HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.—Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. (Wednesday, Aug. 29) to see the highly anticipated lightweight world championship unification match pitting undefeated World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz against International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Julio “The Kidd” Diaz in the first major boxing event ever staged at the new Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Ill., on Saturday, Oct. 13.
Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $75 and $35 can be purchased beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the Sears Centre Box Office, select AMCORE Bank Outlets, by phone at 1-888-SEARSTIX, or on-line at www.searscentre.com.
“El Dia de Los Diaz” (“Day of the Diaz”) will also feature a full undercard headlined by Chicago’s emerging heavyweight contender “Merciless” Mike Mollo (18-1, 11 KOs). Mollo stunned Mike Tyson conqueror Kevin McBride with a second-round stoppage in Chicago on Oct. 7.
The event is being promoted by Don King Productions in association with Sycuan Ringside Promotions and Sears Centre.
The Sears Centre is an 11,000-seat multi-purpose arena that is home to the Chicago Storm (MISL Soccer), Chicago Shamrox (NLL Lacrosse), and Chicago Slaughter (CIFL Football) located just off I-90 and Rte. 59 in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Since opening in October of 2006, the Sears Centre has hosted concerts featuring The Who, Billy Joel, George Strait and others. For a list of upcoming events, please visit our website at www.searscentre.com.
Juan Diaz promoter Don King Productions has promoted over 500 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including three of the top five: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.99 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995. DKP has promoted or co-promoted 11 of the top 15 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including four of the top five: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also second-highest live-gate gross for any event in history.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995.
Julio Diaz promoter Sycuan Ringside Promotions of San Diego is more than living up to its reputation as the fastest-growing and most dynamic promotional force in boxing; it’s redefining the boxing industry. Since making its promotional debut during 2004, Sycuan Ringside Promotions–the first Native American-owned boxing promotional company–already has three current world champions, two former world champs and promoted and presented world title bouts across the country on premium cable networks.