By Chase Sanders

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Everyone knows about famous boxing matches like “The Rumble in the Jungle” and “The Thrilla in Manila,” and now many on UK’s campus are talking about The Main Event.

The Main Event’s chairman, Charlie Payne said he believes the high level of involvement from UK students and the musical entertainment makes the event a must-see. “This year we have great participation because we have the most fighters we’ve ever had,” Payne said. “We also have Nappy Roots coming in for a show on Thursday.”

So many great matches are lined up for the evening that it’s hard for Payne to label just one of them as the “main attraction.”

There is even official USA boxing involvement with the event.

“Our lead official is Dr. Larry Herman, who helps us organize the boxing aspect of the event, and he has three other USA Certified boxing officials that will help him out,” Payne said. “The alternating officials will serve as the judges for the event.”

The fighters train at Alumni Gym.

“We require that the fighters go to at least four training sessions for the fighters, so if they don’t have any prior experience they won’t get injured while fighting,” he said.

The Main Event gurantees to have all of the makings of a real prime time title fight.

“We’re going to have intros, announcements, music and all of the attractions of a boxing match,” Payne said.

Previously the charity event was known as Fight Night, but Payne said the name change has its advantages.

“The name Main Event sounds more official,” he said. “This year what we focused on is the atmosphere. The seating is better, we have a better sound system.”

Last year, Sigma Chi and Alpha Delta Pi teamed up to raise $43,000 at The Main Event.

This year they hope to exceed their goal.

“Our goal is $60,000, and with everyone’s help we know we can reach it,” Payne said.

Sigma Chi will send proceeds to the Huntsman Cancer Instiute, and Alpha Delta Pi will send their portion to the Ronald McDonald House.

The Main Event, which will be held at Tattersall’s, is from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Sarah Geegan, Alpha Delta Pi’s event chair, is in charge of sorority involvement with The Main Event.

“Having sorority involvement was really important to us this year, because we wanted to get as many people involved as possible,” she said.

Teams from eight sororities will dance and be judged at the event. The three judges will judge the routines on technique, effects and other aspects of their dances, said Geegan, who is also the student advertising manager at the Kernel.

The dance competition will take place on Thursday evening, and the winners will be announced on Friday.

A self-defense class that sorority members were able to attend was also offered to earn more points for each team.

Geegan said The Main Event will also feature a sign competition between the sororities.

“Both the self-defense clinic and the sign competition give the teams more chances to earn points,” she said.

Katie Johnston, a senior nursing student, will be participating in the Main Event as well as choreographing for Alpha Delta Pi’s dance team, which will perform but not be judged.

She believes the hard work her sorority’s dance team has committed to its routine will pay dividends with the audience.

“We’ve probably put in about ten hours of practice a week for the competition,” Johnston said. She guarantees The Main Event will be a spectacle for anyone at UK to come and see.

“There will “There will be everything from the ringside girls to the judges,” Johnston said. “It’s just a great thing to see, and it’s a philanthropic effort for a good cause.”