Joe DeGuardia already was busy promoting his next fight. Not some pay-per-view extravaganza or something for HBO world championship boxing. It’s an ESPN card at the Paramount Theatre on July 18.
“The place is phenomenal,” DeGuardia was saying about the setting in Huntington, NY, where he has staged many of his grass roots cards. “It’s going to be a good show.”
DeGuardia, president of Bronx-based Star Boxing, was looking ahead at his next event, but still glowing over one of the “biggest nights” of his career as a promoter last Saturday at Barclays Center. Two boxers he helped groom from scratch emerged as stars, with WBO junior middleweight champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade scoring a sensational seventh-round stoppage of Brian Rose of England, and underdog Chris Algieri capturing the WBO junior welterweight title with a huge upset of feared puncher Ruslan Provodnikov.
“I couldn’t have scripted it any better,” DeGuardia told The Post. “On one hand Demetrius Andrade, a guy we’ve been saying for years that is going to be the next star in the game, I think he showed that. And to have Chris, a guy who is articulate and the unique way he came into the sport, to perform the way he did, it was spectacular.”
It was the kind of night that makes a promoter “proud” and makes those who know DeGuardia happy for his success. For more than 20 years, he has built a business promoting local shows and area fighters. Andrade is from Providence, RI, Algieri is from Huntington.
While Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions dominate the boxing landscape with their deep pockets and premium network dates, DeGuardia goes about his business looking for the diamond in the rough he can groom into an area attraction and hopefully into a world champion. Seldom does he hit the jackpot as he did Saturday night with Andrade and Algieri.
“I’ve got two guys on one card that I’ve developed from scratch,” DeGuardia said. “To see it come to fruition and see them perform the way they both performed, it’s like when you have a child that you’re proud of. It was very rewarding.”
Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) is the biggest story in boxing this week after being given little chance of defeating the hard-punching Provodnikov (23-3, 16 KOs), who already was being talked about as a possible opponent for Manny Pacquiao. But Algieri survived two first-round knockdowns and boxed brilliantly the remainder of the fight despite a badly swollen right eye. He captured a majority decision that is still being celebrated.
Now, DeGuardia is hoping to match Algieri with Pacquiao for a big-money pay-per-view bout and waiting for somebody formidable and courageous enough to take on Andrade. Neither fighter is on the B-side anymore. But first, there’s July 18 to promote.
DeGuardia takes nothing for granted after nearly losing his life in a horrific auto accident on the Long Island Expressway in June 2012. The driver of the other vehicle, which was going in the wrong direction, was killed.
“Certainly I look at things a little different. I appreciate a lot more in life, from people to places to things,” DeGuardia said. “Getting up and seeing that sun in the morning is always a good thing.”
A former Golden Gloves champion, DeGuardia was boxing while going to law school. His passion for the sport is deep. It’s why he’s committed and happy to give area fighters a chance to live their dreams the way Andrade and Algieri have.
“That to me is promoting,” he said, “building a fighter and building up a fan base and getting interest around him. I’ll bide my time and keep him going on my own circuit and then bring them up to that stage of Barclays or HBO and where they can succeed. I believe that’s good for the sport. I’m proud we’ve been doing it for more than 20 years.”