Canberra will play a major role in the post-pandemic rebirth of Australian boxing with Exhibition Park set to host a monster fight night in December.
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A custom-built venue will be constructed for the historic event in the Coorong Pavilion, which will host six bouts including a mouth-watering clash between Jeff Fenech's main man Brock Jarvis and Melbourne featherweight Mark Schleibs.
The best of Canberra's local talent will also be in action - NSW welterweight champion Abe Archibald puts his title on the line against the unbeaten Terry Stevenson, almost a year after winning the belt from Jorge Kapeen in an absorbing 10-round brawl.
Unbeaten local Alex Cooper will also be on the card, while former Commonwealth Games competitor Terry Nickolas will make his professional debut.
"We've been liaising with three bodies, with the government almost multiple times a week, it's been a very challenging thing to get done but we've done it," Capital Fight Show promoter Nick Boutzos said.
"We'll be the first televised event in the southern states since COVID lockdown."
Dean Lonergan, the man behind the Jeff Horn versus Manny Pacquiao super fight three years ago, has also been heavily involved in organising the Canberra event.
It will be broadcast live on Fox Sports as part of Lonergan's National Boxing Series, which has been marketed as the sport's equivalent to the NRL.
"There's been no end of effort that's taken place in order for this to work and it's a testament to the industry itself that we have been able to push and push to get this event to take place," Lonergan said.
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It will be the largest boxing event south of Queensland since the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the country, and precedes the December 16 fight night at Bankwest Stadium in Sydney featuring the likes of Tim Tszyu and Paul Gallen.
A second Canberra fight night has also been pencilled for March.
Just 200 spectators will be allowed into the Coorong Pavilion, and organisers will observe strict COVID protocols to stage the fight night.
"We have a COVID plan that we will be submitting to the government which has pages of detailed protocol for people working, people coming to the event, staff, boxers themselves," Boutzos said.
Assistant promoter Steve Peios said the Canberra fight night was a huge coup for the capital.
"The event is extremely important in terms of setting the standard that we can get boxing back and compliant," Peios said.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
