Boxing often forms a unique bond between fathers and sons. We see it all the time: a proud, outspoken father and a talented, quieter son.
Then we have Kasir Goldston, or as he was known in the amateur as ‘Mazzi.’ An observation of the luxury car vehicle, a Maserati. Goldston was one of the best, if not the best, amateurs of his era. A fourteen-time national champion and six-time international champion, Goldston has the pedigree.
His father, Ty Goldston, discusses this part of his son’s development. Neither are boisterous, just extremely confident.
“Nowadays, people want to microwave a fighter. You need to make sure it is thoroughly cooked,” said Ty Goldston, Mazzi’s father, in reference to the fast track many fighters are on. “I expect by the end of the year he will have ten or twelve pro fights. Then you will probably hear about something big after.”
With over 200 amateur victories, he was signed by Top Rank Inc. at 17 years old in 2020. At the time, I thought a fight between Goldston and Elvis Rodriguez would be rumored about now. Instead, boxing got weird. Now, neither guy is with Top Rank. Goldston parted ways with his promoter after an off-television draw with Yainiel Alvarez Telemaco in a four-round bout. The swing bout was swung off the ESPN+ stream as Goldston fought, and lightweight Charlie Sheehy was the last bout of the evening at the Resorts World Event Center.
Ty Goldston explained in this exclusive article that they didn’t like how his son’s career was handled. Recalling that for his last bout on Top Rank, the young fighter was gloved up ten hours before he fought. He was even warming up on eleven different occasions.
Now, with a record of 6-0-1 and 3 KOs, Goldston is looking to stay active.
His father recalls having nerves for his son’s pro debut. ‘Mazzi’ sensed his father was nervous and reassured him. His father recalled feeling the burden of amateur success. One of the best American boxers Team USA had produced in some time, but now none of that mattered. It was time to go pro, and his new record was 0-0. That is when he heard. “It is okay, I got this,” said the at-the-time 17-year-old prizefighter to his father.
They were reassured as they made the first professional walk at the MGM Conference Center in Las Vegas, aptly named “the bubble” for COVID-19 precautions. The absence of a boisterous crowd suited a young pro like Goldston, who comfortably boxed to a four-round decision.
His second fight against Llewelyn McClamy saw a second-round stoppage. Though most might overlook it, Goldston won his first two fights in uniquely different ways—the first by outboxing an experienced fighter, the second by stoppage. The Albany, New York native recently returned to the ring. He went one round with George Gethers as an undercard bout at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Now, The focus is on getting Goldston active in his local market of upstate New York. He is a big ticket seller there. He fought two times in 2023. He went two rounds with two quick knockouts. He spent less than two minutes in the ring combined. The 20-year-old southpaw will focus on phase two of his development, going rounds. He has had seven pro fights and gone twenty rounds. It seems that by the time he hits thirteen pro fights, that number should triple.
Often, fighters seemingly come out of nowhere. Goldston certainly is not that. He is decorated. Yet, most people don’t know boxing, and even further, most people don’t watch boxing. They don’t watch the amateurs. They don’t watch the undercard. They mock you if you bring up how good someone did in sparring.
It is a one-size-fits-all approach. Most boxing fans love being the expert. They also love mirroring the conflict they watch with their words when discussing the sport. Goldston might have had some rough spots and hardship early on, but his career remains undefined. This is a fighter who will emerge as a top-tier talent. It is up to him to reach his full potential.
This is the part of his career which it is easy to forget. It is easy not to pay attention, but I am here to say. ‘Mazzi’ is good. He is worth keeping that name fresh in your mind, and if you see it on a card, make sure you find out the result. All that pedigree doesn’t just leave you. It matters.
Boxing is the coldest game because when it is over, it is over. Your skills in the ring don’t directly translate to another career. A loss sets you back so much, and your health is always front and center. Fighters like Goldston have already achieved a ton. It just wasn’t in the pro ranks. I, for one, tend to cheer for these fighters who were dominant at one point but somehow become unlikely underdogs waiting to resurface.
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