News and Notes

Cleaning up some news from the previous weekend: cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski had been scheduled to fight in Kentucky last Saturday, but that entire card was cancelled a little while ago. Ivanovski is scheduled to put his 4-0 record on the line on August 16 in Greenville, North Carolina.

David Malul was briefly on the schedule to fight last Saturday. He observes Shabbat, which makes it difficult for him to fight on Saturdays during the summer because the sun sets so late in New York in those months.

Odelia Ben Ephraim has left the Blagnac Boxing Club. She's recovering from hand surgery, taking care of an injury that has plagued her for nearly two years. In the meantime, she signed with Insideout Boxing's Eoin Mundow.

Yonatan Landman has been working with famed trainer John David Jackson in Florida. The 7-0 flyweight has not been in the ring this year so far after a very busy 2024.

Brooklyn Barwick, now 2-0 with 2 KOs, is scheduled to come back to the ring on August 16. More details to come.

Boxing.5 Promotions is holding a tournament at Carnival City in South Africa on August 23. We'll see if Joshua Feldman and/or Doron Zinman fight on that card.

The Indominable Drive of Yonatan Landman

Good luck finding a harder worker than Yonatan Landman.

"Yonatan always trains hard," fellow Israeli flyweight David Alaverdian told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "I've never seen someone work as hard as him. It's like, does this guy take a day off?"

Under the guidance of his father Shai, Yonatan is currently training in upstate New York. "It can't just be shadowboxing, hitting the pads, and working the bag. You have to do different things," Landman told The JBB over the phone. "We're in the woods, so I'm cutting wood with an ax. It's fun."

Fun? Only a laser-focused laborer would think chopping wood is fun.

Landman trains as Luis Ortiz looks on,
5th St, Gym, Miami

Yonatan is unassuming. He looks like a guy you would cheat off of during a test in school, donning a shock of red hair on his head. During an in-ring interview after one fight, he was asked, "Why do they call you 'The redhead boxer?'" The 20 year old from Kiryat, Israel politely retorted, "Well, I have red hair, and I'm a boxer."

Landman's training regime is intense. In addition to shadowboxing, hitting the pads, working the bag, and cutting wood, he does pushups, uses bands, repeatedly beats a tire with a hammer, uses dumbbells to strengthen his wrists, works his neck, does balance exercises, explosive force drills, and  mimics getting knocked out by having to box while dizzy.

Is he worried about overtraining? "David has talked to us about overtraining," Landman said of Alaverdian. "We take off holidays."

Shabbat is treated as a day of rest, and he takes off a week every several months. Landman says that if he tells his dad he's tired, they do a lighter exercise. When a fighter has to try to convince you he doesn't work quite so hard, you know he's as diligent as they come.

Landman trains incredibly hard for two reasons. "To be the best," he said matter-of-factly. "Also, I started late. Ninety percent of boxers start at a young age," he said of the second reason. "They start in a good place like the U.S. Israel doesn't have the same level of coaching as elsewhere. I started at 15." He's ambitious and making up for lost time.

Landman was a national champion kickboxer before switching to boxing. "It was a difficult transition in the first year," he said. The stance is different, there's a lot of jumping in kickboxing, and it requires one to be bulkier and stronger. To box, one needs to be fast and accurate. Yonatan and his father Shai realized there was nowhere else to go in kickboxing, and boxing offered recognition and more money. Shai suggested Yonatan should try boxing, and the kid liked it.

Shai, who used to box, graduated from the Wingate Institute, known as the preeminent sports school in Israel. After Yonatan's switch, Shai searched out many boxing coaches for help, not just in Israel, but in Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Germany. Father and son spent two years in London, including at the Finchley club. Shai studiously took notes and videotaped what the coaches were doing. He took pieces from each coach, applying what fit Yonatan's abilities and style.

The story of fathers coaching their sons in boxing is not always a happy one. For every Joe and Enzo Calzaghe, there are plenty of fathers that stymie their son's progress. Even Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his father had trouble working together. But it works for Shai and Yonatan because Shai is willing to learn, and Yonatan is willing to listen. They've shared personal videos of Yonatan's fights with The JBB where Shai can be heard providing instructions during the action. He presses the joystick and Yonatan executes the punches to great effect.

