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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Cletus Seldin vs. Bayan Jargal I

July 18, 2014
Paramount Theatre
Huntington, New York


Seldin: purple trunks, white trim
Jargal: red trunks

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Samuel Horowitz vs. Eli Smith

November 29, 2014
Horseshoe Casino
Hammond, Indiana


Horowitz: black trunks, white trim
Smith: black trunks, red trim

Monday, December 29, 2014

Tony Milch vs. Ben Robinson

February 21, 2014
Camden Centre
London, England


Milch: white trunks
Robinson: black trunks

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Seldin Wins By TKO

Cletus Seldin defeated Bayan Jargal last night at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York. Seldin earned a ninth round TKO in a rematch of a July fight. Last summer, Seldin was controlling the action before a headbutt produced a cut over Jargal's eye and the bout was ruled a no contest.

Seldin, who weighed in at 139 1/4 pounds, knocked Jargal down twice in the fight. One knockdown came in the first after Cletus landed a chopping overhand right. The second one precipitated the end of the fight in the ninth.

Seldin improves to 15-0 with 12 KOs while Jargal falls to 17-6-3 with 11 KOs.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Milch Wins on Points

Junior middleweight Tony Milch defeated Zoltan Turai on points last Friday. The bout was a four rounder and took place at Camden Centre in London, England. Milch told The Jewish Boxing Blog that his strengths in the fight were "My work rate, punch variety and output and speed."

BoxRec reports Turai's height as 5'3 1/2". Milch believes BoxRec's listing is erroneous, telling The JBB, "If only he was that short." Milch believes Turai was 5'7" or 5'8".

Turai falls to 6-3 with 4 KOs. The Hungarian 154 pounder has lost three of his last four fights. Though Milch, who is now 6-0 with a KO, indisputably had the height advantage, he gave up 13 years to his 20 year old opponent. Milch hopes to get back into the ring in February.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Horowitz Scores Another KO

Sam Horowitz notched his second consecutive first round knockout last night. The light heavyweight defeated Eli Smith at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana.

Horowitz hasn't yet seen the second minute of a professional fight yet. He stopped Smith 42 seconds into the fight. Sam's first fight only lasted 28 seconds.

Horowitz is now 2-0 with two KOs. Smith falls to 1-7-1 with one KO.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

New Book: Crossroads Fight

Here's an except from the book Crossroads Fight, which is about a night of fights in Brooklyn and how it relates to the sport of boxing on the whole. It culminates with the main event between Dmitriy Salita and Gabriel Bracero.


[Between Rounds 4 and 5]
Steve Farhood announced, "We all know Dmitriy Salita very well. He's a charming, wonderful, intelligent guy, but if he has an inner beast inside him, he has to let it out. I don't know if he has it in him."

"You got to put three [shots] together," Salita’s trainer Sugar Hill explained in the corner. "You understand me? Dmitriy, do you understand me? Do you understand me?" Salita finally answered nonchalantly, "Yeah, yeah." Salita’s assistant trainer Nimral Lorick added, "If you're not going to fight, we're going to stop it."

Salita had experienced difficulties and disappointments in order to reach this point in his career. He had spent several years chasing credible opponents in order to quash the criticism of haters that he has padded his record with subpar opponents. Fights with Paulie Malignaggi, Mike Anchondo, Ismael El Massoudi, and Hector Camacho Jr. all fell through within the last couple of years. The haters salivated when Salita was stopped inside of one round against Amir Khan- far and away Salita’s toughest opponent- in Khan’s hometown of Bolton, England for a world championship belt. After the fight, Salita told The Forward, “It’s been hard. England was a very tough experience. It’s something that I had never gone through- an environment and circumstances that I had not experienced before, and they very much had an effect on what happened in the fight.”

The Khan fight has had a profound impact on the rest of Salita’s career. It has been hard for Salita to get important fights after the loss. Top Rank Vice President Carl Moretti explained, "I don't think he's an attraction anymore, after that fight with Khan.”

In the spring of 2013, a few months before signing to fight Bracero, Salita contemplated retirement. Salita told The Jewish Boxing Blog, "At this level of my career, I need the network and promoter to want to make these step-up fights... My friends in the boxing world tell me that logically it does not make sense that I do not get good opportunities, especially in New York City, the world's biggest Jewish metropolis. My record and fan support should make things easy, but they are very hard. I honestly feel that I have been getting second class treatment. It's very frustrating as you can imagine."

The fight against Bracero was the culmination of a multi-year quest to fight a respected opponent. Salita hoped a victory would lead to bigger and better things. “I think the winner of Paulie and Judah would make a lot of sense for me,” Salita thought.

Check out more from Crossroads Fight here.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Cletus Seldin and Bayan Jargal Will Try It Again

Cletus "Hebrew Hammer" Seldin is scheduled to face Bayan "The Mongolian Mongoose" Jargal in a rematch of their August fight. The first fight was ruled a No Contest after an accidental headbutt opened up a cut around Jargal's eye in the second round. The fight was stopped after the third round. The rematch is scheduled for December 20 and will be held in the same venue as the first fight, the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York.

In the first fight, Seldin (14-0, 11 KOs) used pressure and constant combinations to take control of the fight early. Jargal (17-5-3, 11 KOs) tried to box, but Seldin was adept at cutting off the ring. The clash of heads early in the second round posed a significant disadvantage to Jargal for the remainder of the fight.

The bout was broadcast on ESPN 2 in the United States. The rematch is scheduled for ten rounds in the junior welterweight division.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Horowitz to Fight in November

Light heavyweight Samuel "The Bear Jew" Horowitz is scheduled to fight on November 29 at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. It is marked down as a four round bout.

