Organizers of the fight also booked dates in August and October, with plans for a holiday fight if the first installments go well. Kallen said she is expecting to sell about 1,000 tickets.
Detroit-based Rickman Enterprises Group, West Bloomfield-based Bricker-Tunis Furrier, Clinton Township-based Clean Planet Foods and Roman Village Cucina Italiana in Dearborn have signed on as corporate sponsors. Through the partnerships, some tickets will be distributed free to area groups such as Downtown Boxing Gym.
Kallen declined to say how much the event costs to produce, but said it's less than "six figures" and expected to turn enough of a profit to invest into future events.
Organizers are working with Detroit Dog Rescue to bring dogs into the ring between each fight to showcase them for adoption. Sports memorabilia will also be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting the animal shelter.
"Pitbulls especially have been misused for fighting," Kallen said. "We feel that people should fight; dogs should not."
Kallen, a resident of West Bloomfield who grew up in Detroit, has worked 40 years in the boxing industry — much if it alongside Hearns. She was portrayed by Meg Ryan in the Paramount Pictures movie "Against the Ropes" and worked with Sylvester Stallone on the NBC show "The Contender." She is a longtime friend of Hearns, who lives in Southfield and also grew up in Detroit. He , and has remained a fixture in the local sports scene, promoting events through his family's firm Hearns Entertainment.
They were approached by Jewell, a sports dentistry specialist with a practice in Detroit who had a passion for reviving boxing in the city and the funds to support it. Kallen and Kearns had the event planning experience to make it happen, so the three formed Ten Count Promotions, of which Jewell is the principal, to produce and promote local boxing events.
The plan is to build a following and secure the resources needed to bring higher-level fighters to Detroit, Kallen said. Then come the TV cameras and national exposure. She said the upcoming event will feature the best local talent around, benefit nearby businesses and give young fighters visibility to promoters and managers.
"We really want to help," she said. "The city of Detroit has made such a great comeback. For years and years, the fights were out at the Palace of Auburn Hills. That was a great place, however, it was not the city."
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20180615/news/663731/boxing-legends-tommy-hearns-jackie-kallen-to-stage-ring-revival-in
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