Yankee Stadium will host Foreman-Cotto

by Scott Christ on Feb 19, 2010 3:07 PM EST in Boxing News Analysis

Yankee Stadium could be hosting its first boxing event since Muhammad Ali-Ken Norton III in 1976.

The AP reports that the bar mitzvah issue at Yankee Stadium that might have interfered with Bob Arum's desire to host a Yuri Foreman-Miguel Cotto fight at the ballpark has been "cleared up." The original date for the fight was June 12, but Lem Satterfield of FanHouse reports that the fight is going to be on June 5, and a press release from the Yankees announcing the fight is imminent.

I don't think this is the fight to put at Yankee Stadium, but Arum is crazy about getting a fight in there, and this is what he has for June. Arum promoted the last fight at the old Yankee Stadium, the third battle between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton in 1976. This would be the first boxing event at the new Yankee Stadium, obviously, and a big deal for Arum to open up yet another venue, as he's doing with Cowboys Stadium on March 13 for Pacquiao-Clottey.

I gotta say, no matter what you think of Arum, his ambition is pretty remarkable, especially when you consider he's the same age as old rival Don King, who has fallen off enormously as a promoter and was all giddy last year about getting into the Treasure Island Casino in Las Vegas for Joseph Agbeko-Yonnhy Perez. Golden Boy isn't making moves like this either. If you look at it a certain way, you're left saying, "Wow, Bob Arum is getting Joshua Clottey in the main event at Cowboys Stadium, and Yuri Foreman in the main event at Yankee Stadium."

It's impressive.

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I can’t get over the hilariousness of the bar mitzvah aspect of this story. Totally bizarre.

By the way, what will they do if it rains?

by taco pal on Feb 19, 2010 3:33 PM EST reply actions

Completely out of context..

But just read that Bernard Dunne has retired!

"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"

by Oli Goldstein on Feb 19, 2010 3:36 PM EST via mobile reply actions

They better hope it doesn't rain

That said, I think this fight could do well at Yankees Stadium. Sell the cheap seats for the same price as it would cost to buy the PPV, and you’ll get 30,000 Puerto Ricans in there and 37 orthodox Jews.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Feb 19, 2010 3:43 PM EST reply actions

I was sitting in the Jewish section at Salita-Khan and there were a good 200 of us to watch an absolute nobody (I was there for the boxing, there were 199 other froomies there for Salita). In reality, tickets for Foreman in New York should sell really well because he has some name value in the Jewish community and holds a world title.

"The terror of the unforeseen is what the science of history hides, turning a disaster into an epic"

by Oli Goldstein on Feb 19, 2010 3:58 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

There may be some

But 99% of the Jews in New York are either not religious or completely insular. Large Jewish community, sure, but I don’t know that there’s really much of a marketing opportunity there any more. It’s not like the old days when us Jewfolk tried to stick together or had some feeling of ethnic pride.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Feb 19, 2010 4:04 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe they can recruit Larry David to do some promotional work.

by taco pal on Feb 19, 2010 4:14 PM EST up reply actions

That’s kinda sad. I love the stories about Jewish fans turning up for Louis vs Schmeling and being totally devastated when Louis lost. Back when promoters would count on Jewish fans for a good gate. Be great to see Arum try and play up those historical angles…unlikely, I know.

by Falstaff on Feb 19, 2010 5:48 PM EST up reply actions

I wasn’t referring to the Larry comment, btw :)

“Yuri Foreman? He’s preet-ay preet-ay preet-ay good.”

by Falstaff on Feb 19, 2010 5:50 PM EST reply actions

Looks like a great stadium.I read they built the new exterior to replicate the original.

by Matt Mosley on Feb 19, 2010 6:08 PM EST reply actions

I went to a game at the new stadium this year, and it’s very nice. As a Bronx native, who watched Micky Mantle road center field in the OLD stadium (not the renovated one they replaced) I was sad when I heard they were building a new one. But the renovated stadium was really decrepit…not a nice place at all.

This fight will be great for the Puerto Rican community. I wonder if some of the Yankees from PR will be there, but I suppose they’ll be on the road.

by FrankinDallas on Feb 19, 2010 7:17 PM EST reply actions

They’ll probably try to have Bernie Williams there.

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Feb 19, 2010 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe he’ll perform the anthem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxk2F1u9v4U

by taco pal on Feb 19, 2010 8:07 PM EST up reply actions

I was about to add, “Maybe he’ll do some of his boring ass elevator music.”

Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."

by Scott Christ on Feb 19, 2010 9:00 PM EST up reply actions

Yankee Stadium was amazing when I went this past summer… but it doesn’t match the epicness of Cowboys Stadium.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Feb 19, 2010 8:18 PM EST reply actions