Horowitz won his debut in September in the same venue. He scored a first round knockout over Albert Harkins. No opponent has yet been named for the upcoming fight.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Milch Right Back in Action

Milch returned to the ring a week ago after sitting out eight months while nursing an injury. Milch will be right back in action in November. The junior middleweight is slated to take part in a four round bout on November 28 at Camden Centre in London, England. This will be the fourth time Milch will have fought at that location.

Milch is 5-0 with one KO. No opponent has yet been named.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Milch Wins Again

Junior middleweight Tony Milch kept his undefeated record intact with a points victory over Teodor Stefanov at the Park Lane Hotel in London, England last night. The bout was a rough affair.

Milch moves to 5-0 with one KO. The 33 year old hadn't fought since February due to a hand injury. Stefanov falls to 2-6.

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Milch Back in the Ring

Tony Milch is scheduled to fight again on October 23 at the Park Lane Hotel in London, England. This will be the 33-year old's first fight since February.

A 4-0 junior middleweight with one KO, Milch came to professional boxing later than most. His first career fight took place last year. He works as a trainer and had had a respectable amateur career.

No opponent has yet been named.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Seldin Scores Another Knockout

Cletus Seldin flattened veteran Ramesis Gil in the second round of their fight last night at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York.

Seldin weighed 141 pounds for the fight, the second lightest of his career. Gil was 138.75 pounds. The KO was Seldin's eleventh in 14 victories. Gill falls to 8-9-5 with 5 KOs.

After the fight, HBO's unofficial ringside judge Harold Lederman tweeted that Seldin "once again proved he is the hardest hitting junior welterweight in world."

Friday, September 19, 2014

Horowitz Wins in Debut

Samuel Horowitz win his professional debut against Albert Harkins at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. Horowitz won by first round knockout.

Horowitz landed an uppercut fifteen seconds into the fight sending Harkins down and out. Horowitz weighed in at 178 pounds while Harkins (1-8) was 177.5. Harkins has now been stopped seven times.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Brooks to Fight in October

Michael "Lefty" Brooks is scheduled to fight on October 24 at the Upsky Long Island Hotel in Hauppauge, New York. Brooks is coming off his first two consecutive losses against high level competition.

Last November, Brooks was outgunned by highly-touted undefeated prospect Karl Dargan. Brooks suffered his first stoppage loss last April when he lost to Jason Sosa.

An aggressive fighter who can box, Brooks (10-2-1, 2 KOs) is looking to rebound after a tough year int he ring. His bout is currently penciled in for six rounds with no opponent yet named.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Seldin to Face Gil

Cletus "Da Hamma" Seldin will move down to junior welterweight for his clash against Ramesis Gil on September 19 at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York. This will be Seldin's first fight since an impressive showing against Bayan Jargal, a fight that disappointingly resulted in a no contest due to a cut caused by a butt to Jargal.

Seldin (13-0, 10 KOs) is scheduled for his first bout at junior welterweight; he has spent his entire career at welterweight. For his fight against Jargal, Seldin weighed in at a career low 140.75 pounds. Da Hamma can box, but prefers to use aggression and a barrage of overhand rights to injure his opponents. He also has  mean left hook.

Gil (8-8-5, 5 KOs) is better than his record suggests. Ten of his last eleven opponents were undefeated when he faced them. The 31 year old Dominican native defeated two of those undefeated opponents and drew with prospect Jamie Kavanagh. Gil, who has fought between junior lightweight and junior welterweight, has lost to a few noted fighters, including Darleys Perez, Jerry Belmontes, and Karl Dargan.

Gil lost a split decision against the highly touted Dargan after knocking down the undefeated prospect from Philadelphia in the first round. Gil has a big overhand right, is committed to the body, and is a fast starter. That may pose a problem for Seldin, who can sometimes get caught hard blows early.

Gil can be neutralized by fast-handed boxers. Dargan and Anthony Flores, Gil's last opponent, each performed much better when sticking and moving against Gil. Gil has been stopped in half of his last four fights and four times overall. With Seldin's power, that's an ominous sign for Gil if he can't find early success.

This bout is scheduled for ten rounds. Neither man has fought beyond an eight-rounder in their careers.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Horowitz to Make Debut in September

Samuel "The Russian Concussion" Horowitz is scheduled to make his professional debut on September 19 at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. The Chicago native also goes by the nickname "The Bear Jew."

Horowitz, a light heavyweight, was originally scheduled to make his debut in June. The former MMA fighter is slated to participate in a four rounder. His opponent has yet to be announced.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Wohlman Falls to Velarde

Coming in at the lightest of his career, Zac Wohlman suffered his second career defeat last night at the Glendale Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California. Unheralded Paul Velarde won by unanimous decision.

As in his first defeat, a stoppage loss to Alonso Loeza in 2012, a lack of stamina was Wohlman's issue. He was unable to box and move as Velarde applied relentless pressure. Velarde was more skilled fighting on the inside, which was the primary location of the fight.

The judges' scores were 59-55, 58-56 twice. Wohlman is now 8-2-1 with one KO. Velarde moves to 4-4-3.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Wohlman to Face Velarde

Zachary Wohlman is scheduled to face Paul Velarde tomorrow at the Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California. This will be Wohlman's first scheduled junior welterweight bout of his professional career.

Wohlman (8-1-1, 1 KO) is the bigger man. He has weighed in for all ten of his bouts between 142 and 149 pounds. Riding a four fight win streak, Wohlman has shown flourishes of pop in recent contests without losing his identity as a boxer.

