Izzy Burgos, Inspirational Figure, Is Shot and Killed

Published

8 years ago

July 22, 2015

For a time, Izzadeen “Izzy” Burgos was one of boxing’s inspirational stories, a kid who dreamed of becoming a fighter despite the amputation of his left arm at the age of two. Despite his handicap, the then-12-year-old got the opportunity to fight at Philadelphia’s legendary Blue Horizon on June 24, 2005, overcoming an early knockdown at the hands of a two-armed opponent to make it to the final bell of a scheduled three-rounder. Burgos’ scrappiness moved many in the audience to tears.

Now Burgos is gone, at 21, the victim of an apparently intentional shooting Sunday night in the Feltonville section of Philadelphia. The young man was standing next to his father, Dennis, when he was shot in the face at point-blank range by the as-yet-unapprehended assailant. He was taken to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead 2½ hours later, at 1:29 Monday morning.

But the tragic end of Izzy Burgos’ too-brief life might have been foreshadowed. Unable to be fitted with a comfortable prosthetic on the stump of the left arm that was surgically removed at the shoulder, Burgos – twice nominated for the Boxing Writers Association of America’s Courage in Overcoming Adversity Award – drifted away from boxing and into a life of petty and not-so-petty crime. He had a fairly extensive rap sheet, was incarcerated on several occasions, most recently for aggravated assault. He was released after doing time for that crime last September from Graterford State Correctional Institution, the same prison which lists former middleweight and light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins as an alumnus.

Joseph Santoliquito, now the president of the BWAA, was managing editor of The Ring magazine when he wrote about Burgos nearly 10 years ago. The story became something of a cause celebre, picked up by the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer and all the Philly television stations, as well as by The Ring and ESPN.com. There was even some talk about a possible book deal, with Santoliquito to serve as the author.

“But then things started to trickle back to me, and not good things, either,” Santoliquito told me after Burgos’ murder. “If I was going to do a feel-good story about a kid who had beaten the odds, there had to be a lot of positivity attached to it. There was a growing sense that that wasn’t the case.

“I really hadn’t spoken to Izzy in close to nine years, when he was still a kid. In my mind, I still prefer to picture him as that 12-year-old in the ring at the Blue Horizon. The kid he was fighting wasn’t pulling any punches, that was for sure. But Izzy got right up and fought back. They really went at it. Izzy – that Izzy – was a tough, determined boy.

“Did it sting me when I heard the news (that he was dead)? Yes. But I can’t say I was completely surprised. As I said, I heard some things that were disturbing. I hoped someone could get through to him in time to straighten him out. It’s like he was never given a chance, almost from birth, because of where he came from and what he was raised around. It’s a shame. The only moment he had to really shine was that night at the Blue Horizon.”

As a toddler, Izzy’s left arm was shattered beyond repair by a bullet from a high-powered rifle; his left lung was also punctured. His father claimed that Izzy had accidentally shot himself with the rifle, which seemed unlikely since the loaded weapon, carelessly placed under a bed in a home in which three children resided, was taller than he was. A jury wasn’t buying Dennis Burgos’ explanation of what had happened, and he was sentenced to eight to 20 years for recklessly endangering a child.

As little Izzy fought for his life, strangers appeared at his hospital room to extend to his family their prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery. And the child did recover, although he faced a long convalescence and uncertain future.

Sports options are scarce for one-armed kids, but cruel putdowns aren’t when you grow up in a tough neighborhood.

“Sometimes people have told me I can’t do certain things,” Izzy said in October 2005. “That’s hard to take. Sometimes, I try (team) sports and other kids tell me I can’t play. They used to make fun of me. They never wanted to know anything about me and what I’ve been through. They don’t think I can play any sport because I have only one arm. I try to prove them wrong when I get the chance.”

That chance – and it was a long shot — was provided by a Philadelphia police officer, Edwin “Bo” Diaz, who ran a boxing program for children in a blighted section of North Philadelphia.

