Saturday Night Fights in Canarsie

Saturday night, the Starrett City Boxing Club hosted an amateur show at the Paedegat Athletic Club in Canarsie.

Starrett City is known for producing some of the best fighters to come out of New York. The list includes Shannon Briggs, Luis Collazo, Curtis Stevens, Gary Starks and Dimitry Salita. But recently, the club has had problems. It unexpectedly shut its doors for three months during the summer amid rumors of financial problems.


Thankfully, on Saturday things looked again in order. Starrett had five prospects on the card, and as always Starrett City President and New York boxing celebrity Jimmy O’Pharrow(left) was in the house and in good spirits.

80 years old, Jimmy O still goes to the gym every night. He works directly with Golden Gloves Champion Will Rozinsky and undefeated pro Dimitry Salita, but he tells me he’s too old to train the next generation of Starrett fighters. Greg Doyer, and a guy Jimmy calls Panama, trained all the young guys on Saturday’s card.

Talking to Jimmy O, you feel exposed directly to his stream of consciousness. He claims doesn’t he understand anything Panama says and I can’t decide if he’s kidding or not. A minute later he pulls out a picture of himself in the trademark beanie, standing with George W. Bush and Salita at the White House Hanukah Party. He gives me a copy. I’m still not sure, but I think it might be a real picture.

I ask him for Golden Gloves predictions and he gives me only his own fighter, Will Rozinsky, who is expected by anybody who knows anything to take a Golden Gloves title again this year. Jimmy tells me the Gloves is only the beginning for Rozinsky: “Will is going to be a good pro. People just don’t know it yet.”


Rozinsky was there Saturday in a “Will Power” Yankees fitted cap with his very pretty girlfriend. It’s easy to see why Jimmy is so high on him; Rozinsky(left) is the #3 ranked light heavyweight in the country. And he acts right. He made a ring appearance and stayed the rest of the night in the bleachers talking boxing and yelling insight to his Starrett fighters in the ring.

Rozinsky even held the respect of the punk kids who were relentlessly heckling trainer Tony Fortunata of Powerhouse Boxing Club(below right).

Early in the night, after the first of three Powerhouse loses, Fortunata stormed away from his fighter and the ring. The kids in the bleachers didn’t let him forget it. They’d cheer loudly for any Powerhouse opponent and when Fortunata walked past they’d yell, “You’re fired” or “One slice of pepperoni (The Powerhouse trainers shirt made him look a little like a pizza delivery guy).”

It was almost too perfect for the kids when the Powerhouse entry in the 201+ Novice Division was knocked down twice in two rounds. He wore very tight shorts.

The nicest fight of the night was between Doyer-trained Anton Williamson of Starrett City and Whancie Harley of Park Hill Boxing Club in Staten Island.

Promoter Antonio Middyette told me before the fight to watch out for Harley, “Whancie hits very hard.” Watching him warm up, he looked a higher caliber of athlete than the rest of the field.

But in the ring Harley couldn’t make it work. Williamson stayed inside and punched. Harley looked dangerous but frustrated and he was never able to unload. On the judges scorecards, Williamson won a close fight.

Post fight Antonio (pictured left on Saturday with Junior Jones) said to me, “Anton fought a good fight. He cracked Whancie.”

Starrett trainer Greg Doyer wanted more from Williamson. All through the fight you could hear Doyer’s disappointment: “He don’t listen. He don’t listen.”

Rozinsky, sitting in the bleachers, sounding like he’d been there, sympathized with Williamson and laughed at Doyer’s anguish.

It’s a good time of the year for amateur boxing. On a Saturday night of generally uninteresting fights, there was a buzz in the air as everyone anticipates the Golden Gloves. This year is especially exciting because many people believe some of Brooklyn’s young fighters are going to be world-class talents. Danny Jacobs, Saddam Ali, Will Rozinsky, and Andre Willett all have a chance at going to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

If you’re in New York, come see the talent January 24th when the Golden Gloves open at the Copacabana. Also on the schedule, this Friday, January 19th, Brotherhood Boxing Club sponsors a club show at the Williamsburg Community Center, 195 Graham Avenue in Brooklyn.