A hedge fund manager who bought Norman Mailer's Brooklyn Heights home is trying to pull out of the $2.08 million deal inked in July because a a tri-level crow's nest that Mailer built in the '60s isn't up to code. According to the Times, Mailer's family said they'll go back on the deal over their dead (and naked) bodies, so the hedge-fund manager is going to have to muster his Armies of the Night to…okay we'll stop. more ›

Responding to reports of a woman wearing a white skirt AFTER Labor Day, the NYPD vice squad and the Department of Buildings swarmed the Midtown offices of Mother PR last night after word got out that they'd be hosting Friday Night Throwdown. The fights, which have been popular for years and have acquired plenty of press for being rowdy, fashionable scenes chock full of high cheekbones, had been on an eight-month hiatus from their usual Lower East Side warehouse locations. Doesn't the NYPD understand that they've ruined a perfectly good opportunity to see male models get punched in the face? more ›

While New York's same-sex couples prepare for their big day, the MMA community will have to wait for the next legislative session for any hope that their sport of kings will be legalized. Earlier this month Speaker Sheldon Silver doused any hopes for legalization, despite the bill passing the Senate and speeding through the Assembly's various committees. "It's a promotion of violence at a time when we're trying to eliminate violence," Assemblyman Rob Reilly tells the Times, making us wonder if he's suggesting for supporters to wait until violence is back in season. How much longer must New Yorkers wait to feel the joy that only comes with watching a grown man do a cartwheel into another man's face? more ›

New York lovers of mostly-naked dudes mercilessly pummeling each other with their fists inside an octagonal cage to pulsating Danzig: we are almost to the mountaintop! The Republican-controlled state senate has approved the legalization and regulation of Mixed Martial Arts (or MMA, if you don't like them fancy $5 words) and the bill is now off to the Democrat-dominated Assembly, where in the past it has died at the hands of fun-hating politicians. While the Daily News reports that Governor Cuomo "has not taken a formal position on the sport," we're sure he'll come around once he feels the steely elbow of Rochester native Jon "Bones" Jones. BOOYAH! more ›

In his new autobiography to be published in June, former boxing champion and "Dancing With The Stars" contestant Sugar Ray Leonard reveals on page 38 that he was sexually molested by his Olympic boxing coach when he was a teenager. In addition to being made to take a bath with another teenager while the unnamed coach watched, Leonard recalls an encounter with the coach in which "Before I knew it, he had unzipped my pants and put his hand, then mouth, on an area that has haunted me for life. I didn't scream. I didn't look at him. I just opened the door and ran." more ›

Have you ever wondered where hipsters go to get their Fight Club on? If you guessed the warehouse at 72 Allen on the Lower East Side, you guessed right! According to the Feast, "Reports are scarce, but our tipster -- who shot the grainy photos above at last Friday's installment -- assures us the crowd, which he estimated to hover near 1,000, is of the super good looking variety: 'The girls are ridiculously hot, but all strung out looking model types, while the dudes are tatted up and would probably be labeled d-bags if they weren't so good looking too.'" more ›

Jay-Z is in, Frank Sinatra is out. At least that's how it was at the 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes. Hova's "Empire State of Mind" replaced Sinatra's version of "New York, New York", which had been the pre-stakes song since 1997. With the threat of thunderstorms, Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky both sitting out, only 45,243 race fans were on hand to witness Drosselmeyer win the 1.5 mile "Test of the Champion." more ›

Disgraced State Senator and girlfriend beater Hiram Monserrate, who got his ass handed to him in a special election in March, is committed to keeping in the spotlight as he tries to rehabilitate his image and perhaps run for State Assembly. To that end, his first major public appearance since losing to Jose Peralta will take place in a boxing ring. Laugh if you must, but the man's just doing what he loves. more ›

Ah, springtime in the city. One local recently stepped out of a coffee shop to find these two hooligans boxing on the corner of Bleeker Street and 6th Avenue. Spoiler alert: expect one good punch, a racial slur, and a spit shot... but surprisingly it didn't escalate beyond that. Have NYC street fights even gotten soft? more ›

