'Dream Match' tickets gone in 2 hours
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/25/2008 10:09 PM
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend | 
Share your views
Tickets for the "Dream Match" between Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao and international superstar Oscar de la Hoya was sold out in just two hours after going on sale in Las Vegas Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
Golden Boy Promotions, Inc., the fight's co-promoter, said the sellout has made $17 million, making the megabout the second biggest gate sales in boxing history.
The fight is slated on December 6 at the almost 16,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
"This is just a reflection of the overwhelming interest in this mega-event and we are extremely delighted that tickets sales were so swift," said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. "The match-up is one of the best in boxing and will be one of the biggest events the sport has ever seen."
"This is fantastic and shows the magnitude and appeal of this event," said Top Rank executive Bob Arum. "When you have two superstars like Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya fighting each other, the public is going to respond and that is what they just did. No one wants to miss this one."
Request to stop ‘Dream Match’
In another development, World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman has not received any request from the Philippine Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to stop Pacquiao from his welterweight super bout against de la Hoya.
"We have not received such a request but I personally believe that it’s a match that should not be promoted because of the extreme differences in height and weight," Sulaiman told Manila-based sports and boxing analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz in an overseas telephone interview.
Pacquiao stands 5' 6 1/2" while de la Hoya is four inches taller.
Besides, Sulaiman added, he doubts if the WBC as an organization can stop the megabuck clash from taking place in Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The WBC boss said that he and Buhain agreed on the point of the big height difference between Pacquiao and de la Hoya.
"He (Pacquiao) is not considering the serious differences where a lower weight beat a higher weight and in this case is not moving from one division to the next but from one to three more divisions," Sulaiman said.
Sulaiman's statement came after Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez quoted GAB chairman Eric Buhain as saying that he (Buhain) had asked the WBC to cancel the non-title fight since Pacquiao has no chance against de la Hoya.
"This boxing bout is just about money. Pacquiao has no chance. We have to protect him. He is a national treasure," Rodriguez said.
