The gloves came off at Silver Street Studios as the massive venue was transformed from a bare warehouse into a boxing arena for the Black Tie Boxing charity event hosted by Washington Ave’s B&B Butchers & Restaurant and Savarese Promotions, a local company owned by former professional boxing champion and two-time Golden Gloves winner Lou Savarese, along with his business partner Jody James, that specializes in producing events showcasing athletes.
More than 500 boxing enthusiasts dressed in tuxedos and elegant dresses walked the red carpet to an indoor cocktail area decked out with an oversized bird cage housing a duo of go-go dancers in boxing-inspired outfits, plus two booze-filled bars serving top shelf liquor, including super smooth 12-, 15-, 21- and 30-year pours of luxe Balvenie scotch. Waiters offered passed appetizers from B&B Butchers and tuxedo-clad waitresses circulated the room with wine and champagne.
As the bell rang, the crowd made their way to the spacious main area for a seated steak dinner, also catered by B&B Butchers, and several exciting matches including a bout between U.S. military veteran amputee pugilists Eric Morante and Alex “Titanium” Del Rio and the main match featuring Miguel Flores vs. Dat Nguyen.
All proceeds raised from the evening benefited the Lone Survivor Foundation, a nonprofit that provides health, wellness and therapeutic support to wounded service members and their families.
Placing their bets at the charity fight night were former professional boxer Riddick Bowe andformer professional boxer, kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and professional wrestler Eric “Butterbean” Esch, along with current professional boxers Brandon Figueroa and Darwin Price, former Houston Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini, Houston Texans cornerback Johnathan Joseph, and Houston Rockets forward Sam Dekker.
Also catching the blow-by-blow were B&B Butchers & Restaurant owner Ben Berg, Lone Survivor Foundation executive director Terry Jung, Tilman Fertitta, Michael Berry, Nick Florescu, Gregory Cokinos, Nicole Fertitta, Chad Pinkerton, Tom Laird, David Denenburg, Jack Raines, Javier Loya, Randall Davis, Jennifer Howard, Butch Boyd, and sportscaster Lindsay McCormick.
Riddick Bowe, Ella Markovsky.
