Any time you see a cheering band of Hassidic men in high jubilation, you think of a bar mitzvah or circumcision. But at recent boxing bouts at the Seville Hotel, the flinging side locks and hearty hugging is for a different rite of manhood, a win by undefeated Israeli heavyweight prospect Roman Greenberg. Boxing in reddish velvet trunks with a gold Star of David, the 199-ranked Greenberg has become a sensation among South Florida Jews. After a recent TKO at the Seville Hotel, a bevy of yarmulked men swarmed the undefeated 20-year-old from Haifa. Tonight the 10-0 Greenberg is scheduled to face Mississippi's Troy Beets, ranked 248, his first opponent with a winning record, at the Miami Fight Night at the American Airlines Arena (601 Biscayne Blvd.). Not one to be intimidated, the apple-cheeked Russian smiles confidently while talking about it. "The bigger they are the harder they fall," he smirks. The fight starts at 7:00 pm. Tickets range from $25 to $75. Call 786-777-1000. -- By Juan Carlos Rodriguez
Saturday 5/31
What up, Dawg?
About 700 dogs from 148 different breeds -- running, slobbering, posing, pissing, crapping. No, your boyfriend's fraternity brothers haven't descended on Miami for a reunion. It's just the 12th annual South Dade Kennel Club All Breed Conformation Show and Obedience Trial going on from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. today and tomorrow at the Miami-Dade Fair Expo Center (10901 SW 24th St.). Think of it as a canine American Idol without home audience votes or scathing critiques from nasty know-it-all Simon Cowell: "Rover, your walk is fantastic but your arse is just huge." Highly allergic types might want to pop those upper antihistamines to stave off symptoms. Admission is $5. Call 305-245-1681. -- Nina Korman
Saturday 5/31
Florida is one helluva football state. We have the NFL and three consistently top-ranked collegiate teams, but the boys aren't the only ones making the passes around here. Florida also has three Independent Women's Football League (IWFL) teams including the Miami Fury. The 2003 season is winding down for these undefeated belles of the ball so don't miss your chance to cheer them on to victory. Since 2000, the IWFL has worked to make sure that full-tackle football becomes lady-friendly on a national scale while assisting local charities on the team level. As part of the league, the Miami Fury encourages involvement in the sport by young women and is the Miami Dolphins' sister team. Former players have included Playboy models, so don't be surprised if some of the ladies catch your eye as easily as they catch spirals. Besides, it's a great excuse to start enjoying professional football in the springtime with your daughters. The Fury plays at 6:00 p.m. against the Tampa Terminators at Curtis Park (1901 NW 24th Ave.). Tickets cost $12. Supporting their sister team, the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders will be on hand to do their thing and sign autographs. -- By Margaret Griffis
Saturday 5/31
You Dig?
Play in the dirt with the Tropical Audubon Society
They say the greenest thumbs always have a little dirt under the fingernail. That's what you'll get from raking, trimming, digging, and planting during the Tropical Audubon Society's workday, going on from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Doc Thomas House (5530 Sunset Dr., South Miami). Follow the lead of restoration ecologist George Gann and be part of the movement, unearthing exotic vegetation and other subtropical plants and moving them out. It's all part of the society's grand plan: to clear the old greenery from the three-acre site and make room for a bigger and better native habitat. Bring family, friends, and plenty of questions for the plant experts shoveling alongside you. Admission is free. Call 305-666-5111. -- By John Anderson