Shai decided his son should turn pro when the ginger-haired warrior was 19. Many people in Israel told him that Yonatan was too young to go pro; he should stay in the amateurs for another four years. "We are going to do something different," Shai declared. Yonatan explained, "Ninety nine percent of boxers in Israel are amateurs, but it's difficult to progress in the amateur system." It's costly, time-consuming, and often times corrupt. Israeli amateur boxing is still affiliated with the discredited International Boxing Association.

Landman has fought professionally in Azerbaijan, Tanzania, and Ghana. He describes the two events in Baku as "well-managed." They had to register, there were doctors, and the competition was run beautifully. However, the opponent pulled out two days before Landman's debut. "Two days before, the guy who made the fight told us, 'The other guy was skiing and broke his leg.'" Skiing? he was asked in disbelief. "Yeah, skiing. Who goes skiing two days before a fight?" Fortunately, a replacement was found. Landman dismantled him.

In Tanzania, his fight took place on the island of Zanzibar. And how was it? "Wow, amazing!" The fight was supposed to be right on the beach. The Landmans trained locally for a week, but the venue was changed at the last minute. Father and son always try to watch as much video of the opponent as they can get their hands on. In this fight, they overestimated the Tanzanian opponent who wasn't nearly as strong in real life as on tape.

Ghana, where Yonatan has fought four times, was completely different. Before one weigh-in, he waited for six hours partially dressed in the boiling heat. Things are more open, so lots of people came to see what was happening. Landman loves the excitement the people brought. They often screamed things, sometimes even antisemitic taunts.

Before his last fight in Ghana, the opponent's trainer used pads labeled "Free Palestine" during their warmup and shouted, "Kill all Jews!" Price Patel, a self-assured British-born boxer and promoter who has been instrumental in Landman's career, told the 20 year old, "Don't fucking listen to this guy! If he says it again, give his guy a beating." Landman was so focused, the threats didn't both him in the moment. He carried tzitzit with him to the ring and then administered a proper beatdown.

That resounding victory was the culmination of two fights in Accra within eight days of each other. After defeating Asamoah Wilson in what Yonatan calls his toughest fight, he started training again the next day. His face was marked up, but he worked each day before resting on Friday, two days before the fight. The hotel had a gym, which he utilized frequently although he didn't spar that week.

In his first year as a pro, Landman won seven fights, all by knockout. "He punches hard for his weight," David Alaverdian said. The Landman clan recently spent five weeks in Miami where Yonatan trained at the legendary 5th Street Gym with coach Herman Caicedo and former heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz. Yonatan said both were great guys. He marveled at Caicedo's knowledge and Ortiz's generosity.

Prince Patel applauds after one of Landman's seven victories in 2024

Now, he's in camp up in New York where he said, "I'm making a lot of progress." As for this year, he explained, "We're looking for as many competitions as possible." He and his dad are in the U.S. looking for a good coach, someone with good connections who can take Yonatan to the next level.

One thing's for sure, whoever that coach will be is going to have a tough time finding anyone who works harder than Yonatan Landman.

Year in Review: 2024

This year was defined by young prospects in the early stages of their careers. Yonatan Landman started his 7-0 with 7 KOs this year. Joshua Feldman went 3-0 with 3 KOs. David Malul scored two knockout victories to get his career rolling. Daniel Ivanovski went 2-0 with two KOs to start his career. Benny Nizard and Doron Zinman both won their debuts. The oldest of these prospects is just 23 years of age. It's an exciting time to be a fan of Jewish boxing!

More established Jewish boxers didn't see much action in 2024. Cletus Seldin won his one fight back in March. Odelia Ben Ephraim dropped her two fights, both for titles. For others, it was a case of canceled fights.

The Jewish Boxing Blog not only covered the current scene, but also looked back at several past Jewish boxers. They include Phil Lolosky, Joey Silver, Stuart Finer, Mushy Callahan, Willie Jackson, Joey Kaufman, Haim Zilberschmidt, Mike Clancy, and Soldier Bartfield. The JBB also provided an overview of Jewish boxers in China.

The JBB conducted some memorable interviews with Ira Berkow, Lev Jackson, and David Malul. Books reviewed this year include Then the World Moved On, The Promise of Women's Boxing, Smash Hit, Murder on Federal Street, and The Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame.

