Tag Archives: carter

Posted on 04/24/2018

By: Ken Hissner

Pennsylvania boxing judge Lynne Carter started judging in March of 1982 in Philadelphia and in September of 1982 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, before becoming a world renowned boxing judge.

Carter has officiated some 739 bouts in those 36 years. She joined the IBF in November of 1983, at their Founding Convention, in Newark, New Jersey.

In 1984, Carter was honored by the Philadelphia Bar Association as a Woman Pioneer in Boxing. Recommended by the World Boxing Association.

“Lynne Carter has been my friend for a long, long time. I originally trained her in becoming a judge. She is a lovely woman and am proud how she leads her life. I wish her only the best,” said Carol Polis (United States first lady boxing judge)

In February of 1988 Carter judged her first world title fight for the International Boxing Federation featuring Greg Haugen and Vinny Pazienza in Atlantic City. In August of 1990 she worked a World Boxing Council title fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. Main event was Maurice Blocker and Marlon Starling.

“I have known Ms Carter for over 20 years. Always has a friendly greeting and I don’t think I have ever seen her unhappy. She is very passionate about the sport of boxing and from what I have seen in working corners all these years, is that she is very attentive to the fights she is judging and is very fair in her assessment of scoring every round. Lynne is an all-around classy lady,” said Joey Eye. (Top cut man)
In April of 1989 Carter judged the inaugural World Boxing Organization title bout between Doug DeWitt and Robbie Sims. In October of 1988 she judged her first title bout out of the US in Denmark with Greg Haugen and Gert Bo Jacobsen.

In February of 1984 Carter judged an IBF title fight in South Africa featuring Kennedy McKinney and Jose Rincones. In May of 1998 she judged in Italy in a World Boxing Union title fight. She has worked numerous WBU title fights.

“She emphasized everything that the integrity of a judge should be today. I’ve paid attention to her crafts and she knows what she is looking at and has covered some of the biggest fights world-wide,” said Elmer Smith (Philadelphia Sports writer for 25 years).

She became a judge for the NJ Athletic Commission. “Jersey” Joe was commissioner and he came back to the office the next day and said he saw this lady who looked good for a judge and he told her he would talk to me. We licensed her and she has done quite well. We started with smaller sites and she proved to be very good. Later when I was President of the IBF asked her to do a seminar for judges and she did the best presentation of anyone I have ever seen. She brought in video tapes of controversial one’s and challenged the judge to score the rounds. I saw the improvement to some of the officials she did the seminar with. I sent her to different countries like South Africa and she did a splendid job there. She was always a good student and follows the rules and procedures that should be done to a tee,” said Bob Lee (Former President of the IBF).

Carter has worked in countries such as Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, the UK and South Africa. The title bouts were with the IBF, WBC, WBA, WBO, WBU and WBF.

“Lynne is not ONLY a pioneer in boxing but her work outside the ring is even more impressive. She is the founder and CEO of “A Fight for A Cause Foundation,” which has raised thousands for victims of Katrina, Autism Research and has helped establish an afternoon school program for Autistic children in West Philadelphia. Getting back to her judging career, after over 35 years she still judges several World title fights each and every year, so she must be doing something right,” said Henry Hascup. (President of the NJB HOF)

Some of the bouts Carter judged were for such boxers as Gilberto Ramirez, Mickey Ward, “Prince” Charles Williams, Bobby Czyz, Oleksandr Gvozdyk, Billy Joe Saunders, Riddick Bowe, Andre and Anthony Dirrell, Marco Huck, Arthur Abraham, Sadam Ali, Gary Russell, Jr., Sergio Martinez, Zolt Erdei, Tomasz Adamek, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Adrien Broner, Paul Williams, Juan Manuel Lopez, Shannon Briggs, Bruce Seldon, Roy Jones, Jr., Virgil Hill, Kassim Ouma, Waldimir Klitschko, Samuel Peter, Zab Judah, Lamon Brewster, Charles Brewer, James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Tony Tubbs, Lennox Lewis, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Pernell Whitaker, Maurice Blocker, Hector Camacho, John David Jackson, Marlon Starling, Leslie Steward, Milt McCrory, Buster Drayton and Marvis Frazier.

Carter served her apprenticeship in Philadelphia under the tutelage of Pennsylvania Commissioner James J. Binns, Executive Secretary Francis Walker and Chief Inspector Charles Campbell.

