After proving he could successfully put on a boxing show in the midst of
COVID-19, promoter Chris Coyne is preparing for another round.
Coyne, who promoted a pair of amateur boxing shows at Plains Little League on Sept. 19 and 20, will put on another amateur card Saturday at 2:30 p.m. outside of Dooley’s Pub & Eatery in Old Forge.
The ring will be set up in the parking lot behind the bar/restaurant, which is located on the corner of Oak Street and Meade Street in Old Forge.
“We have approval from borough council to block the alley behind the parking lot for seating,” said Coyne, who also owns Dooley’s. “The council has been great about it. It’s going to be a great thing for the borough. Most people can’t even go to a football game but they can go to a fight and enjoy themselves.”
The alley will be blocked off from 8 a.m. to midnight to allow time for set up and tear down. Seating will be available on the building’s outdoor decks with additional seating at ringside. The restaurant will open at 5 p.m. but have indoor seating only until the show is over.
“I’ve thought about having a show here for years,” Coyne said. “And the circumstances provided the opportunity.”
Limited tickets cost $30 and are available at Dooley’s. The card is scheduled to have 16 fights and will include locals Nick Nalaschi, Dom Passariello and Ira Miller, who all competed on the Plains’ cards two weeks ago.
“This is exactly what any amateur fighter should be doing,” Coyne said. “Our amateurs around here don’t fight enough and that’s why we can’t compete in Philadelphia or Reading. Those boxers are fighting twice a month, they have 40 fights in two years and they turn pro. Our guys have been more like professionals, fighting two or three times a year and you can’t get better that way. I would like to see our guys fighting 8 to 12 times a year.”
Coyne said the Plains cards went smoothly with new health regulations in place for fighters and fans.
“The health department, USA Boxing and the state athletic commission were all there and they were happy with how things went,” he said. “I think I missed it as much as the boys missed it. There’s nothing like being a part of it when you see the kids competing.”
Coyne also said he is looking to do another amateur show later in October in the Scranton area.
“It’s like any other business, it’s supply and demand,” he said. “The supply of fighters is great but there is nowhere for them to fight. As long as the fighters want to keep going, I’ll keep going. When they’ve had enough, I’ve had enough.”
