29.06.06 – Legendary promoter Don King will arrive in St. Louis on Friday with a full schedule of appearances to tout his Gateway to Glory boxing spectacular featuring hometown star and former undisputed world welterweight champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks attempting to dethrone current International Boxing Federation junior middleweight champion Roman “Made in Hell” Karmazin at Savvis Center on July 8. King will be in St. Louis for 10 days..
His first appearance will be atop his own float on Saturday in the 129th Veiled Prophet Parade beginning at 10 a.m. in downtown St. Louis. The larger-than-life promoter will be overshadowed by huge animated fighting robots on his float.
“I love America, St. Louis and big events,” King said, “and there is no bigger Independence Day parade than the Veiled Prophet Parade. It’s an honor to be in St. Louis to pay tribute to the greatest country in the world and our Founding Fathers who made it all happen.”
King will travel to Busch Stadium later that afternoon to be interviewed for a Cardinals pre-game television show. His final stop of the day will be to present the winner’s trophy at the first Arthur Johnson Foundation Golf Tournament at Grand Marais golf course in East St. Louis.
King will appear on a segment of FOX News Channel’s Your World with Neil Cavuto live from St. Louis on July 3 between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. (CDT) promoting his event and St. Louis. King may appear on other nationally broadcast shows on July 4.
“I am happy to be going on national television to promote Gateway to Glory and the Gateway City,” King said.
The Savvis Center will be the site of the final press conference for Gateway to Glory, which will be hosted by King and is open to the public on July 6 at noon at the main atrium entrance to Savvis Center at the corner of 14th St. and Clark Ave. All boxers on the card will be present.
In another event open to the public, King will host the weigh in for all boxers on the card at Kiener Plaza on Market St. in downtown St. Louis in the afternoon on July 7.
Tickets for Gateway to Glory priced at $25, $45, $60, $100, $200, $300 and $500 are on sale at the Savvis Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers including Famous-Barr, Schnucks Video Clubs, Streetside Records, the BlueNote Sports Shops and the IceZone at St. Louis Mills or by speaking to a sales representative by phone at (314) 421-4400 or (618) 222-2900. Tickets can also be purchased on the automated phone line at (314) 241-1888 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. The event is being promoted by Don King Productions and Savvis Center in association with Budweiser. Karmazin vs. Spinks and Steve Cunningham vs. Guillermo Jones will be broadcast domestically on a special edition of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT.