UNIONDALE - The Nassau Coliseum opened up to some of Long Island's brightest boxing stars Wednesday for a tour of the building currently under renovations.
The Coliseum will be the location of "Brooklyn Boxing on Long Island," where six to eight cards will be held each year. The building is expected to open during the spring of 2017.
Chris Algieri, Cletus "The Hebrew Hammer" Seldin, Joe Smith Jr. and Sean Monaghan took part in the tour.
“Fighting here, it’s great,” said Smith to New York Newsday. “I’ll be able to sell the place out with friends and family, being it’s so close to my home [in Shirley]. Everybody will show up. It’ll be great, all the trades, labors and unions are going to show up to support me and I’m looking forward to it . . . The boxing community is going to love it.”
Brooklyn Boxing is the boxing platform for Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, which controls and operates Barclays Center, Nassau Coliseum, the Brooklyn Nets and the business side of the New York Islanders.
When Nassau Coliseum opens in spring 2017, Brooklyn Boxing on Long Island will be a big part of the venue, as we plan to host about 6 to 8 fight nights a year, including several big shows and several in our theater set-up. Boxing is very important to Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark and he plans to deliver the sport to Long Island, as he’s done in Brooklyn.
Since it’s opening in 2012, Barclays Center brought major championship boxing back to Brooklyn after more than 80 years. Over the past four years, the BROOKLYN BOXING platform has hosted more than 120 bouts and more than 30 world title fights while giving local fighters their own shot in the spotlight.
Added Algieri: “I’ve been Long Island in Brooklyn, why can’t Brooklyn come to Long Island?”
