Los Angeles will host its first world heavyweight title fight in 45 years on Saturday when Lennox Lewis meets Vitali Klitschko at the Staples Centre. Does anyone in Los Angeles care? Apparently not.
Judging by an almost complete lack of interest and sluggish ticket sales, it might be another 45 years before promoters again attempt to bring another heavyweight championship bout to the City of Angels. In a city bursting at the seams with movie stars and sporting celebrities, built around hype and the big event, the fight between Briton Lewis and Klitschko, a Ukrainian-born resident of Los Angeles, has generated little buzz.
Even in a country where soccer usually battles arena football and bowling for attention, the David Beckham transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid was creating more of a stir yesterday than the pre-fight press conference. When promoters asked Klitschko to step in for Kirk Johnson, Lewis' original challenger, after the Canadian injured his shoulder two weeks ago and was forced out, it was hoped the upgrade in opponent would spark an up turn in ticket sales.
However, the giant Ukrainian's involvement has not triggered a stampede to the ticket windows. Such is the lack of interest that there will be no money-spinning, pay-per-view for the event. Instead, the bout will be shown live on Home Box Office television, providing little incentive for fans to go out and buy tickets slashed when Mike Tyson, still the biggest draw in boxing, decided he would not fight on the undercard.
Normally heavyweight fights are a magnet for celebrities but, despite taking place in Hollywood's backyard, many of the $950 ringside and $700 seats remain unsold. Promoters would not give exact figures but according to Russ Young, whose company Prize Fight Promotions put up the money (close to $4 million) for the fight, only about half of the 16 000 seats have been sold. Part of the lack of interest stems from the fact that the American public has never warmed to Lewis, viewing him as aloof and arrogant.
http://www.sabcnews.com/sport/boxing/0,1009,60772,00.html
Judging by an almost complete lack of interest and sluggish ticket sales, it might be another 45 years before promoters again attempt to bring another heavyweight championship bout to the City of Angels. In a city bursting at the seams with movie stars and sporting celebrities, built around hype and the big event, the fight between Briton Lewis and Klitschko, a Ukrainian-born resident of Los Angeles, has generated little buzz.
Even in a country where soccer usually battles arena football and bowling for attention, the David Beckham transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid was creating more of a stir yesterday than the pre-fight press conference. When promoters asked Klitschko to step in for Kirk Johnson, Lewis' original challenger, after the Canadian injured his shoulder two weeks ago and was forced out, it was hoped the upgrade in opponent would spark an up turn in ticket sales.
However, the giant Ukrainian's involvement has not triggered a stampede to the ticket windows. Such is the lack of interest that there will be no money-spinning, pay-per-view for the event. Instead, the bout will be shown live on Home Box Office television, providing little incentive for fans to go out and buy tickets slashed when Mike Tyson, still the biggest draw in boxing, decided he would not fight on the undercard.
Normally heavyweight fights are a magnet for celebrities but, despite taking place in Hollywood's backyard, many of the $950 ringside and $700 seats remain unsold. Promoters would not give exact figures but according to Russ Young, whose company Prize Fight Promotions put up the money (close to $4 million) for the fight, only about half of the 16 000 seats have been sold. Part of the lack of interest stems from the fact that the American public has never warmed to Lewis, viewing him as aloof and arrogant.
http://www.sabcnews.com/sport/boxing/0,1009,60772,00.html
