The 28th annual RING 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony will be held Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:00 p.m. ET), December 14 at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York. International ring announcer Dave Diamante will serve as master of ceremonies.
Ring 8 has announced its 2014 award winners (see complete list below), including undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri (Fighter of the Year), World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight titlist Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs (Comeback Fighter of the Year), and retired heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi (Uncrowned Champion).
Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs), of Huntington (NY), captured the WBO 147-pound title this past June by way of a 12-round decision over Ruslan Provodnikov that set the stage for a his November 22nd mega-fight on HBO PPV against legendary Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs) in Macau, China.
Jacobs (28-1, 25 KOs), of Brooklyn, won the WBA middleweight title in August, stopping Jarrod Fletcher in the fifth round, to become the first cancer survivor to become world champion in boxing.
Mesi, of Buffalo, retired unbeaten in 2007 with a 36-0 (29 KOs) record. He was one of the most popular heavyweights of his time.
Unbeaten junior middleweights “Notorious” Frank Galarza (15-0-2, 9 KOs), of Brooklyn, and Philadelphia’s Julian “JRock” Williams (17-0-1, 10 KOs), respectively, are the 2014 Contender of the Year and Prospect of the Year.
“This event is the highlight of the year for our members,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said. “We have another group of outstanding award winners, including two new world champions, Chris Algieri and Danny Jacobs. We will soon announce the names of world-class boxers from the past and present, as well as some well-known boxing dignitaries, who will be lending their support as Ring 8 proudly continues its record for lending a helping hand to those in the boxing community who are less fortunate. Some require assistance towards paying their rent, medical expenses, or whatever justifiable need. Each year our Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony celebrates our great sport of boxing, insuring much-needed funding is raised so we may continue our mission for our needy brothers and sisters in boxing. We will never waver from their corners.”
2014 RING 8 Award Winners
Fighter of the Year: Chris Algieri
Comeback Fighter of the Year: Daniel Jacobs
Uncrowned Champion: Joe Mesi
Contender of the Year: Frank Galarza
Members of the Year: John Rohe & Brian Dubecky
Trainer of the Year: Nirmil Lorick
Conditioner & Strength Coach of the Year: David “Scooter” Honig
Co-Promotes of the Year: Felipe Gomez, Kevin O’Sullivan and Wilson Naranjo
Official of the Year (Referee): Sparkle Lee
Official of the Year (Judge): Robin Taylor
Long & Meritorious Service: George Ward
Photographer of the Year: Stan Janousek
Prospects of the Year: Julian Williams
Tickets, priced at $125.00 per person, are available to purchase by contacting Bob Duffy by phone (516.313.2304), email DepComish@aol.com, or mail checks (payable to Ring 8) to him (164 Lindbergh Street, Massapequa Park, NY 11762). Donations of any denomination are welcome for those unable to attend the festivities.
Tickets include a complete brunch with cocktail hour upon entry, followed by seating at the awards ceremony, dinner and dessert, and top-shelf open bar throughout the afternoon. There will also be a silent auction of boxing memorabilia. This event is expected to sell-out and everybody is urged to purchase tickets as soon as possible in order to secure favorable seating.
