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Briscoe Awards to be presented Sunday at Free Event  By Ken Hissner, Dog House Boxing (Oct 16, 2015)Tweet Follow @DoghouseBoxing |
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This year’s site is a new and bigger facility due to packed crowds for the past years. “Fight of the Year” and “Performance of the Year” goes to former 2-time cruiserweight champion Steve “USS” Cunningham trained by Naazim Richardson. His opponent that night at Temple University’s Liacouras Center in April was Amir “Hardcore” Mansour trained by Moses Mosely in the fight of the year. PBH is the sponsor. Mansour trains in Philly and was just seen Tuesday night on Fox Sports 1 being held to a disputed draw by unbeaten Gerald Washington. Mansour will also receive “Knockout of the Year” award. “Great doesn’t even size that fight up. I don’t like to fight people I know. Mansour helped me get my title back the second time in camp. We are close,” said Cunningham. Cunningham came off the canvas twice and Mansour once and in the end this writer felt it could have gone either way and a draw would not have been unreasonable. The fight was for Mansour’s USBA heavyweight title. Several days before the fight the Cunningham’s received bad news from the doctors about their daughter Kennedy who was waiting for a heart transplant. The doctors said “take your daughter home and make her comfortable. She’s not going to make it, we can’t do anything else. “We’ve dealt with this before. Being a man of God, a man of faith you can only dent at that faith,” said Cunningham. He went ahead with the fight knowing he had to take care of their other kids. The Cunningham’s didn’t give up. They took Kennedy to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh where she was accepted into their program and eventually received a heart transplant in December and has been thriving since. “She had her first operation at 2 days old and has been a fighter since,” said Livvy Cunningham (wife and manager). Kennedy will receive the “Honorary Briscoe Medal” sponsored by Swanson Communications. “Fighter of the Year” will go to heavyweight Bryant “By By” Jennings. “It feels great and especially to be honored at home,” said Jennings. He was 2-0 in 2014 defeating unbeaten contenders Artur Szpilka, 16-0, and Mike Perez, 20-0-1 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. PBH Gravestone Program is the sponsor. Mansour stopped “Big” Fred Kassi for the first and only time in his career in 7 rounds at the Sands Casino, in Bethlehem, PA. Kassi since has been seen on national TV drawing against Chris Arreola and losing a disputed decision to unbeaten Dominic Breazeale both this year. “Rookie of the Year” goes to then 17 year old Milton “El Santo” Santiago, Jr. He turned professional in February and went 8-0 (3), in 2014. “It’s a dream come true. A blessing,” said Santiago. Laborers Union Local 57 will sponsor his award. “Breakout Fighter of the Year” goes to young heavyweight Joey “the Tank” Dawejko who went 5-0 in 2014. “It feels great to be recognized by people for what I did in 2014. In January I beat ranked contender Derrick Rossy. Then beat (fellow Philadelphian) Mark Rideout and in May signed with my new manager Mark Cipparone and scored 3 straight first round knockouts,” said Dawejko. Fairhill Street Productions is the sponsor of the award. Receiving the “Everett Brothers Award” is amateur Jaron “Boo” Ennis who won a Silver medal at the National Golden Gloves (won it this year along with Olympic Trials). He is trained by his father Derric “Bozy” Ennis and has 2 professional brothers in Derek “Pooh” and Farah “Quiet Storm”. “It feels great for this is my first award,” said Jaron Ennis. Neil Gelb, Personal Injury Lawyer is the sponsor. “Amateur of the Year” goes to super heavyweight Darmani Rock sponsored by Roofers Union Local 30. “Prospect of the Year” goes to “The New” Ray Robinson now ranked No. 8 by the WBC and WBO. He is sponsored by Brittany Rogers BAM Boxing. “Upset of the Year” goes to Taneal Goyco in defeating Dennis Hasson. Kings Boxing is the sponsor. You will meet past and current boxers and boxing people at this event! Please send all questions and comments to Ken Hissner at: Kenhissner@gmail.com - For video content, plus today's newspaper headlines and original content, visit our Front Page now. -To have your say on this article and mix it up with other Boxing Fans, visit The Dog Pound now. |
