‘Strong Island’ boxing series brings professional promotion to NY amateur scene
Amateur boxing events are usually light on pageantry. Without major networks or big sponsors to fund production costs, local shows are usually straight-forward events that rely on the boxers to provide their own fireworks once the bell rings.
That’s where Kristian Vasquez is hoping his amateur series stands out.
The New York-based promoter launched the Strong Island Fight Night Series in 2022, and will host its fourth event on January 20 at Stereo Garden in Patchogue on Long Island in New York. The series has many features which differentiate their shows from others, most notably their signature blue belt, which crowns a “six boroughs” amateur champion, and boxers defend on their events like a professional title.
The fight night broadcast features former pro boxer turned trainer Jose Luis Guzman, plus top amateur trainer and United States Marine Corps Boxing Hall of Famer Joe Higgins on commentary.
Vasquez, a two-time New York Golden Gloves champion, knows the value of letting the next generation shine.
“Once you win something on the big stage, and everybody gets to see you and recognize you, it makes you feel different, it puts a different type of confidence in life for you,” said Vasquez, 44.
“I wanted to provide a stage for them that builds up their brand, showing their personality to help them move forward into the pros with an easier transition.”
Among the ways Strong Island’s shows accomplish that is through “Before The Lights,” a 10-minute pre-fight documentary produced by production director Billy Papamanuel which introduces the public to the boxers.
On fight night, the boxers make pro style ring walks, complete with entrance music and custom motion graphic videos playing on the big screen. There is also pyrotechnics and smoke machines to set the stage for a championship fight.
“If they want to come to the ring with an artist, with the belt, with their team, however they envision themselves doing it, that’s their personal creativity being expressed before they fight,” said Vasquez.
One only needs to look to Vasquez’s favorite boxers to see how much he values the theatrics of boxing. The Queens born, Shirley, Long Island raised Vasquez idolized Hector “Macho” Camacho as a child. The future Hall of Famer was out running one day in Puerto Rico when Vasquez met him while he was on vacation with family. Vasquez recalled Camacho put his arm around the nine year old boxing upstart and told him he’d be a champion one day.
That infusion of belief helped propel Vasquez to success in the amateurs, winning the 2005 novice New York Golden Gloves title at 125 pounds followed by the open class title at 132 pounds the following year.
Vasquez had just one pro fight, scoring a first round knockout over a boxer from Cincinnati named Ronnie Howell in a 2006 featherweight bout before turning his attention towards more profitable endeavors.
“I was ready to rumble but I could not get fights,” said Vasquez. “I was training really hard and nothing was working out. People would sign contracts and then not show up to the physicals the week before. I didn’t have a manager so it was very difficult.”
Always an entrepreneur, Vasquez first began promoting night club events as early as the ‘90s. He has owned boxing gym since 2004, with his current gym being Strong Island Boxing and Fitness Gym in Shirley.
He also promoted amateur events, some of which featured the New York Amateur Boxing Championships belt, an early prototype of the Strong Island concept which was held by top amateurs including Daniel Jacobs, Joe Smith Jr. and Sadam Ali.
Vasquez got the itch to promote again last year, and drew from many of the promotional strategies he had used in the night club and real estate industries.
Matchmaking is also part of what gives the Strong Island Fight Night Series a more exclusive feeling. Contenders for the belts are selected among the boxers who win the major local tournaments – The Ring Masters, New York Metros or New York Boxing Tournament – with other challengers picked from those who performed well in the tournaments.
Sonya Lamonakis, the Vice President and Registration Chair for USA Boxing Metro, applauds the impact that the Strong Island series has had on the local scene.
“We’re really excited to have Kristian Vasquez back as one of our top amateur show promoters. He puts on a show that’s exciting, invigorating and makes you wanna come back again for more. Kristian has been working with USA Boxing Metro to make the best competitive matches in the northeast and we’re looking forward to this big one January 20,” said Lamonakis, who was inducted into the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame this year.
Vasquez says he plans to do three events per year, with events already penciled in for June 15 and September 28 of next year. He hopes these events will continue to elevate the prestige of New York City’s amateur boxing scene.
“I want to make New York truly the hotbed for amateur boxing. I want this event to inspire everyone to take their game to another level,” said Vasquez.
“I want these events to inspire the youth to keep them in the gym following their dreams and out of the streets, spending less time on their phones and games and striving for excellence.”
Ryan Songalia has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler and The Guardian, and is part of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2020. He can be reached at ryansongalia@gmail.com.
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