Published: June 17, 2009 10:30 pm      

KICKBOXING: Making Lockport history

Ulrich Center downtown will host city’s biggest fight card ever, outdoors, on Aug. 1

LOCKPORT — If “The Duke of Lockport” were alive today, he’d probably be the first in line to buy tickets for the largest outdoor boxing card in Western New York history on Aug. 1 at the Ulrich City Centre, downtown. Then again, he’d probably be interested in climbing back in the ring and being a part of it all.

After all, Jimmy Duffy, a former Niagara County sheriff’s deputy, was the first Lock City pugilist — and certainly not the last — to garner national attention in the sport known as “The Sweet Science.”

Over the years, Duffy, a Buffalo Boxing Hall of Famer, has been followed in this community by several other boxing greats who reached the pinnacle of their sport and helped earn this community the nickname of “The Boxing City” in many national circles.

Legends such as Duffy, Tommy Hicks, Tony Ventura, Johnny Taylor and Pat Cuillo paved the way for today’s premier Lockport professional kickboxer and promoter, Amer Abdallah, whose local fight cards have attracted thousands to the Kenan Center Arena.

Abdallah, a former national champion who resumed his light heavyweight kickboxing career with a knockout victory last April, will compete in the main event of “The Downtown Throwdown,” along with more than a half dozen other Lockport kickboxers competing in the undercards.

“Aside from this being the first outdoor event, we’re also taking a new approach in having a Lockport fighter in every bout,” said Abdallah’s wife and business manager Liz Bouchard. “It will be a huge night for Lockport.”

Lockport developer Dave Ulrich, who was joined at Monday’s press conference by Abdallah, prominent Lockport attorney George V.C. Muscato and Lockport Mayor Michael Tucker, said the outdoor fight card is the first of its kind in this area.

“After attending the last fight card and witnessing what a great job Amer and Liz did, both promoting and putting on a premier event in our city, it inspired me to try and contribute to an even larger event,” said Ulrich, one of Lockport’s most successful businessmen whose downtown City Centre is the sight of numerous community events, including the summer-long Molson Concert Series.

“The City Centre is a perfect place to hold such an event — and one to our knowledge that will be the biggest outdoor fight card in Western New York history.”

While the Kenan struggled at times to hold the thousands of local fight fans who have faithfully attended Abdallah fight cards for the past decade, seating at the Ulrich Centre shouldn’t be a problem, with a capacity of nearly 24,000.

“We expect them to be hanging from the rafters,” Ulrich added.

Muscato, a highly-respected Lockport attorney for the past four decades, said he’s got two great reasons for getting on board as a fight night co-sponsor.

“My father’s cousins, Joe and Phil Muscato of Hamburg, were two of the greatest boxers ever to come out of Western New York,” Muscato said.

“The City Centre is one of the best things to happen downtown. It attracts a lot of people from all different life situations. I thought it would make a great entertainment venue for boxing, so I decided to be a part of it.”

Mayor Tucker, who also attended the last Kenan fight card, said he’s equally excited.

“I’m sure this event will be very well attended. The past fight cards I’ve attended have been very well organized and very exciting to watch. This should be bigger and better than all of them.”

Abdallah, who’s expected to announce his Downtown Throwdown opponent within the next week, said he’s honored to have prominent Lockportians like Muscato and Ulrich involved.

“George has had his practice in Lockport for a long time and has always been community minded. I’m honored to have George on board and am humbled by his ongoing support,” Abdallah said.

“The last fight (April 25 knockout victory over Cleveland’s Jesse Colone) was the most emotionally draining battle I’ve ever had. Aside from the physical preparation for the bout, the emotional hurdles were colossal. Seeing my community supporting me in bigger numbers than ever gave me so much pride. This is the next step. I have to bring this championship back home and Aug. 1 will be one more step in that direction.”

Tickets for the Downtown Throwdown, which will range from $12 for general admission to $50 VIP seating, will go on sale late this month on Ticketmaster.com.