Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson among stars to be honored by Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame

[blackrican23]

 

At one time or another, they all passed through here, and now they will gather for public recognition. The occasion will be the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame induction dinner Nov. 14 in Garfield.

Selection of the All-Stars was completed recently, and some of the most prominent names in the history of the sport are among them, including Newark-born Marvelous Marvin Hagler and the incredible Mike Tyson, the youngest world heavyweight champion ever, before his career took a sudden turn into the wrong direction.

No heavyweight ever caused such a stir, from champion to outcast, as did Tyson, and perhaps there never has been a more competent ring warrior than Hagler. He was a man born to fight.

Locally, fight promoter Gabe LaConte is in. The Newark native has made a valiant solo effort to revive the pro sport in a city where it once thrived, perhaps more so than anywhere else in the country. Newark sat at the foot of New York’s Madison Square Garden, the center of everything boxing in the world. With the rarest exceptions, if you didn’t fight in New York you didn’t fight anywhere.

Except in Newark. With its famed Laurel Garden, Meadowbrook Bowl and Dreamland Park, it was as much the center of professional boxing as anywhere else in the world, and there was no more popular sport.

It was in a sense its own universe, splintered into ethnic divisions. The trick was to develop a fighter of one ethnic or religious persuasion and an opponent of another background, and a sellout was inevitable. The black star was yet to dominate, particularly a master named Sugar Ray Robinson.

Today the center of boxing is somewhere in Europe and you get a prize if you can identify it.

Tyson, who came out of a neighborhood that should have been condemned, arrived on the scene with such fearsome names as Iron Mike, Kid Dynamite and The Baddest Man on the Planet. When he first arrived, he deserved every one of those calling cards. He was easily the most feared fighter in the world. His collapse, which included a stretch in jail, was one of boxing’s worst periods.

Hagler was one of the greatest fighters ever. The Newark native held the middleweight title for almost seven years before losing it to the great Sugar Ray Leonard.

LaConte is a man who won’t give up. He was a fighter, corner man, cut man, trainer, and most of all a promoter who has tried to keep his sport alive with occasional shows at the Robert Treat Hotel in Newark.

Some of boxing’s better fighters have appeared on his shows and no fewer than nine of them have fought for world titles.

Other honorees:

• Joe Gatti: Wasn’t as good as his younger brother, Arturo, but good enough to be recognized by the Hall.

• Bernard Fernandez: Boxing writer for 23 years in Philadelphia, member of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.

• Julie Lederman: One of the top judges in boxing, who has scored many high-profile bouts.

• Sal Lopez: Former New Jersey amateur champion, won the U.S. Boxing Association welterweight title.

• Carl Moretti: In boxing for 27 years, matchmaker at Madison Square Garden, now with Top Rank.

• Frank Savannah: Won U.S. Golden Gloves in 1991, then first 15 fights in row, now a trainer.

• Ray Mercer: A tough heavyweight who barred no one.

• Otho Tyson: Veteran of 40 pro fights, some with the best in the business:

• Harry Ertle (posthumously): Refereed more than 1,000 bouts, including famous Jack Dempsey-Georges Carpentier world heavyweight title fight.

 

http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/dorfman/index.ssf/2013/05/marvin_hagler_mike_tyson_among.html

[blackrican23]

man I would give my right arm to attend this

[Neil_]

U should go. What does it cost!?

[blackrican23]

I called around was told seating was mostly done off mailing list and event was sold out.Hagler is scheduled to appear. Man Marvin and Mike together , my dream come true