boxing League this season, and the team's first scheduled match is set for March 29 against her former team, the Phoenix Fury.

Fighters fight one or two rounds per TBL contest. Boston has nine contests scheduled that run through July 19. After the March bout, Barwick will be fighting on April 25, May 9, May 16, May 22, May 30, and June 13 for Boston.

Barwick is scheduled to make her U.S. debut in the pro ranks on May 16 in South Carolina. A rematch against Novas is set for June back in Santo Domingo, but the exact date hasn't been finalized yet.

Odelia Ben Ephraim to Host Art Event

In addition to painting opponents' faces red, Odelia Ben Ephraim is also a talented artist. The former French featherweight titlist will present her art in a show called Dualité at Andre Zeitoun's gym tomorrow at 6pm in Paris, France.

Odelia has a professional 5-5 record, having fought tough opponents from the outset of her career. She has been on the wrong side of a couple of dubious decisions, but is one of the most exciting fighters to watch in boxing. She throws accurate combinations and can take a punch.

Ben Ephraim says this show blends her two passions: boxing and art.

Sidney Jackson: The Father of Uzbek Boxing

Uzbekistan has become one of the premier boxing nations in the world, dominating amateur tournaments and boasting world champions in the professional ranks. That success can be traced back to one Jewish guy from the Bronx named Sidney Jackson.

Jackson was born on April 14, 1886 in the Bronx, New York. The family lived at 1310 Brooke Avenue. His father, Louis, a worker in a chemical plant, died of tuberculosis when Sid was just six years old. His mother then took up work in the garment district. Sid and his brothers split time between attending school and scraping out a living. He spent a stint working as a tailor's apprentice.

One day, a friend showed Sid a magazine featuring pictures of boxers. Sid instantly understood his calling in life. He began boxing at the age of 11. A report from 1943 claims Jackson first fought as a 13 year old in Cleveland representing the Bronx Club and won by knockout. Most sources claim he turned pro at the age of 18. There was a Sidney Jackson who fought in Hawaii as a middleweight along side his brother Nigel beginning in 1903, but our Jackson campaigned as a bantamweight and a featherweight. Contemporary accounts of his pro career have been hard to come by.

In 1914, Jackson joined a a group of American boxers on an overseas tour. While in Glasgow, Jackson injured his thumb and was unable to fight. He, along with fellow boxer and friend Frank Gill, left Scotland to travel throughout Europe. It was an unfortunate time to traverse the continent. On June 28, Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne, and his wife. A month later, war broke out. Jackson and Gill were already in Russia "to see the bears walking down the streets."

No bears in sight, the duo kept traveling east at the suggestion of the American Consulate in St. Petersburg. They ran out of money in Tashkent. Both sent telegrams back home to the States, but only Gill received his money and left; Jackson did not.

Boxing was virtually unknown in what was then called Turkestan, so Jackson worked as a tailor at the Yaushev Garment Making Firm. At first, he knew no one. He lived those early years in a one-room mud hut with a roommate. In 1917, revolution swept Russia and its surrounding areas. When the Basmachi movement threatened the Bolshevik takeover, Jackson volunteered and fought the anti-communist rebels with a brigade that included a mishmash of ethnicities and nationalities. He served for four years and was wounded twice in battle.

After the war, Jackson settled down back in a rapidly industrializing Tashkent, which was then the largest city in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. He got a job as a sports instructor at the former Romanov Palace, a relic of the czar era built in 1891 for the grandson of Nicolas I. From there, Jackson began teaching boxing, but it wasn't so simple.

The club didn't have any boxing equipment and no way to get some. So as one writer explained, "Sidney made sport equipment for classes with his own hands from improvised materials. He made a makeshift ring from [an] old ship's tarpaulin, hemmed three pairs of old gloves, and sewed several new pairs of leather and horsehair from a local slaughterhouse. The trainer made punching bags from the canvas bags here as well." He stuffed seaweed in one of the old gloves to serve as padding.

Jackson didn't just coach boxing, but introduced track and field, basketball, and swimming to the area. He advertised the sporting association by posting flyers on fences and trees throughout the city of Tashkent.

In 1922, he finally received his exit papers from the United States, but by that time he had made a life in Tashkent. He soon gained Soviet citizenship. In the mid-1920s, the USSR banned boxing, but the sport was soon reinstated with only amateur rules permitted. At the age of 43, Sidney married a Russian Jewish woman named Bertha. They had two kids, a son named Leo and a daughter named Paina. Leo started boxing at 11 and rose to become a top amateur in the country. After fighting, Leo became a respected surgeon while officiating boxing bouts on the side.

In the 1930s, Sidney Jackson decided to go to school. In his 50s, he earned a degree in English and served as a professor at the Tashkent Institute of Foreign Languages. He assumed the name Sidney Lvovich Jackson.

When the Soviets entered World War II, several of Jackson's pupils made worldwide headlines. One was Leonid Mesh, who knocked out cold a German soldier with an uppercut and then took him prisoner. Another, Ivan Treyakov, put together a left uppercut-right hook combination that destroyed another German soldier.

After the war, Jackson continued to teach boxing at the Palace of Pioneers where he always rode his bicycle to work. One of his prized post-war proteges was Valeri Popenchenko, who not only won Olympic gold in the middleweight division at the 1964 Olympics, but also captured the Val Barker trophy as the most outstanding boxer at the Games.

Throughout his career, but particularly as he aged, Jackson basked in the unwavering success of his pupils. "My father was both very kind and very tough," recalled his daughter Paina. "He loved people. That was one of his main features. And people reciprocated. He had that kind of aura.

