By
Izabela Hamilton
Platform Africa sat down with Bianca Delia, the director of Rudy’s Sports, ahead of the Boxing & Jamming event taking place this Saturday, June 10th, at Côte d’Or in Mauritius.
Bianca, can you tell us a little bit more about your entrepreneurial journey and how you got into the business of promoting and managing professional boxers?
We have always been very passionate about sports. I am Mauritian, however, I was born in Canada, and therefore I had an opportunity to get into many different sports disciplines that are popular over there, such as hockey, American football and basketball to name a few.
I met my husband, a Canadian ex-boxer, in Canada. After he retired from the boxing ring, he moved into the coaching side of the industry. Our passion for sports continued, and we now also passed it on to our three sons who, just like us, enjoy being active.
A few years ago, we decided to move to Mauritius. It did not take as long to spot a gap in the local market. There is no company on the island that represents professional athletes and helps them to 1) take part in sports events after their amateur careers are over and 2) pursue a career professionally and continue representing their country. This is why we decided to set up Rudy’s Sports and help people with unique skills get noticed and succeed on a global scale.
What inspired you to get into this industry?
It’s the sheer drive to help people with boxing talent go outside of Mauritius and have a chance to compete for ranking. In boxing, there is a difference between an amateur and a professional: it is not about medals, it is all about the ranking, the belt. This is exactly what we are working towards.
What also inspired us is the desire to show my kids that it’s possible to help others become professionals or role models, no matter where they come from. At Rudy’s Sports we give retired amateur boxers a chance to move into the professional realm once they finish their amateur career.
What I am personally proud of is that we are now looking at the possibility of working hand-in-hand with Mr. Stephan Toussaint from the Ministry of Sports in Mauritius, and we have their support. We are very excited to be giving back to the community – this is what keeps us going.
You are bringing an exciting event to Mauritius on Saturday, June 10th. Can you tell us more about who is coming to fight and what should we expect?
Our goal was to make Boxing & Jamming a Vegas-style boxing event, one of its kind. This is why we have invited pro-boxers from multiple countries to join us and come to Mauritius this weekend to fight.
There will be six Mauritian athletes: Adel Motean, Cedric Olivier, Reddy Bellehumeur, Jude Reynolds, Kennedy St-Pierre and John Colin taking part.
We also have pro-boxers from Kenya (Bernard Adie, Kalande Nambwayo), South Africa (Xolani Mgidi, Wayne Lottering, Zwelakhe Nhlapo), Congo (Ekala Aimedo), and Réunion Island (Didier Jean Baptiste).
Throughout the evening, there will be six professional fights happening. And to add to the excitement, we have three of the biggest local stars taking part: such as Bigg Frankii, Natty Gong and Blackayo that will perform their greatest hits. There will be many food trucks on the night, so expect thrills, good music and good food.
Who should attend?
Boxing & Jamming will tailor to many tastes – sports people (amateurs and professionals), local and expat families with kids, students, to name a few.
The main idea behind it is to bring people together and enjoy some exciting professional boxing fights and local music. It’s about getting that thrill of watching a live event, feeling the energy in the room, and having a great night of fun.
I cannot help but emphasise how different it feels to experience a boxing fight live vs. watching it on TV. You just cannot compare it. The rounds will last three minutes, however, you never know whether there will be a knockout. This unpredictability is what makes it so exciting. And watching it live is what makes it special.
You are trying something new on the island by blending boxing with some jamming on the night. Who will be keeping the crowd entertained throughout the event?
To keep the event in a proper American boxing style, we thought about blending local music with boxing and inviting three local artists to take part. To kick off the event and get everyone into the dancing mode, Bigg Frankii will take the stage first, followed by Natty Gong at half-time, and then, as a grand finale, we will have Blakkayo perform.
And with an event of this type, you have to have some food and refreshments on offer too. We have therefore partnered with different brands and will have 10 food stalls on site.
For anyone wishing to attend, where should they get the tickets?
You can head to Otayo.com or you can get the tickets in different places around the island including Courts Mammouth in Curepipe, Rose Hill, Bambous, Riche Terre Flacq, PresseBook in Ruisseau Creole, La Croisette in Grand Baie to name a few. You can also check out our Facebook and Instagram page @rudysportsfirm for more details.
