Dana Rosenblatt
Encyclopedia
"Dangerous" Dana Rosenblatt (b. January 26, 1972, in Malden, Massachusetts
) was a left-handed
professional boxer
who held a variety of minor boxing titles.
Rosenblatt began practicing martial arts
at age 13 and earned a black belt
in Tang Soo Do
when he was 16. He also took up Judo
when he was 16, and earned a brown belt.
He began competing as an amateur kickboxer at age 15, and won the U.S. amateur middleweight
title.
He attended Bunker Hill Community College
, and was an honors graduate.
During his career he beat former U.S. Olympian Howard Davis Jr.
and former junior middleweight champion Terry Norris
.
In 1993, for Rosenblatt's 15th fight, he wore a pair of trunks with the Star of David
symbol sewn into them, harkening back to the legendary Jewish fighters of the 1930s like Benny Leonard
and Barney Ross
who started the practice. Today those trunks are on display in Philadelphia at the National Museum of American Jewish History.
He started garnering serious attention after his first round KO of "The Irish Express," Sean Fitzgerald, 29–2–2, for the New England
Middleweight Title on December 16, 1993. He then beat Frank Savannah, 15–1–1, by TKO for the World Boxing Council
Continental Americas Middleweight Title. Next, he met Chad Parker in 1995 for the WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Title. Rosenblatt knocked out Parker in the first round.
His only professional loss came when 5-time former champion Vinny Pazienza knocked him out in the 4th round during a 1996 fight.
At a press conference to announce a rematch, Pazienza's comments included demeaning references that even extended to Rosenblatt’s manhood. Rosenblatt later beat Pazienza in the 1999 rematch in a split decision, winning the vacant International Boxing Organization
Super Middleweight
Title.
During Rosenblatt's fight against Glenwood Brown in January 1997, he broke his hand. Rosenblatt won the fight, but spent the next 14 months recuperating before he could box again.
On September 25, 1998, he defeated former 3-time WBC super welterweight champion "Terrible" Terry Norris in a unanimous 12-round decision, to capture the International Boxing Association
World Middleweight Title.
He defeated Will "Kid Fire" McIntyre, 36–4–1, in October 2000. Then, a torn right shoulder rotator cuff
, a separated left shoulder and torn labrum, a hand fracture, and several scheduling problems kept him inactive and caused him to drop out of the world rankings. He did not fight again until June 28, 2002.
He retired from boxing in August 2003. He retired with a record of 37–1–1 (23).
He was notable for being one of the few Jewish boxers active in the 1990s.
Malden, Massachusetts
Malden is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 59,450 at the 2010 census. In 2009 Malden was ranked as the "Best Place to Raise Your Kids" in Massachusetts by Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine.-History:...
) was a left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who held a variety of minor boxing titles.
Rosenblatt began practicing martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
at age 13 and earned a black belt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in Tang Soo Do
Tang Soo Do
Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art promoted by Hwang Kee that has roots in various martial arts, including taekkyeon and Subak.-Etymology:...
when he was 16. He also took up Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
when he was 16, and earned a brown belt.
He began competing as an amateur kickboxer at age 15, and won the U.S. amateur middleweight
Middleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
title.
He attended Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College
Bunker Hill Community College is a two-year community college located in Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts. It is an urban campus with over 10,000 students. Six in ten students are people of color and more than half of all students are women. There are 650 international students attending BHCC;...
, and was an honors graduate.
Boxing career
Rosenblatt became a professional boxer in 1992, at the age of 20. He made $500 for his first fight, which was in Pikesville, MD.During his career he beat former U.S. Olympian Howard Davis Jr.
Howard Davis Jr.
Howard Edward Davis, Jr. is a retired world-class American amateur and professional boxer. Growing up on Long Island as the eldest of 10 children, Davis first learned boxing from his father. After being inspired by a movie about Muhammad Ali, Davis embarked on his amateur career. He won the 1976...
and former junior middleweight champion Terry Norris
Terry Norris
Terry Wayne Norris is a retired American boxer and a three-time world champion in the light middleweight division. Originally from Lubbock, Texas, he fought out of San Diego.-Early boxing career:...
.
In 1993, for Rosenblatt's 15th fight, he wore a pair of trunks with the Star of David
Star of David
The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
symbol sewn into them, harkening back to the legendary Jewish fighters of the 1930s like Benny Leonard
Benny Leonard
Benny Leonard was an American lightweight boxer. He was named as number 8 on Ring Magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years and number 7 on ESPN's 50 Greatest Boxers of All-Time....
and Barney Ross
Barney Ross
Barney Ross , born Beryl David Rosofsky, was a world champion boxer in three weight divisions and decorated veteran of World War II.-Early life:...
who started the practice. Today those trunks are on display in Philadelphia at the National Museum of American Jewish History.
He started garnering serious attention after his first round KO of "The Irish Express," Sean Fitzgerald, 29–2–2, for the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Middleweight Title on December 16, 1993. He then beat Frank Savannah, 15–1–1, by TKO for the World Boxing Council
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
Continental Americas Middleweight Title. Next, he met Chad Parker in 1995 for the WBC Continental Americas Middleweight Title. Rosenblatt knocked out Parker in the first round.
His only professional loss came when 5-time former champion Vinny Pazienza knocked him out in the 4th round during a 1996 fight.
At a press conference to announce a rematch, Pazienza's comments included demeaning references that even extended to Rosenblatt’s manhood. Rosenblatt later beat Pazienza in the 1999 rematch in a split decision, winning the vacant International Boxing Organization
International Boxing Organization
The International Boxing Organization is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.- Origins :...
Super Middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
Title.
During Rosenblatt's fight against Glenwood Brown in January 1997, he broke his hand. Rosenblatt won the fight, but spent the next 14 months recuperating before he could box again.
On September 25, 1998, he defeated former 3-time WBC super welterweight champion "Terrible" Terry Norris in a unanimous 12-round decision, to capture the International Boxing Association
International Boxing Association
The International Boxing Association is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.- Origins :...
World Middleweight Title.
He defeated Will "Kid Fire" McIntyre, 36–4–1, in October 2000. Then, a torn right shoulder rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
, a separated left shoulder and torn labrum, a hand fracture, and several scheduling problems kept him inactive and caused him to drop out of the world rankings. He did not fight again until June 28, 2002.
He retired from boxing in August 2003. He retired with a record of 37–1–1 (23).
He was notable for being one of the few Jewish boxers active in the 1990s.