A special thank you to the readers of The Jewish Boxing Blog and to the supporters on Buy Me a Coffee. I'd also like to publicly thank the boxers who took the time to offer their insights throughout the year. 

Yonatan Landman Wins by Sixth Round TKO

Yonatan Landman beat Albert Commey by sixth round TKO at Bukom Boxing Arena in Acra, Ghana today. Landman outboxed his toughest test as a pro. It was his second fight in eight days.

Landman and Commey were announced as 118 pounds each, but Commey, a 39 year old from Accra, looked huge compared to Landman. Yonatan told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "The plan was to get inside as much as I could."

Early in the first, Yonatan got inside and absorbed a chopping right from Commey. Landman then began to jab cautiously from the outside, land two body shots, and get out. The rest of the round he tried to get inside, but Commey was ready to exchange even as both fighters missed.

"After the first round my father told me to change tactics because the original game plan was not working," Landman told The JBB. "Start boxing from the outside and get in when you can with body shots but still be aware of defense."

Landman followed his father's advice. His jab was crisp, and he then moved to avoid counters. Landman doubled and even tripled up on his jab. He managed to touch the body a few times in the second round. Commey became befuddled by the Israeli's movement and mostly kept his hands up in a high guard. When the Ghanaian threw, Landman used agile foot movement to evade damage while occasionally blocking or parrying Commey's jab.  Yonatan tried to land power shots off the jab, but that's when Commey would shoot his punches, and the result was usually sloppy exchanges with no harm done.

In the fourth, Landman continued to pump his jab while finding more openings to Commey''s midsection. Commey did nothing to dissuade the red-headed fighter from touching the body, but the memory of the chopping right in the first round kept Landman cautious.

In the fifth, Yonatan pulverized Commey's body, but missed when he tried to go up to the head. At the end of the round, Landman finally smashed Commey's face with a right after two left hooks to the body. It was Landman's most punishing combination of the fight.

Commey came out for the sixth guns ablaze. He pressed forward for the first time and made a concerted effort to go for the knockout. He threw several hard rights, which proved to be Commey's last stand, because he then took a knee for the ten-count with an apparent injury. "I think he did hurt himself and was very tired," Yonatan explained. The abrupt end came fifty seconds into the sixth round.

With the victory, Landman was awarded the vacant Tanzanian super flyweight title. Though the fight featured an Israeli fighting a Ghanaian in Ghana at 118 pounds, it's important to note that being a Tanzanian super flyweight is more a state of mind than the reality of weight, nationality, or location. Or something.

In any event, Landman has been very impressive over the past eight days when he stepped up twice and more than answered both challenges. On November 16, he stopped Asamoah Wilson in the fifth round. In his first five fights, Landman only fought a total of ten rounds. In the past eight days, he fought a combined eleven rounds against tougher opposition and looked good both times.

"I do feel tired but very happy with the results," Yonatan said. "My father and I worked very hard on those two fights!" They put in twelve weeks for the back-to-back bouts. Landman is now 7-0 with 7 KOs. Commey falls to 9-10 with 8 KOs. Has has been stopped in all of his losses.

Yonatan Landman Scores Four Knockdowns in KO Win

Yonatan Landman stopped Asamoah Wilson thirty-four seconds into the fifth round today at Centre Point Mall in Accra, Ghana. The Israeli scored four knockdowns on route to a knockout victory over the toughest opponent of his career thus far.

Wilson, a 38 year old fighter from Accra, was competitive early. He used his height and long jab to mostly keep Landman at range. But he flung his right as if trying to swat a fly, which proved ineffective. Landman jabbed well and had success once inside.

Landman managed to jab his way inside often, but occasionally he got overanxious and rushed towards Wilson causing a few sloppy moments. Wilson was still in the fight in the second round thanks to his jab and movement.

The red-haired warrior broke Wilson's will in the third. His left hook was explosive. After landing the jab all fight, he feinted with it, dipped his shoulder, and came up top with a clean right. A few moments later, referee Richard Amevi called a foul when Wilson complained. Wilson took twenty seconds to recuperate, but it was the moment he began to look for a way out. The Ghanaian soon slipped on the ring apron and went down, which Amevi called a slip.

