Igor Lazarev to Face Olympian Wyatt Sanford

Junior welterweight Igor Lazarev is in tough on June 27 against 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Wyatt "The Kennetcook Kid" Sanford at Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Lazarev heads into the fight with quite a few disadvantages.

The only advantage the Russian-born resident of Ashdod, Israel possesses is pro experience. Lazarev's record stands at 9-4 with 3 KOs. He's boxed 56 professional rounds in nine different countries, including six dominant rounds against Polish prospect Dominik Harwankowski in 2022. Lazarev completely exposed the home fighter, but was robbed blind by the Polish judges. Igor has also faced prospects Angelo Peña and Greg McGuiness.

Lazarev is now 38 years old and hasn't fought in two years and four months. He'll have a slight height disadvantage, and his hands aren't as fast as Sanford's, which are blazing quick. Sanford, a highly-touted 26 year old prospect from Kennetcook, Nova Scotia, is a southpaw. He's 2-0 with two first round stoppages and is signed with the home promoter, Eye of the Tiger. The Canadian is also the naturally bigger man. He likes to lead in order to counter the opponent's counter. His hands are fast and fluid and he knows when to go to the body.

In Sanford's pro debut last month, he scored a knockdown with a right hook, but his straight left is also very dangerous. His second fight took place last Thursday, when he wiped out Tomas Lastra.

The overhand right is the premier punch for Lazarev, who is also a vicious body puncher. He'll need to set up his power shots because Sanford is too slick to get hit by lead rights. The two-time Olympian poses a tall task for the tough Israeli. With everything against him, if Igor gets out of the first round, consider it a win.

courtesy of Nir Roitman

Devin Strübin to Face Jasmin Ramic on Saturday

Devin "The Honey Badger" Strübin is scheduled to fight Jasmin "The Lion's Heart" Ramic on Saturday at Stadthofsaal in Uster, Switzerland. Ramic will pose a tougher test that his record suggests.

Strübin (7-1-1, 6 KOs) is a 30 year old from the nearby town of Urdorf. The southpaw super middleweight will apply smart pressure as he attempts to wear down Ramic. Strübin, who has spent some of his training camp in Israel, last fought in December, a fourth round TKO victory over veteran Zdenk Bule.

Ramic is from Biljeljina, Bosnia & Herzegovina. And before Mauricio Sulaiman and his ilk stir up any faux outrage: in the Balkans, Jasmin is typically a male name. As a boxer, Jasmin is only 1-3 and hasn't fought since 2022, but he has tons of experience as a kickboxer. Strübin also began as a kickboxer but made the switch ten years ago while Ramic has never left the sport.

Though there are key differences between boxing and kickboxing - some obvious and some less so - plenty of fighters have made the transition successfully. Chris Algieri and Tenshin Nasukawa are just a couple of examples.

A member of the Roma community and a farmer, Ramic throws hard clubbing punches. Since Strübin won't be hard to find, it should be an exciting fight for as long as it lasts. This bout is scheduled for six rounds.

Barwick Game in TCL Debut

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick was game in losing her Team Combat League debut by unanimous decision to Anna Verbeek at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA.

Barwick represented the Phoenix Fury, who faced the Miami Assassins tonight. Miami won the eight "launch" rounds by a score of 77-72 on the back of Victor Abreu, who stopped Joseph Rivas in the second to grab a 10-7 round. When Barwick stepped into the ring for round eleven, her Fury were trailing 97-90.

Barwick, who gave up at lest five inches of height, rushed forward, targeting Verbeek's body. Barwick was so anxious to let her punches go, she was warned twice by referee Luis Pabon for hitting after he had yelled for the action to stop.

Verbeek had some success catching Barwick on the way in and landed a sweet left hook towards the end of the round. Barwick absorbed the punches as if they were love taps, though. Her looping right to the body needed to be tightened up, but her foot movement was more fluid than in the past. There's no doubt that Brooklyn has a great chin, a ton of heart, and a mountain of grit. Her skills continue to improve as well.

Verbeek was awarded the round by unanimous decision, 10-9, which increased Miami's lead to 107-99. This was a great experience for Barwick, who cheered for her teammates from ringside after her round. This tussle against Verbeek should help Brooklyn's pro career, which has started with two straight knockout victories.

Miami beat Phoenix 230-222.

Introducing Devin Strübin

Devin "The Honey Badger" Strübin is a 7-1-1 super middleweight with six knockouts. The 30 year old southpaw from Urdorf, Zurich, Switzerland turned pro in 2022.

"My fighting style is to make pressure," Strübin told The Jewish Boxing Blog. "I look for the infight and make pressure, punch by punch, round by round, until my opponent is broken."

He made the switch from kickboxing ten years ago and his stance reveals that experience. Though a pressure fighter, he's not a volume puncher, preferring to set up big accurate shots. But his come-forward approach tests the will of his opponents.

"Physically, he's incredibly strong," his coach Mortiz Hager told Zo Online, "He's rather calm and thoughtful, certainly not a hothead."*

Strübin picked up the nickname "The Honey Badger" because he initially fought at a heavier weight, which put him at a height disadvantage. He battled so ferociously, "The trainer said I fought like a honey badger," he told The JBB. He researched the animal and learned they are naturally aggressive and surprisingly fearless for their size. He felt the nickname was apropos.

"Working with Devin is a dream," said Coach Hager in the same Zo Online interview. "He's humble, always tries to implement my instructions, and isn't someone who's too proud to repeat the same exercise over and over again. He knows how important certain automatisms are."

After stopping his first two opponents, he faced 13-fight veteran Valeri Gojiashvili on June 10, 2023. Strübin's pressure and power punches behind a high guard wore down his more experienced foe, but Gojiashvili's hands were more active. The Georgian lost a point in the fourth and fifth rounds for excessive holding, which was his main defense against fatigue. Even with the point deductions, the judges unfairly saddled Strübin with a majority draw.

After a TKO victory, Strübin fought Yoncho Markov on December 2, 2023. During Strübin's ring-walk, Markov stood in the center of the ring and gyrated in an awkward attempt at dancing. In the second round, Strübin battered Markov to the canvas with lefts and then imitated Markov's "dance" before waving for him to get up. Markov became enraged, but his anger signified nothing as The Honey Badger stopped him in the next round.

On April 14 last year in only his sixth pro bout, Strübin fought 45-fight veteran Sandro Jajanidze. Though he used his customary pressure, he was too cautious early and Jajanidze scored a knockdown in the first. Devin did better in the middle rounds, but Jajanidze's experience carried him home. Though Strübin has fought all of his contests in Switzerland and this was a six-rounder like eight of his nine fights, this bout has been his only experience without judges. The sole arbiter, referee Diana Drews Milani, felt the knockdown was the difference and scored the contest 57-56 for Jajanidze.

After a comeback TKO victory in July, Devin faced Eman Rekanovic last September 8. In the second round, a ring malfunction delayed the fight for an extended period. In the fourth round, Rekanovic was disqualified for repeatedly keeping his head too low. After the fight, Strübin proposed to his girlfriend in the ring. She said yes!

He last fought in December, a fourth round TKO victory over the experienced Zdenko Bule in the light heavyweight division.

The son of a Yemeni Jewish mother from Israel, Devin recently worked with undefeated flyweight David Alaverdian at the Nakash Gym in Tel Aviv. "I held the pads for him, and he can definitely crack," Alaverdian told The JBB. "In this boxing circle, I've met a lot of bad people, but I can honestly say he is a good person."

Strübin is scheduled to fight next on June 14 in Ulster, Switzerland. He is certainly one to watch.

