In October, promoter Chris Coyne put on an amateur boxing card outside of his Old Forge restaurant. With COVID-19 restrictions easing, Coyne is planning another show at the venue, only this time with more fans and several professional bouts along with the amateur fighters.
The Devil Alley Brawl II is set for June 12 at 6 p.m. outside Dooley’s Pub & Eatery.
“We just pumped it up; the boxing activity and the fan base,” Coyne said. “All the people who came last time, they told somebody who then told somebody. It’s a good thing for the town. People who came last time from out of town visited other restaurants. I heard from other business owners that they were busy from the crowds we had here for the fights. People made a night of it.”
The ring will be set up in the parking lot behind Dooley’s Pub & Eatery, which is located on the corner of Oak Street and Meade Street in Old Forge. Seating will be available on the building’s outdoor decks with additional seating at ringside. Masks will be required, but with outdoor capacity numbers increased by the state, the venue will be set up for
450 seats, of which Coyne said about 90 percent have already been sold.
“With the balcony seats, it’s like the Blue Horizon of Northeast Pennsylvania,” said Coyne referring to the famous boxing venue in Philadelphia.
The card is scheduled for five professional bouts featuring locals Adrian Diaz, Jesse Oltmanns and Nelson Morales. Nick Nalaschi, Rocco Cordaro and Anthony Espiritu are among the fighters scheduled for the 10 amateur bouts.
Another difference from the October card is that this show will start in the evening. The last show took place in the afternoon.
“It will be under the lights and under the stars,” Coyne said.
Coyne said he is planning five more cards between now and November to take place in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and Brodheadsville.
“I don’t have to search for fighters,” he said. “The fighters are out there because there aren’t a lot of shows happening right now. It’s exciting for me to see the fighters excited. We want to highlight the local fighters and then sprinkle in some other up-and-coming talent. It’ll be fun.”
Herb Smith is a sports clerk and the voice that greets most people calling the Times-Tribune sports department. A lifelong resident of Scranton, Herb graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications in 2005. He joined The Times-Tribune in 2004 as a part-time delivery driver and, after graduation, was hired as an obituary clerk. Herb helped out on high school football coverage and then moved to the sports department full-time in spring 2009 and puts together high school roundups, clipboard and youth sports news and maintains the local sports schedule. He also covers boxing and mixed martial arts and contributes to high school football and NASCAR coverage. Contact him at hsmith@timesshamrock.com or 570-348-9125.
