We had our largest crowd in years as Evander Holyfield and Luis Collazo were the guest speakers!

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, November 21st at O’Neill’s Restaurant located at 64-21 53rd Drive in Maspeth, New York starting at 7 PM., with Evander Holyfield and Luis Collazo as the guest speakers!

This meeting is for members only. Those not members can join that evening for ONLY $30, which is good through 2018.

Born October 19, 1962 in Atmore, GA. Holyfield capped his 160-14 (75 KOs) amateur career with a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympic Games and turned pro that year at Madison Square Garden.

In only his 12th fight, he defeated Dwight Qawi (W 15) for the WBA cruiserweight title and became the unified champion with wins over IBF champion Rickey Parkey (TKO 3) and WBC champion Carlos DeLeon (TKO 8). Holyfield set his sights on the heavyweight title and wins over James Tillis (TKO 5), Pinklon Thomas (TKO 7), Michael Dokes (TKO 10) and Alex Stewart (TKO 8) set up a 1990 WBC / WBA/ IBF championship fight with “Buster” Douglas, which he won via 3rd round knockout. Successful defenses over George Foreman (W 12), Bert Cooper (TKO 7) and Larry Holmes (W 12) followed. He lost the titles to Riddick Bowe in 1992 but regained the WBA / IBF belts in the infamous “Fan Man” 1993 rematch. He dropped the titles to Michael Moorer (L 12) in 1994 and met Bowe in a 1995 rubber match (TKO by 8). In 1996 he upset Mike Tyson (TKO 11) for the WBA title and won the rematch (DQ 3) the next year. He added the IBF strap with a rematch win over Moorer (TKO 8) in 1997. After unification bouts (D 12, L 12) with Lennox Lewis in 1999, he boxed a trilogy with John Ruiz that saw him win, lose and draw in 12-round WBA title bouts in 2000 and 2001.

“The Real Deal” continued to box until 2011, compiling a record of 44-10-2 (29 KOs).

Luis Collazo (born April 22, 1981 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American boxer of Puerto Rican descent. His boxing record is 39-5 (16 KOs). He is a former WBA welterweight champion. He won the WBC Welterweight Title when he beat Jose Antonio Rivera and defended it successfully by beating Miguel Angel Gonzalez before losing it to Ricky Hatton. He also fought Shane Mosley, Andre Berto, Amir Khan and Keith Thurman, just to name a few.

The event is Sunday, December 10th at Russo’s on the Bay! The Honorees are as follows:

Vasyl Lomachenko – Muhammad Ali International Fighter of the Year Award

Michael Spinks – Historical Award

Michael Conlan – International Prospect of the Year Award

Marcus Browne – New York State Fighter of the Year Award

Amanda Serrano – New York State Female Fighter of the Year Award

Bobby Cassidy Sr. – Sunnyside Gardens Award

Devaun Lee – New York State Prospect of the Year Award

Skender & Enver Halili – Rising Contender Award

Matt Christie – Sam Kellerman Media Award

Hector Roca – New York State Trainer of the Year Award

Edwin Torres – Long & Meitorious Service Award

Robert Perez – New York State Official of the Year Award

Mercedes Vazquez Simmons – New York State Promoter of the Year Award

Richard Kiley – Uncrowned Champion Award

Dr. Osric King – Ringside Physician of the Year Award

Joanne Doyle Hutchins – Good Guy Award

George Newman – Ring 8 Member of the Year Award

Mike Reno – Community Service Award

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Time is running out, PLEASE try to put in an AD in for our event.

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President Jack Hirsch opened the meeting as Paulette Balog led as in our flag salute and

(All Pictures taken by Stan Janousek, professional fight name Stanley Yanachek)

                                                              John Holden gave the 10 count.

Philippines, Referee Danrex Tapdasan was in town and stopped by and gave a very nice and funny speech.

He is a lawyer by profession, Danrex Joseph V. Tapdasan was born and raised in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, Mindanao Island, Philippines on March 17, 1978 and the 4th of the 5 children of Maximo Ceniza Tapdasan and Dr. Sergia Villamero Tapdasan.

He graduated Cum Laude at Silliman University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science.

He finished his Bachelor of Laws at San Beda College, Manila in April 2003 and passed the Bar Examinations on his first take.