Velarde (3-4-3) has fought his entire career as either a lightweight or a junior welterweight. The California native has lost his last three fights. He hasn't stopped any of his opponents, but he hasn't been stopped either.

The fight is scheduled for six rounds.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Isaac Chilemba vs. Michael Gbenga

November 16, 2013
Turning Stone Resort and Casino
Verona, New York



Chilemba: gold trunks
Gbenga: blue trunks

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Chilemba Stops Cummings

Light heavyweight Isaac Chilemba won his third straight fight by stopping Cory Cummings in the seventh round at Revel Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Chilemba executed precise punching in busting up Cummings.

Chilemba initially was forced to deal with as Cummings's pressure, but Isaac quickly found the range and boxed his way to a comfortable victory. Two minutes and 28 seconds into the seventh round, Cummings corner asked for the fight to be stopped.

This was Chilemba's first stoppage victory since a 2011 KO of Jameson Bostic. A slick defensive boxer, Chilemba weighed in at 175.5 pounds, a pound and a half more the Cummings, who has now lost his last three bouts and is 2-7-1 in his last ten.

Chilemba improves his record to 23-2-2 with ten knockouts; Cummings is now 17-7-1 with 13 KOs.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Melson Tears Rotator Cuff

Junior middleweight Boyd Melson (14-1-1, 4 KOs) tore his left rotator cuff in sparring last Tuesday. The injury forces the cancellation of Melson's scheduled match with prospect Glen Tapia that was scheduled for July 26.

In his last fight, Melson suffered a self-described brachial plexus injury, which resulted in a heavy numb right arm. That bout resulted in a unanimous decision victory over Donald Ward in February. If surgery is required, this injury will likely put Melson on the shelf for the rest of the year.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Duer Retains Title

Carolina Duer retained her bantamweight belt with a unanimous decision victory over the tough Ana Lozano at Club Atletico Lanus in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After a rocky start, Duer landed more power punches at the end of her combinations.

The first round was as slow as Duer's entrance music (Diego Torres's Color Esperanza), but Lozano, a Venezuelan knockout artist, hit Duer with two hard counter rights in the round. By the end of the second round, it appeared as if Duer's reign as champion might be over. Lozano's straighter punches connected inside Duer's wild attempts. Duer boxed from the outside, but seemed unsure of herself. She was reluctant to use her normal strategy of rushing in and attacking.

In the third round, both women were willing to exchange, but neither could land much of anything. That was a positive development for Duer, because it halted Lozano's momentum. The fight then turned in the fourth. Duer used her customary bull rush with accompanying flying fists. Duer is always willing to throw two or three wasted punches to set up a big shot. She won the fourth through seventh rounds by doing just that. Her overhand right and left hooks came over the top of Lozano's straight, but gradually slowing, punches.

Carolina, who Ryan Bivins rates in the top 20 pound for pound, also used a combination where she threw a couple of body shots in order to lower Lozano's guard so that she could then punish her with a subsequent power punch. It was a combination that worked several times.

Duer often stormed in, threw combos, and gracefully exited before Lozano could mount an effective response. Duer's turn around was a testament to her championship determination and conditioning. Lozano, however, was no pushover. She boasted her best round of the fight in the eighth. Lozano continuously landed straight rights and left hooks. However, she didn't throw in combinations, so Duer was able to survive the assault without much damage inflicted.

The ninth was a solid comeback round for the champion. Duer has a habit, however, of coasting to the finish line in tenth rounds; Lozano's punching technique started to unravel by the end of the fight though, dispelling any chance of a late knockout. Duer briefly switched to the southpaw stance in virtually every round yet didn't find any success in doing so.

The judges saw the fight 98-92, 97-93 (twice) for the hometown fighter. Duer moves her record to 17-3-1 with five KOs, while Lozano falls to 8-2 with six KOs. The fight was held on the twentieth anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, nine miles from the site of the tragedy.

Friday, July 18, 2014

Seldin-Jargal Declared No Contest

Cletus "Da Hamma" Seldin controlled all three rounds against Bayan "The Mongolian Mongoose" Jargal until the fight was stopped and declared a no contest. Seldin's head smacked into Jargal's right eye in the opening moments of the second round. Jargal's eye quickly began to close and by the end of the third rest period, it was nearly shut.

Seldin (13-0, 10 KOs) applied instant pressure and relentlessly threw combinations. He launched a total of 89 punches in the first round alone. Seldin jabbed well early and landed a couple of thudding body shots with his right hand.

Jargal (17-5-3, 11 Kos) initially tried to punch with Seldin, but quickly decided to box. Seldin effectively cut off the ring, which neutralized Jargal's strategy. The headbutt in the second forced Jargal to cover up for about half of the round. Seldin wouldn't give the Mongoose time to collect himself.

Jargal did eventually land a solid uppercut, which led to Seldin using the cross-armed defensive tactic with good results. Seldin lost his mouthpiece in the round and was warned by referee Pete Santiago, but finished the second with hard uppercuts.

The doctor checked Jargal's right eye five seconds into the third round, but the fight was allowed to continue. Jargal started throwing hail mary shots, but failed to land. Seldin kept punching and was adept at taking any slight opening Jargal presented to him. Seldin snapped Jargal's head back with two powerful jabs in the round.

The fight was stopped before the start of the fourth round, rendering it a no contest. Seldin was disappointed with the outcome of the fight. But he had fared well against the toughest opponent of his career and exhibited more nuance in his game than he had before. He controlled the center of the ring, jabbed, defended well, and varied his punches. The bout was exciting and should lead to another television appearance for "Da Hamma."

