PHILLY BOXING HISTORY

  

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PHILLY BOXING HISTORY RESUME

Objective:
To preserve and honor the history of boxing in Philadelphia via a comprehensive web site as well as other public works.

Accomplishments:
2004 - Founded web site - phillyboxinghistory.com.

2005 - Established the Gravestone Program.
2005 - Placed a headstone for Tyrone Everett.
2005 - Became a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO). 
2005 - Became a member of the Veteran Boxers Association - Ring One (VBA). 

2006 - Placed a headstone for Gypsy Joe Harris.
2006 - Assisted in placement of the Tommy Loughran Historical Marker (location & fund-raising).
2006 - Partnered with Bennie Briscoe on the creation of the Briscoe Award.
2006 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Jeff Chandler & Gypsy Joe Harris.

2007 - Commissioned the statue of Bennie Briscoe (for Briscoe Award purposes). 
2007 - Established the Briscoe Awards.
2007 - Established the Philly Boxing History Archive Service.
2007 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Bennie Briscoe, Dick Turner, Augie Pantellas & Len Matthews.

2008 - Launched the web site - briscoeaward.com.
2008 - Honored Steve Cunningham as the first-ever Philly Fighter of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2008 - Honored Lenny DeVictoria vs. Elad Shomuel fight as the 2007 Philly Fight of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2008 - Restructured the PA Boxing Hall of Fame nomination and voting processes.
2008 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Percy Bassett, Charles Brewer, & Larry Holmes.
2008 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Curtis Parker, Meldrick Taylor, & Tim Witherspoon.
2008 - Presented Honorary Briscoe Awards to Bennie Briscoe, Harold Johnson and J Russell Peltz.
2008 - Placed a headstone for Garnet "Sugar" Hart.
2008 - Announced the Joey Giardello Statue Project.
2008 - Served as Project Manager for the Joey Giardello Statue Project (through 2011).

2009 - Launched the web site - joeygiardello.net.
2009 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Sidney "Sweet Pea" Adams, & Henry "Toothpick Brown. 
2009 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Robert "Bam Bam" Hines, Garnet "Sugar" Hart, & Charlie Scott
2009 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Eddie Aliano & Jimmy Wilson.
2009 - Held the first ever Briscoe Awards event (second year of the awards).
2009 - Honored Bernard Hopkins as the 2008 Philly Fighter of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2009 - Honored Gee Culmer vs. Jameel Wilson as the 2008 Philly Fight of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2009 - Honored Joey Dawejko with the 2009 Everett Brothers Award (for an amateur boxer).
2009 - Served as Project Manager for the Joey Giardello Statue Project (through 2011).

2010 - Designed the official poster and program for the PA Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
2010 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Billy Arnold, Charlie "Choo Choo" Brown, Ed Derian, & Mike Everett.
2010 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Leotis Martin, Quenzell McCall, & Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
2010 - Designed the official poster and program for the Derek Ennis-Gabriel Rosado fight.
2010 - Established the Philly Boxing History tour.
2010 - Held the third annual Briscoe Awards event.
2010 - Honored Rogers Mtagwa as the 2009 Philly Fighter of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2010 - Honored Teon Kennedy vs. Francisco Rodriguez as the 2009 Philly Fight of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2010 - Honored Miguel Cartagena with the 2010 Everett Brothers Award (for an amateur boxer).
2010 - Created and presented the Kitten Hayward Exhibit as part of the Briscoe Awards event.
2010 - Served as Project Manager for the Joey Giardello Statue Project (through 2011).

2011 - Placed & unveiled the statue of Joey Giardello in South Philly (at E. Passyunk Ave, S. 13th St & Mifflin St).
2011 - Designed the official poster and program for the PA Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
2011 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Richie Kates, Jerry Martin, Al Ettore, George Godfrey & David Reid.
2011 - Designed the official poster and program for the Mike Jones-Raul Munoz fight.
2011 - Designed the official poster and  program for the Gabriel Rosado-Keenan Collins fight.
2011 - Designed the official poster for the Ray Robinson-Manuel Guzman fight / BAM Boxing premiere.
2011 - Held the fourth annual Briscoe Awards event.
2011 - Honored Steve Cunningham as the 2010 Philly Fighter of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2011 - Honored Derek Ennis  vs. Gabriel Rosado as the 2010 Philly Fight of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2011 - Honored Dhafir Smith for the 2010 Upset of the Year (vs. Jeff Lacy) (Briscoe Award).
2011 - Honored Damon Allen Jr. with the 2011 Everett Brothers Award (for an amateur boxer).
2011 - Created & presented the Philly Boxing History Museum Exhibit (Briscoe Award Winners).
2011 - Placed a headstone for Eddie Cool.

