WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) - Hall of Fame boxer and North Dakota native Virgil Hill is holding a fundraising night of boxing in Williston to re-establish a boxing club in the oil patch city.
The event on Aug. 14 at the Agri-Sports Complex will feature five fights and two kickboxing matches, including the main fight between Ronnie Cruz and Noel Harding, organizers told the Williston Herald (https://bit.ly/1gSdvi3 ). Hill also is slated to fight longtime friend and Williston resident Mike Palmer in an exhibition match.
Hill’s 1984 Olympic teammate and former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield also is expected to attend the fundraiser in Williston. Holyfield won’t be fighting or signing autographs, but he will be available to take photos with fans, Hill said.
Hill, 51, won an Olympic silver medal in 1984 and went on to win 50 of 57 fights as a professional. He earned five world titles and made 20 successful title defenses. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013.
“This is where it all started for me for the Olympic quest,” Hill said. “It saddens my heart that we can’t have boxing in Williston.”
General admission is $25 at the door, and all of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Williston Boxing Club. Hill hopes the event, which is being billed as his “hometown return,” will get support from the community.
“It’s good to be home,” he said. “I hope the people will come out and support us. I believe we have a worthy cause.”
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Information from: Williston Herald, https://www.willistonherald.com
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