RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer I NYC (FANS)
April 2026 Volume 103, No. 4
Founder Nathaniel Fleischer (1888-1972) Owner His Excellency Turki Alalshikh
Editor-in-Chief Douglass Fischer Managing Editor Tom Gray Senior Editor Brian Harty Creative Director Lamar Clark Controller Deborah L. Harrison
T he second annual Ring Magazine Awards was a crowning success. For three hours on January 30, the boxing world focused its attention on the nominees and industry leaders who gathered at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City to celebrate the best of 2025. The gala was broadcast live on DAZN and was also streamed on the YouTube channels of the digital sports platform and The Ring. You can see a pictorial recap of the event along with comments from the 2025 award winners starting on page 34. While it was a thrill to be there and an honor to address the historymakers and luminaries in attendance, the group that I want to salute in this column are the diehard boxing fans who braved frigid conditions outside of the elegant venue for hours just to get autographs and selfies with their favorite boxers and industry folk. (If you’re wondering how ridiculously cold it was in NYC during the final week of January, Tom Gray does a good job describing it in his feature story starting on page 46.) Cipriani 25 Broadway is a beautiful Neo-Renaissance-themed space that has to be experienced in person to fully appreciate, but during much of the lavish ceremony, my mind was on those crazy
Riddick Bowe demolished Michael Dokes inside a round at MSG.
THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410) April 2026, is published 12 times per year by The Ring Magazine FZ, LLC P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209. Postmasters: Send change of address Notices to: The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept., PO Box 103 Camby West Congers NY 10920-0103 Phone: 845- 719-3120 subscriptions@ringmagazine.com Single copy price $9.99 in U.S.A. ,10.99 Canada (£10.99 in the U.K.). Global Subscription price $60.00 for 12 issues plus S&H. Not responsible for the loss or non-return of unsolicited articles or photographs, which will not be returned unless accompanied by a selfaddressed envelope bearing the proper amount of postage. The entire contents of this magazine are copyright ©2026 The Ring Magazine FZ-LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All rights reserved. Publisher is not responsible for the accuracy of the content of advertisements appearing in this magazine, nor the delivery or quality of merchandise or services offered. No endorsement of any such advertisement is intended or implied. Advertisers and agencies assume liability for claims arising from the content of their advertisements. FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES AND RATES: advertising@ ringmagazine.com. U.S. / Canadian and International distribution by Comag Marketing Group LLC, 155 Village Blvd #200, Princeton, NJ 08540. UK distribution by Seymour Distribution Ltd., 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, England, EC1A 9PT. Printed In USA Subscription Inquiries Back Issues Inquiries Digital Orders Inquiries The Ring Magazine Subscriber Service Dept. PO Box 103 Camby West Congers NY 10920-0103 Phone: 845-719-3120 subscriptions@ringmagazine.com Send Editorial Comments To: comeoutwriting@gmail.com or P.O. Box 90254 Brooklyn, NY 11209
fans huddled together in front of the venue’s entrance. I wanted them to join us inside. I also thought about the dozens of fans who contacted me weeks prior to the gala to inquire about tickets. I regretfully had to inform them that it was an invite- only event. But I couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like if fans were present. Maybe it wouldn’t have been as posh or upscale, but it probably would have been a lot louder, and definitely more fun. I don’t think Cipriani 25 Broadway could host a gala that includes fans. As majestic as that place is, it only seats about 500 guests. It says here that if the third annual awards gala is held at a venue that can seat 2,000, it would be filled to capacity as long as the fans are allowed to attend – especially if the event is held in New York City again. My main takeaway from the gala and the Ring 6 event topped by Teofimo Lopez-Shakur Stevenson at Madison Square Garden the following evening is that New York boxing fans are the hardest of the hardcores. I’ve known this since 1993. While attending Columbia University’s graduate
RINGMAGAZINE.COM 11
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker