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Boxing event a success
COMMENTARY
By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com
Published: Sunday, February 27, 2011 10:53 PM CST
Saturday was a huge day at Fonner Park.
Not only was it the second day of Fonner Park’s 31-day horse racing meet, but there was also a little boxing going on at the Heartland Events Center.
OK, maybe more than a little boxing. There were eight fights in all at the “Rumble in the Heartland,” including the feature fight between Reyes Sanchez and Antonio DeMarco.
Antonio DeMarco hugs Reyes Sanchez (left) after their fight for the World Boxing Council Silver lightweight title at the "Rumble in the Heartland" Saturday night at the Heartland Events Center. DeMarco won the 12-round match with an unanimous decision. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)
Click here for our photo reprints
2/27/2011
2/27/2011
2/26/2011
2/26/2011
2/25/2011
DeMarco’s 12-round unanimous decision gave him the WBC Silver lightweight belt puts him in line to fight for the WBC title.
The “Rumble in the Heartland” drew right at 6,000 people. The main event was shown live on Showtime. The whole thing went over well with the network.
Alan Usher, who is CEO of GI Family Radio Entertainment/Legacy Communications and promoter of the event, said the Showtime people were impressed with what they saw.
“The Showtime folks couldn’t thank me enough and thank Grand Island enough,” Usher said.
“Even DeMarco said the crowd really motivated him. When they go to Vegas, they don’t talk about how many fans are there, so it really says a lot for our community and them coming out to support the event.”
All the success of the event may lead to more boxing in the coming months and years at the events center. The size and the enthusiasm of the crowd gave Showtime just the kind of atmosphere it wants.
“Showtime pulled me aside prior to the fight,” Usher said. “There’s talk for future fights and future matches. It’s tough for them to draw those crowds. They were really surprised and overwhelmed and pleased with the crowd. That’s definitely what makes their footage and their show is getting people out with all the sound and the crowds.
“A lot of those events in New York or Las Vegas, they might draw 2,500 or 2,000. Coming to the Midwest, they really didn’t know what they were getting into. Then to be so surprised and pleased with the crowd made for a great night.”
That’s what networks and promoters need to remember. A fight like this would get absolutely lost in New York or Las Vegas. It just wouldn’t be a big deal.
Well, it’s a big deal in Grand Island, and it doesn’t hurt when the fighters put on a great show.
“A lot of those matches it looked like one guy was going to win and then the other guy was fighting back,” Usher said. “It was fun. There were just some great fights and a lot of excitement and energy throughout the arena.”
Of course some of the fights on the undercard were better than others. The best may have been the final one leading up to the main event, a six-round, knock-down, drag-out affair between cruiserweights Brad Pitt and Joshua Harris.
That fight, won by the unbeaten Pitt, set the stage perfectly for the main event.
There were a couple of big-time former fighters on hand too. Frank Tate, the 1984 light middle weight Olympic Gold medalist was there.
So was the 1976 light heavyweight gold medalist Leon Spinks, who also pulled off one of the big upsets in professional boxing when he defeated Muhammed Ali in 1978.
Both Tate and Spinks, who now lives in Columbus, were introduced to the crowd prior to the main event.
“I thought one of the neater moments of the night was when they brought Leon Spinks into the ring,” Usher said. “The fans gave him a standing ovation. I thought that was pretty special.
“He looks like a war-torn former fighter you know. You could tell he really enjoyed the glitz and glamour of the night too.”
It will be interesting to see who’s on hand for the next big fight at the events center -- whenever that might be.
Bob Hamar is sports editor for The Independent.
COMMENTARY
By Bob Hamar
bob.hamar@theindependent.com
Published: Sunday, February 27, 2011 10:53 PM CST
Saturday was a huge day at Fonner Park.
Not only was it the second day of Fonner Park’s 31-day horse racing meet, but there was also a little boxing going on at the Heartland Events Center.
OK, maybe more than a little boxing. There were eight fights in all at the “Rumble in the Heartland,” including the feature fight between Reyes Sanchez and Antonio DeMarco.
Antonio DeMarco hugs Reyes Sanchez (left) after their fight for the World Boxing Council Silver lightweight title at the "Rumble in the Heartland" Saturday night at the Heartland Events Center. DeMarco won the 12-round match with an unanimous decision. (Independent/Barrett Stinson)
Click here for our photo reprints
2/27/2011
2/27/2011
2/26/2011
2/26/2011
2/25/2011
DeMarco’s 12-round unanimous decision gave him the WBC Silver lightweight belt puts him in line to fight for the WBC title.
The “Rumble in the Heartland” drew right at 6,000 people. The main event was shown live on Showtime. The whole thing went over well with the network.
Alan Usher, who is CEO of GI Family Radio Entertainment/Legacy Communications and promoter of the event, said the Showtime people were impressed with what they saw.
“The Showtime folks couldn’t thank me enough and thank Grand Island enough,” Usher said.
“Even DeMarco said the crowd really motivated him. When they go to Vegas, they don’t talk about how many fans are there, so it really says a lot for our community and them coming out to support the event.”
All the success of the event may lead to more boxing in the coming months and years at the events center. The size and the enthusiasm of the crowd gave Showtime just the kind of atmosphere it wants.
“Showtime pulled me aside prior to the fight,” Usher said. “There’s talk for future fights and future matches. It’s tough for them to draw those crowds. They were really surprised and overwhelmed and pleased with the crowd. That’s definitely what makes their footage and their show is getting people out with all the sound and the crowds.
“A lot of those events in New York or Las Vegas, they might draw 2,500 or 2,000. Coming to the Midwest, they really didn’t know what they were getting into. Then to be so surprised and pleased with the crowd made for a great night.”
That’s what networks and promoters need to remember. A fight like this would get absolutely lost in New York or Las Vegas. It just wouldn’t be a big deal.
Well, it’s a big deal in Grand Island, and it doesn’t hurt when the fighters put on a great show.
“A lot of those matches it looked like one guy was going to win and then the other guy was fighting back,” Usher said. “It was fun. There were just some great fights and a lot of excitement and energy throughout the arena.”
Of course some of the fights on the undercard were better than others. The best may have been the final one leading up to the main event, a six-round, knock-down, drag-out affair between cruiserweights Brad Pitt and Joshua Harris.
That fight, won by the unbeaten Pitt, set the stage perfectly for the main event.
There were a couple of big-time former fighters on hand too. Frank Tate, the 1984 light middle weight Olympic Gold medalist was there.
So was the 1976 light heavyweight gold medalist Leon Spinks, who also pulled off one of the big upsets in professional boxing when he defeated Muhammed Ali in 1978.
Both Tate and Spinks, who now lives in Columbus, were introduced to the crowd prior to the main event.
“I thought one of the neater moments of the night was when they brought Leon Spinks into the ring,” Usher said. “The fans gave him a standing ovation. I thought that was pretty special.
“He looks like a war-torn former fighter you know. You could tell he really enjoyed the glitz and glamour of the night too.”
It will be interesting to see who’s on hand for the next big fight at the events center -- whenever that might be.
Bob Hamar is sports editor for The Independent.
