David Malul Stops Julius Thomas in the Second

"King" David Malul dominated Julius "June Bug" Thomas Jr., scoring a second round TKO at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA tonight. Since Malul observes Shabbat, his fight was the last of seven on a Boxing Insider Promotions card. His rights to the body, set up a series of overhand rights that led to the stoppage.

Thomas, a 36 year old from Youngstown in Ohio, entered the ring first to Bossman dlow's "Motion Party." Malul, a 23 year old from Queens, came next to The Script's "Hall of Fame."

Thomas started the fight as a southpaw while Malul applied steady foot pressure in the early stages of the fight. He was initially a bit tentative, feeling out Thomas before committing to his attack. His coach, Mike Stellate, kept yelling, "50, David, 50!" Showing the jab, David dug several hard rights to the body, forcing Thomas to switch to an orthodox stance. Malul then threw left hooks to the body.

In the second round, David dipped, which caused Thomas to anticipate another right to the body. Instead, an overhand right dazed the fighter from Youngstown. Thomas had his moments in the second as Malul pushed the tempo, but he constantly ceded ground. Backed into a corner, Thomas missed and was countered by a huge overhand right. Malul followed with another bomb, flooring Thomas in his own corner. Thomas's trainer began giving him instructions until a commission official told her that coaching wasn't allowed in that situation.

Malul recognized that Thomas was in bad shape and constantly connected with overhand rights. At one point the two fighters stopped, believing the referee had called, "Break." When the referee waved them to fight, Malul punished Thomas with two overhand rights that forced an end to the fight.

"I eat, sleep, and breathe the body shots," David said after the fight. Those body shots set up his second round blows to the head beautifully. Defensively, he blocked many of Thomas's attempts, including the uppercut. Malul looked sharp defensively and his offensive game plan set up the knockout.

Fifteen minutes after the fight, when the crowd had filed out of Tropicana's showroom, David climbed back into the ring and soaked up the scene, accomplishing his fifth pro win in as many tries. It was his third knockout. Thomas falls to 1-4-1 with one KO.

David Malul and Julius Thomas Weigh In

"King" David Malul and Julius "June Bug" Thomas both weighed in ahead of their clash tomorrow night at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino. Boxing Insider Promotions is putting on the card. Initially announced as a welterweight bout, it's now scheduled to be contested at junior middleweight+.

Malul weighed in at 154 pounds, the heaviest of his brief career. His lightest was 146.5 pounds in his debut against Lucien Hannah in 2024. The 23 year old from Queens sports a record of 4-0 and 2 KOs.

Thomas came in at 155 pounds, also the heaviest of his career. His lightest was 144 pounds, but this is the third time he has weighed at least 150 pounds for a fight. Thomas is a 36 year old from Youngstown, Ohio. His record is 1-3-1 with one KO.

Malul was visibly annoyed at Thomas after the face off. He'll have his opportunity to show his disdain for Thomas in the four-rounder, which will take place after Shabbat tomorrow. Boxing Insider has a feature on David and his observance of Shabbat.

Check out a preview of Malul-Thomas.

The Professional

The second installment in writer Andrew Rihn's "Hitting the Books" series is The Professional by W.C. Heinz.

Visiting training camps used to be an important part of covering boxers. Writers often relied on their creativity to morph the smallest tidbit into a bombshell revelation. Such was the clamoring for information on the part of boxing fans. These days, as the popularity of the boxing industry dwindles in the United States, fighters' camps are rarely covered, save for a few silly video clips that often have nothing to do with the camp or the upcoming fight.

In the novel The Professional, Heinz's narrator, the fictitious writer Frank Hughes, is embedded in the camp of Eddie Brown, a middleweight challenger trained by the grizzled old manager Doc Carroll. Though almost nothing of note happens, the story is gripping because of its realism. It's about routine and relationships. About professionalism and working towards a goal. Quiet confidence and humbling disappointment. The only major events that happen before the culminating fight are a death in the camp, a television appearance, the press conference, and the weigh-in. Yet, the mundane occurrences during training are crafted in such a way as to be fascinating.

Many boxing books, particularly those about the Prohibition period, play up the mob ties of the fighters. Hughes explains, "Two or three of the people in the mobs were playing with fighters. It was never quite as serious as they have made it in the bad books and motion pictures. It was rather the way a man of means will keep a show dog. It was a point of prestige."

Jackie Fields said of mobsters, "All those guys loved athletes, especially fighters. In those days, boxing was the number-one sport." In the same vain, Ruby Goldstein claimed many of the best boxers had mob sponsors. They happened to be the ones with money and an interest in boxing, but often authors take conspiracies between the mob and boxing too far, as Heinz indicates.

Interestingly, Jews aren't featured much in the book. At one point, Eddie Brown's trainer says, "Hands are a fighter's tools... He's got to take care of his tools. A fighter busts his hands and he's nothin'. I see many a good fighter have to tap out with bad hands, You remember Danny Bartfield?" The Danny Bartfield reference aside, the novel takes place after the golden age of Jews in boxing, which is generally regarded as 1920-1950.

The Professional also shines light on the biases of media members and the cozy relationships they can develop with fighters and managers. Frank Hughes tries to conciliate his desire to see Brown win and his close relationship with Carroll with his assignment. Every decent boxing writer encounters the conundrum of balancing relationships with the fighters with the responsibility of producing an honest account.

The next Hitting the Books entry is Fat City by Leonard Gardner.

Daniel Ivanovski Pummels Najm Khan in Decision Victory

Cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski battered Najm Khan over four rounds to win a shutout victory at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA this evening. Khan had no answer for the crafty combinations of the Israeli.

Ivanovski, a 25 year old who weighed 195 pounds, began the fight cautiously, pawing with his jab. The 38 year old Khan came out as a southpaw and switched stances the entire fight, mostly because of faulty balance rather than strategic adjustments.

In fact, Khan seemed to be limping the entire fight. The apparent injury badly affected the California-based Pakistani's movement. He lunged with his shots and held Ivanovski like a college girlfriend. Daniel continuously snapped back Khan's head. Several times, the Israeli threw a beautiful short left hook that Khan couldn't anticipate. He also had crisp straight rights down the middle and crunching overhand rights around the guard.

Ivanovski dominated the third round and the beginning of the fourth. His combinations were varied and clever. He threw a straight right-left hook combo. He changed levels, targeting the body more as the fight progressed. In that third round, he moved laterally better, which opened up avenues for his big shots. Khan "The Brave" showed immeasurable heart and an iron chin to withstand the onslaught. His face was tomato red by the end.

Daniel's performance wasn't flawless, however. He let Khan hit him too much early. Except for the third, he stayed in front of Khan, failing to utilize angles. Most importantly, he allowed Khan to constantly hold. That not only thwarted Ivanovski's attack, but enabled the heavier Khan, who weighed 203 pounds and was round in the midsection, to use his mass in an attempt to wear down the younger man.

Nevertheless, it was a commanding performance for Daniel Ivanovski, who is now 6-0 with 4 KOs. All three judges, The Jewish Boxing Blog, and the two announcers scored the contest 40-36 for Daniel. Khan falls to 1-1.

One announcer, former world champion Steve Cunningham, has sparred with Daniel. "I'm very impressed with Ivanovski," Cunningham said after the fight. "I like what he's done against a very awkward fighter in Khan."

Yan Zak Crushes Adamu Barnaba

Cruiserweight prospect Yan Zak destroyed Adamu Barnaba today at the Meydan Gallery in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Zak maintained his undefeated record with a second round TKO victory.

In a battle of undefeated 26 year olds, Zak used his height advantage effectively, jabbing southpaw Barnaba back to the ropes early in the fight. From that point forward, Zak's offensive onslaught never let up.

After a three-punch combination and a straight one-two, Zak utilized an odd punch: a lead right uppercut. The shorter man from Tanzania was often caught in a defensive crouch, allowing Zak to throw lead uppers with his back hand without facing retribution. Zak also peppered Barnaba with lead straight rights.

Barnaba was gassed after the first round. He wheezed like an octogenarian after climbing a flight of stairs. Zak toyed with the Tanzanian in the second round. He kept his left artificially low and unleashed a barrage of straight rights that found their mark again and again. Barnaba fired his dangerous right hook because Zak's left was so low, but missed. It was Barnaba's one chance to get back in the fight.

A left and a chopping right two minutes into the round put Barnaba down in a heap. The tough Tanzanian beat the count, but took a false step after a delay and the contest was thankfully stopped two minutes and thirteen seconds into the second stanza.

Zak drastically outclassed Barnaba, so he didn't get to go through the gears as he did in his last fight against Arshdeep Singh. The Israeli's improvement came in the form of taking care of business. In previous fights, he had played with his overmatched opponents too much. He did that a little in this second round here with his piston-like series of straight rights, but he didn't allow Barnaba to linger in the fight. With the combination of a shrewd game plan last fight and spiteful intentions in this one, Zak is developing a formidable pro style.

Yan is now 8-0 with 6 KOs while Barnaba tumbles to 10-1-1 (8 KOs).

Yan Zak and Adamu Barnaba Make Weight

Yan Zak and Adamu Barnaba both made weight for their cruiserweight+ bout at the Meydan Gallery in Dubai, United Arab Emirates tomorrow. The contract weight for this clash of unbeatens was 203 pounds.

Zak, a 26 year old, came in at 202.4 pounds. The resident of Ashdod, Israel is 7-0 with 5 KOs. His heaviest weight thus far during his pro career was 202.8 pounds while the lightest was 190. Zak and his team arrived in Dubai yesterday. This will be the fourth fight in the emirate for the "Terminator."

Barnaba came in at 198.2 pounds. He was a junior middleweight until he moved up to cruiserweight last year. Since moving up to cruiserweight, his lightest weight has been 186.3 pounds and his heaviest has been 200.5. A 26 year old from the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Barnaba has a record of 10-0-1 with 8 KOs.

Zak-Barnaba is scheduled for ten rounds. For a preview of the fight, visit here.

Lev Jackson to Face Ian Abbott on June 27

Lev "Gutsy" Jackson is scheduled to face "Mr. Wonderful" Ian Abbott on June 27 at the Lions Club in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. Despite Abbott's upside down record, he poses a challenge to Jackson.

Jackson is a 33 year old from Vancouver, Canada with a record of 5-1-1 (3 KOs). This will be his first fight since he got married. A southpaw, Lev boxed more in his last two fights in Mexico, a shift from the all-action fighter he was before.

Abbott, who also goes by Ian Masuskapoe, is a 32 year old from Debden in Saskatchewan. A member of the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, Abbott has a record of 1-8-1 and hasn't won in over ten years. But he is an experienced fighter with experience in MMA and karate. Tough and durable, Abbott has only been stopped once.

Abbott is a better fighter than his record suggests. A competent boxer, he flicks out the jab but doesn't work off of it much. He's mostly looking to counter and get into exchanges. The Saskie typically does enough to lose as punch-output has been a problem for him in the past. He doesn't have a lot of wrinkles in his game, and there's not a lot of variety in his attack. But he is a game guy.

Jackson is the naturally bigger man, fighting primarily as a lightweight. Abbott has mostly been a featherweight. This four-rounder is scheduled for junior lightweight.

Daniel Ivanovski to Face Najm Khan on Saturday

Cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski is scheduled to face Najm "The Brave" Khan at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA this Saturday. This is a battle of undefeated fighters with extensive combat experience.

Ivanovski is a Russian-born Israeli with a record of 5-0 (4 KOs). After a decorated amateur career, the 25 year old has fought all of his pro bouts in the United States. Daniel is a skilled technician who can vary his shots and put together combinations. He has shown a propensity to get hit with overhand rights, however.

Khan is a 38 year old from Pakistan, who is based in Los Angeles. He has a positive MMA record and a black belt in karate. Muscle-bound with long hair, Khan participated in one professional boxing match back in 2022.

The fight was against Muhammad Abbas on a PBC card. Instead of bikini-clad ring girls, the Pakistan Boxing Commission used young boys wearing shalwar kameez to notify the crowd of the round. Khan switched stances and rarely led, preferring to counter when the crude Abbas launched his wild right hand. When Khan did fire first, particularly as a righty, he ran at his opponent instead of keeping his stance. Khan also circled left the entire fight, which would be a mistake against Ivanovski, who will cut off the ring and land an overhand right.

Though Khan is a strong, tough guy with plenty of fighting experience, Ivanovski's youth and boxing technique make him the favorite Saturday night.

David Malul's New Opponent is Julius Thomas Jr.

"King" David Malul is now scheduled to fight Julius "June Bug" Thomas Jr. at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. BoxRec had previously listed Justin Spalding as Malul's opponent for the Boxing Insider show.

Thomas is a 36 year old from Youngstown, Ohio and possesses a record of 1-3-1 with one KO. He fought in the Cleveland Golden Gloves in 2011. Thomas is a true fighter with a better defense than Malul's previously scheduled opponent. In 2019, he fought a security guard at a bar and when police were called, he fought them, too. In 2023, an unidentified man charged at Thomas, who was on his front porch. Thomas allegedly shot his rifle, and a stray bullet entered a neighbor's house and struck her Pitbull. Only the Pitbull suffered injuries.

Thomas, who runs a cleaning business and trains kids in boxing, turned pro in 2024 at the age of 34. He had been training for a year and lost a significant amount of weight as a result. Standing at 5'6", Thomas dropped his first fight by split decision. He defeated Kameeko Hall on August 10, 2024 when a right to the body in the second round caused Hall to projectile vomit. The fight was quickly stopped, and Thomas was awarded a TKO victory.

Since then, Thomas has dropped two fights by decision and fought to one draw. His last fight was a little bit over a year ago. He poses a tough test for Malul, a 23 year old from Queens, New York. This four-rounder should be an exciting one.

David Malul to Fight Justin Spalding Next Month

Welterweight prospect "King" David Malul is set to return to the ring against Justin "War Time" Spalding at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA on June 13.The event is promoted by Larry Goldberg's Boxing Insider Promotions.

Malul is a hard-punching 23 year old from Queens, New York. His record stands at 4-0 with 2 KOs. After  a quick start to his career, Malul has fought only once in fourteen months. That was a dominant decision victory against Colin Huntington last November.

Spalding, a 27 year old with a record of 1-4-1 (1 KO) is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. A game fighter who constantly throws punches, he has the guts of a burglar. Ten years ago, he was charged with stealing bows and arrows from an archery store and selling the loot on Craigslist.

Spalding has since turned his life around. He has been drug free for over seven years and just got off parole after serving time. Recently engaged, he is gainfully employed. He turned pro in 2024 and fought all of his six career bouts that year. His willingness to trade leaves Spalding open for counters. Defensively, he relies on a good chin, but it's more limestone than granite as he's been stopped three times.

Spalding is listed as 5'9", but if he is that tall, he doesn't fight like it. He appeared shorter than 5'9" Justin Lacey-Pierce and a similar height as 5'6" Ramsey Vesey Jr. in their contests. After the Lacey-Pierce fight, Spalding was suspended for 90 days and fined $400 by the Michigan commission for an undisclosed violation. Boxing is so decentralized that he fought twice in other states within that span.

Because of his punch output, Spalding has a chance early in the fight, but Malul should find openings. Spalding's right doesn't protect his chin when he throws the left. Though Malul's best punch is an overhand right, the left hook could be the key here, particularly when set up by a right to the body.

This bout is scheduled for four rounds.

Scrap The National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

Celebrating great Jewish fighters has been part of the mission of The Jewish Boxing Blog for over sixteen years. The National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, based at the Suffolk (NY) JCC, purports to do the same. The organization claims, "It is dedicated to honoring American Jewish figures who have distinguished themselves in sports. Its objective is to foster Jewish identity through athletics and to commemorate sports heroes who have emerged from people not commonly associated with sports." However, it misses the mark with those it chooses to include and not include. A more appropriate name for it would be A Random Collection of Jewish Athletes.

The Hall first began inducting a menagerie of Jewish athletes in 1993. It's outside the purview of this site to explain why the Hall elected Art Shamsky (1994) before Hank Greenberg (1995) or Art Heyman (1993) before Dolph Schayes (1995). Maybe the voters were a group of guys all named Art? The boxers chosen make less sense. For those outraged at Arturo Gatti's and Vinny Pazienza's places in the International Boxing Hall of Fame, wait until you see this list.  

Logically, Benny Leonard (1996) and Barney Ross (1997) were the first two boxers inducted into the NJSHoF. It would be hard to find anyone who would argue with their inclusions. The famed trainer Ray Arcel (1999) was the next boxing person elected. So far, so good.

You could have a hundred guesses and not come up with the next fighter unless you knew the answer. As a hint, think something like the thirtieth best Jewish heavyweight of all-time. Claiming to have thrown a bout against Rocky Marciano, Harry Haft (2007) finished his career with a record of 10-7. A Holocaust survivor, he is one of many boxers affected by that horrific tragedy.

Al "Bummy" Davis (2011), the popular contender from the 1940s who died tragically, came next. You could have a hundred more guesses and not get the next boxer. Boyd Melson was in the middle of his six year career when he was inducted in 2013.

The problem isn't that Haft and Melson are in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame; it's that nearly all of the great Jewish champions and contenders are not. Haft and Melson deserve recognition, but not as two of the five most significant Jewish American boxers ever.

The Hall didn't nominate anyone from 2016-2022, which was a good decision based on its track record.

Then, in 2023, the Munich Eleven were inducted. The eleven Israeli Olympic athletes murdered at the 1972 Munich Games should be commemorated, but it would be more appropriate elsewhere. After all, the nation in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame is the United States of America. And then why hasn't Victor "Young" Perez been nominated if nationality has no bearing on entry into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame? A world champion, he was murdered during the tragedy of the Holocaust.

Four boxers were inducted last weekend and the bizarre selections continue. "Slapsie" Maxie Rosenbloom is generally renowned as a top five Jewish boxer of all-time, so better late than never. Rabbi Yuri Foreman is at least the best male Jewish boxer of the twenty-first century so far and a former world titlist.

The Hall missed the memo on the other two. Cletus Seldin has had a very fine career, but he reportedly had to pull out of a fight in December for testing positive for elevated testosterone levels. Sadly, it wasn't his first time. It's awkward timing at best, particularly since 2011 National League MVP Ryan Braun has not been honored, likely due to a positive test for a banned substance in 2013.

The other entrant is Max Baer, a Christian who wore a Star of David for a couple of his fights. Genealogist Catherine Johnson shows convincing evidence of Baer's religion in her book Then the World Moved On. The Hall might as well honor James Toney and Bennie Briscoe at this rate.

Abe Attell, who held the featherweight championship for six years and is generally regarded as one of the four best Jewish boxers of all-time, hasn't been inducted. There's no Battling Levinsky, Joe Choynski, Jackie Fields, Kid Kaplan, Abe Goldstein, Al Singer, Izzy Schwartz, Charley Phil Rosenberg, Lew Tendler, Sid Terris, Charley White, Jill Matthews, Bob Olin, Yale Okun, or Mike Rossman among many many deserving others. It's unfortunate that the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame celebrates boxing, a sport that embodies the Jewish experience of the last 150 years, so haphazardly. Might be time to scrap the Hall and start over.

Yan Zak to Face Adamu Barnaba in a Battle of Unbeatens

Cruiserweight Yan "Terminator" Zak is scheduled to face Adamu Barnaba at the Meydan Gallery in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on June 6. Both fighters are undefeated 26 year olds.

Zak is coming off a fifth round TKO win against Arshdeep Singh earlier this month, which moved his record to 7-0 with 5 KOs. The resident of Ashdod, Israel was particularly impressive in that fight. He showed an educated game plan and was defensively responsible throughout the contest. Zak will need a similar type of performance against Barnaba.

With a record of 10-0-1 (8 KOs), Barnaba has had a weird career. A Luis Ortiz-like 26, Barnaba resides in Mabiba, Tanzania, which is on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, the country's most important city. BoxRec lists pro fights when he was a prepubescent scamp and a random draw in 2019. His career really started last year. He has been 8-0 since 2025 although a few of his opponents' names on the fight film don't match those on his BoxRec ledger.

A southpaw, Barnaba has chiseled six-pack abs; they're just hidden behind a drooping beer belly. But don't let his physique fool you. He's a strong, skilled fighter. With a back as wide as the cultural gap between Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, Barnaba possesses a powerful right hook to the head and body. In recent fights, he's shown a snapping jab and a quick straight left. He aims to take center ring, is composed and patient in the ring, and uses feints. He sometimes avoids punches by leaning back.

Barnaba resembles a tough test for Zak, but Zak is a massive step up for Barnaba. Though skilled, he has primarily feasted on unschooled novices. Zak has punished journeyman and recently stepped up to face unheralded fighters with good records.

Zak's foot and hand speed should carry the fight against the plodding Tanzanian. Yan will need to be careful because Barnaba is a hard-punching southpaw. While his right hook is his money punch, he pulls the punch back too far, allowing himself to be countered. Adamu has yet to face an opponent talented enough to take advantage of that flaw. In Yan Zak, he will.

This bout is scheduled for ten rounds.

Brooklyn Barwick Scores Another First Round KO

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick beat the fight out of Shaniqua Frazier en route to a first round stoppage victory at the Moore Building at the Fairgrounds in Columbia, South Carolina.

With respected trainers Jimmy Sosa and Nirmal Lorick in her corner, Barwick came out of the gate charging the significantly taller Frazier, a native of North Carolina. Frazier's awkward style initially disrupted the rhythm of New York-based Brooklyn. Frazier landed a wild swiping left, but her style resembled less a pro boxer and more of an untrained street fighter.

Frazier crouched down to get on Barwick's level, but she didn't possess a jab, so she had no way of keeping the diminutive Barwick at range. Brooklyn struggled to land a big shot until she threw a double jab and an overhand right that connected.

The real key was a right to the body and left hook to the head that hurt Frazier. Barwick followed it up with several body shots, forcing Frazier to the canvas, where she stayed gasping for air for the full ten seconds.

Barwick repeatedly yelled,"!עם ישראל חי" after the stoppage. She is now 7-1 with 7 KOs. Frazier falls to 0-9. She has been stopped in the first round each time.

Brooklyn Barwick and Shaniqua Frazier Weigh In

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick and her opponent, Shaniqua Frazier, weighed in this evening ahead of their clash at the Moore Building at the Fairground in Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Barwick (6-1, 6 KOs) weighed in at 126.5 pounds. She weighed in again with her skirt on and came in at 127. Barwick was 127.5 pounds in her last two fights. Her lightest has been 119.5. Frazier (0-8) was 127 pounds. This is the lowest weight of her career thus far. Her heaviest was 136.5 pounds.

Barwick refueled with peach rings from Mazza and More, a peanut butter and jelly uncrustable, and Sprite Zero. Then she had a meal of salmon, mash potatoes, and veggies from Kosher Concierge. She couldn't find grape juice anywhere in Columbia, so a Chabad rabbi said it was ok for her to say Kiddush over Sprite Zero. The weigh-in was held later in the day than usual, so she was then on her way to observe Shabbat. Barwick noted the local athletic commission has been accommodating with regards to her Shabbat restrictions.

Barwick-Frazier is scheduled for six two-minute rounds. For a preview, visit here.

Brooklyn Barwick to Face Shaniqua Frazier

Brooklyn "Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to battle Shaniqua Frazier in a tune-up fight at the Moore Building at the Fairgrounds in Columbia, South Carolina, USA on Saturday night.

Barwick, 26, made it down to South Carolina today. Her mother was supposed to join her, but her flight on Spirit Airlines was cancelled when the company closed its doors on May 2. She has not yet been able to get a refund.

