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by David P. Greisman - The latest bunch of boxing news brings a mixed batch:
- A pair of upsides despite the economic downturn.
- Six fighters without a four-sided ring in which they may ply their trade.
- An already loquacious Executioner getting on-the-job training in elocution.
- The splitting of a dynamic duo.
- A third man in the ring following his number-one obligation.
Three causes for celebration, two for concern. Let’s take a look at the latest.
Celebrate: Promoters who make wise choices
Location, location, location.
One of Teddy Atlas’ favorite metaphors in his job as analyst for ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” concerns real estate. One lesson from the last week is that fights sell well when they’re put in a good home.
The Jan. 24 bout between Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley is doing well enough at the box office that the upper concourse of the Staples Center has been opened up. And that news should come as little surprise.
Though Sugar Shane at 37 is no longer as sweet as he once was, he’s still shown an ability to contend with the upper tier of welterweights. That’s precisely what he’ll get in Margarito, a 147-pound titlist who holds a strong claim to his division’s top spot.
Margarito long toiled on the fringes of stardom. But with a 2008 run that included big wins over Kermit Cintron and Miguel Cotto, it’s safe to say the Tijuana Tornado has landed.
Both boxers have ties to Southern California. Putting the fight in Los Angeles was a no-brainer. Keeping the tickets cheap (as high as $300, as low as $25) also helps.
Kelly Pavlik, meanwhile, is scheduled to fight in his native Youngstown, Ohio, for the first time since he won the middleweight championship. In an economically depressed area, some 5,000 tickets were sold within 12 minutes. That number alone leaves only 2,000 tickets to be sold before his Feb. 21 defense against Marco Antonio Rubio. [details]
- A pair of upsides despite the economic downturn.
- Six fighters without a four-sided ring in which they may ply their trade.
- An already loquacious Executioner getting on-the-job training in elocution.
- The splitting of a dynamic duo.
- A third man in the ring following his number-one obligation.
Three causes for celebration, two for concern. Let’s take a look at the latest.
Celebrate: Promoters who make wise choices
Location, location, location.
One of Teddy Atlas’ favorite metaphors in his job as analyst for ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” concerns real estate. One lesson from the last week is that fights sell well when they’re put in a good home.
The Jan. 24 bout between Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley is doing well enough at the box office that the upper concourse of the Staples Center has been opened up. And that news should come as little surprise.
Though Sugar Shane at 37 is no longer as sweet as he once was, he’s still shown an ability to contend with the upper tier of welterweights. That’s precisely what he’ll get in Margarito, a 147-pound titlist who holds a strong claim to his division’s top spot.
Margarito long toiled on the fringes of stardom. But with a 2008 run that included big wins over Kermit Cintron and Miguel Cotto, it’s safe to say the Tijuana Tornado has landed.
Both boxers have ties to Southern California. Putting the fight in Los Angeles was a no-brainer. Keeping the tickets cheap (as high as $300, as low as $25) also helps.
Kelly Pavlik, meanwhile, is scheduled to fight in his native Youngstown, Ohio, for the first time since he won the middleweight championship. In an economically depressed area, some 5,000 tickets were sold within 12 minutes. That number alone leaves only 2,000 tickets to be sold before his Feb. 21 defense against Marco Antonio Rubio. [details]