Boxing hits Niagara Falls
Venue could become centre for Canada...
The push is on to make Niagara Falls the boxing centre of Canada, says Wayne Thomson.
The city councillor and experienced tourism official says for the last five years he has been trying to encourage more events to come to the city, and as a long-time boxing and mixed martial arts fan, that’s been one of his focuses.
“Just in the last six months, things have come together,” said Thomson.
On Friday night, Global Legacy Boxing, which was formed by the last undisputed world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and businessman/promoter Les Woods, will bring prize fighting to Niagara Falls, at the Scotiabank Convention Centre.
The six-fight, sold-out show, titled Fight for the Falls, is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Niagara Falls resident and former WBC international welterweight champion Phil Lo Greco is scheduled to be in the main event.
“They want to make Niagara Falls, Ontario, the boxing centre of Canada, and have three or four major events each year, which is certainly going to help the industry, jobs and everything else that we work so hard for,” said Thomson.
He said there are boxing enthusiasts in Niagara Falls and the surrounding area, including Buffalo, N.Y.
“This is really utilizing the facility here at the appropriate time to bring more people in, and to affect the economy and tourism. It would be probably every three months, something like that. We’re starting with this one, and we’re going to have a post (event) evaluation of everything, and see how we go from there.”
Thomson said Lewis, a former three-time world heavyweight champion, is “particularly excited about this.”
Thomson said Woods is “an extremely interesting and enthusiastic guy about what they’re doing.”
Noel Buckley, president and general manager of the convention centre, said there’s a “really nice fit” between the Stanley Avenue facility and boxing.
He said some of the best boxers in Canadian history — Billy Irwin and Mike Strange — have come out of Niagara Falls.
“There’s roots in the boxing community here, and being able to deliver this type of activity and this type of event to Niagara Falls I think could have some great positioning for not only the destination, but also for (the convention centre) as a great venue to host these types of events.”
Buckley said the centre hopes to develop a long-term relationship with Global Legacy Boxing.
“We’re looking forward to this being one of a series of opportunities for us to partner with Global Legacy and deliver boxing to the Falls,” he said.
“I think it’s a great fit with the convention centre because we have a number of really flexible types of spaces in this building.”
Buckley said Friday’s fights will take place in the centre’s theatre.
“We will flat floor the front part of the theatre, so the boxing ring will be on the stage and flat floor. We’ll have room for tables around it, and then we’ll still have 700 or so theatre-style seats left, so it will be a really nice, tight, spectacular venue for about 1,000 people.”
He said fights can also take place in an exhibition hall where 1,000 people can “comfortably” sit at roundtables, or 1,500 people in theatre seats.
“Or you can use the entire exhibit hall —A, B and C — and put 5,000 to 6,000 people in there. There’s real options to grow this event.”
Buckley said he hopes boxing at the centre will be a hit with locals and visitors to the city, the same as other public events at the facility, such as Comic Con, have.
“There are many events held in this building, which are corporate meetings, or national associations, which are really closed events for the client only,” he said.
“This allows us to open up the building to the public to make sure that it’s being used in much the same way it is during Comic Con, or during a food and wine festival, or during a garden show, or during a cheer competition. It actually provides some entertainment and activation to the community, not only for locals, but for visitors when they’re coming here.”
In a recent interview with the Toronto Sun, Woods said the Lo Greco fight will be the first in a series to be held in Niagara Falls.
Global Legacy Boxing recently opened an office in Niagara Falls.
“We’re going to hold cards four times a year,” said Woods.
“I predict Niagara Falls will become the boxing mecca of Canada within the next 24 months.”