About Us

The Ring Company History
JO Sports, Inc. incorporated in 1992. The company is a retailer of sports memorabilia with a specialization in the sport of boxing. The company is owned and managed by Craig R. Hamilton, a boxing collector since the 1970's and owner of one of the world's largest boxing collections. Mr. Hamilton has served as an appraiser and consultant in the field of boxing collectibles.

THOMAS HAUSER ON CRAIG HAMILTON
(written for the boxing website SecondsOut.com)

Special Services
1. Appraised, authenticated and catalogued the boxing memorabilia sold in the June, 1992 sports auction in San Francisco conducted by Richard Wolffers Auctions.
2. Appraised the Duke Hott boxing collection for the Bank of California in 1994. This collection was one of the largest in the world, valued in excess of one million dollars.
3. Authenticated and catalogued the Duke Hott collection for Superior Galleries of Beverly Hills, California in 1995.
4. Consultant to The History Channel in 1995 for documentary on Jack Dempsey.
5. Consultant to Home Box Office (HBO) for their hour long specials on Sonny Liston, Sugar Ray Robinson, The Great Heavyweight Champions and Fights Of Controversy.
6. Consultant to ABC Sports for its feature on Ali-Frazier III in 1996.
7. Consultant to Lennon Documentary Group for their feature, "Long Journey Home: The Irish In America," featuring John L. Sullivan in 1997.
8. Authenticated, appraised and catalogued the boxing memorabilia sold in the March, 1997 Ring Auction commemorating the 75th Anniversary of The Ring (Magazine).
9. Catalogued the Ron Paloger Muhammad Ali Collection and acted as a consultant to Christie's for their October 19, 1997 sale of this collection.
10. Catalogued and appraised collection of The Ring (Magazine) in 1998.
11. Consultant to State Farm Insurance Company in 1999.
12. Consultant for Mastronet April 11, 2002 auction of Muhammad Ali Memorabilia.
13. Consultant for Sotheby's September, 2002 auction of Muhammad Ali Memorabilia.
14. Consultant and contributor to the Ron Howard produced movie, CINDERELLA MAN, starring Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger dealing with the life of James J. Braddock (2003-2004).
15. Consultant to Heritage Sports Collectibles September, 2004 auction in Long Beach, California.
16. Appraised boxing memorabilia collection for the estate of noted boxing manager, Bill Cayton (2004).
17. Contributor to the Ken Burns Documentary, Unforgiveable Blackness: The Rise and Fall Of Jack Johnson (2004).
18. Contributor to the Sports Illustrated: The Anniversary (1954-2004)-50th anniversary book.
19. Consultant for Heritage Auction Galleries boxing auction (May, 2005).
20. Consultant for the Stanley Weston Boxing Collection (former owner of The Ring) for Geppi's Memorabilia Roadshow Auction (October, 2005).
21. Consultant for boxing items in the Sothebys Sports Auction (December, 2005).
22. Appointed Consultant for all boxing sold by Geppi's Memorabilia Roadshow (January 2006-2008).
23. Contributor to Trust For Museum Exhibitions Book: The Powerful Hand Of George Bellows, 2007.
24. Consultant for the Steve Fisher, Muhammad Ali Collection for Lelands Auction, May, 2007.
25. Consultant for the Jim Jacobs Boxing Collection for Lelands Auction, May, 2007.
26. Consultant to the History Detectives for their special on the Dempsey-Willard Fight Bell, July, 2007.
27. Management Consultant to Heavyweight Contender, Kevin Burnett (2005-2010).
28. Consultant for Lelands Sports Auction-Boxing Section-May, 2008
29. Consultant for Lelands Sports Auction-Boxing Section-November, 2008
30. Management Advisor to Middleweight Fighter John Duddy (2009-2011)
31. Contributor to Whitney Museum of American Art exhibition: Alexander Caldwell: The Paris Years, 1926-1933. (October, 2008-February, 2009).
32. Consultant for Lelands Sports Auction-Boxing Section-June, 2009
33. Consultant for Lelands Sports Auction-Boxing Section-November, 2009
34. Manager of Christian Martinez (February, 2010 - 2012)
35. Consultant for Lelands Sports Auction-Boxing Section-June, 2010
36. Consultant for Lelands Sports Auction - Boxing Section - December 2010
37. Consultant for Premier Exhibitions - November, 2010 - 2011
38. Consultant for Paragon Auctions - Boxing Material - February, 2011
39. Consultant for Lelands Sports Auction - Boxing Section - May, 2011
40. Consultant to SCP Auctions-Ali Material-November, 2011
41. Consultant to Lelands Sports Auction-Boxing Material- December, 2011
42. Consultant to Robert Edwards Auctions-Spring 2012 Auction-Ali Memorabilia
43. Consultant to Hunt Auctions-Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson Equipment-Spring, 2012.
44. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries-Muhammad Ali Equipment-April, 2012.
45. Catalogued and Appraised the Steve Lott Boxing Collection including large Mike Tyson Collection.
46. Consultant to Lelands Sports Auction-Boxing Section-May, 2012.
47. Member of IBRO (International Boxing Research Organization)
48. Purchased collection of Wali Muhammad (Walter Youngblood), assistant trainer of Muhammad Ali-April, 2012.
49. Researched and appraised Gene Tunney memorabilia for the Tunney family for donation to the Smithsonian Museum-August, 2012.
50. Consultant for Muhammad Ali memorabilia for Paragon Auctions-Fall, 2012
51. Consultant for Heritage Auction Galleries auction for October, 2012 (Tunney Memorabilia).
52. Named Boxing Consultant for Mears Online Auctions.
53. Member of the Brockton Historical Society.
