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One of the longer professional boxing droughts in Hawaii might be about to end this year.
After three and a half years without a pro boxing card in the state, two promoters were licensed Thursday by the Hawaii State Boxing Commission, the first since 2011.
Former heavyweight champion Roy Jones’ Jr. of Houston and Sal "Salvatore " Musumeci of New York each paid the $285 annual licensing fee and were granted licenses for 2015, a commission spokesman said.
Pro cards have been few and far between with the last one being Brian Viloria’s July 2011 decision of Julio Cesar Miranda at Blaisdell Center.
Alan Taniguchi, the commission’s executive officer, said no matches were presented at Thursday’s meeting. "They (the promoters) will have to come before the commission if and when they have a venue, a date and a card, which all must be approved," Taniguchi said.
The promoters were encouraged to apply by commissioner Quenton Brown, who has extensive connections in the sport from his time as a competitor in the heavyweight division. Brown, who was appointed to the panel last year by then-Gov. Neil Abercrombie, has had has more than 40 pro bouts and fought Tervor Berbick and Tommy Morrison in the mid-1990s.
"We need to get boxing back going again, so I invited them to come to our state and promote," Brown said.
Brown said Jones’ promotion, which has put on cards in Las Vegas, hopes to have a show here before May. Musumeci is listed as having promoted more than 30 shows in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Florida.
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