Stars Come Out To Support Ring 8 Holiday Event

Star boxers, industry dignitaries and fans turned out in record numbers for the recent 25th annual Ring 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

A sold-out crowd of more than 500 enjoyed a day of boxing. “People came out in force and this was our largest attendance ever,” Ring 8 President and dinner chairman Bob Duffy said. “On behalf of all Ring 8 members, I’d like to thank everybody for attending, especially the award winners, many of whom traveled a great distance to be with us on the silver anniversary of our Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony.

“A good time was had by all. All of the award winners received a brass plaque, exclusively molded for Ring 8. Manny liked it so much he took it home on the plane and proudly showed it off in Detroit. We’re looking forward to next’s year holiday event, as well as the first New York State Boxing Hall of Fame awards dinner, April 1st at Russo’s On The Bay.”

Master of Ceremonies Dave Diamante announced all of the award winners:

2011 Ring 8 Honorees

Fighter of the Decade (1990’s): Roy Jones, Jr.
Fight of the Year: Delvin Rodriguez vs. Pawel Wolak
First Hispanic Heavyweight Champion of the World: John Ruiz
Outstanding Achievement Award: Tomasz Adamek
Trainer of the Decade: Emanuel Steward
Ring 8 Promoter of the Year: Ziggy Rozalski
Uncrowned Champion: Michael DeLaRue
Longevity Service to Amateur Boxing: Frank Pena
Humanitarian Award: Jill Diamond
Amateur Boxer of the Year: Marcus Brown
Ring 8 Member of the Year: Keith Sullivan
Official of the Year: Ralph Petrillo
Ring 8 Boxing Historian: Henry Hascup
Manager of the Year: Philip Pilevsky

In addition to award-winners Jones, Ruiz and Adamek, other world champions in attendance included Mark Breland, Juan LaPorte, Iran “The Blade” Barkley, “Downtown” Leona Brown and Junior “Poison” Jones.

Active boxers joining Fight of the Year participant Delvin Rodriguez and 2012 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team member Marcus Brown included unbeaten IBF super featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano, NABF light welterweight titlist Gabriel “Tito” Bracero, popular heavyweight Vinny Maddalone, and world title challenger Cindy “Checkmate” Serrano.

Additional retired boxers included Bobby Cassidy, Sr., Hubert Hilton, Mark Medal, Bobby Bartels, Lennie Mangiapane, and Mark McPherson.

Boxing dignitaries there in addition to the aforementioned award winners included IBF President Darryl Peoples, IBF Championship Chairman Lindsey Tucker, HBO “judge” Harold Lederman, NABF President Joe Dwyer, New York State Athletic Commission Chairperson Melvina Latham, ESPN boxing analyst/trainer Teddy Atlas, former NYSAC Chairperson Ron Scott Stevens, trainer Tommy Gallagher (“The Contender” series), international manager Stan Hoffman and former NYSAC commissioner and Ring 8 President Bob Duffy.

Other celebrities included the cast of the New York-based play, Kid Shamrock, based on the life of Bobby Cassidy, Sr., along with the screenplay writer, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., and executive producer Dave Schuster.

Ring 8 was formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, and it became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association — hence, Ring “8” — and today the organization’s motto remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.

Go on line to www.Ring8ny.com for more information about Ring 8, the largest group of its kind in the United States with more than 350 members. Annual membership dues is only $25.00 and each member is entitled to a buffet dinner at Ring 8 monthly meetings, the third Tuesday of every month, excluding July and August. All active boxers, amateur and professional, are entitled to a complimentary Ring 8 yearly membership.