2012 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Dorsey Lay, Jesse Smith, Johnny Carter, & Nigel Collins.
2012 - Designed the poster & program for the 1st NBC Sports Network event (1/21 - Philadelphia).
2012 - Designed the poster & direct mail postcard for the 2nd NBC Sports Network event (3/24 - Brooklyn). 
2012 - Designed poster & program for the Ray Robinson-Terrance Cauthen fight (5/12 - Newtown, PA).
2012 - Designed the direct mail postcard for the Jamaal Davis-Eberto Medina II fight (5/19 - Atlantic City).
2012 - Designed the poster for the 2012 PA Boxing Hall of Fame event (5/20 - Philadelphia). 
2012 - Designed the poster & program for the NBC Sports Network event on 6/1 in Bethlehem, PA.
2012 - Designed the direct mail postcard for the Patrick Majewski-Chris Fitzpatrick fight (7/7 - Atlantic City).
2012 - Designed the program for the NBC Sports Network event on 7/7 in Bethlehem, PA. 
2012 - Held the 5th annual Briscoe Awards event. 
2012 - Honored Danny Garcia as the 2011 Philly Fighter of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2012 - Honored Juan Rodriguez vs. Greg Hackett as the 2011 Philly Fight of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2012 - Honored Garrett Wilson for the 2011 KO of the Year (vs. Chuck Mussachio) (Briscoe Award).
2012 - Created & presented the Joltin' Jeff Chandler Museum Exhibit as part of the Briscoe Awards event.
2012 - Designed the poster & program for the NBC Sports Network event on 12/8 in Philadelphia. 
2012 - John DiSanto named the Chairman of the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame. 

2013 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Roy "Tiger" Williams, Mario Saurennann, & Ivan Robinson.
2013 - Nominated PABHOF Inductees: Charley Burley, Fred Jenkins & Tyrell Biggs.
2013 - Commissioned the Briscoe Medal (to expand the Briscoe Awards with other categories).
2013 - Held the 6th Annual Briscoe Awards.
2013 - Honored Danny Garcia as the 2012 Philly Fighter of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2013 - Honored Bryant Jennings vs. Maurice Byarm as the 2012 Philly Fight of the Year (Briscoe Award).
2013 - Honored Garrett Wilson for the 2012 KO of the Year (vs. Andres Taylor) (Briscoe Medal).
2013 - Honored Jesse Hart as the 2012 Rookie of the Year (Briscoe Medal).
2013 - Honored Bryant Jennings as the 2012 Prospect of the Year (Briscoe Medal).
2013 - Honored Rasheen Brown as the 2012 Amateur of the Year (Briscoe Medal).
2013 - Honored Steve Cunningham for the 2012 Performance of the Year (vs. Adamek II) (Briscoe Medal).
2013 - Created & presented a Boxing Art Exhibit as part of the Briscoe Awards event.
2013 - Designed the poster & program for the 2013 PA Boxing Hall of Fame event (5/19 - Philadelphia).

 

    
                 
   

WHY PHILADELPHIA
BOXING HISTORY?
 

Every time I searched the Internet for the names of any of my favorite Philly fighters, I was always disappointed with the results.  There was a ton of boxing information on the Web and many great sites that I visited everyday – several times a day.  But there seemed to be a real lack of specific info regarding Philadelphia boxing.  I was surprised by how little I could find.  Really, only the Peltz Boxing site offered any real focus on the subject. 

For a long time, I wished for a comprehensive source for all things Philly Boxing – records, stories, memorabilia, details, photos, lists, and something that put it all into context.  So, I decided to begin this site with the hope that it will become exactly that – a record of Philadelphia’s great boxing past – the characters, events, venues and legends. 

The site is a work in progress and has a long way to go. However,  I am dedicated to developing it into something great.  Then when a fan searches a name like 'Bennie Briscoe', they will find some real information about him as well as additional data on his contemporaries, his place among them, his era, his importance, and more.  I want Philly Boxing History - everything that took place - to be remembered by all and I want it to be easily accessible.  

As a teen in the 1970’s, my brother would take me to the Spectrum fights.  We saw Jeff Chandler, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Jerome Artis, Curtis Parker, Alfonso Hayman, Youngblood Williams, and many others.  The first title fight I attended in person was Mike Rossman vs. Aldo Travesaro at the Spectrum in 1978.  Those nights really made an impression.    

As I continued to follow boxing in the 1980's, one of the best-ever boxing eras, I saw many, many excellent matches on broadcast TV, cable TV, closed circuit TV, and live.  But those nights at the Spectrum Fights always stood out.  I came to realize how special they really were.  For me, nothing came close to Saad Muhammad vs. Richie Kates or the other bouts I attended in Philadelphia.    

After many years as a boxing super-fan, it is Philly Boxing that has become most important to me, and it is this history that I want to help preserve.  So, pursuit of this project is a natural. The Website has become my method for collecting and compiling the details of this topic that I love so much.  In time, it will become the definitive resource for Philadelphia boxing information. 

