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EXCLUSIVE: Q n A With New NYSAC Exec Director David Berlin
The New York State Athletic Commission has a new staffer in the mix, with the hiring of attorney David Berlin by Governor Andrew Cuomo as executive director. The Governor announced the appointment of the attorney, who will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the commission, on March 26.
The NYSAC has been under a microscope a bit, following the Nov. 2, 2013 bout pitting MikePerez against Magomed Abdusalamov at Madison Square Garden.
Abdusalamov, a Russian heavyweight and Florida resident, went back and forth with Perez for ten rounds, and was not long after the rumble taken to a local hospital, where he underwent brain surgery. He is currently in a rehab facility, working on regaining his faculties. (UPDATE, MONDAY MAY 19: I spoke to Mago’s cousin, Aminulla Suleymanov. He told the fighter has made some progress recently, maybe not as much as the family would hope, but they are all holding it together. “Mago’s parents are here,” he reported. “Thanks for the interest!” Good news, Mago can now say peoples’ names, and eat–he likes yogurt and ice cream–using his own left arm. Mago does have some use of his right arm, as well.)
A commission source not authorized to speak on the record informed me that a search for an executive director was in the works as much as six months before the Abdusalamov situation. So, the source told me, any inference that Berlin, age 50, was hired in response to that occurrence, and a pending suit lodged by the Abdusalamov family, which targets the commission for alleged procedural errors, is incorrect. I touched base with Berlin, who joins chairwoman Melvina Lathan, and commissioners Edwin Torres and John Signorile, and fired some queries at him to get a better sense of who he is, and what he sees is his mission.
Woods Q) For those unfamiliar with you, and your background, could you offer a short synopsis, and include how your history will make your tenure successful?
??Berlin A) I used to watch the fights with my father when I was a kid – that’s when boxing was televised on ABC and NBC on Saturday afternoons – but I really became hooked when my older brother Adam took me to my first live fights at the Felt Forum, which was the smaller venue inside Madison Square Garden. I was 15 years old and was visiting Adam, who was 18 and spending a year in New York City after high school. I don’t remember who fought but I remember the atmosphere and I remember feeling how different it was from watching on TV and how much more real. It was brutal but also beautiful, and I was attracted to it because it was so basic, so elemental, so stripped down. That was the beginning of my love for the sport, and my passion has continued to this day. Adam and I were regulars at the Felt Forum when we were both in our 20s and both living in New York. I attended law school in New York, at NYU, and started working out at Gleason’s Gym at that time, and later, when I was already a lawyer, I had a few amateur fights and won a Golden Gloves tournament in Florida. When I started my own practice as a lawyer, I was fortunate to be able to combine my profession with my passion, and I became involved in the sport as a boxing attorney and manager. I’ve also had a chance to write about the sport and my ideas for making it better. What will drive me in my new position? It is simple. I care about the sport and I care about the boxers who ply their trade in the sweet science. I want what the boxers and the fans want. I want to see the fighter who wins the fight have his or her hand raised in victory through competent judging and refereeing. I want to see competitive fights. I want to see a healthy sport where promoters succeed, because that will allow fighters to fight and to grow as fighters and to earn a living.
Q) What fight was your first on the job, and how did it go? What was the most surprising lesson learned, if any??
A) My first fight as Executive Director took place on May 10 in Whitehall, New York. It is a small town on the Vermont border and is a good reminder that New York State is far more than just New York City. Greg Gross, who started promoting boxing last year, has a beautiful facility, the Whitehall Athletic Club, and put on a pro-am card with four professional bouts, including a very exciting and very close main event. Ronica Jeffrey, who came into the fight undefeated at 13-0, lost her perfect record in a split decision loss to Carla Torres, who fights out of Cleveland. This is the second time the two have fought, and given how competitive the fight was, it’s no surprise that each of them can claim a victory over the other. I’d love to see a rubber match come to New York.
Q) Are you a fan of boxing? I’m assuming so, based on your years working with fighters and in this milieu. What attracts you to the sports and its athletes? What function does boxing serve in society, in your view?
