Englebrecht to Stage Shows at the Pyramid

Boxing promoter Roy Englebrecht will try to match his successful Irvine Marriott shows with a monthly card at Long Beach State’s Pyramid beginning May 16.

Englebrecht will be the promoter and Eddie Hodges of 365 Entertainment will manage the shows, which will be held on the third Thursday of every month.

Englebrecht said the shows will begin with a California State title fight or a Penta Intercontinental title bout.

“We look to use the same format that’s made the Marriott shows successful--local fighters and competitive prices,” said Englebrecht, who is planning on ticket prices between $15 and $35.

The Pyramid, which holds 4,900 for boxing events, drew 3,100 fans for Tuesday night’s USA television show that was promoted by Bob Arum of Top Rank boxing. The card featured Long Beach heavyweight Jeremy Williams.

“We know that Long Beach supports Long Beach,” Englebrecht said. “This is a chance for Long Beach to show off.”

The monthly Pyramid shows also allow Englebrecht to work closely with managers who have a large stable of fighters.

“We can keep their fighters busy now that we have two shows a month,” Englebrecht said. “They can fight one month in Irvine and the next in Long Beach.”

But how will the Orange County area be able to support two, and sometimes three monthly boxing shows? The Pond has a show every other month.

“We’re a club show at the Marriott; the Pond and the Pyramid are arena shows,” Englebrecht said. “We’ll promote the Long Beach show as a show for Long Beach. The Pond shows are geared toward the Latino market and our shows in Irvine will continue to succeed because of our loyal fans for 12 years. I wouldn’t be doing this at the [UC Irvine] Bren Center.”

Englebrecht’s risk is minimal. Hodges’ company is selling tickets and managing the show. Englebrecht is simply providing the boxers.

“I know this can work because Long Beach is in need of entertainment to all degrees,” said Hodges, whose company directs entertainment at Long Beach restaurants and nightclubs. “Long Beach has a great corporate base and community base and Roy has a reputation of putting on good, square fights.”

Hodges said he is committed to the Pyramid until at least December.

“We have the financial resources to go the whole year,” said Hodges, who will work with the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce and area businesses in marketing his shows. “I consider success as having a sellout crowd every time. If it’s not a sellout crowd, I won’t rest.”

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Englebrecht also announced that Huntington Beach bantamweight Johnny Vasquez has pulled out of the March 28 main event at the Marriott because he has bronchitis. Vasquez will be replaced by Palm Springs middleweight Mark Lewis, who will be making his 10-round debut.

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The Pond will host its second pay-per-view card on May 4. The arena’s first pay-per-view show drew more than 12,000 fans last March. World junior featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera, who won his World Boxing Organization title at the Pond’s March show, will fight Jesse Benavides in the main event.

Barrera is coming off a thrilling 12th-round knockout of Kennedy McKinney Feb. 3 at the Forum. In another title fight, Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson (28-1) of Washington faces Francisco Tejedor for the vacant International Boxing Federation flyweight crown.

On April 29, the Pond holds its bimonthly Monday show featuring El Salvador junior lightweight Carlos Famous Hernandez. The show will be televised by Prime Sports. Both Pond events are promoted by Forum Boxing.