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Annual Events
The Golden Gloves
What: Golden Gloves
When & Where: Finals: April 18-19, 2009 - Madison Square Garden
When & Where: Preliminary Rounds: January 2008 - April 2009 - Various Sites

The 2008 Daily News Golden Gloves marks the 81st anniversary of the famed boxing tournament. In what began as an event created to develop fighters who could compete in the national amateur championships, the Golden Gloves has become synonymous with excellence in amateur boxing. Preliminary bouts will be held throughout the five boroughs as well as Westchester and Long Island starting in the third week of January, leading up to the final bout on April 19th.

Many of boxing’s all-time greats claim the Golden Gloves as their first major victories. “Sugar” Ray Robinson, considered by many to be the greatest “pound-for-pound” fighter of all-time, won two Golden Gloves championships. Muhammad Ali made his New York City debut as Cassius Clay in the New York-Chicago Golden Gloves championships in 1959. Rocky Marciano suffered the only loss of his career in the Golden Gloves.

Women began competing in the Golden Gloves in 1995. Several of the women who first boxed in the Golden Gloves have gone on to win many local, national, and world amateur titles. Many women, including three-time Golden Gloves champions Melissa Salome and Alicia Ashley, have gone on to win professional championships.

Proceeds from Golden Gloves events will be donated to help fund youth programs in host site neighborhoods.

History

Many of boxing’s all-time greats claim the Golden Gloves as their first major victories. “Sugar” Ray Robinson, considered by many to be the greatest “pound-for-pound” fighter of all-time, won two Golden Gloves championships. Muhammad Ali made his New York City debut as Cassius Clay in the New York-Chicago Golden Gloves championships in 1959. Rocky Marciano suffered the only loss of his career in the Golden Gloves.

Women began competing in the Golden Gloves in 1995. Several of the women who first boxed in the Golden Gloves have gone on to win many local, national, and world amateur titles. Many women, including three-time Golden Gloves champions Melissa Salome and Alicia Ashley, have gone on to win professional championships.

Proceeds from Golden Gloves were donated to help fund youth programs in host site neighborhoods.

For more information about the Golden Gloves, please call 212-210-1903 or 212-210-1908 or visit USA Metro Boxing's Golden Gloves website . For registration information, please visit www.usametroboxing.com.

Noteable Golden Glove Fighters From the Past
Sugar Ray Robinson - 1939, 1940 Floyd Patterson, Sr. - 1951, 1952
Gerry Cooney - 1976 Juan LaPorte - 1976
Hector "Macho" Camacho - 1978, 1979 Carl "The Truth" Williams - 1980, 1981
Riddick Bowe - 1985, '86 - '88 Kevin Kelley - 1988



To see winners from past Golden Gloves tournaments, please visit our Golden Gloves Archive.

Last Updated On: Tuesday, November 25, 2008

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