OCTOBER 2025
The Ring Magazine - The Bible of Boxing, October 2025 • Volume 102, No. 11
78
That’s the PIF Effect ACCELERATING INNOVATION
DEPARTMENTS 4 OPENING SHOTS 13 COME OUT WRITING
28 A TRIO OF ARCHETYPES DWIGHT MUHAMMAD QAWI, DON ELBAUM AND TOMMY BROOKS PERSONIFIED THE RICHNESS IN BOXING’S CAST OF CHARACTERS By Don Stradley 48 CALLING THE SHOTS DAVID BENAVIDEZ DISCUSSES BEING AVOIDED BY OTHER FIGHTERS AND FINALLY GETTING THE STARRING ROLE IN A HUGE HEADLINER By Joseph Santoliquito 56 SOMETHING TO SAY BRIAN NORMAN JR. IS BRINGING POWER, SPEED, RING IQ AND SOUTHERN PRIDE TO HIS POTENTIAL BREAKOUT VS. DEVIN HANEY By Corey Erdman 62 TAKING THE LEAD A VICTORY OVER BAM RODRIGUEZ COULD PLACE FERNANDO “PUMA” MARTINEZ IN THE PANTHEON OF GREAT ARGENTINE FIGHTERS By Diego Morilla
68 A STEP TOWARD ALL THE WAY
IN PUSHING THROUGH A ROUGH NIGHT IN THE RING, ABDULLAH MASON LEARNED HE HAD THE STUFF OF CHAMPIONS
17 RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer 23 BERNSTEIN ON BOXING By Al Bernstein 26 STEVE’S SOAPBOX By Steve Kim 36 BY THE NUMBERS By Don Stradley 39 RING RATINGS 88 FUNDAMENTALS By Anson Wainwright 90 THE FIGHT DOCTOR By Dr. Margaret Goodman 92 COMMISSIONER’S CORNER By Randy Gordon 94 FINISHING SHOTS 96 FIGHTLINE
By Michael Rosenthal 72 THE SURVIVOR
A TWIST OF FATE SAVED JIMMY CLARK FROM A PLANE CRASH THAT WIPED OUT AN ENTIRE BOXING TEAM By Nigel Collins 78 THE THRILLA AT 50 REVISITING THE ICONIC THIRD CLASH BETWEEN MUHAMMAD ALI AND JOE FRAZIER By Tom Gray 84 BLOOD AND HATE VIVID STORYTELLING SHINES IN A NEW BIOGRAPHY ABOUT MIDDLEWEIGHT LEGEND MARVELOUS MARVIN HAGLER By Thomas Gerbasi
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Cover illustration by César Moreno
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OPENING SHOTS Former junior lightweight titleholder Joseph “JoJo” Diaz (left) has been losing more than he’s been winning in recent years, but that doesn’t mean his fights aren’t fun to watch. Diaz eventually dropped a unanimous decision to Regis Prograis in Chicago, but he put forth a spirited effort in overcoming a serious eye cut and shook up the former two- time titleholder (at 140 pounds) more than once.
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Bringing Data to Duels: How Wearable Tech is Transforming Boxing
Ready to rethink how you train to box? Forget meticulously planning training sessions, agonizing over injuries, and wishing you could predict the unpredictable. Today, wearable health technologies are available to transform your boxing skills. Advancements in the healthcare sector have built solutions that allow you to train like your favorite players, predict (and prevent) injuries, and meet your boxing goals. By integrating wearable technology, boxers can transgress beyond their fitness roadblocks and get to the next level of precision, focus, and precision with every punch. And stc is supporting that transformation. With a range of investments in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector, and constant efforts to develop advanced IoT technologies, stc is utilizing its advanced digital infrastructure to power innovative healthcare solutions – including the wearable technology that will revolutionize training, in and out of the ring. This transformation has the power to redefine the way athletes can engage with the world of boxing –and here’s how. From Sweat to Stats Wearable technology can target areas of improvement across the key attributes that are essential to any boxing player, one of which is strength. Punch power feedback monitors offer a new, data-driven way of monitoring the strength of each strike. Wearable motion sensors have also been used to provide real- time insights into muscle activation and movement patterns, correcting lifting form in real time. With wearable tech, every punch becomes an opportunity for smarter and stronger performance. Alongside strength training, boxers demand speed and agility. Wearable technology can now analyze footwork rhythm and pivot speed, giving users direct insight into areas of improvement. Heart rate monitoring offers valuable insights into how the body naturally responds to physical activity and movement. Together, these tools offer comprehensive data that can elevate agility training. Perhaps most importantly, wearable tech helps to avoid overtraining and injury. Movement monitors can intervene in solo-training sessions to prevent injury- prone form, and the analytics collected over a course of training sessions can flag periods of physical
fatigue. Studies on elite athletes have revealed a 20% improvement in recovery time and a 15% boost in workout efficiency when using performance-monitoring devices. This data-driven approach to sports empowers boxers to train smarter, not harder, reducing risks and increasing efficiency to reach peak performance. Systems Behind the Screens: stc’s Role in Innovating Health Tech A wearable device is only as powerful as the digital ecosystem supporting it – the networks, data platforms, and analytical tools that make data useful. As Saudi Arabia’s leading digital innovator and tech provider, stc is enhancing its digital infrastructure to revolutionize people’s health and wellbeing across the Kingdom. Acting as a backbone to these healthcare solutions is stc’s advanced 5G network and secure IoT technologies. stc has connected biometric sensors and devices to the cloud, enabled secure real-time collection, transmission, and analysis of vast amounts of data across the healthcare system. Together, these systems allow for the secure storage and processing of personal health data and analytics to be shared across devices, allowing the information from your wearables to flow instantly to your trainer’s tablet. stc’s secure cloud stores and processes years of health data to identify long-term trends, ensuring that you can continue to work on improving your health and fitness goals – and see results that make or break a match in the ring. Beyond creating the systems that allow these innovations in health and fitness to flourish, stc has also leveraged AI and machine learning tools to create new technologies that can optimize athletic performance. This technology can classify punches, analyze movement efficiency, and predict injuries by detecting subtle biomechanical changes. From training data to performance predictions, stc’s extensive digital toolkit is readily available to power the next generation of sports science. Wearable technologies, fueled by advancements in digital infrastructure, have the capacity to change the game for boxers. As stc continues to lead the Kingdom by developing the digital backbone for these innovations, the line between athlete and analyst blurs, offering everyone the chance to engage with the science behind each swing.