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Seldin-Jargal Preview

Welterweight Cletus "Da Hamma" Seldin faces the toughest opponent of his career, Bayan "The Mongolian Mongoose" Jargal tomorrow night. The fight is scheduled to air on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights from the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York.

Seldin (13-0, 10 KOs), a 27 year old New York native, is a hard-charging puncher whose best punch is the overhand right. His defense is usually at its weakest early in the fights until he settles into the rhythm of the bout. He has fought only twice since February of 2013 because he was recovering from a shoulder injury. Though nine of his 13 wins have come against fighters with winning records, he hasn't yet faced anyone close to caliber of his next opponent.

Jargal (17-5-3, 11 KOs), a 32 year old Mongolian-born Virginia resident, has lost five of his last seven fights. He has a come-forward style that might be customized to allow Seldin to succeed. Jargal has been known to keep his hands too low, which is a dangerous proposition against the hometown opponent. The Mongoose tends to start strong and usually features a mid-round resurgence, as he did against Seldin's stablemate and future Manny Pacquiao opponent Chris Algieri in 2011.

Jargal does have knockout power. He has two first round stoppages in his last three wins. However, one was in 2010 against a badly faded Louie Leija, who did not put up a fight.

Seldin and Jargal have a common opponent, Luis Rodriguez. Seldin stopped Rodriguez in the third round in January of 2013 while Jargal fought Rodriguez to a majority decision three months prior.

Cletus weighed in at 140.8 pounds, the lightest of his career. Jargal came in at 141.2 pounds, the heaviest he's been since a 2010 decision loss to Steve Upsher Chambers. Seldin is 8-0 with 7 KOs at the Paramount Theatre; Jarrgal's only foray in the venue was the loss to Algieri. The fight is scheduled for eight rounds.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Melson Takes Step Up in Fighting Glen Tapia

Junior middleweight Boyd Melson is scheduled to fight tough prospect Glen Tapia at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on July 26. The fight will take place on the undercard of the HBO-televised Gennady Golovkin-Daniel Geale bout.

Melson (14-1-1, 4 KOs) has won his last four fights since a disputed draw against Jason Thompson to open up the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. Melson later avenged the draw with a unanimous decision victory over Thomspon. His last fight was last February; Melson fought with one arm in defeating Donald Ward by UD in the final boxing match at the famed Roseland Ballroom.

Tapia (21-1, 13 KOs) is coming off of a first round knockout of Keenan Collins earlier this month. His best win came last July when he stopped Abie Han, who was undefeated at the time. Last December, Tapia showed grit in a loss to all-action contender James Kirkland. Tapia didn't make it out of the sixth round, however.

Tapia's two best punches are the overhand right and the the left hook. Both were effective against Kirkland, who like Melson is a southpaw. But against Kirkland, Tapia showed poor defense. Tapia is best when he's allowed to come forward and pressure his opponent.

Melson can pressure or box, depending on what the occasion calls for. One big issue could be the weight. Against Ward, Melson was originally scheduled to make the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds. The contract had to be changed because Boyd had trouble making the weight. When it was all said and done, Melson couldn't even get under the middleweight limit of 160. Melson hasn't weighed as little as 154 pounds since 2012.

Tapia, a New Jersey native who is eight years younger and an inch taller than Melson, last made the 154 pound limit in the Han fight. He has never been over 159 pounds for a fight. Thus, Melson is the naturally bigger man, an advantage if he isn't drained by making weight.

The bout is scheduled for eight rounds and is currently set for the junior middleweight limit.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Horowitz's Debut Canceled

Samuel "The Bear Jew" Horowitz's debut was scheduled for last night in Hammond, Indiana. Horowitz, a former MMA fighter, was scheduled to take on 43 year old Mike Reiter, who is 0-4. The fight was canceled however and the 30 year old Chicago resident will have to wait to make his debut.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Seldin to Face Robinson in Step Up

Welterweight Cletus Seldin is scheduled to face Jared Robinson at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York on July 18. The bout will be likely be televised on ESPN2 in the United States.

Seldin (13-0, 10 KOs) has won two fights since coming off shoulder surgery last year. The hard-charging Seldin had an 8-fight KO streak snapped in his first fight back, a unanimous decision over veteran Gilbert Venegas last November. Seldin stopped journeyman Wilfredo Acuna in the seventh round in April.

Robinson (14-1, 6 KOs) will be a significant step up for Seldin. But the South Carolina native has a deceptively good record. All 14 of his wins came in the Carolinas and Georgia, places that are not known as boxing hubs. Robinson's last two wins came against opponents who were a combined 3-15-1 when Robinson faced them. He has defeated three opponents with winning records, although he hasn't stopped any of them. By contrast, Seldin has beaten all nine of his opponents who came in with winning records and KOed seven of them.

Robinson's last fight was a fourth round TKO loss to hot prospect Amir Imam in February. Robinson came out aggressive against the heavy-handed Imam and had the heavy favorite backing up throughout much of the first round by landing effective overhand rights. Imam hurt Robinson at the end of the first and Robinson was reluctant to throw from that point forward. In the fourth, Robinson was knocked out of the ring, but valiantly wobbled his way back through the ropes on his own accord before the fight was thankfully stopped.

The scheduled eight round affair between these two fast starters should be exciting while it lasts.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Samuel Horowitz Schedule to Make Debut

Light heavyweight Samuel Horowitz is scheduled to make his pro debut on June 20 at the Horseshoe in Hammond, Indiana. Horowitz is a former MMA fighter and has boxed as an amateur.

