Night at the Fights, a new marquee fundraising event matching top-rank amateur boxing with world-class entertainment and professional networking, makes its debut on April 30 at the Liacouras Center at 7 p.m. The event, highlighted by the Eastern Regional Golden Gloves championship, is presented by Joe Hand Boxing Gym to benefit the Urban League of Philadelphia (ULP) and its partners.
Tickets start at $40 and are available for purchase online at NightAtTheFights.org, by phone at 800-298-4200, or in person at the Liacouras Center box office (1776 N. Broad St.). A portion of the proceeds will benefit partners of the ULP and Joe Hand Boxing Gym.
In addition to the ULP, Night at the Fights benefits the Joe Hand Boxing Gym and Computer Lab, the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Penn State Abington, Father Judge High School, the United Way of Philadelphia, Franklin & Marshall Football Association and Cheyney University.
This unique boxing event, which features Olympic-caliber boxing, is bookended by networking and social gatherings, as well as live musical performances and celebrity appearances to keep the audience entertained throughout the night.
Night at the Fights is the brainchild of Joe Hand, Sr. and Robert (Bobby) Keyes, chairman of the ULP board and Vice President/General Manager of Enterprise Holdings. Keyes – a member of, and donor to Joe Hand Boxing Gym – envisioned the boxing event as a benefit for his non-profit partners, and Hand offered the Golden Gloves to headline it. Night at the Fights is the benefactor of their vision to connect the Regional Golden Gloves Championships to the collaboration of non-profits in the Philadelphia region.
“This is an incredibly unique opportunity to bring together partners as a way of benefiting the work we all perform throughout the region,” said Rosalyn McPherson, ULP’s president and CEO. “We celebrate Joe Hand and Bobby Keyes for their forward thinking.”
“No one has ever attempted anything like Night at the Fights,” Bobby Keyes said. “It’s an original way to support the region’s vital civic organizations with a new style of fundraising that combines nightlife, sports and professional networking. We hope to attract a broader audience to the important work of our non-profit partners.”
Joe Hand Jr. agreed, saying “This idea brings together groups that wouldn’t normally be partners, and we’re all looking forward to a fun night that will raise money for programs working with thousands of young people in Philadelphia.”
Winners of the Eastern Regional advance to the state championships in Harrisburg on May 7 and the National Golden Gloves Tournament is May 16-21 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Many local fighters who have fought in the Golden Gloves have gone on to distinguished professional careers, including undefeated WBC welterweight champion Danny Garcia. The list also includes Chazz Witherspoon, Jesse Hart, Demetrius Hopkins, Rock Allen, Shamone Alvarez and Rasheim Jefferson.
About the Urban League of Philadelphia:
The Urban League of Philadelphia, founded in 1917, is a non-profit, non-partisan, civil rights and community-based movement that provides direct services, research and policy advocacy to help individuals and communities reach their fullest potential. Primarily working with African Americans and other emerging ethnic communities, ULP is an affiliate of the National Urban League, which was founded in 1910 and is the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Today, the National Urban League spearheads the non-partisan efforts of nearly 100 local affiliates that provide services to more than two million people nationwide.
About Joe Hand Boxing Gym and Computer Lab:
The Joe Hand Boxing Gym and Computer Lab has been a community landmark since being established in 1995. Joe Hand, Sr., a retired Philadelphia police officer, saw the gym as a safe place for Philly’s children and young adults to come and hone their skills in boxing or spend time learning computer skills for their futures.
