By Chris LaBate
Promoter Gary Shaw is very interested in staging a championship doubleheader in Sydney, Australia, with two of the most popular stars in the country, IBO bantamweight champion Vic Darchinyan and IBF middleweight king Daniel Geale. Shaw is making a big run in the Australian market and recently signed three local boxers, featherweight Joel Brunker, super featherweight Will Tomlinson and super middleweight Trent Broadhurst.
He told the Daily Telegraph that a Darchinyan/Geale doubleheader would likely draw at least 20,000 fans.
"Vic and Daniel, together I see them selling 20,000 tickets," Shaw said. "This isn't something that's going to happen in their next one or two fights, of course. But the secret to boxers being successful in Australia, for the sport to grow, we have to ensure they walk that fine line between appearing at home and taking on the biggest names overseas. Vic and Daniel are your country's best ... they're the present and future of the sport."