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Miami’s got more than 15 rounds of boxing history in it. The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, trained at the erstwhile Fifth Street Gym in South Beach, while the Orange Bowl hosted the Battle of Champions pitting legend Alexis Argüello and Aaron Pryor in 1982 (later named the fight of the decade by the Ring magazine). Even the old Verrick Gym in Coconut Grove held fight nights, as did the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Jai-Alai, the Mahi Temple, and dozens of other local clubs. But nowhere in those punch stats is a mention of the old Dade County Auditorium. Nestled in the heart of Little Havana, the entertainment venue is one of the oldest in town and has seen more than its share of concerts, theater, and even high school commencements. Ronald Reagan and Plácido Domingo even made appearances there. But it never hosted pugilistic gladiators. Luckily, it’s never too late to diversify your portfolio.
This Friday, the auditorium will host its first live fight card with All-Star Boxing. The venue is located en el centro de la Pequeña Habana, so it makes perfect sense that the card will feature some real Hispanic flavor. Puerto Rico’s Jesús Pabón and Mexico’s Javier Castro will duke it out for a regional junior-welterweight title in the main event. A total of eight bouts are scheduled.
Fri., June 24, 8 p.m., 2011
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