Recently I was talking with Bob Spagnola and he questioned why promoters like Main Events are bringing in all these foreign boxers who make good money and take it back out of the country?
I started investigating top promoters like Main Events whom I know have former light heavy and cruiser champion Tomasz “Goral” Adamek, 49-3 (29), of Poland, living in Jersey City, NJ, and Vycacjelv “the Czar” Glazgov of Ukraine, living in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and recently pitted them against each other with Glazgov coming out on top. There is a large Polish population in the Newark, NJ, area where Adamek was a big draw there at the Prudential Center. Then Main Events moved their shows to the Sand’s Casino in Bethlehem, PA.
Main Events has WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, 25-0-1 (21), from Russia, living in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Then there’s South African light heavyweight Thabisu Mchunu, 16-1 (11), who captured the NABF cruiserweight title in January of 2014. Also, they have the Russian Ilshat “Sheriff” Khusnulgalin, 11-1 (6), who suffered his first loss in January of 2014. Another South African is light heavyweight Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba, 23-2-2 (9). Still a prospect is Cuban Sullivan Barrera, 12-0 (7), of Miami, FL. Retiring in 2011 was Colombian Joel Julio, 37-4 (31), living in Miami, FL. That’s 7 out of 11 from born outside the US on their roster not counting Julio.
Golden Boy Promotions has some 40 out of 75 boxers born out of the US. Top Rank has 11 of 18 boxers born outside of the US. DiBella Entertainment has 25 out of 48 born outside of the US. Star Boxing has 11 out of 24 born outside of the US. Banner Promotions has 11 out of 24 born outside of the US. Peltz Boxing has 4 out of 17 born outside of the US.
In all of these seven top US promoters there are approximately 109 US born boxers and 108 outside of the US born boxers. Spagnola was right about Main Events. Golden Boy, Top Rank, and DiBella join them.
It’s this writer’s opinion, especially the European’s, they come in shape and they are hungry. Spagnola’s opinion is they draw few fans and don’t have much of a following. I have to admit he has a point but Gennady “GGG” Golovkin is my favorite boxer today but he is not a household name yet. When the other 3 “champions” step-up for a unification bout he met get his just dues.
