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.

The Ring 8 Association was founded 52 years ago by legendary Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey to aid former boxers in their retirement years. Current Presidents Tony Mazzarella and former New York State Heavyweight Champ Henry Wallitsch hold fundraisers to help former boxers who are struggling to make ends meet. Contrary to popular belief, not every professional boxer retires with a large bank account. Without a pension plan or health benefits, most ex-boxers are having hard times. That’s when Mazzarella and Wallitsch take over.

Both presidents seek out those in need who made a living in the ring. Wallitsch said that Ring 8 provides money for ex-boxers in need of medication, vitamins, and whatever else they need to keep healthy.

They also meet other needs. “There was ex-champ ‘Kid’ Gavilan, who passed away a couple of years ago. He was buried without a tombstone at Potter’s Field. We at Ring 8 decided to give this man a proper burial.” Wallitsch said. “We had to unbury him and re-bury him at another cemetery where he could now be acknowledged. Mike Tyson donated $5,000 for the tombstone.”

Wallitsch added, ”We don’t make one penny for ourselves. All the monies go to the boxers in need.”

Ring 8 addresses the questions of how a major sport like boxing fails to look out for its alumni after the lights have dimmed, unlike other sports that feature solo athletes like tennis and golf and why there is no type of union in the sport of the “Sweet Science”. The organization is indispensable to former boxers who were once in the best shape of their lives but are now in failing health. For more information, visit www.Ring8.org.