Based in New York, Barwick (6-1, 6 KOs) attended a pre-fight get-together last week with 25 of her Jewish friends at the 2nd Ave Deli. It was a chance for Brooklyn to unwind as fight night approaches. She took special glee in roasting Aryeh, one the attendees at the shindig.

The party also provided an escape from several incidents of antisemitism Barwick has recently faced. BoxRec changed her nationality to Israeli, and she has been outspoken in her love for the Jewish people. She has received positive messages from Israeli girls who look up to her, but she has also received some backlash for her unapologetic Jewish pride. She even experienced an incident today on the trip to South Carolina.

Frazier, a 34 year old from Wilson, North Carolina, is the right opponent for Barwick at this time. Brooklyn is coming off of a disputed loss in February and a rough Team Boxing League showing in March. Frazier's size, height at 5'7", and her wild formless punches are her best assets. But she sports a poor record of 0-8 with eight first round stoppages. Frazier's best opponent was Stevie Morgan (19-2, 17 KOs), who once challenged the great Amanda Serrano back in 2024.

Barwick will be observing Shabbat in between the weigh-in on Friday and her fight Saturday night. Her kosher food is sponsored by Mazza and More and The Kosher Concierge. This bout is scheduled for six two-minute rounds and marks Barwick's U.S. debut.

David Malul to Fight in June

Welterweight prospect "King" David Malul is scheduled to fight at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA on June 13. The 4-0 native of Queens, New York last fought in November, a decision victory over Colin Huntington on a card David promoted.

This show, promoted by Boxing Insider, will be David's first fight outside of New York. He turned pro in September of 2024. After three fights, he suffered a fractured nose which contributed to a seven and a half month layoff. Since the Huntington fight, Malul has been scheduled to enter the ring twice, but both fights fell out.

The king is back with Main Street for his four rounder next month. No opponent has yet been announced.

The Thieves of Cherbourg: Ben Ephraim-Kaddour Called a Draw

Odelia Ben Ephraim dominated Sarah Kaddour at Gymnase Jean Jaures in Cherbourg, France today. Yet, two judges inexplicably called the fight even. Earlier this week, The Jewish Boxing Blog prophesied, "As the opponent, Odelia will need to win in convincing fashion." She did just that and the judges still saddled her with a majority draw.

Kaddour, a 30 year old, began each round firing combinations at her 26 year old opponent. However, most of her wide shots were blocked or slipped. Ben Ephraim stalked, wearing down Kaddour with pressure. In the first, Odelia landed a couple of hard looping rights after setting them up by dipping her left shoulder. While Kaddour attacked without much forethought,  Ben Ephraim showed her class by feinting, setting up her power shots, and exhibiting impressive accuracy.

Ben Ephraim completely controlled the second round. At one point, Kaddour switched to southpaw in desperation. Later, she was caught in the corner and ate a barrage of punches. The third wasn't any better for Kaddour, who was exhausted by the end of the round. Odelia cut off the ring beautifully and picked her punches like the artist that she is.

To her credit, Kaddour never gave up and displayed a warrior's heart. She showed flashes of skill, particularly during the second half of the fight. The former kickboxing champion boxed well in the round, landing her jab and a nice right uppercut. Ben Ephraim's corner had delayed the opening of the fourth after forgetting to stick in her mouthpiece, just when Kaddour was very tired. But Odelia finished the fourth strong, battering her opponent to take another round.

Kaddour connected with some sneaky rights in the fifth, but she ate a lot of left hooks. Midway through the round, she vacillated between running and flinging wild combinations that missed their mark.

The sixth and final round proved to be Kaddour's best. She mucked up the fight by holding. Ben Ephraim landed some quality one-twos, but Kaddour showed a good right uppercut.

The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the fight 59-55 for Ben Ephraim. The announcers seemed to concur. Yet the judges showed utter incompetence or worse in their scorecards. One read 59-55, but the announcer didn't pin it to either fighter. Thankfully, it turned out to be for Ben Ephraim. The other two judges, Eric Butel and Frederic Arnaud, committed larceny, scoring the fight 57 apiece. To give the judges the benefit of the doubt, Kaddour's hands were very active. They just weren't nearly as effective as Ben Ephraim's precise punches.

This fight was a masterclass for Ben Ephraim, but unfortunately boxing can be a dirty game. Her record is 5-6-1. Kaddour is 1-1-1.

Odelia Ben Ephraim and Sarah Kaddour Weigh In

Odelia Ben Ephraim and Sarah Kaddour both weighed in ahead of their clash tomorrow at Gymnase Jean Jaures in Cherbourg, France. Both are very talented fighters, whose records don't accurately represent their ability. Ben Ephraim is 5-6 while Kaddour is 1-1.

Kaddour's weight was announced as 119.6 pounds. BoxRec recorded her weight for one other fight at 120.8. She's a 30 year old from Clichy, France who has had a lot of success in other combat sports.

Ben Ephraim was 121.1 pounds. The 26 year old has come in at a range of 119.5 and 126 pounds. She fought as a featherweight earlier in her career, but has recently moved down to junior featherweight.

After a tense stare-down during the faceoff, Ben Ephraim extended her hand and the two warriors shook hands as a sign of respect. Odelia then drank Powerade with a little bit of salt to rehydrate. She added some applesauce and fruit. She ate dinner two hours later, which consisted of chicken breast and pasta with chocolate cake for dessert.

This bout is scheduled for six two-minute rounds and can be watched here or on HBOMax.

Review of Ring Theory

Ring Theory: Meditations on 35 Years in Boxing

By William Dettloff

Winding Road Stories, 2025

No one would argue that the past 35 years has signified a golden age of boxing writing. As the sport becomes increasingly niche in the United States, fewer of the great writers concern themselves with the wild contradictions of boxing. Former senior writer at The Ring and editor-in-chief of Ringside Seat William Dettloff, however, is an exception.

A collection of nearly four dozen articles, Ring Theory shows Dettloff's talent for weaving together a good story with empathy for the fighters, humor, and wisdom. He covers all the big events and top fighters from the past three-plus decades with fluidly-presented narratives and distinguished description. The writing is beautiful without being pompous.

As with any boxing anthology, the collection of articles is somewhat disjointed, but a thesis emerges. Fighters will necessarily continue to fight until the desire is literally beaten out of them. Dettloff experienced that feeling on an amateur level. Quite a few legendary fighters couldn't retire until they were forced to. The end of the careers of Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao, Evander Holyfield, and Arturo Gatti are all featured. Only Lennox Lewis could walk away after an impressive, albeit grueling, victory.

This topic of legends fighting too long wanders into several sections: "The Fighter's Journey," "The Business," "The Final Bell," and "History." It can feel a bit repetitive at times. In addition, fans of Roy Jones and Pernell Whitaker may not appreciate the articles written about them as they're really the only two fighters who receive sustained criticism. Otherwise, Dettloff shows compassion for the fighters without slipping into sappiness. Articles on his own boxing experience, journeyman Walter Cowans, and reminisces of ten champions were particularly insightful.

Ring Theory is a collection of articles from our era's entry into the pantheon of great boxing writers. It gets to the essence of the sport and is a must-read for fans interested in the boxing's recent history.

Odelia Ben Ephraim to Face Sarah Kaddour

Odelia Ben Ephraim is scheduled to fight Sarah Kaddour at Gymnase Jean Jaures in Cherbourg, France on Saturday. This is another short notice fight for the 26 year old. She last fought on April 11.

Ben Ephraim is on a four-fight losing streak and now sports a 5-6 record. But her record is not indicative of her talent and skills. The former French featherweight champion dropped a dubious decision to Narymane Benloucif to relinquish the title in 2024. Then, Odelia fought Tania Alvarez for the European junior featherweight title in Alvarez's hometown. That decision was suspect as well.

Last September, Ben Ephraim fought Teresa Makinen, who looks like a future champion. Odelia put up a great fight in a high-level affair. She took a short notice fight last month and is in tough once again.

Kaddour is a 30 year old from Clichy, France with a 1-1 record as a pro boxer. But she has a wealth of success in kickboxing. A former world champion, Kaddour transitioned to what the French call boxe anglaise in 2025.

Kaddour throws hard straight shots, but has a tendency to lunge with her punches. She bounces around the ring, a technique that is generally frowned up on in professional boxing. In kickboxing, she exhibited strong kicks, but not much punch variety.

Kaddour is the A-side in this junior featherweight bout, but Ben Ephraim has a real shot to win. She throws precise combinations, has a high work-rate, and varies her shots. She hasn't yet shown knockout power, and that has resulted in several bad decisions against her. As the opponent, Odelia will need to win in convincing fashion.

This contest is scheduled for six two-minute rounds.

Yan Zak Dominates Arshdeep Singh Bhatt

From the opening bell, cruiserweight Yan Zak was in complete control against Arshdeep Singh Bhatt today. Displaying a shrewd game plan, flashy skills, and responsible technique, Zak won by fifth round TKO at the New Olympic Sport Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The "Terminator," a 26 year old, opened the fight probing Singh's high guard with jabs. He soon found the left hook to the body available, his jabs acting as a decoy. By the end of the round, Zak's jabs were looking to land, not just set up the body shots.

Singh proved himself to be a decent fighter with solid technique. He had a crisp jab of his own and occasionally countered Zak's jabs, but the difference in hand speed forced the Punjabi to keep his hands home most of the time.

Singh, a 27 year old, opened the second returning Zak's jabs with his own and going to the body with left hooks. But Zak kept touching the body and snapping back Singh's head with his stick. Yan began timing Singh, landing showy counters just as the thought of throwing entered Singh's mind.

In the third, Zak included left hooks to the head and rights to the body. He added layers to the attack as the fight went on, showing maturity and more of a pro style. In past fights, he had kept his hands low when he felt in control, but today the right glove was sensibly plastered to the right side of his face when he jabbed.

Singh had been game until the fourth when he tired rapidly. The body shots wore him down as did Zak's combinations. The Indian fighter got the worse of an accidental butt and shook his arms towards the end of the round. Walking back to his corner, he wheezed, trying to catch his breath.

In the fifth, Singh had a brief moment of restoration before Zak's hard combos forced him to take a knee. He arose before the ten count, but was clearly gassed and the fight was stopped a minute and ten seconds into the round. Zak is now 7-0 with 5 KOs. Singh falls to 11-3 with 9 KOs.

With the win, Yan captured a minor belt, but more importantly this fight represented an important step in his pro career. In past fights, he sometimes got bored trying to get the opponent to open up. Today, he was focused throughout. Every move seemed to be the right one, whether boxing on the outside in the third or forcing Singh back to the ropes in the fourth. The only mistake he made was allowing Singh to throw several wild uppercuts from the outside without consequence. Always skilled and talented, Zak displayed an especially high ring IQ against a game opponent.

Yan Zak and Arshdeep Singh Make Weight

Cruiserweights Yan Zak and Arshdeep Singh Batth both made weight ahead of their clash at the New Olympic Sport Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia. This bout is now scheduled for ten rounds and is for a minor trinket, the WBF intercontinental cruiserweight belt.

Both fighters came at 200 pounds. Zak, a 26 year old from Ashdod, Israel, has been between 198.5 and 202.8 pounds during his career. He is 6-0 with 4 KOs.

Singh is a 27 year old from Chakar, India. He was a light heavyweight in 2024, so his lightest weight was 174.3 pounds. His heaviest has been 204.3 this past December. His record is 11-2 with 9 KOs.

For a preview of the fight, visit here.

Yan Zak to Fight Arshdeep Singh Batth

Cruiserweight Yan Zak is scheduled to fight Arshdeep Singh Bhatt this Saturday at  the New Olympic Sport Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia. This will be Zak's forth pro fight in Tbilisi.

Zak is 6-0 and has been dominating the competition thus far in his pro career, which began a year ago. The 26 year old from Ashdod, Israel has consistently fought more experienced foes, three of them with winning records. Nicknamed the "terminator," he typically boxes, utilizing eye-catching counters and creative combinations.

Singh is a 27 year old from the village of Chakar in southern Punjab, India. His older sister, Olympian Simranjeet Kaur, inspired Arshdeep to take up boxing when he was 11 years old. With a record of 11-2 with 9 KOs, Singh is another experienced opponent with a winning record. He traveled to New Zealand early in his career and upset an undefeated local fighter there back in 2024. That same year, he traveled to Slovakia where he lost to journeyman Pavol Garaj.

Singh keeps a high guard and is a good, tough fighter, but he's likely not on Zak's level in terms of speed and skill. Boxing has brought Singh all over India. He's fought in Chandigarh - a capital city shared by the states of Punjab and Haryana. Bangalore, Mumbai, Goa, and New Delhi have been other locales for his fights.

Zak and Singh share a common opponent. Zak blasted out Darshan Singh in one round while Arshdeep went the eight-round distance in their first fight and scored a second round KO in the rematch. This bout is scheduled for eight rounds.

Brooklyn Barwick Getting Ready for May 16

Brooklyn Barwick is currently getting ready for her U.S. debut on May 16 at the Moore Building, located at the South Carolina Fairgrounds in Columbia, South Carolina. She has started her cut to make the featherweight limit.

Barwick will have a familiar face in her corner in Jimmy Sosa, a highly respected coach who has guided Brooklyn throughout her pro career. Jimmy's well-regarded brother Aureliano will be a new addition to the corner. This will mark Barwick's first pro fight since a dubious loss to Grecia Novas for the NBA featherweight strap in February. Barwick was disappointed not to get the decision against Novas, not only because she believed she won the fight, but also because she considers holding the NBA belt a great honor. This current version of the National Boxing Association dates back more than forty years.

The 26 year old based in New York is taking a step back from Team Boxing League because of her pro boxing commitments. After a rough fight against Novas, a veteran not above using dirty tactics, and her last tough TBL outing,  Barwick should target a softer touch. She's now past the point of fighting debutants, but an opponent with some experience would be beneficial.

Barwick will be traveling to Charlotte to link up with the local Chabad to pick up kosher meals for her drive to Columbia. Brooklyn's mom will join her on the trip. It will be the first time her mom will watch one of her pro fights live.

With a record of 6-1 (6 KOs) and three TBL fights, Brooklyn has been remarkably active since beginning her career less than 14 months ago. She's looking to stay busy to increase her experience, but she's planning on taking a break in July to go on Birthright, another step in her journey towards converting to Orthodox Judaism.

In Memory of Steve Silver

Steve Silver went 5-1-1 as a pro in 1969 after an impressive amateur career in Minnesota.

Steven James Silver was born on March 24, 1944 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His father, Alexander, was born in Russia and worked as a salesman photographer. He traveled door-to-door offering to take pictures of families and selling them portrait packages. This was a precursor to when people would go to Sears to get their family portraits taken in the latter part of last century. Steve's mother, Molly, was born in Minnesota, and had four children.

The Silvers lived in the North Side area of Minneapolis, historically a hub of Jewish life in the city. It was the largest Jewish area between Chicago and Denver. In the mid-1940s, Minneapolis was described as "the capital of antisemitism in the United States." Mayor Hubert Humphrey worked tirelessly to combat that reputation and help transform the city into a Civil Rights leader for Jews and Blacks.

Steve began competing as an amateur in 1960, representing Unity House. That year, the 15-year old lightweight made it to the finals of the Minneapolis Golden Gloves in the novice division, known as Class C. Silver was stopped in the second round of the finals against Doug MacArthur. He moved down to featherweight later that February.

Silver moved back up to lightweight for 1961 and fought in several local tournaments. By 1962, he had moved up to Class A and fought Gary Nadeau in the featured bout of one Golden Gloves preliminary show. He won the city Golden Gloves that year, decisioning Dave Christian. He was recognized as "an outstanding boxer" and "highly regarded."

Molly sometimes watched her son's fights. She stood in the back, pacing nervously. Luckily for Molly, Steve was a skillful boxer who preferred to counterpunch rather than brawl.

