New York—Promoter Joe DeGuardia is no April fool; quite the opposite. The month will be a buzz saw for the president and founder of Star Boxing, beginning with his induction into the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame today (Sunday, April 3).
The special honor will be followed by what has become protocol for the Bronx-born promoter, when a trio of his top boxers – Chris Algieri, Joe Smith, Jr., and Zac Dunn – all will showcase their considerable skills in April main events. The headliners will take place on three consecutive Saturday nights.
On Saturday night, April 16, the former champion and Pride of Huntington Chris Algieri (21-2, 8 KOs) returns to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, squaring off against the undefeated Olympian Errol Spence, Jr., (19-0, 16 KOs) in the Premier Boxing Champions headliner. Algieri, the former WBO World super lightweight titlist, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Erik Bone on December 5 at Barclays.
The following Saturday night, April 23, the 23rd rendition of DeGuardia’s extremely popular Rockin’ Fights series is back at The Paramount in Huntington with the “Irish Bomber” Joe Smith, Jr. (20-1, 16 KOs) in the main event. Like Algieri, Smith was a big winner at Barclays on December 5, notching a 10-round unanimous decision over Will Rosinsky in a light heavyweight tilt.
Undefeated Australian sensation Zac Dunn (20-0, 16 KOs) puts his unblemished record and WBC International Silver Super Middleweight title on the line on his home turf at The Melbourne Pavilion against Aliaksandr Sushchyts (20-3-1, 16 KOs) on April 30.
And back to this Sunday, when the Bronx-born former Golden Gloves champion will be among the 18-member “Class of 2016” enshrined in the NYSBHOF sponsored by Ring 8 at the Fifth Annual induction dinner at Russo’s on the Bay in Howard Beach, New York, joining the likes of Aaron “Superman” Davis, Charles “The Natural” Murray, Vilomar Fernandez, and posthumous inductees Hector “Macho” Camacho, Rocky Graziano, and Howard Cosell.
DeGuardia’s Star Boxing stable, along with the aforementioned threesome, also includes: former champion Demetrius Andrade, and ring standouts Cletus Seldin, Joshua Clottey, and Yuniesky Gonzalez.
Tickets for the HOF are priced at $125.00 per adult and $50.00 for children (under 16), and include a complete brunch and cocktail hour upon entry, starting at 12:30 PM/ET, as well as dinner (prime rib, fish or poultry) and open bar throughout the evening. Tickets are available to purchase by calling NYSBHOF/Ring 8 president Bob Duffy at 516.313.2304. Ads for the NYSBHOF program are available, ranging from $50.00 to $250.00, by contacting Duffy. Visit www.Ring8ny.com for additional information about the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame.