3-day boxing spectacular
Oct. 2-4 at the Paris Las Vegas
June 22, 2009
LAS VEGAS (June 22, 2009) – The age-old
question about who the all-time greatest boxers are will soon be
answered thanks to The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer promotion, presented
by Greatest Ever Enterprises. Muhammad Ali was the self-proclaimed
Greatest. Was it really Ali or Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie
Pep, or Henry Armstrong? How about modern day boxers such as Joe
Calzaghe, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. or Manny Pacquiao?
On-line voting at GreatestEver.com allows boxing fans from around the
world to weigh in on the greatest boxer in each of the original eight
weight classes from, heavyweight to flyweight, highlighted by the
all-time pound-for-pound “Greatest Ever”.
A nominations committee of boxing experts leads the debate and selection
of the boxers. Upon reading a consensus, the nominated boxers will be
put forward to a global public vote.
The nominations committee is comprised of Thomas Hauser (boxing
journalist and award winning Muhammad Ali biographer), Al Bernstein
(broadcaster and boxing analyst), Colin Hart (UK’s leading boxing
reporter), Jean-Philippe Lustyk (head of boxing for pan-European sports
channel Eurosport) and Ron Borges (boxing journalist and Hall of Fame
committee member).
“We’re asking ourselves what it means for a fighter to be regarded as
‘great’,” said Thomas Hauser. “In making my decisions, I’m looking at
each fighter’s record, his record against other elite fighters, and his
impact on the sport. Other jurors might have different criteria or use
the same criteria with different results. Many outstanding fighters
won’t be on the final nominations list. We expect discussion and debate.
But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?”
Legendary TV presenter Al Bernstein and host of the Greatest Ever Awards
night, proclaims, “I am delighted to be a part of this. We now live in
an age where this kind of public participation and debate is possible.
For the first time we are going to know what boxing fans around the
world really think. It will be fascinating to see how they weigh-in with
their votes. This program is a celebration of our sport and our great
fighters. It is an appropriate time to remember them and what they have
achieved.”
Judging is expected to be complete and the nominees’ names released on
Wednesday June 24th.
HOLMES, DURAN and HEARNS CONFIRM ATTENDANCE
World Boxing legends Larry Holmes, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns are
the first fighters to confirm they will be in Las Vegas for the Greatest
Ever weekend of events. All nominated fighters will be invited to attend
once the nominees have been released by the nominations committee.
“This is going to be a great weekend,” said former world heavyweight
champion Larry Holmes. “I don’t know if I have been nominated yet but I
fully expect to be. My record stands up to anyone’s and you have to look
at the quality of the guys I fought. I think the fight publically
recognizes that I am one of the ‘Greatest Ever’ and I hope they will
vote for me. But more importantly, this is a celebration of all our
achievements and the sport of boxing.”
“There is no sport tougher than boxing and there is no sport with so
many globally known athletes. I want to be in the same place with all
these other great fighters. This isn’t going to happen again. This is
special and we realize that.”
GREATEST EVER WEEKEND OF EVENTS
Boxing fans attending the festivities will be able to celebrate, up
close and personal, the achievements of the World’s Greater Ever Boxers.
A three-day boxing spectacular is planned Oct. 2-4 at Paris Las Vegas,
commencing with an official welcome reception and official weigh in for
the following evening’s professional boxing show, presented by Sterling
Promotions, featuring Team USA versus Team Europe, and capped by an
exclusive after party. The event culminates Sunday with The Greater Ever
black-tie awards dinner, featuring some of the greatest boxers ever, as
well as world-class entertainment, and then an exclusive after party.
Don Ross, Vice President of Conventions, Catering and Events for Harrahs
Entertainment (parent organization of Paris Las Vegas) states, “We are
delighted that Greatest Ever is coming to Paris Las Vegas. The resort is
a perfect location, in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, to bring
together this renowned group of athletes. This is truly a
once-in-a-lifetime weekend with the legends.”
The Retired Boxers Foundation (RBF) is the official charity for The
World’s Greatest Ever Boxer. Greatest Ever will run a number of special
initiatives with RBF, the only charitable beneficiary of the promotion,
in conjunction with the event weekend as well as other
soon-to-be-announced programs. RBD assists retired professional boxers
in the transition from their days in the ring to dignified retirement,
helping those suffering from alcohol and substance abuse problems,
homelessness and effects of pugilistic dementia.
Four ticket packages are on sale for the Oct. 2-4 weekend’s events
through agents at the following numbers: North America – The Sports
Alliance (914.941.366); United Kingdom and Europe – Rock Solid Events
(UK: 0845 0945 606, Outside UK: +44 845 0945 606; Australasia – Events
Worldwide Travel Group (Australia: 1300 788 666, Outside Australia: +61
3 5989 7666).
The event-only packages are as follows (all prices USD): Super VIP
($2,500), Platinum ($1,900), VIP ($1,400) and Gold ($1,115). The Super
VIP, Platinum and VIP packages have a number or premiums in addition to
those detailed in the Gold (welcome function, weigh-in, Greatest Ever
poker tournament, exclusive Paris Las Vegas gaming area, exclusive
memorabilia, movie screenings, access to Greatest Ever dedicated gaming
areas and VIP bar, media and legends signings, general seating for the
fights and at the awards dinner). Regional agents can provide additional
premiums for individual packages. Source/PR - Bob Trieger