"One of his students wrote that he is one of the sites of Tashkent," said his daughter. The residents of the city could tell time by his actions. "Jackson's going to work. That means it's almost seven o'clock," she remembered hearing in the streets. Jackson was so respected, a heavyweight boxer took his girlfriend to ask for the coach's blessing even before introducing her to his parents.

Another decorated disciple, Rinat Yusupov, began training with Jackson in 1964. "I thank my lucky stars. He made a man of me," he said.

Jackson taught Jewish boxers Vladimir Agaronov, Iosif Budman, and Eli and Gershon Luxembourg, among many others. The Luxembourgs moved to Israel and their gym in Jerusalem featured a prominent portrait of Jackson. "Jackson passed on to us that attitude to respect other people and other nationalities," Gershon  explained. "Among the boys there [at Jackson's gym], there were lots of Uzbek kids training, lots of Jewish kids, lots of Russians, Tatars, everyone. We were all together in that melting pot... We all felt the same love and care from that man."

World champion and Olympic silver medalist Rufat Riskiyev said that Jackson taught him his "stance, the right way to punch, footwork, good breathing." Jackson focused on a boxer's breathing as a way to increase their stamina.

"Among his students were heroes of the Soviet Union, PhDs, candidates of science," said Uzbek champ and coach Mirsalikh Sagatov. "He used to say,  'Boxing is a mental form of sport. In the ring you have to think.' And this attitude of his, his words, passed into those people for their whole lives."

Sidney died on January 5, 1966 at the age of 79. He was buried at the Botkin Street Cemetery in Tashkent.

Uzbeks consider their teacher to be equal to their father, and Sidney Jackson was the father of Uzbek boxing. Over one hundred years after his arrival, Jackson's legacy, not limited to boxing, endures throughout the country.

Sources

"A Guy from the Bronx and His Contribution to Uzbekistan's Boxing Gold." The Times of Central Asia. Aug. 14, 2024.

Babayev, Boris. "The Phenomenon of Sidney Jackson." 2002.

"Old Time American Fighter Teaches Soviet Kids the Art." The Daily Worker. Jun. 24, 1943. Pg. 6.

Piklicka-Wilczewska, Agnieszka. "In Uzbekistan's Corner, Muscle and Pride." Eurasianet. May 1, 2020.

Riordan, Jim. "Sidney Jackson: An American in Russia's Boxing Hall of Fame. Journal of Sport History. Spring 1993. Pgs. 49-56.

"Sidney Jackson - An American Boxer in Uzbekistan." Uzbek Journeys. Jan. 27, 2016.

"Sidney Jackson - The Grandfather of Uzbek Boxing." Asian Boxing.

"Uzbek Story of American Boxer." Uzbek Travel.

Isaac Chilemba Shut Out by Lenar Perez

Isaac Chilemba lost a ten-round decision to undefeated cruiserweight prospect Lenar Perez tonight at the Montreal Casino in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The 38 year old resident of South Africa proved himself to be a durable gatekeeper after two years away from the ring.

Chilemba walked to the ring to the nostalgic chords of Lukas Graham's "7 Years" while Perez, a 28 year old Cuban who splits time between Russia and France, strode to the squared circle to "Nueva Era," an energetic song by Duki and Myke Towers. Their choice of music proved apt for their distinct purpose in the fight.

Chilemba showed flashes of his former greatness. A defensive wizard, he ducked, slipped, and blocked most of Perez's shots. But the younger man kept up a constant assault. He pumped his long jab to set up stinging straight rights throughout the fight. Perez's offense was an effortless poem while Chilemba's resembled a quadratic equation. He concocted elaborate combinations in order to land one shot, usually a left hook.

Though Chilemba evaded, blocked, or rolled with many of Perez's shots, enough of them landed to swell up the eyes of the wizened veteran. Isaac's best moments were to start the third and the tenth rounds, but even in those valiant attempts, he was unable to capture the rounds. He gave Perez a spanking in the seventh, albeit in the literal sense. While in a clinch, he gave the younger man a pat on the behind.

Chilemba presented a tough puzzle for Perez, but he was unable to expose the taller Cuban's main flaw, an amateurish habit of producing an open-mouthed shout whenever he threw a power shot. Isaac tried to land left hooks, but could never time it while Perez's mouth remained agape. Yet, he lasted the ten rounds after fighting fewer than two since 2022.

The three judges scored the bout 100-90 in favor of Perez. The Jewish Boxing Blog concurs. Chilemba is now 27-11-3 with 11 KOs. Perez improves to 16-0 with 14 KOs.

Isaac Chilemba and Lenar Perez Make Weight

Issac Chilemba and Lenar Perez both weighed in under the 200-pound cruiserweight limit ahead of their clash tomorrow at the Montreal Casino in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Chilemba (27-10-3, 11 KOs) came in at 191.5 pounds. This is the heaviest weight of his 21-year pro career by over three pounds. This is only the third time Isaac has come in over the light heavyweight division's limit of 175 pounds. He was 184.3 pounds in his last fight back in 2024, a second round stoppage loss to Aleksei Papin who boasted a 15-pound advantage over Chilemba. Isaac was 188.3 in a 2019 stay-busy fight. Chilemba has primarily vacillated between the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Perez (15-0, 14 KOs) is ten years younger than Chilemba and weighed seven and half pounds heavier. His weight of 199 pounds is firmly in the middle of his range. Perez has consistently hovered around the cruiserweight limit. His lightest was 196.3 pounds in 2022. His heaviest was 205 for two separate fights in 2019.

This bout is scheduled for ten rounds and can be seen on DAZN. For a preview, visit here.