COME OUT WRITING
luck. *Benavidez voices*: “I came, I saw, I came, I saw …” He doesn’t wait – he walks you down. And right now, Benavidez might be screaming: “I run the game, you just practice.” But Yarde? A real Yard[e] man raised in East London, powered by Jamaican roots, might just grin and say: “Yeah ... and I heard practice makes perfect.” *winks* This is his third world title shot. He’s been close. He’s been counted out. But he “came from the dirt” and “can’t go back.” He’s not just here for the feature – he’s here to flip the whole track. And when it’s all said and done? It could be: Third time’s a charm! We might all just end up praising the Lord for this matchup (we didn’t know we needed). Niambi “Bambi” Bridge
DAVID BENAVIDEZ VS. ANTHONY YARDE
Fans believe the big-punching Anthony Yarde (right) will test David Benavidez.
BRIAN NORMAN JR. VS. DEVIN HANEY
Benavidez overwhelms opponents with pressure and output, but Yarde is physically strong and explosive enough to change a fight instantly. If Yarde can land sharp counters while staying disciplined, he has a chance to surprise people. Still, over 12 rounds, Benavidez’s relentless pace likely breaks him down for a late stoppage or wide decision. Coach Malik most likely gel beautifully for a Fight of the Year candidate. It is also arguably Benavidez’s biggest and first real test at light heavyweight. It’s a great fight to take if he wants Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol in the future. Johan Verdugo Benavidez vs. Yarde is great matchmaking. Two styles that will This is a brutal, high-stakes fight. Benavidez’s relentless pressure, punch volume and conditioning made him one of the most feared at super middleweight. Yarde is explosive and dangerous early, but his stamina
Haney, one of the most underrated fighters, undisputed at 135 pounds, 140-pound titleholder, chasing another title against Norman at 147. Despite his accolades, this fight could be dangerous for Haney. He was hurt many times in his “no contest” bout with Ryan Garcia, and some attributed this to Garcia’s left hook and power – both of which Norman has in his artillery. Could the “no running” pressure Haney to enter a firefight? Billy Koseda Norman by TKO or SD – Haney has a glass chin and his father is annoying. He’s a great boxer besides that chin! It will be his kryptonite. Andrew Trumpold In a time where fights like Tank-Paul are being made, we have to salute guys like David Benavidez, Anthony Yarde, Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr. It’s fighters like these guys that make people fall in love with the sport. I. Joaquin Vela
has been questionable. If Yarde can’t stop Benavidez within the first half, the momentum swings heavily to Benavidez.
Ben Chandler
Sure, we wanted Canelo vs. Benavidez (but Canelo vs. Crawford – not a bad substitution!). Yes, we dabbled with Benavidez vs. Bivol (those sparring stories – phew!). And in the U.K.? Of course we wanted Yarde vs. Buatsi (and maybe we will still get it). But this? This is the feature we didn’t know we needed. This matchup feels like “Praise the Lord (Da Shine)” by A$AP Rocky & Skepta: A U.S.-U.K. linkup, a chaotic clash of styles and culture delivering undeniable rhythm, volume and violence. Benavidez, the “Mexican Monster” with Ecuadorian blood ... boxing’s pressure god ... fast hands. Vicious combinations. A gas tank that doesn’t quit. Bank on him getting tired? Good
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Muhammad Ali was known not only for his greatness in the ring but also for his motivational speeches. One of my favorite quotes of his is, “You don’t lose if you get knocked down. You lose if you stay down.” How many of us can relate to this quote? Life can be cruel at times. It can knock you down, but we don’t have to stay there. Keep getting up. Proverbs 24:16 says, “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.” One of my favorite fights, one that I can still watch till this day, is the first fight between Diego “Chico” Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo. This fight is straight out of a Hollywood script. Both fighters going at it, back and forth in a thriller. Castillo was known for his come-forward, Mexican-style boxing. Corrales was known for having power and the heart of a warrior. The fight was a war. Then came Round 10. This round could easily go down as one of the best rounds in boxing history. Both fighters come out. Castillo lands a monstrous left hook that drops Corrales! Corrales finds his way back to his feet, only to get dropped again. Everyone who is watching this is thinking the fight is over. Yet Corrales gets back up. He pushes forward, landing a right hook that stuns Castillo a bit. They both keep fighting. Corrales lands two left hooks that stop Castillo in his tracks. Castillo backs up against the ropes and Corrales lets out a barrage of punches, to which Castillo has no answers. The referee steps in to stop the fight, and Corrales comes out the winner. Think about it: After being knocked down twice, Corrales comes back and gets the TKO win. Our mind can be our worst enemy at times. When we are down in life, we can choose to stay down and take the loss, or we can get back up and keep fighting. This fight will forever be one of my favorites. But it can also teach us a thing or two. Keep getting up. Remember those famous words from Ali: “You don’t lose if you get knocked down. You lose if you stay down.” Joey Garza COME OUT WRITING
Haney vs. Norman feels like experience versus hunger. Haney is calm, surgical and composed, but Norman is fearless and relentless. That fight will test Haney’s maturity more than his
crown means nothing. Get real. The idea that America does not have a heavyweight champion or top contenders due to the NFL, NBA and MLB is bogus. The truth is that other nations have better heavyweight
heavyweight I’m building went from lifeguarding at his local pool at night to sparring with champions by day, proof that boxing is still a working man’s sport built on sacrifice most will never see. The beauty of boxing isn’t only in the knockout, it’s in the grind: the 5 a.m. roadwork, the lonely sacrifices, the mental battles fought in silence. That’s where