Landman connected with a combination towards the end of the third and Wilson went down in a heap. He laid flat on his back like a cadaver. Just before Amevi reached the full count, Wilson popped up on his feet. The third round ran forty seconds too long, not including the time Wilson was allowed to recover from the alleged foul. Landman was so locked in, he didn't notice the long round, but his father Shai, who manned the corner along with boxer/promoter Prince Patel, did. Shai didn't tell his son about the long round to keep him focused. Yonatan said the long round "didn't affect me at all."

Accra was a sticky smoldering cauldron, even during the evening, but the heat and humidity didn't bother Yonatan. It was the part of his performance he was most proud of. "I felt great in the fight," he told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "even with the extreme heat, thanks to my dad and his tough fitness workouts."

Things completely fell apart for Wilson in the fourth round. A right-left combination scored a knockdown early in the round. The Accra resident laid flat on his back once again. He bounced up at the end of the count just as he had before and then stumbled into the ropes. Amevi probably should've stopped the fight at that point. Instead, Landman fired two quick left hooks to score another knockdown. Wilson did his same act of lying on his back half-dead before springing to his feet. Amevi's count helped him recover, adding a finger every two or so seconds.

Wilson ended the fourth treating the fight like a track meet. It was a bad omen for his chances in the fifth. Almost immediately Landman launched a left hook-right cross combo that felled Wilson like an oak. Instead of jumping up from his back, Wilson rolled onto his knees and then to his back again. Avemi waved off the fight after 34 seconds of the round.

The Israeli was very impressive against his most formidable opponent yet. The road to his face was impassable as he adeptly blocked and slipped shots. He was very successful inside, but he sometimes got out too quickly and sometimes let Wilson hold him. Landman changed levels at times, but admitted, "I could have done more body shots because of his height."

Both fighters were announced as weighing 118 pounds, a high so far for Landman. Wilson is now 6-10. Landman is 6-0 with 6 KOs. He fights next Sunday in an eight-rounder. "We are ready for next week's fight even stronger and better!" he declared. That fight features an even tougher opponent.

Wilson Weighs In, Landman to Weigh in Tomorrow

Yonatan Landman is in Accra, ready to face Asamoah Wilson as part of a two-fight eight-day stint in Ghana. Wilson weighed in at 122.3 pounds today ahead of the fight at Centre Point Mall. Landman will weigh in before the fight tomorrow.

Landman's hotel is far from site of the weigh in so Ace Power Promotions and the Ghanaian Boxing Authority will allow him to weigh in tomorrow before the fight. Landman observes Shabbat and will weigh in afterward. With the combination of Shabbat and the distance between venues, it was impractical for Landman to weigh in today. It's typical for promoters and commissions to be accommodating when it comes to navigating weigh ins and Shabbat.

Wilson 's weight has fluctuated recently. In August, he came in at 115 pounds. In his previous fight, which took place in 2021, he was a hefty 126, the heaviest of his career. BoxRec lists the fight as a super flyweight contest, which is a limit of 115.

Landman has fought at flyweight and super flyweight, so making weight won't be a problem for him. Rehydrating in time could be a bigger concern, but he won't weigh more than the naturally bigger Wilson, so it really shouldn't be an issue.

This  bout is scheduled for six rounds. A preview of the fight can be found here.

Preview of Yonatan Landman vs. Asamoah Wilson

Yonatan Landman is scheduled to face Asamoah Wilson on November 16 at Centre Point Mall in Accra, Ghana. This is the first of two fights Landman has scheduled in the span of eight days.

Landman is 5-0 with 5 KOs during his young pro career, which started in January. He has fought as a flyweight and super flyweight. Yonatan applies smart pressure and is developing into a devastating power puncher. He has a good jab, but sometimes needs his coach to prompt him to throw it. In the ring, Landman does listen to his coach, his father Shai, which has proven to be wise.

On paper, Asamoah Wilson is a tough opponent. The 38 year old Ghanaian turned pro before Landman was born. He has a 6-9 record and has challenged for the Ghanaian, West African, Commonwealth, and WBU world super flyweight titles. He fought in England against Don Broadhurst and popular journeyman Jamie Speight. He even scored a first round TKO in England against a 9-1 fighter.

