Golden Gloves is the most successful African promotional company of all time.
As an attorney, Rodney Berman was introduced to boxing when he was instructed to sue Morris Toweel of Springbok Boxing Enterprises. It was during this time that Berman caught the boxing bug and the two became unlikely friends. Berman eventually took over the promotional company, changed its name to Golden Gloves, and he employed Toweel as his matchmaker.
Golden Gloves’ first tournament took place in August 1977 and it has since gone on to promote virtually every leading fighter in the country and all the major fights that have taken place in South Africa ever since.
“We have promoted a who’s who of South African talent since the inception of Golden Gloves,” Berman told The Ring. “We have also been privileged to be involved with some of the greats of world boxing.”
“Not many people know but we had a small interest in Riddick Bowe when he was world champion, which arose from him beating the then-WBA heavyweight mandatory contender Pierre Coetzer. We also co-promoted Shane Mosley with the late Cedric Kushner, and another great whom we have promoted is Gennady Golovkin.”
The Johannesburg resident isn’t one to dwell on past glories and has high hopes for his current Golden Gloves stars.
“We have some very promising fighters in the Golden Gloves stable,” said the veteran promoter. “I am working closely with a dear, trusted friend Lou DiBella to showcase them in America as soon as possible under the current circumstances.
“It’s incredible for me that we have managed to maintain a worldwide reputation, despite being so far off the beaten track.”
Berman enjoyed looking back and reminiscing on some of the biggest moments in his company’s rich history:
