Lowell – The City of Lowell, in partnership with the Lowell Sun Charities, is excited to announce it will bid to host the prestigious 2027 National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions. This event, renowned for showcasing the nation’s top amateur boxers, aligns with Lowell’s rich boxing heritage and its commitment to promoting athletic excellence and community engagement.
The National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions is a premier amateur boxing competition, drawing thousands of participants, spectators, and boxing enthusiasts from across the country. Hosting this event would bring significant economic benefits to Lowell, highlighting the City’s capacity to support large-scale sporting events.
The proposed venues for the tournament include the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, a historic venue that has hosted the New England Golden Gloves for 78 years and hosted the Tournament of Champions in 1973 and 1995. The tournament would transform the venue, staging three boxing rings of back-to-back bouts for an entire week in June of 2027.
Lowell also has experience featuring renowned boxers who gained fame and success after winning the Golden Gloves, including champions Mike Tyson, James “Buster” Douglas, Gerry Cooney, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, and Lowell’s own “Irish” Micky Ward.
The event offers amateur youth boxers an opportunity to witness the high-stakes atmosphere of competitive boxing. Community events and outreach programs in conjunction with the tournament will promote the sport of boxing and encourage local youth to participate in athletic activities.
“Our collaborative approach highlights the city’s passion for boxing and underlines its dedication to fostering community involvement and support for this exciting endeavor,” says Mayor of Lowell Daniel P. Rourke.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the City of Lowell to highlight the time-honored tradition of the Golden Gloves in our community,” remarks City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. “Hosting the tournament here in Lowell will bring economic benefits to the downtown area and showcase all the wonderful things Lowell has to offer.”
“The New England Golden Gloves is by far the strongest franchise financially and with great community support,” says Bob Russo, National Hall of Famer, President of the Golden Gloves of America, and New England Golden Gloves Executive Director. “As National President, I see the tournament reports from all over the country. I think we owe it to the fans to bring the Nationals back to Lowell and give them the chance to see the next Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, and many other great icons of the sport whose career was launched by the Golden Gloves. The last time we hosted was 1995 and the Golden Gloves fans, delegates, and coaches who remember it say how exciting it was back then, with packed houses every night. It is a testimony to great fan support and a tradition that goes back 78 years.”
The application process to host the 2027 National Golden Gloves will be a collaborative effort involving the entire community. The City of Lowell and Lowell Sun Charities are committed to showcasing the city’s hospitality and event-hosting expertise to bring this championship to the gateway city known for its boxing community. The New England Golden Gloves franchise is in its 78th year and sponsored by the Lowell Sun Charities.
“The Golden Gloves and the Lowell Sun Charities fosters some of the greatest traditions in Greater Lowell,” comments Kevin Coughlin, President of the Lowell Sun Charities. “This is a great opportunity to advance those traditions, boxing, and youth development.”
