“Big Fighters, Big Cause” Annual Fight Night
“LIGHTS…CAMERA…KNOCKOUT!”
It was a real knockout night Tuesday at the famed Santa Monica Pier in Southern California. The champs stepped out of the boxing ring and onto the red carpet at the “Big Fighters, Big Cause” 4th Annual Charity Fight Night with the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation and B. Riley & Co. The all-star evening benefited Juvenile Diabetes Research and the Wounded Warrior Project.
The “Chatter Box” was there to witness all the action including the red carpet arrivals, live entertainment and professional boxing matches. In an upcoming column, you’ll hear details of what the outdoor gala was like as the charity function continued through the night. It was truly a KO celebration right next to the beach and under the star-studded skies.
Here is a peek at the special red carpet arrivals as boxing icon Ray Leonard led the procession of a pound-for-pound group of prizefighters, football players, baseball players, actors, singers and other luminaries in sports, show biz and even the political world.
Boxers Andre Berto and Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora lent their gloved fist of support to this worthwhile cause. Both fighters told me they were honored to take part in the charity bash and both athletes said they are fans of Sugar Ray; Mora had worked with him on the first season of “The Contender” show. Sergio and Andre were also taking a break from training; each has a fight coming up.
Berto will be facing Mexican slugger Jesus Soto-Karass on July 27. The Haitian welterweight knows this is an important battle for him and says he will be ready. And East L.A. boxer and “The Contender” winner Mora will be squaring off against Polish southpaw Grzegorz Proksa on June 28. Andre and Sergio will both be looking for summer victories but for now, the two took in the action at this invite-only event with their boxing hero, Sugar Ray Leonard. The three men have something else in common as well; the trio of Leonard, Berto and Mora have all won World Boxing Council (WBC) championship belts along with many other titles during their careers.
Leonard is one of the most beloved figures in the sweet science. As an amateur champ, Olympic Gold Medalist, world champion fighter, author, actor, entrepreneur and more, on Tuesday it was his humanitarian efforts that made him the man of the hour–and the hero of the night. Fellow Olympian, pro fighter and current boxing trainer, Henry Tillman, was at the extravaganza and the heavyweight raved about the charity night hosted by his longtime friend.
“I’ve been coming every year. Each year, one of my guys has fought,” Coach Tillman said as we caught up after the matches ended. “Ray does an incredible job at this show! It is first class all the way. Every year it just gets better and better–and it’s all for a good cause.”
It was a splashy affair with the heavy hitters walking down the red carpet.
Joining the boxers and taking their turn under the spotlight was football player Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman, legendary singer/actor/”The Voice” judge Usher (who will be portraying Leonard in the new Roberto Duran biopic), baseball great Barry Bonds, kickboxer Baxter Humby, actor/comedian Tommy Davidson (“Black Dynamite” and “In Living Color”), actress Catherine Bach (“Dukes of Hazzard”), “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush, singer Franchesca Robi, entertainer Porscha Coleman, 10-year-old DJ Baby Chino (Nickelodeon), “Magic Mike” heartthrob Adam Rodriguez (“CSI: Miami”), actors Benito Martinez, Dondre Whitfield, Edwin Hodge, Robert Kneper, Rory Cochrane, McKinley Freeman, Tamala Jones, singer Clyde Carson, author DeVon Franklin, a slew of pageant queens, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and so many more familiar faces from the best in the sports and entertainment universe and beyond.
After the fights, I ran into Catherine Bach, best known for her memorable “Daisy Duke” role on the iconic “Dukes of Hazzard” TV series. Catherine is a huge boxing aficionado and mentioned that early in her career she even trained to play a fighter in a film that, unfortunately, never came to fruition. But her love of the fight game remained and she reminisced about watching the fights live at the now-defunct Olympic Auditorium. The beauty also spoke very highly of Ray Leonard, having first met him years ago. The actress said he continues to give back to the community and is a true champion.
This SoCal fiesta combined boxing and helping others in need, all made possible by the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation and B. Riley & Co.
Check out the photos of champs RAY LEONARD, ANDRE BERTO and SERGIO MORA at the “Big Fighters, Big Cause” knockout gathering, along with some bonus shots of the VIP guests on the red carpet. Funnyman and emcee Tommy Davidson even mugged for the cameras, giving the crowd his best boxer’s stance.
And stay tuned for my next column with additional photos and more boxing talk from this sports and entertainment spectacular benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research and the Wounded Warrior Project!
Photos by Steve Harpst
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT AND A GREAT DEED BY OUR HERO SUGAR RAY LEONARD. THIS TYPE OF ACTIONS MAKE BOXING THE GREAT SPORT WHEN WE SEE OUR ICONS STEPPING OUT OF THE RING AND MAKING THINGS HAPPEN FOR OTHERS WHO ARE NOT SO FORTUNATE AND NEED HELP.
THE WBC IS HAPPY TO HAVE DONATED A CHAMPIONSHIP BELT WHICH WAS AUCTIONED TO RAISE FUNDS IN THIS MEMORABLE EVENT
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