“We wanted to treat Izzy like any other kid and we taught him how to box with the mitts,” Diaz told Santoliquito at the time. “Izzy was well-accepted. He fell right into the pack of little kids and he performed better than most of them.”

But still … how do you risk putting a one-armed child in an actual bout? It was a conundrum that Diaz grappled with internally until he decided the boy deserved a chance to compete against another person, not just inanimate objects. With the help of Vernoca Michael, owner of the Blue Horizon, Diaz placed Izzy on the undercard of a pro show against another 12-year-old, Chris Delvalle, who had fought in several previous amateur bouts. There were no restrictions placed on Delvalle, who quickly floored Izzy. But Izzy fought back hard, winning over the crowd and a specially designed championship belt for himself.

“Izzy is a survivor,” Diaz said. “I know for a fact he taught himself how to ride a bicycle and he always had it in him that he could succeed at anything.”

He did not succeed at winning the BWAA’s first Courage in Overcoming Adversity Award; that went to Kassim Ouma, who was abducted as a child in his native Uganda and was forced to serve as a soldier with rebel forces before making his way to America, where he became the IBF super welterweight titlist and the subject of an acclaimed documentary about his against-all-odds life.

Izzy also was a finalist for the second BWAA Courage in Overcoming Adversity Award, but he lost out to someone a little better known than himself – Muhammad Ali. After that, as his brush with boxing receded into the past, he more or less faded from view, except with law enforcement officials who came to know him more for his transgressions on the street.

Interestingly, Izzy got close to his father, Dennis, after the older man was released from prison. When Izzy was shot, Dennis chased the shooter for a block or so before the man turned, fired at him, and ran off, police said.

“Everywhere he went, he made friends,” Izzy’s mother, Lisa, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “He had a good heart,” she continued, telling young kids “that the streets are not the way.”

Diaz, now retired from the Philadelphia Police Department, told the Philly Daily News Izzy’s story “was like a `Rocky’ movie. Izzy had this incredible will to live, and a tremendous punch. We called him the `Bionic Arm.’”

And now?

“It’s a sad story,” Diaz said. “I’ve been getting calls from guys who feel like they should have done more for him. But in the end, everyone’s responsible for themselves.”

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Bernard Fernandez

Avila Perspective, Chap. 254: Canelo vs Jermell Charlo in a Battle of Undisputed Champions

Published

19 hours ago

September 29, 2023

David A. Avila

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LAS VEGAS-Less than the usual massive crowd gathered for boxing kingpin Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Jermell Charlo in the desert heat outside of the T-Mobile Arena on Friday afternoon. Usually the weigh-ins are slightly bigger for Mexico’s idol.

Is the declining crowd an indicator of Alvarez fans ebbing belief in his abilities?

Still, on Saturday night, two undisputed world champions from differing divisions will collide as Guadalajara, Mexico’s Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) meets Houston’s Charlo (35-1-1, 19 KOs) at T-Mobile Arena for the super middleweight world championship. PPV.Com will stream the clash of champions.

This year has seen a hyper-speed uptick in champions fighting other champions, perhaps the result of watching their female counterparts Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor produce the biggest fight of 2022. This year several marquee collisions were spawned from lightweights to heavyweights.

Or maybe the pandemic lull created a twitch panic among the elite.

Charlo was one of those who had been sidelined while others like Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Naoya “Monster” Inoue and Canelo Alvarez filled their pockets with cash. And others like Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez gained undisputed glory.

Instead of watching on the sidelines, Charlo decided to make his move for greater glory by attempting to dethrone one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, if not the kingpin of boxing when it comes to money.

“If I accomplish this massive goal, it will be hard to top,” Charlo said a few weeks ago during his media workout. “I’ll be in the record book with the greats of boxing for a long time.”

Risks brings rewards.

Canelo, long a member of the boxing elite, has held his position as the box office king for many years now by taking the daunting risks throughout his boxing life.

“Jermell is right, I have nothing to prove. But this time I have something to prove to him,” said Alvarez while in Las Vegas on Wednesday. “He never believed in my skills. He’s been calling me out. Now I have an opportunity to show him my skills.”

