Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — Months after a boxing event at Blue Cross Arena ended with fighters, staff and organizations saying they had not been paid, the event’s organizers say they are making progress on repaying what is owed.
The Stop the Violence Boxing Extravaganza, held April 25, ended with an estimated $100,000 deficit.
“We do apologize once again to any families that were affected by not getting paid that day,” said event promoter Derick Gramling, CEO of Savage Life Promotions.
Gramling and event co-organizer Clay Harris said tens of thousands of dollars have since been paid to fighters and some staff members. They said the total amount repaid is between $40,000 and $50,000 and provided documentation showing some of those payments.
BACKGROUND: Fighters left unpaid, organizers ask for donations as boxing event amid $100K deficit | Rochester boxing event faces $100K+ shortfall after low turnout
“We have been able to pay most of the boxers and pay them in full,” said Harris, president and founder of United and Healing Through Hope of Monroe County.
Gramling said at least 90% of the fighters have now been paid. He estimated that two fighters have not received any payment.
“We’re taking accountability and responsibility,” Gramling said.
The organizers acknowledged that Blue Cross Arena has not yet been paid. Harris said the financial shortfall was caused by lower-than-expected ticket sales. Organizers anticipated that approximately 5,000 people would attend, but said only about half that number showed up.
“We didn’t get enough ticket sales,” Harris said. “Therefore, we were not able to pay the boxers and other vendors.”
In May, the manager of one of the event’s main fighters told 13WHAM his client’s $30,000 check did not clear.
Both organizers said the fallout from the event has affected them personally and professionally.
“It destroyed me,” Gramling said. “I lost my gym, I lost my business, my facility.”
Fans watch the Boxing Extravaganza event at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester Saturday, April 25, 2026. (Photo by Jess Kszos/WHAM)
Gramling also said he lost his promoter’s license, preventing him from moving forward with other planned boxing events.
“I had future fights and things lined up that were actually getting financed,” he said. “I don’t have a license anymore. They took my license, the company, so all that was abolished, so to speak, due to this event.”
Harris said he is uncertain about the future of his organization and the community events he has worked to organize.
“It’s very difficult. I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” Harris said. “It’s been very stressful because of the love and the commitment and the dedication that I’ve had for Rochester ever since I was a little boy.”
Neither Harris nor Gramling would discuss whether they could face legal action. Harris maintained that the organizers did not intend for the event to end with participants and vendors unpaid.
“We didn’t sacrifice so much to put on something of this magnitude for it to become a legal situation,” Harris said. “And if it does become a legal situation, it’s not something that we did intentionally.”