Revel New York has released another video in their amazing series, which profiles all sorts of New Yorkers. You already met the Pigeon Lady, but they've also talked to Hester Diamond (Mike D's mom) and now their latest piece delves into the world of Brooklyn boxer Danny Jacobs. more ›

On the first non-rainy night in what seemed like centuries, DUMBO Fight Night made its outdoor debut under the recently-reopened Manhattan Bridge Archway. Fighters from DUMBO’s Gleason’s Gym and other corners of the Tri-State area hopped into the red, white, and blue ring for 16 bouts of amateur boxing to raise money for the DUMBO Improvement District. more ›

From the inbox comes a press release whose subject line pretty much says it all: "Highest Bidder Gets a Chance to Knock Out Lindsay Lohan's Father Michael In Charity Boxing Match." It goes on to explain that Michael Lohan, subject of many hate-blogs posted by Lindsay and her good friend Samantha Ronson on their MySpace pages, is putting himself on auction to highest bidder to box three rounds in the annual Long Island Fight For Charity. Ideally Ms. Ronson would get up there herself, but since that isn't happening (yet!), the charity suggests you submit an offer (starting at $5,000) to boxing(a)lifightforcharity(dot)com. Lohan himself wanted to get K-fed in the ring with him, but "there was no funding source." Who will benefit from the beatdown? Organizations like Family Residence and Essential Enterprises who help more than 3,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness. more ›

At a lively memorial for Norman Mailer held yesterday at Carnegie Hall, the esteemed author’s son claimed to channel his father’s spirit, a feat that turned into a tongue-in-cheek impersonation of Mailer that brought the house down. According to the Post, 42-year-old Stephen Mailer, one of nine Mailer children, stepped up to the podium, raised his arms like a revivalist, and shouted "Come on, old man, I'm all yours.”

He then fell to the ground as if struck by the spirit, staggered up, and began acting like his father. Clearing his throat before speaking, as was Mailer's custom, the son said in the gruff voice of his old man, “Can you hear me in the back? Hmm? Carnegie Hall? Well, why the f--k not? I think it's the perfect place for my memorial . . . I practiced my ass off.”

What would Norman Mailer make of a boxer cavorting in high heels, fishnet stockings, and a fur-trimmed tutu? "I respect most boxers because they're violent people who learned to discipline themselves," opined the late writer. Mailer may be dead, but it's doubtable whether the embarrassment that Oscar De La Hoya faces will ever die. The New York Times framed the situation ably, noting the media alert notifying the press that De La Hoya would be in court to confront his former mistress over racy lingerie photos. Unfortunately for the boxer, it was he wearing the lingerie. more ›

Anders Uwadinobi, a freshman from the Bronx, was "play" fighting with a friend in a dorm room at SUNY Binghamton when he suffered fatal injuries Sunday night. An autopsy is being conducted, but a student who witnessed the situation when he heard screams to call 911 said he saw Uwadinobi "shaking" and seizing. The 18-year-old was pronounced dead on arrival at Wilson Memorial Regional Medical Center. The student told the Post, "They were playing around.... more ›

Author Norman Mailer passed away at Mt. Sinai Hospital this morning of renal failure. The deceased writer was the author of more than 30 books, from his debut "The Naked and The Dead," to others including "Armies of the Night," and "The Executioner's Song," for which he won a Pulitzer and the National Book Award, respectively. Mailer was known as much for his out-sized personality as for his writing. The New York Times waxes poetic... more ›

Police officer Sonia Garcia was found dead in the Bay Shore, Long Island home she shared with fellow NYPD officer Alexis Chaparro. Chaparro, an instructor at the POlice Academy, told the police he heard a shot and found Garcia, who worked at the 77th Precinct in Brooklyn, in their bedroom early in the morning. He called 911 at about 5:15AM. more ›