A) Part of my attraction is visceral. It is competition at its most basic. No bats or balls, no nets, no goals, just two men or women in the ring using their skill, speed, strength and intelligence, and having their will and mental fortitude tested at the highest levels. I’m attracted to that. I love its simplicity. I am also drawn to boxing because of the human element. Boxing is a sport of underdogs. I spent many years working as a public defender. I have also represented children with disabilities, children in need of special education services. And I remain actively involved with the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation, a not-for-profit that was founded and is led by Teddy Atlas. It’s an organization that runs youth programs and also helps individuals and families that have nowhere else to turn, people in difficult or even desperate situations who need help; and the foundation helps. I care about people in difficult situations. Boxing can be a way out for underdogs, for young people who might not have other places to turn, who might not have the support and structure in their lives that young people should have. Boxing can provide that support and structure. Young people find it in the gym. They find it in the guidance that they receive from their coaches, and in the discipline that boxing demands. They gain a confidence, a self-assuredness, a self- esteem that they didn’t have before, and that allows them to grow as individuals. Very few go on to make a living from boxing, but the vast majority become better people.
Q) What specifically will you bring to the table, and what do you want to achieve in this position?
A) I bring a knowledge of boxing and a care for the boxers. As a boxing lawyer, I represented boxers, trainers, managers and promoters. I negotiated boxing contracts and represented boxers and other people in the sport before athletic commissions, in arbitrations and in court. I traveled in connection with my work and had a chance to see how commissions function all over the globe. So I have a breadth of experience to draw from as I begin with the Commission. In terms of my personal qualities, I believe that I bring common sense, a basic competence, good judgment and a willingness to listen. There are a lot of people who care about the sport and who have ideas for making the sport better. I intend to listen to those ideas, to create an atmosphere that is open to ideas and is transparent. My hope is that I will be able to bring practical solutions to some of boxing’s problematic issues. And of course I will work to make certain that fighters, and the sport as a whole, are well protected.
Q) Can you give us a sense on how your hiring, and the activation of this new position, will change how the commission does its business? How will duties be parceled out? What changes do you foresee making, if any?
A) New York has decided to adopt a more traditional structure for the Athletic Commission. Similar to Nevada and California and Pennsylvania and Florida, an executive director will carry out the day-to-day duties involved in regulating and overseeing boxing, and will report to a board of Commissioners and carry out the policies set by the Commissioners.Q) Can you offer your view of boxing in New York, how healthy the sport is in NY and overall? A) New York is called the mecca of boxing, and I believe that with the growing number of shows in the state and the growing number of major shows at Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center, the moniker is still appropriate. There were 52 shows held in New York State in 2013, and we will have held 19 by the end of May this year. In June we have Miguel Cotto-Sergio Martinez at the Garden and a week later Ruslan Provodnikov is fighting Chris Algieri at Barclays. Exciting fights are being made and taking place in this great state and that is very healthy for the sport.
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How good is Bakhodir Jalolov? Some would argue that in terms of pure talent, the six-foot-seven southpaw from Uzbekistan who has knocked out all 14 of his opponents since turning pro, is better than any heavyweight you can name. Others say that this can’t possibly be true or his braintrust wouldn’t keep feeding him junk food. Jalolov has been brought along as gingerly as Christopher Lovejoy who was exposed as a fraud after running up a skein of 19 straight fast knockouts,
One thing that’s indisputable is that Jalolov was one of the best amateurs to come down the pike in recent memory. A three-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist, Jalolov won 58 of his last 59 amateur bouts. The exception was a match in which he did not compete which translated into a win by walkover for his opponent, countryman Lazizbek Mullojonov.
The circumstances are vague. Was Jalolov a no-show because of an injury or illness or a technicality? Amateur boxing, save in a few places or in an Olympic year, is the quintessential niche sport. The mainstream media does not cover it.
What we do know, thanks to boxrec, is that Jalolov caught up with Mullojonov in May of last year in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk and won a split decision. And Mollojonov was no slouch. He too won a gold medal at the Paris Games, winning the heavyweight division to give the powerful Uzbekistan contingent the championship in the two heaviest weight classes.
Jalolov, whose late father was a champion free-style wrestler, has answered the bell as a pro for only 35 rounds. The Belgian-Congolese campaigner Jack Mulowayi came closest to taking the big Uzbek the distance, lasting into the eighth round of an 8-round fight. But when Jalolov closed the show, he did it with a highlight reel knockout, knocking Mulowayi into dreamland with a vicious left hook.
The KO was reminiscent of Jalolov’s most talked-about win as an amateur, his first-round blast-out of Richard Torrez Jr at a tournament in Ekaterinburg, Russia, in 2019. Torrez, knocked out cold with a left hook, left the ring on a stretcher and was removed to a hospital for evaluation.