While attending the University of Minnesota, Steve moved to welterweight in 1964 and made the finals of the city Golden Gloves, falling to southpaw Ron Lyke. Lyke would go on to win the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves championship.

Two years later, Silver won the city Golden Gloves welterweight title by defeating Rafael Rodriguez in the finals. He made it to the semifinals of the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves. Rodriguez, who got in as an alternate, won the title. Nevertheless, Steve was elected the tournament's "Best Sportsman." In a rematch between Silver and Rodriguez a week later designed to help Rodriguez prepare for the National Golden Gloves, Silver won by split decision. Steve was named as Minneapolis's best Jewish athlete in 1966, earning him the Hy Truman Memorial Award.

In 1967, Silver moved over to the East Side Gym. He faced Rodriguez again in the city Golden Gloves final, this time at junior welterweight. Silver landed left hooks to the body, but the judges preferred Rodriguez's "showy head shots." Nicknamed "The Rifle," Rodriguez won the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves again that year, repeated in 1968, and won the welterweight tournament in 1970. He went on to have a long pro career, facing several champions: Billy Backus, Hedgemon Lewis, Bruce Curry, a win over Denny Moyer, and went the distance against "Sugar" Ray Leonard in Baltimore.

The next year, Silver fell in the city finals again, this time to Gary Kemling. He moved up to middleweight before the end of the year but decided to turn pro. He won his debut on February 26, 1969, a three-round stoppage victory against Bobby Crawford.

Two weeks later, Steve faced Frank Jimenez. Despite a 1-1-1 record, Jimenez had achieved a similar level of amateur success, was the naturally bigger man, and outweighed Silver by five pounds. Jimenez won by decision. Two weeks after that, Steve beat 3-0 Simon Maestros by split decision.

Silver then got a new team, including manager Gene Fesenmaier and trainer Floyd Joyner. Joyner was a recently retired heavyweight who had fought professionally for 14 years. He fought Bobby Hill in June. Silver and Hill had both worked as sparring partners for veteran Duane Horsman. Silver won the battle of the sparring partners by decision. Minnesota Twins pitcher Dean Chance was reportedly in Silver's corner for the fight.

Tom Anderson, a local promoter getting back in the game after several years away, said, "Good Jewish boxers have always done well in Minneapolis, and Steve Silver can be brought along." Things were looking up.

Two days later, Silver out-pointed late substitute Tom Heisler. After a draw in July, Silver got the opportunity to spar with Emile Griffith. 

On October 6, Silver won a snooze-fest against fellow counterpuncher Chuck Lewis on a show promoted by Anderson. That turned out to be Silver's last pro fight. He finished with a record of 5-1-1 with one KO.

After his career, he moved to California. Marriages to Arlene and Roxine ended in divorce. When he died on October 25, 2025 at the age of 81, he was survived by his two daughters Alondra and Dawn, three grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Sources

Connor, Jack. "Golden Gloves 'Families' Do Well in Tournament." The Minneapolis Star. Feb. 19, 1966. Pg. 12.

Cullum, Dick. "Boswell Upset by Morgan in Golden Gloves." The Minneapolis Star Tribune. Feb. 12, 1967. Pg. 47.

Cullum, Dick. "Dick Cullum." The Minneapolis Star Tribune. May 6, 1969. Pg. 23.

Hengen, Bill. "Roaming Around." Minneapolis Star. Sep. 16, 1966. Pg. 31.

"Minnesota Edges Rochester for Golden Gloves Team Championship." The Austin Daily Herald. Feb. 22, 1966. Pg. 8.

"Silver, Harmon Finish Workouts." The Minnesota Star Tribune. Jun. 22, 1969. Pg. 54.

"Steven James Silver Obituary." The Minnesota Star Tribune. 

Stone King, Dan. "Chance Makes Pitch - Boxing, not Baseball." The Minneapolis Star Tribune. June 18, 1969. Pg. 57.

Weber, Laura. "From Exclusion to Integration: The Story of Jews in Minnesota." Minnesota Historical Society. Sep. 14, 2015.

Doron Zinman Comes Up Short

Doron Zinman lost by a point on each of the three judges' scorecards against Thabang Mofula today at the Big Top Arena at Carnival City in Brakpan, South Africa. The judges preferred Mofula's sneaky counters rather than Zinman's aggression and harder shots.

Zinman pressed the action throughout the fight. His jab snapped back Mofula's head on several occasions. The 21 year old from Cape Town showed fluid foot movement and slippery upper-body movement but couldn't set up too many huge blows.

Mofula landed some classy combinations as Zinman came in. The man from Northwest province showed skill on the outside but constantly held when Zinman invaded his personal space. Mofula lost a point for the repeated infraction in the third round.

In the fourth round, Thabang connected with a sweet uppercut, but Doron came back with a clubbing right to the head. Mofula landed the eye-catching punches, but Zinman's clearly had more effect.

The two had a contentious face-off at the weigh-in, but they were very respectful towards one another after the fight. Both men showed the true spirit of the sweet science.

All three judges scored the bout 38-37 for Mofula. The Jewish Boxing Blog had it 38-37 for Zinman. Mofula is now 2-3. Zinman took his first loss and is now 3-1 with one KO.

This fight was a learning experience for Doron. It's unfortunate he was hung with a loss, but he wasn't hurt and wasn't outboxed. In a long fight, his pressure surely would've worn down the opponent. Instead, it's a chance to focus his energy on getting inside without getting picked off and once he gets there, to prevent the opponent from holding him. This loss has the potential to be no more than a slight hiccup in Doron's career. It could catapult him to great things if he learns from it.

Doron Zinman and Thabang Mofula Weigh In

Doron Zinman and Thabang Mofula both weighed in ahead of their clash tomorrow at the Big Top Arena at Carnival City in Brakpan, South Africa. The subsequent face-off quickly became contentious.

Zinman came in at 121 pounds, the lightest of his career. The 21 year old from Cape Town is 3-0 with one KO. Mofula was 121.3 pounds. He is 1-3. This ties his heaviest weight while his lightest was 119.5.

During the face-off, Mofula came right into Zinman's face. His kindergarten teacher evidently failed to teach him about the importance of personal space. Zinman kept his forehead pressed against Mofula's, but eventually used one hand to nudge him away. Before he could do so, Mofula attempted a two-hand push that moved him back more than it did Zinman. Mofula began yelling at Zinman, who calmly answered.

Fighters are often hangry during weigh-ins and the anticipation of the fight can lead to heightened emotions. Typically, these sort of altercations have no impact on the fight. Zinman said the disrespect Mofula showed will serve as additional motivation. Mofula's hot-headedness could have served a purpose if he was intending to bait Zinman into fighting on the inside. But Mofula is taller and should box on the outside. Zinman's plan is surely to come forward anyway.

The challenge for Zinman in this fight is to show improved in-fighting. He last fought nearly a year ago and allowed Ronaldo Sibisi to hold too much on the inside.

Carolina Duer and Yuri Foreman Elected to Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

Carolina Duer and Yuri Foreman are two of the twenty inductees going into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026. Duer and Foreman are the last two Jewish world champions.

Both Duer and Foreman were born on August 5; Duer in '78 and Foreman two years later. Duer was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a descendent of Syrian Jews. Foreman was born in the Soviet Union, in what is now Belarus. He first immigrated to Israel and then on to Brooklyn, New York in the United States.

Foreman turned pro first, debuting in 2002. A pure boxer with fluid movement, Foreman won his first 28 fights. He beat the likes of Anthony Thompson, Jesus Soto Karass, Jamie Moore, Saul Roman, and Andrey Tsurkan. The later victory earned Foreman the NABF 154-pound title. On November 14, 2009, Foreman knocked down Daniel Santos twice to win the WBA junior middleweight championship. Santos had packed on the pounds after the weigh-in and hit like a light heavyweight, but Yuri thoroughly whupped the reigning champion to become the first and only male Israeli world champion.