Preview of Isaac Chilemba vs. Lenar Perez

Isaac Chilemba is in tough on Thursday against undefeated cruiserweight Lenar Perez at the Montreal Casino in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A native of Malawi based in South Africa, Chilemba is coming out of retirement to act as a gatekeeper for Perez.

Nicknamed the "Golden Boy," Chilemba is far removed from the days when he challenged Tony Bellew in two competitive fights. He has had a remarkable career, but the slick boxer's record is just 3-8-1 over the last ten years. His overall record is 27-10-3, facing such esteemed fighters as Dmitry Bivol, Olexandr Govzdyk, and Sergey Kovalev.

In his prime, Chilemba was one of the best defensive fighters in the game. His best weights were super middle and light heavy. In recent years, he's fought only two rounds since 2022. Cruiserweight Alexei Papin stopped him in the second round of their 2024 clash. Chilemba looked overmatched in that one. Not only is he in his late 30s, but the Golden Boy has not always lived the clean life, admitting to bouts with alcoholism.

Perez (15-0, 14 KOs) is a 28 year old Cuban resident of Russia. He has fought for Shamo Boxing, IBA Pro, and recently signed with Eye of the Tiger Promotions. A skilled fighter, he goes to the body far more than one would expect a 6'5" Cuban to do. He used a body shot to set up the chopping rights that stopped Giorgi Tevdorashvili in 2019 and ended the fight against Igor Vilchitskiy with a left to the liver in the fourth round of their 2020 affair.

Vilchitskiy repeatedly landed uppercuts, which knocked out Perez's mouthpiece three times in the third round. Though Perez is a taller fighter, uppercuts seem to be his kryptonite.

Perez boxes well behind a smart jab. He sometimes curls up into a Philly shell and rarely counters. He prefers to fire combinations when it's his turn to throw. After 14 consecutive knockouts to start his career, the Cuban had no problem outboxing Aleksei Egorov last April to win something called the IBA intercontinental belt.

Perez signifies a tough ask for Chilemba, who may have given Perez a frustrating fight in his prime. However, Perez holds the size, height, reach, activity, and youth advantages. Chilemba may present Perez with a puzzle early, but Perez could very well coast to a decision victory if he doesn't get the aging Malawan out early.

This bout is scheduled for ten rounds and will be broadcast on DAZN.

Barwick Drops Disputed Decision to Novas

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick lost by unanimous decision tonight to Grecia Novas at Polideportivo Virgilio Frias in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Barwick was shocked and confused when the decision was read.

The 26 year old spent the previous fight standing behind the blue corner with her team, Jimmy Sosa and Nisa Rodriguez, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. She walked to the ring after the announcer butchered her last name.

Barwick began the fight on the front foot as Novas backed away. When the two fighters got close, the scrap became dirtier than a pig in slop. Barwick led with her head as the two exchanged rabbit punches in the clinches. Referee Oscar Peña warned both fighters. Barwick landed a combination with a straight right followed by a jab to end the round.

Barwick had trouble mounting an effective offense for much of the fight because Novas jabbed and held, jabbed and held again. She feinted often in the second, but couldn't land off her feints. Meanwhile, Novas jabbed well, landed a counter right to the body, and did some more behind-the-head hunting.

Novas's best round was the third as she boxed in rhythm. The Dominican crowd got behind her, cheering with each landed jab. Barwick blocked most of her overhand rights, but the crowd whooped as if they had connected. Barwick managed to turn the tide at the end of the round with two straight rights.

The fourth round belonged to Barwick. She worked her right to the body in the clinches as if she were a throwback fighter from a hundred years ago. She added straight rights, and thwarted Novas's overhand rights.

Despite dropping the fourth, Novas danced before the start of the fifth. She scored with jabs that round, but Barwick scored with rights and in professional boxing's version of Rock, Paper, Scissors, the back hand beats the lead hand when a similar number of shots find their target.

The final round was nearly as rough as the opening one. Barwick was ready for Novas's propensity to foul. Peña didn't do enough to keep the fight clean, nor did he warn Novas once for holding, which she did repeatedly in the sixth. Barwick didn't land much in that round while the hometown fighter at least snuck in a few jabs.

When the scores were read 59-55, 58-56, and 58-56 for Novas, she looked pleasantly surprised while Barwick's face was filled with shock and disgust. The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout 56-56.

Novas improves her record to 20-32-4 with 10 KOs. Barwick is now 6-1 with 6 KOs. Brooklyn fought a 55-fight veteran a bit too early in her career. Barwick didn't have an amateur career, only a few influencer bouts. She was also victimized by a hometown referee who allowed Novas to foul constantly and by the local judges. It's hard to justify a 59-55 score for Novas. Barwick's major issue was an inability to find her way inside enough and prevent the wily veteran from holding.

This fight was a lesson for Barwick, a pup in the game of boxing. Sometimes a dog's gotta pee on the rug a few times before it earns a treat.

Brooklyn Barwick and Grecia Novas Weigh-In

Brooklyn Barwick and Grecia Novas weighed in ahead of their clash tomorrow at Polideportivo Virgilio Frias in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The NBA featherweight title is at stake in this six round affair. Barwick is looking to become the fastest Jewish woman to win a major sanctioning body's belt. This will be her seventh fight - BoxRec only lists four of them - and less than a year since she turned pro.

Barwick's weight was announced as 126 pounds, but she says the official weight is 125.8. Either way, she was able to eat the day before and still make weight. Novas reportedly came in at 127.4 pounds, which is over the featherweight limit but within the weight allowance.

Novas and her team seemed dismissive of Barwick during the weigh-in. Barwick was there alone as her team, Jimmy Sosa and Nisa Rodriguez, were stuck in New York because of the massive storm that dumped nearly two feet of snow on the city. Barwick's flight was also delayed, but she managed to get another one after much trouble to make it down to Santo Domingo.

