By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Filipino minimum weight champion Florante Condes may see action on the undercard of the Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield heavyweight battle against Latino champion Fres Oquendo at the Alamadone in San Antonio, Texas on November 10.
Promoter Murad Muhammad said he was keen on giving Condes who has a record of 13 knockouts in 13 wins with 3 losses a chance to show his worth in the United States. Condes is managed by Aljoe Jaro while his business manager is Rod Nazario.
Nazario and his associate Moy Lainez said they want Condes to obtain his visa as soon as possible so he could leave for the US well in advance of his fight.
Murad informed Viva Sports/ Manila Standard Today.that he had wanted Condes to hone his skills under Holyfield’s trainer Ronnie Shields but that that Condes’ new co-manager Ortiz claimed he was both manager and trainer of Condes and didn’t need any help. Murad said that instead of flying Condes to Texas he would send him to Las Vegas where his co-manager can prepare him for the fight. Aljoe Jaro will accompany Condes.
In the meantime ticket sales on the first day have matched those on the opening day of the clash between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2003.
Ironically, the promoter of the Holyfield – Oquendo heavyweight encounter is Murad Muhammad who split with Pacquiao after an out-of-court settlement following Pacquiao’s first fight with Erik “El Terrible” Morales for which Pacquiao earned a purse of $1.75 million.
Murad Muhammad claimed almost 2,000 tickets were sold at the Alamadome on the first day and are continuing to sell well while Alamadome director Mike Abington was quoted as saying “sales are brisk.”
San Antonio Express News sports columnist John Whisler confirmed that two sources said opening day sales reached the $80,000 level which was comparable to what the Pacquiao-Barrera fight did on the first day of sales. The Pacquiao-Barrera fight in which the Filipino southpaw demolished Barrera in ten rounds drew a crowd of 9,000 and a live gate of $750,000.
Whisler praised the promoters saying they appear to have built a great card.
