40th Anniversary Show Preview Stories June 2024

Doug Long is celebrating four decades of promoting boxing in Northeast Pennsylvania with a 40th Anniversary Show set for June 22 at 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Scranton East in Dunmore.

The 15-bout amateur card will feature several boxers from Scranton's Irish Boxing Club including Onix Rodriguez, Geremiah Emptage and Jarrod Thomas and the show will also include prize giveaways of televisions and Chromebooks.

“The show is about thanking the boxing fans,” Long said. “Now it is my time to give back to the community; to give a thank you. The main things for my shows for all these years is good fights and great entertainment.”

Long's start in boxing was in the ring. He lost his only bout but said he fell in love with the promoting end of the business. He names Larry Holmes' promoter Lou DelVecchio and also Gary Braverman of New York as mentors.

“I didn't go out on my own without learning first,” Long said. “There's an awful lot that goes into it.”

His first show was at The Hideout in 1984 and, after using other venues such as Rocky Glen Park, eventually settled into a home at Genetti Manor in Dickson City in 1992. Then, as the years went on, he added more things to turn his boxing card into an event.

“When I bought the lighting company that took the shows to another level,” Long said. “It turned it into a fun party night. Then I started having VIP dinners for my corporate sponsors so they have their own special show.”

Through the corporate sponsors Long says he's been able to keep ticket prices affordable although not at $5 and $6 that he charged in 1984.

“Everyone can afford my shows,” he said. “I'm in the position to make it reasonable for everyone. Some of my sponsors have been with me for many years and through those long-term relationships I've been able to keep the prices down.”

Emptage is coming off an emotional win at Long's last show in April, defeating Verdo McTeer on points in a 156-pound bout. The fight was a rematch with Emptage emerging victorious both times. After the April bout, words were exchanged and the boxers had to be separated.

“He was talking to me in the ring,” Emptage said. “I was talking a lot so I have to back it up. It forces me to work harder because you have to back it up. Now I've been doing the same drills in the gym just five and 10 times more.”

Emptage said his focus now has been more on his diet and keeping a schedule.

“The hardest part is going to bed early and eating healthy,” he said. “I'm all in physically, mentally and emotionally. But when you're checking all the boxes you feel like you're on top of the world. I'm eager to see it translate in front of a crowd.”

Main event status is a good indicator that a boxer has reached a certain level. Being in the last bout on a card is a coveted position and, lately, one that has become the place to find Onix Rodriguez. Rodriguez will be in his fourth main event bout on June 22, headlining Long Production's 40th Anniversary Show at the Holiday Inn Scranton East in Dunmore.

Rodriguez has trained at Scranton's Irish Boxing Club for three years and has steadily moved up the card while developing a growing number of followers.

“I feel truly grateful for the new fans and people coming to see me,” he said. “The Hispanic population from Scranton that has seen me come up is behind me. Every time I get in the ring in front of that crowd that makes me grow not only as a boxer but as a person.”

Rodriguez is coming off a victory on points over Mikey Iusane in a 145-pound bout that closed the Electric City Belt Show in April.

“I like to brawl but I'm learning to box and being technical,” he said. “I'm working on staying cool-minded and to not let anything get to me. I know that the hard work that I put in the gym is going to pay off.”

Rodriguez said while training he prepares for any type of fighter because on most amateur cards, the opponent is not known far in advance.

“We work on everything and prepare for any style,” he said. “If they come with this or that style we try to have a little bit of everything in the arsenal.”

Jarrod Thomas is also scheduled to be on the June card and is looking to build off a victory on points over Kendall Thomas in his debut fight at April's Electric City Belt Show.

“I've been training for a while,” he said. “Lately we've been working on actually boxing; being a technical fighter and working on combinations.”

In April, his opponent was aggressive and tried to press in the third round but Jarrod was able to counter punch and pick up the win.

“I feel good but if I was to critique, I think I could do a lot better so I have a lot to prove in this fight,” he said.