2006 James A. Farley Award Honesty and Integrity RON SCOTT STEVENS

By Jack Hirsch

  The Boxing Writers Association of America's James A. Farley Award is for honesty and integrity. In a sport where controversial decisions are commonplace, the decision to bestow the honor on Ron Scott Stevens was virtually unanimous.

"When I first went to the Boxing Writers dinners in the early 1980s, I used to dream of winning one of these great awards," Stevens said. "This means that you really contribute to the industry. I must have gone to 15 BWAA dinners over the years, and now to be an honoree is a dream come true."

Back in 1985, there was no such thing as the Internet. Opportunities to write on the sweet science were minimal. With that in mind, I strode up to the offices of the now-defunct magazine Boxing Today, which was located near Madison Square Garden. I had no appointment, but that didn't deter the editor of this one-man operation from meeting with me. By the time I left the office, I had been given my first assignment ever, one on the role of the cut man. That alone, will always make Stevens special to me.

Being an editor is just one of the many hats that Stevens has worn over the years. He started as a television broadcaster in Hudson Valley, N.Y., in the mid-1970s, and at the same time was a sports columnist for the Woodstock Times.

In the early 1980s, Stevens was a licensed ring announcer and matchmaker. Then came a couple of stints as a magazine editor, first at Boxing Today and then at Boxing Beat. He would form several promotional companies that ran shows primarily in the New York area.

One of the reasons small club promoters talk so glowingly of Stevens is because he understands their struggles. Ron has been there, done that.

Needing stability and a steady paycheck, Stevens joined Cedric Kushner Promotions in 1998 and served as the primary matchmaker. That stint lasted four years.

The New York State Athletic Commission was in turmoil at the time, having received negative press from many quarters. When Stevens was appointed to the position of chairman by Gov. George Pataki in early 2003, the negativity instantly was halted. Everyone seemed to understand that this was not your typical political appointment, but was going to a true boxing guy who understood the intricacies of the sport as well as anyone. That itself did not mean Stevens would be successful in the job. Decisions would have to be made that would put his character to the test. Stevens has made them. Stevens received nationwide acclaim when he suspended Evander Holyfield from boxing in New York, feeling the former champion was at greater-than-normal risk if allowed to continue. It was a decision he has not regretted for a moment even though he has hinted he would probably now reinstate Holyfield if he applied.

Stevens is multi-talented, having written several screenplays. His latest endeavor, "Cherry's Patch" received good reviews during its limited engagement in New York.

James A. Farley Award