But Wilson (whose name is reversed on BoxRec) doesn't pass the eye test. He was winless when he challenged for the the first three of those super flyweight titles. Against Broadhurst, he managed to bloody his nose in the first with a wild right in their 2009 clash, but he then took a beating until the fight was stopped in the sixth. His first round TKO in England was caused by an accidental headbutt; the opponent got cut and an unfair stoppage loss.

In 2019, Wilson challenged Tasif Khan for the vacant WBU super flyweight world title despite having a losing record. The WBU is considered even less legitimate than the other alphabet sanctioning bodies. Wilson embarrassed himself against Khan, reacting in an exaggerated manner when hit with left hooks. At the ten second warning clap, he turned his back like a novice thinking it was the bell. In the second round, he lost a point for leading with his head. He soon collapsed to the canvas twice for no particular reason. The second time, he got up and rocked his body to show the referee he was too woozy to continue.

In his next fight three years later, Wilson was a sitting duck for Gabriel Odoi Laryea's right hand. Wilson fell in the second round with an apparent leg injury. He next fought three years later, last August, against a beginner named David Nortey. Nortey was 0-3, but didn't know how to box. Wilson dominated the fight, knocking Nortey down four times. Wilson showed a good jab and a powerful but wide right. Nortey managed to last the full six rounds.

Wilson likely won't come to the fight against Landman to lie down, but Yonatan can convince his elder to give up quickly with some early accurate shots. Landman's next opponent, Albert Commey is the tougher foe, but he can't overlook Asamoah Wilson who is an experienced veteran with a punch.

This contest is scheduled for six rounds.

Yonatan Landman to Fight Twice Next Month

Yonatan Landman is on the schedule to fight twice next month, according to BoxRec. On November 16, he's slated to take on Asamoah Wilson at Centre Point Mall in Accra, Ghana. Eight days later, Landman is penciled in to fight Albert Commey at Bukom Boxing Arena, also in Accra.

Landman has been relatively active since turning pro this past January. He's 5-0 with 5 KOs. Wilson and Commey are both experienced veterans from Ghana and both signify a step up in competition for Landman.

The fight against Commey is scheduled for eight rounds. View a preview of the fight here. The fight against Asamoah is set for six rounds. Check back for a full preview of that fight. Both contests will take place in the super flyweight division.

Yonatan Landman to Fight Albert Commey

Yonatan Landman is scheduled to fight Albert Commey on November 24 at the famed Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana. In a bit of boxing logic, the Israeli and the Ghanaian will be fighting for the vacant Tanzanian flyweight title. This bout marks the first scheduled eight rounder for Landman.

Thus far in his young career, Landman has been moved well. Under nine months into his pro career, he's already well-traveled, having fought in Azerbaijan, Tanzania, and Ghana. His next fight will be the third time he has fought at Bukom Boxing Arena. Yonatan currently holds a record of 5-0 with 5 KOs. Commey is a good step-up for the young Israeli.

A 39 year old veteran from Accra, Albert Commey began his career when Landman was a toddler. From 2007-2014, Commey fought four times, lost four times, and was knocked out four times. He has greatly improved since resurrecting his career in 2017.

BoxRec lists Commey's record as 8-9 with 7 KOs. That record doesn't include a TKO victory over Ismael Yartey in 2020. All of his wins have come against opponents with either losing records or debutants. Those opponents had a combined two wins when he faced them. Some of his victims, such as David Amoah, didn't have much boxing ability. But veterans Robert Nunoo and Mohammed Baba, who were a combined 1-27, weren't pushovers. Nunoo and Baba, who were both naturally much bigger than Albert, were Commey's two most recent opponents. 

All of Commey's losses have come against fighters who had a winning record., and all of his losses have come by stoppage. The toughest fighter he faced was former world champion Joseph Agbeko. He lasted nearly five rounds against the former champ, but it wasn't a good performance. Agbeko carried Commey, treating the fight like a sparring session. He was many levels above Commey: feinting, slipping punches, and targeting his shots accurately. Commey wouldn't have beaten Agbeko even if he had a knife. In the fifth, he took a knee and gave up.

