Lem's latest: Harrison aligns with Fried; Kindred wins Fleischer award

Unbeaten welterweight Dusty Harrison, of Washington, D.C., has teamed up with Washington-area attorney Jeff Fried for guidance over the next phase of his career, according to Harrison's father and trainer, Buddy Harrison.

The 18-year-old, nearly 6-foot-1 son of an Irish father and a Puerto Rican mother, Harrison (11-0, 7 knockouts) is coming off a first-round stoppage of Darrell Jones on Dec. 8 that marked his third straight knockout victory.

Fried has counseled boxers such as Riddick Bowe, Sharmba Mitchell, Lamont Peterson and Tony Thompson, been involved with the careers of professional golfer Corey Pavin and poker player Phil Ivey, and boasted clients such as CBS Sports' James Brown, Portland Trailblazers President Larry Miller, and NBA stars such as Steve Francis, Ty Lawson and Monta Ellis.

"I'm happy, and Dusty's happy. Jeff's not only concerned about his boxing career, but also, his education," said Buddy Harrison, whose son graduated with a solid B-average from Thomas Stone High School while living with his mother, Lynda Hernandez, in Waldorf, Md.

"It looks like we're going to be fighting again in February, likely in Washington, D.C., and I feel so comfortable and happy with this guy. I'm happy that Jeff is here in Washington, and not out of town. Dusty likes him."

Harrison resides permanently at the Naylor Gardens Apartments in Washington, where he lists the IBF junior welterweight beltholder Peterson as not only his neighbor but also a mentor in a neighborhood where he regularly hears gunshots and witnesses shootings and other violence.

A sometime sparring partner for Peterson, Harrison is 8-0 with six knockouts at The Washington Convention Center, where he has become immensely popular. 

Harrison has has been counseled by the legendary Bernard Hopkins, as well as Hall of Famer Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson, and has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya and HBO's ringside scorer, Harold Lederman.

In addition, Harrison already has drawn the attention of power-broking advisor Al Haymon, whose clients have included Floyd Mayweather Jr., Adrien Broner, Andre Berto, Seth Mitchell, Paul Williams, Chris Arreola, Gary Russell Jr., Peter Quillin, Danny Garcia, Antonio Tarver, Devon Alexander and  Austin Trout, among others.

DAVE KINDRED WINS NAT FLEISCHER AWARD

Dave Kindred has been named the Boxing Writers Association of America's 2012 recipient of the Nat Fleischer Award for "Excellence in Boxing Journalism."  The vote for the Fleischer Award is comprised solely of past winners.
 
Over the years, Kindred has been a reporter and columnist for the Washington Post, Louisville Courier-Journal, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and numerous other publications. The quality of his writing has set a standard for boxing coverage that has seldom been equaled. In addition, he has authored nine books, including Sound and Fury, which examined the intertwined lives of Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell.

Kindred's accomplishments culminated in his being honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors as a recipient of sports journalism's highest honor:  the Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement. He is also a member of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame.

Kindred is presently a director of Indiana University's National Sports Journalism Center, an adjunct professor at both Bradley University and Illinois Wesleyan University, and a contributing writer for SportsOnEarth.com.

"I'm thrilled to be on a list that begins with Barney Nagler, my first ringside mentor, and includes another two dozen reporters whose work taught me how to do it," said Kindred.

Kindred will be officially honored at the BWAA's annual awards banquet scheduled for this Spring. The date and location of the banquet is to be announced in the coming weeks.

Photos by Juan Marshall

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com