Son of Cyclone signs with Arum

It was an incredible time to be a middleweight in Philadelphia. It was the 1970s and the fighters were great and the nicknames were even better. They say that Marvin Hagler became the champion he was because of the experience he picked up fighting in Philly during that era.

'Bad' Bennie Briscoe, Bobby "Boogaloo" Watts, Willie "The Worm" Monroe and Eugene "Cyclone" Hart were fixtures in the middleweight division's Top 10 during the 1970s.

Well, the next generation has arrived. Bob Arum's Top Rank has announced the signing of amateur star Jesse Hart to a long-term promotional agreement. Hart is the son of “Cyclone” Hart and will be making his pro debut as a middleweight, on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley, Jr. World Welterweight Championship, Saturday, June 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. He is being trained by his father.

“Eugene ‘Cyclone’ Hart fought in Philadelphia in an era of unbelievable middleweight talent. Now we have the opportunity to promote Jesse Hart, the son of the Cyclone,” said Arum. “We hope Jesse will be a future superstar which will make all of us, including his father, very proud.”

Cyclone Hart was a vicious puncher , who in 2003 was named to the The Ring’s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time.  He beat Don Fullmer, Kitten Haywood and Sugar Ray Seales. He drew with Briscoe and lost to Hagler.

But Jesse Hart seems to be a boxer-puncher mix.

"He's a terrific boxer but he's a boxer that can punch," said Jesse's co-manager Alfred “Doc” Nowicki. "He had a great amateur career."

Hart won the Olympic Trials (as well as the 2011 National Golden Gloves and 2011 U.S. Nationals) but he felt the style and scoring of the amateur game was no longer a good match with his style. After feeling victimized by the scoring at an international tournament, he decided to turn pro.

"He got a little fed up with some of the judging that goes on in the amateurs and that certainly influenced his decision to turn pro," said Nowicki.