Why 'Detroit Brawl' could be a step to raising boxing's prominence in metro Detroit

Detroit boxer Rydell Booker couldn't answer the call; he was busy in the gym.

But once he was in a car on his way to another gym, he had a few minutes to talk about the boxing event scheduled for Thursday in Dearborn: The "Detroit Brawl," with Booker fighting in the main event at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

This was all before making his final stop at another facility for a third workout.

"The first workout, I sparred and did some bag work," the 41-year-old said. "Now, I'm on the way to do my strength and conditioning work. The last one, I'm going to go for a run and do some freestyle weightlifting, so we're putting in the work for this.

"It’s always good to have boxing in Detroit because we have a big history of it. I love to fight at home in front of my family and friends."

Booker (26-5-1, 13 KOs) knows not many people are giving him a chance to win his heavyweight match against Otto Wallin, who'll enter the fight with a 23-1 record.

"It means a lot because this fight can put me back on the map because of who I’m fighting," Booker said. "He's a ranked fighter, he’s looking to the future, but he’s gotta get past me first."

Wallin sits at No. 11 in the WBC rankings — which are topped by Tyson Fury — and No. 10 in ESPN heavyweight listings. The left-hander's lone loss came against Fury in 2019; Wallin opened a cut over Fury's right eye in the third round that could have ended the fight in Wallin's favor. But Fury's trainer was able to close the cut enough for Fury to last the match and win on points,

"I want to be a world champion and I showed in that fight I can be that," Wallin said. "The controversy was the cuts. In the third round, he had two, you can Google it.

"You see that was a terrible cut that he had needed 47 stitches. If it was anybody else, they would’ve stopped the fight and I would’ve got the victory. But I’m not bitter about it, I just look forward and take every fight serious."

In addition to the Booker/Wallin fight, Shohjahon Ergashev (21-0, 19 KOs) will fight Luis Alberto Veron (19-3-2, 9 KOs) in a super lightweight event. Ergashev, who has 2.3 million followers on Instagram, is No. 4 in the IBF rankings, No. 7 in the RING rankings, No. 11 by the WBO and No. 13 in the WBA rankings and is from Uzbekistan, though he trains in Detroit. Veron, meanwhile, hails from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The undercard will feature Detroit native Marlon Harrington (7-0, 7 KOs) in a super welterweight fight against Azael Cosio; Joseph Hicks Jr., a Grand Rapids native who trains in Lansing, will also box in a middleweight fight. Hicks was set to box in the 2020 Olympic Games for Team USA before they were postponed to 2021 and the International Boxing Association changed its qualification formula for last summer's competition.

It's may be the best card in the metro Detroit area since Claressa Shields starred at the MGM Grand Detroit Event Center in 2017.

The hope, for everyone involved, is that the event will shine a light on Detroit boxing again.

"It’s important the local community and business community gets behind the boxers and tells the stories of the fighters who come to Detroit, live in Detroit, grow up in Detroit," said Dmitry Salita, one of the event's promoters. "Fans come from all over the world because of these exciting boxing events, and it’s an important part of the comeback  of the city that is going through a rebirth."

Days of boxing past 

Detroit was once a boxing hotspot, with an arena named after legend Joe Louis, who made the city his home beginning at age 12, and a sculpture of Louis' fist at the intersection of Jefferson and Woodward avenues serving as a symbol of the city.

"It's home to some of the greatest boxers of all time," Salita said. "Detroit is a great, great boxing city. It means a lot to it."

The city's boxing legacy was maintained for years at Kronk Boxing Gym, where several great boxers — including Shields and Tommy "Hitman" Hearns — trained.

Emanuel  Steward trained 41 world champion fighters through that gym, leading  his heavyweight fighters to a combined record of 34-2-1 in title bouts.

"When Manny passed away 10 years ago, that was a major reason (for Detroit's boxing falloff)," Salita said. "Our goal is (with this fight) is to start to make Detroit one of the hubs."

Steward's nephew, SugarHill Steward, became Fury's trainer after the two met at Kronk in 2010. For fighters such as Wallin, who hopes to become just the second Swedish world champion in boxing , coming to Detroit is a bucket-list item.

"Detroit and the Kronk Gym is really famous in boxing and the world," he said. "My trainer himself worked with Emanuel  Steward, he spent a lot of time up there, so I’m really excited. I loved to watch the HBO fights when (Steward) was commentating.

"It’s really going to be fun to be in Detroit. I’ve never been there before, but I always wanted to."

Salita said the city of Detroit has had events broadcast on Showtime, Fox and UFC Fight Pass.

He hopes events like this — with fighters from four of the city's gyms  as those from around the state and the world — show that there is an outlet for fighters to ascend through the ranks.

Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on twitter at @realtonygarcia.