Undisputed super welterweight will challenge undisputed super middleweight in a two-division jump not often seen, except for Henry Armstrong, Roberto Duran and Sugar Shane Mosley. It’s the road taken by those who seek to be great.

Both are 33 but the redhead Alvarez has been fighting professionally since he was 15. That’s a lot of bullets in the chamber he has already used. Charlo has height, speed and the ability to adapt to different styles. Stylistically, it’s a battle that makes even the skeptics take pause.

It all depends on Alvarez’s resiliency. Charlo has ring rust, while Alvarez seemingly has lost the hunger. Whose weakness will prove the greater?

“Now is the time for this fight. We’re in our primes and at our best,” said Charlo. “I wanna shake the doubters off and prove to the world why I”m in this position. There’s a reason I made it this far.”

Alvarez remembers being as hungry as Charlo.

“I never overlook any fighter,” Alvarez said. “I know what he’s going to bring and I’m ready.”

Undercard

Several other notable bouts are included on the pay-per-view card.

Former world titlists and current welterweight contenders Yordenis Ugas (27-5) and Mario Barrios (27-2) battle for an interim title set for 12 rounds.

Super welterweights Jesus Ramos (20-0, 16 KOs) and Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) match skills in a match that pits a southpaw veteran against an undefeated southpaw from Arizona. For the past three years Ramos has been moving up the ladder and was last seen pounding out highly-touted Joey Spencer. Can he survive Lubin who nearly toppled Sebastian Fundora?

Doors open at T-Mobile Arena at 2 p.m. Pacific Time.

Lampley is back

Legendary HBO announcer Jim Lampley was hired along with ace reporter Lance Pugmire who will co-host the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez versus Jermell Charlo showdown via viewer chat live on PPV.com.

It’s the same concept used by Monday Night Football that features former quarterback greats Peyton Manning and Eli Manning in alternative programming.

Lampley returns to boxing after a five-year absence following HBO’s yanking of the popular program that vaulted elite boxing to the top behind the likes of George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.

The veteran announcer will be live streaming all the action on media platforms before and during the fight action. He was sorely missed by all who follow the sweet science.

Photo credit: Al Applerose

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Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk a Go for Saudi Arabia: Date TBA

Published

1 day ago

September 29, 2023

Arne K. Lang

Tyson-Fury-vs-Oleksandr-Usyk-a-Go-for-Saudi-Arabia-Date-TBA

It is now official. Representatives of WBC and Lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and WBO/WBA/IBF title-holder Oleksandr Usyk have come to terms. The Fury-Usyk fight will be staged at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on a date to be determined. (Speculation centers around Dec. 23.)

Fury vs Usyk is the latest addition to Riyadh Season, a months-long, state-sponsored, city-wide entertainment and sports festival that commences this year on Oct. 28 with the fight between Tyson Fury and MMA star Francis Ngannou serving as the centerpiece of the grand opening ceremony.

A point that will be central to the pre-fight hype is that more than three decades have passed since boxing had a unified heavyweight champion. The last man to be recognized as such was Lennox Lewis who unified the title in November of 1999 when he won a unanimous decision over Evander Holyfield at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Lewis entered the contest sporting the WBC belt whereas Holyfield held the WBA and IBF diadems.

As noted in boxrec, the vacant IBO heavyweight title was also at stake, a fact acknowledged in most British pre- and post-fight reports, but largely omitted from stories in American papers. As for the WBO, which was born the same year as the Florida-based IBO and came to leapfrog past it in credibility, it was out of the loop. Their heavyweight champion was Vitali Klitschko who had won the belt from Herbie Hyde.

The Lewis-Holyfield fight in Las Vegas was a rematch. They had fought eight months earlier at Madison Square Garden. That fight was ruled a draw, a decision deemed so unjust to Lennox Lewis that it spawned a federal investigation.

