Pictured above: Nelson said he would like to see Tuffman return to the Capitol Convention Center someday. (Photo provided)
Lendrick Nelson has been bringing professional boxing to central Arkansas since 2012, when he and lifelong friend Dale McDaniel launched Diamond Rock Promotions in North Little Rock. Nelson is the son of legendary Little Rock trainer Ozell Nelson, who coached local phenom Jermaine Taylor during his bid for the undisputed middleweight title. Young Nelson grew up surrounded by sports and is a former Golden Gloves and Junior Olympic boxer, so it's no surprise that his career path would include boxing.
Nelson and McDaniel, who attended Joe T. Robinson High School together in west Little Rock, began promoting boxing in central Arkansas in 2014. Nelson also owns a construction business, Nelson Contracting, and McDaniel helps run his family's McDaniel Equipment Company in North Little. rock. Their first event, Mayhem in the Rock, was a huge success and Diamond Rock Promotions was put into action.
In 2018, promoters are poised to bring back the original Toughman tournament in central Arkansas, a grassroots amateur boxing competition that began in 1979 and became popular across the country, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. I felt that. In its heyday, Toughman contests were held all over the country, including Las Vegas, with local and state winners advancing.
National and international competitions. In Arkansas, the state Capitol Convention Center in downtown Little Rock was filled with Toughman cards.
Nelson said he would like to see grassroots events return to the state capitol. So far, he's filling the Maumelle Events Center. The latest edition of Diamond Rock's Toughman, the original Toughman Contest franchise, was held on March 7th and 8th and had over 30 participants.
Due to the enthusiastic response to Toughman's return, Diamond Rock now hosts the event twice a year. Another edition will be held on the first weekend of his August.
“When we decided to bring it back, we wanted to get it back to running,” Nelson said. “We do it twice a year to get a feel for it and it's been well received. We've had great success with it. We've had a great turnout and it's been a lot of fun for families.”
Toughman's weight classes are lightweight, middleweight, heavyweight, and super heavyweight for men, and open for women. Fighters pay $60 to participate. Certified referees and gear will be used, including standard USA Boxing headgear, 16-ounce gloves, and groin protectors. In the match he will perform three one minute rounds. Nelson said everyone fights on the first night and can fight multiple times on the second night as long as they don't get knocked out.
“As long as you don’t get knocked out, you can keep competing,” he said.
Nelson said boxing is a rite of passage for him. His father and brothers each fought as well. Toughman's competitors told him the same thing. Some say they simply have anger issues and want to vent, or that Toughman represents a bucket list item.
“They say, 'I've always wanted to do this,'” Nelson said. “Everything changes when you step into the ring.”
He noted two quotes that nicely frame Toughman's story. The first is believed to be by former Razorback and Hall of Fame basketball coach Nolan Richardson. That's the size of a dog fight. ” The second quote comes from former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. “Everyone has a game plan until they step into the ring.”
Toughman operates under standard boxing rules (no kicking, wrestling, eye gouging, or grabbing), and contestants must not have competed in a professional bout or more than five amateur bouts in the past five years. This is a condition.
Participants must be 18 years of age or older; persons over 55 years of age are not permitted to participate. Nelson said athletes over the age of 40 require advanced medical care and all players must undergo blood tests to compete.
Winners can take home prize money, belts, and perhaps just as important, bragging rights.
More than anything, Nelson said he hopes Toughman will help strengthen Little Rock as a boxing town.
“I definitely want to shine a light on Little Rock's boxing history,” he said. “Professional fighters always have a great reception here, and there's a lot of interest in boxing even at the youth level. He has five or six local boxing gyms in Greater Little Rock, We have great athletes in each gym.”
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