Landman will want to establish dominance early. Against inferior foes, Commey controls center ring, keeps his stance, and throws a powerful right off his jab. He used a straight right to knock the debuting Michael Tagoe out cold in 40 seconds in 2017. Tagoe looked in over his head but has put together a nice career since, so it was an impressive victory for Commey in retrospect. When Albert is challenged, his form falls apart quickly. In 2021 Sultan Al Nuami, pressured Commey and bullied him before the fight was stopped in the second. The Ghanaian had no answers.

Commey has a bad habit of moving his right hand away from his face when he jabs. In 2019, Larry Abarra took advantage and pummeled Commey with counter left hooks to the face. Commey sometimes dips his hands before he throws, particularly with uppercuts and body shots. Abarra connected with a flush overhand right that forced a first round stoppage as soon as Commey's hand dipped.

Landman can wait to counter, or he can pressure the taller Commey. Either way, he should be successful. But he must watch out for Commey's powerful straight right. Some opponents gave up quietly against him as sometimes happens in Ghanaian boxing, but he really hurt some others. His power is real.

Yonatan Landman Scores a First Round TKO

Yonatan Landman won his fifth pro fight with a first round demolition of Hussein Mashaka at Magereza Hall in beautiful Zanzibar, Tanzania last night. He has won all of his fights by knockout.

Mashaka came out of the starting blocks aggressively, but his punch technique was lacking. Landman stayed composed under fire and landed a right to score a knockdown. Mashaka showed poor punch resistance and became overwhelmed just as Landman started to put his punches together. Mashaka slunk to the canvas and quickly shook his head, indicating he no longer wanted to continue. The ref waved off the fight a minute and 21 seconds into the contest.

The fight took place in an outdoor ring on the island of Zanzibar. Boxing had been banned on the island for sixty years, coinciding with independence in 1963, and was just reinstated last year. Mashaka, a resident of Tanzania, falls to 3-7-1.

Yonatan Landman to Fight in Tanzania

Yonatan Landman is scheduled to fight Hussein Mashaka at Magereza Hall on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania. The six-rounder is slated to take place on August 15.

At 4-0, Landman has been busy since turning pro on January 31 this year. He has fought twice in Ghana and twice in Azerbaijan so far. This will be the third straight month Yonatan has fought. Each of his fights have ended in a knockout victory.

Mashaka is a 35 year old from Tanzania with a record of 3-6-1. He was 3-2-1 from 2009-2011 and then spent eleven and half years away from the ring. He has lost four straight since coming back and has been knocked out in each of those fights. Mashaka throws a straight jab and is elusive defensively, but he has poor punch technique otherwise. Occasionally, he'll bum-rush opponents which will test Landman's patience under fire.

As long as Landman keeps his cool and takes advantage of the openings Mashaka will provide, the Tanzanian shouldn't put up much resistance. Though this will be the most experienced opponent Landman has faced as a pro, Yonatan's last opponent Aghasalim Mustafazade had more skills.

Mashaka. though, will not only have an experience advantage, but he's also the naturally bigger man. A light flyweight in his first iteration, recently he has fought at least twenty pounds heavier. His size, experience, and awkwardness will pose a challenge for Landman.

Yonatan Landman Moves to 4-0

Beneath a giant Azerbaijani flag and a watchful portrait of the country's longtime leader Ilham Aliyev, super flyweight Yonatan Landman scored a third round knockout victory in the capital city of Baku yesterday. He showed improved patience and targeted his southpaw opponent's lengthy body.

Landman started the fight aggressively, but remained under control. In earlier fights, he had been a bit too wild at the beginning. Aghasalim Mustafazade, a 23 year old from Baku, pawed with his jab while looking to set up a snapping straight left. Landman was prepared for the attack and didn't get caught.

As the fight progressed, Mustafazade became less interested in unleashing his offense. Landman's body assault and one-twos wore down the Bakuvian boxer. Yonatan did an excellent job of controlling center ring throughout the fight. Mustafazade made a mistake by constantly circling to his left, directly into the path of Landman's devastating right to the body. The alternative was to circle
into Landman's punishing left hook, but he should've varied his movement more.

