And In This Corner… Brian “The Beret” Young

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By Brian “The Beret” Young (Who else would it be by?)

Hello fight fans and welcome to my new column for Ringside Report! I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce myself to you and give you an idea of what I hope to bring.

Before I begin, I first want to thank “Bad” Brad Berkwitt, CEO and Publisher of this fantastic website, for giving me the chance to be part of this family. I would also like to thank the entire staff of Ringside Report. Not only for welcoming me into the fold, but for the years of enjoyment and information their work has given me. Also, my brother Kevin Young, who loves the sport almost as much as I do and who I’m sure will be weighing in from time to time in this column as well.

My love of boxing began in the good old 1970’s, the days of leisure suits, disco and Howard Cosell. As a small child a new larger than life hero came into my life, the new Heavyweight Champion of the World, The Easton Assassin Larry Holmes. From that moment on I was hooked. To me, Holmes was Superman and Hercules rolled into one.

It was the perfect time to become a boxing fan. Over the next several years the sport seemed to get better and better all the time. I got to watch some of the greatest fighters of all time on a regular basis. Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Carlos Monzon, Salvador Sanchez, Alexis Arguello, Aaron Pryor, Julio Caesar Chavez, Daniel Zaragosa, Thomas Hearns, James “Lights Out” Toney and on and on, life was good for a boxing fan.

As I grew up I became fascinated with history and it was only a matter of time that two of my passions would collide. I practically wore out my library card reading every book on boxing history I could get my hands on. I started learning about the great champions and fighters from the past. Men like Jack Dempsey, John L Sullivan, Archie Moore, Jack Johnson, Jake LaMotta, Tony Zale and hundreds of others became as important to me as the great Champions I was watching on TV. I started collecting boxing magazines, fight films (thanks to video tape coming into vogue) and documentaries studying and learning all I could about this great sport and its rich history.

For the past 25 years I have been making a yearly pilgrimage every June to a small village on the Erie Canal called Canastota, New York, home of the International Boxing Hall of Fame for their annual induction ceremonies. Over this time I have formed strong friendships with people from across the globe, both those directly involved in the sport and fans alike. I have collected several lifetimes worth of memories and still get as excited as a kid on Christmas morning every June. For those of you who have never been to the Hall of Fame for the ceremonies, I can only say that if you have the chance, you have to do it. It is an experience unlike any other for a boxing fan. And for those of you who have been to one or more, you know the best part of the weekend can be the non-stop boxing talk and debate. The talk about upcoming bouts, the stories of past fights, the discussion and debate over dream matchups, both historically and contemporary and of course the “inside scoop” on the sport by those in and around it. From the fighters themselves to the referees, the judges, the trainers, the cut men, the promoters and the writers, everyone shares their opinions and stories. This is exactly what I hope to bring to you all here at Ringside Report.

I plan on using this space to not only talk about the state of the game, but to also discuss upcoming fights and review those that have just passed. To write about the history of this sport and the men and woman who have helped to shape it. To bring you exclusive interviews with figures in and around the sport and most importantly to engage with you, the boxing fans, the ones who keep this sport alive. I want you, the readers, to be an important part of this feature. I welcome suggestions for stories or topics you would like for me to discuss. I also plan on doing a monthly question and answers article where I will try and answer as many questions as I can, sent in to me about anything boxing related. Let’s make this like friends sitting around the bar discussing the sweet science. Sometimes we will agree and often, I’m sure, we’ll disagree. And that’s what I hope will make this a popular feature.

Once again, a big “thank you” to Ringside Report for giving me this space. Most importantly I want to thank you, the fans, for your interest and love of boxing. I look forward to hearing from you and making new friends from around the world.

Please feel free to reach out to me via the form box below with any questions, or suggestions for future articles or features. So for now, let’s shake hands and wait for the bell.

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