Let's Get Ready to Rumble
On Jan. 9, Roc Nation Sports, home of Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Dez Bryant, Kevin Durant and Todd Gurley, entered the fight game with its Throne Boxing event.
Photographs by Benjamin Lowy
The Power Behind the Throne
Jay Z sat ringside at Roc Nation Sports' pro boxing debut. Since founding the company in 2013, he has encouraged its audacious growth into all areas of sports.
Body Blow!
In bout two, Eduardo Martinez (left) defeated Rigoberto Miranda in a unanimous decision.
A Little In-Between Fight Entertainment
Power 105 personality/author/hometown hero Angie Martinez engaged the crowd with trivia questions.
It's a Hard Knock Life
South Africa's Chris van Heerden, with the fauxhawk, beat Randallstown's Cecil McCalla in a split decision.
Roc Boys
Hova responds to one of the matches. Joyce Carol Oates called boxing "America's tragic theater."
Boxing's Version of Hugging It Out
In the welterweight division, Kenneth Sims earned a unanimous decision in his battle with Christian Steele.
Rollin' With His Boys
Jay Z, the King of Cool Points, Connections, Creativity and Content Leadership, at his company's pro boxing debut.
Looking Just Fabulous
Brooklyn's own two-time platinum recording artist Fabolous prepares the stage between fights for a special performance.
Is This Thing Straight?
Fabolous does some last-minute primping in a swagalicious fur hat and matching coat -- a clear reminder of the '70s, when boxing ruled the sports world.
And the Winner Is ...
British heavyweight Frank Bruno called boxing "the toughest and loneliest sport in the world."
Not Your Grandmother's Rockettes
Sponsored by Tequila Cazadores, the card girls were an act themselves in black stilettos and booty shorts.
A Rainbow Coalition of Boxing Fans
Fight Night was a celebration of Roc Nation's staunch belief in the multicultural future.
Finger Guns
The star-studded crowd featured a clearly happy-to-be-there Jake Gyllenhaal.
Working the Corner
Van Heerden battled his way out of the corner on the way to his eventual win over Cecil McCalla.
The Sweet Science
Dustin Fleischer (right) defeated Frank Jordan at his Throne Boxing debut.
Thousand Yard Stare
Frank Jordan thinks about his next move against Dustin Fleischer.
Queen of the Night
Rihanna gave the evening a dose of glamour the sport hasn't seen since Diana Ross last attended a fight.
It's Hot in Here
Fabolous gave the diverse crowd a dose of hip-hop between fisticuffs.
The Main Event
The featured fight was the battle for the vacant WBC Continental Americas welterweight championship between Dusty "the Beltway Boriqua" Hernandez-Harrison and Tommy Rainone.
Ladies and Gentleman ...
Presenting Dusty "the Beltway Boriqua" Hernandez-Harrison -- the new WBC Continental Americas welterweight champion.