Ratner, Izenberg touched by Boxing Hall of Fame induction

For Marc Ratner and Jerry Izenberg, earning membership in a Hall of Fame is nothing new.

Both are in multiple Halls,with Izenberg in a whopping 13. But when they were informed Wednesday they were part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame's Class of 2016, Ratner and Izenberg conceded they were emotionally touched.

"I never dreamed this would happen," said Ratner, who served the Nevada Athletic Commission with distinction for more than a quarter century, first as an assistant inspector and ultimately as the commission's executive director from 1993 through 2006. "I was happy to be Chuck Minker's assistant."

For Izenberg, who spent most of his life in New Jersey and New York as a sports columnist but who has spent the last few years living in Henderson, boxing has always been close to his heart.

"It has more characters that are funny and it has great stories that you can't make up," said Izenberg, who is 85 and continues to write his column for the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.

Ratner will enter in the Non-Participant category and Izenberg as an Observer as part of a seven-member class that includes boxers Hector "Macho" Camacho, Lupe Pintor and Hilario Zapada along with longtime broadcaster Col. Bob Sheridan and former boxing judge and current HBO analyst Harold Lederman. The enshrinement ceremonies will be held June 12 in Canastota, N.Y.

For Ratner, whose work over the years helped make the NAC the standard by which all other commissions are judged, his induction is a validation of the integrity he brought to his job, his ability to be a facilitator and maintain the rules while working with diverse personalities and handling bizarre incidents such as the "Fan Man" flying into the ring at Caesars Palace during Evander Holyfield's rematch with Roddick Bowe in 1993 or the night Mike Tyson was disqualified after biting Holyfield's ear twice in their rematch in 1997 at the MGM Grand Garden.

"I think how you handle those moments define who you are," Ratner said. "I always fell back on my experience as a football and basketball referee, which was to make sure you get the call right.

"We were able to continue the (Bowe-Holyfield) fight after the Fan Man and we handled the Tyson ear biting incident correctly by disqualifying him."

Izenberg, who has covered thousands of fights over the decades, said the third fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975 in Manila remains his most memorable.

"The thing about that fight was each guy was on the brink of losing three different times," Izenberg said. "It's the 13th round, Frazier's legs are like wet spaghetti, his arms are at his side. Ali could have knocked him out with just touching him. But he was so exhausted, he couldn't walk the three feet he needed to hit Joe.

"The thing about Ali and Frazier was that they made each other better than they were and brought out the best in each other."

Izenberg said what makes this honor special is who is responsible for his induction.

"Your colleagues are the ones who decide whether or not you get in," he said. "That's the difference. What does a Pulitzer (Prize) mean when measured against that?"

Ratner, who has been working for the Ultimate Fighting Championship for nearly 10 years, said his honor is a shared one.

"This isn't just about me, it's about the commissioners I served, Dr. (Elias) Ghanem and Dr. (James) Nave," Ratner said. "It's about the office staff, Sandy Johnson and Colleen Patchin. But most of all, it's about Chuckie. He's the one who got me involved with the commission and he was my mentor.

"It's funny. I've been out of boxing for almost 10 years but people still remember me and that might be the best part of this honor, that they never forgot me and what I did for the sport. I'm still stunned that I'm going in. And going in with someone like Jerry, one of the greatest sports writers, along with the Colonel and Harold and the three boxers, make it extra special."

SECOND TITLE FIGHT — The Jan. 16 card at Barclays Center in Brooklyn picked up a second heavyweight title fight with Vyacheslav Glazkov facing Charles Martin for the vacant IBF belt. Glazkov-Martin will be the co-feature to Deontay Wilder's defense of his WBC heavyweight title against Artur Szpilka.

The IBF announced on Friday that Warriors Boxing won the purse bid for the fight by bidding $1,238,000. Of that, 65 percent will go to Glazkov (21-0-1, 13 KOs). Martin (22-0-1, 20 KOs) will receive 35 percent.

Warriors' Leon Margulies said: "I thought I was making a competitive bid and we're thrilled to have this fight. I believe Charles Martin can be a world champion."

"The turnaround is quick but it's the same amount of time for both fighters to prepare, so it is fair," said Main Events president Kathy Duva, who promotes Glazkov. "On top of fighting for his first world title, Glazkov is going to get more money for this fight than for any other fight and we won't be tied to any future options. This is a great deal for everyone involved."

Margulies also promotes Szpilka, so he could have a big night in Brooklyn and hit boxing's daily double.

"We've got two guys flighting for heavyweight titles on the same card," Margulies said. "How exciting is that?"

RENEWED FOR 2016 — The Nevada Athletic Commission on Thursday renewed the license for its six referees and 13 boxing judges for 2016.

The returning referees are Robert Byrd, Kenny Bayless, Tony Weeks, Russell Mora, Jay Nady and Vic Drakulich.

The returning judges are Dave Moretti, Adalaide Byrd, Patricia Morse-Jarman, Robert Hoyle, Tim Cheatham, Eric Cheek, Glenn Trowbridge, Burt Clements, Lisa Giampa, Herb Santos, Ricardo Ocasio, Kermit Bayless and Pat Schellin.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.