PHILADELPHIA, PA — Lou DiBella is aware of the historical past of Philadelphia boxing, and the Corridor of Famer has no drawback bringing a style of New York, along with his fabled Broadway Boxing sequence, to Philadelphia’s Broad Road, in a manner, this Thursday on the 2300 Area with a stacked six-fight card, that includes a pair of eight-round heavyweight sights.
One of many characteristic fights can be pit “Gentleman” George Arias (18-1, 7 knockouts), of Bronx, New York, in opposition to Skylar Lacy (8-0-1, 6 KOs), of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Cleveland’s Roney Hines (13-0-1, 8 KOs) in opposition to Robert Corridor Jr. (14-2, 11 KOs) of Johnson Metropolis, Tennessee. One other intriguing combat options Lennox Lewis protégé Jamaican tremendous welterweight southpaw Kestna “Hardball” Davis (5-0) in opposition to Abdalla Nagy (1-0) in a four-rounder.
“The truth is, Philly is a good boxing city, and the 2300 is a good facility,” mentioned DiBella, who to his recollection can be selling a Broadway Boxing present for the primary time in Philadelphia. “We don’t have a 2300 Area in New York. Additionally, Pennsylvania doesn’t have the identical odorous necessities as New York does that make membership exhibits so unaffordable right here. I like Philly. My greatest buddy lives in Philly. I spent a variety of time in Philly. Philly is down the highway. It’s a metropolis I like. It’s all the time been that manner. Now we have two actually good heavyweight fights, and Hines has a superb novice pedigree. Now we have to see if he is able to graduate to higher opposition.
“Arias has an awesome report, and I believed Lacy beat Antonio Mireles, however they referred to as it a draw so this can be a nice combat. Arias’ one loss was in opposition to Jared Anderson (in April 2023, in Newark, New Jersey). Now we have introduced Broadway Boxing in every single place. We brough it to West Chester, and upstate New York and Connecticut previously. I’m undecided we ever introduced it to Philadelphia.”
Till Thursday.
The final time Arias was within the ring, he misplaced to “The Actual Massive Child” Anderson on the Prudential Middle, getting surprised close to the tip of the third. His nook noticed sufficient and ended the combat.
Arias, 32, is from the Dominican Republic and is a DREAMer (Improvement, Aid, and Training for Alien Minors Act), which grants non permanent conditional residency in the USA with the best to work to undocumented immigrants who entered the USA as minors. It permits Arias to work throughout his down time and permits him to field. It doesn’t permit him to depart U.S. territory.
“Being a DREAMer is sweet and dangerous,” Arias mentioned. “I get to dwell and work in the USA, however I can’t journey exterior the U.S. As knowledgeable fighter, it’s important to journey exterior the nation to achieve success. Hopefully, I can be allowed to do this now being married to my spouse, who’s American. I really feel good for this combat. I’ve educated as a lot as I can. I by no means care about opponents. I prepare for somebody who will give me a tricky, powerful battle. I stay up for determining the puzzle once I get into the ring.”
Arias works full time for a pest management firm in New York. Throughout down time, he trains in the course of the morning and checks into work at evening, going from 5 to 12. His superiors give him free time when he’s coaching for a combat.
“It’s busy,” Arias mentioned. “I would love one other shot at Anderson. I do know I’ve to work my manner again to that. This can be a first step.”
Different fights on the cardboard embrace junior featherweight Romuel “Cuco” Cruz (10-0-1, 4 KOs) in opposition to Robin Ellis (6-3, 5 KOs) in a six-round bout, six-foot middleweight southpaw Erron “JYD” Peterson (5-0-1, 4 KOs) combating Raheem Davis (1-2), of Morgantown, West Virginia, in a four-round bout and undefeated bantamweight Wilver Hernandez (8-0, 2 KOs in opposition to Los Angeles-based Filipino Merlito Sabillo in an eight-rounder.
Tickets for Broadway Boxing are on sale now and may be bought through www.2300arena.com or by calling (267) 273-0945. Tickets are priced at $150.00 for VIP Ringside, $125.00 Premium Ringside, $100 Ringside, and $60 for Common Admission seating. The 2300 Area is positioned at 2300 S Swanson Road, Philadelphia, PA 19148. Doorways will open on the evening of the occasion at 6:00 PM ET, with the primary bout scheduled for 7:30 PM ET.
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Journal/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
Observe @JSantoliquito
