With millions of sports fans around the world already excited about the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight on March 13, 2010, Araneta Coliseum owner Jorge “Nene” Araneta has expressed interest in hosting the classic fight here.
All Filipinos have a stake in this fight,” said Araneta, the dapper millionaire land developer who was at ringside during the unforgettable “Thrilla in Manila” held at the Big Dome in 1975. “So it is only fair that it be held here where even minimum wage earners can afford to watch their boxing hero in action,” added the Araneta Group’s chair and CEO.
During the Big Dome’s inaugural event on March 16, 1960, over 30,000 delighted spectators witnessed boxing great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde knock out then champion Harold Gomes of the United States in the seventh round of their world junior lightweight championship.
The price of a general admission ticket was only P0.60, a price which was very affordable then.
What followed was a succession of blockbuster boxing events, but one coliseum event that stood out was the “Thrilla in Manila” held on Oct. 1, 1975.
On that fateful day, legendary boxer Muhammad Ali successfully retained his world heavyweight crown against a fiercely determined Smokin’ Joe Frazier before a capacity hometown crowd and millions of television viewers around the world.
That title bout is now considered the greatest boxing match of all time and installed the Cubao coliseum as a major venue in the global arena.
The Big Dome is also the permanent home to the “Olympics of Cockfighting,” the World Slasher Cup hosted by the Pinkatasi of Champions and the Araneta Group, as well as the country’s most prestigious beauty contest, the annual Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
Known as the country’s mecca of sports and entertainment, the Big Dome is the centerpiece of the 35-hectare Araneta Center. It was here where Pacquiao won his first major boxing crown early in his checkered career.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20091217-242463/Pacquiao-Mayweather-at-Big-Dome
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