*Coach Hager's quotes are translated from German.

Brooklyn Barwick to Fight Saturday for Phoenix Fury in TCL

Fresh off her second pro KO last week, Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to fight on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA as part of the Phoenix Fury of the Team Combat League. Phoenix faces the Miami Assassins.

The Team Combat League involves matches between two clubs, each representing a city. Each team puts up 24 boxers who fight in one three-minute round. Of the nine men's and three women's weight classes, each team fields two fighters. Barwick will represent Phoenix in one of the two women's featherweight rounds.

Brooklyn is in tough against Ana Maria Verbeek, who is 2-1 in her four Team Combat League rounds. The 30 year old native of Breda, Netherlands will boast a five-inch height advantage. Verbeek is 1-0 as  a pro.

This should be good experience Barwick, who starched her two opponents so quickly, she hasn't even fought two minutes of pro action yet. Her aggressive, volume-punching style is well suited for this format.

More information about the contest can be found here.

Danielle Cohen Back on June 28

Lightweight Danielle "Pitbull" Cohen is scheduled to fight on June 28 at Xtreme Action Park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Cohen is 2-0 as a boxer and has a wealth of combat experience.

Cohen is a 28 year old from Plantation, Florida. In her 2023 debut, she outboxed Danielle Wynn, effectively dictating range and landing eye-catching potshots from the outside. Her second fight, this past April, was one of the more bizarre contests in recent boxing history. Her opponent, Amber Clark, was visibly frazzled at the opening and immediately took a knee before a punch was landed. The fight was stopped after just ten seconds and Cohen awarded a TKO victory.

Cohen will be anxious to show her skills after the brevity of her last outing. This will be her second fight in her home state. No opponent has been announced yet.

Brooklyn Barwick Wins by TKO

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick won her fight tonight by TKO at Gimnasio Municipal in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. It took her only 49 seconds to stop debutant Laura Veronica Hernandez Fernandez and win her second pro fight,

Barwick began the fight aggressively, landing a combination with a right to the body and a right to the head.

Barwick arrived in Mexico late Wednesday and weighed in at 121.3 pounds this morning, a pound lighter than Hernandez. Afterwards, she refueled with a breakfast of eggs over easy on top of a steak with French fries, rice, and a bowl of fruit. That's a change from her debut when her first post-weigh-in meal involved a trip across the border to Olive Garden.

Barwick is now 2-0 with 2 KOs.

Brooklyn Barwick is BoxRec's Fighter of the Week

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick has been voted the BoxRec Fighter of the Week.

"Every week, we highlight fighters you may not be familiar with [the] BoxRec Fighter Of The Week," noted the self-proclaimed official recordkeeper of the sport.

"Our fighter of the week this week is Brooklyn Barwick, based out off Manhattan, New York! Brooklyn started her professional boxing journey this past March with a TKO1 over Alejandra Marruffo in Sonora, Mexico. Brooklyn also had bouts on the influencer and Rough N Rowdy circuit before deciding to move to New York and focus on becoming a professional boxer... best of luck, Brooklyn!"

Barwick returns to the ring this Friday in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico.

Brooklyn Barwick's Fight Now on May 30

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick was scheduled to fight on Saturday, May 31 in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. Her fight has now been pushed up a day to Friday, May 30 at the same venue. The change in date was precipitated by the Mexican government due to geopolitical issues.

Barwick has a new opponent as well. She had been scheduled to face super flyweight Sandra Gutierrez, but the 25 year old from Laguna Beach, California will now face a debutant featherweight who has not been publicly announced just yet.

Barwick is a relative novice in the sport, but has developed a fan-friendly come-forward style. She has her eyes on bigger things, calling out more experienced opponents, but she understands she must take it one fight at a time to reach her goals in professional boxing. Her bout is scheduled for four two-minute rounds.

Joshua Feldman Shines in Tough Fight

Junior middleweight prospect Joshua Feldman won a tough fight against a game opponent, Siphiwe Ntombela, today at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Gauteng, South Africa. Nicknamed "The Maccabee," Feldman's fluid boxing carried the fight against an unexpectedly stout challenge from the veteran journeyman.

From the opening chime, Feldman gracefully slipped Ntombela's shots and landed pinpoint counters of his own. He savagely ripped the body with either hand and worked in quite a few left uppercuts. A southpaw, Feldman's straight lefts - both leads and counters - were picture perfect. He landed them consistently throughout the fight. His smooth right hook found the target without fail.

Feldman put on a masterclass through nearly four rounds. Contrary to past fights, Ntombela became more resilient as the fight progressed. Previously, his punch resistance had waned late in fights, but he was at his best tonight. At the end of the fourth, he rocked Feldman. The 32 year old showed his left to land a short chopping right. Feldman was wobbled on the ropes at the end of the round. Though Ntombela finished the fourth strong, it really wasn't enough to overcome an otherwise dominant round by Feldman.

Ntombela carried his newly found momentum into the fifth and gave Feldman the worst round of his pro career thus far. He added clubbing rights to his chopping rights and backed up The Maccabee. Feldman had his moments in the round, particularly to the body, but it was a clear Ntombela round.

Heading into the sixth and final round, it was conceivable that Feldman was only up three rounds to two, if Ntombela was given the fourth with his late surge. That possibility made the last round paramount. Feldman came out with lefts to the body Ntombela answered back with a right to the body of his own. But Feldman's counters won the round. He even wobbled his rugged opponent with a straight left late in the fight.

The judges had the contest 59-55, 58-56, and 58-57 for Feldman, The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the bout 59-55 for Josh.

Though he punished Ntombela, who had been stopped eight times, the lack of a clean knockdown shouldn't be viewed as an indictment of Feldman's power. Josh could have added more combinations to his attack but at the risk of getting caught by Ntombela's short right. Ntombela fought the best fight of his career and deserves a lot of credit for his performance. He came to fight and was willing to go through the fire to try and win.

As for Feldman, he showed a load of skill, creativity, and grit in this fight. He believed he would be better as the competition improved, and he has shown that to be the case in his last two fights. He is now 7-0 with 3 KOs. Ntombela's record is a hard-fought 4-12 with 3 KOs

Doron Zinman Wins Messy Fight

Featherweight Doron "Buzzsaw" Zinman beat Ronaldo Sibisi by unanimous decision today at the Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Gauteng, South Africa. Sibisi mucked up the fight by constantly holding Zinman.

A 20 year old from Cape Town, South Africa, Zinman spent the entire fight pressing forward. Sibisi, a tall fidgety southpaw, occasionally caught Zinman coming in, but mostly fought very defensively. With thirty seconds to go in the first, Zinman dug a hard right into Sibisi's lean midsection. Sibisi began to crumble, helped by Zinman's left pushing him down to the canvas. Referee Mfundo Mvandaba ruled no knockdown, a judgement call.

Sibisi started the second round a bit better with some straight shots from the outside. He briefly switched to the orthodox stance. He soon began holding Zinman relentlessly, making for a frustrating fight to watch. With a minute to go in the second, Mvandaba took a point from Sibisi who learned it's unwise to hold a Buzzsaw. Zinman punctuated the round by popping the debutant with a left hook.

Sibisi fought the first forty seconds of the third round sans mouthpiece. After belatedly receiving it, he twirled in front of Zinman. Mvandaba stopped the action, not to warn Sibisi for turning his back to his foe, but curiously to warn Zinman for some unnamed infraction. Sibisi landed a couple of lefts in the round, but spent much of it holding Zinman as if they were two teenagers at a school dance. Zinman tried to work with his free hand while he was being held.

Mvandaba gave both men a stern talking to before the beginning of the fourth round. Sibisi left his right arm extended at times, but Mvandaba ignored the violation. Zinman landed some eye-catching left hooks, but Sibisi managed to mark up under the Buzzsaw's right eye though he continued to constantly clinch. Zinman closed the fight with some crisp rights.

One judge scored the fight 40-35. The two others had it 39-36. The Jewish Boxing Blog could not find a round for Sibisi, scoring it 40-35 for Zinman.

Though it's inconceivable that Sibisi won even a round on any judge's card, it wasn't a scintillating performance for Zinman. He allowed himself to be held far too much. As a pressure fighter, he'll need to deal with opponents trying to wrap him up. This fight against Sibisi wasn't one for the highlight reel, but it was good experience.

Doron is now 3-0 with one KO. Sibisi is 0-1. With his negative style, Ronaldo should look elsewhere for work.

Yan Zak Stops Mukhiddin Rajapbaev

Cruiserweight Yan Zak dominated Mukhiddin Rajapbaev today at New Sport Hall in Tbilisi, Georgia. Rajapbaev made a business decision by quitting after a rough first round.

A 25 year old from Ashdod, Israel, Zak used his height advantage from the opening bell, keeping Rajapbaev on the end of his jab and continuously moving out of range. He found openings for his left hook to the body and straight right over the top.

Rajapbaev came out jabbing, but the 37 year from Tashkent, Uzbekistan could not find the target. Meanwhile, Zak experimented with walking down the shorter man, trapping him in the corner at one point, and teeing off on the 28-fight veteran. Zak then incorporated a combination involving a right to the body and left hook upstairs into his attack.

Zak got the experience of receiving instructions in the corner for the first time as a pro as Rajapbaev quit towards the end of the one- minute rest period. Mukhiddin was visibly wincing after the fight was waved off. The body assault had done the damage.

Zak boxed beautifully and went on the attack at the right moment. It was a stellar performance. He got away with keeping his hands low this time, but against tougher competition, he’ll need to be careful.

Zak is now 2-0 with 2 KOs. There was talk of him fighting next on July 4. Rajapbaev falls to 12-16-1 with 8 KOs. This was the thirteenth time he has been stopped.

Joshua Feldman and Doron Zinman Both Make Weight, Opponents Miss

Junior Middleweight Joshua Feldman and featherweight Doron Zinman both made weight ahead of their bouts tomorrow at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Gauteng, South Africa. Feldman's opponent Siphiwe Ntombela, and Zinman's opponent Ronaldo Sibisi, both missed weight by small margins on their first try. They were both given an hour to make weight and both were able to do so.

Zinman (2-0, 1 KO) weighed in first. He hit the scale at 125.3 pounds, the same as his debut. He was 125.5 for his last fight. Sibisi (debut) came in at 126.2 pounds, just over the featherweight limit. Zinman's trainer Colin Nathan yelled, "Overweight!" when he saw the scale. Sibisi, who will have a noticeable height advantage, briefly looked stunned before gaining his composure.

"I couldn't care less about him or his weight," Zinman told The Jewish Boxing Blog, noting that Sibisi made weight later so there was no issue. "I'm just focused on the task at hand. No disrespect, I'm just pumped to get to work."

After the face off, Zinman and Sibisi gave each other a respectful fist bump. View a preview of this four-round fight here.

Feldman (6-0, 3 KOs) came in at 153.8 pounds. The 20 year old from Cape Town has been remarkably consistent with his weight thus far in his career. His lightest weight has been 152.5 pounds while this ties his heaviest, a difference of just over a pound.

Ntombela (4-11, 3 KOs) was initially 154.4 pounds, just over the 154-pound junior middleweight limit. Nathan, who also trains Feldman, bellowed, "Overweight as well!" Ntombela rubbed his head and smiled sheepishly. On his second attempt, he weighed 153.9 pounds.

A 32 year old from Newcastle, Ntombela will make his sixth start at junior middleweight. Nine of his fights have been at welterweight. He had one at junior welterweight in which he weighed 136.5 pounds in 2020. This is on the heavy side for Ntombela, but not his heaviest. A seven-and-a-half year pro, he scaled 154 pounds early in his career.

A preview of this six-round fight can be found here.

Video of the weigh-in courtesy of SA Boxing Talk. The fights will be shown tomorrow on YouTube and DAZN.

Yan Zak and Mukhiddin Rajapbaev Make Weight

Cruiserweights Yan Zak and Mukhiddin Rajapbaev both made weight ahead of their clash tomorrow at New Sport Hall in Tbilisi, Georgia. Rajapbaev represents an experienced opponent for Zak's second pro fight.

Zak (1-0, 1 KO) weighed in at 199 pounds. This is only a quarter of a pound away from what the 25 year old weighed in his debut, a first round knockout of Darshan Singh on May 3.

Rajapbaev (12-15-1, 8 KOs) weighed 197.8 pounds. He was a middle and super middleweight before 2020 and has since ballooned into the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. The lightest the 37 year old resident of Tashkent, Uzbekistan has weighed since 2020 was 191.3 pounds against Yury Kashinsky in 2021. The heaviest he came in at was 212.8 pounds this past April 24.

Rajapbaev was asked to take off his shoes and shirt before weighing in, which may have been the difference in making weight. Zak has a significant height advantage, but Rajapbaev has a lot of experience being the shorter man. This bout is scheduled for six rounds.

For a preview of Zak-Rajapbaev, visit here. Video of the weigh-in can be found here.

Yan Zak to Face Veteran Mukhiddin Rajapbaev

Cruiserweight Yan Zak is scheduled to face Mukhiddin Rajapbaev on Saturday at New Sports Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia. Rajapbaev is a veteran of 28 fights and will look for an early knockout.

Zak- a 25 year old from Ashdod, Israel- dominated his pro debut earlier this month when he stopped Darshan Singh in the first round on May 3. Zak is a boxer-puncher with a distinguished amateur pedigree. He's in tough in his second fight against a 17-year pro.

Rajapbaev is a 37 year old from Tashkent, Uzbekistan with a record of 12-15-1 (8 KOs). He has been stopped 12 times. Rajapbeav has basically had two careers. He fought as a middleweight and super middleweight with a clean face and a hair carved in the shape of a horse shoe before the covid pandemic. During this stage, he had a winning record. His best win came in 2012 against Konstyantyn Rovenskyy, who was 17-0-2 when they faced. Rajpbaev scored knockdowns in the third and seventh rounds, catching the towel from Rovenskyy's corner while finishing the second one. A disputed draw against Maksym Bursak in 2018 represented another strong performance. Bursak constantly held as Rajapbaev marked up the left side of his face with overhand rights.

The second part of Rajapbaev's career has taken place after covid. He gained 25 pounds and has fought as an undersized cruiserweight and heavyweight. Sporting a clean-shaved head, bushy beard, and a dad bod, the Uzbek hasn't won a fight at the heavier weights. In fact, his last win came back in 2018, a first round KO of Bobur Alimov after Rajapbaev had been rocked early.

Rajapbaev, who has fought in front of Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, starts each fight loading up on looping power shots around the opponent's guard. He shows the left to land the overhand right, which has true power behind it. He used that right against Yedil Kozhamberdiyev in 2020, putting down his Kazakh foe early in the fight. Rajapbaev controlled the first three rounds, and deserved another knockdown in the third that was ruled a slip, but Kozhamberdiev came back in the forth to pound the fight out of the Uzbek.

A month ago, Rajapbaev lost by way of "Russian Retirement," a phenomenon in Russia where the B-side wins a round and then promptly quits during the rest period with a mysterious injury. After quitting following a successful first round against the enormous Takhir Mamedov on April 24, Rajapbaev raced to the middle of the ring and shadowboxed for a few moments.

Zak will need to be carful in the early moments against Rajapbaev. He needs to be wary of the right and not fall for the decoy left. Zak has a good jab, which is effective against Rajapbaev. The native of Uzbekistan is a rough guy who has been known to land rabbit punches. He walks forward and throws from awkward angles but leaves himself square, which opens him up for counters. He also goes to body.

It will a good test early in Zak's pro career. This fight is scheduled for six rounds.

Joshua Feldman to Face Siphiwe Ntombela

Junior middleweight Joshua Feldman is scheduled to face veteran Siphiwe Ntombela on May 24 at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Guateng, South Africa. Ntombela is the right opponent for Feldman at this stage of the 20 year old's career.

Feldman, a native of Cape Town, is 6-0 with 3 KOs. He last fought back in February against Jonas Senga, the toughest test of Feldman's career to date. The fight was the first time he had gone as many as six rounds. A southpaw, Feldman is a developing a reputation as a skilled and athletic boxer. He can bang when necessary and has a good chin but is at his best when he can control the action from the outside.

Ntombela is a 32 year old from the coal mining town of Newcastle in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. A squat, muscular welterweight, he doesn't have the best record at 4-11 (3 KOs) and has been stopped in 8 of his 11 losses. But he is considerably better than his record suggests. He has often been in tough as the B-side with eight of his losses coming against fighters with a winning record. He has also done well in fights he ultimately lost by KO.

Ntombela began his pro career in 2017 and was 3-2 before he racked up a string of losses. His knockout losses have almost all come late fights. He has shown an ability to withstand trouble early, but his punch resistance wanes as the fight progresses. Against Lybon Ntshani, a fight that Feldman's trainer Colin Nathan broadcasted, Ntombela was rocked in the first, dominated the next few rounds until a left hook in the fifth scrambled his senses and the fight was mercifully stopped.

Ntombela took his next fight, against Jacques Mavud, on short notice and was out of shape, spending much of the fight moving on the perimeter until body shots by Mavud ended the fight in the fifth. He next fought Wassim Chellan by boxing and moving. He survived a third round knockdown and finished the six-round fight strong, but lost by unanimous decision.

In 2023, Feldman and his friend and fellow boxer Doron Zinman watched from the balcony at Booysens Boxing Club as Ntombela pressed the action against a tall, slender southpaw named Aaron Muteba. Muteba countered well, and got the knockout in the fourth round with an uppercut which he set up with lots of well-placed body shots. Last year, Ntombela was competitive against prospect Almighty Creed Moyo in several rounds. Moyo, who had Nathan in his corner, went to the body and eventually wore down the journeyman, setting up a head shot for the knockout.

Ntombela has average handspeed and good power. Although the results suggest otherwise, he has improved a lot in recent fights. He used to circle into the opponent's backhand, but his movement is now less predictable. He doesn't throw many jabs and lunges when he does let it go, but he seems to have mostly corrected a flaw where his right hand moved away from his face as he jabbed. He likes to use the left hook and has a powerful overhand right.

Feldman, who was convinced to work with strength and conditioning coach Ignatius Loubser for this camp by Zinman, sparred with Boyd Allen. Of Ntombela, Feldman told SA Boxing Talk, "He's a come-forward fighter. You could call him a journeyman, but I know he's going to be game and comes to fight."

Though he hasn't always done so, Ntombela will likely press forward, so Feldman could counter and dig to the body. The uppercut may be the ticket as Ntombela has a bad habit of bringing his head in front of his lead foot.

"I want to make a statement this fight," Feldman said, "and these guys, even though they might be tough, they're not on my level. I feel like once I stop this guy, I'm going to be ready for an eight-rounder and soon to be a ten-rounder."

Feldman-Notmbela is scheduled for six rounds.

Doron Zinman to Face Ronaldo Sibisi

Featherweight Doron Zinman is scheduled to face Ronaldo Sibisi at Big Top Arena in Carnival City, Guateng, South Africa. The tournament is promoted by Boxing 5 Promotions.

Zinman is a 20 year old from Cape Town, South Africa. He's 2-0 with one KO. Nicknamed "Buzzsaw," Zinman has a come-forward style and a dangerous right hand. The fight against Sibisi, a native of Guateng, will mark the third time in a row Zinman will face a debutant.

Facing a debutant can be challenging, because they can be unpredictable. Sometimes debuting fighters don't have the proper experience to compete, but Zinman's first two opponents were quite talented B-sides for novices. Doron was particularly impressive in his last fight, a first round TKO victory over Nhlakhanipho Phungula in February. 

Zinman-Sibisi is scheduled for four rounds.

Hymie Wiseman: The Corn Belt Ace

Hymie Wiseman was a drastically underrated bantam and featherweight from Des Moines, Iowa. After his career, he managed heavyweight contender Lee Savold and became mixed up with the mob.

The middle child out of seven, Hyman Morton Wiseman was born on March 24, 1911 in Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Jacob and Rebecca, had immigrated to the United States from Russia in 1906 with their eldest daughter Esther. Jacob owned his own painting business in Brooklyn and continued to do so when the family moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1913.

The Wisemans joined the small Jewish community in Des Moines, Iowa in 1921. Jews had lived in Des Moines since its incorporation in the 1850s. A German Jew named William Krause started the first store and helped establish the first public school in Iowa's capital city. Decades later, the Wisemans were able to buy their own house in Des Moines for about $5,000.

At 5'5", Hymie was short, dark, and handsome. He combed his black hair back as was the style of the day. He became a professional boxer in 1926 at the age of 15, peering at opponents through hazel eyes. Wiseman fought his entire nine year career during Iowa's newspaper decision era. Since Iowa didn't allow official decisions to be rendered for far longer than most states, fights would only become official if a boxer was stopped or disqualified. As a result, Wiseman, who was never knocked out, only had a one official loss on his record, a points defeat to future featherweight world champion and Hall of Famer Freddie Miller in Chicago.

Beginning his career as a flyweight, Wiseman showed grit in getting up from a knockdown in the third round against Gaspard LaVoie in Nebraska in 1927. The 16 year old was already a veteran of 16 fights when he got off the canvas to slice up LaVoie's lip before the end of the round. Though Wiseman finished the six round fight strong, the referee called it a draw on account of the knockdown.

An "artistic jabber," Wiseman rattled off countless newspaper decisions in Iowa over the next year and traveled to California during the summer of 1928. He got in some good work with respected lightweight Mickey Cohen, who was visiting from Denver. Wiseman won an unpopular decision over Freddie Albin at the Hollywood Legion Stadium in July.

Wiseman was guided by Roy Feltman, a rotund and experienced manager from Omaha, Nebraska who oversaw the career of quality welterweight Tommy Grogan, and Dave Fidler, an ex-boxer and matchmaker from Des Moines who would run Club 100, an entertainment and gambling hub. 

As he filled into a featherweight, Wiseman developed knockout power. He only had three KO victories before 1929, but ten total in 1929 and 1930. The start of the new decade was especially auspicious for "The Corn Belt Ace." In January, he defeated Henry Falegano in a show promoted by Pinkie George. Falegano was considered "Iowa's leading featherweight" before the bout. In July, Wiseman ended the career of 18-year pro Billy DeFoe with a sixth round knockout. He was building a reputation as a show stealer.

A win over Emil Paluso punctuated a great year and earned him some recognition. "One of the best looking youngsters seen in Des Moines in some time is Hymie Wiseman, a hard punching featherweight," crowed Collyer's Eye. Wiseman was ready to take on B-level opponents and a year away from fighting the best in the world, said the Chicago-based sports journal.

On January 12, 1931 Wiseman faced former world title challenger Archie Bell, a Brooklyn-based fellow Jew, in a fight scheduled for ten two-minute rounds. No longer at his peak, Bell would still challenge for versions of a world title three more times in his career. Wiseman dominated his more decorated foe, surrendering only one round: the sixth.

Wiseman had to delay a fight against Harry Fierro two weeks after suffering from tonsillitis. When the fight happened, Wiseman won the newspaper decision. He was expected to beat Carl Wilfing of Omaha, and did so, but his upset victory over prospect Paul Dazzo of Chicago continued his ascent. A strong body puncher, Wiseman scored two knockdowns in the first and two in the second to win the six-round decision.

"Doc" Kearns took notice. The former manager of Jack Dempsey hoped to add Wiseman to a stable that included Mickey Walker and Jackie Fields. He offered the tandem of Feltman and Fidler $10,000 for Wiseman's contract; the offer was declined. Another player who took notice was Bushy Graham, the former bantamweight world champion. Wiseman learned a lot from Graham in a newspaper decision defeat in Des Moines on May 11. The local kid had trouble with the former champ's bobbing style and was rocked in the fourth round, but closed strong. It was his first loss in two years, albeit an unofficial one.

Even after the loss, Wiseman was deemed "the best leather pusher to come out of the corn belt in recent years." Pundits felt the Graham fight was a case of too much too soon. "Just another promising boy sent up too fast and ruined- Hymie Wiseman," Collyer's Eye declared. "Wiseman's handlers pulled an unforgivable boner when they pitted Hymie against Bushy Graham. They followed it up with another 'silly move ' in taking on Mike O'Dowd." Wiseman and O'Dowd fought to a six-round draw at Chicago Stadium two weeks after the Graham fight.

On September 23, 1931 Wiseman was back at Chicago Stadium to face Solly Schuman, a Jew from Chicago. Wiseman was just 1-2-2 in his last five fights, although the draw to O'Dowd was the only official decision. Hymie beat Schuman three rounds to two in a lackluster five-round battle. Notorious gangster Al Capone watched from ringside.

After a newspaper win over Kid Lehr, who was floored twice, Wiseman beat Schuman once again. Schuman retired after his second loss to Wiseman in under a month. Hymie next fought Carl Wells in a Sioux City rematch. Wells won the newspaper decision the month before, but Wiseman scored a knockdown in the fourth round in seeking revenge.

After a couple of fights, Wiseman won a newspaper decision over Billy Shaw. The fight was notable because of the referee, Alex Fidler of Cedar Rapids, who later claimed to hold the record for most boxing and wrestling matches officiated. Not so coincidentally, he was Dave Fidler's brother.

In January, Dave Fidler's entire stable was suspended from fighting Kansas when one of his boxers no-showed. For Wiseman, it was guilt by association. He never fought in Kansas again.

In March, Wiseman moved over to Joe Glazer, a manager from Chicago, who also guided the career of Jewish puncher Ray Miller. That August, Wiseman faced his toughest test, future featherweight world champion Freddie Miller. Miller split open Wiseman's lower lip in the second round and won the eight-round fight at Chicago Stadium by comfortable decision.

Hymie then didn't fight for over a year. He married Julie, six years his senior, on July 29, 1933 in Iowa, but he only stepped into the ring twice that year and not at all the following year. There was talk of a 1934 fight against Leo Rodak, but it fell through. He resurfaced in California for a fight on January 4, 1935. Wiseman scored a second round knockout at the Dreamland Auditorium in San Francisco. Later in the month he impressed Los Angeles locals while training at the Manhattan Gym. But he remained inactive until he fought in September back home in Iowa.

In his third fight that month, he took on the toughest test of his comeback, Canadian featherweight champ Frankie Wolfram. On the 23rd, Wiseman won when Wolfram fouled him in the fifth. A month later, Wiseman won a newspaper decision in the rematch with Nate Fidler acting as referee. He promptly retired. His remarkable record stood at 80-7-13 with 18 KOs. In 100 pro fights, Hymie was never stopped.

Wiseman spent the early part of his retirement from the ring working with aspiring fighters. At the 1939 Des Moines Golden Gloves, he served as kind of a floating trainer for any boxer who desired his expertise. In 1941, he acquired the contract of promising heavyweight Lee Savold from Pinkie George, who felt he had been shoved out of the way. George and Wiseman made up a couple years later.

Wiseman (left), Savold (center), Daly (right)

After Savold stopped Lee Nova in 1942, Wiseman cracked, "I wouldn't say he quit. He just didn't continue." Wiseman and co-manager Bill Daly were credited with saving Savold's boxing career with their shrewd management, enabling the "Battling Bartender" to make a living at something other than tending bar.

The beginning of the end of the relationship was evident when neither Wiseman nor Daly knew that Savold had briefly enlisted in the U.S. Maritime service. After Savold lost to Joe Baksi, Doc Kearns plucked the heavyweight away from Wiseman and Daly's clutches. Turnabout was fair play.

Wiseman next operated an illegal gambling ring out his Sports Arcade club in downtown Des Moines. He and his partner Louis "Cockeyed Louie" Fratto, aka Lew Farrell, practiced some shady accounting in 1947. A Chicagoan, Fratto was first sent to Des Moines as Al Capone's representative in Iowa. In March of 1948, Des Moines police raided the club and arrested Wiseman and Fratto. The charges were eventually dropped in November.

In 1951, Fratto squawked to the Kefauver Committee, a Senate initiative to combat organized crime. In his testimony, Fratto mentioned Wiseman. On August 18, 1954 Wiseman dined with another mobster Charles "Cherry Nose" Gioe at Ciro's in Chicago. Gioe had been Capone's Iowa rep before Fratto replaced him and still owned two theaters in Des Moines. When Wiseman and Gioe got into their car, another vehicle with three people inside pulled up beside them. Two men pointed guns and fired. A bullet entered Gioe's head, killing him instantly. Wiseman was hit, but managed to escape with his life. "All of a sudden I saw flashes and heard shots and I dropped to the ground," Wiseman recalled. When he heard the car speed off, he got up and ran, hailed a cab, and went to the Seneca Hotel where Gioe had resided. Gioe was killed by gunmen affiliated with mobster Joey Glimco. Wiseman didn't finger the culprits and temporarily stymied the investigation, offering false statements to police.

After this incident, Hymie Wiseman seemed to lay low for the rest of his days. Wiseman passed away in 1971 at the age of 60. His life was a testament to the toughness, resilience, and versality of the Jewish people.

Sources

"All of Sports." Ames Daily Tribune Times. Apr. 24, 1931.

"Cohen Flashes in Workouts." Los Angeles Evening Post-Record. Jun. 29, 1928. Pg. 21.

Dunkley, Charles. "A. Capone Attends Big Chicago Show." Scottsbluff Daily Star-Herald. Sep. 24, 1931. Pg. 4.

"Fidler's Boxing Crew Suspended." Monitor Index and Democrat. Jan. 27, 1932. Pg. 6.

"Gossip from Boxing Rings." Collyer's Eye. Jun. 13, 1931. Pg. 2.

"Gossip from Boxing Rings." Collyer's Eye. Mar. 19, 1932. Pg. 3.

"Graham Beats Wiseman." The Daily Nonpareil. May 12, 1931. Pg. 23.

