Three championship bouts Sept. 30
By Alvin A. Reid of the American
Don King held court for more than an hour last week when announcing that a card featuring a trio of championship fights will be staged in St. Louis on Sept. 30.
He also admitted that he would have held the card elsewhere had St. Louis not coughed up its right to charge the colorful promoter a boxing entertainment tax. That tax cost Don King Productions more than $400,000 for the Cory Spinks vs. Zab Judah card on Feb. 5.
“We want to put on an event that is affordable – and fair,” King said.
He praised Mayor Francis Slay and the city’s Board of Aldermen for waiving his tax responsibility, but added, “They didn’t give me back the $400,000 they took (Feb. 5).”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love paying taxes,” King said.
“I was so thrilled to pay $34 million in taxes that I put out a press release. Remember, you have to write it on, before you can write it off,” he said as media members howled with laughter.
King said that with Slay’s help, his organization and local boxing promoters can “fulfill the vision we have of making St. Louis a boxing powerhouse.”
As for the card, it will not feature Cory Spinks, but it could determine the former welterweight champion’s next opponent.
In the main event, Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill will meet undefeated World Boxing Association No. 1-ranked contender Valery Brudov for the vacant WBA cruiserweight championship.
World Boxing Organization junior middleweight champion Daniel Santos will defend his title against undefeated North American Boxing Organization 154-pound champion Joe Wyatt. This winner could duel with Spinks in the near future.
Also, International Boxing Federation junior bantamweight champion Luis “El Demoledor” Perez will risk his belt by taking on Hugo “Rambo” Ramirez.
Spinks was on stage with King and several of the boxers on the card when Santos said Spinks “quit the fight.”
Santos was referring to the fact that he had originally signed to fight Spinks in February, but Spinks ended up fighting Judah.
“I don’t know why he would not fight. I was signed to fight him in St. Louis,” Santos said.
Spinks countered by saying “as soon as I get some contract things straight” he would take on the winner of the Santos vs. Wyatt fight.
“I’ve never ducked a fight in my life,” Spinks said.
He also told the Cleveland-born Wyatt, “I’ve never heard of you, Cleveland.”
“I’m not playing,” Spinks told Santos.
“If you get past (Wyatt), you’ll be next.”
Spinks, who has not fought since the Feb. 5 setback, said he hopes to fight in December. He was coy as to why he had not fought in seven months, although he said he was not injured.
“You heard him,” King boomed into the microphone. “As soon as he gets his little contract stuff straight, y’all in trouble.”
Santos did not look concerned with Wyatt or Spinks.
“I’m the man, I’ll be the man,” Santos said calmly.
King and the Savvis Center also announced that a “Friday Night Fights” series would begin on October 21 and will feature up-and-coming St. Louis-born boxer Devon Alexander.
Promoter and trainer Kevin Cunningham said Alexander “is going to set the world on fire.”
“St. Louis is going to have another world champion. We will have two world champions,” he said, referring to Alexander and Spinks.
Cunningham said working with King and Dennis Petrullo of the Savvis Center was “a dream come true.”
Don King Productions will contribute $10,000 to the Salvation Army’s Hurricane Katrina relief effort to commemorate this event in addition to $100 from every $500 ringside ticket sold.
Individual tickets are $500 (ringside), $300 (VIP Floor), $150, $100, $50 and $25.
Tickets are available at the Savvis Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at (314) 241-1888 for an automated line or (314) 421-4400 or (618) 222-2900 for a sales rep, or online at ticketmaster.com. For disabled seating, call (314) 622-5420.