The Joint Association of Boxers (J.A.B.) and the Teamsters made history Thursday night when they took part in the first unionized boxing match at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. The event, Heavyweight Heat, was televised live on Showtime's Shobox series. Jameel McCline took out Wayne Llewelyn in the first round after knocking Llewelyn down three times, and in the main event, Jeremy Williams beat Attila Levin in eight rounds.

"We're getting a fair shake for working people just like us," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa told the crowd as he stood in the center of the boxing ring. "Union strong! Union all the way! We want to build a boxing empire to make things better for fighters across America."

"We need some change in the sport of boxing," said Cedric Kushner, the fight's promoter and a strong supporter of J.A.B. "I sincerely want to be part of that change."

"It's good to be home doing a union show," said J.A.B. President Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. "I'm a union man. I'm doing what's right for the fighters so they can have dignity and respect."

John Rieder, a business agent at Local 111 in New York and former amateur boxer, said he was glad to see fighters getting some protection in a difficult and dangerous sport. "It's like Christmas Eve to me. This is the first step of something that's going to be huge," he said. "The Teamsters are on the move, no matter whether it's boxing or freight or organizing."