By Peter Lyons Hall
Attendees of the upcoming Centennial Boxing Showdown event at the Greenwood Lake Middle School on Saturday, May 11, 2024, are in for a treat, because some of the top restaurants in the community will be providing entrees from their catering menu for those with VIP seating at ringside during the 10+ bouts featuring men and women boxers from pee-wee to masters in all age and weight groups!
Boxers will be competing during the event from all over the Hudson Valley, according to Anthony Bongiorni, of the Floyd Patterson Boxing Club. ”This is a sanctioned event by USA Boxing, who provides the official ring, a ring announcer, a physician who monitors the weigh-in, and the gloves.” Meanwhile, the Village of Greenwood Lake and the Town of Warwick will be supplementing the setup of the event with police, EMT members of the Ambulance Corps if needed, and other assistance. The Centennial Boxing Showdown is expected to attract hundreds of families, many of whom have kids who are participating in some of the 10 plus scheduled bouts.
The event will even feature a DJ who will be providing music before the event and in between bouts, although some boxers will even have the ability to have their favorite music played as they walk into the ring and the announcer presents their name.
VIP tables are seating eight persons at ringside, some of whom will have family members competing. In order to provide them with a memorable menu for this first-time event, restaurants like Grappa and Ana Restaurant in Warwick will be offering such dishes as Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage, Risostto and Vegetables, Chicken Saltimbocca, and Shrimp Scampi, together with freshly made salads, fresh baked rolls, and specialty desserts. Co-owners Nick Ametaj and Tony Silaj of Grappa wanted to let visitors know that the town of Warwick and its three villages and eight hamlets contain award-winning fare when they visit the community. “We like to maintain a reputation of participating in local events that can benefit the whole community,” said Nick. “And our restaurant has some creative chefs who are capable of wowing customers, with their culinary expertise,” Tony added. Leo and Linda Rukiqi, owners of Ana Restaurant, while famous for its brick oven pizza, will be providing dishes from its own catering menu. “We enjoy catering to family events whenever we can,” revealed Linda, “and the Centennial Boxing event is a special one for us because there are so many families participating in it.”
General admission ticket holders will also have access to a popular a la carte menu featuring the usual favorites including hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, French fries, snacks, beverages, and desserts. General admission tickets are $25 and kids are $15 ($10 if they have a current boxing passport); kids 5 and under are free. VIP tickets are $100 each or $500 for a reserved table of eight. For more information about this event, whose doors open at 3PM and with the bouts that begin at 4PM on Saturday, May 11, 2024, visit GWLCentennial.org/shop/.