This was the first AIBA-sanctioned international tournament in which pros were allowed to compete and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was incensed, calling the match-up “criminal” in a tweet that was widely circulated. (Jalolov then had six pro fights under his belt.) They would meet again in the finals of the Tokyo Olympiad with the Uzbek winning a unanimous decision.
Perhaps there will be a third meeting down the road. When Jared Anderson was roughed-up and stopped by Martin Bakole, Torrez Jr (currently 12-0, 11 KOs) vaulted ahead of him on the list of the top home-grown American heavyweights. But Torrez Jr, a short-armed heavyweight who overcomes his physical limitations with a windmill offense, would be a heavy underdog should they ever meet again.
Bakhodir Jalolov’s last bout before heading off to Paris was against the obscure South African Chris Thompson. His match on Thursday at the Montreal Casino in Montreal pits him against an obscure 33-year-old Frenchman, David Spilmont.
Spilmont’s last two opponents were the same guy, an undersized Lithuanian slug who has lost 36 of his 41 documented fights. It seems almost inevitable that Spilmont will suffer the same fate as Thompson who was KOed in the first round.
There’s talk that Jalolov doesn’t really care how far he advances at the professional level; that he has his sights set on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles where he would have an opportunity to become only the fourth boxer to win three Olympic gold medals, joining the immortal Teofilo Stevenson, Hungarian legend Laszlo Papp, and Cuban standout Felix Savon. Were he to accomplish the hat trick, they would build monuments to him in Uzbekistan. But, if that is his mindset, he’s skating on thin ice. There’s no guarantee that boxing will be on the docket at the Los Angeles Games and, if so, the powers-that-be may choose to roll back the calendar to the days when the competition was off-limits to anyone with professional experience.
While it’s true that Jalolov needs to work off some rust, a pox on promoter Camille Estephan and his enabler, the Quebec Boxing Commission, for not dredging up a more credible opponent than the grossly overmatched David Spilmont.
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Jalolov vs. Spilmont is ostensibly the co-feature. The main event is a 10-round junior welterweight clash between Movladdin “Arthur” Biyarslanov (17-0, 14 KOs) and Spilmont stablemate Mohamed Mimoune (24-6, 5 KOs). Undefeated light heavyweights Albert Ramirez and Mehmet Unal will appear in separate bouts on the undercard. The Feb. 6 event, currently consisting of seven bouts, will air in the U.S. on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT.
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Claressa Shields blasted her way to the undisputed heavyweight championship and nearly knocked out challenger Danielle Perkins in the final seconds, but settled for a win by unanimous decision on Sunday.
Yes, she can punch.
“I just feel overwhelmed and so happy.” Shields said.
Shields (16-0, 3 KOs) proved that even the super athletic Perkins (5-1, 2 KOs), a true heavyweight, could not stop her from becoming an undisputed world champion in a third weight division at Dort Arena in Flint, Michigan, her home town.
In the opening round it was easy to see the size difference. Shields calmly measured Perkins long right jabs then countered with rocket rights through the guard. The speed was evident in Shield’s punches. Perkins used jabs to work her way in but was caught with counters.
“That girl was strong as hell,” said Shields describing Perkins.
Perkins, a southpaw, was somewhat confident that she was the stronger puncher and the stronger fighter overall. But when Shields connected with 10 rocket overhand rights in the third round the power moved Perkins several feet backward.
Suddenly, Perkins realized that indeed Shields has power.
Perkins became more cautious with her approaches. Though the true heavyweight was not frozen in fear, she was wary about getting caught flush with Shields rights. But bullet jabs and lightning combinations still rained on Perkins.
Finding a way to nullify Shields speed was crucial for Perkins.
The former basketball player Perkins continually proved her athleticism with agile moves here and there, but Shields just was superior in every way.
When Perkins became focused too much on the right, a Shields left hook caught the New York native flush. Suddenly there was another Shields weapon to worry about.
Many critics of Shields had focused on her lack of knockouts. But in her previous fight against another heavyweight, the two-time Olympic gold medalist surprised Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse with knockout power. It’s the same power Shields showed Perkins as if firing a fast ball by powering her right with leverage by using her left leg to produce momentum and an explosive punch.
In the 10th and final round Shields and Perkins exchanged blows. Perkins was looking to connect with one of her power shots when suddenly Shields countered with a perfectly timed right to the chin and down went Perkins with about 10 seconds remaining. She beat the count to finish the round.
