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sports Friday 10 March 2023
Detroit boxing scene fighting to make comeback to relevance

By LARRY LAGE scale.
AP Sports Writer In addition to the low-level
DETROIT (AP) — Inside the professional fights, the sport
MotorCity Casino one re- will draw more than 1,000
cent night, there were roars competitors on March 25
from the crowd as boxer af- for a weeklong USA Box-
ter boxer was knocked out. ing qualifer in a convention
A few laughs, too, when a center just down the street
fighter’s vomit stopped one from “The Fist,” the 24-foot
bout and another was de- bronze sculpture that hon-
layed because a competi- ors Louis in downtown De-
tor failed to put on a pro- troit.
tective cup. Boxing is also used as a ve-
Watching from a front-row hicle to enrich the lives of
seat was Thomas Hearns, children with after-school
the revered fighter known programs.
as “The Hitman.” Now 64, he “It’s not the sport of boxing
was hailed by the approxi- that keeps the kid off the
mately 2,000 fans when street,” said Khali Sweeney,
hightlights were shown of founder and CEO of the
his career that included Downtown Boxing Gym.
titles in five weight classes. World Boxing Council’s Junior Middleweight champion Tony Harrison, left, stands with former “It’s the connection that
“I like what I’m seeing,” boxer Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns during the second half of an NBA basketball game between you make with the kid. Box-
Hearns told The Associated the Detroit Pistons and the Utah Jazz, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Detroit. ing is just the icebreaker.”
Press between fights on an Associated Press Harrison’s gym, Superbad
11-bout card. “Fighters are Fitness, also fights for chil-
getting more action.” a decade ago in the Cobo 11-round rematch. When Louis started his ca- dren in Detroit to give them
The bad news for the event, Center Ballroom. “It’s so sad that Tony reer in the late 1930s and an athletic, academic and
and for Detroit’s once-fa- “There’s no support for fight- doesn’t have opportuni- boxed for more than a social outlet to stay off the
bled boxing scene in gen- ers no more,” Harris told AP ties here because he’s an decade, Detroit had more streets. “For me, winning in
eral, was that Hearns was from Australia, wearing a accomplished fighter,” than 1.5 million residents life is helping other kids be
easily the biggest name on Detroit Tigers baseball cap. said Jackie Kallen, who and was the fourth or fifth- successful in life,” Harrison
hand. The best active box- “It should be the highest was Hearns’ publicist and largest city in the United said.
er from Detroit is fighting this support for fighting be- managed former cham- States, a foundational A pair of promoters, Car-
weekend on the other side cause people from Detroit, pion and Michigan native cradle of the nation’s au- los Llinas and Dmitriy Salita,
of the world because his they know how to do one James Toney. “Hopefully, tomaking industry. The are pushing the sport in the
hometown does not host thing and that’s fight. Inside he will win this weekend to fights at Olympia Stadium Detroit area with a period-
big-time bouts these days. the ring. Outside the ring. help put him on the map and Cobo Arena, where ic series of bouts in smaller
Former champion Tony Fighting paycheck to pay- with more people.” the Red Wings and Pistons venues in hopes of bringing
Harrison (29-3-1, 21 KOs) is check, rent to rent.” Joe Louis, a famed boxer once played, were legend- it back to the masses.
fighting Australian Tim Tszyu While Harrison has trained who moved to the Motor ary for decades. “That’s definitely the ulti-
(21-0, 15-0 KOs) on Sun- in Detroit at his own gym, City as a child, Sugar Ray By the time Hearns was mate goal, to be at Little
day in Sydney for the va- he has been forced to go Robinson and Hearns rep- done throwing his feared Caesars and be able to fill
cant WBO 154-pound title. from coast to coast and resented the city as world right hand in 2006, the city that arena the way we fill
Showtime will air the fight in other countries to com- champions and are re- had taken so many blows this consistently,” Llinas said
the U.S. on Saturday night. pete. The fighter known garded as all-time greats. of its own over the de- backstage at the Motor-
The 32-year-old Harrison, as Superbad, a nickanme Fighters from around the cades that its population City Casino. “That just goes
who was managed early in Steward gave him, handed world, including former was knocked out of the to show that people are
his career by famed trainer Jermell Charlo his only loss heavyweight champions country’s top 20 towns. hungry for boxing. What it
Emanuel Steward, had his and took his 154-pound title Joe Frazier and Wladimir These days, the city and is going to take is that next
fourth fight at the Motor- in New York in 2018, then Klitschko, were schooled the sport are fighting to get superstar that will develop
City Casino. His last fight in lost the championship in by Detroit-based trainers up off the mat. But boxing from this, I like to call it a
Detroit, though, was nearly Canada a year later in an Eddie Futch and Steward. is still here, if at a smaller farm league.” q

Patrick McEnroe chosen new Tennis

Hall of Fame president

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — For- on May 1. Todd Martin re- title in 2007, and the head
mer player and current TV signed as CEO of the Inter- of player development for
analyst Patrick McEnroe will national Tennis Hall of Fame the U.S. Tennis Association
be the new president of the in October after nearly a from 2008-14.
International Tennis Hall of decade in the post. Faber increased the USTA
Fame, and USTA Founda- McEnroe, younger brother Foundation’s revenues by
tion chief executive Dan of John McEnroe, won the $14 million in a decade
Faber was chosen as the 1989 French Open men’s there.
Hall’s new CEO. doubles title and was a sin- Former world No. 1 and
The Hall announced the gles semifinalist at the 1991 2017 inductee Kim Clijsters
appointments on Thursday Australian Open. He was was named the Hall’s hon-
and said McEnroe and the U.S. Davis Cup captain orary president, an ambas- Patrick McEnroe speaks during a news conference at the U.S.
Open tennis tournament in New York, Sept. 3, 2014.
Faber will begin their roles from 2000-10, winning the sadorial role, in August.q Associated Press