TAMPA’S BACK IN ACTION — BIG-TIME
By Boxing News August 23rd, 2005
I recently read in a press release where there were 5000 tickets sold in the first three hours for the Antonio Tarver-Roy Jones rubber match, to be held at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa on October 1. Reportedly 15,000 paying customers were present for the Jeff Lacy-Robin Reid fight, which was held at the same location. All of a sudden it seems the Tampa Bay area is hot for boxing. It wasn’t always that way.
I worked for a promoter in Tampa starting in 1985. During that time there was a terrific attraction developed in the area - John “The Beast” Mugabi. Fans bought tickets for Mugabi’s fights, to be sure, gut instead of using that to develop his entire program of twice monthly fights around it, the promoter - Phil Alessi - found that he could get a lot of people around town to do him favors in exchange for the coveted tickets. Well, when all was said and done, so many tickets were comped that no one wanted to come back and buy tickets if they weren’t on the arm. That kind of killed the fight cards Mugabi DIDN’T appear on.
And the residual effect was felt. In March of 1990 Mugabi defended his WBC 154-pound title at the Sun Dome, in what was Tampa’s first world title fight since 1971 (when Bob Foster fought Ray Anderson in a light heavyweight title bout), and the arena was, well, half filled. Mugabi got knocked out in the first round by Terry Norris, and that was the end of big-time boxing in the area.
Until Jones, and Tarver, and Lacy.
And I’m left wondering what Mugabi - a legitimate star like the aforementioned - could have drawn, given the right fight and the right circumstances.
August 24th, 2005 at 4:05 pm
It’s great to see a story written about the fact that there were 15,000+ boxing FANS at the Lacy vs. Reid fight in Tampa florida a few weeks ago! I have lived in the St.Pete area of Tampa Bay Florida for 10 years and it’s rare to see a big fight take place here. It is very exciting as a boxing fan to see more big fights taking place in my own back yard. I hope that this will continue beyond 2005!
“Support boxing in Tampa Bay”
September 19th, 2005 at 4:04 am
Hello Fans,
It’s great to see that Tampa is still having boxing. I, John, am still sorry for letting my fans down that night. But all champions one day will get beaten. But one day I would love to come and watch some fights in the ring at Tampa.
I might bring one of the fighters I train in Australia now.
Thank You for remembering me,
John Paul Mugabi
“The Beast”
November 15th, 2005 at 2:56 am
It’s the first time i ran through your site and I found it very informative and interesting.
March 30th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
Thank you for mentioning John Paul Mugabi. I had the pleasure of covering his training camp in Tampa leading up to the Hagler fight in the mid-80’s. I was a sportscaster in Sarasota at the time. The Alessi family did a nice job of promoting fights. Mickey Duff was Mugabi’s trainer. We did a feature on Mugabi, who was late arriving for his training session. Duff figured he was playing video games. Thanks for the memories.
June 11th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
i have great memories of the fights at the the pavillion,that the Alessi promoted..I miss those days.I’m happy to hear that theres an Arena in Ybor ,Ringsport Boxing,Silverhawk promoting fights and fighter..Bring it on back we’ve been waiting…Nothing like a good Fight..thanks…
June 13th, 2006 at 8:00 am
Please send this to John Mugabi
Hi John,
I am one of the funs back here in Uganda . I am trying to find my lost friends Jovine and Jereminah. might you know their current whereabouts?
Please let me know,
Pauline
August 18th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I am so happy to hear you bring back all my childhood memories of boxing in Tampa. I had no idea i remembered all the names you mentioned. Mr. Phil Allessi was so nice to me and my family, I will never forget him. I tell my daughter, who is 25 now, that he provided a job for her father at his bakery shop in west tampa while he trained under him. I also use to hang out with John “The Beast” Mugabi. He was such a gentleman and so humble. Please somebody bring back boxing in Tampa so the next generation can have memories of boxing here also.
Shelia