Jesse Reid, Steve Smoger, Harold Lederman and Lucia Rijker Deserve IBHOF Induction!
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Jesse Reid, Steve Smoger, Harold Lederman and Lucia Rijker Deserve IBHOF Induction! By Ken Hissner, Doghouse Boxing (Oct 31, 2014) TweetFollow @DoghouseBoxing
L-R: Jesse Reid, Steve Smoger, Lucia Rijker & Harold Lederman
The only time I went to the IBHOF induction was in 2011 when Tyson went in. The induction of Stallone irritates me to this day. Why not Joe Palooka next? I thought the whole place was really run poorly mainly because you had no access to the fighters on the induction grounds. You had to go to a bar hoping that some may be there which Iran Barkley, Leon Spinks and Marlon Starling were in time.
Jesse Reid has worked with 25 world champions. He worked with Tyson one day before packing his bags not putting up with Tyson’s answer to “what do you like to do when you are not boxing” being “sex and drugs”. He walked away from a good payday(s) even after Tyson asked “why don’t you come along for the ride like everyone else?” I recommended Reid to Tyson when he was serving time along with 3 opponents which he took one in Buster Mathis, Jr. whose father was trained by Cus D’Amato. Reid was the second trainer in my memory that Tyson hired after getting released. Reid told Tyson he couldn’t put up with that and didn’t need “the ride”!
Reid is a no-nonsense trainer who trained the likes of the Canizales brothers, Roger Mayweather , Johnny Tapia, Bruce Curry, Paul Spadafora, Reggie Johnson and Lamon Brewster to name but a few. He is in the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
When I see Hazzard, Cortez and Steele going in and not Steve “Double SS” Smoger it makes me wonder do you have to be retired? Smoger has been one of the best international sought referees in the world for some time. When New Jersey didn’t use him enough and I doubt things will change with Hazzard back. That’s when Smoger “hits the road”. I remember Cameron Dunkin saying “Smoger is every manager’s favorite referee”. He meant among other things Smoger isn’t quick to stop a fight giving both fighters a chance. He also has a personality second to none in his role as a referee.
I understand that boxing judge Harold Lederman may have finally been nominated. The man is legendary not only from his work with HBO but all the shows he worked prior to taking that position. We had the opportunity to hear him give his reasons why he voted like he did during the fight. That is something other referee’s don’t have. Talking about personalities, Lederman like Smoger has fans at every fight wanting their picture taken with the two of them.
If Lucia “The Dutch Destroyer” Rijker is not the greatest female boxer of all time then I want to know who is? I watched her fight and interviewed her and it was an education on both accounts. Only an injury kept her from winning a fight worth $750,000 fighting “the coal miner’s daughter” Christy Martin that ended her career. She never lost at kick boxing 36-0 (25) or boxing finishing her career at 17-0 (14). She is great interviewing boxers and highly attractive, too.
