Boxer and promoter Brandon Brewer is hoping he can work out a deal with the City of Fredericton and UNB so that he can once again host combat sporting events in Fredericton.

The university no longer allows Brewer to host combat sporting events at its venues after a fight broke out among fans at an MMA event in the Aitken Centre almost a year ago.

"We've had seven events, and that was the first and only time that we ever had an altercation," Brewer said of the fight on Oct. 21, 2017.

"I've heard of three strikes you're out, two strikes you're out. I've never really heard of one strike you're out."

UNB director of security Don Allen wasn't available for an interview but provided an emailed statement.

"The safety of students and employees is of utmost importance to us," Allen wrote.

"Due to safety concerns for those participating, attending and working at these events, we made the decision to no longer host this event at UNB Fredericton."

Brewer said UNB hasn't sat down for a discussion with him about what happened or what he could do to get his events back at the Aitken Centre.

City-owned venues

At Brewer's next event, at the city-owned Grant Harvey Centre, in April 2018, the city had seven extra-duty police officers there for security.

At Brewer's previous event at the Grant Harvey Centre in July 2017, Brewer said, he wasn't required to have any off-duty officers there. Now he's concerned he will need to pay to have that many officers at future events as well.

UNB Fredericton will no longer host combat sporting events at its venues. (Philip Drost/CBC)

Wayne Knorr, the city's communication manager, said each event is looked at by city staff on a case-by-case basis to figure out what security requirements are needed.

"Any organization using a facility or a park area would go through the same process," Knorr said.

He said staff consider the nature of the event, the time of day it happens, if there will be alcohol, the number and age of the people expected, and past experience with that type of event.

Extra security

Brewer said that after the fan fight in October, he made changes to security at his events. He changed the floor layout to create more space among fans, added security, and better bag checks.

But he said paying for the extra-duty officers adds too much of an expense to put on a profitable event.

Brandon Brewer isn't sure if he'll be able to host another boxing event in Fredericton unless something changes. (CBC)

"It would be at least twice as much for security," Brewer said about bringing in extra-duty officers.

"When you keep adding on and adding on and adding on bills, then, well, there's not a whole lot of money left over at the end."

Brewer believes he will be able to come to a resolution with the city and university, but until then, he doesn't know if there will be another combat sports event.

"There certainly won't be as many as there have been, that's for sure, if any," said Brewer.