J Russell Peltz:
Hooked For Life
Hooked For Life
J Russell Peltz saw his first live fight at the age of 13 and he was “hooked for life.” A former copy editor on the Evening Bulletin sports desk in Philadelphia, Peltz promoted his first boxing card on Sept. 30, 1969—at the age of 22—selling out the 1,300-seat Blue Horizon with middleweights Bennie Briscoe and Tito Marshall as the main event.
Induction into Hall of Fame
Peltz’s career is a testament to his impact on boxing. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 13, 2004, in Canastota,
His accolades in clude:
James J. Walker Award from the Boxing Writers Association ofAmerica (1999)
Career Achievement from the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association (2002)
World Box ing Hall of Fame Inductee (2000)
In an Aug. 9, 2002, story in Boxing News, Peltz’ was labeled “arguably the greatest of his era” and a man with “few rivals as the finest matchmaker on the planet.”
Transforming Venues and Building Champions
From 1969 to 1972, Peltz promoted at the Blue Horizon and the 7,000-seat Arena in West Philadelphia.
In 1973, he became Boxing Director of the Spectrum in South Philadelphia, turning it into the boxing capital of the East Coast. Notable moments include:
1976 WBC junior lightweight title fight: Alfredo Escalera vs. Tyrone Everett, with a record indoor crowd of 16,019 in Pennsylvania.
1977 Title Fight: Roberto Duran vs. Edwin
1978 Title Fight: Mike Rossman vs. Aldo Traversaro.
Peltz helped develop legendary fighters like Bennie Briscoe, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Marvin Johnson, Jeff Chandler, Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, Willie “The Worm” Monroe, and Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts. Marvelous Marvin Hagler suffered two early career defeats to Watts and Monroe on Peltz-promoted cards at the Spectrum. The 14,930 crowd for Hagler vs. Briscoe in 1978 is the largest for an indoor non-title fight in Pennsylvania history.
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Marvin Hagler vs. Bennie Briscoe
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“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler
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Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts
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Willie "The Worm" Monroe
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Eugene "Cyclone" Hart
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Matthew Saad Muhammad
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Marvin Johnson
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Jeff Chandler
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Alfredo Escalera vs. Tyrone Everett
Independent Promotion and TV Presence
Leaving the Spectrum in 1980, Peltz promoted independently in Philadelphia and Atlantic City. His events were televised on ESPN, USA, PRISM, HBO, Showtime, ABC, CBS, and NBC. He developed champions like Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Charlie “Choo Choo” Brown, Gary Hinton, Robert Hines, Prince Charles Williams, Arturo Gatti, Charles Brewer, and Kassim Ouma.
Peltz promoted or co-promoted over 40 world championship contests, including Jason Sosa’s WBA world junior lightweight title win in 2016. He co-promoted an all-star card in 1992 with Main Events, featuring Meldrick Taylor and Pernell Whitaker, televised by HBO.
Personal Life and Education
Peltz earned a B.S. in Journalism from Temple University in 1968, winning the Sigma Delta Chi award as the Outstanding Male Graduate in Journalism. In 2010, he was inducted into the Temple University School of Communications & Theatre Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Linda, reside in Boca Raton, FL, and have one son, Daniel, and six grandchildren.
A Legacy in Boxing
J Russell Peltz’s remarkable career and dedication to boxing have left an indelible mark on the sport. His legacy as a promoter and matchmaker continues to be celebrated by the boxing community.