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Promoter: Holyfield vs Ruiz Bout to Go ahead in Beijing
After going through twists and turns, a Chinese promoter said on Friday that the postponed WBA heavyweight title bout between Evander Holyfield and John Ruiz will be held in nowhere but Beijing.
The fight here was first pushed back to the third week of October due to a neck injury sustained by Ruiz days before the original date of August 5.
The date was not final as the promoting Chinese Great Wall International Sports Inc. announced in late September that the bout was rescheduled to November 25 in Beijing, a date falling on the Thanksgiving Day weekend in the United States.
The drama of the fight continued as American press reported in early October that American co-promoter Don King and cable channel HBO had decided to not stage the bout in China for safety concerns.
The decision was made reportedly following advice from the U.S. State department not to engage in international travel following the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
"We got a crisis at hand, a war on terrorism and I wouldn't jeopardize any American life for the benefit of a promotion. I support HBO and the State Department. What they say I will do," King said in an interview with USA Today.
Great Wall, however, told the China Sports Daily on Friday that the fight will be held on November 25 in Beijing, which the American side have confirmed in their recent letters to the Chinese partner.
One unidentified official of Great Wall was quoted as saying that immediately following the reports that the bout could be relocated to the United States, they "hassled with" the American side and finally won the confirmation.
And the official added that dramatic as the match might be, the preparation ranging from tickets sales to sponsorship has been going smoothly.
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