Atty. Tapdasan has been a litigation lawyer all through out his career in the legal profession up to the present time. His fields of expertise include Family Law, Criminal Law, Civil Law, Labor Law, Corporate/Mercantile Law and Political Law.

He is a professor at the Jose Rizal University College of Law teaching Criminal Law 1, Intellectual Property Law, and Legal Ethics.

He started to officiate as a judge and referee in professional boxing in 2009 and he considers this as his weekend hobby and stress-buster from the long days of litigation work.

Bobby Cassidy Jr., talked about his New documentary on Sunnyside Gardens and then showed it to the membership, which was OUTSTANDING!!!

Bobby Cassidy Sr., then talked about his career in boxing including 25 of his fights at Sunnyside Gardens, winning all But 3 of them and they were by split decision.

New York State Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Cassidy, Sr. and his son, Bobby Cassidy, Jr., will be the Ring 8 guest speakers at its next monthly meeting on Thursday night, October 19 (7 p.m. ET start), at Plattdeutsch Park Restaurant (1132 Hempstead Turnpike) in Franklin Square, New York.

“We are anxiously looking forward to having the Cassidy’s as our guest speakers at the next Ring 8 meeting,” Ring 8 president Jack Hirsch said.

“It will also be a special treat for us to see the documentary on Sunnyside Gardens. Cassidy Jr. Is one of the most respected boxing journalists in the New York area, his dad one of the most exciting middleweights of his era. They will probably have some great stories to share.”

Cassidy, Sr. (59-16-3, 27 KOs) fought professionally between 1963 and1980, capturing the Irish-American and New York State light heavyweight titles.

His most notable victory, perhaps, was a 10-round split decision at the Felt Forum over world title challenger Don Fullmer in 1971.Bobby will speak about his career as a boxer and trainer.

Cassidy, Jr., who is a longtime sportswriter at Newsday, will discuss the rich boxing history of and documentary he made about the famed Sunnyside Gardens in Queens, where his father had a 22-3 record as one of the main attractions there.

The film covers the history of Sunnyside Garden Arena, a boxing arena that entertained fans of pugilism from 1947 until 1977. Legendary fighters came to Sunnyside Garden including Billy Graham, Floyd Patterson, Bobby Cassidy, Vito Antuofermo, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Gerry Cooney, Mustafa Hamsho and Saoul Mamby.

“Sunnyside Garden was an important part of my childhood,” said the film’s director, Chris Cassidy. “My father holds the record for most main events at Sunnyside. It became this mythical building to our family. When they demolished it, it was like they took away part of my childhood. I wanted to make this film to recreate that atmosphere, to bring all those memories back to life.”

The film features Bobby Cassidy, Congressmember Peter King and many of the fighters mentioned above.

In addition to his work as a sportswriter, Bobby Jr. is also a playwright having penned the acclaimed theatrical piece, “Kid Shamrock,” which was about his father’s life.

ABOUT RING 8: Ring 8 became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association – hence, RING 8 – and today the organization’s motto still remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.

RING 8 is fully committed to supporting less fortunate people in the boxing community who may require assistance in terms of paying rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need.

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 are only $30.00 and each member is entitled to a buffet dinner at RING 8 monthly meetings, excluding July and August.

All active boxers, amateur and professional, with a current boxing license or book are entitled to a complimentary RING 8 yearly membership. Guests of Ring 8 members are welcome at a cost of only $7.00 per person.

Dear Kind People:

We would appreciate it if you could get this out. The people in Mexico have suffered a second earthquake, and are devastated. The WBC will provide a certificate of Excellence to anyone who donates.

Right now, Carlos Slim is matching any amount donated by 5X. Amazing.

As always,
Jill Diamond – WBC

MEXICO EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND

President Jack Hirsch opened the meeting as Paulette Balog led the group in our Flag Salute and John Holden toll the Bell 10 times in the Memory of David Bey and Daniel McAloon.

Our guest speakers were Bruce Silverglade, Alex Montaldo & Frederick Romano.

(All Pictures taken by Stan Janousek, professional fight name Stanley Yanachek)

            Boxing Historian Frederick Romano gave a talk on his book “The Golden Age of Boxing on Radio and Television

Alex Montaldo and his wife talked on Parkinson and Boxing and how much boxing can help!

Bruce Silverglade talked on the history of the famous Gleason’s Gym.