The fighters were forced to wait to weigh in as an official arrived hours late. Barwick, who is converting to Orthodox Judaism, was asked to take off her NYC Cops & Kids windbreaker before she stepped onto the scale. She preferred to observe tzniut and keep it on but had to bow to the commission's demands. During her conversion journey, Barwick has been mindful to dress more modestly than in the past. She has been working with Rabbi Steinmetz and Rabbi Feldman at Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side in Manhattan through the process.

After the weigh-in, she downed some kosher Korean BBQ jerky from Holy Jerky and added hummus and pita. She consumed a liter and a half of water on the thirty minute ride back to her hotel where she ate a meal of salmon and steamed vegetables brought to her by the kosher concierge from the Santo Domingo Chabad.

After eating, she spoke to The Jewish Boxing Blog on the phone as she broke in her new light pink shoes courtesy of Adams Boxing. She sounded ready for the fight, charged by the disrespect shown from Novas and her team at the weigh-in and a tumultuous breakup last year.

A preview of Barwick-Novas can be viewed here. The fight can be streamed here.

David Malul Off Saturday's Card

Welterweight prospect David Malul had been scheduled to fight this Saturday at his old stomping grounds, the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York, USA. The Jewish Boxing Blog, however, has learned the 23 year old from Queens won't fight on the Star Boxing card.

Malul last fought in November, headlining a card he promoted. With a record of 4-0, Malul has been beset with relative inactivity recently. The devastating puncher fought three times from September 2024 to March 2025 but only one time since. He suffered a nose injury last summer which forced him off an August card in Long Island. He was slated to fight in Kansas last December, but that didn't pan out. Fortunately, this latest issue does not seem to be injury related.

Malul's team is looking to send him back in action either next month or in April. Since his last bout, "King" David has moved over to the Sosa Crew at NYC Cops and Kids.

Preview of Brooklyn Barwick vs. Grecia Novas

Brooklyn Barwick is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Jewish women world champions Jill Matthews, Carolina Duer, and Hagar Finer. Her first major step comes against Grecia Novas for the NBA featherweight title this Thursday, February 26 at Polideportivo Virgilio Frias in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

A 55-fight veteran, the 40 year old Novas signifies the toughest test of Barwick's career. Barwick, a 26 year old based in New York, is 6-0 with 6 KOs. She has fought inexperienced fighters since she turned pro about a year ago. BoxRec has yet to record two of her fights that took place in Colombia.

Nicknamed "Big Deal," Barwick is primarily a brawler but has shown some boxing skills in her last two fights. Still, one unnamed industry insider described her skills as "raw." She just started boxing three years ago and influencer bouts replaced her amateur career. Nevertheless, she has made great strides in a short period of time. She was recently picked up by the NYC Attitude of the Team Boxing League in addition to her burgeoning pro career.

Novas (19-32-4, 10 KOs) turned pro in 2004. The native of San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic has fought consistently throughout her long career. She battled Amanda Serrano twice, Cindy Serrano, and Tiara Brown in addition to several trips to Germany. But Novas hasn't beaten a foe with a win on their ledger since 2015.

Novas has picked up some skills during her 22-year career, but she throws wide shots. She shows decent movement and a solid jab, but leaves herself open when throwing power shots. Novas will present a mental and emotional challenge for Barwick as the veteran has no problem sneaking in rabbit punches in clinches, just one of her wily tricks.

Novas has a significant experience advantage, fighting 250 rounds to Barwick's 7. She's gone six or more rounds more times than Brooklyn has fights. The two fighters are of similar height, but Novas has fought at heavier weights. Barwick, however, has the better chin. Novas has been stopped 12 times.

Barwick-Novas is scheduled for six rounds and will be streamed here.

Yan Zak Stops Sadiki Maroy

Cruiserweight prospect Yan Zak stopped Sadiki Maroy when Maroy retired after the third round, claiming an injury. It wasn't Zak's best performance due to Maroy's awkward attacks, but Yan's class was evident.

Zak, a 26 year old who just won the Israeli amateur title last week, started the first round cautiously. He threw range-finding jabs and feinted to keep the bigger Congolese fighter off of him. The 37 year old Maroy is a stance-switcher, but he primarily fought as a southpaw, which somewhat neutralized the effectiveness of Zak's superior jab. Zak controlled center ring and got inside Maroy's wide punches when the bigger man initiated his wild assaults.

Zak did more damage in the second round, crashing chopping rights to the side of Sadiki's skull. Maroy went for broke in the round and was clearly winded by the end of the three minutes. Meanwhile, Yan landed straight rights, particularly after showing the jab.

Maroy, nicknamed the "Buffalo," seemed to run out of gas by the third. He started the round passively, staying on the perimeter as his mouth remained agape. Conversely, the "Terminator," landed a right-left-right combination and some more chopping rights off his jab.

When the bell rang, Maroy limped to his corner. Even before he began limping, it seemed as if he wouldn't come out for the fourth. Maroy laid on his back as his cornerman rubbed his right calf. Maroy pounded the canvas with his gloves in apparent agony. This went on past the minute-rest period, and the fight was stopped.

Because Maroy was a southpaw heavyweight who threw awkward wide shots, Zak didn't look quite as fluid as usual. Sometimes, he pulled straight back to avoid the shots, instead of shifting on an angle so he could counter. It was still an impressive victory, beating a man 13 pounds heavier who now has a solid record of 17-3-1. Zak is 6-0 with 4 KOs.

Yan Zak and Sadiki Maroy Weigh In

Yan Zak and Sadiki Maroy weighed in ahead of their clash tomorrow at the Westin Hotel Ballroom in Dubai, United Arab Emirates tomorrow.

