CANCUN, Mexico—Promoter Don King is pulling out the stops on Saturday to make sure the first heavyweight championship ever staged in Mexico is a star-studded affair.
He announced today that boxing legends Larry “The Easton Assassin” Holmes, Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, Roberto “Hands of Stone” Duran and Saoul Mamby will all join him ringside when World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Oleg Maskaev squares off with WBC interim heavyweight champion Samuel “The Nigerian Nightmare” Peter on Saturday night at Plaza de Toros in Cancun, Mexico.
“I love Mexico and I love the Mexican people so it’s only fitting that some of biggest names in the sport of boxing are here to witness history in Cancun,” King said. “Mexico has contributed some of the best boxers ever to our sport but a world heavyweight championship has never been decided here.
“Cancun has fully recovered from the devastation of hurricane Wilma in 2005 and is now a better-than-ever First Class resort destination capable of hosting an event of this magnitude.”
King and his posse of ring legends will also take in a second world championship when undefeated World Boxing Association, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz takes on IBF No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Nate “Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell.
Former two-time world champion Jose Luis Castillo will meet undefeated No. 1 contender Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley in a WBC super lightweight elimination bout, and former two-time WBA heavyweight champion John “The Quietman” Ruiz is in a WBC qualification bout opposing Jameel “Big Time” McCline.
Tickets priced at $1,000, 500, $300, $150, $100, $70, $50 and $10 are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets including www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster in Mexico at +5255 5325 9000. Both fights will be televised live in America on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at
9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. “History in Cancun” is being promoted by Don King Productions in association with Duva Boxing, Pepe Gomez Promotions and One Punch Productions.
King also praised the governor of Quintana Roo, the state inside Mexico that Cancun is located in.
“Quintana Roo Governor Felix Gonzalez Canto is a visionary and a true representative of his people,” King said. “Without his help and guidance, Mexico would not be hosting its first heavyweight championship on Saturday
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Don King Productions has promoted over 500 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including three of the top five: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.99 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995.
DKP has promoted or co-promoted 11 of the top 15 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including four of the top five: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also second-highest live-gate gross for any event in history.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995.
Dino Duva, the president of Duva Boxing, has promoted great fighters and great fights during four decades in boxing. Growing up in a renowned boxing family, the Duva name has become synonymous with excellence in the fight game as the “First Family in Boxing.” Working closely with his Hall of Fame father, Lou, and his late, great brother Dan, Duva has been involved in the promotion of over 100 world championship fights including such titlists as Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker, Arturo Gatti, and Mark Breland. Duva is presently the promoter of Samuel Peter, regarded by many as the top young heavyweight contender in boxing.
Alan Hopper
Don King Productions
Event Page: http://www.kevincalero.com/donking/event%5F3808/
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