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NEW YORK IS A BOXING TOWN

By C.J. SULLIVAN & DAVE HOLLANDER

HOLLANDER: C.J., when was the last time you got punched in the face? Not recently enough, I’d say. It’s a good thing you live in New York City. Unlike much of America, New York remains the vanguard of one of our greatest sports—boxing.  

While the rest of our nation of SPIKE TV dolts get punch drunk on Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the ‘sweet science’ thrives in our country’s cultural Mecca. Boxing is dead? Not if you’re in New York City. While I often deplore the Mall-ificiation of my beloved City, there still are golden moments when the rest of the country is doing one thing and New York is doing another. Professional boxing is one such moment.

This boxing revival has been led by two fearless local promoters: Lou Dibella of Broadway Boxing at The Hammerstein Ballroom and Cedric Kushner of Gotham Boxing at Roseland. Monthly, these gents put on what has been for several years now, one of the coolest nights out in the city. 

For a reasonable price of admission, you get the old school sights, sounds and smells that only an intimate 1,500 person boxing venue could offer. You hear punches land, and some of blood and sweat might very well land on you. Bruised, battered and stitched-up, fighters mix casually among the crowd after their bouts. 

And what a crowd! These are people who love and understand boxing; many who are personally connected to the combatants. Couples come dressed to the nines. Old salts shout instructions from their seats and fighters listen. Groups of fellas come to study the fight game. Local caterers line up tins of pasta and sausages, lending a family-style air to things. Everyone looks like they’ve been pulled straight out of central casting but it’s so real you can hardly stand it. In an effort to give Rocky Balboa some boxing street cred, Sylvester Stallone cast promoter Lou DiBella as himself.

After a full card of seven or eights fights in varying weight classes, you feel like you’ve actually seen something. Despite your weak ticker, C.J., I think you could handle the action. 

SULLIVAN: You are correct that I haven’t been punched in the face in a while but I would like to punch your self-satisfied mug. I won’t though, because of your miniature size I would probably be arrested by Child’s Services.

That said, you run to the Hammerstein and Roseland Ballrooms. Me, I am going to the theater at Madison Square Garden on March 16—St Patrick’s Eve—to watch two undefeated Irish middle weights.

“Irish” John Duddy, 18-0, and the WBC and IBO Middleweight champ will take on Anthony “the Bullet” Bonsante. His younger mate, Andy Lee, is 6-0 and is looking for the lucky 7 on the same card.

Given the dearth of sports fun to be had in this cold winter, boxing is the saving grace for New York. This city still “gets” boxing and we still produce some good fighters. Both Duddy and Lee are managed by Irish Ropes Boxing Gym out in Rockaway and they have a nice thing going.

After the Irish lads do their St Patrick’s Eve duty and beat down all comers we should get together and go to the Hammerstein or Roseland. I have been to both events and for once you are correct. It is a great night of boxing thrills, spills and vitamin pills. Or better yet, why don’t I just get it over with and beat you senseless in the gutter you write from.

HOLLANDER: Listen pops, the only reason I don’t do the honors on you personally is because I don’t need a law suit from the AARP. Sparring against your flaccid bloat would be like punching a bowl of oatmeal. Why don’t you shoehorn on your penny loafers and pay attention.

You want to talk about fighters who have come up locally? Broadway Boxing has shepherded the likes of Dimitriy “Star of David” Salita, Edgar “El Chamaco” Santana, Andre Berto, Sechew “Iron Horse” Powell and Pauli “The Magic Man” Malignaggi. Several recently “graduated” from Broadway Boxing to HBO’s Boxing After Dark.  Gotham Boxing proudly boasts the pugilistic accomplishments of Jorge “The Truth” Teron  and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin. These guys are top fighters and we see them all time here in New York.

Sometimes it’s seen and be seen time at the monthly events. Don’t be surprised to spill some drinks with current and former ring greats like Wladimir Klitschko, Andrew Golotta, Emil Griffith and Arturo Gatti. Last month I sat next to Vito Antefuermo for the entire night without incident. Each month, I have witnessed boxing-focused celebs ranging from Chuck Zito, Stephon Marbury, Julio Franco, Fat Joe and Matisyahu join in common cause.

And why wait for the drunk-fest at MSG on March 16, when your boy Shannon Briggs defends his WBO Heavyweight title at The Theater on March 10 against Russian tomato can Sultan Ibragimov? I’ll meet you there. Make sure you put your teeth in. Otherwise, yes, let’s do some Hammerstein or Roseland action.

SULLIVAN: The March 16th fight at the MSG Theater is being billed as “Erin Go Brawl.” Show up at your own risk. Although with your height you might be able to pass as a Leprechaun.

The last time Duddy fought at MSG he won a close fight against a seasoned Mexican fighter, Yori Boy Campas. The match was promoted as “Shamrocks Vs. Sombreros.”

Can you make this stuff up?

That is the beauty of boxing. It is old school. Old ethnic rivalries are still trotted out in an attempt to do a Rodney King 
“Can’t we all just get along.”

Alas, we can’t, but we can see some fine boxing in the meantime. As for March 10th, do not discount Sultan Ibragmov.
He is undefeated and has as many fans in New York as Briggs does. And by the way, did you see that Briggs pulled out of his most recent fight due to a cold which he is labeling “pneumonia”?

The Sultan labeled him heartless and called Briggs out. He will take on Javier Mora on March 10th, but his match up with Briggs in the spring promises to be a real brawl. Briggs is pissed at Sultan for his name calling in the media and the big Russian is unfazed and thinks Briggs is a spoiled American. All we need before this fight is to drag James Brown out of that coffin he is in and move him like a puppet to “Living in America.”
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