By Kirk Chaisson

(Houston, TX) -- In the end, the idea of a major fight card taking place in Houston next month was too good to be true. Houston and East Coast Promoters had been working on putting the card together for July 10th, with the co-main event listed as light heavyweights Chris Henry of Houston (23-2, 18 KO's) versus Shaun George of New York (18-2-2, 9 KO's) for the vacant North American Boxing Organization title. However the Houston promoter most recently working on the card says it has now been moved out of state, and Henry's participation remains a question mark.

Wherever the card happens, it will televised on ESPN2. A news release issued Thursday by CES Promotions out of Providence, Rhode Island, states the main event will be cruiserweights Matt "Too Smooth" Godfrey of Providence (18-1, 10 KO's) and Shawn Hawk of Sioux Falls, South Dakota (18-0-1, 16 KO's). Philadelphia is reportedly being considered as a possible location for the bouts.

Contacted by phone Thursday night, CES Promotions President Jimmy Burchfield declined to comment on the status of a possible Henry/George matchup.

Cameron Park of Houston's Rock Solid Promotions says he was first approached just four or five days ago with the idea of partnering up with CES Promotions to put on the card in Houston. Park said one unresolved issue was how much of the financial burden each of the promoters would assume in putting on the event. The purses and other expenses of two such high-profile matchups would have been far greater than with most Houston cards, and the money coming from ESPN was only covering only about a third of the expected costs. Park declined to offer specific figures, but he said there was some question whether local ticket sales would generate enough additional revenue to make the venture profitable for the promoters.

"The Godfrey/Hawk fight priced it out of my comfort zone," Park told BoxingScene.com/HoustonBoxingScene.com on Friday. "I'm a little saddened, Jimmy's (Burchfield) disappointed. He appreciated all the effort I put in."

Friday, the 19th of June would have been the latest possible date to get the fight card approved in Houston by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). June 19th is 21 days before the scheduled date of the bouts.

"I couldn't get it done quick enough to meet the deadline for TDLR," said Park. "I didn't feel comfortable I would break even. He (Burchfield) & I couldn't come to an agreement. I'm not putting any blame on Jimmy. We were getting closer and closer every hour. I know Jimmy and I had a sleepless night or two."

A report earlier this week out of New York said the fight between Henry and George would take place at the Westside Tennis Club in Houston. But a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation said there was no fight card scheduled in Houston for that date.

"CES is working just as hard as we are to make it possible," said Park Wednesday. "They understand how expensive the production is. They're trying to figure out some ways to increase the revenue for the card."

One party who was originally involved in the negotiations to bring the fight card to Houston was former heavyweight Contender "Big" Lou Savarese. Savarese said that he still plans to promote a fight card in Houston in the coming months.

The relocation of the ESPN card could be good news for Akondaye Fountain's Calm Before The Storm Promotions. Fountain has announced her company's first-ever card for July 11th at the San Miguel Arena, featuring Jose "Topita" Gutierrez, Lanard Lane, Jermall Charlo and Johanna Mendez, among others. Two cards back-to-back in Houston could draw fans and ticket sales away from one another.

Fountain said she was not concerned.

"I think it'll be fine," said Fountain. "I think there's a different market. The fighters on my show will bring their own fans and the same for the other show. Right now I'm excited because I'm having some good feedback and support."

Meanwhile Park continues to make plans for his next fight card, possibly in Humble in August.

"It was kind of a relief (the relocation of the ESPN card) because I could stop stressing about it, " Park said. "We're looking at some August dates with Super Middleweight Alfonso Lopez (14-0, 11 KO's) as the main event, defending his Texas title."