The tentative Dec. 23 date for Fury-Usyk would be a quick turnaround for the Gypsy King but would give him two months to heal in the event that he emerges from his non-title fight with Ngannou with a facial cut or another issue requiring medical attention. As noted in a story in the London Mirror, the date of Dec. 23 has also been bandied about as the likely date for the resurrection of the aborted fight between Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn. Something would have to give and it wouldn’t be Fury-Usyk.

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Atlantic City Welcomes the 7th Annual Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

Luis A. Cortes III

Atlantic-City-Welcomes-the-7th-Annual-Boxing-Hall-of-Fame-Weekend

While the world of boxing will be focused on Las Vegas and the mega showdown between two undisputed champions, across the country Atlantic City will play host to the seventh annual Hall-of-Fame Induction Weekend. This year’s festivities are highlighted by the celebration of heavyweight boxers that once helped make Atlantic City the leading destination for “big time” fights. At the top of this year’s class are names like George Foreman, David Tua, Shannon Briggs, and Pinklon Thomas. With names like these, it’s easy to understand why this year’s Induction Weekend, now a staple of the city’s entertainment calendar, figures to be the best ever.

Ray McCline, a lifelong boxing fan, is the brainchild behind the event which has matured beyond the infancy stage. For McCline (himself a 2022 inductee into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame), creating an entire weekend around the sport in a way that could also benefit the city financially was a no-brainer.

“It’s great to see what this weekend has become. It’s been a long road from the original idea, but with great support and partnerships, it’s been possible,” states McCline.

In the past the ACBHOF has had to be as nimble as some of the fighters that they’ve honored to continue making sure the weekend wasn’t lost in the shadows of a city that has dealt with economic struggles. McCline and his staff at the ACBHOF have done an excellent job integrating the history of boxing with the history of Atlantic City. They’ve done this by offering fans the opportunity to spend more than just one evening immersed in the culture of the sport.

“It continues to grow and get better and that’s what it’s all about; making this the type of weekend that boxing fans mark on their calendars each year. This year we’re fortunate to partner with Hard Hitting Promotions to provide a great night of live professional boxing for fans as well,” says McCline. It’s the type of addition to an already full weekend schedule that only strengthens the ACBHOF brand.

A partnership with the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino has also been a key to recent enhancements for the weekend of events.

After years of having to adapt the schedule to the schedules of their host properties, having this partnership with Hard Rock has allowed for the ACBHOF to lock in the final weekend of September or first weekend of October which is important because it allows fans to plan out their post summer and pre-holiday schedules without having to skip their trip to Atlantic City. “A major bonus,” says McCline. “It was one of the major hurdles that we had to jump over. Integrating Hard Rock and their established relationships in the world of entertainment only benefits both parties.”

It’s a fact that isn’t lost when you see crowds of concert-goers and people arriving in the city for other events enter the Free Fan Expo that takes place prior to the award ceremony.

Which brings us to this year’s schedule of events. Tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 29) will be the customary V.I.P opening cocktail reception followed by the live fights at Bally’s Casino. On Saturday at Hard Rock is the free Fight Fan Experience which allows fans to interact with legends of the sport from the past and fighters of today and tomorrow. During the evening hours. the actual awards and induction ceremony will take place at the Hard Rock. The weekend activities culminate in a legends brunch on Sunday morning at the Blue Water Grille at the Flagship Hotel.

What’s going on in Las Vegas isn’t lost on McCline. “This year is going to be great for those attending the induction ceremony at the V.I.P. level. We were able to set up our post ceremony cocktail reception in conjunction with showing the Canelo-Charlo fight. At the end of the day, we’re all fans of the sport so why miss a historic fight?”

Just listening to the joy that springs from the voice of Ray McCline when discussing both this year’s event and plans for the future is refreshing, especially when one considers all of the roadblocks that he’s overcome to bring his vision to reality in the form of a full weekend of celebration.

Note: The main event of the boxing show on Friday is a 10-round contest between super lightweights Branden Pizarro (18-1-1) and Esteban Garcia (16-2). For more information on event tickets, room reservations, and weekend schedules, visit the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame website at: www.acbhof.com

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