Ticket sales for the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn boxing match in Brisbane, Australia, this weekend "remain strong," according to Andrew Webster of the BRISBANE TIMES. So far, more than 47,000 tickets have been sold with organizers "hopeful of selling a further" 3,000-4,000. About 37% of those sales have "reportedly come from people living outside Brisbane." Meanwhile, police have instructed Pacquiao "not to make any further public appearances" before the fight "because of security concerns." Pacquiao was expected to train briefly today at a "makeshift ring that had been set-up" in front of the Treasury Casino in Brisbane, but was a "late withdrawal on the advice of authorities." In the end, a crowd of about a 1,000 people "were on hand to watch Horn." Police "feared as many as 5,000 people would have turned up if Pacquiao had been there." Horn's promoter, Dean Lonergan, said that while there had been "no specific threats to his safety, there are growing concerns about the interest from obsessive fans." Pacquiao was "swamped by Brisbane's Filipino community when word got out that he was attending a photo shoot" during a two-day media tour in late April to promote the fight (BRISBANE TIMES, 6/30). USA TODAY's Bob Velin writes the bout is the "first under the new deal forged between ESPN and Top Rank." It will be the first non-PPV fight for Pacquiao since September '05. Pacquiao said, "I am so happy fans in the U.S. will be able to watch it for free on ESPN. It’s good for boxing." Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said, "Manny only has a few fights left, and for fans to be able to see him on ESPN instead of pay-per-view is a real gift" (USA TODAY, 6/29).
