ESPN Names New Alhambra Boxing Venue Of The Year

In a recent column on the ESPN.com boxing website, blow-by-blow announcer Joe Tessitore named the New Alhambra in South Philadelphia as the best place to watch a fight over the recent Wednesday Night Fight series on ESPN 2.

In Tessitore’s weekly column on Aug. 8, the announcer gave awards for the five-month WNF series, including Fight of the Year, Knockout of the Year, etc.

When he got to Venue of the Year, Tessitore had this to say about the New Alhambra: “…perhaps more than any other sport, the feel and look of boxing on TV is greatly affected by the setting we are in. Picking the best host site of WNF 2006 is a tough call. We visited some outstanding arenas and fight venues. The fans play a big role in this choice, too. Most of the fans are smart and passionate. Most of the venues were a perfect fit. I struggled with this, but I find it tough to pick a better venue than the New Alhambra in South Philly.”

“It is packed with fans—real fight fans. They seem to have a rooting interest in each fight, even the four-round swing bouts. Hall of Fame promoter J Russell Peltz lines the walls with black-and-white posters of legends. The whole atmosphere is like something out of an old school boxing movie. The New Alhambra has taken the place of the Blue Horizon as the home of Philly boxing. It’s a must-visit for every fight fan.”

The 1,200-seat New Alhambra in located at the corner of Swanson & Ritner Streets, next to Forman Mills, in South Philadelphia.

Boxing returns there Friday evening, Sept. 29.

For tickets, contact Maureen (215-765-0922) or buy them online at: www.peltzboxing.com