Editorial Statement--May/June 2005: Coming Out Swinging

By David Loew, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Vaughan Palelei, Publisher/Marketing Director, and Bryan A. Bushemi, Managing Editor

Chicago has a long history in boxing. In 1927, more than 100,000 spectators watched the famous "long-count" fight at Soldier Field between Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey. The Golden Gloves originated in Chicago and more than 400 boxers competed at the first tournament. Muhammad Ali lived in and fought out of Chicago, training at the now-famous Windy City Gym.

Today, there is still an active and vibrant boxing community in Chicago. Each month, the city plays host to several professional fights. The Golden Gloves tournaments remain very strong and Chicago sends its share of boxers to the Olympics. There are a dozen park district gyms in and around Chicago offering boxing to amateurs and up-and-coming professionals. Additionally, nightclubs around Chicago host a variety of matches, from the recent "Bar Wars" at Excalibur to Johnnie Bellino's amateur fights at Joe's Bar on Weed Street. When tryouts for NBC's The Contender came to Chicago, hundreds of fighters showed up over two days to compete.

In our première issue, Chicago Fighting Arts Magazine covers the first heavyweight title fight hosted in Chicago in a quarter of a century. We're bringing the insider's perspective with interviews, profiles, and live-from-the-arena coverage, accompanied by loads of action-packed pictures of the whole amazing spectacle. Look for profiles on the challenger, the hometown favorite fighting out of the storied Windy City Gym, Andrew Golota, fight promoter extraordinaire and media master Don King, and blow-by-blow color commentary with exciting ringside photos that capture the action and the drama of this historic clash.

We also dig into the boxing community and the history behind what makes Chicago a magnet for world-class boxing entertainment, even if it is often overlooked in the shadow of more traditional fight towns like Las Vegas, New York, and Atlantic City. In addition, CFA sits down with boxing author Sean Curtin III to discuss his book, Chicago Boxing , and gives you a preview of things to come in this city's fight game with coverage of May's press conference where Fernando Vargas announced his intention to bring yet another big-time fight to the people of Chicago.

The struggle to survive, compete, and grow is something we all share and an integral part of the human experience. Chicago Fighting Arts Magazine was conceived because we saw a community that wasn't being served. With so much interest in the boxing and the fighting arts, and with so much money and time being spent, someone had to step up and fill this need. We're creating a forum where ideas can be exchanged to help this community grow. But this magazine can do that only if you take part. Contribute articles, your experiences, and let us know about events that are open to the public. Give us feedback on articles you'd like in the magazine.

Chicago Fighting Arts Magazine is coming out swinging, and we plan on sticking around until the final bell, but we're not looking for a decision. CFA is looking for a knockout, bringing you the best in Chicago boxing and serving as the ultimate resource for fighters and fans alike.