DICKSON CITY -- The opioid epidemic has a worthy opponent this weekend.
Several of our area's best amateur boxers will fight to "Knock Out Addiction".
It's an event created to honor the memory of a young woman from Scranton who died of a heroin overdose.
Crews were setting up a boxing ring inside Genetti's ballroom in Dickson City Thursday afternoon for a very special fight night.
"[It's] the first time that the word addiction has ever been headlined in a sporting event in the history of the country," said organizer Marty Henehan, Sr. of Scranton.
"Knock Out Addiction" will feature some of the area's best amateur boxers and benefit the Forever Sammi Foundation. The foundation connects recovering addicts with treatment services.
Organizers expect about 1,000 people to watch the fights Friday night.
"What a perfect tie in for addiction, because we fight for recovery on a daily basis," Henehan said.
Henehan knows the fight all to well. His daughter, Sammi, died of a heroin overdose last year. His son, Marty Jr., will be fighting in Sammi's memory.
"It`s very surreal, I`m excited though, and I know my sister`s going to be proud," Marty Henehan, Jr. said.
Boxing has helped Henehan through the pain of losing his big sister and he hopes it will help others.
"In boxing, and just with life, at the end of the day, you`re there alone, you have to do it yourself. But that doesn`t mean you can`t take the outside resources to help," he said.
Resources will be available during the fights. Promoter Doug Long is a recovering addict himself, he told Newswatch 16 representatives from several drug rehab programs will be at the event to help those who need it.
"I really believe that God was pushing me, that we could have 1 or 2 people have awareness at Genetti`s that night, to change somebody`s life, it`s all worth it for us," Long said.
You can still purchase tickets for "Knock Out Addiction" at Genetti's in Dickson City. It will be held Friday night starting at 6:30 pm.