AJC Article

BOXING: Full house at the Roxy

BYLINE: J.C. CLEMONS; Staff
DATE: June 29, 2002
PUBLICATION: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA)
EDITION: Home; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SECTION: Sports
PAGE: C12

By the time fighters entered the ring for Friday's bouts billed the "Rumble at the Roxy," the venerable theater was packed.

But the man with the most on the line was still a bit antsy.

"There are a lot of bodies in the house," said David Oblas, 26, who was promoting his first card. "But I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch. I won't relax until it's all over."

The early returns, though, were impressive. Upon pro boxing's return to Buckhead, there were no seats to be had in the 900-capacity arena.

Nearly two hours before No. 3-ranked cruiserweight O'Neil Bell stepped in as the main attraction, John Riley sat in anticipation.

"This is my first live boxing match in 30 years. I wanted to see what Bell is all about," said Riley, a Miami native now living in Doraville. "I had been curious if there were any boxing clubs in town. I hadn't heard of any. I love boxing.

"It was between this and Friday night fights on TV. Once I heard about this, I decided to come on."

As things turned out, Riley wasn't alone.

Linda Rustin worked overtime as an usher, by choice.

"I had no idea this was going on," said Rustin, a native New Yorker who lives in Covington. "Then the Roxy people called me and said boxing's back. I left my other job and came over.

"I used to watch all the fights with my daddy. True boxing fans will come out. They just have to get the word out."

Perhaps nobody has a better feel for the club boxing scene in Atlanta than veteran middleweight Homer Gibbins.

"The Atlanta fight scene needs this," Gibbins said. "But people [are] not going to come out to see no bum show."

Such was his determination to be a part of the show, Gibbins took 25 tickets as his purse.

Steve Oblas was a proud papa. Not many would be amused to have their son referred to as "Don King Jr." But on this occasion, Oblas -- father of the promoter -- did not mind.

"I told him I would back him all the way," said Steve Oblas, who fought Golden Gloves in his native Bronx. "David did everything by the letter. This is just the first one. Next stop, Philips Arena."