Zak weighed in at 199 pounds. Yan has been between 190 and 202.8 pounds during his professional career. The 26 year old from Ashdod Israel is 5-0 with 3 KOs.

Maroy was 212.7 pounds. This the heaviest of the 37 year old's career. The previous high for the native of Lumbumbashi, DRC was 210.3 pounds in his last fight this past summer.

This bout is schedule for eight rounds and can be viewed live on iFL TV's YouTube page.

Preview of Yan Zak vs. Sadiki Maroy

Cruiserweight prospect Yan Zak faces veteran Sadiki Maroy on Saturday at the Westin Hotel Ballroom in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Zak is coming off a win of the Israeli amateur title last weekend.

Zak is a 26 year old based in Ashdod, Israel. He has been very impressive in his first five pro bouts, scoring three KOs against veteran foes. The "Terminator" turned pro last May and has been active since. This will be his third fight in Dubai.

Maroy is a 37 year old from Lumbumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He boasts a sterling record of 17-2-1 with 8 KOs. Maroy has a better record than any of Zak's other opponents, but he isn't as skilled. Nicknamed "The Buffalo," Maroy is hard puncher and isn't coming up in weight like a couple of Zak's other opponents.

Maroy turned pro in 2007, but took a six and half year break before coming back last summer. This will be his first fight outside of Africa. He has mostly fought in his home country, but did venture to Ghana and Nigeria for fights. Sadiki has a good left hook and a powerful overhand hard. Zak's speed and straight punches should prove too much for the veteran though.

Zak-Maroy is scheduled for eight rounds.

2026 Israeli Amateur Championships

Winner	Result	Opponent
Super Heavyweight, 90+
Yan Zak	WO	Arman Malkan
Mahmoud Naarami	WO	Arthur Abramov
Yan Zak👑	Dec	Mahmoud Naarami
Heavyweight, 90
Ariel Prilutski	Dec	Mohamad Shlabani
Ariel Prilutski 👑	RSC 2	Oleg Berkovich
Cruiserweight, 85
Yonatan Barashi 👑	RSC 2	Alex Karchevski
Light Heavyweight, 80
Nikita Padi	Dec	Jade Owolo
Ron Yaer	?	Shelleshevet Gerzef
Nikita Padi	Dec	David Bazov
Daniel Ilyushonok	RSC 2	Ron Yaer
Daniel Ilyushonok👑	Dec	Nikita Padi
Middleweight, 75
Ahmad Jbarin	Dec	Kobnat Netgoko
Yosef Barbor	Dec	Edward Milnikov
Ahmad Jbarin	Dec	Yosef Barbor
Khalid Alzbarga	Dec	Mohamad Magrabi
Ahmad Jbarin 👑	Dec	Khalid Alzbarga
Junior Middleweight, 70
Tomer Benny	WO	Benny Nizard
Mohamad Wagih	Dec	Abd-al Rahman Isa
Bogdan Loptin	Dec	Adham Kayouf
Igor Novikov	Dec	Basel Tuma
Tomer Benny	Dec	Mohamad Wagih
Igor Novikov	Dec	Bogdan Loptin
Tomer Benny 👑	Dec	Igor Novikov
Welterweight, 65
Ahmad Shtiwi	RSC 2	Sagev Rhamim
Ahmad Shtiwi	Dec	Ali Shaon
Adrian Warwar	RSC 2	Ben Rafael
Ahmad Shtiwi 👑	Dec	Adrian Warwar
Lightweight, 60
Matan David	RSC 2	Roe Bazov
Iurii Lapchevisky	Dec	Boaz Finkel
Abdullah Rahel	Dec	Idad Totando
Iurii Lapchevisky	Dec	Matan David
Abdullah Rahel	Dec	Matar Samuel
Abdullah Rahel 👑	Dec	Iurii Lapchevisky
Bantamweight, 55
Farid Harish	Dec	Tom Samuel
Mike Tayber	Dec	Eyal Pinto
Farid Harish 👑	Dec	Mike Tayber
Flyweight, 50
David Zakhari 👑	RSC 2	Ofek Dotan
Lightweight, 60
Myriam Lahmi 👑	Dec	Aria Fain

Recap

Yan Zak, a 5-0 pro, won yet another national title. In preparation for his fight against Sadiki Maroy this Saturday, he treated the finals like a sparring session. Others with pro experience didn't fare as well. Benny Nizard and Arthur Abramov, both 1-0, withdrew before fighting. Alex Karchevski, also 1-0, was thoroughly outboxed by Yonatan Barashi. Another pro, Ahmad Shtiwi (9-0, 7 KOs) used infighting to win the welterweight title.

Among the amateurs, David Zakhari, Ahmad Jbarin, and Abdullah Rahel stood out. Flyweight champion Zakhari looks like a young David Alaverdian with his feints, jukes, and ability to find odd angles. Jbarin bounces around the ring dictating the action, but he's not afraid to get rough either. Rahel is a slickster with a smart jab and precise counters.

Two fights stood out. The first was a lightweight semifinal bout between Alaverdian protégé, Matan David, and stylist Iurii Lapchevisky. Though both are skilled boxers, they treated the fans to an all-out brawl. Neither won the lightweight title this year, but both 19 year olds are quite promising.

The second fight came in the junior middleweight final. A bloodied Igor Novikov staggered southpaw Tomer Benny several times. Benny ultimately got a disputed decision and won the national title.

Daniel Ivanovski Wins by TKO

Cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski stopped Jeremy Small in the second round of their clash at the Pendennis Club in Lousiville, Kentucky, USA last Friday.

