Businessman Chris Coyne sees the interest growing in the world of Mixed Martial Arts fighting in this area. He has been the brains behind many local MMA fights and now he's moving back into the boxing and kickboxing circuit on a professional and amateur level with the "Fight for the Team" On Friday, December 7th an event benefiting wounded veterans.
"December 7th happens to fall on Pearl Harbor Day and we're coordinating our event with the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded War Veterans. It's a fantastic organization that helps all the wounded war veterans with different activities marathons etc. We have a ticket donation and a financial donation as we'll going to the association and it's going to be a great event." said Chris Coyne.
Earl Granville from Carbondale is part of the Achilles Freedom Team. While serving his country with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2008 in Afghanistan Earl lost his leg when a roadside bomb went off.
"Achilles Team of Wounded Vets is a marathon and race team made up of wounded warriors from Iraq and Afghanistan that gives us the opportunity to hand bike run and wheelchair marathons which is just an amazing feeling abilities we never thought we would have after our injury," said Earl Granville.
After a two-year hiatus from professional boxing Anthony Cusumano from Old forge steps back into the ring Friday, December 7th his last fight down at the Woodlands two years ago Anthony lost that one on a stoppage when he had a cut above his eye.
"It's an honor to me. He is a hero in my opinion. Guys like him to me to get into the ring and do something I love to do that fun-- that's a sport. What those guys we're it's just a different mindset you can't speak of it unless you've been there and the gratitude to guys like Earl and all of our veterans of past-present and future is just words can't explain what these guys have done," said Anthony Cusumano.
The night of boxing Friday, December 7th will mark the 71st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.