Interview Dated 2004

Jim Browning

It doesn't take long to understand why Jim Browning is a boxing promoter. He's an extremely likeable guy with an engaging Mississippi charm and a smile sometimes as wide as the Delta. A natural salesman, he's the premier boxing promoter in Houston and he recently marked his 8th anniversary with a card of five heavyweight fights. I caught up with him as the fighters were preparing for their weigh-ins, the night before the fights.

HBScene - Eight years now. How'd you get started doing this?

JB - I was a huge fight fan growing up. Loved the boxing and all the energy surrounding the fights and said I'd like to be a part of it somehow and I figured promoting was where I could fit in and make something happen.

HBScene - Tell me how your operation has evolved over the last eight years?

JB - Well it's been good. Houston's a great fight city and we came here with a goal of bringing boxing back and I feel like we've kind of done that. We've got a lot to work with here and we've built something that's bringing the fights back. It's been a lot of work but a lot fun and Houston has got a lot of fight fans, a lot of good fighters so it's slowly but surely we've stayed the course but it's been good. It's been a lot of fun.

HBScene - I assume you're making money now but probably you weren't always.

JB - Listen, I'm not in it to lose money. We've worked real hard. We've been real lucky and we keep plugging with it. There's a lot of money to be made in this business, a lot of money to be lost I'm just glad to be staying in it and we're doing alright.

HBScene - So how'd you come up with this idea for a night of heavyweights?

JB - Our anniversary show is always big. We do something a little different and it's tough to put one heavyweight together but Bob Spagnola worked real hard and put five fights together. We do something for the fans and this is a night of young heavyweights, five heavyweight fights. It's the first time it's ever been done inTexas really, and Houston for sure and it's something fun. You don't get a chance to see the heavyweights all the time. It's just a way to give back to the fans for our anniversary show.

HBScene - You got another eight more years in you?

JB - Lord willing, we'll see what happens. We take it a month at a time but listen the best is yet to come..