Duer turned pro in 2007 and learned on the job. After five fights, she sported a losing record. Duer, nicknamed "La Turca," went 17-0-1 over her next 18 fights developing an all-action style. She won the South American junior featherweight title, the vacant WBO junior bantamweight world crown, the WBO bantamweight world title, and the IBF bantamweight interim world title during that span. Carolina has a win over the legend Marcela Eliana Acuña.

Foreman's career-defining fight came against Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium on June 5, 2010. After tearing up his knee, Foreman fought on, even after the referee refused to acknowledge Yuri's corner throwing in the towel. Yuri came out flat against Pawel Wolak in his comeback fight. He retired, but returned to notch six straight wins, all-the-while studying to become a rabbi. He was mentally unprepared when he entered the ring against pound-for-pound star Erislandy Lara. Yuri finished up with two fights this decade, going 1-1. His career record stands at 35-4 with 10 KOs.

Since 2017, Duer went just 1-4-1, but three of those losses were by split decision and three were for world titles. She lost by unanimous decision to legend Mariana Juarez in Juarez's hometown. Duer's last fight came in 2023, a disputed decision loss to Gabriella Bouvier. Her record is 20-7-2 with 6 KOs.

Yuri Foreman and Carolina Duer are the undisputed king and queen of Jewish boxing in the 21st century. Malissa Smith rated Duer as one of the five best Jewish women boxers of all-time. Evgheni Boico ranked Foreman as the best Jewish Israeli boxer ever, and Mike Silver had Foreman in the top ten Jewish boxers since 1960.

It is extremely fitting, that these two champions, sharing the same birthday, enter the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame together. Mazel tov to them both.

Odelia Ben Ephraim Drops Decision to Lucie Pauliac

Odelia "Thunder" Ben Ephraim lost by referee's decision to decorated amateur Lucie Pauliac at Salle de spectacle Bellegrave in Pessac, France this past Saturday. Ben Ephraim took the fight on short notice.

Ben Ephraim weighed 123.8 pounds while Pauliac was 122.8. Referee Denis Pollet, who judged Pauliac's first fight scored the bout 58-56 for Pauliac. Pauliac is now 2-0. Ben Ephraim is a hard luck 5-6.

A Golden Mensch: Marty Pomerantz

A true mensch, Marty Pomerantz won the 1935 New York Golden Gloves in the lightweight division before embarking on a professional career as a club fighter.

Meyer Pomerantz was born on June 15, 1915, the second son of David and Lena. David, a dressmaker, was born in New York to immigrants from Prague. Lena immigrated to the U.S. as a child from the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. The family lived on Washington Avenue in the Bronx until the Depression when they moved to the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn. They didn't have much money even though David owned a toy store and a movie theater in addition to his work as a dressmaker. "My father went to synagogue, not on a steady basis. He wasn't too religious," Pomerantz later remembered. "But most of the Jews went to synagogue in those days. And I did also." Meyer often went by Martin, Marty for short.

A former amateur boxer and instructor, Irving Cohen spotted Pomerantz playing handball at the Bensonhurst Jewish Community House (JCH) in Brooklyn. An excellent player, Pomerantz's skills figured to transfer to boxing, or so mused Cohen. He then watched a young Pomerantz train as a boxer, and after some time, the small shy man finally said, "Marty, you're a good fighter, but not as good as you think." An angered Pomerantz was ready to explode on Cohen, but decided to hear out his would-be mentor. The result would be eventually be a Golden Gloves title.

"I had no thought of being a boxer," said Pomerantz. Instead, he had dreamed of becoming a ballplayer as early as junior high, but his admiration for Cohen convinced him to box. Marty quickly saw the benefits of the sport. "Your body was in shape. Your mind was in shape. You ran, you ate well, you slept well. You had good discipline, you weren't dissipated. You didn't run around. We were part of the morals, the values of our family, and by and large those were good values."

Cohen turned the natural southpaw into an orthodox fighter. Marty's amateur career began in April of 1933, fighting for the Crescent-Hamilton Athletic Club. He applied to fight in the New York Golden Gloves, but a heart murmur discovered during the physical examination prevented him from doing so. It was just as well; his parents didn't want him to box.

"My mother didn't know I was boxing. She would have been very upset about it," Marty said. "And my father wasn't happy about it, but he did know about it." Unbeknownst to Lena, Marty snuck out the window to go train and fight.

His career took a huge leap in 1934. That year, with the heart murmur no longer detected, he won the Kings County featherweight title and made it to the semifinals of the New York Golden Gloves, representing the Politan Athletic Club. "He punches like a trip hammer," crooned the Brooklyn Times Union. He had knocked out half of his sixty opponents in the amateur ranks.

By 1935, Pomerantz moved up to lightweight and over to the First Avenue Boys' Club. With brown eyes and black hair, swarthy Marty stood five feet and five and a half inches. He won the Jewish Olympics representing the JCH that year. During the New York Golden Gloves, he clipped Charles Diaz and beat Sedgwick Harvey in the final to win the lightweight crown.

Pomerantz was slated to join the New York Golden Gloves team to fight the Chicago squad and then travel to Tel Aviv for the Maccabiah Games. But Marty and others asked for expense money and the team was subsequently disbanded as amateurs were not allowed to receive payment.

Despite being a top amateur, Marty worked as a shoecutter for much of his boxing career. He figured he should supplement his salary with purses from prizefights, but his coach, Irving Cohen, initially refused to join him. "You're becoming a pro, and I'm going back to the hosiery business," Cohen told Marty. Marty responded, "I'm with you Irving. If you're not my manager, then forget about it. I quit, too."

The 19-year-old Pomerantz turned pro on April 8, 1935 with Cohen in his corner. Marty earned a second round TKO victory at St. Nick's Arena with ex-Jewish boxer Young Otto serving as referee.

Cohen would later become the mentor of Hall of Fame matchmaker Teddy Brenner and manage Rocky Graziano. Irving, who owned a little hairless dog, had baby blue eyes and rosy cheeks. "Irving Cohen was a dead honest guy," Brenner recalled. He looked out of place in the mobster-infested world of boxing. After dealing with a particularly shady character, Cohen once lamented, "What a rotten game this is."

Just a kid, Brenner's first boxing job was working for Marty. "He used to get into the fights by carrying my bag," Pomerantz said in 1992. "I don't know if he'd remember that or admit to that today."

Pomerantz was busy during the spring of 1935. On April 14, the JCH held "Marty Pomerantz Night." On May 6, the House presented Marty with a silver glove in honor of his achievements.

"The lad can punch as well as take - and is a smart ring general," Lou E. Cohen wrote of Pomerantz. "His clever footwork, and his ability to follow instructions given to him by his handlers constitute the chief reasons for his being rated as a good prospect in ring warfare."

That summer, he trained in the Catskill Mountains, chopping wood in White Lake, New York. He loved to dance and even moonlit as a vaudeville actor while upstate.

Pomerantz won his first eight pro bouts and thirteen of his first fourteen, but his career didn't match the heights his amateur success suggested it would reach. His best wins came against former amateur opponents Johnny Horstmann on June 18, 1935 and Johnny LoBianco on May 5, 1936. LoBianco would later become a longtime referee.

In a rematch against Horstmann a month after their first clash, Pomerantz lost when he entered the fight with a sprained right hand. Marty won the rubber match four months later.

Pomerantz was Irving Cohen's first fighter and the manager had no connections. One night, Marty had a meeting with his dad, Cohen, and Frankie Carbo at the Paradise Night Club. "Carbo wanted to buy my contract," Marty said. But his dad talked him out of it. "Listen, you started with Cohen, you make it, you'll be with Cohen," advised David Pomerantz. "We shook hands and Carbo left. I had no problem with it," Marty recalled. "I think I would have made a lot more money with him, and I would have gotten more fights and maybe I would have gotten a shot at the championship. I don't know."

Marty had a hit-and-don't get hit style. "Benny Leonard once told me, 'He who hits and runs away lives to box another day.'" Taking that advice to heart, Marty notched only five knockouts in 37 pro fights but was only stopped three times.

Pomerantz finished his pro career in 1938 with a  record of 25-10-2. "I wasn't going anywhere as a fighter," he lamented. He got an opportunity to go back into the shoe business and seized the chance. "It was the depression times and the money wasn't even that good [in boxing]. So when there was a chance to go into business, I took it."

But his daughter, Dr. Diane Pomerantz, told The Jewish Boxing Blog of another reason he retired from the ring. "My mother didn't want him to fight."

During World War II, Pomerantz joined the Air Force. He was an intensely likeable man and his commanding officer wouldn't allow him to leave Miami Beach and his cushy position as physical education instructor for the Airmen. He took part in intra-squad boxing matches, quite possibly without the knowledge of his wife, Rita.

His daughter described him as "a very sociable person." In addition to his shoe business, he also owned taxis and drove one from time to time because he enjoyed talking with people. He like being independent. "He was someone people would come to for advice," she said. He was the type of guy who drove strangers all the way out to Long Island at 2am just to make things easier for them.

One time, Marty and Rita were dining at a restaurant on Ocean Parkway when Marty was given a jacket that didn't belong to him. He checked the wallet located in the jacket pocket for ID and saw that it belonged to Marty Pomerantz, but the photo was different. As it turned out, there was another Marty Pomerantz dining at the same restaurant at the same time. Even more coincidental, the other Marty's wife was also named Rita!

Marty, the former boxer that is, was well-read and politically liberal. As the years went on, he increasingly distanced himself from his former profession. When Allen Bodner interviewed Marty for his book When Boxing Was a Jewish Sport, Marty didn't tell anyone in his family about the project.

He moved down to Baltimore, Maryland to live with his daughter for the last six years of his life where he was active in the community. He passed away on August 19, 2000. "His funeral was packed," recalled his daughter. "It wasn't filled with my friends. These were people he had touched during his short time living in Maryland. It was packed with people. I think that really says something about him." It certainly does.

Though Marty preferred not to dwell on his boxing exploits, they are still remembered and honored by  his family. His daughter has kept his old boxing trunks with the Jewish star on them. When her son had his bar mitzvah, he was gifted a golden boxing glove as an ode to his grandfather's remarkable Golden Gloves championship. Over twenty years later, Marty Pomerantz's grandson still cherishes that glove and what it represents.

Sources

Bodner, Allen. When Boxing was a Jewish Sport. 1997.

Brenner, Teddy. Only the Ring was Square. 1981.

Cohen, Haskell. "From Nylon to Socks." The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. Apr. 19, 1946. Pg. 15.

Cohen, Lou E. "Sport Chats." Brooklyn Eagle. May 29, 1935. Pg. 38.

"Honor Marty Pomerantz." Brooklyn Times Union. May 6, 1935. Pg. 5.

"Marty Pomerantz Mixes Acting with Training for Ring Career." Brooklyn Eagle. Jul 25, 1935. Pg. 19.

"Marty Pomerantz Night a Big Success." Brooklyn Times Union. Apr. 15, 1935. Pg. 13.

"Maulie Injured, Pomerantz Loses." Brooklyn Times Union. Jul 10, 1935. Pg. 12.

"Pomerantz Ranks High as an Amateur." Brooklyn Times Union. Aug. 27, 1934. Pg. 13.

Special thank you to Dr. Diane Pomerantz for sharing her memories of her dad.

All Hail King David

Born David Nahon in Casablanca, Morocco on October 27, 1940, the fighter who would be known as "King David" was one of nine children. "He was a tough little Jew running the streets of Casablanca, where a Jew had better be tough or able to run, and preferably both," wrote Larry Merchant of the Philadelphia Daily News. Nahon grew up in a ghetto to a father who was a poor tailor.

The Casablanca Mellah traditionally housed the Jewish population, which numbered 100,000 throughout the city as late as the 1950s. Situated in the southern portion the old city, the mellah was a hub of merchants and artisans, but overcrowding and crumbling infrastructure made life difficult for David during his first decade.

As an eight year old, young David saw an Arab merchant selling a single boxing glove. He scrounged together a few centimes to buy it and then made a second glove himself. At the age of ten, David was shipped to Israel while his family remained in Morocco. He wouldn't see his parents, five sisters, or three brothers again for many years. He couldn't even contact them until he arrived in the United States because there was no mail service between Morocco and Israel.

In Israel, he grew up on a kibbutz. He eventually became a welder, but David always had a desire to box. He fought in amateur bouts, but two and half years in the air force interrupted his progress.

"Jack [Sheldovski], who is the only boxing promoter in Israel, sent David to the U.S. and his old friend Sammy Schiff, a lightweight of the '20s who is David's co-manager and trainer," wrote Lew Eskin in The Ring. A southpaw from New York, Schiff's career lasted from 1918-1928 when he faced good fighters such as Harry "Kid" Brown, Benny Pascal, and Joe Tiplitz. The other co-manager, George Sheppard, was the mouthpiece of the operation.

Sheppard had fought in Canada in the 1920s before moving to New York. After a particularly rough fight in which he received two black eyes, Sheppard asked his new manager how much the fellow typically made to guide his fighters. It was enough to convince Sheppard to stop fighting and start managing. He guided the career of Baltimore southpaw Jack Portney, and once punched famed Baltimore manager Heine Blaustein four times after Portney fought dirty against Sylvan Bass. Blaustein retaliated by launching a milk bottle at Sheppard's head. The two ornery managers later shook hands. Working as a matchmaker a decade later, Sheppard, the eventual 1958 manager of the year, was socked in the face by a fighter after not putting him on a show in New Haven and had to go to the dentist.

Sheppard came up with the moniker "King David" for Nahon. The two attended Congregation Darchei Noam in New York together. David observed Shabbat every week. "If we have to have a Jewish fighter, it's nice to have a good clean boy like that," said Rabbi Arthur Neulander of Darchei Noam.

With bronze skin and black olive eyes, King David had arrived at Idlewild Airport (now JFK) in October of 1963 to start his campaign for the welterweight title. Facially, he resembled the late middleweight world champion Marcel Cerdan, but The Ring described his skills as that of "a novice." He debuted the next month with a stoppage victory a little more than a minute after the fight began.

He rattled off sixteen consecutive victories in the eighteen months since his arrival from Israel. The opponents were those you'd expect to face a well-managed fighter with limited experience. Robert Lipsyte described King David's win over Alfred St. George on January 6, 1964 as "the grossest mismatch of the evening."

Weigh-ins took place the day of the fight in those days and if that day was a Saturday, King David needed an allowance to weigh-in later in the evening. It meant he didn't have as much time to refuel as his opponents had.

On April 26, 1965 at the Arena in Philadelphia, King David lost to the unheralded Roger Evans, who notched his first pro win by decision. Two weeks later at the same venue, King David avenged his first defeat. That summer he tried to get into Sheppard's home country of Canada, but was denied entry.

King David's last fight was in the main event against Ulysses Jimenez at the Sunnyside Gardens in Queens. The former three-division world champion and World War II hero Barney Ross was in his corner. But Jimenez outboxed King David to win by decision.

Nahon finished his career 19-2 with 4 KOs. In an era of few Jewish fighters, King David provided a brief hope of a return to Jewish boxing prominence.

Sources

Courtney, Gene. "This King Must Work Hard for His Crown." The Philadelphia Inquirer. Mar. 16, 1964. Pg. 25.

Eskin, Lew. "Three Youngsters on the Way." The Ring. Jul. 1964. Pg. 31.

"Fighter Clips Matchmaker Below Nose." The Washington Post. Jan. 27, 1948. Pg. 12.

Gobetz, Gary. "Israel Boxer a 'Smash' in New York." The National Jewish Post and Opinion. Jan. 17, 1964.

Goldstein, Alan. "Boxing Pilot Pulls First." The Baltimore Sun. Apr. 16, 1961. Pg. 14D.

Lipsyte, Robert. "Irish Bob Tells All the Boxing World's Not His Oyster." New York Times. Jan 7, 1964. Pg. 27.

Merchant, Larry. "Jewish Youth Who Came to Fight." Philadelphia Daily News. Mar. 11, 1964. Pg. 59.