With about 25,000 tickets already sold, Saturday's
Evander Holyfield-Vaughn Bean fight at the 42,000-seat
Georgia Dome "is assured of being the largest" crowd to view
a heavyweight title fight since the '78 Ali-Spinks rematch
drew 63,350, according to Jeff Schultz of the ATLANTA
CONSTITUTION. Holyfield, who is expected to earn $1.5M in
gate incentives along with his $3.5M purse: "I'm happy the
people decided to show up. Now I know I won't lose any
money" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 9/17). In N.Y., Timothy Smith
writes that promoter Don King is predicting that 40,000
tickets will be sold, "which would make Holyfield-Bean one
of the best selling bouts ever." He added that Holyfield,
who "typically" earns $8M for a fight like this, is taking a
"substantial pay cut" to have the fight in his hometown.
Holyfield: "I have an opportunity to do something for the
people and I can't let money be the reason why I don't do
it." The fight will air on Showtime during a free preview
weekend, reaching about 60 million homes (N.Y. TIMES, 9/17).
FOREIGN EXCHANGE? ESPN's Bob Stevens reported that if
Mike Tyson is not given back his boxing license in NV,
"there is talk" that he will fight Axel Schulz in Germany.
Tyson would need permission from IN Judge Patricia Gifford,
who is supervising his probation ("SportsCenter," 9/16)....
In Chicago, Michael Hirsley profiles Tyson's "latest
advisor," Shelly Finkel. Hirsley writes that as a
"multimillionaire who carried credentials as a civilized and
successful rock music promoter to the world of boxing,
Finkel has thrived in two cutthroat businesses" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 9/17). In L.A., Randy Harvey writes that there
"are unsubstantiated rumors" that Finkel "is no longer
advising Tyson" (L.A. TIMES, 9/17).
