25th Annual Ring 8 Holiday Ceremony Set For December 18

The 25th annual Ring 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony will be held Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:30 PM/ET), December 18 at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.

A star-studded group of past and present world champions and industry dignitaries will be in attendance. Steve Farhood will serve as Master of Ceremonies, while Dave Diamante will announce the award winners.

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.

“We’re excited to be celebrating the silver anniversary of the Ring 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said. “We continue our proud record of lending a helping hand to those in the boxing community who are less fortunate and may require assistance in terms of paying their rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need.

“Our Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony celebrates our great sport of boxing and insures that much-needed funding is raised so we may continue our mission for our needy brothers and sisters in boxing. We will never waver from their corners. With all of these outstanding boxers and award winners, we’re confident that this will be our most successful event.”

2011 Ring 8 Honorees

Fighter of the Decade (nineties) — 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 Jones, Ruiz and Adamek, other invited former world champion quests include Mark Breland, Juan LaPorte, Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill, Lonnie Bradley, Kathy “Wildcat” Collins, Iran “The Blade” Barkley and Junior “Poison” Jones, as well unbeaten, present IBF super featherweight champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano and NABF light welterweight titlist Gabriel “Tito” Bracero, and from the ‘The Contender” television reality series, trainer Tommy Gallagher.

Tickets, priced at $125.00 per person, are available to purchase by calling 1.718.729.4862, emailing DepComish@aol.com or mailing checks (payable to Ring 8) to Tony Mazzarella, C/O Waterfront Crab House, 2-03 Borden Ave., Long Island, NY 11101. Donations of any denomination are welcome for those unable to attend the festivities.

Tickets include a complete brunch with cocktail hour upon entry, seating at the awards ceremony, dinner and dessert, and top-shelf open bar throughout the afternoon. There will also be a silent auction of boxing memorabilia. This event is expected to sell-out and everybody is urged to purchase tickets as soon as possible in order to secure favorable seating. Boxing and sports memorabilia will be on display.

Program ads are available for Back Page ($250.00), Inside Front Cover ($200.00), Inside Back Cover ($200.00), Full Page ($150.00), Half-Page ($80.00), and Quarter-Page ($50.00). The deadline for all ads is Nov.290 and must be emailed (DepComish@aol.com) or mailed to Bob Duffy (516.313.2304), 164 Lindbergh St., Massapequa, NY 11762.

Call Tony Mazzarella (718.729.4862) for additional information about Ring 8 or its annual Holiday and Awards Ceremony, or go online to www.Ring8ny.com.

Russo’s On The Bay is located at 162-45 Crossbay Blvd. in Howard Beach (718.843.5055).

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.