Despite being delayed two months due to Hurricane Sandy, as well as hampered by Saturday’s major snowstorm, this past Sunday’s 26th annual RING 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony was a major success by all measures.
Nearly 400 people attended the festivities at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York, highlighted by the presentation of the 2012 Ring 8 Fighter of the Year Award to undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin.
Photos:
(L-R) Joe Smith (Co-prospect of the Year), Dave Diamante (Master of Ceremonies), Bobby Batels (past Ring 8 President), Renaldo Snipes (special award recipient), James “Buddy” McGirt (2-time world champion and past Trainer of the Year), Lennie Mangiapane (former welterweight contender), WBO middleweight champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (2012 Ring 8 Fighter of the Year), and Melvina Latham (Chairperson, New York State Athletic Commission).
(photo by Henry Janousek)
BOXING WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD: (L-R) David Diamante, Master of Ceremonies; Mike Woods, 2012 Ring 8 Boxing Writer of the Year, and his wife, Jessica; Melvina Latham, NYSAC Chairperson; Keith Sullivan, NYSAC Deputy Commissioner & Ring 8 Board Member; Bob Duffy, President of Ring 8; Tommy Gallagher, Ring 8 Board Member.
“Despite the snowstorm,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said, “almost everybody was able to attend and we all had a good time.”
Popular ring announcer Dave Diamante served as Master of Ceremonies. Joe Calzaghe (Fighter of the Decade) and Bernard Hopkins (Lifetime Achievement Award) were the only award winners unable to attend, respectively, due to a flight cancellation and training camp.
Former heavyweight Renaldo “Mister” Snipes received a special award for his work promoting prostate cancer testing.
In addition to Quillin, other world champion attendees included Bobby Czyz, Iran Barkley, Vito Antuofermo, Tracy Patterson, Jr., and James “Buddy” McGirt, as well as boxing promoter and television reality star, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, and the fighter she promotes, world title challenger Patrick Hyland, along withTommy Gallagher, Vinny Maddalone, Monte Barrett, and Billy Tate, who served as a sparring partner for Sugar Ray Robinson.
Here’s a complete list of the 2012 Ring 8 award winners:
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2012 RING 8 Award Winners
- Fighter of the Year: Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin
- Fighter of the Decade: Joe Calzaghe
- Man of the Year: Frankie Russo, Jr.
- Uncrowned Champion: David Sears
- Coach of the Year (FDNY):Bob McGuire
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Bernard Hopkins
- Official of the Year (Referee): Eddie Claudio
- Official of the Year (Judge): John Signorile
- Boxing Writer of the Year: Mike Woods
- Long & Meritorious Service: Ron McNair
- Prospects of the Year: Floriano Pagliara & Joe Smith
- Comeback of the Year: Adam Willett
