December 10, 2014
Roc Nation Sports Partners with Fox Sports for ‘Throne Boxing’ Event
Jay Z has conquered the rap world, the business world, and now, sets his sights on the sports realm.
The Grammy-award winning rapper’s Roc Nation Sports announced its entrance into the boxing world by partnering with Fox Sports to air their first card. The company announced the news Tuesday, as the two parties reached an agreement for three cards to be televised under the banner of throne boxing by Jay Z.
Launching back in August, the company will spotlight the Harrison v. Rainone fight on Jan. 9 at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. “All of us at Roc Nation Sports are thrilled to announce our first boxing event along with our first series and television deal,†said David Itskowitch, the chief operating officer of Roc Nation Sports’ boxing division. “An evening of exciting fights, great music and fantastic entertainment will be a fitting way to kick off “Throne Boxing,” a series that will stand alone on the boxing landscape.
Welterweight Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (24-0, 13 KOBs) and Tommy Rainone (22-5-1, 4 KOs) will square off in a scheduled 10-round bout. Meanwhile, speculation still is in the air for the rest of the card, as it hasn’t been announced yet. “We feel it’s a good competitive fight between an up-and-coming prospect against a guy fighting in his hometown who comes to fight,†Itskowitch said.
Roc Nation Sports hopes to have the rest of their dates and venues for the other two shows set up for the first half of 2015. They’re looking at venues in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In addition to the fights on Jan. 9, $1 from each ticket sold will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Center. “Madison Square Garden is looking forward to teaming up with Roc Nation [Sports] for their first-ever boxing event,†Joel Fisher, executive vice president of MSG Sports, said. “The Theater at Madison Square Garden provides a great setting for fans to watch boxing an entertainment all under one roof.â€
Live performances by Roc Nation artists still have yet to be announced.
Roc Nation Sports is also finalizing a deal to buy promoter Gary Shaw’s company, Gary Shaw Productions. If that deal is finalized, it would mark a great coup for Roc Nation Sports, as Shaw carries decades of experience.
SOURCE: Billboard