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Aaron Pryor, Carlos Palomino & Tony DeMarco Special VIP guests at Ring 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony Dec. 14 in New York

Press ReleaseFormer world champions Aaron “Hawk” Pryor, Carlos Palomino and Tony DeMarco will be special guests Sunday afternoon (12:30-5:00 p.m. ET), December 14 for the 28th annual RING 8 Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony at Russo’s On The Bay in Howard Beach, New York. International ring announcer David Diamante will serve as master of ceremonies.

Other boxing dignitaries expected to attend the Ring 8 celebration include former world champions Junior Jones, Vito Antuorfermo, Iran Barkley, Michael Bent, and Mark Breland.

“This is the annual highlight event of the year for Ring 8 members and guests,” Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said. “Ring 8 proudly continues to lend a helping hand to those in the boxing community who are less fortunate. Each year our Holiday Event and Awards Ceremony celebrates our great sport of boxing, insuring much-needed funding is raised so we may continue our mission for our needy brothers and sisters in boxing. We will never waver from their corners.”

Pryor (39-1, 35 KOs), fighting out of Cincinnati, fought professionally between 1976 and 1990. An International Boxing Hall of Famer, he was the junior welterweight world champion between 1980 and 1985, and is best remembers for his two knockout victories over fellow Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello.

Mexico-born Palomino (31-4-3, 19 KOs), who fought much of his career and lives in southern California, fought between 1972 and 1998. Also an IBHOF inductee, Palomino was the WBC welterweight champion for two years, 1976-1978.

DeMarco (58-12-1, 33 KOs) fought out of Boston as a pro between 1948 and 1962. He captured the world welterweight title in 1955, defeating Johnny Sexton by way of 14th round technical knockout. His second loss to the great Carmen Basilio was the consensus 1955 Fight of the Year and is still considered today by many as the greatest welterweight fight of all-time.

Ring 8’s previously announced 2014 award winners (see complete list below) include former World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior welterweight champion Chris Algieri (Fighter of the Year), World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight titlist Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs (Comeback Fighter of the Year), and retired heavyweight “Baby” Joe Mesi (Uncrowned Champion).

Unbeaten junior middleweights “Notorious” Frank Galarza (15-0-2, 9 KOs), of Brooklyn, and Philadelphia’s Julian “JRock” Williams (17-0-1, 10 KOs), respectively, are the 2014 Contender of the Year and Prospect of the Year.

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