Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame and Briscoe Awards Ceremony

On Sunday, 10/24/22, Philadelphia’s Briscoe Awards took place for the 15^th year. This year, the awards were combined with the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame Inductions as a stellar dual event. It was held at Rivers Casino, formerly the Sugar House, which appropriately has hosted many boxing cards. John DiSanto and VBA Ring #1 did their usual exceptional job of putting the event together and bringing it to fruition. MAX Boxing was among the sponsors who made the event a success, with some 400 attending.

Cutman Joey Eye and ring announcer Nino Del Buono emceed the event, introduced nearly everyone in the place, and kept it lively and entertaining. Bernard Hopkins was of course inducted in a no-brainer and, just as he did at the International Boxing Hall of Fame a few weeks prior, showed up and delivered a stirring oration on his challenging background, hard work and dedication. Bernard could have a second career as a motivational speaker. Not that he needs one.

Michael Moorer was inducted but unable to attend due to the long travel involved, as the Pittsburgh-area native is now living in Florida. But Michael Spinks was there and cordially circulated among the crowd before delivering a moving acceptance talk that focused largely on the loss of brother Leon and his impact on Michael’s career. Strangely missing was inductee Freddie Pendleton, who could not be successfully reached. But Lou Bizzarro was there and talked about his grueling trench warfare with Roberto Duran. So was inductee Zahir Raheem, who had defeated Erik Morales before coming up on the wrong end in a world title challenge with Acelino Freitas.

Not one but two Murrays were inducted, though far apart in time and involvement with the sport. “Battling” Murray was a flyweight and native Philadelphian who competed in 151 bouts in the early 20^th century, including battles with legends Pancho Villa, Jimmy Wilde, Johnny Buff, Frankie Genaro and “Bud” Taylor. Fast forward nearly a century and there was the affable and popular Rob Murray, one-time director of boxing at the legendary Blue Horizon, who was a fixture at ringside for decades and known by everyone in and around Philly boxing. He trained a plethora of local fighters and was an early manager of Bernard. Rob passed away in 2012.

Another great guy but sadly gone is Harold Moore, who boxed on undercards in the early ‘50s and then became a notable ringside figure in a variety of roles until his passing in 2009. Harold promoted and/or acted as matchmaker for countless shows at clubs all over Philly and in Atlantic City. He was prominent as matchmaker for Russell Peltz at the Blue Horizon, where he made Philly classics that are still remembered with praise.

A contemporary of Moore who was just as prominent and worked many of the same cards was referee Tommy Reid, who worked many of the local legendary contests at “The Blue”, the Arena, and the Spectrum. Credited with 119 shows, Tommy handled superstars like Briscoe, Hagler, Hearns, “Gypsy Joe”, “Cyclone”, Saad, “Boogaloo”, “Kitten”, Jeff Chandler, and every other star and prelim fighter of that great era. There would be no boxing without trainers…at least not any worth having a Hall of Fame…and honored accordingly was Tony Bersani, who had over a hundred amateur bouts himself before going on to train boxers at Philly’s signature local gyms, like Grays Ferry BC, Regular Fellows, and South Philadelphia BC. Most prominently, he trained champion Buster Drayton.

This is the Pennsylvania Hall, not the Philadelphia Hall, and there is a lot of great boxing going on at the other end of the state, in and around Pittsburgh. And so honored was Pittsburgh trainer Tom Yankello. A former amateur boxer, Yankello has gone on to establish his own club in Ambridge, PA, and has worked with Paul Spadafora and Roy Jones, along with local standouts like Monty Meza-Clay, Brian Minto, Verquan Kimbrough and Rod Salka. He also established a non-profit called Stay Off the Streets in order to provide positive activities and opportunities for young people who might otherwise be lost. Right in character, Tom delivered a no-nonsense talk about discipline and responsibility, and how they interact in boxing. And the final entry is another posthumous honoree, Dick Welsh. Also a Philadelphian, the bantamweight competed in the ‘20s and ‘30s in 108 bouts, which included fights at the famed “Blood Pit”, the Cambria, which ran boxing into the early ‘60s, along with the old baseball stadium Shibe Park and Madison Square Garden. Welsh met greats like “Midget” Wolgast, Lou Salica, Mike Belloise, and Joey Archibald.

At bit more focused on the immediate local scene, and therefor enjoying a dynamic of their own, are the Annual Briscoe Awards for the best in Philly boxing. Fighter of the Year went to Stephen Fulton with a commanding win over unbeaten Angelo Leo which set up a unification win at 122 pounds over another unbeaten, Brandon Figueroa, in a marquee contest in Las Vegas. No stranger to the Briscoes, Steph had previously won Breakout Fighter and Knockout of The Year awards.

