Boxing legends Ernie Terrell, Gerry Cooney, Ken Norton.
November 4, 2009- It was indeed a night of boxing legends as Joseph E. Roberts, Jr. celebrated his 20th year
of helping area kids with his annual Fight For Children Fight Night gala at the Washington Hilton hotel.
Roberts launched Fight For Children in 1990 to give back to the community in which he and his employees lived and worked. Since that time, Fight For Children and its fundraising efforts, have raised
$82 million for programs that serve low-income children.
Recipients of Fight For Children grants have included Big Brothers Big Sisters, Children’s National Medical Center, Capital Partners for Education, Alexandria
Boxing Club, and Mary’s Center .
Joining this year’s illustrious legends of boxing icons with Gerry Cooney, Buster Douglas, Joe Frazier, Jake
Lamotta and Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini are home town talent, Sugar Ray Leonard, and eight-time world boxing champion Roy Jones, Jr.
Ken Norton enters the Fight Night Hall of Fame, the third boxing legend to do so.
Other inductees include 'Smokin' Joe Frazier
(2008 inductee), and Jake LaMotta, inducted into the inaugural Hall of Fame in 2007.
Prior to the evening’s fun, a video tribute from friends of Roberts, included Oprah Winfrey,
KISS, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, and others, played on the big screen thanking
and congratulating Roberts for his efforts over the years.
Patti Austin sang a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, a performance perhaps surpassing performances by Marvin Gaye, and Whitney
Houston (a job well done).
Joan Jett rocked it out with an exciting performance, appropriate for the hundreds on hand.
We’ll Start The Bidding At $10,000
Several items were auctioned off at last night’s event. A few items
included an ultimate fan sports package containing tickets to see several upcoming Washington area sports teams that included
upcoming Wasington Wizards and Washington Capitals events.
Along with several sports memorabilia items, jewelry, art, travel and entertainment packages being auctioned, also auctioned
where two tickets to see Stevie Wonder perform November 12, 2009 at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City. The highest
bidder will also be flown to LA to sit in on Stevie’s new album recording session in the Stevie Wonder studio.
Since the event was host to several business owners and entertainers from across the country, it was no surprise when
the evening’s prized Chopper motorcycle was auctioned off for $65,000. Frank
O’dea and Jimmy Jones became the proud owners of the custom made Chopper, manufactured by HardCoreChoppers.com.
When we asked O'dea, after he won the bid, what emotion he was feeling, his response was, “Debt”. (Side note: Not sure that ‘debt’ is an emotion, but we feel ya.
On the other hand, we’re sure Mr. O’dea, will settle into his new $65,000 toy, just fine).
An American flag, flown in Afghanistan (as we’re told), was another high auction item that sold for thousands
of dollars. Al Checchi, 1998 candidate for California governor, became the proud owner by bidding $62,500.
Let’s Get Ready To Rummmm-ble!
After 27 years (and counting) of being the ring master for just about every professional boxing event hitting
the Las Vegas strip, Michael Buffer continues to host the Fight Night’s boxing events.
In last night’s main event Palmer Park, Maryland’s Robert Reed KO’d Danville, Virginia’s Jason
Johns at just 1:48 in the first round. Reed’s record improves 2-0, 1 KO,
over Johns, who made his pro debut on the night.
In other fight action, it was a draw (3-way judges split) between Winston-Salem’s Fred McClinton
(1-1-1, 1KO) and DC’s Venroy July (2-0-1, 1 KO).
Dean ‘Pittbull’ White also had to settle with a draw in his bout with Verquan Kimbrough
of Pittsburgh. Kimbrough, a protégé of Roy Jones Junior, is now 21-2-3.
In our exclusive interview
with Jones, he tells us he’s training in Pittsburgh for an upcoming bout in Australia.
(You can listen to the entire interview below).
While the outcome was a draw, Dean White put a serious cut over the eye of Kimbrough that obviously affected him during
the bout, as blood began streaming down his face.
More About Fight For Children
Please visit their web site at www.fightforchildren.org.
Seen at the event: Kenneth ‘BabyFace’ Edmonds, Jermaine Dupri (who would never confirm or deny rumors the he and
Janet Jackson are getting married), former DC boxing Commissioner, Jason Turner; ex-NFL player-turned-sports analyst, Brian
Mitchell, Kastles' Mark Ein, PTI's Michael Wilbon, and more.
Event photos here.
The AfterParty
An after party affair was held at the Ritz Carlton hotel with the theme Knock Out Abuse Against Women.
No women were abused in the making of Fight Night 2009. Or were they? (Does having scantily clad women perform
in front of men qualify?).
Boxing Legend Interviews
Click below for our exclusive Sugar Ray Leonard and Roy Jones, Jr. interviews. Find out what motivates
them, and their views on the state of boxing today.
Sugar Ray Leonard interview.