"Hymie Wiseman Trounces Bell." The Omaha Evening Bee. Jan. 13, 1931. Pg. 16.

"Jack Kearns Offers $10,000 for Contract." Los Angeles Times. Apr. 24, 1931. Pg. A12.

Jones, Douglas M. "A Brief History of Judaism in Iowa." Little Village. Apr. 17, 2019.

"Legouir, Wilkins in Legion Main Event." The Omaha Evening Bee. Apr. 5, 1930. Pg. 9.

"Live Gossip of Boxing Rings." Collyer's Eye. Dec. 20, 1930. Pg. 3.

May, Allan. "Charles 'Cherry Nose' Gioe." AllanMay.com 2000.

May, Allan. "The Original Teflon Don: Des Moines's Louis Fratto." Crime Magazine. Oct. 15, 2009.

Murdock, Reid. J. "Critics Put Stamp of Approval on Des Moines, Iowa, Youngster." Collyer's Eye. May 30, 1931. Pg. 3.

"New Managers Helped Savold to Get Going." The Brooklyn Citizen. Nov. 25, 1942. Pg. 6.

"On Comeback Trail." The Daily Nonpareil. Sep. 19, 1935. Pg. 9.

"Ring Invader Impressed." Daily News. Jan. 28, 1935. Pg. 7.

"Savold in Service." The Evening News. Mar. 16, 1944. Pg. 21.

"State Plans to Check on Farrell Tax." Iowa City Press-Citizen. Mar. 19, 1951. Pg. 20.

"Terry Defeats Dakota Champ." Central City Republican. Sep. 15, 1927. Pg. 4.

"Tommy Loughran Gives Griffiths Lesson in Boxing." Omaha World Herald. Mar. 28, 1931. Pg. 9.

"Three Men Charge Under Gambling Law." Iowa City Press-Citizen. May 15, 1948. Pg. 2.

Walsh, Davis J. "Savold Confident He'll Be Next Heavy Champ." Nashville Banner. Jul. 30, 1943.

"Wiseman, Falegano Sign for Battle." Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette. Jan 11, 1930. Pg. 3

"Wrestler Savoldi at Des Moines Tuesday." The Daily Nonpareil. Feb. 15, 1931. Pg. 14.

David Malul to Fight in June

Welterweight David Malul is scheduled to fight on June 14 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York, USA. The 22 year old from Queens is 3-0 with 2 KOs.

Malul scored two vicious knockouts last year. In March, he showed improved skills in beating Shaquille Rushing by unanimous decision. But he still knows he needs to keep getting better. In March, he acknowledged to The Jewish Boxing Blog that he needs to improve "my whole game entirely. My jab, my right hand, everything. I'll be working on it in the gym. I truly believe my best skill hasn't come out yet."

On June 14, he'll have a chance to show what's he's been fine-tuning in a scheduled four-rounder. No opponent has been announced yet.

courtesy of Star Boxing

Daniel Ivanovski in Action Next Month

Cruiserweight Daniel Ivanovski is scheduled to fight on June 14 at the Shelby County Fairgrounds in Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA. The 24 year old from Israel is 4-0 with 3 KOs.

Ivanovski made his pro debut in Kentucky last September. This will be his third fight in the state. Each event has been run by Future Promotions.

Daniel suffered a cut over his left eye in his last fight when Romelle Terrell accidentally butted Ivanovski in the fourth and final round of their February 15 bout. At four months, this will be Ivanovski's longest layoff since turning pro.

No opponent has yet been named, but there is a durable fighter from the nearby rival town of Springfield. It might be difficult for Homer "The Southern Dandy" Simpson to whittle down to the cruiserweight limit of 200 pounds, though. Simpson hasn't fought since an embarrassing loss to Drederick Tatum nearly 30 years ago.

Ivanovski's bout is slated for four rounds.

Review of Fightback

Fightback: The Autobiography of Gary Jacobs

By Gary Jacobs with Colin Grant

Empire Publications, 2025

Gary Jacobs was a world-class welterweight who once challenged pound-for-pound great Pernell Whitaker for all the glory. During his career, he held the British, Commonwealth, and European titles. Well-respected in his native Scotland, Jacobs experienced fame and fortune, before plunging into despair.

In his autobiography, Jacobs presents a raw and honest picture of those low moments. He owns up to his mistakes, clarifying some misconceptions without excusing his actions. His downfall is understandable, even relatable. He comes across as flawed but immensely likable.

A proud Jew, Jacobs provides terrific insight into his mindset, an honest assessment of his opponents, and some fascinating behind-the-scenes revelations. His 1989 defeat in New York to former world champion Buddy McGirt raised feelings of self-doubt for the Glasgow-native, until McGirt beat Simon Brown two years later. Jacob's confidence vacillated from extreme to extreme throughout his career.

Gary's close relationship with Maurice Lewis, for whom the book is dedicated, is evident. His relationships with managers Mike Barrett and Mickey Duff had more nuance than the loving bond between Lewis and his protégé.

Co-writer Colin Grant begins the book with a gut-wrenching scene, vividly painting Jacobs as a distraught figure experiencing his lowest valley. The voice then shifts to Jacobs's. Grant does an excellent job of allowing that clear and forthright voice to shine through. The organization isn't chronological, a tactic which can lead to confusion but is mostly done well here. If there's one criticism, it's that Jacobs's take is so interesting, it's too bad the book isn't longer. The Whitaker fight is covered from every angle, but other compelling fights unfortunately receive less attention.

Fightback is a thoroughly enjoyable read that illuminates that Scottish scene in the 1980s and the world welterweight picture during the early 1990s. It's an engaging tale of a highly successful boxer who hit rock bottom and bounced back. It's highly recommended for all fans who wish to know more about this accomplished and complicated Jewish boxer.

Yan Zak Dominates in Debut

Cruiserweight Yan Zak burst onto the pro scene with a dominating first round knockout against the more experienced Darshan Singh today the Round 10 Boxing Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Zak showed he was several classes above Singh in a convincing display of boxing and punching.

Wearing nondescript red trunks with white trim, Zak peppered his jab into Singh's face and body to keep the free-swinging brawler from India at bay. The 25 year old  Israeli then scored with a punishing left hook to the body. He soon worked in his right to both the head and body. Singh was quickly in bad shape and a left hook to the body forced him to take a knee. The referee reached the count of ten about two minutes and twenty seconds into the fight.

Zak's performance was thorough. He boxed well, showed devastating power to the body, picked his punches well, and was extremely accurate. He kept his hands low to bait Singh so Zak could counter the wide-punching 20 year old. Zak's Reyes gloves were so quick that when Singh even thought about throwing, Zak's straight shots were already landing.

If Zak concentrates on a pro career, he has the tools and the style to go far. He's 1-0 with 1 KO while Singh is now 2-5 with 2 KOs. This was the first time the durable Singh has been stopped.

Yan Zak Weighs In Ahead of Debut

Yan Zak, the 25 year old decorated amateur from Israel, weighed in ahead of his clash against Darshan Singh tomorrow at the Round 10 Boxing Club in Dubai, U.A.E. Zak is one of the most decorated amateur Jewish boxers in years.

From Ashdod, Zak arrived in Dubai yesterday and weighed in today. BoxRec lists the fight at heavyweight, but Zak's team told The Jewish Boxing Blog that the fight is actually scheduled to take place in the cruiserweight division. Zak has primarily fought at 200 pounds as an amateur recently.

Unofficially, Zak weighed 198 pounds. Singh (2-4, 2 KOs) was 189.5 pounds. The 20 year old from Badiala, India has been as light as 182.5 pounds (his last fight) and as heavy as 202.8 pounds (his first fight).

