New Boxing Promotional Company Sets its Sights on Charlotte & North Carolina

Paco Rivera, GAR1680 Boxing Talk

          Former professional fighter Krishna Wainright has partnered with another former boxer and long-time friend Kevin Lowther to develop the Join the Fight Productions boxing promotional company. (Website HERE)

Krishna is originally from North Carolina and then relocated to Colorado where he was situated for much of his professional boxing career during the 1990’s. One of those fights was against well-known heavyweight David Tua, a fight that took place on November 11, 1993. It was an undercard bout for the Riddick Bowe vs. Evander Holyfield main event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. A night probably more memorable, in the minds of many, still to this day, for when an individual known as Fan Man shocked everyone by parachuting into the ring with a powered paraglider during the 7th round of that Holyfield-Bowe fight that evening. Krishna chuckled and admitted that fighting as a heavyweight was a mistake; that he was typically a middleweight to light-heavyweight, he said. “And it was during a time when I was not training. I would get called and stop whatever I was doing and take some time off to fight, but I loved it.” He went the 6-round distance with Tua that night, losing a decision to the bigger man. David Tua went on to retire with a 52-4 record, losing only to people like Ike Ibeabuchi, Chris Byrd, and Lennox Lewis, while defeating Hasim Rahman, John Ruiz, Michael Moorer, and other notable former champions. So it may be fair to say that Krishna Wainright had his hands full at times during his career.

And possibly now more than ever. Krishna said that with the help of their attorneys, a license to promote should be obtained from the North Carolina Boxing Commission in the coming weeks and there are plans underway to begin featuring events throughout the state of North Carolina and elsewhere, while setting up base in Charlotte. He said that most of the matchmaking for bouts will likely be handled by Jimmy Waldrop, a boxing matchmaker and manager also working with former champion, Roy Jones Jr. “We have also been working closely with Humpy Wheeler,” says Krishna.

Howard "Humpy" Wheeler is best known as one of the foremost promoters of NASCAR auto racing and former President and General Manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway in North Carolina. He is also a member of Carolina’s Boxing Hall of Fame, having been involved with the sport nearly his entire life, and works often alongside Coach Al Simpson of the Charlotte Boxing Academy to promote amateur events.

When Krishna was asked if he plans to feature local North Carolina boxers, he responded, “Absolutely! That’s how I got my start, so I know how important that is.” He also said there is a possibility of starting off the programs with amateur bouts, but that the events will be tailored to go beyond the average club-fighting scene. “Coach Al Simpson and I are close friends,” he said, indicating he knows where to go should there be a focus on amateur competition. He spoke, however, of big-budget events being well promoted and advertised, and suited for network broadcasting. There are even plans to set a commentator’s roundtable or desk that will be hosted by Humpy Wheeler and others, possibly including Paco Rivera of GAR1680 Boxing Talk for Charlotte and North Carolina.

“After hearing your radio show and seeing your blog and website, I was in awe at what you are doing for boxing here in North Carolina,” Krishna told Paco during a recent phone conversation. “You have a great voice and it would be great to have you as part of the commentator’s desk when our events go on the air."

P. Rivera, GAR1680 Boxing Talk
Twitter: @GAR1680