In the third round, Landman's pressure forced Mustafazade to run. The 19 year old from Israel calmly stalked his prey and caught him with a hard combination to the body while the Azeri was on the ropes. The referee gave the count and then waved off the fight.

Landman, who continues to show improvement, is now 4-0. Mustafazade is 0-2.

Yonatan Landman to Fight Next Week

Fresh off a win in Ghana last month, Yonatan Landman is scheduled to fight again next Tuesday, July 9 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Landman has been moved well by his father Shai. This will be his fourth fight in under six months, a rarity these days.

BoxRec lists Landman's opponent as 23 year old Aghasalim Mustafazade of Baku. Mustafazade lost his only pro fight back in 2021. He was over the featherweight limit in that fight while Landman has been either a flyweight or super flyweight in his bouts, more than ten pounds lighter.

A 19 year old from Kiryat, Israel, Landman has shown good power in either hand early in his career. He's 3-0 with three KOs. He has started his fights a bit frantically, but once he settles down, he exhibits controlled aggression. While he has the ability to step up the competition, there's no need to rush. His dad recognizes it's important to build up Yonatan's experience at this stage of his budding pro career.

This bout, Landman's second in Azerbaijan, is scheduled for four rounds.

Yonatan Landman Scores Another KO

Yonatan Landman stopped Habib Lartey in the second round of their bout at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana today. After a wild start between two men who share the same hair color, Landman- the natural red head- dominated the rest of the fight.

Lartey came out of his corner like a wind-up toy and stayed in Landman’s face during the early portions of the opening round. The Israeli was a bit flustered at first, but a beautiful combination of left hooks, one to the body and one to the head, convinced Lartey of Landman’s power. Lartey spent the rest of the fight acting like both he and Landman were positive charges, always heading the other direction when Landman came near.

Yonatan scored with another left hook in the first. At the end of the round, he squatted down as if a left hook were coming, but landed and overhand right instead. He quickly followed with a left hook causing Lartey to clinch. Yonatan won the round handily.

In the second, Lartey continued to work vigorously towards amassing his daily 10,000 steps. Landman caught him with a right. A few second later, Lartey lunged forward liver first in to the path of a perfect left hook. The Ghanaian fell to the canvas writhing in pain, unable to beat the count.

Yonatan Landman earned his third KO in as many fights a minute and seven seconds in the second round. Lartey is now 0-2.

The knockout shot

Yonatan Landman to Fight in June

Flyweight Yonatan Landman is scheduled to fight Habib Lartey on June 15 at Bukum Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana. BoxRec lists the fight as a bantamweight contest.

A native of Kiryat, Israel, Landman turned pro in January and is 2-0 with two KOs. A skilled boxer trained by his father, Yonatan is still getting his feet wet in the pro game. The ginger-haired warrior last fought in March at Bukom where he scored a second round KO against Simon Tackie.

Habib Lartey lost his only pro fight back in November. On the positive side, he has fast hands and fleet feet. Lartey's defeat came at the hands of Olympian Sulemanu Tetteh, a skilled and poised fighter. On the negative side, Lartey exhibits atrocious punch technique, particularly when he throws the right. Instead of punching with the right, it looks as if he's swatting at flies. Against Tetteh, Lartey inexplicably quit after the second round and then paraded around the ring congratulating himself.

The Ghanaian has a wild and awkward style. His awkwardness is offensively ineffective, but it could actually stymie the attack of Landman, who has sparred technicians such as David Alaverdian. Lartey keeps his hands down on the outside, a move more out of bravado than an attempt to set up counters. He rushes in face first while he throws wild shots. Tetteh, who was used to fighting world class amateurs, controlled the fight but did seem unsettled by Lartey's unorthodox technique.

Landman-Lartey is scheduled for six rounds.

Yonatan Landman Scores a KO in Ghana

Flyweight Yonatan Landman defeated Simon Tackie by knockout 1:10 into the second round at Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana today. Platinum Punch Promotions and Box Office Sports Promotions co-promoted the event held on the eve of Ghana's Independence Day.

Landman, a 19 year old from Kiryat in Israel, started the fight aggressively behind his jab and left hook. He pressed Tackie, forcing the native of Accra back to the ropes on several occasions in the first round. Landman had some trouble finding the range early and allowed himself to fall into clinches on a few occasions.

A minute into the contest, Tackie fell in a heap from an apparent short left hook. It seemed the Ghanaian would be counted out, but he showed resilience in getting up and continuing to fight. Landman's lefts set up a right to the body that put Tackie down again at the end of the round. That first stanza ran several seconds long, but neither man did any more damage.

Yonatan's jabs and left hooks in the second round set up another right to the body, which scored another knockdown. Eschewing the guiding principal of nonviolence espoused by Ghana's founding father, Kwame Nkrumah, Tackie responded by throwing a wild ill-intentioned combination. It would prove to be his undoing. A short counter left hook floored Simon, who laid prostrate on his face for the ten-second count. He got up a few seconds later and appeared relatively ok, if decidedly defeated.

After the fight was stopped, Landman was living the highlife as promoter and popular boxer Prince Patel picked him up in celebration. Yonatan is now 2-0 with two KOs. BoxRec attributes an extra loss to Tackie who is now 0-3.

Yonatan Landman to Face Simon Tackie in Ghana

Flyweight Yonatan Landman is scheduled to face Simon Tackie on March 5 at the famed Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana.

Landman is a 19 year old from Kiryat, Israel. He won his pro debut on January 31 when he stopped Agayev Gasim in the first round in Baku, Azerbaijan. Fellow Israeli flyweight David Alaverdian has been training with Landman for some time and has noticed improvement. "He gets better and stronger every year," David noted.

For Landman, this contest is about the experience of fighting in Ghana. His opponent, Simon Tackie (0-2), won't put up much resistance. In his 2021 debut against the wonderfully named Marvellous Dodoo, Tackie spent the first round covering up while standing in front of Dodoo, absorbing the winless fighter's random slapping swings. To Tackie's credit, he changed strategy in the second, holding on for dear life as if Dodoo was a mountainous cliff and the sport of boxing was a 1,000-foot drop. Tackie lost a point for holding in the third, spent twenty seconds on the canvas after a slip, and retired after the round.

BoxRec claims Tackie then gained 30 pounds and fought six days later, losing to Gabriel Coffie. If it sounds unbelievable, it's because it is. Though Tackie was listed as the opponent, it was actually Emanuel Allotey who fought Coffie. Poor Simon, credited with a loss in a fight in which he didn't even participate.

A year ago, Tackie fought Daniel Otoo, another winless foe. Simon was relatively better than in his debut, landing a jab and a left hook in the first round, but he kept his gloves around his forehead and held his elbows out wide. In the second, Otoo battered Tackie from corner to corner smashing a well-placed overhand right in between.

After the round, Tackie's trainer spent a little over a minute trying to convince him to go get knocked out. Too often in boxing, fighters are labeled as quitters when they show good sense. Tackie won the argument, and the fight was stopped. What he lacks in heart, he more than makes up for in sanity. He'd likely make a better lawyer than fighter. Tackie's best quality as a boxer is the courage he shows to get in the ring.

This bout is scheduled for four rounds.

Yonatan Landman Wins Pro Debut

Yonatan Landman won his professional debut yesterday at the ABU Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan. The flyweight won by knockout 31 seconds into the first round.

Landman is a 19 year old from Kiryat, Israel. He has been trained in the art of combat almost as long as he's been trained in the art of using the potty. His father Shai began coaching him when Yonatan was just four years old. After a decade of kickboxing, Yonatan switched to boxing four years ago.

For six weeks Landman prepared to fight Ramazan Babayev, a 33 year old veteran of ten fights from Lankaran, Azerbaijan. The day before the fight, the promoter told Landman that Babayev had broken his leg. Yonatan and Shai didn't know anything about the new opponent, Agayev Gasim, who was two pounds heavier than Yonatan. In fact, Yonatan still doesn't know his name.

It didn't matter. Landman (110.7 pounds) landed a sharp jab and a sweeping right to score a quick knockout of his overmatched opponent, who came in at 112.5 pounds. Landman credits his father's game plan for the victory. "I did exactly what my father told me to do," Yonatan told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "and it worked out better than expected."

Landman is next scheduled to fight on March 5 at the famed Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana. BoxRec currently lists Landman's opponent as Simon Tackie (0-2).