In sad news, it has been reported how Hall of Fame boxing promoter, matchmaker and publicist Bobby Goodman has passed away at age 83. Goodman, a man who spent many years of his life working in the sport he loved, passed away in hospital in Galloway, New Jersey. Tributes have since been pouring in, with Don King, for whom Goodman worked for many years, this as vice president of Don King Productions, leading the tributes.
“Bobby Goodman was a great man, a dear friend and an asset to the sport of boxing,” King said. “He was a tireless worker and loved boxing and everyone who was a part of boxing. We will truly miss him and we send our deepest condolences to his entire family.”
Goodman, who was inducted into a number of Hall of Fames – the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame, the New York Boxing Hall of Fame – worked a number of huge fights, including Ali-Foreman, Ali-Frazier III, Foreman-Frazier and Leonard-Duran fights I and II.
A constant face at ringside as well as a constant presence on the world scene, Goodman was an old-school boxing guy who simply loved his job, or jobs. Goodman also worked as Madison Square Garden’s vice president of boxing and it was largely down to him that fighters such as Kevin Kelley, Aaron Davis, Tracy Harris Patterson, Junior Jones, and others reached the top. The son of a boxing promoter, Murray Goodman, Bobby was a boxing guy for almost all of his long life. During his time in the sport, Goodman became friends with giants such as Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Rocky Marciano; Bobby spending time in camp with these champions and many more. Goodman had a unique relationship with such legends.
Here at ESB, we wish to extent our condolences to Bobby’s family and his many friends. As King said, Bobby will be missed. Bobby is survived by his four daughters, along with his nine grandchildren, and also by his brother and his sister.