Jake Smith’s Baltimore Boxing Promotions is proud to announce that they’ve donated a first row VIP table to students from Perry Hall High School for this Saturday’s “Bully Beatdown” fight card at the Du Burns Arena.
On August 27, tragedy struck at Perry Hall when 15-year-old sophomore Robert Gladden Jr. opened fire inside the cafeteria, wounding a special needs student before being subdued by two teachers. Gladden Jr., who reportedly did not have a specific target, was bullied by classmates and had 11 guns at his nearby home.
“When I first heard about the Perry Hall shooting, I was sick to my stomach,” stated Smith, who also donated to the American Breast Cancer Foundation and American Red Cross Gala of Central Maryland earlier this year. “I have a daughter that goes to school in the Baltimore area and it scares me knowing that she could’ve been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bullying in our schools is a serious issue and the victims need to know that there is help out there because we need to avoid issues like this at all costs. The anti-bullying movement is more important now than ever before and I want to do whatever I can to make a difference!”
All of the guests from Perry Hall will be seated ringside for a special evening of Olympic-style boxing and anti-bullying awareness. All “Bully Beatdown” attendees are going to receive informal pamphlets about stopping bullying and a number of local pro fighters will speak to the crowd about the issue throughout the evening.
Advanced general admission tickets for $20, floor seating at $30 and VIP seats for $50 are available by calling 410-375-9175 or logging onto BaltimoreBoxing.com. All VIP ticketholders can enjoy free hors d’oeuvres and half priced drinks from 7-8 pm.
VIP ticketholders also have exclusive access to meet and greet five-time world champion and boxing great Vinny Paz, the event’s special guest attendee. Paz, who participated many of the most exciting fights in boxing history, defeated the likes of Hall of Famer Roberto Duran (twice), Lloyd Honeyghan, Gilbert Dele, Greg Haugen and Dana Rosenblatt among others.
Headlining the card is a three round East Coast Middleweight Championship matchup between surging star and former University of Oklahoma wrestling standout Jerome Featherstone of Baltimore and Keith Samuels.
In supporting bouts, junior welterweight Alex Livichuzhca meets Jose Cabb for Baltimore bragging rights. Former Penn State Boxing captain AJ Williams meets Bobby Sha of York, PA in a middleweight contest. Former Detroit Tigers prospect Ryan Roberson of Silver Spring, MD makes his debut against Mike Lloyd in a heavyweight contest and a number of other local are scheduled to fight on the card.
Doors for “Bully Beatdown” open at 6:30 pm and the first bout is scheduled for 8:15.
