The group that brought pro boxing back to Wilmington earlier this year now has its sights set on Newark.
Champs Management has announced it will produce a fight card at the University of Delaware’s Bob Carpenter Center this summer.
The promoters successfully sold out their 1,300 seat event at the Chase Center on the Wilmington Riverfront in February. They’ll have over 5,000 seats to fill at the Bob for their August card.
Champs Management’s George Beers says the company realizes that’s a big jump, but going back to the Chase Center for a summer event wasn’t an option.
“The Chase is pretty much leased for the entire summer. There were no Friday open nights at the Chase Center and we wanted to have a fight (card) this summer." said Beer. "[There's] also Blue Rocks games going on down there on a regular basis - and the parking would become an issue. So, we thought the Bob would be the perfect venue.”
Beers adds there’s some advantages to the bigger venue.
“The Bob Carpenter Center, in that is a basketball arena, is custom made for boxing. We’re not having to come in an set up all the seats like we did at the Chase Center," noted Beer. "[The Carpenter Center's size] is also going to allow us to sell a wider spectrum – price-wise – of seats.”
Beer says he believes the wider selection of seats and the quality of the card may help draw additional fans from Baltimore and Philadelphia.
The six-fight card will feature a pair of Champs-managed boxers -Dorin Spivey and Ray Robinson - fighting for titles. Spivey defends his NABA lightweight title against Carlos “El Profeta” Cardenas, with the winner earning the WBA's number two world ranking. Robinson fights Raymond “Emperor” Narh for the USBA welterweight and a spot in the IBF's world Top 10.
The “Boxing at the Bob” card is Friday, August 2nd at 7pm.
