Big Time Boxing USA: The New Home for Rising American Fighters

The health of boxing is not in the amount of glitzy shows and pay-per-views it can do. The health of boxing is determined by the number of local shows and new talents the sport can develop.

Since the end of HBO’s “After Dark” boxing series and the end of ShoBox on Showtime there has not been a significant platform to develop talent of American fighters in the United States.

Promoter Dmitry Salita is looking to build that generation of talent. Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 and has worked with some of the biggest names in the sport including Clarissa Shields the greatest female fighter of her generation.

However, his Big Time Boxing USA series is increasingly the premier talent development platform for American fighters (in no small part due to its partnership with DAZN).

“This series is filling a necessary gap in professional boxing in America at present,” Salita said in an interview with Sports Illustrated.

More than that legendary ring announcer Al Bernstein is part of the broadcast team for the fights. Not only is Bernstien part of many legendary nights with Showtime Boxing but, even voiced parts of the original Knockout Kings video game when it was first released.

This pipeline of talent is developing Joshua Pagan perhaps the best Grand Rapids native is 11-0 is off to a promising career. The series has included other promising talent like Michel Rivera, Adreal Holmes, and Davelle Smith who are all world rated contenders who could become the champions and stars of the future. Many of the fights have taken place in the Detroit area.

Vladimir Shishkin who many felt did enough to defeat William Scull last month at the Stadthalle in Falkensee, Germany. However, Scull ultimately walked away with the IBF title.

If the group is taken as a whole only Pagan has not held at least a regional title in the professional ranks of boxing.

Salita’s commitment to showcasing events in cities like Detroit highlights his dedication to reinvigorating American boxing and is a nod to the city’s historic past in boxing from the Kronk Gym to Sugar Ray Robinson.

Boxing fans have been lucky in recent years. The British boxing scene is as strong as ever, Saudi Arabia and to a lesser extent the United Arab Emirates have poured millions into the sport, and plenty of high-profile fights are happening in Las Vegas.