Marriott Bouts Knocked Out by Competition

The San Fernando Valley apparently isn’t big enough for boxing promoters Peter Broudy and Roy Englebrecht.

So, Englebrecht is throwing in the towel.

Englebrecht, who for five years has presented a successful monthly fight card at the Irvine Marriott hotel, has pulled out of an agreement to stage similar shows at the Warner Center Marriott, largely because of Broudy’s monthly program at the Reseda Country Club.

Englebrecht said the Valley doesn’t have enough fight fans to support two regular shows.

“We’re bowing out until there is a need for boxing shows in the Valley,” Englebrecht said. “As long as the Country Club is doing shows, we feel the Valley is not in need of boxing. Should Peter decide to move out, we will look at coming to the Valley.”

Warner Center representatives declined comment. Englebrecht, who in August signed a one-year contract with the hotel, said he and the hotel agreed to a “mutual termination.”

“They were disappointed,” Englebrecht said. “I’m sure I lost some credibility with them. I left it with them that if things change, I’ll be interested in [promoting] boxing there.”

Englebrecht would have brought boxing back to Warner Center after a seven-month absence and unsuccessful stints by Broudy and Gerrie Coetzee, a former heavyweight champion who promoted bouts at Warner Center from May 1995 until last June.

Englebrecht, whose “Battle in the Ballroom” at Irvine typically fills 90% of the facility’s 1,250 seats, envisioned similar success in Warner Center’s 1,154-seat Grand Ballroom.

However, Englebrecht canceled his inaugural show scheduled for Jan. 9 because welterweight Mark Lewis became ill and pulled out of the main event, and because he was unwilling to compete with boxing shows scheduled for the same night in Beverly Hills and the following night in Hollywood.

Englebrecht’s decision to pull out entirely was prompted by Broudy, who returned in November to the Country Club after a three-year hiatus. Broudy developed a strong following while promoting bouts at the Country Club during the 1980s and early ‘90s.

Englebrecht said he would not have approached Warner Center representatives had he known Broudy would move his program from the Olympic Auditorium to Reseda.

“I should have recognized it in November,” Englebrecht said. “For some reason, it didn’t register. It made no sense to go ahead. You can’t survive with a lot of competition. There is a small boxing clientele in the Valley.”

Broudy, who promoted fights at Warner Center from November 1994 to April 1995, agreed. Broudy and Coetzee, who cited financial reasons for leaving Warner Center, both had trouble selling tickets at the hotel.

“I left because it’s not a boxing atmosphere,” Broudy said. “When the Country Club contacted me, I knew [Englebrecht] wouldn’t be able to compete. Everybody would rather go to the Country Club. Even me coming back, I have a big legacy to live up to.”

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THE COMPETITION

A look at other boxing venues and promoters in the Southland:

* The Forum

Monthly cards, occasionally twice monthly.

* The Pond

Four times a year (co-promoted by The Pond and Forum Boxing).

* Irvine Marriott

Monthly cards.

* Reseda Country Club

Monthly cards.

* Indio Fairgrounds

Cards tentatively scheduled for every other month beginning in February.

* Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio

Cards every other month.

* Beverly Hilton

Cards monthly.

* Hollywood Paladium

Cards every other month.

* Telemundo Boxing

Cards four times a year at various locations.