Belt and medal in hand at the Mike Tyson InvitationalPhotos courtesy of Richard Gordon-Woods
When Mike Tyson fought, Richard Gordon-Woods tuned in like every other boxing fan, to see how long the other man would last. This fall he watched a different fight on a Tyson card: his own son’s.
Kahlil “Flash” Gordon, 18, the uptown amateur whose great-grandmother founded Sylvia’s Restaurant, was selected for the Mike Tyson Invitational at Foxwoods. He met Ali Conde of the Bronx at 176 pounds, and he won.
“Growing up, Mike Tyson was definitely a fighter I admired, so being hand selected by him was a surreal moment,” Kahlil Gordon told The Harlem Times. “It let me know that all the hard work I’m putting in isn’t being overlooked. Fighting on the card was a great moment and the most fun I’ve had in my amateur boxing career. It gave me a scope of what it’s like to be a professional boxer.”
The call
The news came from Raul Utajara, who works alongside Tyson and his team, according to Gordon-Woods, Kahlil’s father.
“I was very happy about this, especially because at some point in life, if you’re a boxing fan, when Mike fought you were tuned in to see how long his opponent would survive,” Gordon-Woods told The Harlem Times. “And now I get to tune in to my son fighting at his event, in front of him.”
Harlem vs. the Bronx
The matchup carried its own story. Gordon was New York City’s 176-pound youth champion for 2026 and Conde was the 176-pound elite champion, Gordon-Woods said. The two had never sparred each other, he added, and friends they share in the boxing community were split on whom to back.
“This was an amateur pay-per-view bout,” Gordon-Woods said. “Harlem vs. the Bronx, Flash Gordon vs. Ali. And that night Flash Gordon was just the better man. Much respect to Ali and his team.”
The cornermen for this fight were Jerry Harvey and Khayan Flemmings Sr.
Kahlil has known his opponent for years. “Ali is a fighter that trains out of my old gym,” he said. “In boxing you may have to fight people you know. That comes with the sport. I wasn’t open to letting him or anyone take this moment away from me. After the fight, we’re still cool and there is still respect, but in the ring, there are no friends.”
His father sees a lesson for the sport. “I believe fighters have to fight each other, even if you’re friends,” Gordon-Woods said. “Kahlil and Ali demonstrated what boxing needs: two friends who didn’t let their calling to the ring stop them from competing.”
A father’s job
Father and son, side by side, in the gym and in the corner.
“Every time I fight I’m representing Sylvia’s, my family and Harlem.”
Kahlil “Flash” Gordon
Readers first met Kahlil in these pages as a high school senior training after class, with his father never missing a day in the gym. Read that story here. Since then he has won the USA Boxing International Open in Pueblo, Colorado, and a Ring Masters title at Madison Square Garden.
“My role with my son is to guide him to the top. It’s as simple as that,” Gordon-Woods said. “In a tough sport, my job is to make sure he has all the tools and receives the best training for each camp. My son wants to become a world champion one day, and he puts in the work daily.”
Asked what young New York fighters need most, he pointed to the national stage. “There aren’t enough kids going to nationals,” he said. “Most of the kids who go to nationals from New York come back with a different swag, a different attitude, and that translates into winning.”
Sylvia’s, family and the road ahead
Outside the ropes, his father describes a humble, quiet young man. “An introvert, I would say, to some extent,” Gordon-Woods said. “In the ring all of that goes away, and he’s finding himself more and more comfortable in there.”
Kahlil’s goals are clear. “My journey still does not stop here,” he said. “My goal is to continue to perfect my craft and become a professional boxer, and dominate. The 2028 Olympics is definitely something I see myself doing, and it is something that me and my team are working on.”
And he carries a famous name into every bout. “Carrying on the family’s legacy is something that I’m big on,” he said. “Sylvia’s is the most known soul food restaurant in the world, and I have to live up to that. Every time I fight I’m representing Sylvia’s, my family and Harlem.”
Gordon-Woods thanked the community for standing behind his son. Fans can follow Kahlil on social media at @Ktg_917.
Kahlil Gordon and Richard Gordon-Woods spoke with The Harlem Times in an interview on November 10, 2026. Their remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Share this story and tag us @HarlemTimesNews on X and @theharlemtimes on Instagram.
Prepared by THT Sports Desk at THT Media Lab and published under the editorial direction of The Harlem Times.