Bruce Samuel Seldon, born on January 30, 1967, also known as "The Atlantic City Express", is an American former professional boxer and current boxing trainer, who competed from 1988 to 1996, and 2004 to 2009.
The son of former World Boxing Association world heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon, Bruce Seldon Jr. is making his own mark in the boxing world.
Seldon Jr’s quest to become a heavyweight contender begins this Saturday when he laces up the gloves for the first professional fight of his career.
When the opening bell sounds, he will be the third Seldon to call himself a professional boxer. Seldon’s opponent is Terrick Maven. The four-round bout is slated to be the second fight on the card.
Like a clone, he was gifted with the same size and athleticism.
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“Of course Pops is my favorite fighter, but other than him, it’s Larry Holmes," the younger Seldon said. "My dad always told me how helpful Larry was to him when he was coming up. He was a great mentor for my dad. Plus, if I want to see my dad, all I have to do is look in the mirror.
Those close to Jr. say he is the spitting image of his old man.
Bruce Seldon, known as "The Atlantic City Express"
Early Career and Influences
Seldon Jr. takes an old school approach, watching tapes of his father and other fighters of that famous era, in particular Larry Holmes.
Prior to that, he won the New Jersey Golden Gloves as a super heavyweight.
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While there, he was a three-sport athlete, competing in football, lacrosse and track. His biggest supporter has always been his mom. “My mom has supported me throughout my entire life," he said. "She always told me if I was going to do something, to do it the right way.
He is managed by DKO Boxing which is run by Absecon native Jimmy Kurtz and David Dubinsky.
Kurtz’s experience navigating the tricky world of boxing politics, along with handling the pressure of competing in major events, should serve Bruce Jr. well as he attempts to climb the heavyweight ladder.
“We had a great camp, now we are just putting in the finishing touches," said his trainer, former boxer Julio Sanchez.
Asked for his final thoughts, Seldon said: “I am in great company, but I’m not taking anything for granted. I’m excited, I can feel that nervous energy. I’ve put in the hard work, now I’m ready to go. It’s a blessing to fight at Boardwalk Hall, so much history there.”
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Bruce Seldon Tribute
Recent Fight and Performance
Smithville heavyweight boxer Bruce Seldon, Jr. ruined the game plan last Friday night.
Co-managers Jim Kurtz and David Dubinsky and trainer Julio Sanchez had scheduled Seldon to fight in his first six-round bout at Tropicana Casino Resort against Alexis Soriano Taveras of the Dominican Republic in an effort to test his durability.
But the fight lasted less than a minute.
Seldon (7-0, 6 KOs), son of former World Boxing Association world heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon, needed just 46 seconds to register the victory.
“I came in here ready for a six-round fight,” Seldon said. “I had a whole game plan, to pace myself a little bit more, so I don’t get burned out in the beginning. But I personally like to let my opponents feel my power in the beginning and see how they take it, then either box or keep the pressure on.”
Taveras (3-3, 1 KO) obviously didn’t take it well.
Seldon backed him into the ropes in the opening seconds of the fight, then unleashed a flurry of punches while Taveras sagged to the canvas.
Fans seated in the bleachers next to the ring rose and roared while referee Eddie Claudio started the 10-count.
Taveras sat on the canvas, his back pressed against the bottom rung of the ropes, until Claudio reached eight.
He managed to get to one knee, but couldn’t pull himself up in time to avoid the stoppage.
“I don’t even know what shot it was that put him down,” Seldon said. “I might have been the uppercut.
It was right up the middle and then I saw him on the floor.”
It marked the fastest victory of Seldon’s young career, topping a 53-second knockout over Gabriel Costa at the Tropicana in March, and was his fifth first-round win.
Because he had no amateur career and recently turned 30 years old, Kurtz and the rest of DKO Boxing have him on an accelerated pace in an effort to gain experience and confidence against opponents with a variety of styles.
Those that want to criticize his management for their choice of opponents - his first seven foes have a combined record of 15-25 - should realize that their winning percentage is actually higher than some other former heavyweights of note.
According to Kurtz, their combined .375 winning percentage tops the first seven opponents of fighters such as Deontay Wilder (17-29-4, .340), Mike Tyson (21-45-2, .309), Tommy Morrison (5-15-1, .238) and Gerry Cooney (9-44-4, .158).
Last Friday’s bout was his seventh in 13 months.
He’s scheduled to fight again at the Trop in November, where he enjoys a huge following from his days at Absegami High School and Atlantic City-area boxing fans.
“Man, I’m still so much in the beginning of my career,” he said. “I am getting a little more confidence within myself each fight, but we still have a ways to go.
“Fortunately, I have a great team behind me. I’m very blessed to have people in my corner who actually care.
I know they’re always going to put me in the best situations and as long as I keep putting in the work, things will fall into place.”
Seldon puts in the work at the Pleasantville Recreation Center, where Sanchez oversees a group of fighters that also includes his son, lightweight Julio Sanchez III.
Bruce Seldon's Championship Reign
Bruce Seldon defeated Tony Tucker by TKO in the seventh round to win the WBA heavyweight title in April 1995.
Later that summer, he successfully defended the belt with a 10th-round knockout over Joe Hipp, which took place on the undercard of Mike Tyson vs Peter McNeely.
Tyson defeated Seldon via first round knockout, ending his nearly two-year championship reign.
The fight is also notable because shortly after attending the event, hip-hop star Tupac Shakur was shot while traveling in a car near the Las Vegas strip.
Shakur died six days later.
Bruce Seldon vs Mike Tyson
Community Involvement
Sanchez’s best performance actually came after the bout, when he climbed into the crowd that was in the bleachers next to the ring and gave his robe to Shaniqua Moore.
Shaniqua’s 13-year-old son, Mu’Zair “Mu” Moore of Pleasantville, died in March from injuries after getting hit by a car while walking with a friend in Egg Harbor Township.
“He was on his way to becoming one of the best young athletes ever from our city,” Sanchez said.
“It just felt important to me because I used to see the little boy every day. He was in the gym training, putting in the work, and I knew he was going to be special.
I felt like I owed it to him to give his mom my robe.”
Seldon and Sanchez fought last Friday as part of a tremendous card staged by Margate native Larry Goldberg of Boxing Insider Promotions.
Remembering Boxing Legends
The local boxing community is also mourning the loss of former world light-heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
Qawi, formerly known as Dwight Braxton, finished a 20-year pro career with a 41-11-1 record with 25 KOs.