There is nothing I love as much as a good fight: Never Hit Soft !

by Warren Rosenberg, MetroSports Magazine - June 18, 2023

U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt is quoted as saying “There is nothing I love as much as a good fight”. His cousin, President Theodore Roosevelt said “Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft”. Both presidents had visited the City of Yonkers, Theodore in 1910 and Franklin in 1928, and both had visited the building now rightly known as the Grand Roosevelt Ballroom. How fitting, given these quotes and their visits to the Grand Roosevelt Ballroom that, on Friday evening, June 17, 2023, the Ballroom was the site of the first Westchester Finest Boxing Show, put on by the Yonkers Knockouts Boxing Gym and ‘Brother 2 Brother 914’. The event was sanctioned by USA Boxing Metro.

Brother 2 Brother 914 is a Yonkers based non-profit organization with a mission to reach at risk youth at three stages of life: (1) Before they become involved gang or other destructive behavior, (2) After they have become involved in gang or other destructive behavior, and (3) Youth who feel dejected and without purpose, possibly with no will to complete their high school education. The Yonkers Knockouts Boxing Gym is associated with Brother 2 Brother 914.

In front of a full house and standing room only crowd, local boxing fans took in 13 fights, each consisting of three 2-minute rounds, with the main event featuring Yonkers own, and a member of the Yonkers Knockouts gym, Christella Cepeda. Christella is a 2022 National Golden Gloves champion who MetroSports Magazine had the pleasure of covering when she fought, and won, at Madison Square Garden in the 2022 Ringmasters Championship. Christella, a member of the New York State Police where she serves as a State Trooper, won her bout by split decision and received her championship belt from retired New York State Police Lieutenant Keith Forte.

Among the winners were three fighters from Yonkers Knockouts, five from Woodside Boxing Academy, one from NYC Cops and Kids and one from Inferno Boxing. Also on hand to present championship belts was Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, and others. Between bouts the crowd was treated to entertainment provided by singer Criz Capella and DJ Tri State Jericko.

Look for more complete coverage in the upcoming issue of MetroSports Magazine.