'Fastest growing' promotion company partial to bay area
By JOHN C. COTEY
Published October 19, 2004
Roy Jones Jr. put Florida on the boxing map. Winky Wright , Antonio Tarver and Jeff Lacy have enhanced the state's reputation. Now, Warriors Boxing Promotions hopes to join them as a premier fight promoter.
So says Peter Kahn , the director of marketing and public relations for Warriors, which dubs itself the "The Fastest Growing Promotional Company in the World."
Warriors had arguably the most important night of its 22-month existence when Syd Vanderpool and DaVarryl Williamson bid for the biggest wins of their careers Oct. 2 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
But Lacy knocked out Vanderpool for the International Boxing Federation super-middleweight title, and Williamson lost a technical draw to Wladimir Klitschko in a heavyweight bout.
Williamson should remain in the heavyweight title mix, especially considering with a little more patience he should have knocked out Klitschko.
Regardless, it showed just how far the company had come since it debuted in January 2003.
For area fight fans, the continued rise of Warriors is something to root for. Located in Hollywood, it may offer the best chance for success in Tampa Bay's efforts to host big boxing cards.
The company put on a card in Tampa in April, and while it has work to do - the fights weren't stellar enough, or interesting enough, to generate any fan electricity at the Florida State Fairgrounds - it plans to return.
In fact, Kahn said that Warriors negotiated to bring the Lacy-Vanderpool fight to Tampa, but decided against it because "of the backyard factor," Kahn said.
"To give Lacy (who lives in Brandon) that kind advantage, what would that have said to our fighter?"
But look for future cards to be held in Tampa. Warriors has a strong relationship with the Seminole Casino and likes the Tampa Bay area. That should be a winning combination for area fans.
WAITING GAME: Lacy wants to defend his title in Tampa, but it appears Las Vegas is too strong a competitor.
Though nothing official has been announced, it's looking more and more like Lacy will fight Vitali Tsypko on Dec.4 at Mandalay Bay on the undercard of the WBC lightweight championship fight between Jose Luis Castillo and Joel Casamayor .
HELLO, HOUSTON: Like he did last time before he fought Shane Mosley , Wright has left the area to prepare. Wright will train for the Nov.2 rematch with Mosley in Houston.
"Way too many distractions here," trainer Dan Birmingham said.
That was the case last time as well, before Wright's fame increased tenfold with his dismantling of Mosley.
FINALLY?: Tampa resident Tarver, who hasn't fought since May when he knocked out Jones to capture the WBC and WBA light heavyweight belts, may be close to a fight that will unify the belts.
The Los Angeles Daily News reported Sunday that Glenn Johnson , who knocked out Jones last month to defend his IBF title, could be next if Tarver gets by Paul Briggs Dec.18.
Johnson's promoter , Dan Goossen , is in early negotiations with Tarver promoter Joe DeGuardi for a unification fight.
"We have been working very hard in that regard," Goossen told the Daily News . "We have had some very, very, let's say, good negotiations in trying to make this reality. This would be a promoter's dream."
