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International Boxing Hall of Fame 1 Hall of Fame Drive Canastota, NY 13032 P: 315.697.7095 F: 315.697.5356
HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF
FOR JOURNALIST MICHAEL KATZ
CANASTOTA, NY - JANUARY 29, 2025 - TThe International Boxing Hall of Fame announced its flags will fly at half-staff in memory of journalist Michael Katz, who passed away on January 27 at the age of 85.
“Michael Katz was a throwback to the great journalists of yesteryear. He covered boxing action from around the world and was highly respected for his outstanding work,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy. “The Hall of Fame offers our condolences to the Katz family and joins the boxing world in mourning his passing.”
Born December 2, 1939 in the Bronx, NY. Katz was a copy boy at the New York Times in 1961 and worked his way up to news assistant and ultimately to the sports desk. In 1966 he moved to Europe and was sports editor of the Times International Edition. While there he covered his first heavyweight title bout, Floyd Patterson vs. Jimmy Ellis in 1968. In 1970 he freelanced in Paris, France, serving as European sports correspondent and contributed copy to the Times, Newsweek, Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated. Upon returning to the States in 1972, he resumed his duties at the Times sports desk and, in 1979, began covering boxing full time. In 1985 he moved to the New York Daily News and worked as a general sports columnist before focusing full-time on boxing. In 2000 he joined houseofboxing.com and subsequently wrote for maxboxing.com, showtime.com and msgnetwork.com. Katz was awarded the Nat Fleischer Award for “Excellence In Boxing Journalism” by the BWAA in 1981.
In 2012, Katz was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
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