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.

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.