Our very own Larry Goldberg was recently featured in a captivating story on Ring Magazine online, penned by the talented Ryan Songalia. The article delves into Larry's upbringing in the vibrant Atlantic City area, where he was immersed in the world of boxing during its heyday.
It traces Larry's journey from running the boxing website BoxingInsider.com since 1997, which gained popularity for its comprehensive coverage of major fights. However, the real turning point came when Larry, inspired by his friend's wrestling promotion, decided to venture into the world of boxing promotion himself.
He approached the world of amateur boxing cautiously, intending to “sponsor” boxing shows and hosting a Ringmasters event at Sony Hall in the bustling Times Square district of Manhattan. However, Larry's plans took a different turn after meeting a friend at Gleason’s Gym during his frequent visits. This friend happened to be Heather Hardy, a former world champion, who took it upon herself to declare to Larry that he would be promoting her next fight.
And so, Larry found himself thrust into the world of boxing, quickly becoming a true “boxing insider”.
The journey has been a whirlwind for Larry as he navigates the complexities of the boxing industry. He has come to realize that being a promoter involves a significant adjustment period and is an ongoing learning process. In this line of work, not everything is under your control. When business doesn't go as expected, one must learn to adapt and go with the flow, pun intended.
Larry shared a particular incident where a manager purposely withheld one of his fighters from an opportunity because he didn't secure a slot for another fighter, resulting in a missed chance for a different fighter.
Reflecting on the situation, Larry expressed, “All this time Fighter A has no idea that the reason his fight fell apart or he got short money is because the whole situation wasn’t about Fighter A, Fighter A was used as leverage for another fighter to get a deal. Every once in a while these situations come up and I make a phone call but what are you gonna do? You tell someone this and you blow the deal,” said Goldberg.
The concept of inevitable occurrences like that is a harsh truth, but it remains a truth, regardless of personal preferences. "One thing I learned very early on is, nobody’s ever gonna change boxing," a source mentioned.
Discussing harsh realities, one can truly grasp the depth of a situation only by experiencing it firsthand. There is a significant contrast between being a member of the media, attending fights with press credentials, and not just observing the process but actively participating in it.
An interesting aspect of the narrative involves Boxing Insider Promotions's venture into a new market, a terrain familiar to Larry as he works on establishing a presence on the Atlantic City boardwalk. This move holds substantial importance, as it presents Goldberg with the opportunity to revive club boxing in renowned locations like Manhattan and the Atlantic City casinos simultaneously.
Larry is unwavering in his commitment to approaching this endeavor with integrity, even amidst the complexities of the professional boxing realm.
Such a development is likely to attract increased attention in the days to come.
