By Edward Chaykovsky
As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Golden Boy Promotions is expecting a very packed house when Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez returns to the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He will challenge undefeated Liam Smith for the WBO junior middleweight title on September 17th, with HBO Pay-Per-View carrying the event.
According to Golden Boy Promotions Vice President Eric Gomez, Canelo vs. Smith is on pace to surpass the number of tickets that were sold at the same venue by eight division champion Manny Pacquiao.
There were two events at AT&T which involved Pacquiao and both had taken pace in 2010. The first bout against Joshua Clottey in March of that year drew 42,000 fans. In November of the same year, 41,500 turned out to watch Pacquiao batter Antonio Margarito over twelve rounds.
Gomez stated to ESPN Deportes that over 20,000 tickets have been sold and they expect a lot more to get snatched up in the next few weeks.
Canelo is a very big draw in the state of Texas. There were 40,000 fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio for his win over Austin Trout in April 2013. Last May when he fought James Kirkland, 31,000 fans turned out at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya fully supported the statements made by Gomez. He is expecting at least 50,000 to 60,000 fans in attendance on the night of the fight.
“We’re outselling right now the Pacquiao-Margarito fight that took place,” De La Hoya said to the International Business Times. “So at this point right now we’re outselling that fight. So we expect well over 50,000, 60,000 people there.”
