ICF: Balance of Power Post-Event Interview with Promoter Steve Stanton (9/10/09)

After the ICF's recent Balance of Power show, I also had a chance to catch up with ICF promoter Steve Stanton. I hadn't had the chance to speak directly with Steve since right before he opened the ICF Fight Club, so I was glad to get a few minutes to ask him some questions about the night's fights and record-breaking crowd for the ICF.

Here is what Stanton had to say:



Brian Furby: Steve, you had a huge crowd tonight, a lot of exciting fights – give me some of your thoughts on the show.

Steve Stanton: I can’t believe how many people came out tonight. They just kept coming and coming. The doors opened at 5:00 PM and all of sudden about 400 people were standing outside getting ready to come in three hours before the fights started. There were cars backed up miles down the road trying to get in. I’m predicting between 5,500-6,000 people for tonight’s show.

Brian Furby: Second show in Indiana, and Cincinnati attorney Eric Deters actually stepped in the cage against Florence, Kentucky police officer Larry Shelton in the main event – what did you think of the fight?

Steve Stanton: I’ve been telling everybody it was a legitimate fight. Everybody was saying it wasn’t going to happen and it did. It was a good fight, Eric Deters actually put up a good fight.

Brian Furby: You have your next Fight Club show coming up on September 11th, ICF: Payback – what can we expect from the ICF in the future?

Steve Stanton: 700 West Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati, OH – Payback will be our third show and we’re getting really good crowds, people are still finding out we’re down there. Not only do I do MMA, we have a full sports bar, we host national concerts and I’m getting into boxing now trying to bring boxing back up like I did MMA in the area. I want to thank everybody that came out tonight, supporting the ICF and all my fighters. Everybody fought hard tonight. Indiana is a fun crowd, they’re a little rambunctious, get a little rowdy, but they sure drink a lot of beer and have a good time[laughs].