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.