Brian Costello loves boxing.
He grew up around the sport, made a living off the sport, has helped people through the sport, learned through the sport and much of his life revolves around boxing.
But he doesn’t always love what’s going on with boxing.
As beautiful as the sport can be when done right is as terrible as it can be when it’s done wrong. And as a proud member of the Jack Costello Boxing Program in Tacony, Costello has seen many good fighters get to the point where they should compete, and then have a hard time finding a place to ply their trade, and just as important, not get ripped off when doing so.
“I would go to a lot of pro shows with my friend Joey Dawejko and they would be only 50% filled and it was all people that knew one of the fighters personally,” Costello said. “There wasn’t any just straight up ‘boxing fans’ the atmosphere I remembered seeing as a kid going to fights with my dad and my grandpop at the Spectrum and the Blue Horizon was gone. Back in the ’80s the venues would be packed with couples, fathers and sons, fight fans. That seemed to have disappeared.”
Now Costello is trying to bring that back.
He’s the founder of Blue Corner Promotions, a boxing promotion that aims to bring back the feel of old-school fights.
And the promotion returns to the ring for Independence Brawl at The Fillmore Philadelphia on July 25.
The announced fighters include Shera Mae Patricio, Johnny Rivera V, Ali Ellis Jr., Daiyaan “Badshah” Butt, Jaclyne McTamney, Tyreem “Moobanga” Haywood, Christian Ortiz, Billy Briscoe Jr., Donta “Tay Too Sharp” Swedenburg, Carlos Rivera Delgado, Timur Homitov and Otabek “Bek” Melikov.
He’s doing this for the fans.
He’s also doing this for the fighters.
“We have Ali Ellis at our gym and I would see him struggling to sell tickets in order to get on certain cards. sometimes making little to no money,” said Costello, who grew up in Tacony. “I felt like it shouldn’t fall on each fighter to have to move tickets and use only their following to promote a show. My initial thought was that promoters should promote, fighters should fight.”
And with Costello and his team calling the shots, these aren’t just fights, they’re first-class all the way.
“Over the last few years my family and I built the Union Fights up,” Costello said. “It’s a fundraiser where men and women from the local unions would box each other to raise money for veterans drug and alcohol treatment. We took that from a small amateur show at a local union hall and built it up into a full professional production. We have weigh-ins, interviews, walk-out songs, etc. We moved it to the 2300 Arena and treated the fighters like professionals.
“We sold out 2300 Arena two years in a row, and the atmosphere there was incredible. The fans were going nuts for every bout. The place was packed from the first bell to the last. After this last one I said, ‘I want do this on a pro level, this is what’s missing.’ ”
The new venture is a boon for fighters. It gives them a chance to ply their trade on the highest level while putting on shows in front of packed houses.
That makes Costello happy, but he’s just as happy about the feedback he’s received from the fans, both during and after the cards.
“Our first professional show sold out,” Costello said. “The feedback from fighters, fans, sponsors and media was overwhelmingly positive. What I’m most proud of is that people walked away saying it felt different. The production, the atmosphere, the way the fighters were treated, the energy in the building. That’s exactly what we set out to create. We’re still learning and growing, but the early response has been incredible.”
Costello hopes to continue to grow. He said he has had a lot of help.
He credits the entire Jack Costello Boxing team as well as his wife Nicole and his cousin Meghan with helping build the brand. He also points out the contributions of Joey Dawejko, Johnny Rivera, Bobby Kane, Rodney Rice, Brian Cohen, Nick Tiberi and Athletic Commissioner Ed Kunkle with helping him as well as sponsors Guber Sports and Fritz and Bianculli.
Now the biggest thing on his mind is the next show.
He’s ready. So are his charges.
“We’re not trying to put on another local boxing show,” Costello said. “We’re trying to create the kind of fight night that people circle on their calendar whether they know a fighter on the card or not. I want people to know that we’re trying to bring real fight-night experiences back to Philadelphia. Philadelphia has one of the richest boxing histories in the world. This city deserves events that feel special again.
“We’re creating an experience. Championship fights, fan giveaways, cash bonuses for fighters, sponsor activations, VIP experiences and a production level people don’t normally see at local events. Most importantly, this time we’re doing it right here in Philadelphia during America’s 250th anniversary celebration year. America was Made in Philly, and champions still are, too.”
Tickets are available now at BlueCornerTickets.com. ••
