Live boxing in the District appears to have found a new home — the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Congress Heights in southeast Washington.
The arena will host the fourth boxing card Saturday night in a series of shows sponsored by a trio of promoters called “Beltway Battles.” The first show was held in October 2021, followed by two cards in 2022.
“The Entertainment & Sports Arena is an outstanding venue to showcase our boxing events where the sightline for every fan — whether sitting ringside or in the upper level — provides a great view of all the action inside the ring,” said Emily Thornell of Blue Cork Strategies, one of the promoters who have now joined up with Rising Star Promotions (Thomas LaManna) and DHH Promotions (Dusty Harrison-Hernandez) to continue the boxing series.
The co-main events on the nine-fight card will feature featherweights Sulaiman Segawa (13-1, 4 knockouts) of Silver Spring vs. Misae Lopez (14-2, 5 knockouts) of Denver, and bantamweights Rianna Rios (6-0) of Upper Marlboro vs. Cara McLaughlin (1-5) of Cookstown, Northern Ireland.
Other bouts include bantamweights Dominique Crowder (14-0, 9 knockouts) of Baltimore vs. Josue Portales (16-6, 7 knockouts) of Torreon, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Mexico, and heavyweight Naji Wali of McLean making his pro debut facing Jerome Allen (1-8-1, 1 knockout) of Annapolis.
Live boxing always has some sort of spectacle atmosphere to it, maybe dating back to the days of the gladiators of the Colosseum — even a local card like Saturday night’s show. The arena, with its 4,200-seat capacity, creates a closeness to the ring and looks like a good fit for boxing.
“Boxing historically has been part of D.C. and the area and we are excited about being a partner and help grow it,” said Ralph Morton, senior vice president and managing director of Events DC’s Sports and Entertainment Division, operators of the Arena. “The building really provides something intimate where fans are close to the action.”
The arena, built for $69 million and financed primarily by the District, opened in 2018 on the campus of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. The arena is now the home of the WNBA Washington Mystics and the Capital City Go-Go of the NBA’s G League. It’s also been the Wizards’ practice facility (Ted Leonsis reportedly financed about 5% of the building).
It’s also hosted professional wrestling, mixed martial arts, Esports competitions and postseason college basketball tournaments, and has spurred development in that part of town.
“I like to refer to it as a catalyst for development and growth, but it’s one of many factors,” Morton said. “Bringing the Mystics to Ward 8, playing here, winning a championship here. It makes that a destination, in combination with the new retail and the renovations that are going on in some of the historic buildings. It’s become the center of a lot of things going on in the area. It’s going to grow with the neighborhood.”
I always thought that the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, the 7,500-seat outdoor facility that hosts the Citi Open, would make a great venue for boxing. Others have as well, and the city has been approached a number of times by boxing promoters interested in putting a show there, only to be rebuffed by city officials.
Previously, perhaps the best venue for boxing in the city had been the D.C. Armory, with its old-school atmosphere (built in 1941). It played host to a number of major fights, including bouts featuring local legend and Hall of Famer Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson and former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, on nationally-televised shows.
Other places where live boxing has taken place include the Washington Convention Center (which, among other fights, featured the light-welterweight title bout between Washington’s Lamont Peterson vs. Amir Khan) and Capital One Arena (which just hosted welterweight titleholder Gervonta Davis in January in a bout against Hector Luis Garcia and was the site of Mike Tyson’s last heavyweight fight in 2005). Constitution Hall has hosted fights.
RFK Stadium was the site of heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe’s second title defense against Jesse Ferguson in 1993, and the history of live boxing in Washington goes back to the days when Joe Louis defended his heavyweight championship against Buddy Baer at Griffith Stadium in 1941.
No one will mistake Sulaiman Segawa for Bowe. But live boxing at any level is a drama playing out in front of you for every one of those fighters. The stage Saturday night is in southeast Washington.
⦁ You can hear Thom Loverro on The Kevin Sheehan Show podcast.
• Thom Loverro can be reached at tloverro@washingtontimes.com.
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