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Sturgis North Fight Night proposed for Sunwave

Salmon Arm aims for World Boxing Association event featuring reigning super featherweight champion.

Salmon Arm will be hosting a professional boxing event on July 16, if approvals fall in to place.

Boxing veteran Mickey Sims came to a special meeting of council June 20 to ask for a letter. The letter will request that Vernon City Council invite the Vernon Athletic Commission to sanction a World Boxing Association event at Sunwave Centre in Salmon Arm.

Called Sturgis North Fight Night, the event will feature six fights including reigning super featherweight champion Arash Usmanee out of Montreal, Sims said. He said the title fight is quite a coup.

“It’s probably the only one in British Columbia that anyone has seen, talking from a number of years of experience in the boxing field. Usually we get Canadian Boxing Championships and they’re held in Vancouver.”

He said the World Boxing Association probably wouldn’t have entertained the idea had it not been for the amount of publicity from Sturgis North.

“They want to showcase their stuff as well.”

Sims said he is not affiliated with Sturgis North, but the organizers of the motorcycle rally and music festival have allowed him to use the name for the event. He said while Sturgis North will get a small percentage for the use of their name, a portion of revenues goes to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Salmon Arm does not have an athletic commission, so must seek sanctioning from a municipality that does. Taber, Alta. was approached as it can sanction such events, Sims said, but its approval fell through at the 11th hour because of an internal issue with the commission.

Dale Berger, manager for  the Shuswap Arena Society, said the society board discussed the event and has no opposition to it.

“Everyone feels the community has this facility for multi-purpose events. We’re not sure what to expect in terms of support, but as far as the building, we’re basically renting it out.”

He said he thinks the facility is fine for the event.

“In reality, the promoter is taking all the risk.”

Council agreed unanimously to provide a letter for Vernon council and the athletic commission. 16:21:36

 



Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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