On the upcoming Saturday, January 20, starting at 2 PM, Tulsa’s own Engine Room Boxing Gym on 316 E. 11th will be the battleground for “Worlds Collide-Boxing Reimagined,” a pioneering event sanctioned by USA Boxing. This is where traditional amateur boxing meets the cutting-edge virtual reality of eSports, an announcement from Aaron Sloan, the gym’s proprietor and the brain behind Engine Room VR, has set the stage. Spectators can revel in the action without spending a dime, and for those not in the ring-side seats, the bouts will be broadcast live on YouTube at @EngineRoomBoxing.
This landmark 120th edition of the Broadway Boxing series is headlined by the ring return of former WBO world champion and US Marine Jamel Herring against the undefeated Nick Molina.
On the undercard, newly-minted IBF Bantamweight World Champion Miyo Yoshida squares off with Shurretta Metcalf in a 10-round bantamweight bout with the vacant IBF Inter-Continental belt on the line. Heavyweight hopeful Roney Hines stakes his unblemished record against Jonathan Gruber, and super bantamweight hopeful Mikiah Kreps faces off with the battle-hardened Isis Vargas Perez.
A slice of the proceeds is earmarked for Merging Vets and Players and the West Point Society of New York, underscoring the event’s charitable spirit.
Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment reflects, “Our last Broadway Boxing affair, ‘Heroes on the Hudson’, was more than a celebration of two decades. It was a tribute to our nation’s veterans. After its initial debut on DAZN, we’re now excited to bring this to the SNY audience.” He spotlighted Herring’s ring resurgence, Yoshida’s title quest, Kreps’s challenge against Vargas Perez, and Hines’s showdown with Gruber.
Since its inception in November 2003, Broadway Boxing has been a launching pad for numerous champions and boxing stalwarts, including Vitali Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin, and Amanda Serrano.
Those keen to catch “Heroes on the Hudson” can tune into SNY this Sunday at 9 PM EST. The network is accessible on various platforms such as DirecTV (639), Time Warner Cable (26), Verizon FiOS (577, 77), Cablevision (718, 60), and Comcast (843, 73). Check your local listings for the exact channel numbers.