Referee Marvin Whittamore waved off the contest 48 seconds into the round. Ivanovski, a 24 year old, moved to 5-0 with 4 KOs. Small falls to 1-1 with 1 KO.

Daniel Ivanovski and Jeremy Small Weigh In

Daniel Ivanovski and Jeremy Small weighed in ahead of their cruiserweight clash later tonight at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. This is a battle of two undefeated boxers.

Ivanovski weighed in at 192 pounds for this contest. The 24 year old prospect with a 4-0 record has weighed between 191.5 and 192 pounds for each of his bouts. That's remarkable consistency, particularly since it isn't close to the cruiserweight limit.

Small is a 37 year old from Nebraska who scored a first round KO in only professional boxing fight. An experienced MMA fighter, Small is coming up in weight. He tipped the scales at 187 pounds, seven more than his other boxing bout, which took place in 2022. As an MMA fighter he has primarily fought in the 170s.

The fight tonight is scheduled for four rounds.

New Opponent for Daniel Ivanovski

Daniel Ivanovski is now scheduled to face a new opponent on Friday at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Ivanovski's lasted listed opponent is Jeremy Small, an experienced MMA fighter.

Ivanovski, a 24 year old Israeli, was slated to fight a more experienced boxer. Now, he takes on a rugged 37 year from Nebraska. Small had only one win on his boxing ledger, a first round knockout in his home state back in 2022. That's his lone fight as a pro boxer, but he has fought over ten times in MMA battles.

MMA fighters are often tough competitors who fight out of squared stances. Their punch technique isn't usually the best for boxing, but they often have long-lasting motors. Small will be coming up in weight as he has mostly fought in the 170s.

This bout is a cruiserweight affair scheduled for four rounds.

Daniel Ivanovski to Face Hector Bobadilla

Cruiserweight prospect Daniel Ivanovski is scheduled to face journeyman Hector "Snart" Bobadilla in a bit of a step up fight. The contest will take place at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky, USA on February 6.

A 24 year old from Israel, Ivanovski brings a record of 4-0 with 3 KOs. He will have been off for nearly a year when he enters the ring in about ten days. Daniel is a skilled and well-schooled fighter, but he has shown some flaws in a couple of his fights. Against Marcus Smith, Ivanovski was susceptible to overhand rights Against Romelle Terrell, he faded a bit in the final round.

Bobadilla is a 39 year old from Aguascalientes, Mexico. He sports a record of 9-20-1. As a boy, he was interested in weightlifting, but his dad forced him to try boxing when he was 14 years old. It came naturally for him and he was a national-level amateur in Mexico. Snart turned pro in 2009.

Early in his career the man nicknamed El Gatito fought as light as bantamweight and as heavy as super featherweight. He lost to a young Rey Vargas, Alberto Guevara, Yan Barthelemy, and Rocky Hernandez to name a few well-known opponents. His best result was a draw against world title challenger Alejandro Gonzalez in 2016.

El Gatito has since grown into a full-size cat. After a nearly six-year layoff, Bobadilla reinvented himself as a blown up junior middleweight. His last couple of fights have come at super middleweight. He has developed some sneaky punches as his career has progressed, but he's a wide puncher who doesn't counter much. Super middleweight was very heavy for him; this fight is at cruiserweight. Hector might need to hide some weights in his shorts to get close to 200 pounds.

This bout is slated for four rounds. Because of the size difference, it's not difficult to imagine Ivanovski knocking Bobadilla silly and putting his lights out.

Lev Jackson Targeting March Date

According to BoxRec, Lev Jackson is fighting in two days in Jamay, Mexico. Chalk it up to: Don't believe everything you read on the internet. When asked if he was fighting on January 24, the Vancouver-based lightweight responded, "Not to my knowledge," his tongue firmly in his cheek.

After a nearly two-year layoff, the 33-year-old Jackson has been active recently. He traveled to Mexico and scored a knockout in April and another in December to improve his record to 5-1-1 with 3 KOs. The all-action southpaw boxed a little more than usual in those two fights.

Jackson told The Jewish Boxing Blog that he's targeting a March date in Canada, but nothing's set yet. In the meantime, he's been in training. He recently sparred with prospect Isaiah Guy, who won his debut in November against an old Jackson foe, Elroy Fruto. Guy is also looking to fight in March. He's scheduled to face another old Jackson rival, Ely Avelar.

courtesy of Jackson's IG page

Yuri Foreman Elected to New York State Boxing HOF

Rabbi Yuri Foreman has been elected to the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2026. The native of the Soviet Union went 35-4 with 10 KOs during his professional career, which lasted from 2002-2021.

Foreman began his career 28-0 and won the WBA junior middleweight world championship with a decisive victory over Daniel Santos on November 14, 2009. To that point, he also had wins over quality opponents Jesus Soto Karass, Anthony Thompson, Andriy Tsurkan, Saul Roman, and Jamie Moore. The win over Tsurkan garnered him the NABF title. A headbutt prematurely stopped a fight against future world champion Cornelius Bundrage when Yuri was ahead on the cards.

Foreman's defining fight came on June 5, 2010 at Yankee Stadium against future IBHOF inductee Miguel Cotto. Foreman's stock grew immensely in the loss. He tore his meniscus, but continued to fight on until his corner threw in the towel. Inexplicable, the fight continued and Foreman was eventually stopped in the ninth round.

He rushed back into the ring too quickly and came up flat against Pawel Wolak nine months later. The second half of his career was hampered by long layoffs and managerial trouble with a loss to Erislandy Lara mixed in.

Foreman was the best Jewish fighter of his generation, a living example that Jewish boxing persists.

Respected boxing judge Steve Weisfeld has also been elected to the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame. Weisfeld, a native of New Jersey, started his career in 1991 and is still an active judge. He even rendered his verdict in four of Foreman's fights, not including the Cotto fight, which ended before Weisfeld's card mattered.

The induction ceremony will take place on April 19.

Brooklyn Barwick Auditions for TBL Return

Brooklyn Barwick auditioned for Team Boxing League in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA over the weekend. She arrived Friday morning and sparred Saturday night. One of the co-founders, Mark, was very gracious to Barwick. He and TBL shared kosher snacks with her as she observed Shabbat.

Barwick stayed at the Showboat Casino and headed over the Bally's for the tryout when the sun went down Saturday night. Last year, she competed for the Phoenix Fury in one contest and hopes to join a team this season.

In the meantime, Barwick, who is 6-0 as a pro with 6 KOs, is preparing for a shot at the NBA featherweight title on February 26 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After the fight, she'll head back to New York to support David Malul, who is fighting on the 28th at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington. Barwick's fight is scheduled for six rounds.

Noah Shneidman: Holocaust Survivor

A professor of Russian literature, N. N. Shneidman was a skilled amateur boxer in his youth. His burgeoning boxing career was cut short by the Nazi invasion of his hometown, Vilnius.

Noah Norman Shneidman was born on September 24, 1924 in Wilno, Poland. Wilno is now widely know as Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. When Noah was born, it was part of Poland and a hub for Jews, whose presence in the city dates back to 1326. Many lived within the old city although the Shneidman family stayed just outside.

Noah attended Tarbut for high school with its secular Zionist bent. Students at Tarbut learned to primarily speak in Hebrew and were schooled in the importance of physical activity. Noah joined one of the many Jewish sports clubs in the city. He became a member of the Jordan club junior basketball team. The Jordan team practiced in the Tarbut gym, where the club's boxers also trained. A group of the ball players showed up early one day to see what boxing was all about. The other players didn't take to boxing, but Noah became enamored with the sport.

Boxing was a popular sport in Poland. A bantamweight, Noah was initially trained by a Jewish heavyweight from Warsaw named Igo Blium. Shneidman started off his amateur career beating most of his opponents who were from rival Jewish clubs. The 14 year old then stepped up to face older, stronger opponents, many who were gentiles. While facing his gentile foes, Noah often heard vociferous cries of "biy Zhida!" meaning "hit the Jew." Though Jewish fans looked up to Jewish boxers, they usually remained quiet during the fights for their own safety.

In the spring of 1939, Shneidman faced Stanisław Lendzion, the runner-up at Poland nationals that year at flyweight. A 22 year old, Lendzion was an all-round athlete, competing in track and field, swimming, and skiing. In an upset for Noah, the referee called the bout a draw.

In August, Shneidman was invited to a training camp for prospects. A month later, Lithuania annexed Vilnius. Basketball was the national sport of Noah's new country as boxing was not nearly as popular as it had been in Poland. Consequently, Shneidman's Lithuanian opponents were not as tough as his Polish foes had been. In April of 1940, he fought in the Lithuanian nationals at bantamweight. Along the way to the final, Noah beat J. Žemaitis, who had grabbed silver in 1937 and gold in 1938. In the final, he faced Lendzion in a rematch. Though Shneidman's technique was superior, Lendzion's strength advantage carried the bout. Shneidman came away with silver at just 15 years old.

As a result of the earlier Molotov-Ribbentrop pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, Vilnius was swallowed by the USSR in October of 1940. Jewish life, including schools and clubs, were erased. Still, Noah looked forward to graduating from high school and, as the champion of Vilnius, improving his skills enough to join the Soviet boxing team.

It was not to be. On June 22, 1940, the Nazis invaded Vilnius. The Jews inside the old city were rounded up and killed. The Jews who lived just outside, including Noah and his family, were forced into old city, which was walled off and turned into the Vilnius ghetto. Ghetto life was miserable. Noah tried desperately to get work that would keep him inside during the frigid Lithuanian winters. The stress of ghetto life eventually took his 48-year-old father. In retrospect, his father may have been lucky to avoid the hell to come.

Jewish leaders of the ghetto would occasionally stage sporting events for visiting German officials. Noah participated in a basketball game for which he was paid a pound of sugar. On May 18, 1943, he fought a Jewish refugee from Poland named Kos. Kos was older, bigger, and stronger, but Noah had better technique. Still, Noah came up short. The loss to Kos was the 18 year old's twentieth fight, so he was gifted a medal created by a Jewish craftsman commemorating the fight. His mother and sister appreciated the pound of butter he earned for the fight, but Noah was excited and grateful to have received the medal. It signified a link to his pre-ghetto life and hope for what life could become again.

Shneidman (left)

Shneidman was involved in resistance activities and hid a gun in his family's apartment. At one point, he was arrested and put in jail. Many Jews who were jailed were executed, even if they were held only for a short time. Shneidman believed his popularity as a boxer contributed to his safe and timely release. In September of 1943, Nazis came in the ghetto to round up a group of Jews in order to deport them to the camps. Shneidman was part of the armed resistance. The Jewish fight resulted in two consequences: fewer German soldiers guarding the perimeter and the liquidation of the ghetto. Noah escaped into the forest.

Shneidman joined a partisan group in the fight against the Nazis. His mother perished in the camps, but his sister survived and moved to Poland. After the war, Noah became a Soviet soldier. He boxed a captain in the army and felt he deserved the win. Instead, the captain was granted the decision. Lower-ranking soldiers vehemently protested and an immediate rematch was ordered. Both fighters were exhausted, but Noah won the return bout. His reward was a lengthy furlough, which he used to return to Vilnius in hopes of finding his sister and recovering his belongings. A gentile family had taken over his ghetto residence and wouldn't let him in.