A look at some noteworthy television this week: more ›

Unfortunately, Gothamist isn't old enough to have watched Floyd Patterson fight. Our childhood memories of him consist of hearing Billy Joel sing "Liston beats Patterson" about their 1962 fight. Born in North Carolina, Patterson and his family moved to Bed-Stuy when he was a child. After a brief period in Upstate New York, where he first took up boxing, Patterson returned to the city and, before long, started to train with Cus D'Amato at the Gramercy Gym in the Lower East Side. more ›

The British can be cutting edge with their sense of humor and style at times, but some automobile-related news makes reassures us that high school prom kids can be as kooky across the pond as they are here: Apparently being chauffeured in a NYPD cruiser is becoming very popular, because nothing says "That special night of your life during high school" like "I was arrested for [something ranging from riding my bike to killing someone] in the Big Apple"! British car rental company Frankie's Yankees owner tells the Daily News that "teenage girls just love" going to the prom in a cruiser (originally purchased for British productions of films set in New York) - and owner Frankie Lancaster and his son will dress up in NYPD uniforms while on the job; no word on whether they do a good cop-bad cop routine. Lancaster also says that British police think the Crown Vic is nicer than their rides and people who leave prison sometimes rent the NYPD cars, which is pretty brilliant. While we think the idea of going to the prom in an NYPD cruiser is goofy (a Department of Sanitation san truck is another story), we ultimately give the idea a thumbs up for Prom 2006 because we really hate the stretch SUVs. more ›

Now that the strike is over warm weather has returned. Nice timing! Did anyone choose to walk to work this morning just because it is warmer? Today and tomorrow will be plenty warm for late-December with high temperatures near 50 degrees. The sun will peak out tomorrow afternoon for all you last-minute shoppers. Christmas in Hollis and everywhere else in the city is going to be wet. Rain and showers are expected throughout the day. Let's hope Santa's got a brand new Gore-Tex suit. More seasonable temperatures return on Boxing Day and, from Gothamist's vantage point, the rest of the week looks like a snoozer weatherwise –no rain, no snow, temperatures near normal. more ›

Some reports about Tyson have him saying that he has actually lived in homeless shelters. "For two years I have been a bum, truly a bum in the streets. I've got nowhere to live. I've been crashing with friends, literally sleeping in shelters." Tyson has made more than $300 million in fight money in his career but is currently $38 million in debt. No reports on whether he's actually the owner of a Bentley or not. more ›

Boxer Mike Tyson was granted a license to fight in New Jersey yesterday, some six years after the state's Athletic Control Board rejected his last application. However, Gov. James E. McGreevey limited the locations where Tyson could have a match by barring him from fighting at any facility owned or operated by the state. more ›

Boxing themed movies seem to come around every so often, even though none have done that well since Rocky. There was The Boxer, Ali, oft-delayed Against the Ropes, and Ron Howard is aiming to shoot The Cinderella Man, with Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger. The only one that has done well is Girlfight, and that's an indie. more ›

So 'Joe Millionaire' Is Fox's Biggest Hit. It always seems so shocking that the Fox Network is able to pull out wins, even almost 20 years of existence. The Married with Children reunion made me realize that I've grown up seeing Fox evolve. It was wild and crazy in the early days, with A Current Affair and Tracey Ullman Show and Married with Children. And it was shocking when Fox decided to pit The Simpsons against NBC's Cosby Show on Thursdays at 8PM - everyone thought The Simpsons would die, but it was actually a brilliant counter-programming move, people were reminded of when CBS decided to move Survivor opposite Friends. What it did was bring more viewers to network viewing overall, with less cannibalization than thought, and forced the shows' creators to make their shows smarter. That strange mix of gutsiness, moxie, and smarts are why Fox is the quintessential challenger brand. Sure, they have Celebrity Boxing but they also have 24. The show that followed The Cosby Show on Thursday was Family Ties. That wily media mogul Barry Diller was the one who led Fox in the early days. Barry's other innovation: basically inventing the movie of the week concept while at ABC. more ›