09-19-2017, 08:14 PM
UK promoter confirms only 5000 tickets sold for Joseph Parker's world title defence
The British promoters say Joseph Parker against Hughie Fury is "the best heavyweight fight out there" yet they have only sold 5000 tickets for it.
The British promoters of Joseph Parker's WBO world heavyweight title defence have conceded they have only sold 5000 tickets for this weekend's fight.
Parker takes on Hughie Fury in the 21,000 seater Manchester Arena on Sunday (NZT) and the impressive indoor stadium will be struggling to be anywhere near half full.
Hennessy Sports have blocked out the top tier of 9000 seats from the start of their ticket drive, a strange admission given the stature of the fight and the fact that Fury has home support, having grown up on the outskirts of the northern city.
It took a bizarre performance from Joseph Parker's promoter David Higgins (pointing finger) to snare some major headlines for the fight in Britain.
Hennessy Sports boss Mick Hennessy claims the main event doesn't warrant a full stadium.
"There's lots of fake news out there about tickets and stuff and everything that goes around it. We're not expecting to sell stadium out. Of course we're not. These are two young fighters making their name for the heavyweight world title," Hennessy said, seeming to ignore the fact that Parker already owns the belt, though this is his UK debut.
"We laid it out for 10,000, we've done 5000 and we're looking to try to get to as close to 10,000 as possible.
"That's not the point. These two young fighters will build their name in this fight and then everyone worldwide will know who they are."
Hennessy then seemed to contradict himself as he tried to talk up the actual fight night that will complement the company's "groundbreaking" move to broadcast it live on YouTube to areas outside New Zealand, Australia and Samoa where Parker's bosses at Duco Events hold the TV rights.
"We've got a brilliant world heavyweight fight, it's a 50-50 fight for anyone's money. Two young guns in their prime, modern day heavyweights, both big fighters and both putting undefeated records on the line.
"Is it the biggest fight out there commercially in the heavyweight division? No, we all know that. This is two young fighters trying to make their names and their legacies and they are about to do that.
"Is it the best heavyweight fight out there? Absolutely ... 100 per cent this is the best heavyweight fight out there. This is a fight where you don't know the result of this going into this fight."
Hennessy Sports have been roasted on social media for the fight's low profile.
Fury, who has fought six of his 20 professional fights offshore, struggled to explain his belated home debut.
"I don't know, I've been all round the world, everywhere but my home town. I've always wanted to fight there but for some reason every time I went to fight there it got cancelled," Fury told Stuff.
"Now it's going to be great to have such a big fight happen in my home town, I couldn't wish for a better opener. It's going to be good to get my home fans behind me."
The promotion has struggled for oxygen in the busy British fight scene and one that also has huge interest in the major international fights like the recent ones involving Connor McGregor against Floyd Mayweather and Gennady Golovkin against Canelo Alvarez.
It took a bizarre, and clearly premeditated, move from Parker's promoter David Higgins to breath some air into it.
Higgins' barnstorming appearance at the London press conference on Tuesday (NZT) captured instant local headlines as he was involved in a stand-up verbal stoush with Fury's father and trainer that eventually saw the Kiwi promoter taken away by security guards.
Higgins was protesting the appointment of English referee Terry O'Connor to control the fight with O'Connor having history with both Hughie Fury and his former world heavyweight champion cousin Tyson Fury.
- Stuff
The British promoters say Joseph Parker against Hughie Fury is "the best heavyweight fight out there" yet they have only sold 5000 tickets for it.
The British promoters of Joseph Parker's WBO world heavyweight title defence have conceded they have only sold 5000 tickets for this weekend's fight.
Parker takes on Hughie Fury in the 21,000 seater Manchester Arena on Sunday (NZT) and the impressive indoor stadium will be struggling to be anywhere near half full.
Hennessy Sports have blocked out the top tier of 9000 seats from the start of their ticket drive, a strange admission given the stature of the fight and the fact that Fury has home support, having grown up on the outskirts of the northern city.
It took a bizarre performance from Joseph Parker's promoter David Higgins (pointing finger) to snare some major headlines for the fight in Britain.
Hennessy Sports boss Mick Hennessy claims the main event doesn't warrant a full stadium.
"There's lots of fake news out there about tickets and stuff and everything that goes around it. We're not expecting to sell stadium out. Of course we're not. These are two young fighters making their name for the heavyweight world title," Hennessy said, seeming to ignore the fact that Parker already owns the belt, though this is his UK debut.
"We laid it out for 10,000, we've done 5000 and we're looking to try to get to as close to 10,000 as possible.
"That's not the point. These two young fighters will build their name in this fight and then everyone worldwide will know who they are."
Hennessy then seemed to contradict himself as he tried to talk up the actual fight night that will complement the company's "groundbreaking" move to broadcast it live on YouTube to areas outside New Zealand, Australia and Samoa where Parker's bosses at Duco Events hold the TV rights.
"We've got a brilliant world heavyweight fight, it's a 50-50 fight for anyone's money. Two young guns in their prime, modern day heavyweights, both big fighters and both putting undefeated records on the line.
"Is it the biggest fight out there commercially in the heavyweight division? No, we all know that. This is two young fighters trying to make their names and their legacies and they are about to do that.
"Is it the best heavyweight fight out there? Absolutely ... 100 per cent this is the best heavyweight fight out there. This is a fight where you don't know the result of this going into this fight."
Hennessy Sports have been roasted on social media for the fight's low profile.
Fury, who has fought six of his 20 professional fights offshore, struggled to explain his belated home debut.
"I don't know, I've been all round the world, everywhere but my home town. I've always wanted to fight there but for some reason every time I went to fight there it got cancelled," Fury told Stuff.
"Now it's going to be great to have such a big fight happen in my home town, I couldn't wish for a better opener. It's going to be good to get my home fans behind me."
The promotion has struggled for oxygen in the busy British fight scene and one that also has huge interest in the major international fights like the recent ones involving Connor McGregor against Floyd Mayweather and Gennady Golovkin against Canelo Alvarez.
It took a bizarre, and clearly premeditated, move from Parker's promoter David Higgins to breath some air into it.
Higgins' barnstorming appearance at the London press conference on Tuesday (NZT) captured instant local headlines as he was involved in a stand-up verbal stoush with Fury's father and trainer that eventually saw the Kiwi promoter taken away by security guards.
Higgins was protesting the appointment of English referee Terry O'Connor to control the fight with O'Connor having history with both Hughie Fury and his former world heavyweight champion cousin Tyson Fury.
- Stuff