The Legendary Blue Horizon 1314 N. Broad St. Fight Times Vary (215) 629-3239 www.thelegendarybluehorizon.com
The Blue Horizon is legendary, but not because the Rocky films1-4 were filmed there. They weren't. (Of course, Rocky V was filmed there.) It's not legendary because it kills the time between high-profile fights with community meetings, cabarets, concerts, talent shows, and -- if you're lucky -- bingo night. It's not legendary because it smells like 90 years worth of beer and sweat, or because the seats are so old ("historic") that they still have fedora holders underneath them. Though it may be known to many as the world's most famous boxing venue, and it may have become a cultural center, its existence is really only legitimate because Maxim Magazine named it the best place to watch a fight. And Anna Kournikova may or may not have been on the cover of that issue.
The Blue Horizon is pretty tough, having hosted many of the world's greatest fighters and most important fights since its inception in 1914. Structurally it remains unchanged. You can go watch some thugs beat the crap out of each other, and you can imagine it's just like how your ancestors used to go beat ye olde crap out of each other. In that way, it's kind of a sweet experience.
Despite the fact that boxing is a really brutal and cruel sport, the Blue Horizon is pretty precious. They are an equal opportunity employer, boasting one of the world's three major female boxing promoters. They have started a non-profit organization called Nia Kuumba (which means "purpose and creativity" in the language of Kwanzaa) that is devoted to "leaving the community better than we found it." And to top it off, the flier for the October eighth fight featured angry and intimidating pictures of boxers set against a background of huge pink ribbons. That's right, the fight was in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. Could they be any more adorable?
Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Bolboa said that boxing "ain't no pie-eating contest." He was right, it isn't. Except if the Blue Horizon happens to be hosting a pie-eating contest. Because then it is.