“I showed I was the bigger puncher and better boxer,” said Shields. “I knew I could do it because I’m really strong at heavyweight.”
All three judges favored Shields 100-89, 99-90 and 97-92.
It was another convincing performance by Shields. So what is next for the best female fighter pound for pound?
“I want to fight Franchon Crews, Hanna Gabriels,” said Shields also naming a few others. “Flint, (Michigan) I love you all so much.”
Other Bouts
A heavyweight clash saw why there is a rule against holding. Brandon Moore (17-1) and Skylar Lacy (8-1-2) punched and held throughout their eight rounds. Referee Steve Willis finally disqualified Lacy when he tackled Moore and took him through the ropes and on to table below.
No, holding and clinching is not part of the fight game. Now you know why.
Moore was ruled the winner by disqualification due to unsportsmanlike conduct by Lacy at 1:35 of the eighth. No need to describe the fight.
A battle between undefeated welterweights saw Joseph Hicks (12-0, 8 KOs) stop Keon Papillon (10-1-1, 7 KOs) at 1:35 of the seventh round. Hicks stunned Papillon at the end of the sixth, then unloaded in the seventh round to force a stoppage.
Joshua Pagan (12-0) out-battled Ronal Ron (16-8) over eight rounds to win the lightweight match by unanimous decision.
Samantha Worthington (11-0) defeated Vaida Masiokaite (10-27-6) by decision after eight rounds in a super lightweight bout.
Featherweight Caroline Veyre (9-1) out-boxed the shorter Carmen Vargas (5-3-1) to win by decision after six rounds.
Super bantamweight Asheleyann Lozada (1-0) won her pro debut by unanimous decision over Denise Moran (3-1) in a four-round fight.
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David Benavidez showed fans why they call him “El Monstro” as he plowed through Cuba’s heavy-punching David Morrell to retain a number one ranking in the light heavyweight division by unanimous decision on Saturday.
Not even a flash knockdown for Morrell could make a difference.
Phoenix native Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) gave Morrell (11-1, 9 KOs) his first loss as a professional in front of more than 15,000 fans at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. No one needed to hear the judge’s decision.
“I prepared for everything. I know he’s a great fighter,” said Benavidez. “I thought he was going to hit harder, but he didn’t.”
Before the fight, Morrell was almost an even bet according to oddsmakers, but that was not the case once the fight commenced.
Immediately Benavidez pounded the body and exposed the weaknesses of Morrell’s peek-a-boo defense by using his own left glove to push down the Cuban’s guard. Then immediately firing a crushing right to the jaw.
For the first four rounds Benavidez pounded away on the left and right side of Morrell’s body. And when the openings came the uppercuts caught Morrell’s chin. But he absorbed the blows.
Morrell didn’t waver in trying to find a solution. Though Benavidez connected often to the body and head, the Cuban fighter who moved up from super middleweight displayed a very solid chin.
In the fourth round during a furious exchange Morrell beat Benavidez to the punch that stunned him momentarily. But the blow seemed to spark outrage and a storm of blows followed from Benavidez.
It must have seemed like a nightmare for Morrell.
At times the Cuban fighter would connect perfectly with a right hook and pause. Then Benavidez would return fire with massive blows.
The look on Morrell’s face bore traces of disappointment.
As the rounds continued Benavidez became emboldened by his success. Soon the Mexican Monster began launching lead right uppercuts through Morrell’s guard especially in the sixth round.
“He was easier to hit than I expected,” Benavidez said.
During the breaks Morrell’s corner asked him to pressure Benavidez. It was a fruitless suggestion. How do you corner a Monster?
Benavidez continued to stalk Morrell who never stopped swinging but could not seem to hurt the Monster. In the 11th round Morrell managed to catch Benavidez perfectly with a right hook and down went Benavidez. He immediately got up and the two fighters unloaded on each other. Morrell fired one punch after the bell and was deducted a point by referee Thomas Taylor. That negated the extra point gained from the knockdown.
“I wasn’t really hurt,” said Benavidez. “That bullshit knockdown caught me off-balance.”
The final round saw both resume their efforts to knock the other out. Both showed great chins and the ability to trade. Benavidez was simply better. Even Morrell didn’t wait for the decision to be read as he raised the arm of the Monster at the final bell. All three judges scored in favor of Benavidez 115-111 twice and 118-108.
“He knows this is Monstro’s world. Big shout out for Morrell, he’s a tough fighter,” Benavidez said.