Horowitz fights under the nicknames "The Russian Concussion" and "The Bear Jew." The 30 year old fights out of Chicago and took part in the city's Golden Gloves the past two years.

Horowitz's fight is scheduled for four rounds.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Boyd Melson vs. Delen Parsley

March 7, 2012
BB King Blues Club and Grill
New York, New York


Melson: yellow and black trunks
Parsley: silver trunks, black trim

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Groenteman Wins Rubber Match

Barry Groenteman defeated Vango Tsirimokos for the second consecutive time in their third fight. Groenteman, who weighed 143.3 pounds won by unanimous decision on Monday at Topsportcentrum in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The judges scored the fight 59-55, 59-56, 58-56 all for Groenteman who improves his record to 11-7-2 with 2 KOs. He is 8-3-1 in his last 12 fights. Tsirimokos is now 6-7 with one KO and has lost his last five fights.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Ahrens Has Potentially Career-Ending Injury

Twenty year old junior middleweight Danny "Kid"Ahrens has dealt with an injured hand since his fourth pro fight in October. According to Barry Toberman of TheJC.com, the injury worsened during his next fight a month later.

The 5-0 Israel native has undergone surgery and will need rest to have any chance to come back to the ring. Danny's manager, Robert Waterman, told Toberman, "Danny wanted to do nothing other than professional boxing since he was a child. He is devastated."

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Wohlman Feeling More Comfortable in the Ring

Zachary Wohlman defeated Eddie Cordova by unanimous decision last Saturday at the Forum. Wohlman told The Jewish Boxing Blog that his victory was "a good win mentally," although he recognizes he has things to work on in the ring. The fight was the first match in a big time venue since his November 2012 loss to Alonso Loeza at the Staples Center, a fact that made Wohlman admittedly nervous.

Interestingly, Wohlman-Cordova was scheduled as a swing bout, meaning that the fighters did not know at what time they would be in the ring until the last moment. But Wohlman explained that the bout took place over an hour earlier than he expected. "My hands weren't even wrapped when they told me it was time."

The scheduling miscommunication actually aided Wohlman, because he was nervous heading into the fight due to the legacy of the Forum. Since the fight time was earlier than he had thought, Wohlman didn't have a chance to be extra nervous in the moments before he strolled to the ring.

The win not only allowed Zac to move past being starstruck by big venues, but he felt more comfortable in the ring than before. He talked about working on sitting down on his punches more, but acknowledged that he likes his current box and move style. He said tongue in cheek, "It's called boxing, not stand there and get punched in the face."

With regards to his perceived lack of power, Wohlman discussed his admiration for the legendary Jewish boxer Benny Leonard. Zac noted, "They never talk about how much power he had; they talk about how smart he was." Wohlman also expressed his respect for the recently retired former champion, Yuri Foreman, "Personally, I love his style."

Wohlman plans to get back into the gym tomorrow. He feels rededicated to boxing after a recent visit to Israel and a moving tour of Yad Vashem. Wohlman explained that the trip had a profound impact on him. "When I got my tattoo (of the Star of David on his torso), I was 21 years old and I thought it was a religious thing. But seeing all of those flags at Yad Vashem, I realized it's bigger than that. I have the flag of a whole country on me. I feel the responsibility that comes with it."

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Yuri Foreman Announces Retirement

In a strange turn of events, Yuri Foreman announced his retirement yesterday. As part of his comeback, Foreman was scheduled to face Jorge Melendez on the undercard of the June 7 pay per view battle between Sergio Martinez and Miguel Cotto.

He wrote on Facebook, "Unknowingly I signed a very harmful contract regarding my boxing [career]. I tried all possible ways to free myself from it, but nothing else I can do, [then] announce my retirement from boxing. So from now I'm on to bigger and better things. Much blessings."

Len Zimmerman of Lenco Sports management has been Foreman's new manager since it was announced on July 10.

Foreman's promoter, Lou DiBella addressed the situation, "Yuri Foreman has been training hard for his fight on June 7 against Jorge Melendez. At this moment, there is a dispute within Yuri's team that does not involve DiBella Entertainment. Yuri has worked very hard on his comeback to get to an opportunity like this. Lou DiBella and DBE have a great working and personal relationship with Yuri. We are awaiting a phone call and hope to see him fight on June 7th at MSG. This will be resolved very shortly."

Foreman, who is 33 years old, won the WBA junior middleweight belt in 2009 and relinquished the title in a memorable match against Cotto the following June. If this is the end of Foreman's boxing career, it is an unfortunate conclusion for one of the best Jewish boxers in recent memory.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Wohlman Outboxes Cordova

Zachary "Kid Yamaka" Wohlman defeated Eddie Cordova by unanimous decision earlier tonight at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Wohlman outboxed a game Cordova throughout the four-round affair.

After the opening bell, Wohlman and Cordova raced at each other and traded punches. Wohlman got the better of the exchange by sticking to the body first and then working his way up to his opponent's head. Halfway through the round, Wohlman transitioned to boxing. He slipped Cordova's attack while landing jabs and left hooks.

Wohlman landed more blows over the next two rounds as he backed up. By moving as he punched, Wohlman neutralized his own power, however. He also fell into a tendency of releasing one punch at a time, although Zac was very accurate. Cordova gallantly chased Wohlman, but couldn't cut off the ring and was thus ineffective. In the second round, Cordova featured a cut over his left eye. By the third, Cordova began to slow down.

