The Blue Horizon

The Blue Horizon is a historic 1,500-seat boxing venue in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "The Ring" magazine voted it the number-one boxing venue in the world, and "Sports Illustrated" noted it as the last great boxing venue in the country.

The Blue Horizon comprises three four-story Second Empire style houses built in 1865. Boxing began being held in the building in 1961.cite journal | quotes=no | first=Joseph A. | last=Slobodzian | year=2007 | month=October 19 | title=Famed ring on the ropes | url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_region/20071019_Famed_ring_on_the_ropes.html | journal=The Philadelphia Inquirer | format=dead link|date=June 2008 – ^{[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3A+intitle%3AFamed+ring+on+the+ropes&as_publication=%5B%5BThe+Philadelphia+Inquirer%5D%5D&as_ylo=2007&as_yhi=2007&btnG=Search Scholar search]} ] The Blue Horizon has hosted championship events such as the International Boxing Federation super middleweight, International Boxing Council, North American Boxing Council State Title and the Hispanic Championship. The Blue Horizon claims fifty world champions, including Matthew Saad Muhammad, Bernard Hopkins, Meldrick Taylor, and Tim Witherspoon.

Vernoca L. Michael became the first female African American boxing promoter when she bought the site with Carol P. Ray and Carol M.A. Whitaker. Since 2002 the venue has showcased boxers including Eddie Chambers, Bert Cooper, Darroll Wilson, Imamu Mayfield, and Ivan Robinson. In 2008, Ms. Michael was named one of Top 50 Women in Business in the State of Pennsylvania by Governor Ed Rendell. Michael has worked to make the building a cultural center for the surrounding neighborhood by creating a learning center with connections to Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania and a Philadelphia Boxing Museum. The venue also hosts special events, meetings, receptions, weddings, and cabarets. On October 18, 2007, Michael confirmed that the building was up for sale as a result of financial troubles.

References

External links

* [http://www.legendarybluehorizon.com Official site]
* [http://www.arts.co.uk/component/option,com_jmc2/id,483/Itemid,22/ Famous Picture by Jon Stark taken at The Blue Horizon]