Pop-up boxing matches draw crowds and police in Bogotá

Santiago Abril has been staging pop-up boxing tournaments in Bogotá parks for months, drawing dozens of men and women who pay to compete. Participants include people seeking a thrill, prize money or a chance to try boxing before pursuing it professionally. Women pay about $5 and men $15; cash prizes of roughly $100 go to fighters who win two or three bouts in a row.

The matches use a portable ring made from rubber panels and plastic fencing. Fighters are divided into weight categories and compete for two 90-second rounds, wearing heavy gloves but no headgear. Abril says the heavier gloves tire competitors faster and reduce the force of their punches. He acknowledges that fighters sometimes leave with bloody noses or split lips, but says no one has suffered a broken cheekbone.

Police have stopped Abril in several parks and required him to take down the setup because he lacked permits. At one tournament, officers intervened before the event began, prompting him to move the ring to another park. Bogotá’s municipal government says organizers must obtain permission to use public space and submit an emergency response plan because the activity is high-risk.

Abril asks participants to sign consent forms saying they are in good health. He says permits are difficult to obtain because boxing is “monopolized” by promoters. He promotes the events as King Abril on social media and says the operation has grown from fights on pavement to a ring with a cage, mat and gloves.

Participants describe different reasons for entering. Eliber Parra García, a 27-year-old phone repair worker with an orange belt in judo, said he wanted the adrenaline, a chance to earn money and a feel for professional boxing. Ingrid Prieto, 29, said contact sports help her channel her emotions.