Former Heavyweight Champion Ken Norton and Former Lightweight Champ Ray “Boom-Boom” Mancini were honored for their contributions to boxing by Ring 8, an organization dedicated to the welfare of retired boxers, at the annual Ring 8 holiday awards dinner at the Waterfront Crabhouse at 2-03 Borden Ave., Long Island City on December 18.

Before a packed house Norton and Mancini were each awarded a bronze statuette of a boxing glove. Also receiving a statuette was Vincent Shomo, Ring 8’s uncrowned champion for 2005, and Jules Fieler who was handed the “Good Guy” award. The crowd gave each award recipient a standing ovation.

Among those in the audience were Hall of Famer Emile Griffith, ex-champ Juan LaPorte, the “Bayonne Bleeder”, Chuck Wepner, Teddy Atlas, along with old-timer Charlie Noel, and current New York State Welterweight Champ Gerald Gray. Norton and Mancini entertained the appreciative crowd with stories, gave autographs and posed for pictures. VIEW FULL STORY…