Famed boxing promoter Gary Shaw, who also helped launch Elite XC, a major MMA promotion, has died at the age of 79.
Gary Shaw has passed away. A renowned boxing promoter, he’s best known for his foray into MMA with the launch of Elite XC.
The news of Shaw’s death was first shared by WBC president Mauricio Sulaimann. Seymour Zivick, Shaw’s longtime friend, confirmed the sad news to Kevin Iole.
Shaw’s journey in combat sports started in 1971. He worked for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board for nearly three decades.
In the early 2000s, he transitioned into promoting events. One of his most notable feats was staging the 2002 heavyweight title fight between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.
2007 saw the launch of a new MMA promotion, Elite XC. Shaw became the public face of the company, serving as the live events president. His son, Jared “$kala” Shaw, joined him as an executive, focusing on talent development and matchmaking.
In 2008, Elite XC made history. They inked a deal to bring MMA fights to CBS, a first in history. The debut CBS card in May 2008 featured Kimbo Slice, a street brawler turned MMA enthusiast, in the main event. His knockout of James Thompson catapulted him to stardom.
Elite XC was also a champion for women’s MMA. They signed Gina Carano, who became a promotion face after defeating Kaitlin Young on the same CBS card.
Unfortunately, only a few more Elite XC shows took place after the CBS debut. Despite this, the promotion played a crucial role in giving a platform to notable fighters like Jake Shields and Cris Cyborg.
The promotion’s downfall came later that year. Slice suffered a 14-second knockout by Seth Petruzelli, a late replacement for Ken Shamrock, who had suffered a backstage cut.
In October 2008, Elite XC’s parent company, Pro Elite, filed for bankruptcy. This led to the end of the promotion after 20 events.
Despite Elite XC’s fall, Shaw remained a fixture in combat sports. He continued to work in boxing, promoting fighters like Shane Mosley, Diego Corrales, and Winky Wright.