A World Boxing Council-affiliated event is coming to Harlingen in early October, expected to attract 400 amateur boxers and 4,000 fans to the city’s convention center.

Atlanta-based Sugar Bert Boxing Promotions is bringing its Green Belt Tournament Series to Harlingen. It will likewise be the first time Sugar Bert will hold one of its tournaments in Texas. There will be four rings in the convention center, each hosting 50 bouts. During the Oct. 6-9 tournament, organizers expect to host 300 boxing matches. 

Bert Wells, the president of Sugar Bert Boxing, was joined by Harlingen leaders during a Tuesday press conference at the convention center. Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda expects the boxing tournament to have a similar local economic impact to that of the yearly Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. 

“When you think of all the fighters and their families that will be here, coming through our airport, staying at our hotels, eating at local restaurants, we know it’s going to have a big impact,” Sepulveda said. “We’re anticipating a sellout for the event.”

Exposure & Experience

Wells started his amateur boxing tournaments in 2016 so local boxers could receive exposure to competing against fighters from outside of their areas. 

There are boxing clubs around the country, including many in the Rio Grande Valley. Bringing an event like the Green Belt tournament to a community matches local boxers against fighters from other parts of the United States and the world. Sponsors for the Green Belt series are WBC Cares and USA Boxing.

“It’s blessing to have this event coming to the Valley,” said Omar Juarez of Brownsville, a current super lightweight professional champion. “Kids from the Valley are going to have the opportunity to go up against boxers they’ve never seen before. It’s great exposure and a great experience.”

Developing Valley Athletes

The national success of Juarez and other young Valley boxers is thus giving the region a brand as a place where ring talent resides and is certainly rising. Wells was well aware of Juarez and his South Texas roots in bringing his tournament series to Harlingen. The intent of the series is the continued development of amateur boxers, both men and women, as they seek to move up in the boxing world.

“I wanted to do these events to bring tournaments to local boxers,” Wells said. “When we come to a community like Harlingen, that means Valley boxers don’t have to travel 15 to 20 hours to get to a tournament like this one. It’ll be right here for them.”

USA Boxing and the Texas Local Boxing Commission will sanction the Green Belt tournament in Harlingen. Tourney winners will further advance to the Sugar Bert WBC Green Belt Championship in mid-November in Kissimmee, Fla.