54. Consultant for Heritage Auction Galleries Signature Sports Auction (Spring, 2013-Signed boxing gloves of Cassius Clay, Jack Johnson and Joe Louis & Sonny Liston).
55. Consultant to the Estate of Harry Shaffer (2013).
56. Catalogued the Estate of Harry Shaffer Collection for auction by MEARS (Spring, 2013).
57. Consultant to Robert Edward Auctions (Spring, 2013-Muhammad Ali Fight Memorabilia).
58. Consultant to Paragon Auctions (Spring 2013-Larry Holmes Equipment, Belt & Memorabilia).
59. Catalogued, Researched and Consulted for Boxing For Lelands, Spring 2013 Auction (Floyd Patterson & Larry Holmes Collections).
60. Contributor to book: Muscle And Mayhem (Kid Lavigne) by Lauen D. Chouinard
61. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries (August, 2013)-Roberto Duran Fight Gloves.
62. Consultant to MEARS Online Auctions (August, 2013)-Carmen Basilio Memorabilia.
63. Consultant to Paragon Auctions (Fall, 2013)-Carlos Monzon Memorabilia.
64. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries (Fall, 2013)-Butch Lewis Collection of Michael Spinks Memorabilia.
65. Consultant for Lelands-January, 2014 Auction.
66. Consultant for Heritage Auction Galleries-February, 2014 Platinum Auction (Examined and prepared letter for Cassius Clay Fight Gloves from first fight with Sonny Liston).
67. Consultant to The History Channel for their special; Hunt For History (Dempsey-Firpo Fight)
68. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries-May, 2014 Auction (Roy Jones, Jr. Fight Worn Apparel)
69. Consultant to Lelands-Summer, 2014 Auction (Catalogue & Descriptions)
70. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries-June 2014 (Muhammad Ali Fight Gloves From First Fight With Joe Frazier).
71. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries -July 2014 (Cassius Clay Gold Gloves & Pan American Games Trophies).
72. Examined & Rendered Opinion on Sonny Liston Fight Worn Gloves from First Fight With Cassius Clay.
73. Consultant to Lelands -Winter 2015 Sports Auction (Catalogue & Description of Boxing).
74. Consultant to Goldin Sports Auctions -Winter 2014 Auction (Joe Frazier Robe).
75. Consultant for the Sale of Bill Cayton boxing collection.
76. Consultant to BidAmi Auctions (Dempsey Trunks, Cassius Clay Medal, Ali 3 Time Champ Robe, Ali Robe-Liston II Fight).
77. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries-Platinum Auction-February 2015 (Examined & Letter on Clay & Liston Gloves-2nd Fight).
78. Consultant to Lelands-Summer 2015 Auction (Catalogue & Descriptions-Boxing).
79. Contributor to book: A Boxing Life: Ezzard Charles by William Dettloff (2015).
80. Consultant to Goldin Auctions (Mike Tyson Championship Belt-August 2015)
81. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries (Summer 2015 Platinum Auction).
82. Consultant to Lelands-Summer 2015 Auction (Ali Fight Robe-Coopman Fight & Frazier Fight Robe-Quarry Fight).
83. Consultant to Lelands-Winter 2016 Auction
84. Consultant to Goldin Auctions-Winter 2016 Auction
85. Consultant to Lelands-Spring 2016 Auction
86. Consultant to Grey Flannel Auctions (Muhammad Ali Fight Equipment)
87. Consultant to Heritage Auction Galleries (Muhammad Ali Auction) August 2016
88. Consultant to Lelands (Muhammad Ali Auction) Fall 2016
89. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Winter 2017 Auction
90. Consultant to Lelands Winter 2017 Auction
91. Consultant to Heritage Auctions Platinum Night Auction February 2017
92. Consultant To Lelands Auction (Summer 2017)
93. Consultant To Lelands Auction (October 2017)
94. Consultant to Heritage Auctions (November 2017)
95. Consultant to Goldin Auctions (November 2017)
96. Consultant to Morphy Auctions (Muhammad Ali Auction-March, 2018)
97. Appraised former Ring Magazine Collection
98. Consultant to Heritage Auctions-Summer 2018
99. Consultant to Heritage Auctions-Fall 2018
100. Consultant to Heritage Auctions-Spring 2019
101. Consultant to Goldin Auctions-Spring 2019
102. Consultant to Heritage Auctions-Fall 2019
103. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Winter 2020 Auction.
104. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Spring 2020 Auction.
105. Consultant to Heritage Auctions Spring 2020 Auction.
106. Contributor to Four Kings Boxing Series (Hagler, Leonard, Hearns, Duran)
107. Appraised the boxing collection of James Earle.
108. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Summer 2020 Auction
109. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Fall 2020 Auction.
110. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Summer 2021 Auction.
111. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Fall 2021 Auction.
112. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Spring 2022 Auction
113. Contributor: The American Dream: The 1950's by Time Life (1998)
114. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Summer 2022 Auction
115. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Fall 2022 Auction
116. Consultant to Heritage Auctions-Troy Kinunen Ali Collection-2022
117. Appraisal for author Thomas Hauser
118. Contributor for book, A Boxing Legacy: The Life and Works of Writer and Cartoonist Ted Carroll by Ian Phimister and David Patrick
119. Consultant to Goldin Auctions Summer Boxing, 2023 Auction
120. Purchased the family collection of Robert Fitzsimmons including the sash belt he wore against James J. Corbett in 1897 to win the heavyweight title
121. Purchased the collection of Tim Hallmark, trainer of Evander Holyfield
122. Consultant to Heritage Auctions-Rocky Marciano Collection