Before the third round, Wohlman's trainer, Eric Brown, advised Zac to come forward and back up Cordova. Wohlman eventually tried in the fourth, but his natural inclination when on the inside is to hold. Since Cordova's only real hope was to land something when both men were in close, Zac expertly pinned Cordova's arms so Eddie was unable to throw punches. Wohlman would then potshot the journeyman from the outside.

Though the fourth round was more competitive, the outcome of the fight was never in doubt. Tony Crebs scored the fight 40-36 while David Mendoza and Raul Caiz Jr. both saw it 39-37. The Jewish Boxing Blog had it 40-36 in favor of Kid Yamaka.

Wohlman improves his record to 8-1-1 with one KO. Cordova is now 4-8-1 with one KO.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Groenteman to Face Tsirimokos is Rubber Match

Junior welterweight Barry Groenteman is scheduled to face Vango Tsirimokos for a third time on May 26 at Topsportcentrum in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Each has won once against the other.

Tsirimokos (6-6, 1 KO) won by unanimous decision last October. After winning the next month, the 28 year old has lost four straight. One of those four came in the rematch against Groenteman.

Groenteman (10-7-2, 2 KOs), who is also 28 years old, won by unanimous decision in March against Tsirimokos, which snapped a two fight losing streak. The first fight in that streak was against Tsirimokos.

With the score even at one, their third bout is scheduled for six rounds.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Wohlman to Fight This Week

Welterweight Zachary Wohlman is scheduled to be back in the ring on Saturday at the Forum in Inglewood, California on the undercard of Juan Manuel Marquez-Mike Alvarado. Wohlman's opponent is slated to be journeyman Eddie Cordova.

Wohlman (7-1-1, 1 KO) has won his last three fights, including a majority decision over Luis Hernandez in February. The 25-year old California native is a slick boxer who has been more aggressive at times in recent fights. In his lone loss to Alonso Loeza in 2012, stamina was a problem.

Cordova (4-7-1, 1 KO) is a 35-year old from Utah. Cordova has lost 6 of his last 7 fights. The only win came over Hernandez last summer. Cordova lost two unanimous decisions in April as a junior middleweight. Last July, Eddie was stopped in the first round against Olympian Errol Spence after a body shot. Cordova is a come-forward fighter who is often off balance.

This fight is scheduled for four rounds.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Seldin Stops Acuna

Cletus Seldin earned his tenth career KO with a seventh round stoppage of journeyman Wilfredo Acuna at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York last night. Seldin has now won eight times in eight fights at the Paramount.

Seldin, who weighed 143.8 pounds, knocked Acuna down int he first round with a right to the body. Acuna, who weighed 144.8 pounds, showed toughness to stay in the fight under Seldin's onslaught. In the seventh, referee Arthur Mercante Jr. stopped the fight due to a barrage of punches delivered by Seldin..

Seldin is now 13-0 while Acuna falls to 15-14 with 12 KOs.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Sosa Stops Brooks

Michael "Lefty" Brooks suffered his second career loss last night when he was stopped by Jason Sosa in the ninth round at the Bally's Event Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Brooks has now lost his last two fights.

Sosa controlled the action for much of the night. In the third round, he knocked Brooks to the canvas. In the ninth, one punch ended the fight. Brooks was taken to a local hospital after the fight as a precautionary measure.

Brooks, who weighed in at 133 pounds, falls to 10-1-1 with 2 KOs. Sosa, who was 130.5 pounds, moves to 12-1-3 with 8 KOs.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Documentary Being Made about a Potential Jewish Boxer

David Waknine, a Jew born in Morocco, was an amateur boxer during the late 1980s and early 1990s. A new documentary about Waknine's journey towards turning professional to honor his late trainer is currently in production. Here is the trailer:

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Mendoza the Jew: Boxing, Manliness, and Nationalism

Here is an interview with author and professor Ron Schechter about his new book on pioneer Jewish boxer Daniel Mendoza.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Seldin to Face Acuna

Welterweight Cletus Seldin is scheduled to face journeyman Wilfredo Acuna at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington, New York on April 24. Seldin, who had a shoulder injury last year, has fought only once in the previous 14 months.

Seldin (12-0, 9 KOs) defeated Gilbert Venegas by unanimous decision in November, a result that terminated an eight-fight knockout streak. Acuna represents the most experienced fighter Seldin, a 27-year old from Long Island, New York, has ever faced.

Acuna (15-13, 12 KOs) is a 32-year old southpaw from Nicaragua. He hasn't had much success in the ring recently. A victory over a winless fighter in December ended a six-fight losing streak and he has lost 9 of his last 11 fights. At his worst, Acuna steps first and then throws arm punches. His right hook is a wild slingshot thrown from his shoulder. But at his best, Acuna can stick and move and has shown knockout power, although most of his KOs came against nondescript opponents in Central America.

Most of Acuna's losses have come at the hands of opponents with good records. Seven of his losses came against undefeated fighters and two more were to foes with only one loss. But most of his best work came at junior lightweight. This bout is at welterweight.

This fight is scheduled for eight rounds.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Lefty Brooks in Tough Again

Mike "Lefty " Brooks will face a well-regarded opponent yet again. On April 12, Brooks is scheduled to face Jason Sosa at Bally's Event Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey in a junior lightweight bout.

Brooks (10-1-1, 2 KOs) is coming off of a spirited defeat against an undefeated hot prospect, Karl Dargan, last November. In August, Brooks defeated Chip Perez, who possessed an impressive 10-2 record at the time of their clash.

