Brooklyn Boxer Killed While Trying to Break Up Bar Fight

Twenty-eight year old Kemal Kolenovic was killed yesterday morning when an angry man drove into him outside a Bronx bar. Kolenovic had tried to calm down a fight between patrons at the Moonlight Restaurant and Bar. The NY Times says the fight was "apparently brought on by arguments over which Albanian clan was superior." When the argument moved to the outside, one of the men fighting got into his SUV, "made a U-turn in his SUV and jumped the curb outside" and hit Kolenovic, whose back was to the car, according to the Post. Kolenovic later died at St. Barnabas Hospital with massive head injuries. He was not the intended target, but the driver fled and the police are still looking for him.

Kolenovic was an up-and-coming boxer who had immigrated from Montenegro. He was looking to fight at the Loews Paradise Theater in the Bronx this month, if he could find an opponent. Don Stewart, a boxing columnist for The Reading Eagle who saw him fight in May told the Times, "He was real charismatic in the ring. He would jump up and down in the corner before the rounds. He was a real tough little guy. It’s a boxing cliché, but he was a hard-luck journeyman who couldn’t get a break. He had fights that could have gone his way but didn’t for whatever reason."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on January 1, 2007 11:29 AM

Comments [rss]

me

I miss my friend. He was a good guy even though we battled all the time we still would call each other or try to squash it. It was a cycle and i cant believe hes not around anymore. i stil have his voicemail from xmas saved on my phone. i miss you kemal.

virginia

R.I.P.KAMEL I WILL MISS YOUR SMILE YOUR HUGS AND KISSES. YOU LIT UP EAST 18TH STREET WITH YOUR CHARMING PERSONALITY AND CARING WAYS. I ALWAYS WILL REMEMBER HOW MUCH YOU CARED ABOUT ALEX AND I WILL BE FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT.R.I.P BABY. I HOPE YOUR DEATH IS AVENGED.MISSING YOU ....VIRGINIA

virginia

R.I.P.KAMEL I WILL MISS YOUR SMILE YOUR HUGS AND KISSES. YOU LIT UP EAST 18TH STREET WITH YOUR CHARMING PERSONALITY AND CARING WAYS. I ALWAYS WILL REMEMBER HOW MUCH YOU CARED ABOUT ALEX AND I WILL BE FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT.R.I.P BABY. I HOPE YOUR DEATH IS AVENGED.MISSING YOU ....VIRGINIA

Mikey

Kemo had a huge heart. He's greatly missed by Avenue M in brooklyn where he lived. He was a true warrior. RIP Kemo

KID CHOCOLATE

KEMAL WAS INDEED A GOOD GUY... ITS JUST CRAZY I JUST TALK TO HIM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND NOW HE'S GONE IT'S A SHAME.... HE'LL BE GREATLY MISSED

The Horvath Family

Kemal was a stand up guy. My family and I knew him and he was one of the sweetest guys you'd ever come across. He ALWAYS had a smile on his face. He was so good to my brother. He'd give you the shirt off of his back. He was a true gentleman. It's a shame that a heartless coward took away such an innocent life. Kemal will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Heaven's got a new champion. RIP Kemal. =,(

Non-Shocker

A generalization? Sure -- but Albanian males are hair-trigger psychos. As such, it does not surprise me that an argument over "which clan is superior" would sadly end in such violence, even death.

luke

Horrible. I got to train with him a couple times at Gleason's and he was a real character. Very tough guy, so energetic and funny. What a shame.