Build a brand with it. And create a name that inspires yourself and others – that will drive you to greatness. N. Sharpe I’ve always found the criticism of fighters who “quit” to be extremely harsh and unfair. After all, they are the ones risking their lives (for our entertainment), while we are merely the ones watching. So I ask this to everyone reading: Who are we, the viewers, to judge a boxer for making such a decision? It constantly surprises me that I am of the minority opinion. We know how dangerous boxing is and always will be due to its inherent nature. If the recent set of tragedies in Japan reinforced anything to me, it’s that boxing fans will mourn our departed warriors, yet also be so quick to berate those who prioritize their health and well-being just because we feel cheated out of a proper spectacle. In a sport where one punch is so often the difference between life and death, why do we have any right? Is Roberto Duran remembered as a “quitter” or as one of the greatest fighters who ever was? How can we criticize those who choose to live in a world where so many die? When all is said and done, maybe we are the ones who should quit being so callous in our judgments. Raven Aussie One concept unanimously agreed upon by boxing enthusiasts is the restoration of the one-belt era; only one champion per division can be recognized. As an aficionado myself, naturally I’m a strong proponent of the Ring Magazine belt, the only title that matters, being the official and sole, hard-earned championship symbol proudly crowning a deserving warrior in their respective class/classes. Rendering all other sanctioning bodies (and their fees) obsolete. My “letter to Santa” would not be complete without proposing an agency
skills. These fights aren’t just matchups – they’re proof that boxing is alive, unpredictable and unstoppable. Omotayo Ridwan
boxers. From the end of WWII until the fall of the USSR, boxers from Eastern Europe and those from the Soviet Union could not go pro. Same with those from Cuba (unless they defected) and China. America has many good boxers. There is no need for a Great American Hope. Walter Zabicki
Haney’s technical
mastery meets Norman Jr.’s raw
power. Haney has the edge in experience and ring IQ, but Norman’s explosiveness and confidence make him dangerous. If Haney can avoid big shots and control the pace, he wins on points. If not, Norman could score a career-defining KO. Trey GIVE UP HOPE (IN A GOOD WAY) In the July 2025 issue of The Ring, Thomas Gerbasi used the term “Great American Hope.” You would think that there are not any good American boxers today. A quick look at The Ring ratings shows that is not the case. There are two American Ring champions. There are 19 different alphabet titleholders from the U.S. It is true that from light heavyweight to heavyweight there are no American champions and only one rated fighter. When I first started reading The Ring in July 1971, Americans held only the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles. Most of the other titles were held by Asians, Latin Americans and a few Europeans. It was not until the late 1970s that more Americans won titles in the lower weights. It seems that if an American is not the heavyweight champion, the
Haney vs. Norman is an excellent clash of styles.
boxing’s soul lives, where greatness is created long before the crowd roars. Emmanuel Blessed Boxing has always been more than just a sport to me – it’s a living story of resilience, discipline and legacy. Growing up in the Philippines, I witnessed how Manny Pacquiao became more than a champion; he became a symbol of hope, uniting a nation every time he stepped into the ring. His story continues to inspire not only Filipinos but also boxing fans worldwide, proving that greatness can rise from humble beginnings. Looking back, legends like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard defined eras, and today, fighters such as Canelo Alvarez, Tyson Fury and Naoya Inoue carry the sport forward. What excites me most is boxing’s growing global stage, where talent from all over the world earns recognition. Still, I believe the sport must work harder to unify titles and ensure the best fight the best, just as Pacquiao always pursued throughout his career. Boxing’s past teaches us its greatness, and its present shows us its limitless potential. Ian Raynel Ralf Orito
that can challenge a judge’s scorecard should it radically fail to reflect the cumulative perception of the outcome of any given round(s). Taking to task a judge’s reasoning to deem their results approved or egregious. Approved: results stand. Egregious: decision overturned and judge suspended. But much like Martin Tupper, I suppose I too can dream on. A.V. Julian BOXING’S SOUL Boxing isn’t just a sport, it’s a daily test of character. I spend my days shaping fighters from raw potential into champions, and I’ve learned the real stories of boxing are rarely told. Fans see belts, highlight reels and big purses, but they don’t see the cost. They miss the quiet mornings, the meals weighed to the gram, the pain masked behind calm eyes and the relentless discipline it takes to push when your body begs you to stop. I often think of Jersey Joe Walcott, a man who clawed through setbacks and losses before finally becoming champion. That same spirit fuels today’s fighters, yet so much of it remains hidden. One young
DON’T FORGET THE LITTLE GUYS The Ring has been putting on amazing cards lately. With that being said, I think small tournaments with fights being scheduled would really make the sport more exciting, as it also gives a road map for the fighters who lose to be in great matchups as well. Armaan Shaikh A fighter’s chosen name is as important as the career that makes the name resonate throughout the world when spoken. The likes of The Raging Bull, Sweet Pea, Sugar, Hitman, Gypsy King, GWOAT and The Greatest can not only create a persona but can also become a huge financial revenue stream to help ensure a secure future for the fighter and their family. Some boxers are never lucky enough to be given sound advice, and sometimes the best advice costs nothing at all. To any young, up-and- coming professional boxers: Take a lesson from these historic names, guard it, trademark it and market it.
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RINGSIDE By Doug Fischer CHARLEY, RAY AND THE FORTIES
October 2025 Volume 102, No. 11
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
Jeddad Knows Age Every Moment Matters Here Jeddah is Different
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T he boxing schedule was pretty light in August, so I turned to YouTube and its treasure trove of vintage fights as I often do during slow periods. I soon found myself down a Charley Burley rabbit hole that was as frustrating as it was fascinating. There’s only one fight featuring the 1930s/’40s standout on YouTube – his 1946 rematch with Oakland Billy Smith – but it led me to several video essays on Burley, which I enjoyed for the most part. However, a recurring theme irked the hell out of me: The notion that Sugar Ray Robinson “ducked” Burley. I should note that these content creators believe several legends of the ring – including Henry Armstrong, Tony Zale, Marcel Cerdan and Billy Conn – avoided Burley, but some made sure to place Robinson’s name in their essay titles while offering little or no evidence supporting the claim.
Close to 19,000 fans witnessed the Robinson-LaMotta rematch, which LaMotta won by decision.
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For the record, I don’t believe that Armstrong, Cerdan or Conn avoided Burley. I do believe that Zale and Freddie Cochrane, the middleweight and welterweight champs during Burley’s prime years, could have granted the talented Pennsylvanian a shot at their titles early in their respective reigns, but I also understand that World War II put their belts on ice from early 1942 until late 1945. That’s a part of Burley’s tragic tale you don’t often hear about from the content creators who I suppose would rather vilify golden age prizefighters than Hitler. The other part of Burley’s story that his enthusiasts almost never bring up is
THE RING (ISSN: 0035-5410) October 2025, 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 16027, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6027, Phone: 818- 286-3101; rngcs@magserv.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 self- addressed envelope bearing the proper amount of postage. The entire contents of this magazine are copyright ©2025 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 and the UK.
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RINGSIDE
FOR MOMENTS THAT STAY WITH YOU
– but they also knew they would be paid handsomely, thanks to the huge crowds and gates the popular middleweight slugger produced. TV was a new medium in this decade. Networks weren’t paying out large license fees to broadcast boxing and there were no casinos or billionaire benefactors subsidizing promotions. The only way anyone got paid back then was
that the man did not sell a lot of tickets. Unlike Robinson, Burley was not appreciated in his time – at least not by the general public. By all accounts, he was a brilliant boxer-puncher but also careful and patient to a fault. Burley had power and the sublime technique and timing to land fight-ending punches, but he didn’t hunt for knockouts. He was a matador,
were during the 1940s. I think it’s an indication of how promoters in those cities perceived Burley. Robinson, on the other hand, was the toast of New York City as an amateur. He made his pro debut at Madison Square Garden where he quickly developed into a headliner, starting with his 1941 bout against Maxie Shapiro. More than 10,000 paid to see the skinny 20-year-old overwhelm the veteran in three rounds. Robinson’s popularity and purse demands (which sometimes included a percentage of the gate) only grew from that point on as fans clamored to see the Harlem sensation in NYC, Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and Boston. At the time of Robinson’s first MSG main event, Burley, who turned pro in 1936, already had 45 pro bouts under his belt (compared to Ray’s 24 bouts). Robinson, who turned pro in late 1940 and fought at lightweight until the end of 1941, would need a little time before being ready for such a seasoned and skilled potential opponent. However, by the time Robinson grew into the welterweight division in 1942, Burley’s days of making 147 had clearly passed him by. Burley fought an astounding 17 times in 1942 but dipped under 150 pounds for only one of those bouts. He weighed between 152-158 in 1943 and entered The Ring’s middleweight rankings in 1944, occupying a top-three spot until being removed for inactivity in 1947. Robinson’s 14-0 campaign in 1942 earned him The Ring’s Fighter of the Year award. One of his victories was against crosstown rival Jake LaMotta, a fearsome young middleweight contender who Robinson would fight four more times between 1943-1945. If Robinson was willing to roll the dice against The Bronx Bull, couldn’t he have fought Burley during this period? Yes, of course. But did any major promoter or venue want that
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not a bull; a ringmaster, not necessarily a ring general.
Burley’s brand of boxing was only celebrated by the purists of his day and the other avoided contenders who shared the ring with him. The great trainer Eddie Futch maintained that Burley was the best he ever saw. Archie Moore, who Burley dominated over the 10-round distance in 1944, said the wily Pennsylvanian was the toughest he ever fought. Those endorsements carry a lot of weight. And since his death in 1992 – the year he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame – Burley has gradually become something of a cult figure to a new generation of boxing purists, amateur historians and hardcore fans who take pride in contrarian takes via social media posts. But in the 1930s and ’40s, it took more than hipster adulation, “insider cred” and elite skills to move the needle. Fierce fighting and stone- cold KO artists are what grabbed headlines and filled arenas. Armstrong and Joe Louis were boxing’s brightest stars in the late ’30s despite being African Americans in a segregated, blatantly racist society. And fans, more so then than now, were unapologetically bloodthirsty. Which is why both Cochrane and Zale sought out Rocky Graziano when they resumed their careers following WWII. Their primes were in the rearview mirror and they knew Rocky would try to kill them – which he nearly did in five brutal bouts that produced The Ring’s 1945, 1946 and 1947 Fight of the Year
by getting lots of butts into those seats. Burley had the ability to outpoint – even outclass – both Zale and Cochrane but not the ability to attract 18,000-plus to Madison Square Garden as Graziano did twice with Cochrane. Graziano’s three immortal wars with Zale were waged at stadiums in the Bronx, Chicago and Newark. Burley, who fought out of Pittsburgh and later Minnesota, was not a stadium fighter and he never fought at The Mecca of Boxing. In fact, Burley fought in New York City just one time during his 98-bout pro career. He fought once in Boston, once in Chicago, and never in Detroit, which is an insane stat given how prominent those fight towns
Banana Island
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RINGSIDE
like Floyd Mayweather Jr.,” allow me to remind them it’s not the same scenario. Top fighters of Mayweather’s era and this current era are guaranteed exorbitant paydays regardless of who they fight, what kind of ratings they get or how many tickets they sell. I wish Burley were more popular and appreciated during his fighting days. I wish he could have still made welterweight when Robinson was a welterweight, or maybe he could have held off retirement long enough to face the middleweight version of Sugar Ray. But saying Robinson swerved Burley is like saying Pernell Whitaker avoided Terry Norris or Mayweather ducked Winky Wright. Could Whitaker and Norris have conceivably shared the ring in 1995 when Sweet Pea lifted the WBA 154-pound belt from Julio Cesar Vasquez? Would Wright have boiled his body back down to junior middleweight for a fight with Mayweather after “Money” won the WBC 154-pound strap from Oscar De La Hoya in 2007? The answer is yes, but fans were not clamoring for those matchups, so the fact those bouts never happened should not detract from Whitaker’s and Mayweather’s greatness. And Norris and Wright did not need those pound-for-pound stars on their ledgers to be inducted into the IBHOF. Same deal with Burley. He’s enshrined because of the fights he had against fellow Hall of Famers – Moore, Ezzard Charles, Fritzie Zivic, Holman Williams, Lloyd Marshall, Jimmy Bivins and Billy Soose – not for the fights that did not happen. We can give the man his flowers without pissing on Robinson’s reputation and legacy.
By 1942, a 21-year-old Robinson was already among boxing’s top attractions.
matchup? Not on the East Coast, where Robinson’s fans were. And
would Robinson have been paid in the $15,000-$25,000 range for a Burley fight, as he was for the LaMotta bouts? I don’t think so, which is why Ray risked his neck against the popular Italian- American bruiser, just as Zale and Cochrane did with Graziano. Robinson’s fights with LaMotta were not easy. LaMotta’s suffocating pressure and weight advantage in their rematch (160½ pounds to Ray’s 144½) led to the first loss of Robinson’s career. However, all five bouts did strong business – especially for non-title showdowns between young up-and-comers (Jake was only 20 and Ray was 21 when they first shared the ring). Bout No. 1 attracted 12,748 to Madison Square Garden;
almost 19,000 gathered at Olympia Stadium in Detroit for the rematch; 15,000 attended the rubbermatch (also at Olympia Stadium); 18,000 filled MSG for bout No. 4; and 14,755 assembled at Comiskey Park in Chicago for their fifth tussle, a 12-round split decision that the welterweight had to gut out. Robinson was not one to avoid challenges, and he wasn’t afraid to lose despite his sterling record, but he also knew his worth. If anyone says, “That’s not fair, Dougie, you’re giving Robinson a pass that you never gave to modern stars
HHHH
Do you agree with my take on Robinson-Burley? There was a lot of information on their respective careers that could not be fit into this column, so I’d welcome further discussion and debate. Share your opinions via Comeoutwriting@gmail.com.
