Cancer benefit will pack a punch with professional boxing debut of Livingstone Joseph

Posted on | July 22, 2011 | No Comments

Ed Diller for News

Joe DiGuardia (center) with boxer Livingstone Joseph of the Bronx ahead of Joseph’s Saturday night professional debut.

Three-time Golden Gloves champion Livingstone Joseph of the Bronx is determined to destroy his opponent when he makes his professional boxing debut on Saturday night.

He also plans to crush cancer.

The 26-year-old boxer is jazzed for his undercard bout at the Knock Out Cancer benefit on the grounds of the sprawlingHunts Point produce market.

Joseph, who trains at John’s Gym in Melrose, feels strongly about helping people with cancer because the disease has ravaged his family. His uncle died from throat cancer eight years ago, and his aunt died from breast cancer two years ago. They lived in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Joseph grew up.

Joseph’s uncle helped introduce him to the sweet science.

“I know my uncle and aunt are going to be watching me from above,” he said, calling Saturday’s event “a blessing.”

Proceeds from the benefit – sponsored by the Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative Association, the American Cancer Society and STAR Boxing – will fund cancer research.

The world’s largest produce market has never hosted a sporting event before. Joseph lives just a few blocks away.

“To fight in my own backyard – it’s a great feeling,” said the lightning-fast welterweight, who was an alternate on the U.S.boxing team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Joseph will face Tre’Sean Wiggins of upstate Newburgh. Heavyweights Joe Hanks and Alfredo Escalera Jr. will also lock horns at the Hunts Point rumble. Like Livingstone, Hanks knows what it takes to fight cancer; his mother was diagnosed with the deadly disease last year.

“She just finished her last chemo treatment three months ago,” said the muscle-bound 6-foot-4 bruiser from Newark. “I’m really motivated to get out here and perform. … I’m going to visit her right after the fight.”

Hanks, 28, will battle Escalera, of Puerto Rico, for the IBA World Heavyweight Championship. The Knock Out Cancer bouts will take place in an outdoor ring at the busy produce market.

“I’m expecting a hot, humid night,” said Hanks, undefeated with 16 wins and 11 knockouts.

The market is located at 772 Edgewater Road in Hunts Point. It will open to spectators at 6 p.m. and the fights will start at 7 p.m., with tickets available in advance and at the gate. For tickets, call STAR Boxing at (718) 823-2000 or visitwww.starboxing.com.

More than 600 tickets have already been sold, including a large number to produce market workers, said Joel Fierman, owner of Fierman Produce Exchange and a market board member.

“We have a lot of boxing fans down here,” he said.

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