CANASTOTA, NY - SEPTEMBER 4, 2012 - Boxing fans in Central New York and a worldwide audience on HBO were treated to the American debut of WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on Saturday, September 1st. Golovkin, of Kazakhstan, successfully defended his title with a fifth round knockout over European champion Grzegorz Proksa at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. Golovkin raised his record to 24-0, 21 KOs.
HBO televised the fight on its popular Boxing After Dark series with the broadcast team of Bob Papa, Max Kellerman, Roy Jones Jr. and Harold Lederman calling the action from ringside.
HBO Production Coordinator, Tami Cotel, made her first visit to “Boxing’s Hometown.” Since 1985, Cotel has been an integral part of every HBO boxing broadcast, coordinating so many of the behind-the-scene details that are vital to a live broadcast. In addition to the myriad of logistic and production responsibilities in the days leading up to, and including, fight night, one of her duties is measuring each fighter for the “Tale of the Tape” segment shown prior to televised bouts. Cotel compiles all data such as height, reach (fingertip to fingertip) and, for the last several years, “HBO reach” which is measured from the armpit to the third knuckle. Among the fighters she’s worked with include Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya Roy Jones Jr. and many more. Cotel graciously donated the tape she has used for the last decade to measure the superstars of boxing.
“Nothing can measure up to donating the tape that has measured so many modern day boxing greats. I’m glad it will be preserved in Canastota for future generations,” said Cotel.
HBO’s “unofficial boxing judge” Harold Lederman returned to the Hall with Cotel, along with Marc Nathan, Lead EVS Operator, HBO Sports.
Many members of the boxing community visited while in the area. Among those who stopped by were Warriors Boxingpresident Leon Margules and matchmaker Melvin “Chico” Rivas, CompuBox’s Lee Groves and Andy Kasprzak, IBO president Ed Levine, veteran boxing scribe Jack Obermayer and members of Jonathan Gonzalez's and Serhiy Dzinziruk’s corner.