Larry Goldberg knows how to pack a punch—at least metaphorically. For his latest knockout, he has returned professional boxing to Atlantic City and, for the second year, has teamed up with the Atlantic City Police Athletic League to introduce and encourage the sport for local youths.
“This quickly became my favorite event of the year,” says Goldberg, who grew up in Margate and attended Atlantic City High School. “I wanted to do my part to see the next generation thrive,” he says. “I saw there was boxing at the PAL, so I got involved.”
In collaboration with PAL, Goldberg, who owns the sports site boxinginsider.com, has spearheaded a premium amateur boxing event, called Battle of the Beach. The event will include 15 fights and is slated for November 9 at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, and is sanctioned by the USA Boxing Mid Atlantic. One hundred percent of this ticketed event benefits PAL. Goldberg donates the belts, the medals and handles the logistics.
Promoter Larry Goldberg with his father, David Goldberg, a longtime Atlantic City business owner. Photo: Stephanie Trapp of Trapp Photos
“The kids go into the same room as the pros at the casino. It means so much to them,” he says, noting that he worked at the Tropicana hotel as a teen.
The amateur bouts start at 1 pm; tickets are $30 and $40 (first $40 ticketholders also receive a ticket for the 11/7 professional fight) and are available at Atlantic City PAL or at the door. Goldberg hopes to expand the event even more next year. “I’ve seen how boxing has saved many kids from bad situations,” he says.
In addition to acting as amateur facilitator for the PAL event, Goldberg is the promoter for professional bouts in Atlantic City. Goldberg’s sixth professional match-up will be held on November 7, and will consists of 10 fights, including local fighters such as hometown favorite Justin Figueroa, plus other well established fighters like Swedish rising star Otto Wallin, who Goldberg says, “will likely end up in a major fight in Saudi Arabia next year.” This pro fight will stream on DAZN, and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
Even when Goldberg is focused on his professional fights, he brings the PAL crowd along by giving out around 100 tickets so they can come to see the kind of boxing matches they aspire to. “You can see their faces light up when they find out they are getting tickets,” he says.
Goldberg, 48, is a third generation Atlantic City business owner. His grandfather operated Boardwalk business and his father founded the Atlantic City Linen Supply Company, which services casinos and other businesses. “From a legacy standpoint [the PAL amateur boxing in Atlantic City] can outlast all of us and be a good thing for the community. The PAL has a really cool program,” Goldberg says. As for his own legacy, he says, “I want to be old man Goldberg, doing this even when I’m old.”
