Record breaking attendance expected for Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito
Attendance at the Cowboys Stadium for the upcoming November 13 mega-bout between congressman/fighter Manny Pacquiao and alleged cheater Antonio Margarito is on par to break records.
One-of-a-kind boxing promoter Bob Arum confirmed that tickets sales for the event have all but exceeded expectations.
"This one, I think, will go over 60,000," Arum said in a conference call Wednesday afternoon.
An earlier boxing match this year that involved Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey drew over 50,000 fans, the third largest crowd for an indoor fight in the history of the sport.
And they say boxing is dying.
"The response to the ticket sales has been great," Arum added. "We're tracking well ahead of where we were of the Clottey fight, so I'm very, very optimistic."
As it stands, the largest gathering for a fight indoors was for the Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks bout, which took place at the Louisiana Superdome. A whopping 63,315 people came out to participate in the event.
Arum contended that he is very pleased to see Dallas area sports fans are reaching into their pocket for the fight.
The bout will boast international appeal due to Pacquiao being a sensation in his native Philippines, and Margarito attracting many from bordering Mexico.
The record for outdoor boxing attendance goes to a bout between Julio Cesar Chavez and Greg Haugen for the WBC welterweight title. The bout, which took place on February 20, 1993 in Mexico City, drew an incredible 136,274 people.
For the upcoming fight, Manny Pacquiao will be the heavy favourite, but Arum has said that betting odds are likely a distortion of the real facts. Margarito is the naturally bigger man, and reports have concluded Pacquiao is desperately trying to keep things
together after a disastrous training run in Baguio City, Philippines.
Trainer Freddie Roach hopes to keep “Pacman” focused one last time before he may withdraw from the sport that made him an international superstar.
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