Ron Scott Stevens Hired By DeGuardia, Big Plans Ahead

By Mitch Abramson
 
It was a little confusing to see Ron Scott Stevens out of boxing.

When Stevens was told to step down as chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission in July of 2008, it was hard to stomach because for nearly two decades, Stevens had a pretty good run as a matchmaker, promoter and a chairman and it seemed like he would never be out of the sport. But there he was, showing up at press conferences out of work, just hanging around with the people he had grown to know professionally over the years. Then again, Stevens has held so many jobs that if anyone could land on his feet after a hard fall it would be him.

Stevens had worked as an English teacher, cab driver, television commentator, a playwright, among other jobs, so it wasn’t exactly a surprise that he landed a position with the Bronx-based promoter Joe DeGuardia, a job which he began last Tuesday.

DeGuardia is looking to start a monthly series of local boxing shows at the outset of 2011. The series, which Stevens will help coordinate, is part of a blur of recent activity by a number of promoters to revitalize the boxing scene in New York City and Stevens will be right in the middle of it as an operations man.

DeGuardia’s new series will compete directly with Golden Boy Promotions three-year deal to do boxing at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in 2012 and with Lou DiBella’s Broadway Boxing series.

“I really think he could be another Bob Arum,” Stevens said of DeGuardia, comparing him to one of the top promoters in the sport. “He’s got the instincts for promotions that is necessary. Over the years, I’ve seen him grow and get better…I’m hoping to help take his company to the next level.”

DeGuardia, 47, had success in the 90’s and this decade with local shows at Yonkers Raceway, the Paradise Theater in the Bronx and at Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan. His company, Star Boxing, rose to prominence promoting the likes of Antonio Tarver and Lou Del Valle, both former light heavyweight champions. He has spread out of late, venturing to out-of-state casinos.

But DeGuardia, a former golden gloves champion and ex-Bronx assistant district attorney, said he is looking to return to his roots, and in Stevens, he has a veteran boxing hand who has promoted shows, worked as a matchmaker and knows the ins and outs of the sport as both a practitioner and regulator. Stevens was the chairman of the New York commission for nearly six years until July of 2008 when he was replaced by Melvina Lathan, a former judge, who was appointed by Gov. David Paterson.

Stevens’ tenure at the NYSAC was marked by several significant events. He famously put Evander Holyfield on indefinite medical suspension after he lost an uninspired decision to Larry Donald in 2004. He also presided over the commission when James Toney tested positive for a performance enhancing drug following his victory over John Ruiz in 2005 that was later overturned and changed to a no-contest.

“Ron brings a lot of experience in terms of when he was a promoter years ago when I was managing [fighters],” DeGuardia said. “You never want to over-saturate a market,” DeGuardia said. “If there are too many shows, it’s never a good thing. You have to find a balance, [but] I’m a big proponent of local boxing. Our company always prided itself on promoting events. Now we’re looking to expand, and Ron, with his experience, can help us in that area.”

The focus of the series, DeGuardia says, will be on exciting fights and developing young talent, not just furthering the cause of his own boxers, which include the former Olympian, Demetrius "Boo Boo" Andrade and the undefeated Jr. welterweight Chris Algieri of Long Island.  He is open to co-promoting with other promoters on his series and anticipates an eight-event season with shows every 4-6 weeks.

“We’re looking to do what did we did at Yonkers Raceway- give fans wars,” DeGuardia said. “We have to get away from where fans are just interested in the main event. It doesn’t fuel the sport. I want fans to be at the shows from the first bout to the last and to walk out saying, ‘That was the best four-round fight I ever saw.’”

DeGuardia is in the process of finalizing a venue for the series. He said only that he is looking at several sites in and around Manhattan and that Madison Square Garden is a possibility.

“I’m excited,” said Stevens, who is 63. “I’m really looking forward to this opportunity. I think Joe is on the right track. He’s very ambitious and he has a great background in boxing. I like the fact that he wants to grow. I’m glad that he reached out to me.”

Mitch Abramson can be reached at mitchaaaa@aol.com