Zak-Singh is scheduled for six rounds. For a preview of the fight, visit here.

Danielle Cohen Wins Bizarre "Fight" on Saturday

Lightweight Danielle "Pitbull" Cohen won her second pro boxing match on Saturday with a first round TKO victory over Amber Clark at Miccosukee Indian Gaming Resort in Miami, Florida, USA. The unfortunate contest lasted just ten seconds when Clark immediately took a knee as Cohen began to unleash her jab.

Veteran referee Luis Pabon, no stranger to controversy, made the right call when he jumped in to shield Clark. Pabon could see that Clark looked shell-shocked and instantly waved off the bout. Clark was in a daze for several minutes afterward. Cohen was award a TKO victory despite not landing a punch.

The debacle was no fault of Cohen's, a 28 year old from Plantation, Florida; she can only take on the opponent in front of her. It's the fault of the commission and Clark's team, who should have known their fighter was not in the right state to fight. But the win obviously doesn't help Pitbull in the long run.

Cohen is now 2-0 with one KO. Her debut took place on April 1, 2023 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA where she beat Danielle Wynn by unanimous decision. Despite being the shorter fighter, the 5' 3" Cohen landed big overhand rights and left hooks over the top from the outside all fight. She used convincing feints and timing to land those big shots.

Cohen took up martial arts ten years ago and has in-the-ring experience as a kickboxer. She fights for the memory of her father David Cohen Z"L, who passed away five years ago.

Hopefully, Cohen will be back in the ring soon and get to show her skills against a viable opponent.

Josh Feldman and Doron Zinman Back in Action on May 24

Junior middleweight Joshua Feldman and featherweight Doron Zinman are scheduled to be back in the ring on May 24 at Carnival City, outside Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa on a tournament promoted by Boxing 5 Promotions.

This will mark the third time the friends will have fought on the same pro card. Zinman made his pro debut on November 23 with a unanimous decision victory over Masibulele Mjoli while Feldman scored a first round TKO victory over Brian Shakoane on the same card. On February 21, it was Zinman's turn to win by first round TKO when he stopped Nhlakhanipho Phungula. Feldman boxed intelligently in defeating Jonas Senga by unanimous decision.

Zinman (2-0, one KO) will be partaking in only his third pro fight. At this stage, the 20 year old simply needs more ring experience, so a step-up opponent isn't yet necessary. Feldman (6-0, 3 KOs) turned pro a year earlier than his pal. He has fought in two scheduled six-rounders and gone the full six-round distance once. An opponent of a similar caliber as Senga makes sense for the 20 year old from Cape Town.

Opponents have yet to be announced for the two Jewish South African fighters.

Yan Zak to Make Pro Debut May 3

Yan Zak is scheduled to make his professional debut against Darshan Singh at the Round 10 Boxing Club in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 25 year old Israeli's debut has been long awaited.

Zak is a decorated amateur. He won gold at the U22 European championships in 2022 and has a wealth of experience fighting at the world championships and other important tournaments. Zak is noted for his rivalry with the respected Loren Alfonso of Azerbaijan.

A resident of Ashdod, Zak can fight in a variety of styles, but is primarily a boxer-puncher. Coached by Artur Zlat of the Tyson Mireli Team, Zak boxes with an in-and out-style in the Russian mold. But he is not one-dimensional. Against a classy boxer like Alfonso, Zak mauled the Cuban-Azeri to negate his quickness. Zak's prospects in the pro game are exciting to contemplate.

His opponent, Darshan Singh, is a 20 year old from Badiala, Punjab, India with a record of 2-4 with 2 KOs. Singh is no pushover. He has a good chin, can slip punches, and has improved since his debut. In that 2023 debut against Manbir Manbir, Singh launched wide haymakers and exhibited poor footwork. In February this year, Singh showed progress in a fight against the much heavier Jaipal Singh. He developed a jab, straightened out his punches a bit, and moved more fluidly.

Singh took hard rights to the face in the fourth round against Manbir. Jaipal, who outweighed Darshan by nearly 60 pounds, dug into his body shots and connected with clean rights to the head. Yet Darshan stood up to the blows in both fights, showing not only a good chin, but a fighter's heart. He took the punishment even while the ring lights flashed and rotated into the fighters' eyes in both contests.

All of Darshan Singh's fights have been in and around the cruiserweight division either in his native state of Punjab or the neighboring state of Haryana, both home to many people of the Sikh religion. Sikh men typically adopt the surname Singh to show equality and reject caste hierarchies, which is why four of his six opponents have shared the same name. Women assume the surname Kaur. Sikhs often keep with them a kirpan, or small curved dagger, as part of their faith. Singh may need to use it in the ring against Zak to have a chance.

Zak will need to be careful against the free-swinging Singh, but his debut is hopefully the beginning of an promising career. Zak will have six rounds, so he should remain patient and try to break down the durable Singh instead of aiming for a one-punch knockout. Singh already has gone eight rounds, so the distance won't be a problem for him while the six-round length will be an adjustment for Zak.

Yan typically fought at around 200 pounds as an amateur, but this fight is scheduled as a heavyweight contest. The last quality Jewish heavyweight pro was Roman Greenberg.

Several Jewish Boxers Honored

Several Jewish boxers have been honored recently. Jill "The Zion Lion" Matthews (1995-1999) was inducted into the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame earlier this month.

Gary "Kid" Jacobs (1985-1997), whose autobiography is available for purchase, was elected into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Hopefully, his former manager, Mickey Duff, will be elected next year. The Jewish Boxing Blog will have a review of Jacob's book Fightback shortly.

Harry "Kid" Brown (1915-1932) will be elected into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame this year. He'll join his younger brother Joe, a boxer and world-renowned sculptor.

Cletus "Hebrew Hammer" Seldin (2011-present) was honored by the Jewish Sports Heritage Association earlier this month. Seldin gave an impassioned speech denouncing antisemitism.

Brooklyn Barwick to Fight May 31

Brooklyn "The Big Deal" Barwick is scheduled to fight on May 31 in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, Mexico. The 25 year old is looking to move her record to 2-0.

Barwick is returning to the scene of her debut, a first knockout victory over Alejandra Marruffo on March 1. She'll look to stay active this year as she builds up her ring experience and credibility in the sport.

Barwick recently sparred with Nisa Rodriguez, an undefeated super middleweight from Manhattan who is only a bout a foot taller than the 4'11" Laguna Beach native. Of Rodriguez, Brooklyn told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "She's a beast." The bicoastal Barwick also got some work in with coach Shawn Estrada, a former Olympian and undefeated pro, at Knockouts in Los Angeles.

courtesy of Robert Rosas

No opponent has yet been announced for this four round bout.

Larry Boardman's Fabulous Five-Fight String

Larry Boardman was an elite lightweight during the 1950s who beat a slew of champions. Known for his tremendous power in both hands, his ninth round knockout of Frankie Ryff on June 1, 1956 at Madison Square Garden was so ferocious, kids who watched it on television vividly remembered it fifty years later.

Boardman first burst into the consciousness of the boxing public on February 7, 1956 when he survived two knockdowns against the lightweight world champion Wallace "Bud" Smith at Boston Garden in a non-title affair to win by split decision. The "unknown" Boardman went down for the first time in his career in the first and was hurt in the ninth en route to a surprising decision victory.

Larry was just 19 years old at the time. Reports of his birthplace put him in the tiny central Connecticut town of Marlborough, which had about 300 residents on March 21, 1936 when Lawrence Boardman was born. Census records, however, place the Boardmans in Hartford in 1935, Middlesex in 1940, and Haddam in 1950, all relatively close to Marlborough.

Larry's father, Samuel J., emigrated from Russia and married Jennie from Massachusetts. Sam reportedly was a journeyman boxer and later worked as an executive at a mattress manufacture before running a gas station and roadside restaurant. As a boy, Larry was enamored with his father's boxing career. He enjoyed getting into fights at school and begged his father to teach him how to box. At nine, he received his first pair of boxing gloves. But in an attempt to dissuade Larry from taking up boxing, Sam was very tough on him. The rigorous sessions had the opposite effect though, and they turned Larry into a fighting machine.

Sam took his son down to Miami, Florida to train at the famed 5th Street Gym. Larry, who had turned pro fourteen months before his win over Smith, began his career with fourteen straight victories. His record stood at 28-2 heading into the Smith clash, in which he was a late replacement for Tony DeMarco. Boardman's shocking defeat of the reigning lightweight champion turned the tide of Smith's career for the worse. The loss started a string of eleven consecutive defeats to end Smith's career.

Two months later, Boardman faced the current featherweight and junior lightweight world champion, Sandy Saddler, an all-time great. Promoter Sam Silverman chose Boston Garden as the venue, the second time in a row Boardman would fight there.

Saddler was not only a power puncher but was known to bend the rules. "I hope it's a good clean fight fought on its merits," Boardman said before the fight, "but if Sandy plays rough with me, he'll get more than he bargained for."

Boardman started the fight by attacking Saddler and landing his spiteful right. The champion was hurt in the first round when an uppercut induced a bloody nose, and again in the third. Saddler was up to his old tricks, hitting on the break while on the verge of being stopped for only the second time in his illustrious career. He managed to finish the ten round fight, but Boardman won the non-title affair by unanimous decision. Willie Pep, who was one of the best fighters to ever live despite having been stopped by Saddler thrice in their four-fight rivalry, said that Boardman gave "Saddler one of the worst beatings of his career."

Saddler never fought again. He injured his eye in an automobile accident that summer and doctors deemed his condition too tenuous to continue fighting.

Larry vaulted into the top ten of The Ring's lightweight ratings on the strength of his two impressive victories over current champions. Television clamored for the up-and-coming 20 year old and his next fight came against Frankie Ryff, the 1954 rookie of the year. Ryff had grown into a top contender and had a style made for television. Despite Boardman's recent success, Ryff was the favorite heading into their June 1 matchup at Madison Square Garden.

With 46 seconds left in the ninth round, Ryff was counted out, a victim of Boardman's concussive right which had followed a left hook. Ryff's trainer Cus D'Amato had a heck of time trying to wake up his fighter. The striking fashion of the victory cemented Boardman's stardom. It was the first time Ryff, who later was badly injured in fall down an elevator shaft, was knocked out.

"I guess we showed 'em tonight," bellowed Sam Boardman. "They said that Frankie Ryff was too much fighter for Larry, but we showed 'em, didn't we son?"

Sam had done a masterful job bringing his boy through the ranks. When Larry declared he was determined to become a fighter, Sam smacked him with an overhand right. "He slugged me alright," Larry remembered years later. "The hardest punch I ever took.... he wanted to see if I had the stuff to make a fighter."

"I never went looking for set-ups," Sam said of his managerial strategy. "He had tough opposition from from his first fight on and learned something that stuck with him in every fight. Mind you, I was always sure he wasn't overmatched, but I never wanted him in an easy fight."

After three impressive victories, Sam suddenly had trouble getting Larry a fight. He had to turn to the International Boxing Commission (IBC), run by notorious mobsters Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo. "I thought Frank could get the big matches for us," Sam said.  And then, as if by magic, Boardman was suddenly scheduled to face former welterweight champ Jimmy Carter on September 11 at Boston Garden.

Carter outboxed Boardman early in the fight, but in the eighth round Boardman floored the former champ three times, which was once more than Carter had hit the canvas in all of his previous 104 fights combined. The fight was stopped in that round, and Boardman was hailed as "the new Benny Leonard." Carter would post a losing record of 6-8 the rest of his career.

Boardman vs. Saddler (left), Ryff (center), and Carter (right)

Boardman was called the uncrowned lightweight champion. Two months after the win over Carter, Larry faced another former champion, Paddy DeMarco.  True to his reputation, DeMarco "used every roughhouse trick in the book. He mauled, pushed, grabbed, tackled, hit on the break, and charged in his famous billy goat style." He lost the fourth round on fouls. In the fifth, Boardman scored a knockdown with a flush shot to the chin. He won by wide unanimous decision. In his last eleven fights following the Boardman loss, DeMarco would win only two.

Boardman suffered cuts over both eyes and a damaged left hand in the DeMarco brawl. His team said he'd be out for eight weeks. He deserved a rest to heal after an incredible five-fight string. Instead, the IBC ordered him to fight Orlando Zulueta a slick Cuban fighting out of New York, only one month after the DeMarco fight. Zulueta made Boardman miss early and often. "He hits hard with both hands," Zulueta said after the fight. "I knew he would hit in 1-2 combinations, so I stepped back to watch him throw two and then hit him." Boardman lost by majority decision. Blinky Palermo was indignant, believing Zulueta ran all fight. "Zulueta did absolutely nothing. The referee warned him to fight all night."

After a win, Boardman was slated to fight another former world champion, the ex-welter king Tony DeMarco. DeMarco battered Boardman, knocking him down twice in the fifth. The sequence that led to the first knockdown began with a right uppercut. At the end of the round, Boardman was hanging halfway out of the ropes for another knockdown, but the bell saved him. He went into survival mode and showed grit to last the ten rounds.

Boardman had success during the rest of his career, which lasted until 1960 with two comeback fights in 1963, but never again did he reach the heights he climbed in 1956. In May of '57, an opponent of Boardman's refused to fight when only 200 people showed up to the venue.

Two years later, the California State Athletic Commission suspended both Boardmans when Larry pulled out of a fight promoted by Don Chargin. Sam claimed Larry had a nose injury and a bad right hand, but the commission would have none of it. The Boardmans packed up and fought in Florida and Boston instead.

Larry Boardman finished his career with a record of 45-10-1 with 23 KOs. After his career, he worked for Sears in Jacksonville, Florida for 25 years before retiring. In 2008, he was inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame.

Sources
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"Boardman Decisioned by DeMarco." Independent. Mar. 31, 1957. Pg. 31.

"Boardman Knocks Out Ryff 46 Seconds of Ninth Round in Garden Contest." New York Times. Jun. 2, 1956. Pg. 15.

"Boardman Outpoints Saddler in Boston." New York Times. Apr. 15, 1956. Pg. 209.

"Boardman Stops Carter in Eighth." Los Angeles Times. Sep. 12, 1956.Pg. A1.

"Boxing Cuban 'Dodges' Way to Split Win." The Wichita Beacon. Dec. 18, 1956. Pg. 17.

"Boxing Pilot is Suspended." The Sun. Jun. 11, 1959. Pg. S24.
"Class of 2008." Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame. 

Cuoco, Dan. "A Look Back at the Career of Lightweight Contender Larry Boardman." IBRO. Sep. 24, 2008.

"Fighter Won't Fight; Not Big Enough Crowd." Chicago Daily Tribune. May 29, 1957. Pg. B3.
"Larry Boardman." OOTP Forum. Jan. 9, 2005.

Pep, Wille and Robert Scachi. Friday's Heroes. 2008.

Weston, Stanley. "The Strange Case of Larry Boardman". Boxing and Wrestling. Feb. 1957.