Roc Nation COO: Friday First of 3 Shows, More Coming

By Jake Donovan

A few months after breaking into the boxing industry, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sports is finally ready to play the game for real. The company’s promotional debut comes this Friday at Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York City, with the show airing live on Fox Sports 1.

Headlining the card is the company’s first signed fighter, unbeaten welterweight prospect Dusty Hernandez-Harrison. The 20-year old from Washington D.C. faces Long Island’s Tommy Rainone in a scheduled 10-round bout. Also on the bill, Tureano Johnson—who represented Bahamas in the 2008 Beijing Olympics—squares off against Colombia’s Alex Theran.

The show goes well beyond your normal boxing broadcast. Jay-Z—an acclaimed award-winning hip hop supersrar and music mogul—and his team have lined up a star-studded cast at ringside, along with entertainment throughout the evening plus a live performance from veteran Brooklyn-born rapper Fabolous.

Motivation for the show enhancements comes from exploring ways to upgrade a tired old product. Roc Nation Sports views its formula as a part of what will separate itself from the pack as it strives to make its mark on the sport.

“We kind of look around at fights, at boxing in general. If you’re at a boxing event now, it hasn’t changed,” Roc Nations COO David Istkowitch notes of a tired brand that has remained the same for decades. “We want to amp up the fan experience.

“There are going to be other bells and whistles that we haven’t even gotten into. We want to make the in-arena feel more appealing. Yes you’re going to a fight, but we want to create a memorable event.”

Itskowitch confirmed Friday’s premiere as the first of “three shows on Fox Sports. We have two additional shows in the interim and plan on announcing dates beyond that.”

Jay-Z himself will be present at Thursday’s weigh-in—which will be hosted at his 40/40 Club—and front and center on fight night at The Theatre. His presence is hardly a publicity stunt.

“Jay is involved in every aspect of Roc Nation Sports, and Roc Nation as a whole,” notes company spokesman Ron Berkowitz. “It wouldn’t come as a surprise if he attended… in fact, it WOULD come as a surprise if he did NOT attend the fight. It’s important for those that haven’t dealt with Roc Nation to understand what kind of businessman and what kind of owner Jay-Z is, and that he’s involved in the decision making every step of the way.”

The list of celebrities—all of whom are under Roc Nation label—expected in attendance include: music superstar and award-winning recording artist Rihanna; New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia; New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz; New York Knicks forward and leading scorer Carmelo Anthony; singer/songwriter Sam Dew; singer Santigold; R&B recording artist Melanie Fiona; folk rock group Wardell; and hip-hop artist Big Sean.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox