Profile - David Oblas

David Oblas has always loved boxing but his dreams of ruling the ring didn’t last through puberty. “Being 5 foot 3, white and Jewish, the odds were against me.”

Oblas founded Undisputed Productions in 2002 and has since promoted nine sold-out fight nights in Atlanta at the Tabernacle, Roxy and EarthLink Live.

When David wasn’t promoting fights, he took orders as a full-time waiter at Chequer’s Seafood Grill. Undisputed Productions became a permanent gig in 2003 after Oblas was fired for missing a shift during a match he had promoted.

On how he got started: “I was working as an inspector for the Georgia Boxing Commission and the idea seemed to be that Atlanta wasn’t a fight town. My goal became resurrecting the scene and bringing championship boxing back to Atlanta.”

The next rumble sponsored by Undisputed Productions is scheduled for the 5,000-seat Atlanta Civic Center on April 23. The melee will include: “lots of alcohol, thumping music, the hottest ring-card girls, five boxing matches, and seven no-holds-barred fights, like the ones you see on Ultimate Fighting Championship.”

Oblas’ work doesn’t stop when the fights are over. Undisputed Productions often promotes after-parties at the Cheetah where fighters sign autographs and companies sponsor merchandise giveaways.

Celebrity sightings are common at championship boxing matches. Cuba Gooding Jr., Takeo Spikes, Evander Holyfield and Kenny Lofton have been known to soak up the action at Oblas’ Atlanta area events.

The common perception that boxing is a corrupt sport doesn’t faze David, who believes that the same problem exists in all sports where judges can decide the outcome. The court of public opinion has been slower to see the similarities between boxing and gymnastics.

On the future: “My goal is to promote a Holyfield vs. Tyson fight in Atlanta where the loser has to retire and stop embarrassing the sport. The new talent needs a chance to show themselves.”