Noah continued to box until about 1949. He was a member of the Lithuanian national boxing team and the club Zaligis. He missed an opportunity to regain Polish citizenship, so he was stuck in the Soviet Union for another decade. In the meantime, he gained a PhD in sport education and coached boxing. In 1958, a window reopened to repatriate to Poland and he, his wife, and young child immigrated. They soon moved to Canada where Noah reunited with his sister. He became a professor of Russian literature at Toronto University and wrote several well-regarded books about the Vilnius ghetto and sports in the Soviet Union.

In 2006, two guys with medal detectors were scrounging around a farm in Lithuania when they heard a beeping sound. One had found something. They dug until they uncovered a small medal with unfamiliar writing. They showed friends and family the medal until one recognized the language as Yiddish. A college student studying Yiddish revealed that the medal belonged to a boxer named Noah Shneidman.

Bureaucratic squabbles prevented the medal from being returned to Noah immediately. The Jewish museum of Vilnius wanted to keep the medal. After much effort, Shneidman eventually received his medal after nearly 65 years.

Shneidman (right)

On December 30, 2016, Noah died at the age of 92 in Toronto, Canada. His life was a testament to the perseverance of the Jewish people. Even in the face of unspeakable hardship, we eventually thrive.

Sources

Bertašius, S.A. "Lietuvos Sporto Žinyas." 1999. Pg. 36.

Noah Shneidman Obituary. The Globe and Mail. 
Osmólski, Piotr. Leksykon boksu. 1989.

Shneidman, N.N. The Boxing Medal. 2015.

Boxing in the Catskills: Review of Ringside in the Mountains

Ringside in the Mountains

Evan Haiman

Baker Street Productions, 2025

Capturing the nostalgic oasis of the Catskill Mountains, the documentary Ringside in the Mountains chronicles the evolution of training in the resort area of Sullivan County, New York. Over twelve rounds of information, the impact of such legendary boxers as Barney Ross, James Braddock, Rocky Marciano, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, and Muhammad Ali on the "Borscht Belt" is highlighted throughout the 55-minute film.

Hotels such as Grossinger's, Kutsher's, and the Concord were relics of a bygone era, primarily catering to New York City's vacationing Jewish population. The fighters loved staying at the hotels for two reasons: they were treated well and because of the environment. The combination of the cool mountain air and the isolation, which didn't allow for fighters to get in trouble, enhanced their preparation.

The best part of the film comes at the end when three living legends -  Roberto Durán, Ray Mancini, and Gerry Cooney - share anecdotes from their experiences up in the mountains. A former lightweight champion, Mancini chuckled as he called himself "a token Jew" because he absolutely loved the kosher food served at the hotels. Cooney, a heavyweight, on the other hand, could only eat so much of it because he craved diversity in his cuisine.

Featured in "Round 4," Barney Ross, the three-division world champion, was one of the first to use the Catskills as a home base for his training camp. Historian John Conway gives a great story about Malka Grossinger learning to embrace Ross after initially being suspicious of his profession. However, another pundit - one recently inducted into the Hall of Fame - misrepresents Ross's origin story by claiming he learned to fight as a newsie. Many boxers of Ross's era did indeed learn to fight by protecting their corner in order to sell newspapers, but Ross doesn't appear to be one of them. Barney helped out his father's tiny grocery story until the elder Ross's murder. Douglas Century mentions in his biography of Ross that Barney subsequently "went to work at a variety of low-paying jobs - a movie-house usher, a stock boy at Sears, Roebuck, as a Maxwell Street 'puller,' finagling customers into a dry good store," (pg. 16). He learned to fight by joining one of the many gangs that operated in Chicago at the time.

One misguided anecdote aside, Ringside in the Mountains provokes fond memories even if they're not our own. My grandparents traveled annually from the Bronx to vacation in the Catskills with an army of their friends. Many other Jews with ties to New York have a similar family history. It was a delight to see how their getaways contributed to the careers of some of the best boxers of all-time. Fans of Jewish boxing will enjoy this film.

Yan Zak to Fight February 14

Cruiserweight prospect Yan Zak is training for his next fight, which is scheduled to take place on February 14. Nicknamed the "Terminator," the 25 year old from Ashdod, Israel is 5-0 with 3 KOs.

The challenge for Zak's team will be finding suitable opponents for their talented fighter. A decorated amateur, Zak has already proven himself too good for the gritty journeymen that prospects typically fight when they reach double digit wins.

Zak has convincing wins against professional B-siders Mukhiddin Rajapbaev and Viktor Chvarkou. He also trounced winning fighters Bakhromjon Fozilov and Abdul Ubaya. The latter two were naturally smaller than Zak, but Yan still held the speed and skill advantages.

David Malul and Brooklyn Barwick to Fight in February

Jewish boxing in New York has a long and proud history, dating back well over a hundred years. David Malul and Brooklyn Barwick are the latest two to keep the tradition alive. Malul, 23, and Barwick, 26, both train under the watchful eye of the Sosa Crew, based at the NYC Cops & Kids Boxing Club.

Malul, who ran his first event as a promotor in November, recently made the switch to Aureliano Sosa. Barwick has been training with Sosa's brother, Jimmy.

The Sosas trains pros like Jarrell "Big Baby" Miller and Chris Colbert, just to name a couple. They have been in the game for decades, molding champions. Barwick's skills have improved tremendously since she linked up with the Sosa Crew, and she expects Malul's game to rise to the next level with his new team.

Malul is scheduled to fight on February 28 in New York City. Barwick is set to fight for the NBA title in the Dominican Republic the same day.