Tomorrow night, New York fight fans can take a trip back in time by attending an eight-bout card at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

Box-NYC, as the event is called, is the brainchild of Jed Weinstein (a producer of themed live events). Weinstein says that he hopes to create an upscale event reminiscent of “the old nightclub scene in Las Vegas and Havana.”

In the main event, junior-welterweight Dimitriy Salita (20-0, 13 KOs) takes on Darelle Sukerow (11-12-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round match-up. Salita, an Orthodox Jew who can fight a bit, is a solid ticket-seller, but he hasn’t shown much improvement in recent months. Hence, Team Salita opted for Sukerow, who is just 2-12 since August 2000, as the opponent.

In the co-feature, Curtis Stevens (5-0, 5 KOs) meets 39-year-old Raynard Darden (8-8, 4 KOs) in a six-round super middleweight bout. Stevens is a hard punching prospect from Brooklyn. Darden has won five fights in a row since resuming his career last March after a seven-year layoff. His winning streak will end by knockout on Thursday night.

But the fights are only part of the story. The fisticuffs will be accompanied by a Texas Hold ’em Poker Tournament with a $150 buy-in. The winner receives no cash but gets a seat at the 2005 Poker World Series. A silent auction of sports memorabilia and luxury items will be held throughout the evening. And fashion models will showcase French lingerie in the ring between bouts.(Fashion lovers will be pleased to know that the “Huit” lines scheduled for display are (1) the “Oh La La!” lace collection; (2) the “Cosmetics” satinee collection; and (3) the “Cabaret” fishnet collection.)

Balcony seats are $40. For $65, patrons can sit in the mezzanine and enjoy an open bar for two hours. Then there’s the floor, where a gourmet dinner will be served. Tables for 10 range in price from $1,750 to $7,500.

As a general rule, the only way people pay $7,500 a table for club fights is when a significant portion of the proceeds is earmarked for charity. Thus, in marketing Thursday night’s fights, Box-NYC has emphasized its ties to the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Established by DaimlerChrysler and Richemont (a global luxury-goods group with a focus on jewelry, watches, and pens), Laureas is a charitable foundation based on a premise stated by Nelson Mandela: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.” Its self-described mission is to “fund and promote the use of sport as a conduit for social change throughout the world.”

Box-NYC has promised to donate $10,000 plus all proceeds from the poker tournament and any profits from the silent auction to the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation. But bear in mind that Box-NYC is a for-profit venture and its affiliation with Laureus is an effective marketing tool. Also, the auction has been outsourced, and some items have been submitted on consignment by dealers who will be paid a reserve price before any proceeds go to the charity.

Weinstein says that he hopes the total received by Laureus from all sources will equal $25,000. By way of comparison, Gerry Cooney’s FIST organization held a fund-raising evening of gourmet dining and professional boxing at the New York Hilton last October. Gross receipts totaled $441,920, the bulk of which went to cover costs like fighters’ purses, rent, and dinner. FIST reports that $106,000 (24% of the gross) was donated to charity.

Other scheduled fights tomorrow night include Jonathan Tubbs (5-0, 3 KOs) vs. Doug Ebenshade (5-3,1 KO),six rounds at 154 pounds; Francisco Figueroa (8-2, 6 KOs) vs. Ike Ezeji (7-10-1, 2 KOS), six rounds at 140 pounds; Esteban Cordova (3-1, 2 KOs) vs. Danny Rivera (2-1,1 KO),four rounds at 160 pounds; Alex Cruz (2-1, 1 KO) vs. Billy Smith (1-2, 1 KO), four rounds at 135 pounds; Apollo Welch (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Jenkins Alverez (1-1,0 KOs),four rounds at 124 pounds, and a four-round women’s bout at 116 pounds pitting 44-year-old Leona Brown (13-14, 5 KOs) against Nancy Bonilla (2-3, 1 KO).

The Hammerstein Ballroom is on the ground floor of the Manhattan Center, 311 West 34th Street. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. and the first fight is slated for 7:45 p.m.

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Former cruiserweight champion Al Cole has been placed on indefinite medical suspension by the New York State Athletic Commission following his knockout loss to Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden last Thursday. The 41-year-old Cole has won only seven of his last 21 fights and his skills have declined markedly in recent years. Kudos to Nysac chairman Ron Scott Stevens for stepping in to protect a fighter at increased risk of suffering brain damage. Federal law mandates that the suspension be honored by all 50 states.