Emile Griffith tribute Tuesday

Here' a release from Ring 8, which will honor the great Emile Griffith at their September meeting:

Ring 8 will pay tribute to the late, great Emile Griffith at tomorrow night's (Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET) monthly meeting at historic Waterfront Crabhouse, in Long Island City, New York.

The six-time, three-division world champion Griffith (85-24-2, 23 KOs) was born in the Virgin Islands but lived most of his life in New York City.  He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and last year into the first class of the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by Ring 8.

His tribute will include several speakers as well as viewing of some of Griffith's best fights on a projector screen.  Speakers will include his biographer, Ron Ross, Emile's son, Louis, boxing historian Henry Hascup and Bobby Bartels, his former sparring partner and past president of Ring 8.

Griffith's fights being shown are against Dick Tiger, Luis Rodriguez, Florentino Fernandez, Andy Heilman, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, as well as the second Nino Benvenutti fight.

"Emile was special to all of us at Ring 8 and were excited about paying tribute to this great man and fighter," Ring 8 president Bob Duffy said.  "He was a Ring 8 member for many years and we were all very fortunate to know him."

ABOUT RING 8:   Formed in 1954 by an ex-prizefighter, Jack Grebelsky, Ring 8 became the eighth subsidiary of what was then known as the National Veteran Boxers Association - hence, RING 8 - and today the organization's motto still remains: Boxers Helping Boxers.