by James Jones, Sun-Herald.com
South Mississippi wants to regain its status as an elite site for hosting big-time professional boxing matches.
Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, severely damaging its beautiful beaches, homes and casinos. The Mississippi Coast Coliseum, which usually hosts the big bouts, also had extensive damage to its 10,000-seat arena.
As the area slowly recovers from the storm, local officials are enthusiastic about hosting the Coast's first major boxing event in four years.
Roy Jones Jr. meets Anthony Hanshaw in a 12-round light heavyweight bout Saturday at the Coliseum. The IP is sponsoring the pay-per-view bout.
"We haven't had a big fight here in a while," Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway said. "It's a great moment for the city of Biloxi and Coast Coliseum to have Jones-Hanshaw."
IP President/General Manager John Lucas sees the high-profile light-heavyweight bout making a huge statement for the Coast.
"The Coast continues its resurgence and boxing is the way to do that," Lucas said. "This fight benefits the whole Coast, and proof to show that we're back."
Murad Muhammad, who's co-promoting the event with Square Ring, understands the importance of Saturday night's bout. Muhammad has promoted Coast fights in the past.
"We want to be a united, powerful front in Mississippi," Muhammad said. "Mississippi has been good to me and allowed me to do the impossible. We need to show the world we're back. Biloxi and the IP are back. We're alive."
Jones, who has headlined four of the five biggest bouts in state history, wanted to help put South Mississippi back into the boxing business.
"The Gulf Coast is my home area," Jones said. "Being at Biloxi and the IP is like being in my own home. I always have a good time fighting in the area and entertaining the local boxing fans."
Coliseum Director Bill Holmes is grateful Jones (50-4) answered the bell for the area.
"Roy wanted to come back to the Coast," Holmes said. "With the help of the IP, we made it happen. The building's back, and we've got a brand new one."
Coast gets national praise
National boxing observers and officials are optimistic on the Coast's chances of rejoining the likes of Las Vegas, Atlantic City and New York as a leading site for producing major fight cards.
Prize Fight Promotions produced the area's first bout on Jan. 5 at the Beau Rivage, which ESPN2 televised as part of its weekly "Friday Night Fights" series.
"I definitely think boxing can return to its past glory on the Coast," said Nate Yoder of Prize Fight Promotions. "I believe the Mississippi Gulf Coast will come back even stronger before Katrina.
"There seems to be a will of the locals to persevere and bounce back stronger. They have always been great boxing fans. We expect them to come back in droves."
Casinos must cash in chips
For South Mississippi to resurface as a premier boxing hot spot, the casinos must play a big role. Since the casinos opened in 1992, they've brought major fights into the area.
"The casino support we receive as promoters from the local casinos is second to none," Yoder said. "We expect it to get better once the casinos continue to bounce back.
"The combination of great fight fans, tremendous casino support and beautiful coastal setting make it a win-win scenario for promoters and networks."
Bob Trieger of Full Court Press thinks the Coast needs a strong local fighter to become a contender and attract major networks.
"Big-time boxing returning to the Mississippi Gulf Coast certainly can happen, but it will depend on several factors," Trieger said. "Primarily, the commitment of a venue that makes it appealing for promoters to do shows there as well as the development of local talent to draw interest.
"A local tie, whether it's a boxing club that keeps the sport alive or, better yet, a hometown prospect who can capture the hearts and minds of local sport fans - not just boxing fans - and build a following."
Former Bay St. Louis resident John Brister, who worked on several Jones bouts, said the casinos have the necessary resources.
"Boxing was big on the Coast because the casinos brought it there, the same as it is in Las Vegas" Brister said. "If boxing comes back to the Coast, it will be because the casinos brought it back."
Coast Championship Boxing
Roy Jones has participated in four of the five biggest pro boxing cards in Mississippi. All were held in South Mississippi, including two at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.
Jones won a 12-round unanimous decision over Reggie Johnson to capture the IBF, WBA and WBC light-heavyweight titles before a Coliseum crowd of 9,946 on June 5, 1999.
Jones stopped Virgil Hill in the fourth-round of a non-title bout April 24, 1998 before a Coliseum crowd of 9,114.
Jones defended the IBF middleweight title with a fifth-round TKO over Thulane Malinga on Aug. 14, 1993 at Casino Magic in Bay St. Louis.
Laila Ali's fourth-round knockout over Christy Martin on Aug. 22, 2003 is the state's second-biggest bout, producing a Coliseum crowd of 9,888.
- JAMES JONES
