BILL BELLAMY TO HOST THE 8TH ANNUAL “BIG FIGHTERS, BIG CAUSE” CHARITY BOXING NIGHT PRESENTED BY B. RILEY & CO. TO BENEFIT THE SUGAR RAY LEONARD FOUNDATION ON MAY 24
GRAMMY-NOMINATED R&B GROUP EN VOGUE TO PERFORM NATIONAL ANTHEM
EVENING TO FEATURE LIVE FIGHTS PRESENTED BY GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS
Event to Honor Nine-Year-Old Type 1 Diabetes Advocate Jackson Blair
LOS ANGELES, CA (May 11, 2017) – Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation today announced actor and comedian Bill Bellamy will host the 8th Annual “Big Fighters, Big Cause” Charity Boxing Night presented by B. Riley & Co. on Wednesday, May 24 at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel.
The evening will feature a live performance by Grammy-nominated R&B group En Vogue who will step into the ring to perform the National Anthem, live fights presented by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, as well as a live & silent auction display featuring iconic memorabilia and other one-of-a-kind items and experiences.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation and their mission to fund life-changing research, care and awareness for pediatric type 1 & 2 diabetes, and to help children live healthier lives through diet and exercise.
The evening will honor nine-year-old Jackson Blair with the 2017 Golden Glove Award for his extraordinary dedication and hard work to raise money and awareness for type 1 (T1D) diabetes. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of four, Blair has since been an inspiring advocate for the cause.
At the age of six, he was selected to represent the State of California as a delegate for JDRF’s Children’s Congress in Washington D.C. to address members of Congress to lobby for continuing research into a cure. Additionally, along with his parents, Jackson partnered with Arrow Crossfit in La Verne, CA to create an annual fitness event called Fighting Through T1D that not only brings together family, fitness and the community, but also awareness and donations.
Through funds raised from his event and his other fundraising efforts, Jackson has proudly raised approximately $30,000 for his JDRF walk team called Jackson’s Insulin Army.
The 8th Annual “Big Fighters, Big Cause” Charity Boxing Night is presented by B. Riley & Co., a leading investment bank which provides corporate finance, research, and sales and trading to corporate, institutional and high net worth individual clients. A media alert with further information on the fight card and attendees will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
About Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation
The Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation was established in 2009 by boxing legend and six-time world champion Sugar Ray Leonard and his wife, Bernadette. The Sugar Ray Leonard Foundation funds life-changing care & research for pediatric type 1 & type 2 diabetes. The Foundation is also committed to helping children lead healthier lives through diet and exercise.
Throughout Leonard’s boxing career, he watched his dad and friends struggle with the many complications of diabetes and how it has affected every aspect of their life. Type 1 diabetes strikes both children and adults at any age. It comes on suddenly, causes dependence on injected or pumped insulin for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. Type 2 diabetes in children is on the rise, fueled largely by the obesity epidemic. Leonard draws from his personal experience and boxing career to provide inspiration for funding research to combat the disease.
For more information, visit www.sugarrayleonardfdn.org, like and follow on twitter at @SugarRayLeonard and Facebook at www.facebook.com/SugarRayLeonard6.
