Eighteen million Euro-vision television watchers last night saw American middleweight boxer Benny Briscoe, wearing a Star of David on his trunks, battle his way to victory against the younger Argentinean favorite, Tony Mundine, in the Paris “Palais de Sports.” Unmarked, the Black Jewish convert raised his hands in victory and rubbed the Star of David as a sign of good luck after he successfully defeated Mundine with a knockout in 14 minutes of combat.
Later in the dressing room, still clad in red trunks and red robe both imprinted with a white Star of David, the 31-year-old Philadelphian said: “I never once doubted I would win with a knockout.” Fight organizer Maurice Ben Haim told the JTA that during his stay in Paris, Briscoe insisted on eating kosher food, putting on phylacteries and saying his prayers.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
