GOOD JEWISH NEWS magazine | Iyar 5786 | May 10, 2026

BOXING in Florida

Jewish Legends, Champions & Ringside History

Florida’s boxing history was never just about punches thrown beneath bright arena lights. It was built inside smoky gyms, Miami Beach hotels, Palm Beach ballrooms, neighborhood fight clubs, and late-night conversations involving promoters, trainers, gamblers, celebrities, and larger-than-life personalities. Jewish fighters, managers, promoters, and supporters played a meaningful role in shaping that colorful history.

By the early 1900s, boxing had already become part of Florida’s winter social scene. Wealthy northern families escaping cold winters traveled to Palm Beach and Miami, bringing with them an appetite for entertainment, gambling, and prizefighting. Boxing events quickly became fashionable attractions, blending athletics with high society culture.

During the golden era of Miami Beach boxing in the 1950s and 1960s, the legendary 5th Street Gym became one of the most iconic training grounds in the world. Angelo Dundee trained Muhammad Ali there before the young champion shocked the world against Sonny Liston at the Miami Beach Convention Center in 1964. The gym attracted fighters, celebrities, sportswriters, and Jewish boxing enthusiasts from New York, Philadelphia, and beyond who wintered in South Florida.

Jewish boxers themselves helped leave a lasting imprint on the sport. Fighters such as Marty Pomerantz, a celebrated Golden Gloves champion, competed in Miami during World War II while stationed in Florida. Larry Boardman trained in Miami during boxing’s heyday at the 5th Street Gym, while Morris Reif later became honored by the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame after a respected professional career that began with eighteen consecutive victories. Israeli heavyweight Roman Greenberg fought in Hollywood, Florida, while Yuri Foreman — both an ordained rabbi and professional boxer — brought a unique spiritual dimension to the sport during his Florida appearances.

Philadelphia native Steve Fleisher also represents the enduring connection between Jewish culture and boxing history. Long respected throughout the fight world, Fleisher dedicated years mentoring at-risk youth through legendary gyms including Joe Frazier’s Gym, Joe Hand’s Gym, Harrowgate Boxing Club, and the famed K & A Boxing Club in Philadelphia. Through those years he developed close friendships with boxing legends Smokin’ Joe Frazier and Emanuel Steward while building relationships across nearly every facet of the boxing industry. Today, Fleisher proudly calls Florida home, continuing the long tradition of boxing personalities relocating to the Sunshine State.

Florida also became home to many figures connected to boxing’s business and cultural side. Legendary promoter Don King, now long associated with Boca Raton, transformed boxing into global entertainment through historic promotions such as The Rumble in the Jungle and Thrilla in Manila. King maintained unique relationships within South Florida’s Jewish community through charitable appearances, business connections, and longtime friendships developed over decades in Boca Raton and Palm Beach social circles. His larger-than-life personality became part of Florida’s cultural fabric.

Another important South Florida figure is Dr. Khalilah Camacho-Ali, former wife of Muhammad Ali, who continues to make public appearances throughout the region. Through book signings, speaking engagements, charitable work, and entertainment projects, she remains connected to boxing’s living history. She also shares a close friendship with Rabbi Loring Frank, reflecting the unique cultural intersections that often define South Florida’s social landscape.

The Jewish influence on boxing extended far beyond fighters alone. Jewish trainers, physicians, promoters, journalists, venue owners, and fans helped sustain boxing during many of its most important decades. In Miami Beach especially, boxing often blended with entertainment, nightlife, and philanthropy, creating an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in America.

Today, Florida remains deeply tied to the fight game. Retired fighters from New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago continue relocating to South Florida for its weather, lifestyle, and active sports culture. Historic gyms still train young prospects while collectors, historians, and Hall of Fame members preserve the stories of the sport’s legendary past. The Florida Boxing Hall of Fame, founded in 2009, continues honoring the fighters, trainers, referees, promoters, and personalities who helped turn Florida into one of boxing’s most fascinating stages.