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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING A LITTLE RESPECT By Al Bernstein
Rodney, as it would happen, was a big boxing fan. I met him at the Olympic Lounge in Caesars Palace the night before the Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns fight, which I called the next day. This was the same lounge where, two years later, before the Hagler-Sugar Ray Leonard fight, Rodney would come to see me sing and perform. In that time, we had struck up a friendship. My favorite Rodney story is the ultimate in life imitating art. In the 1980s, I was doing a pay-per-view and we were only about five minutes from going on the air. I was on my mark ringside, ready to go on camera for the top of the show, when I noticed out of the corner of my eye a commotion to my left. It was Rodney, who I was slated to have a drink with after the show, talking to a slightly ruffled pair of ushers. It was not hard to figure out from the gestures and body language that they were indicating that his seat was taken and they didn’t have another one for him. I knew immediately what was happening. Rodney had a “promoter’s” ticket that gives you a seat in the front row, but without an assigned seat. If there is a mistake and too many are given out and/or you are too late (as he was), you can have a problem. So, this big star was being told he did not have a seat, and in this packed house there were no other ones available ringside. This could have been a Saturday Night Live parody of Rodney getting “no respect.” It was just about to be a major embarrassment when I took my earpiece out and started over to where the ruckus was as the stage manager loudly implored me to get back to my mark because we were about two minutes from going on the air. I grabbed Rodney and took him to our ringside table, where I asked the stage manager to give his chair to Rodney. I jumped back to my spot, got wired up for the show and put my
T he fight I am most looking forward to in the remainder of this year is the November 22 junior bantamweight title unification match between Ring/ WBC/WBO champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Fernando Martinez, the WBA titleholder. Part of the upcoming Ring IV fight card in Riyadh, this is as close to a can’t-miss match as we are likely to get. Barring a clash of heads or
some other bizarre event, it should be round after round of exciting, well- fought action. While Rodriguez is on most pound-for-pound lists, and many (including
me) are suggesting he is almost a future Hall of Famer already, the 34-year-old Martinez has a different place in the sport. He is undefeated at 18-0, has held a world title at 115 pounds since 2022 and has participated in four of the most exciting matches his division has seen in recent years. With all that, he’s a fighter who somehow remains in the shadows. Elsewhere in this magazine you can see a richly deserved story about him, but in general he has not gotten the attention he deserves. Thus, he will be among the first boxers to receive my newly created “Rodney” award, named after the great comedian Rodney Dangerfield for fighters who can honestly say, “I don’t get no respect.” I feel qualified to create these awards because I was friends with Rodney. Before handing out these awards, I will digress with this backstory.
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BERNSTEIN ON BOXING
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has a fan-friendly style while doing it. Perhaps part of his problem is he is a middleweight – a division that is not getting much respect as a whole these days. 3. Andy Hiraoka: This undefeated lefty has been the No. 1 WBA contender in the 140-pound division for quite a while, but even a WBA-ordered negotiation with beltholder Gary Antuanne Russell in April did not produce a title shot. So no, respect is not coming his way, nor is much attention from the boxing world. Until fairly recently, even his fellow Japanese fighters who hold titles have been mostly rendered invisible to large parts of the world due to a lack of international coverage. So a contender can certainly get lost in the shuffle, especially in a division like 140, which is possibly the deepest in the sport. Hiraoka is literally never mentioned when pundits or fans talk about the top junior welterweight contenders. I can tell you that he is worthy. He is a stylish boxer-puncher with power to spare – 19 stoppages in his 24 wins. He has not heard the bell ring in the final round of a fight since 2019. He is a part of his country’s amazing wave of terrific fighters, and as Willy Loman said in Death of a Salesman , “attention must be paid.”
earpiece back in just in time to hear an apoplectic producer counting down “five … four ... three …,” and a few seconds later I welcomed the television audience to the show. Rodney stayed with me ringside all night, passing me funny notes throughout the show. I enjoyed doing that telecast as much as any I ever did. So, without any further ado, here are the recipients of the inaugural Rodneys: 1. Fernando Martinez: He was a little-known 13-0 fighter from Argentina in February 2022 when he challenged IBF 115-pound titleholder Jerwin Ancajas, who was making the 10th defense of his crown. I was there calling the match on Showtime, and on the surface it seemed this was a routine defense of Ancajas’ title to set up his next fight against one of the other great champions of the time at 115. In the fight before this, we had a major upset with Hector Luis Garcia beating Chris Colbert, and apparently something was in the air. Having fought not-so-great opposition for his first 13 wins, Martinez was facing by far the best opponent of his career, but it didn’t seem to bother him at all. He and Ancajas produced a 12-round war, with Martinez winning by a solid margin. Martinez would
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4. Abass Baraou: For 17 fights, this German 154-pounder was the model of consistency against good opposition, with only a controversial split decision loss to former top contender Jack Culcay to soil his record. Few believed he could go to another level, but he did. In August, he upset undefeated and highly regarded Yoenis Tellez in a convincing win cemented by a late knockdown. He has improved at every stage of his career, and this humble gladiator is just the kind of “Rodney” winner that you hope gets recognition as a true player in the talented 154-pound division. For The Ring’s part, Baraou was admitted into the junior middleweight top 10 as a result of the victory. One time, backstage in his dressing room after a show at Caesars Palace, I remember the actual Rodney talking to me almost wistfully about all the hard work and hardships it took to reach the top of the heap as a comedian. He chuckled and referenced his onstage persona, saying, “Respect is earned, and I earned it.” The same can be said of the “Rodney” winners in this column.
