Hicksville’s Tommy Rainone remembers doing post work-out runs on Post Avenue, going by the old Westbury Movie Theater. One day, he noticed that the dilapidated building looked alive.
“I asked someone what was going on and he said they were remaking it into a concert venue. And I thought it would be so cool to have a boxing event there,” Rainone said. “While they were renovating I made some phone calls to event promoters and told them about the really cool location that was opening up.”
On Thursday, Nov. 13, the Hicksville boxer’s networking pays off as for the first time, the newly renovated Westbury Movie Theater, now known as the Space at Westbury, will open its doors for world class boxers, including Rainone.
While boxing events have come to Long Island before, this will the first of its kind to come to the Space.
“We chose the Space because we believe it is a beautiful venue that is perfect for a great boxing event. Boxing fans will enjoy this refurbished and updated theater and the boxers will love being part of a show held there,” said David Shuster from Winner Take All Productions, one of the companies putting on the event.
And while the event is drawing boxers from all over the world, many of them call Long Island home. Joining Rainone, who lives in Hicksville and grew up in Elmont, is Richie “Brazil” Neves, from New Hyde Park and Dave Meloni, from Westbury. The three boxers all train a few blocks away from the Space at Westbury Boxing, a non-profit gym run on donations that is located in the basement of the Village of Westbury Recreation Department building.
Kevin Collins, one of the co-owners of Westbury Boxing, plans to attend next week’s event to support the fighters who have been training hard at the gym.
“I’m so excited that they finally have an event like this in Westbury. We’re excited to have our own fighters fighting right down the block,” Collins said. “We’re hoping this is the start of many great fights at the Space.”
He’s expecting a good fight out of Rainone, who he says is a great fighter.
“Tommy’s a very talented fighter and he takes the sport very seriously. He’s very knowledgeable about all aspects of boxing,” says Collins.
The main event will see Rainone facing off against Chicago’s Carl “The Assassin” McNickles in a 10-round battle for the USBO (United States Boxing Organization) Welterweight title. A popular “all heart” warrior who doubles as an actor outside the ring, Rainone is riding a five-fight unbeaten streak, but McNickles is expected to put up a challenge, as he has been in with several world-ranked contenders.
In the main supporting bout, Ireland’s “Hurricane” Dennis Hogan will face Venezuela’s Jose “Bam Bam” Rodriguez-Berrio in a junior middleweight eight-rounder. Hogan is known in the boxing world as a star in the making and the fight against Rodriguez-Berrio will be his first outside his adopted homeland of Australia.
In a very special six-round, non-title women’s super-fight between reigning champions, Brooklyn’s WBO World Female Lightweight Champion, Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano will take on Cleveland’s WIBA World Featherweight champion Carla Torres.
On the undercard, Neves will take on Philadelphia’s Maurice Amaro in a middleweight four; Meloni will battle Felip Nazario of the Bronx in a super featherweight four; undefeated heavyweight KO artist Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller will face Rodricka Ray in a heavyweight six-rounder; Eduardo Martinez of Illinois will go against New Jersey’s Joshua Reyes in a featherweight six; Philadelphia lightweight Samuel Teah will go four rounds against Brooklyn’s Ian James and junior middleweight Peter Dobson will face Anton Williamson of New Rochelle in a four-rounder.
Tickets for Boxing at The Space at Westbury are priced at $150 golden ringside, $100 ringside and $50 general admission. Find out more information and purchase tickets at www.thespaceatwestbury.com.