 

RELATED PROJECTS


I hope that publishing this site will help me to develop other related projects, such as a broad-based general boxing history Web site and a printed Philadelphia boxing history reference.  In addition, I am currently conducting interviews with the legends of Philly Boxing - committing their memories, voices, images and stories to video.  The information gathered in these interviews will eventually find its way onto this Web site in the form of written bios, narratives, and various fight reports.  However, expanding the footage into a documentary film series is a longer-term goal.  Such a production would be the ultimate record of this extraordinary subject, and would be a great aid in preserving this important history forever. 

If you participated in Philadelphia's boxing history, in any way - even as a spectator - and are willing to be interviewed  please send an e-mail. 

Finally, if you have information on this topic that you'd like to share, or if you are interested in helping to advance any of the projects described, please contact Philly Boxing History.  Your assistance, interest, and support is needed, and would be appreciated.  Thank you,  John DiSanto

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


PHILLYBOXINGHISTORY.COM
IN THE NEWS
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Cunningham Presented with Briscoe
The Ring Magazine - January 2009
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Harold Johnson Receives Briscoe Award
The Ring Magazine - October 2008
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A Headstone For Sugar Hart
Fred Druding, Jr. - Public Record - 06/19/2008
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Frazier gym is on the market
Michael Klein - Phila. Inquirer - 05/11/2008
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Interest in boxing bruised, not broken
Mark Kram - Phila. Daily News - 05/07/2008
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Requiem for a boxing venue
John DiSanto - Phila. Daily News - 04/14/2008
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Philly buster
Dave Hannigan - Scotland on Sunday - 04/12/2008
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Bad Bennie Makes A Comeback
Nigel Collins - The Ring Magazine - October 2007
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Briscoe to have his own award statue
Bernard Fernandez - Phila. Daily News - 05/23/2007
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Honoring Gypsy Joe
The Ring Magazine - March 2007
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A Passion for Boxing Leads to Cemeteries
Thomas Parmalee - American Cemetery - Feb. 2007
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Blue Horizon: Knocking out the competition
Jeremy Drummond - The Temple News - 01/30/2007
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A fighter no longer forgotten
Don Steinberg - Phila. Inquirer - 10/27/2006
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Mark of a legend
Bill Gelman - South Philly Review - 07/13/2006
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Gypsy Joe, they haven't forgotten
Mark Kram - Phila. Daily News - 03/23/2006
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A gravestone for Tyrone Everett
Ring Magazine - 2006
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Fan Buys Tombstone For Philly Boxing Great
Jade McCarthy - NBC10 - 01/31/2006
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Boxing fan gives dignity to fighters
Tim Zatzariny, Jr. - Courier Post - 01/23/2006
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Local fan turns passion into project
Tara Murtha - Courier Post - 10/02/2005
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If you build it, they will come
Kim Mulford - Courier Post - 05/29/2005
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Web site packs a Philly punch
Tim Zatzainy, Jr. - Courier Post - 05/12/2005
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Web site is all about Philly boxing
Bernard Fernandez - Phila. News - 02/22/2005
 

    
           
   

HELP DOCUMENT PHILLY'S GREAT BOXING HISTORY

Are you a Philly fight fan?  Are you or is a member of your family a boxer, trainer, manager, promoter, historian, collector, or some other type of participant in the boxing world?  Philly Boxing History needs your help. 

This web site relies on photographs, memorabilia and other visual elements to tell the story of Philly boxing.  If you have any items that you are willing to share, please contact us. Some of the best elements of this Web site have been contributed by the families of former boxers, who have opened their personal archives to us. 

We need photos, programs, posters, ticket stubs, flyers, handbills, newspapers, magazines, equipment, or any and every other type of relic that is connected to Philly boxing. We would like to scan, photograph, copy or purchase any item you may have. 

Further, we need to hear your stories and personal accounts of Philadelphia fights and local boxers.  We would love to include your experiences and memories in this Web site.  We accept written submissions and content suggestions.  We also are interested in interviewing anyone with a story to tell. 

To get involved, please contact us using any of the e-mail links that appear on this site.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

     

FAIRHILL STREET PRODUCTIONS

Philly Boxing History .com was designed and produced by Fairhill Street Productions, LLC, a freelance marketing communications company. 

Fairhill Street Productions is focused on the development of a variety of projects and creative materials including printed marketing and sales collateral pieces, Web sites, copy writing for print and video, technical documents, training materials, graphic design, market research, and marketing plan development. 

We have a great deal of experience in a variety of industries, with large corporations and small businesses, and we are available to assist you with all of your marketing needs. 

For more information about Fairhill Street Productions, or to discuss an upcoming marketing project that you are planning, please contact John DiSanto via this e-mail link.  We would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you to discuss your needs.  Fairhill Street Productions offers free estimates, competitive consulting rates and personalized service.