Tag Archives: bay

Posted on 10/13/2017

By: Sean Crose

Friday night will see the final fight card go down in the arena on Dana Shores Drive in Tampa, Florida. Once known as the Egypt Shrine Temple, the A La Carte Event Pavilion will be hosting its 99th and last evening of boxing this evening. According to All Star Boxing, Inc, the promotional entity behind the night’s bouts, “the main event Friday will be a ten-round super bantamweight bout between Daniel Lozano (14-4, 11 KOs) from Bowling Green, Florida against Ricardo Rodriguez (16-4, 5 KOs) from Mexico City, Mexico now residing in Los Angeles, California.” Tuto Zabala, President of All Star Boxing, Inc, has clear memories of the arena’s boxing history.

“Many promoters have done shows in this building,” he says. “I remember when Brad Jacobs back in the 80’s was doing boxing shows in that I building.” Needless to say, Zabala is pleased to be a part of this evening’s card. “I feel privileged and honored,” he says, “for All Star Boxing, Inc and the Telemundo Network to bid farewell to such an iconic building for boxing fans in Tampa, Florida.” The list of known fighters who have plied their trade in the arena at one time or other is quite impressive.

One particularly memorable fight went down in August of 1984, “when future world champion John ‘The Beast’ Mugabi won by TKO against Frank “The Animal” Fletcher.” Yet there were far more big names than just Mugabi who stepped inside the arena’s ring over the years. Former heavyweight champion James “Bonecrusher” Smith fought there. Former light welterweight kingpin Frankie Randall fought there. What’s more, super featherweight Ender Cherry fought the first fifteen bouts of his career there, as well. Perhaps most notable to modern fans, however, current welterweight star Keith “One Time” Thurman made his professional debut at the arena in 2007.

All Star Boxing, Inc itself has had a notable history at the arena. For the entity “promoted it’s first show at A La Carte in 2010 and Friday’s event will be it’s 19th there.” According to a press release: “Egypt Shrine Temple hosted it’s first of twenty-seven boxing events on October 24, 1982 and the last on November 13, 1998. The first of seventy one boxing events under the present name of A La Carte Event Pavilion took place on April 13, 2002.” That’s a lot of boxing to be held in a place many fight fans unfortunately may have never heard of.

The A La Carte Event Pavilion “was recently sold and faces December demolition.”

Posted on 07/24/2017

September, 16th is a huge day for boxing in Las Vegas, with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez facing Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in a must-win contest for the king of the middleweight division. As boxing’s elite descend on the Las Vegas Strip, the Raging Babes of Boxing will once again gather to network, laugh and bond over brunch.

This year’s event will be held at the Mandalay Bay’s Border Grill, with views of Mandalay Bay’s beach, and the unlimited mimosas that brunch attendees have come to expect over four years of Raging Babe events. More importantly, attendees will enjoy opportunities to meet and network with some of boxing’s top executives, most important behind-the-scenes players and inspirational women from across the industry.

The event continues to grow, with over 50 women attending the last brunch “New York, New York,” in 2016, and Raging Babe founder Michelle Rosado expects a full house for September’s brunch. Rosado settled on “Shine Bright” for the event’s theme. “Who shines brighter than the women of boxing,” said Rosado. “This event has grown to be so much more than a bunch of women sharing a meal. Experiences, talents and stories of heartbreak and triumph are shared at these events. They have come to mean a lot to the women working tirelessly to advance this sport of ours.”

As past events have done, Shine Bright will honor one of boxing’s most influential women with the Luminary Award. “I can’t wait to share our honoree’s story,” said Rosado, who indicated the award winner would be announced soon.

Shine Bright will benefit a cause close to Rosado’s heart – the recovery of boxer Prichard Colon. “Prichard has made some great strides in his recovery, but the fact remains that the therapy he needs, the medical expenses, the support that his family needs, doesn’t end. His family has sacrificed everything to help him get better, and he sacrificed everything to entertain us in the ring.” Rosado, along with boxing manager and entrepreneur Livvy Cunningham, created the Facebook group, “Pray 4 Prichard,” which has been a place for the Colon family to find encouragement and support via messages from boxing fans all over the world. A percentage of the proceeds from Shine Bright will benefit the Prichard Colon Foundation, which funds the hefty monthly insurance premiums that are essential to Colon’s recovery.

For information on attending or sponsoring the Raging Babe Brunch, Shine Bright, please contact [email protected].