By Frank Bartolini

New York City is nicknamed “The Big Apple”. During the holiday season on Manhattan Island that piece of fruit roasts no matter what the thermometer dips to. Tourists from all over the globe pose for a memory by Iconic evergreen decked out in Christmas regalia at Rockefeller Center. Macy’s lights up Herald Square. A few blocks away at Sony Hall in Times Square, New York’s number one promoter Larry Goldberg of Boxing Insider Promotions delivered a December fight card, delighting the area’s fans and fight scene. Goldberg has developed a niche as fanatics line up down Forty Sixth St across from Richard Rodgers Theatre where Broadway play revelers queue up to see Hamilton. Veteran matchmaker Eric Bottjer puts together competitive scraps for a crowd of suits and dresses downing costly beverages brought to them by a waiter or waitress. On this evening eight days before Christmas the scrap of the night paired a couple of flyweights. Mexican Angel Giovanny Meza Morales was brought in as an opponent for popular Andy Dominguez Velasquez. Morales gave Velasquez all he could handle. After eight rounds of swapping leather Velasquez eked out an eight round split decision victory. Following every show the enthusiasm does not diminish. Filing onto the sidewalk a crowd lingers out front as some managers, trainers and promoters strategize their charges.next move. Fashionably dressed men and women still feeling the nights excitement
, determine which Irish pub to attend for a nightcap. McCarthy’s Irish Pub a block away on forty sixth is where my crew of friends hunkered for some appetizers and cocktails.
Larry Goldberg and Boxing Insider Promotions return to the Sony Theater on Thursday, February Twentieth. Following that date Boxing Insider Promotions will be at Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City on Saturday night March twenty second.
“THE ONE” is an Off Broadway play that ran for one week this past December at the AMT Theater on Forty Fifth Street. Essentially a one man biographical play about the life of Muhammad Ali formerly known as Cassius Clay. Written and directed by David Serero, an accomplished Opera singer who also played Angelo Dundee in one scene. Without a set and just a few props actor Zack Basile portrayed Ali as he narrated and pantomined in a convincing performance. Gerry Cooney was a featured guest and sat on stage answering questions about Ali at the conclusion of the evening. Serero sang a booming operatic rendition of the Star Spangle Banner for the Boxing Insider Promotions Sony Hall fight night.
Once all decorations were packed away, Kings Promotions got out of the gate to promote the first fight card in Philadelphia for 2025 on Friday night January seventeenth. Live Casino housed the event as Kings Promotions head honcho Marshall Kaufman put together an undercard filled with competitive bouts.
Hot Philadelphia prospect light heavy Atif Oberlton vanquished tough but outclassed Dominican Joaquin Berroa Lugo in five rounds of a scheduled eight rounder. Power punching Oberlton remains undefeated with 12 wins, 10 coming within the scheduled distance. Lugo suffered his first loss dropping to 6-1 4 ko’s. Taking place in front of a full house there were too many local luminaries and fighters in attendance to list.
Oberlton returns to action on Friday March fourteenth when Kings Promotions returns to action at the Wind Creek Casino in Bethlehem PA. Local Allentown, PA, junior welterweight Joseph Adorno will top the card in a scheduled 8 round contest.

Most ringside pundits feel it is time for Oberlton to step up in competition and look forward to seeing who Kaufman can get in the ring with his warrior.
Regional Promoters such as Kaufman and Goldberg are the life blood of the pro fight game, These club shows develop future champions.