Sosa (11-1-3, 7 KOs) has also defeated Chip Perez. Their fight took place in January of 2013 and Sosa was able to floor Perez with a short right that punctuated a combination at the end of the opening round. Sosa, a 26 year old from Camden, New Jersey, likes to stalk his opponent, which could make for an exciting fight with Brooks, who can box, but is often a come-forward guy.

Sosa has won his last seven fights and has KOed his last six opponents. Sosa's only loss came against Treysean Wiggins in 2010. Sosa was knocked down three times and stopped in the fight round by Wiggins, a tall southpaw.

While Brooks and Sosa are the same age, the Long Island native has a one and half inch advantage over Sosa. Mike's bigger advantage might be his southpaw stance. The Wiggins fight was the only time Sosa has faced a southpaw during his professional career.

This bout is scheduled for 10 rounds.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Groenteman Avenges 2013 Loss

Barry Groenteman defeated Vango Tsirimokos by unanimous decision last night at Theater aan de Parade in Den Bosch, Netherlands. With the win, Groenteman avenged a close unanimous decision loss last October.

Groenteman snapped a two-fight losing streak by winning this six rounder. Tsirimokos has now lost three straight fights. Groenteman advances his record to 10-7-2 with two KOs. Tsirimokos falls to 6-5 with one KO.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Chilemba is Golden Against Grachev

Light heavyweight Isaac "Golden Boy" Chilemba dominated highly-regarded power puncher Denis Grachev at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethleham, Pennsylvania. Chilemba's defensive skills kept Grachev's dangerous overhand right at bay throughout the bout.

Chilemba (22-2-2, 9 KOs), wearing gold trunks and weighing just under the 175 pound light heavyweight limit, grabbed control of the fight from the outset by dictating pace with his jab. Grachev (13-3-1, 8 KOs), who was just over the limit, touched Isaac early, but Chilemba repeatedly snapped his jab in Grachev's face.

In the second round, Chilemba became more aggressive and added an array of power punches to his arsenal. He never initiated a body assault, but with his reach advantage and defense, he didn't need to. Chilemba used subtle upper and lower body movement in order to avoid Grachev's punches and remain in position to land thudding counters. Whenever Grachev was ready to throw one of his bombs, Chilemba had already moved out of the way and was in position to attack.

Chilemba looked extremely impressive the whole night. In the sixth and eighth rounds, he decided to fight on the inside and trade with Grachev. Isaac came away with a bloody nose in the sixth, but his hand speed helped him win those exchanges anyway. In the ninth, Chilemba was cut on the right side of his head because an apparent head clash. Grachev's left eye was bleeding and swollen for much of the bout because of Chilemba's lead rights.

The judges rewarded Chilemba for his dominance. Isaac, who landed about 200 more punches than did Grachev, won with scores of 100-90 and 99-91 (twice).

Chilemba's masterful performance puts him in the discussion for a title shot. Grachev's style was tailor made for Chilemba, but Isaac has the defensive skills and ability to counter to challenge the best in the division.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Groenteman Gets Rematch Against Tsirimokos

Junior welterweight Barry Groenteman will have a chance to avenge a loss last year against Vango "The Greek" Tsirimokos. The bout is scheduled for March 17 at Theater aan de Parade in Den Bosch, Netherlands.

On October 14 last year, the Belgium-resident, Tsirimokos took a close eight round decision over Groenteman. Since that bout, both men haven't had a lot of success. Vango took part in a tournament in Belgium about three weeks after the Groenteman fight. He won by unanimous decision in the semi-final, but was KOed in the second round of the final on the same day. He then was stopped in January against a debuting fighter. Tsirimokos is now 6-4 with 1 KO.

Groenteman (9-7-2, 2 KOs) lost to Hedi Slimani by decision last month in the only fight since the loss to Vango. Groenteman is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak. Despite his seven losses, Groenteman has shown a sturdier chin than has Vango. Barry has never been stopped during his pro career.

The bout is scheduled for six rounds. Groenteman has gone six or more rounds 13 times. Tsirimokos has gone at least as many rounds only four times.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Chilemba to Face Grachev in March

Light heavyweight Isaac Chilemba is scheduled to face Denis Grachev on March 15 at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. This is Chilemba's biggest fight since he faced Tony Bellew twice in 2013.

Chilemba (21-2-2, 9 KOs) followed up his controversial draw and subsequent loss to Bellew with a win over Michael Gbenga in November. Isaac is a crafty defender whose downfall can be an overly-selective offensive attack.

Grachev (13-2-1, 8 KOs), a 31 year old Russian, has a better resume than his record suggests. Three of his past four wins have come against undefeated fighters with over ten wins each. The most impressive victory came in the form of a KO against a then undefeated highly touted prospect Ismayl Sillakh. Grachev also gave former world champion Zsolt Erdei his first loss.

But Grachev has lost two of his last three bouts. Grachev's first loss came at the hands of former world champion Lucian Bute in 2012. Grachev, whose best punch is an overhand right that explodes out of a wide stance, was stopped in the first round of his last fight against Edwin Rodriguez.

The card will be televised on NBC Sports in the U.S. This bout is scheduled for ten rounds.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Milch Wins by Decision

Tony Milch defeated Ben Robinson on points Friday night at Camden Centre in London, England. Milch, a junior middleweight, showed more skill against his heavier opponent.

Referee Jeff Hinds scored the bout 39-37 for Milch. In Britain, four-round bouts are only judged by the referee. Milch moves his record to 4-0 with one KO while Robinson falls to 0-2.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Melson Wins at Roseland

Boyd Melson defeated Donald Ward by majority decision in the last ever boxing match in Roseland Ballroom history. Ward took the fight on ten days notice, a late replacement for Mike Ruiz, who backed out.