Other Bouts
In a fight dedicated to honor the late Israel Vazquez, the ultimate Aztec warrior, super lightweights Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz (27-3-1) and Angel Fierro (23-3-2) battled like demons for 10 nonstop rounds. Cruz was ruled the winner by unanimous decision.
With little resemblance of defense, Cruz and Fierro whacked each other relentlessly with shots that might have stopped a moving car. Cruz was tagged by a right cross on the top of the head that staggered him momentarily. Fierro was driven back four feet by an overhand right to the chin early in the fight.
Both fighters took cruel and unusual punishment and never wavered more than a few seconds. It was brutal war and fans were the winners after 10 rounds of violent and savage action.
All three judges saw Cruz the winner 96-94, 97-93, 98-92.
“I’m so happy I gave the fans a great fight,” Cruz said.
Fulton Wins
Stephen Fulton (23-1, 8 KOs) defeated Brandon Figueroa (23-2-1, 19 KOs) again and took the WBC featherweight title by unanimous decision after 12 rounds. He had previously defeated Figueroa in 2021 for the WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles.
Most of the action took place in nose-to-nose fashion where Fulton landed the cleaner shots especially with uppercuts. Figueroa had his moments but was unable to hurt the challenger who lost to Naoya Inoue by knockout 17 months ago.
Fulton landed clean shots but as his record shows he lacks the power with only eight knockouts on his record. But Figueroa was unable to hurt or knock down Fulton. After 12 rounds all three judges saw Fulton win by scores of 116-112 twice and 117-111,
“It feels good. I’m champion again,” said Fulton.
Ramos Wins
Jesus Ramos (22-1, 18 KOs) won by technical knockout over former world champion Jeison Rosario (24-5-2) in the eighth round of a middleweight fight. Both fighters attacked the body but by the sixth round Ramos was the busier fighter and began to dominate the fight. At 2:18 of the eighth round referee Robert Hoyle stopped the fight.
“I like to throw a lot of body punches. It’s kind of my style,” said Ramos.
Photos credit: Al Applerose
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Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing
Jai Opetaia Brutally KOs David Nyika, Cementing his Status as the World’s Top Cruiserweight
Bygone Days: The Largest Crowd Ever at Madison Square Garden Sees Zivic TKO Armstrong
Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce
Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More
Hall of Fame Boxing Writer Michael Katz (1939-2025) Could Wield His Pen like a Stiletto
Boxing Trainer Bob Santos Paid his Dues and is Reaping the Rewards
Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City
Ringside at the Cosmo: Pacheco Outpoints Nelson plus Undercard Results
Claressa Shields Powers to Undisputed Heavyweight Championship
Boxing Odds and Ends: Ernesto Mercado, Marcel Cerdan and More
Avila Perspective, Chap. 311: Jim Lampley Adds Class to the Benavidez-Morrell Rumble
Avila Perspective, Chap. 310: Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue and More
Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim
Benavidez Defeats Morrell; Cruz, Fulton, and Ramos also Victorious at Las Vegas
Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino
Undercard Results from Las Vegas where Mirco Cuello Saved his Best for Last
Bakhodir Jalolov Returns on Thursday in Another Disgraceful Mismatch
Bakhodir Jalolov Returns on Thursday in Another Disgraceful Mismatch
Claressa Shields Powers to Undisputed Heavyweight Championship
Benavidez Defeats Morrell; Cruz, Fulton, and Ramos also Victorious at Las Vegas
Undercard Results from Las Vegas where Mirco Cuello Saved his Best for Last
Avila Perspective, Chap. 311: Jim Lampley Adds Class to the Benavidez-Morrell Rumble
Hall of Fame Boxing Writer Michael Katz (1939-2025) Could Wield His Pen like a Stiletto
Boxing Odds and Ends: Ernesto Mercado, Marcel Cerdan and More
Ringside at the Cosmo: Pacheco Outpoints Nelson plus Undercard Results
Najee Lopez Steps up in Class and Wins Impressively at Plant City
Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing Ye Joon Kim
Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino
Avila Perspective, Chap. 310: Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue and More
Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing
Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce
Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More
Boxing Trainer Bob Santos Paid his Dues and is Reaping the Rewards
Bygone Days: The Largest Crowd Ever at Madison Square Garden Sees Zivic TKO Armstrong
Jai Opetaia Brutally KOs David Nyika, Cementing his Status as the World’s Top Cruiserweight
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