Notes on a Scorecard - May 6, 1995

I have become member No. 1,119 of the “Dangerous” Dana Rosenblatt Fan Club. . . .

The honor was bestowed upon me by the World Boxing Council Continental Americas middleweight champion himself the other day. . . .

Tonight, several hundred other members and I will convene at Caesars Palace for a very special meeting. . . .

At 6 o’clock, Rosenblatt will make his Las Vegas debut against Chad Parker in a battle of unbeatens. . . .

“This will be my coming-out party,” said Rosenblatt, who has fought four times on ESPN and once on the USA network, but never on a pay-per-view event such as the card featuring Oscar De La Hoya and Rafael Ruelas. . . .

Tune in early and enjoy the party. . . .

You’ll like Dangerous Dana. . . .

But there is so much more than boxing to the love affair he has built with fans in his native Massachusetts and that is spreading across the country and even abroad. . . .

He relishes the role of role model, especially in the Jewish community to which he belongs. . . .

“Being able to affect the lives of young people means a lot more to me than winning fights,” he said. . . .

During a recent 25-day period, he made 12 speaking engagements in the Boston area. . . .

“The message is how I got where I am today, the diversity in my life, how Judaism has helped me, and the importance of getting an education,” Rosenblatt, 23, said. . . .

He was in the National Honor Society at Bunker Hill Junior College, where he compiled a 3.75 grade-point average, and plans to earn a university degree eventually. . . .

Rosenblatt is an avid reader whose last book was “To Life,” by Rabbi Harold Kushner. . . .

His long-term goal is to fight in Israel. . . .

One of his recent fights raised $53,000 to help build a field house at a school in his hometown of Malden, 10 miles from downtown Boston. . . .

So how did this nice Jewish boy become a prizefighter? . . .

“I played all the usual sports and then got interested in the martial arts,” he said. “I was doing karate at 13, then judo and kick-boxing.” . . .

He was paid $50 for his second pro kick-boxing bout, which convinced him that boxing would be more lucrative. . . .

His record is 23-0 with 18 knockouts, and he is the answer to a trivia question: Who won the last fight at Boston Garden? . . .

He is a southpaw, but a pleasing one who can work inside or outside, throws a stiff right jab and can knock you out with an overhand left. . . .

At 5 feet 10 and 160 pounds, his most impressive physical characteristics are strong legs that were developed during his judo and kick-boxing days. . . .

For about a year, he has followed a vegetarian diet, spurning even fish and chicken. . . .

He says potatoes are giving him his energy. . . .

Recently, one of his fans sent a blistering letter to the Boston Globe, complaining about a story that said Rosenblatt’s skills might not be quite up to the standard of Marvelous Marvin Hagler. . . .

Rosenblatt’s Rooters think the world is ready for another left-handed middleweight champion from Massachusetts. . . .

*

The selection in the main event is De La Hoya on a decision. . . .

Both he and Rafael Ruelas can bomb, but a 12-round decision isn’t far-fetched because both are in terrific physical condition and have been known to climb off the canvas with gusto. . . .

Roy Jones will replace the vacationing George Foreman as a commentator on the pay-per-view telecast. . . .

De La Hoya’s marketing adviser is Leigh Steinberg, the widely known NFL player agent. . . .

“Oscar already is doing a number of commercials and endorsements, but this fight is critical to him crossing over into a larger market,” Steinberg said. . . .

Why would the agent for 22 NFL quarterbacks want to become involved with a fighter? . . .

“I’ve spent the last 20 years watching clients being knocked to the turf by 300-pounders,” Steinberg said. “Finally, I have somebody who can fight back.”