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Boxing and COVID-19: How a local promoter found a way to adapt and put on a live show

The fights will be broadcast live today on Boston Boxing Promotions YouTube channel, starting at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
 

By Stephen Tobey

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Earlier this summer, boxing came back, even though the live crowds did not.
Top Rank began promoting fights in Las Vegas, inside “The Bubble,” a ballroom at the MGM Grand, that ESPN televised.
In the following weeks and months, other major promoters and networks, Golden Boy, Matchroom Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, followed suit, with their fights broadcast on Fox, Showtime and DAZN.
While the top promoters and fighters got to showcase their talents during the later months of the pandemic, boxing at the local level remained mostly dormant.
Without network TV contracts, local club-level promoters depend almost exclusively on live ticket sales. With social distancing requirements prohibiting large gatherings in many states, promoting a club show was made infinitely more difficult.
One such promoter has found a way to adapt to the COVID-19 world and will put on a show this Saturday, Aug. 15.
Boston Boxing Promotions will run a nine-bout card in a gym in Windham, New Hampshire. While the company has promoted in the small town 7 miles north of the Massachusetts state line for two years, this show will be different.
While previous promotions took place at the Castleton Conference Center in front of crowds of 1,000 fans, this one will take place in a nearby gym. There will be no fans. The fights will be broadcast live on Boston Boxing Promotions YouTube channel, starting at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
“This is more or less the show we planned to do on June 5,” said Peter Czymbor, the president of Boston Boxing Promotions. “As we got closer to June 5, it became obvious that we had to cancel or postpone it.”
As New Hampshire’s situation with COVID-19 testing improved, more and more businesses opened up in the state. Eventually, Czymbor decided it was time to do a show.
“We had a lot of discussions with the New Hampshire Economic Reopening task force,” he said. “We adhere to the rules they have for youth and amateur sports.”
All the fighters, cornermen and officials had to take COVID-19 tests. During the show, the cornermen and referees will wear masks and gloves. The referees will also wear goggles.
The judges, who will also wear masks, have the option of sitting behind a plexiglass barrier.
“We were inspired by what ESPN and Top Rank are doing,” Czymbor said. “We almost want to adapt a look like an old TV studio, like when Marvelous Marvin Hagler fought Sugar Ray Seales in the WNAC studio [in 1974].”
So, how is the promoter and the fighters going to make money?
Not only do promoters such as Boston Boxing Promotions usually depend on ticket sales, the fighters also often sell tickets themselves and their pay is based on how many tickets they sell.
Rather than selling tickets, the promoter and the fighters sold advertising. Each fight on the promotion has a sponsor and the fighters themselves sold ads.
“Some of the fighters did so well, they may have a future in ad sales,” Czymbor said.
Unlike the major promoters who keep their fighters sequestered in hotels for a week, all the fighters on this promotion live within driving distance and were advised not to engage in behavior that would put themselves at undue risk of contracting the virus.
“They just go to the gym, home and the grocery store,” Czymbor said.
The show is billed as an afternoon of boxing, something that fans can watch during the day before tuning in to DAZN or Showtime for their fights in the evening. With all fights four and six rounders, there is no true main event.
The most recognizable name on the show is Mark DeLuca (24-2, 13 knockouts), a junior middleweight who recently fought former world welterweight champion Kell Brook. He’ll be taking on Javier Frazier (8-14-1, 4 KOs).
The show also features a rematch between Kim Wabik (4-0-2) and Britain Hart (3-4-3) at featherweight. Their first fight was a draw.
Irish light heavyweight Matthew Tinker (2-0, 2 KOs) will face debuting Stephen Stengel of Winchendon, Massachusetts in a four-round bout.
“We usually have a mix of local fighters, prospects and established fighters,” Czymbor said “We hope to break even on this and show people that we’re one of the most exciting club promotions in the Northeast.”
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