A FIGHTER'S DEBUT
uniform health and safety standards in boxing is appalling. A fighter’s first pro fight is a bit like losing his virginity. It can be a good or bad experience. But once it’s over, there’s no going back. Popper-Diorio was the semifinal bout of the evening on October 1. Some of the other fights on the card featured (records will suffice) 14-0 vs. 36-30-1 . . . 21-0 vs. 7-5-3 . . . 1-0 vs. 3-25-2 . . . 0-0 vs. 0-0.
law, manages or co-manages a handful of club fighters, and seems sincere in his desire to help them. His involvement with Popper began post-Madonna. Hopwood and Lamonakis made the decision to bring Josh to Tennessee, which doesn’t require an MRI for fighters under age 35 to be licensed. His debut fight was scheduled for August 20 against Nathaniel Copeland (1-5, 1 KO, 5 KOs by). Then Popper hurt a rib sparring and his fight was rescheduled for October 1. This time, the opponent was Mike Diorio, who had won once in 14 bouts and lost every round in an outing 10 days earlier against a 1-and-1 fighter in South Carolina. Josh’s fight was “pay to play.” In other words, Hopwood paid Popper’s end plus Diorio’s $2,500 purse and another $700 for Diorio’s expenses in order to entice promoter Jimmy Adams to put Josh on the card. If Tennessee Athletic Commission officials had gone to BoxRec.com’s restricted access section and looked up Popper’s record before the fight (as required by the Association of Boxing Commissions), they would have seen a red warning banner beneath Josh’s name with the legend, “Flagged by the New York State Athletic Commission.” That warning indicates a medical or administrative issue that requires attention. But Matt Delaglio (executive director of the New York State Athletic Commission) says that no one from the Tennessee commission contacted the NYSAC about the warning flag. Moreover, Hopwood says that no one from the Tennessee commission asked him about the red flag or any prior MRI that Josh might have had. The Tennessee Athletic Commission did not respond to a request from The Ring for comment on the issue. Popper's condition involved no wrongdoing on his part, and The Ring is respecting his request that the specific finding from the MRI not be revealed in these pages. It’s enough to say for now that the lack of
a punch. Popper turned southpaw and knocked his opponent down with a left hand at 1:51 of round one. Diorio rose after 13 seconds and the referee (shades of Tunney-Dempsey II) evaluated his condition with an eye toward letting the fight continue. But Diorio was wobbling and bent over (he said later that he hurt his back when he hit the canvas). The time of the stoppage was 2:14 of the first round. Popper wants to continue fighting, not just for the sake of fighting but also as part of a business plan to open a second gym and build his name as a brand. “Getting back in the ring again was a high,” he said afterward. “It was a quick fight, so I didn’t get to settle in and open up my bag of tricks. But I’m satisfied with the way I performed. I’ve only had one fight, so I can’t be calling people out. But I want to get to a high level and fight the top guys.” Hopwood believes that New York was overly cautious in denying Josh a license to box and that New Jersey simply followed suit. He says that he plans to submit evidence that Popper is fit to fight to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, hoping that Josh will be licensed there, and will then revisit the issue of licensure with New Jersey and New York. Meanwhile, Popper is working to be the best fighter that he can be. He’s doing what he wants to do. And he can say, “I’m a professional boxer.” Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. His most recent book – MY MOTHER and Me – is a personal memoir available at Amazon.com. In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored Hauser with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism. In 2019, Hauser was selected for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Popper’s brief relationship with iconic pop star Madonna made him a sought-after commodity among NYC boxing promoters.
One of the 0-0 fighters was 19 years old and the other was 42. The 42-year-old was knocked out in the first round. Popper had weighed in for his bout at a sculpted 221 pounds. Diorio is listed as 5-feet-11-inches tall, has fought at weights as low as 168 and as high as 255, and weighed in at 233 pounds with flab hanging down. Josh was poised during the fight, and Diorio did nothing to take him out of his comfort zone. Viewing the video, it’s unclear whether Diorio even landed
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