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By Lyle Fitzsimmons - It’s been a long time waiting for Joe Mesi.
Nearly seven years – six years, eight months and 19 days, to be exact – have passed since the Buffalo-area heavyweight made his last working appearance in a Western New York ring.
With a 97-second KO of then-prospect DaVarryl Williamson at the downtown HSBC Arena on Sept. 27, 2003, the unbeaten Mesi became a national name of substance, and warranted breathless billing as the region’s “third sports franchise” – alongside the NHL’s Sabres and NFL’s Bills.
Needless to say, the fairy tale didn’t end as the locals had planned.
And now, nearly seven years later – six years, eight months and 19 days, to be exact – the effort to fill the void created by his demise will begin again about 20 miles to the north.
Under his own fledgling X-Cel Worldwide Promotions banner, company president & CEO Nick Garone puts on his fifth area show in 20 months – this time headlined by former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman – on Saturday night at the Niagara Falls Conference Center.
The event, whose venue is within walking distance of the famous watery landmark, follows up a show Garone assembled at the nearby Seneca Niagara Casino Events Center – also in the city named for the cataract – in November 2008. Prior to his arrival, Niagara Falls had hosted just four fight cards, including two headlined by Mesi in 2001, since 1947. [Click Here To Read More]
Nearly seven years – six years, eight months and 19 days, to be exact – have passed since the Buffalo-area heavyweight made his last working appearance in a Western New York ring.
With a 97-second KO of then-prospect DaVarryl Williamson at the downtown HSBC Arena on Sept. 27, 2003, the unbeaten Mesi became a national name of substance, and warranted breathless billing as the region’s “third sports franchise” – alongside the NHL’s Sabres and NFL’s Bills.
Needless to say, the fairy tale didn’t end as the locals had planned.
And now, nearly seven years later – six years, eight months and 19 days, to be exact – the effort to fill the void created by his demise will begin again about 20 miles to the north.
Under his own fledgling X-Cel Worldwide Promotions banner, company president & CEO Nick Garone puts on his fifth area show in 20 months – this time headlined by former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman – on Saturday night at the Niagara Falls Conference Center.
The event, whose venue is within walking distance of the famous watery landmark, follows up a show Garone assembled at the nearby Seneca Niagara Casino Events Center – also in the city named for the cataract – in November 2008. Prior to his arrival, Niagara Falls had hosted just four fight cards, including two headlined by Mesi in 2001, since 1947. [Click Here To Read More]
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