Columnist Dean Juipe: Barry’s ready to welcome Golden Gloves fighters

Sal DeFilippo

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003 | 10:13 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

For amateur fighters associated with the Golden Gloves gym, a deathbed promise assures them of a place to work out and compete even after the gym permanently closes next Tuesday.

"I promised Faye (Miller) as she was dying that no matter what, I'd do what I could to help," said Dawn Barry, referring to Miller's concerns two years ago that the Golden Gloves gym -- which Miller and her late husband, Hal, ran from its inception in 1981 -- might someday be in jeopardy.

That day, of course, is at hand. Due to a conflict with the landlord, the Fraternal Order of Police, the gym will shut its doors for good unless circumstances change in the interim.

Barry's Boxing gym, 2763 Highland, is not only welcoming those fighters who had been utilizing the Golden Gloves gym but is also willing to accommodate fighters coming from the Nevada Partners gym, which is scheduled to close March 31.

"We're already the largest gym in the city with 260 kids," Dawn Barry said, "and we'll be expanding in January."

Plans aren't yet complete, but the Barry's Boxing facility will be enlarged to include additional training area and room for tournaments.

"We did 14 shows this year," Dawn Barry said. "We need an arena or at least an area large enough to put on shows. We've got plenty of room here to expand on the property and that's what we're going to do."

She said youngsters who had been working out at Golden Gloves have already begun making their way to Barry's gym.

"Faye was always worried that her gym would close and her kids wouldn't have anywhere to go," Dawn Barry said. "I told her right before she died, 'It's going to go on, Faye. I'll see to it.' There's always a way to get these things done."

Some at the Golden Gloves gym are not conceding just yet, however.

"I called the Mayor and talked to him (Tuesday)," said trainer and gym regular Doc Broadus, referring to efforts he has made to get Oscar Goodman to mediate the dispute between the FOP and Golden Gloves franchise holder David Moody. "He was up on the situation and he said, 'I'll see what I can do about it.' There's no need for this gym to be closing but I think the mayor is the only one left who can save it."

Gym operator Joe George is also holding out hope, although FOP members who are leading the effort to break ties with the gym have said it's "case closed" for the once-bustling, yellow and blue building.

"They still have a battle on their hands," George said. "If we can get Mayor Goodman involved, there's still a chance this can get worked out."

Ricky Hatton defeated Ben Tackie and Jeff Lacy stopped Donnell Wiggins in the eighth round Saturday in a fight card televised by Showtime from Manchester, England. ... Wladimir Klitschko headlines Saturday in Kiel, Germany, as he takes on Danell Nicholson in a heavyweight fight of some interest. "I want to finish Nicholson as quickly as possible," Klitschko told his publicist, while Nicholson responded by saying, "I came here to win." He's 42-4 but has lost only once (to David Tua) in the past seven years, while Klitschko is a heavy favorite at 42-2. A crowd of 12,000 is assured.