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By Jeff Haney Las Vegas Sun For Alex Ramos, assisting retired professional boxers in need of a helping hand is more than just a good cause. He considers it his life's mission. "I don't want to go to my grave talking about what would have, could have or should have been done," said Ramos, who founded the Retired Boxers Foundation shortly after the conclusion of his career as a middleweight contender in 1994. "I want to make sure I go out there and do it." Ramos shares the BWAA's Marvin Kohn Good Guy Award for 2006 with longtime boxing judge Harold Lederman, who has become an unlikely cult figure among fight fans thanks to his expertise, colorful commentary and inimitable style in a 20-year affiliation with HBO Sports. Lederman has been attending BWAA banquets for some 40 years and was a close colleague of Kohn, the late former publicist and deputy commissioner for the New York State Athletic Commission. "I've been nominated for awards before but I've never won," Lederman said. "The years I was nominated I lost to some very good people, and I'm really thrilled to have finally won. It's one of the highlights of my life, it really is." Ramos, 45, known as "The Bronx Bomber" during his 14-year professional career, retired with a record of 39-10-2 with 24 knockouts after losing to Jorge Castro for the world middleweight championship in his final bout. He was inspired to start the Retired Boxers Foundation after working on a project with actress Sharon Stone's charity, Planet Hope, devoted to aiding homeless mothers and their children. The Retired Boxers Foundation has helped hundreds of fighters in need of assistance with their transition into a dignified retirement, Ramos said. "Our organization's motto is `Fighters Helping Fighters,' " Ramos said. "Before my time is up here, I want to do all the work I can in helping fighters throughout the world. That's my goal, and I'm proud to be doing this work. "I'm honored to be recognized by the Boxing Writers Association of America. I respect you guys a lot, and I feel blessed to be in such great company." Lederman, 66, a pharmacist by trade, began judging amateur fights in New York in 1965 and stepped up to the professional ranks in 1967. One of the first major fights he judged was Ken Buchanan's 15-round unanimous decision against Ismael Laguna for the lightweight championship in 1971 at Madison Square Garden. Another milestone for Lederman was his first HBO fight: Trevor Berbick's victory against heavily favored Pinklon Thomas for the heavyweight title in 1986. Berbick had hired trainer Eddie Futch for the bout, a move that undoubtedly played a role in the fight's outcome -- and in making it such a memorable event, Lederman said. "Futch taught Berbick how to fight," Lederman said. "And they liked what I had to say on the broadcast. Whenever I would run into Eddie Futch after that, I'd tell him, `I owe my career to you.' '' |
BWAA Good Guy Award 1996 -- LeRoy Neiman 1997 -- Don Dunphy 1998 -- George Foreman 1999 -- Patti Dreifuss, Tom Kenville 2000 -- Bill Gallo 2001 -- Teddy Blackburn 2002 -- Gerry Cooney 2003 -- Vernon Forrest 2004 -- Fred Sternburg 2005 -- Harold Lederman, Alex Ramos |
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