Announcements

Jolene Mizzone Leaves Main Events To Lead Fighters First Management

Published

April 11, 2022

Michael Woods

Jolene Mizzone has been a fixture at Main Events, the redoubtable promotional entity led by Kathy Duva which has been a big-league player in pro boxing for five decades. The no nonsense boxing lifer Mizzone is now embarking on an exciting endeavor, announcing the launch of newly created company, Fighters First Management.

Mizzone, who will lead Fighters First as President of Boxing Operations, honed her skills as Vice President/Matchmaker for Main Events, building great fighters and working with multiple world champions including Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Sergey Kovalev, and Tomaz Adamek.

Mizzone is the first mainstream matchmaker and promoter to shift her career in boxing into athlete management. Known for her direct, ‘the truth hurts’ style, Mizzone has always been protective of athletic talent and will continue to fight for them using her unique combination of experience and insights.

“I want to educate fighters as much as possible on the business aspects of boxing,” said Mizzone. “I plan to work hand in hand with our fighters and their teams. As their manager, I’m also an educator. I can give them the tools they need to make smarter long-term decisions about their careers so they can flourish and live well after giving their all to the sport we love.

“I bring something to the table no other manager brings to boxing today. Being a former promoter and matchmaker, I understand the secret language of matchups and deals. Most of this is kept from the fighters, not always in a malicious way, but never to their long-term benefit. This changes today with Fighters First Management.”

Mizzone says she will start announcing newly signed fighters by summer 2022.

“The kind of fighters we are looking for are all different types, young up and coming boxers, or boxers who may already be established looking for guidance. One thing I know I can do is move a fighter to a championship bout, as long as they keep winning and listening to advice,” said Mizzone.

The new venture is owned by Georgia-based entrepreneur David Basha, owner of Carriage Auto Group with seven locations in the southeastern U.S. Basha, age 62, sought top talent to run his new organization and made Mizzone his first hire.

“Boxing has been a passion of mine for the past 40 years. I have always desired to have a company that represented boxers and protected them in business. To do that, I knew I would need the perfect person to lead the charge, and Jolene is that perfect person,” said Basha.

Mizzone says she learned about the business during her work with Main Events and expressed her gratitude to Hall of Fame promoter Kathy Duva for the opportunity leading to her new venture.

Fighters First will operate as a full-service management company with the fighters’ long-term best interests true to its name and central to all decisions. Fighters First pledges a greater percentage of the purse to its athletes, while also educating them on their business and financial future to protect them during and long after their careers in the ring have concluded.