Carter was trained by “Smokin” Joe Frazier, former Heavyweight Champion of the world, on the basics of boxing and Carol Polis, first female Boxing Judges in the United States. She received her professional license in March of 1982.

Carter trained and assisted upcoming female apprentices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She was the first female boxing judge in Connecticut licensed at the Foxwoods Casino – Mashantucket Pequot Reservation.

Carter was a Presenter for the State of New Jersey to conduct the Judge’s Training Seminar on “Boxing is Our Business” under Commissioner Larry Hazzard Sr. Also a Presenter for International Boxing Federation to conduct a Training Seminar on “What Constitutes a Knockdown” for Judges and Referees. For the ING in Atlanta. A co-presenter for the International Boxing Federation on the “10 Point Must System” and the “Boxing Criteria for Judging” for the IBF in Rhode Island.

Carter was the First African American Female to officiate in the State of Pennsylvania on an international level. To officiate in the World Boxing Association, World Boxing organization and the World Boxing Union. To officiate in the State of New Jersey. Licensed in Mixed Martial Arts in the State of New Jersey. Licensed in the World Boxing Foundation. To make World History in the Sport of boxing – First time in the WBA history of boxing with all female officials.

Carter’s Honor & Awards were so numerous starting with the “Smokin” Joe Frazier Award of some twenty she has received. She has be assigned in the United Kingdom, Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. In the United States she has worked in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Las Vegas, Texas, Maryland and Arizona.
Carter has done Fundraising for Autistic Children, Clean Block Captain in the City of Philadelphia. Community and Political Activist. Founder, Vernon House Cultural Committee and a Committeewoman.

Posted on 04/19/2017

American Boxers Fighting Out of Japan Back to 1961!
By: Ken Hissner

Japan is a hot bed for boxers with quite a bit of activity on the small island. In the past such boxers as America’s Steve “Flasher Ishibashi” Smith was one of those boxers to win Japan‘s National Title.

Japan produced 209 boxing events in 2016. Already in 2017 they have had 46 events with 20 scheduled into June. Some prominent boxers have come from Venezuela but not in the numbers of American’s who primarily were serving in the US Military in Japan when turning professional.
Having turned professional in April of 1971 Smith was 8-2 while fighting out of Japan including two bouts in Australia and South Korea while living in Japan. In his eleventh bout he won the Japanese middleweight title knocking out champion Cassius Naito, 24-3-2 in February of 1973.

In Smith’s next bout after becoming Japan’s champion he was knocked out by Billy “Dynamite” Douglas, 26-6-1, who was brought in from the USA. He would go onto win five of his next six fights in Japan including re-winning the vacant Japanese middleweight title in April of 1974. This would be when Smith decided to return to the city he was born in Philadelphia, PA.
In October of 1974 Smith would make his USA debut on the undercard of the Emile Griffith and “Bad” Bennie Briscoe undercard. He defeated out Nick Peoples, 6-17-1, at the Spectrum. He would soon meet up with the tough competition of future world champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, 10-1, in January of 1975 at the Spectrum and Philly’s Stanley “Kitten” Hayward, 30-10-4, at the legendary Blue Horizon in April losing both by stoppage. In October he would travel to Paris and was stopped by Jean Mateo, 26-3-1. He would return to Philadelphia scoring three consecutive wins including over Bobby Payton, 10-0, and Willie Warren, 41-26-1. He would then run out his career in four bouts on the road including a stop in Johannesburg, South Africa. He lived in Tokyo, Japan.

The first to this writer’s knowledge was George Carter, 20-11 (10), of Lakeland, GA. He would debut in Japan on May of 1961 defeating Japanese veteran Hachiro Tatsumi, 77-24-6, over ten rounds. He would fight out of Japan with occasional bouts in the USA until the end of his career in July of 1972.

After Carter won two of his first ten round bouts in Japan he went to Philadelphia in January of 1962 and was defeated by one of their best future boxers in Dick Turner, 10-0-1, at the legendary Blue Horizon. After winning one of two bouts in Massachusetts Carter would return to Japan losing two bouts including one to South Korean Olympian and future world champion Ki-Soo Kim, 9-0-1, in January of 1964.