repeat this win in the rematch seven months later in another barnburner, defend against the previously undefeated Jade Bornea and then win two thrilling matches against legendary Japanese champion Kazuto Ioka. This five-fight body of work is as impressive as it gets, and yet somehow his name is seldom in the minds of those writing or talking about the exciting and excellent champions in the sport. If he wins in November against Rodriguez, I have to assume that will change. It would make for as good a six-fight run as anyone has had for many years, and it would likely mean he would never be eligible for another Rodney. 2. Aaron McKenna: This 26-year-old from Ireland is an exciting, switch-hitting middleweight who is 16-0, with all his wins being dominant ones. Most recently, he won a lopsided 12-round decision over former 154-pound titleholder Liam Smith. He sent Smith to the canvas with a brutal left hook to the body in Round 12 to punctuate this win. A demonstration of how deserving he is of a Rodney is the fact that he beat Uisma Lima by a wide margin in a 2023 decision, and yet it was Lima who was picked to fight Boots Ennis in a high-profile match on October 11. McKenna not only wins, but he
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STEVE’S SOAPBOX
T he boxing world was stunned and saddened when it was announced in late July that noted trainer Tommy Brooks had passed away at the age of 71 after a battle with colon cancer. Brooks was a fixture in the corner of a multitude of world-class boxers throughout the past few decades. Brooks worked with Rocky Lockridge, Evander Holyfield, Vassiliy Jirov, Mike Tyson and the Klitschko brothers, among several other standouts. He was known for his straightforward, no-nonsense style with boxers and always being cooperative with the media. With Brooks, you knew what you were getting: a consummate pro and a decent human being. There was universal respect for him as both a trainer and a person. Brooks was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but grew up in San Diego, California. He was the oldest of 11 children. During his teenage years, he began boxing at the Archie Moore ABC Club and became a noted amateur competitor. Brooks won a multitude of national tournaments, a signature accomplishment being a victory against Michael Spinks for the 1975 AAU middleweight championship. After embarking on a short professional career, he retired from the ring and began training fighters in 1982. In due time, he became closely associated with Main Events and the talented stable of boxers who were led in the corner by the dynamic duo of George Benton and Lou Duva. Main Events was on its way to becoming a promotional powerhouse, as they eventually signed most of the highly decorated 1984 U.S. Olympic squad that included Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Mark Breland and Meldrick Taylor. Brooks would soon be spending a lot of time around them. As that group of Olympians became standout pros, they were a constant presence on nationally televised shows on various networks, as were those assisting Benton and Duva. You were
invariably going to see either Brooks or another young trainer who himself would go on to big things in boxing – Ronnie Shields. “That was definitely like going to college,” Shields told The Ring. “Lou and George were the best of the best. The best in the world to work with, especially George. He was one of those guys who was so smart. He had seen everything, done everything. He was just unbelievable to work with. I learned so much from him.” Like Brooks, Shields had hung up the gloves and transitioned to training boxers. He caught the eye of Benton and Duva while working the pads with a boxer in the gym and was asked to join Main Events. “I knew I was very lucky,” he said. While Benton and Duva were the two sages in charge, Brooks and Shields were their trusty lieutenants in the gym. Their day- to-day responsibilities were pretty simple: “Whatever George wanted us to do, basically,” said Shields. “He’d say, ‘I want you to do the hand pads with this guy. I need you to make him do certain things.’ Whatever George felt needed to be done, Tommy and I basically had to do that.” Boxing, like many other businesses, is built on relationships. Throughout the years, Brooks made influential friends that would serve him well. One of them was Gary Gittelsohn, who at that time was a close friend of Shelly Finkel (who managed Holyfield, Whitaker, Breland and Taylor) and attended many of the Main Events cards of that era. He quickly struck up a close bond with Brooks. “Almost from the get-go, I thought he was a rare guy in that he was a gentleman – and a gentleman in a very tough profession,” said Gittelsohn, who remembers sharing many meals with the up-and-coming trainer. “So when I started managing fighters, Tommy was a natural fit, both
professionally – because he really knew the craft – and personally, because we got along so well.” Gittelsohn’s most prized client was Junior “Poison” Jones. After the untimely passing of trainer Joey Fariello, it was Brooks who was an easy choice to take over. “It was a really good combination,” said Gittelsohn. “They worked really well together.” In the following years, the likes of
I never really had it with any other trainer. He was remarkable.” And not only did Brooks get into the Duva family business, he became a family member when he married Lou's daughter Donna. Her brother Dino, who worked on the promotional side of Main Events, said: “It was all for the good. My father loved Tommy. He brought him along. Tommy worked under my father and George Benton for a long time and he became one great trainer. He and Donna were married right till the end.” Throughout the years, Dino’s admiration for Brooks only grew. “Just a solid guy,” he said. “Not the kind of guy who is abrasive or anything like that. He was easy to get along with and had a great sense of humor. As a person in private life, he was a great guy.” Duva does have one regret. He says that after his sister and brother-in-law moved to Georgia from New Jersey a few years ago, “I kind of lost touch with them. We all did. That’s something that will always bother me. But life is like that sometimes.” But they will always have memories of when Main Events was on top of the boxing world as they battled the likes of Bob Arum and Don King and put on some of the biggest events in the sport. It truly was the best of times for them. “Yeah, those were the days. Those were the fun days,” said Duva wistfully. “I look back and think about it a lot, and it was just a great time. We were growing. We were all working together. Everybody was happy. It was a great time in the business; we were doing network shows almost every week. It was a great time. It’s a shame how some things ended up with our company and everything in our family. “We had some tragedies we had to deal with, but it was a great time and I look back at that and I feel good inside at the way it was. But I really always thought very highly of Tommy. I always thought he was a great guy.”
Brooks was with Holyfield when he upset Tyson in 1996.
future titleholder Yuri Foreman and Jerson Ravelo were sent over to Brooks by the manager. “I knew when I delivered a fighter to Tommy that my job was already halfway done,” stated Gittelsohn. “Everything about him was professional. The communication was professional. I would know after every workout how much they weighed coming into the workout, how much they weighed leaving the workout, what they needed to work on, what things concerned him. The communication was unbelievable.
A RARE GENTLEMAN By Steve Kim
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ONWARD TO VALHALLA
IN DWIGHT MUHAMMAD QAWI, DON ELBAUM AND TOMMY BROOKS , WE LOST A TRIO OF BOXING ARCHETYPES IN JULY 2025 by Don Stradley
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ONWARD TO VALHALLA
D uring the early days of The Ring magazine, back when boxing held a more significant place in the American public’s imagination, founder and editor Nat Fleischer had a standard response when a fighter passed away. “He has gone on to boxing’s Valhalla,” he’d say, citing the hall in Norse mythology where the souls of fallen warriors gathered. Occasionally, one of the legendary artists who worked for Nat, usually the great Ted Carroll, would draw a beautiful rendition of the deceased fighter. Sometimes there’d be a caricature of a boxer with angel wings, entering the afterlife, greeted by greats of the past. It was cornball stuff, but only a complete ogre would fail to be at least slightly moved. One can only imagine how the recent deaths of Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Don Elbaum and Tommy Brooks would’ve been handled, a trio that Fleischer would assure us had entered Valhalla. Carroll would’ve had a great time
illustrating Qawi, that bulldog of a fighter who always looked like he was smiling as he wore his opponents down. “I don’t enjoy beating up people,” Qawi once said, “but I will do what I have to do.” Yet Qawi also possessed a humanitarian side, spending his later years as a drug and alcohol counselor. Of all the stories of people who found redemption through boxing, his would rank near the top. It was in September 1981, during an NBC bout televised from Rahway State Prison in New Jersey, that many boxing fans got their first look at Qawi, who was then known as Dwight Braxton. He’d once been an inmate there, but this time, he was a boxer, facing James Scott, a light heavyweight contender fighting from behind prison walls.
Though Scott’s incarceration story garnered the network’s attention, it was Braxton who muscled his way to a 10-round decision win. Three months later, Braxton scored a shocking 10th-round stoppage of Matthew Saad Muhammad to win the Ring/WBC light heavyweight championship in Atlantic City. “It was a sound thrashing that no one could have predicted,” reported Newark’s Star-Ledger. A rematch in 1982 saw the seemingly invincible Braxton stop Saad Muhammad again, this time in six one- sided rounds. He’d dreamed of being known as a great fighter instead of an ex-con, and he’d done it. He’d been a Camden, New Jersey, kid, one of 13 siblings. He spent his teen years in and out of reform schools and eventually served five years at Rahway for the armed robbery of a liquor store. When Braxton was 25, with a bit of experience in the prison boxing program and a winning record in street fights, he found his way to the rugged atmosphere
Qawi “buzzsawed” Matthew Saad Muhammad to a sixth-round TKO in their 1982 rematch.
Elbaum (left) conducting business at the Blue Horizon in 2009.
of Joe Frazier’s Philadelphia gym. With no amateur background and the likes of Jimmy Young and Boogaloo Watts working on the bags next to him, he spent a year and a half learning the techniques of boxing. He reminded many of Smokin’ Joe himself, all swarming energy and tireless aggression. He became known as the “Camden Buzzsaw,” as appropriate a nickname as there has ever been in boxing. Braxton’s father had been a lumberjack, which may have inspired the moniker. In November 1982, after converting to Islam, Braxton had his name legally changed to Dwight Muhammad Qawi. Promoters objected, since fans had only recently gotten to know him by his original surname, but he couldn’t be dissuaded. After his two wins over Saad Muhammad, along with impressive outings against Jerry Martin and Eddie Davis, it looked like Qawi would hold on to the light heavyweight title for a long time. Looking back, however, Qawi had already peaked. In 1983, he put his
looked thicker each year. A rematch with Holyfield in 1987 was expected to produce the same sparks as their first bout, but Qawi couldn’t last four rounds. That was followed by an embarrassing loss to George Foreman in Las Vegas where, inexplicably, Qawi quit during the seventh round. As often happens with high-intensity, all-pressure fighters, it appeared Qawi’s flame had burned out. He’d also reveal that he was drinking heavily during these years, putting away a fifth of whiskey every day. His career continued in smaller venues against lesser-known opponents, but Qawi never figured in the big picture again. He was 45 when he finally retired for good in 1998. “I guess you could say I stayed past my dream,” he said. By the time he left boxing, Qawi had a record of 41-11-1 with 25 knockouts and had won titles in two weight classes. Among his accolades was a 2004 induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, while The Ring named his first bout with Holyfield as the cruiserweight fight of the decade.
championship on the line against WBA titlist Michael Spinks in a highly anticipated contest billed as “The Brawl for it All.” In response to Qawi’s toughness, Spinks turned into a hit-and-run strategist and outboxed Qawi over 15 dullish rounds to unify the belts. Qawi rebounded somewhat, stepping up in poundage to win the WBA cruiserweight title by stopping Piet Crous in 1985. One year later, he lost that title by 15-round split decision to Evander Holyfield in Atlanta. Qawi put the young Holyfield through a baptism by fire, but he came up short. “Maybe I’m getting too old for this,” Qawi told a reporter. “Maybe I’d better start looking for something else to do.” Qawi was never the same after the bout with Holyfield. The old buzzsaw no longer screamed with the same ferocity, while his short, 5-foot-6½ frame
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