Tickets to “The Dream Match” — the 12-round welterweight super fight between six-division world champion OSCAR DE LA HOYA and boxing’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter MANNY PACQUIAO – are already gone just hours after going on sale today, making the almost 16,000-seat arena a complete sell out with a gross gate of almost $ 17.0 million, making it the second biggest gate in boxing history.
“This is just a reflection of the overwhelming interest in this mega-event and we are extremely delighted that tickets sales were so swift,” said Richard Schaefer. “The match-up is one of the best in boxing and will be one of the biggest events the sport has ever seen.”
“This is fantastic and shows the magnitude and appeal of this event,” said Bob Arum. “When you have two superstars like Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya fighting each other, the public is going to respond and that is what they just did. No one wants to miss this one.”
The De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.
“FAST” EDDIE CHAMBERS TO TAKE ON LIVIN CASTILLO ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 3RD AT THE LEGENDARY BLUE HORIZON
PHILADELPHIA (SEPTEMBER 23, 2008)—On Friday night October 3rd, one of the best Heavyweights in the world, “Fast” Eddie Chambers will return to the building that helped mold him into the well-respect contender that he has become when he takes on Livin Castillo in the main event of a big night of boxing at The Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia.
This full night of boxing is part of The Legendary Blue Horizon annual Cancer Awareness Night.
Chambers, 31-1 with seventeen knockouts and will be making his first appearance at The Legendary Blue Horizon in two years.
Chambers won seventeen consecutive bouts at The Legendary Blue Horizon from 2002-2006.
“It’s great to be back here.” Said Chambers, “We know Castillo is a good fighter and has fought some top guys but he is in the way of my championship run. I am a much better fighter then the last time I was fighting at The Blue and I plan to display that to both Castillo and the fans who will be watching the fight.”
Chambers, of Philadelphia is ranked number-eight by the IBF and is coming off a sixth round destruction over Raphael Butler on June 20th in The Cayman Islands.
Castillo should provide a test for Chambers as he has been in with former world champions, Jean-Marc Mormeck (Loss-KO 3); Jorge Castro (Loss-KO 4); Oleg Maskaev (Loss-KO 3) & Bruce Seldon (Loss-KO 5)
In the Seldon fight, Castillo opened up a cut on Seldon’s eye and appeared on his way to winning until he got caught in the fifth round.
Castillo, of Atlantic City, New Jersey via Ecuador has a record of 14-5 with nine knockouts and is coming off that setback to Seldon on May 31st in Atlantic City.
Castillo and Chambers have a common opponent as Chambers suffered his only loss to Alexander Povetkin in January where as Castillo was stopped in four by the currant IBF mandatory challenger.
The card, promoted Vernoca L. Michael & Blue Horizon Boxing Inc. in association with Goossen-Tutor along with Score America is shaping up to be a full night of excitement as an outstanding undercard has been put together.
In a six round Ladies Jr. Middleweight bout, Ana Ingham of Sweden will make the long trip to Philadelphia to risk her undefeated record of 5-0-1 with one stoppage when she takes on Kimberly Harris of Tampa, Florida.
Ingham is coming off a unanimous decision over the popular Olivia Fonseca on September 5th in Sweden.
Harris, 5-12, will be making her second visit to The Legendary Blue Horizon as she scored a unanimous decision over Fonseca on October 12, 2007.
In a eight round Welterweight bout, Darren Fallen, 10-4-1 with six knockouts of Philadelphia will take on an opponent to be named.
Fresh off his knockout victory in his pro debut at The Legendary Blue Horizon on September 12th, Welterweight, Darrell Jones comes right back to mix it up with Hakasch Hotaki of Germany who will be making his pro debut.
Also seeing action on the card will be Super Featherweight, Joselito Collado (4-0, 2 KO’s) of Queens, New York.
These fights will be streamed live all over the world on www.gofightlive.tv
Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $200 for Queen Seating, $125 for Presidential seats, $65 for VIP, $55 for Ringside, and $45 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500 or by logging on to comcasttix.com. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM
Mack Attack – Yusaf’s Primed and Ready For the Battle Of Philadelphia.
NABA Light Heavyweight Champion, Yusaf Mack 25-2-2 (15KOs), returned to his former home gym, The James Shuler Memorial Gym, this week to undertake his final preparations with his former manager/trainer Percy ‘Buster’ Custus for this Friday’s title defense against fellow Philadelphian, Omar ‘Pit Bull’ Pittman 15-4-1 (8KOs), at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia.
Mack, the former USBA/UBA Super Middleweight Champion, stepped up to Light Heavyweight earlier this year and in just his second fight at his new weight beat Brooklyn, New York’s Daniel Judah 22-3-3 (10KOs) in a tough battle, which took place in Judah’s own back yard, to secure the NABA title.
At his previous weight, Mack, always struggled to make the 168lbs required for super middleweight, often he would be left weak and exhausted working off up to 12lbs to make the weight. Not so these days, the higher weight clearly suits his 6’1” muscular frame, he appears fitter, stronger and, more importantly, totally focused on the task ahead.
Mack is clearly fired up, throughout his workout session he was constantly pacing the gym floor like a caged tiger when not pummeling the stuffing out of the heavybag or seemingly trying to smash Buster’s hands off during very aggressive pads work.
Taking a break from training, Mack, said “I’m here to fight. I’ll do what I have to do. I’ve trained harder than ever before. John (Tandy – his trainer at Combat Gym, Newark, NJ), made sure of that, he works you hard, he makes sure you’re prepared for anything they (opponents) can throw at you. I’m ready and really up for this fight.”
As for the future, should he win on Friday, Mack, who is currently ranked 9th by the World Boxing Association, expects his next fight will be an elimination bout in Germany for the WBA Light Heavyweight World Title.