LOCAL BOXING got a much-needed boost yesterday with the announcement of an alliance between Super Plus Food Stores and Track Price Plus Limited.
Former promoter Lucien Chen, who successfully hosted a number of dinner boxing shows in Jamaica, passed on this legacy to his son, Lenny Chen, business partner Xavier Chin and Super Plus boss Wayne Chen at a press conference to announce a fight card set for April 12 at Le Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
Chin, the managing director of Track Price Plus, is CEO of the new promotion entity while director Lenny Chen is general manager and Wayne Chen chairman.
"It is with great pride that I recall that just over a decade ago, Jamaica was blessed with five world champions and an abundance of young talent," a note from Wayne Chen, who was absent from the function due to a bout of influenza, said.
"My fervent wish is to put back some of my considerable success in business into areas of development affecting sports and boxing in particular, and promise to do all I can with the group," Chen's note said.
The group will promote dinner boxing shows with the proceeds going towards charity. The April card however will be used solely to assist with the development of the sport here.
Anticipated to be a six-fight knockout of an event, the card will feature foreign fighters against local pros.
There are at least 10 active professional boxers in Jamaica. Among them are light welterweight Muhammed Dawes, middleweights Carl Grant, Delroy Henderson and Denzil Smikkle, welterweights Donovan "Police" Campbell and Ian "Hagler" Smith, light heavyweight Patrick Finlayson and Carlton Bailey and junior middleweights Anthony Osbourne and Earl Foskin.
At least four will be hoping to get a chance to impress on that night.
There was also talk of fights between female fighters from America as well as fights involving local amateurs at the beginning and close of the card.
"This is going to be an excellent venture. It is my wish for local boxing to reclaim its world status and I am confident that these men can accomplish that. I've had my time in the limelight. It's time for these young guns to prove themselves," said Lucien Chen who promoted the sport for 45 years.