Before the bout, Ward expected Melson to try to brawl with him. Melson fought smarter than that. During the first two rounds, Melson rushed in when he found an opening for his left. Initially, Ward came charging in, but he ran into a straight left and remained passive for the rest of the bout. Nicknamed "Rainmaker," Melson effectively cut off the ring and controlled the center.

In the third round, Ward finally showed signs of aggression, landing a number of rights to the body. Melson was warned for hitting behind the head in the round and a cut developed around his right eye after a butt. Ward won the round and changed momentum.

The following round was nearly disastrous for Boyd. He later claimed his suffered a brachial plexus injury, which resulted in a heavy numb right arm. He shook his right repeatedly, but couldn't throw it. With Ward surging, Melson could've lost the fight right then. Instead, he landed with lefts. The setback was a learning experience for Boyd, who won the round anyway.

In the corner, Melson told his coach, "I learned he's a sucker for the straight left," adding the obvious, "Coach, I have no right hand."

Melson continually landed those lefts and then leaned to avoid any counters. It took too long for Ward to adjust. Though Ward had never fought a southpaw until that night, he was known to switch stances. By staying in a southpaw stance, Ward could have better neutralized Melson's straight left. Ward also should have circled to his left to avoid his opponent's left hand. He did neither and lost a slow fifth round.

Ward came back in the sixth and attacked Melson's body again. Melson showed his right hand more, but without conviction. At the end of the round, referee Eddie Cotton yelled, "Stop." Melson threw a right afterwards and immediately, told Ward, "Sorry."

Melson dictated the pace of the seventh and eighth rounds, becoming slightly more confident in his right and landing with his left.

Julie Lederman scored the fight 79-73; Don Trella had it 78-74; and Kevin Morgan inexplicably saw it 76-76. The Jewish Boxing Blog scored the fight 78-74 for Melson. A major component of the fight was Melson's weight issue. He weighed in at the second heaviest of his career and couldn't even make the 160 pound middleweight limit. Ward, a native of Memphis, was only 155 pounds and has now lost three of his last four fights.

After the bout, Cotton tried to raise Melson's right in triumph, but Boyd begged him to raise his left instead. Melson moves his record to 14-1-1 with 4 KOs and Ward falls to 6-4 with 3 KOs.

The Roseland Ballroom, opened in 1922, will close down in April. The Manhattan venue has been a staple for Broadway Boxing and has feature a number of current Jewish boxers. This was Melson's fifth appearance at Roseland. Dmitriy Salita, Yuri Foreman, and Ran Nakash all fought at Roseland.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Wohlman Wins By Decision

Zachary "Kid Yamaka" Wohlman won by majority decision against Luis Hernandez at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood California. The judges scored the bout 39-37 (twice), 38-38.

Wohlman came in the lightest of his career, weighing in at 142.8 pounds. He grabbed his third consecutive win and pushes his record to 7-1-1 with one KO. Hernanadez, who was coming off Hernandez is now 2-6 with two KOs.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Groenteman Falls to Slimani

Junior welterweight Barry Groenteman lost to Hedi Slimani by unanimous decision on Saturday night at Sporthal in Langemark, Belgium. The judges scored the bout 80-72 twice, and 79-73.

Groenteman fell for the second consecutive fight. His record is now 9-7-2 with two KOs. He has never been stopped. Slimani moves his record to 15-2 with 8 KOs.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Wohlman to Fight in February

Welterweight Zachary Wohlman is scheduled to fight on February 6 at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood, California in a four-round bout.

Wohlman (6-1-1, 1 KO) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Steve Conkin in November. This will be Wohlman's fourth fight at the Florentine Gardens and his second consecutive at the venue.

An opponent has not yet been named.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Groenteman to Face Slimani

Barry Groenteman is scheduled to face Hedi Slimani on January 25 at Langemark in West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. The bout is scheduled for eight rounds.

Groenteman (9-6-2, 2 KOs), from Amsterdam, has won two of his last fights although he is coming off of a close decision loss against Vango Tsirimokos in October. Groenteman is the naturally bigger man, fighting mostly at junior welterweight. Slimani has fought mostly as a lightweight.

Slimani (14-2, 8 KOs) is ten months younger and has fought eight fewer rounds than Groenteman. Slimani, a Tunisian who fights out of Belgium, has won six consecutive fights. He is 6-2 in fights against opponents with winning records.

Friday, January 10, 2014

Melson to Face Ruiz

Junior middleweight Boyd Melson is scheduled to face veteran Mike Ruiz on February 12 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, New York. Melson, who took part in the first ever boxing match at Barclay's Center, will take part in the last boxing match at Roseland, which is closing down this spring.

Melson (13-1-1, 4 KOs), a southpaw, is coming off of a convincing win over Gundrick King in December. Ruiz (17-8, 9 KOs) is coming off of a loss to Charlie Ota in November. Ruiz is a tough opponent for Melson. The veteran has been in with Glenn Tapia in addition to Ota. he possesses good power and is best when he comes forward.

Melson hold a height advantage over Ruiz and is the naturally bigger man. Melson has fought mostly within a couple of pounds of the junior middleweight limit. Ruiz has vacillated between welterweight and junior middle. Ruiz, a 28 year old, is four years younger than Melson and has had ten more fights and has 35 more rounds of professional experience.

This bout is scheduled for 10 rounds. Melson has never fought past the eighth round while Ruiz has done so twice.