Louis Griffith was one of the guest speakers at last week’s Ring 8 meeting that paid tribute to his father, Emile Griffith.
NEW YORK (September 26, 2013) – More than 100 people turned out last week for at Ring 8’s monthly meeting and its tribute to the late, great Emile Griffith, at historic Waterfront Crabhouse, in Long Island City, New York.
The six-time, three-division world champion Griffith (85-24-2, 23 KOs) was a fixture at Ring 8. His tribute included speakers such as his biographer, Ron Ross, Emile’s son, Louis, boxing historian Henry Hascup and Bobby Bartels, his former sparring partner and past president of Ring 8. Everyone enjoyed watched some of Griffith’s best fights, on a projector screen, against Dick Tiger, Luis Rodriguez, Jorge Fernandez, Andy Heilman, Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, and the second Nino Benvenutti fight.
“We had a tremendous turnout to celebrate Emile’s life and boxing career,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said. “It was a fitting tribute to a very special man. We’re all better people for having known him.”
Ring 8 also selected its 2013 award winners at last week’s meeting. These awards will be presented, along with Fighter of the Year (to come), at the 27th annual Ring 8 Holiday & Awards Ceremony on Sunday afternoon, December 8, at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York.
2013 Ring 8 Award Winners
Uncrowned Champion: Gasper Ortega
Official of the Year: Deputy Commissioner Robert Orlando
Amateur Official of the Year: Dan Gant
Member of the Year: Carmine Rastelli
Professional Judge of the Year: John McKaie
Prospect of the Year: Sean Monahan
Professional Trainer of the Year: Bob Jackson
Amateur Trainer of the Year: Joe Higgins
Emile Griffith Good Guy Award: Sal Corrente
Long & Meritorious Service: Dr. William Lathan
50th Anniversary: Bobby Bartels & Lenny Mangiapane
The Ring 8 Holiday & Awards Ceremony in December has been dedicated to the the 50th anniversary of the main event fight between Lenny Mangiapane (L) and Bobby Bartels at Madison Square Garden. Bartels is a former Ring 8 president and Mangiapane is the current Ring 8 vice president.
both pictures by Stanley Janousek / Ring 8
ABOUT RING 8: Formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, 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 is only $30.00 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
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