Carter wouldn’t fight again until the end of 1966 losing in Japan then going to Korea in a rematch with Kim who was then 25-0-2. After being inactive for almost a year he would go onto win seven of his next eight bouts in Japan. In February of 1970 he won the Japanese super welterweight title defeating future WBC & WBA super welterweight world champion Koichi Wajima, 13-1, only to lose the Japanese title two months later to Wajima by split decision.

Carter would go onto win four out of five all knockout wins earning an April 1971 Japanese middleweight title bout with champion Turtle Okabe, 16-8-4, winning the title over ten rounds. He would go onto win his next four bouts including two title defenses before going to Australia and losing to world contender Tony Mundine in February of 1972. Some five months later back in Japan Carter would lose what would be his career final bout in July of 1972. He lived in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan.

Kevin Palmer, 24-1-1 (15), out of New York City debuted in Japan in February of 1993 living in Yoksuka, Kanagawa, Japan, until his final bout in August of 2001. He would go 8-0-1, then winning the vacant Japanese middleweight title stopping Naotaka Hozumi, 6-0, in the tenth and final round.

In Palmer’s second defense he defeated Yoshinori Nishizawa, 10-8-4, whom he had drawn with previously. In September of 1996 he won the OPBF middleweight title defeating Jung-Mo Kim, 17-1-1, over twelve rounds. He would go onto win his next ten bouts including five title defenses before losing his first and last bout in a rematch to Naotaka Hozumi, 17-2-1 in August of 2001.

Another American boxer who found success in Japan was Frederick Roberts, 38-7-2 (20), from the Bronx, NY, fighting as Rick Yoshimura. He would lose his first two bouts in New York starting in 1983 before moving to Akishima, Japan, in November of 1987 going 15-3 winning the Japanese super lightweight title and dropping back to lightweight taking that title. He would make twenty-two defenses including a draw. In February of 2001 he would fight to a draw for the WBA lightweight title to Japan’s Takanori Hatakeyam, 24-1-2, over twelve rounds. He would not get a rematch and went onto losing his last two bouts with the final one in October 2003.

Carlos Elliott, 26-3 (22), out of Huntsville, AL, debuted in Japan in 1983 until 1991 winning the Japanese super welterweight title in 1985 and the OPBF title in 1987. In his fourth bout he knocked out Chung-Jae Hwang, 26-2, in South Korea. He would lose in an attempt to win the Japanese welterweight title and another loss in Indonesia. He was 25-1 in Japanese rings. In his final bout he February of 1991 he would lose to Gilbert Dele, 26-0-1, for the vacant WBA super welterweight title in Guadeloupe. He lived in Hachinohe, Aomori, Japan.

Charles Bellamy, 26-3-2 (17), from New York City, fighting as Charlie Ota debuted in Japan in 2006 going onto with both the Japanese and OPBF super welterweight titles in 2010. While living in Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan, he had two fights in New York. In March of 2012 he defeated Gundrick King, 16-7, at MSG, and in November of 2013 defeated Mike Ruiz, 17-7, in Brooklyn.

Following the Ruiz fight in May of 2014 Bellamy lost to future and current WBC super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo, 23-0, in Montreal, CAN, over twelve rounds. In his next fight in December he would lose by split decision to Yuki Nonaka, 26-8-2, in an attempt to regain his Japanese super welterweight title in December. He would go onto win one bout in 2015 and one in 2016 before fighting to a draw in his last bout in January of 2017 to Yuki Beppu, 14-0.

Paul “Takeshi” Fuji, 34-3-1 (29), of Honolulu, Hawaii, would debut in Japan April of 1964 winning five bouts before returning to Hawaii winning another five bouts. Upon his return to Japan he won the vacant Japanese super lightweight title in June of 1965.

In November of 1965 Fuji would return to Hawaii gaining a win before losing to Johnny Santos, 27-2, over a two week span. In September of 1966 he won the OPBF super lightweight title. In April of 1967 he won the WBC and WBA super lightweight titles knocking out Italy’s Sandro Lopopolo, 39-4-5, in Tokyo, where he was residing. He made a defense in November of 1967 knocking out Germany’s Willie Quatuor, 57-6-5. In November of 1968 he lost his WBA title to Argentina’s Nicolino Locche, 89-2-14, in Tokyo. He would go 3-0-1 before retiring in May of 1970 in his final bout.