Fighter of the Year naturally leads to Fight of the Year and this year’s was a daring but fitting choice. It went to a six-rounder, a wide open and determined slugfest between Chris Burgos and Gerardo Martinez, promoted by Joe Hand. Burgos got the verdict but it takes both fighters to deserve such an award, Burgos from Philly and Martinez out of nearby Coatesville.

The One To Watch award went to Jaron “Boots” Ennis, indeed a talent who has been garnering attention well beyond the local scene here. Boots scored two spectacular and commanding demolitions, over Sergey Lipinets and Thomas Dulorme, both on Showtime. Ennis had won previous Briscoes: Amateur, Rookie, and One To Watch.

From a rising star the focus shifted to an embattled veteran for Knockout of the Year. It went to a right hand landed by Gabriel Rosado on the jaw of unbeaten Bektemir Melikuziev in the third round. Rosado had been picked for a mere record builder against Bek but instead turned in an effort that was more like career ender for the highly touted opponent.

The portentous Prospect of the Year Award went to a Russell Peltz & Sampson Lewkowicz hopeful, Shinard Bunch. The active young welterweight won seven bouts on the year and was held to a controversial draw against a marquee opponent on  national TV. Were it not for the judging, Shinard could just as well have finished the prosperous year 8-0.

Rookie of the Year went to light heavy Atif Oberlton. A highly accomplished amateur, Atif had won a previous Briscoe as Amateur of the Year. Turning pro last year for Marshall Kauffman, Atif scored 4 KOs in as many bouts and added a fifth so far this year. Unfortunately for the local scene, he’s been fighting mostly out of town. Which segues neatly to this year’s Amateur Award winner, Juan Rivera. Boxing (amateurs don’t “fight”) out of Buddy Osborne’s tough Rock Ministries Gym in Kensington, Juan started the year with a Silver Medal at the US Nationals in Shreveport. He then took Gold at the Jr Olympics in Crosby, TX. Next, he won the Jr Division Nat’l Silver Gloves in Independence, MO. He then returned to the US Nat’ls in Shreveport (the previous appearance was a holdover of the 2020 event due to the pandemic), where he ran through the 138-pound class and won the incredible achievement of Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament! He has earned a #1 ranking at 138 worldwide.

Breakout Fighter of the Year went to Nahir Albright. Nahir started the year at 8-1, and was kept busy and advancing steadily by promoter Rodney Rice. He won 6 bouts, 5 by knockout. In the fourth of those bouts, he stopped 77-bout warhorse Cosme Rivera, then decisioned 15-1 Jeremy Hill, and stopped 15-1 Michael Dutchover, appearing in a national telecast that helped him crack the ratings. The steady and measured rise to increasing levels of success precisely illustrates what “Breakout Fighter” is about. On the flip side, we have

Upset of the Year, where the underdog shows why maybe he shouldn’t have been thought so. This one went to James Martin for his shock win over as touted a young prospect as there was, Vito Mielnicki Jr. With a 6-2 record and coming off a loss, Martin was considered a respectable W on the record of the heralded Mielnicki, in a FOX televised bout from LA. But James fought smart and steady, establishing the jab immediately, forcing the contest, and resurging after Vito began to gather momentum in the middle rounds. James got a close and fair majority win after 8 rounds. He’s the son of popular Jerry “The Bull”.

Honored with a special “Living Legend” Award was Eugene “Cyclone” Hart. Judged on his ferocity in the ring, the dynamic-punching Cyclone might have been thought fearsome and safely avoided. But outside the squared circle, he is pleasant and approachable, consistently appearing at amateur shows even with kids just starting out. He was one of the most exciting fighters in a most exciting era, when Bennie, The Worm, Boogaloo and Cyclone lit up The Spectrum in some of the hottest action in this city’s history. His career was against the best of their era, names like Hagler, Seales, Antuofermo and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. His wars with the namesake of these awards are local legend. Regrettably, Cyclone was not well and unable to attend. His son Jesse, a star in his own right, accepted. Let’s root for Cyclone to score one more victory.

Now a 3-time winner, Darryl Cobb Jr. once again garnered Photo of the Year, with a study of the battered countenance of Christopher Burgos after the previously-cited Fight of the Year. And a closing honor goes to veteran sports writer Bernard Fernandez, who covered boxing for decades in the newspaper, immortalized the careers of many of the names above, and was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY, actually in 2020 but postponed to this year by the pandemic.

Bernard was unable to attend that ceremony, so the PABHOF did the next best thing and honored him here. An honor more than well deserved.