High Noon in Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
High Noon in Hong Kong was a World Boxing Organisation sanctioned boxing event, it was to feature 4 fights: a heavyweight title fight between Herbie Hide
and Tommy Morrison
; Steve Collins
versus American Lonnie Beasley for the WBO middleweight title; Billy Schwer
would challenge Rafael Ruelas
for the IBF lightweight title, plus Frank Bruno
versus Ray Mercer
in a non title fight in the Hong Kong Stadium
on 22 October 1994. It was cancelled at the last minute because of major financial problems.
, he met John Daly
, a Los Angeles-based Londoner, in June 1994, who asked him to provide boxers for the event. American boxing promoter Bob Arum
was providing Tommy Morrison
and Barry Hearn would provide Herbie Hide
and Steve Collins
. Mickey Duff
and Jarvis Astaire provided Frank Bruno
for a non-title fight with Ray Mercer
, as well as Billy Schwer for the IBF lightweight title challenge against Rafael Ruelas.
The four-fight High Noon show at the Hong Kong Stadium was offered as pay-per-view with a cash flow estimated at US$2.3 million, expected from the American public.
When the local bankers whom Daly thought had agreed to salvage the show refused to advance him a further US$771,000 against anticipated revenue from ticket sales and American pay-per-view subscriptions at US$25 each, Daly had no choice. He claimed that the boxers' purses were Arum's responsibility, which Arum did not agree with.
Daly had spent at least US$800,000 of his own money into it. 'My end of the deal was kept,' Daly argued. "I had to arrange the stadium, air fares and all the pre-fight promotional expenses, which I did, but the purses were not part of my obligation."
The 2,000-odd fight fans in Hong Kong who bought tickets, some worth a couple of thousand dollars, have yet to receive refunds a year later.
"To cancel a promotion just like that without consulting anyone is very serious. A lot of money has been going into this. Top Rank are big promoters and they should have dug deep in their pockets - they've made enough money out of fighters over the years."
"It's tough for all the fighters, and for the people who worked five days a week to afford to come over here and support us. It's disgusting. It's staggering."
Mickey Duff, who plans to sue Arum and Top Rank
on behalf of Bruno and Billy Schwer said: 'What kind of promoters are these? I've been in the business 45 years and I've never cancelled a show just because I was going to lose money. I'd rather cut my throat than do that.
Barry Hearn said, "But to be honest I was very pleased with myself in Hong Kong. I stood my ground. How many others would have?"
Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide is a British boxer of Nigerian heritage from Norwich currently fighting in the cruiserweight class...
and Tommy Morrison
Tommy Morrison
Tommy David Morrison is an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights. Morrison's nickname, "The Duke," is based on disputed claims that he is a grandnephew of Hollywood star John Wayne...
; Steve Collins
Steve Collins
Stephen Collins, more commonly known as Steve Collins, is a former professional boxer. Known as the "The Celtic Warrior", Collins is the former WBO middleweight and super middleweight champion....
versus American Lonnie Beasley for the WBO middleweight title; Billy Schwer
Billy Schwer
William Schwer , more commonly known as Billy Schwer, is a former professional boxer from Luton in Bedfordshire, England....
would challenge Rafael Ruelas
Rafael Ruelas
Rafael Ruelas is a former professional boxer. Ruelas was a very popular Mexican fighter, best known for his devastating knockout loss to Oscar De La Hoya; a loss which left Oscar somewhat scorned by the Mexican community due to his ruthless destruction of a hero.Shortly after a TKO in 10 over the...
for the IBF lightweight title, plus Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno
Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
versus Ray Mercer
Ray Mercer
"Merciless" Ray Mercer is an American professional boxer, former Olympic Gold Medalist and WBO heavyweight title holder who resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina...
in a non title fight in the Hong Kong Stadium
Hong Kong Stadium
Hong Kong Stadium is the main sports venue of Hong Kong. Redeveloped from the old Government Stadium it reincarnated as Hong Kong Stadium in 1994...
on 22 October 1994. It was cancelled at the last minute because of major financial problems.
Beginning
According to British sports promoter Barry HearnBarry Hearn
Barry Hearn is an English sporting events promoter, and the founder and chairman of promotions company Matchroom Sport. He is currently the chairman of Leyton Orient F.C., and the Professional Darts Corporation and was also until July 2010 chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker...
, he met John Daly
John Daly (producer)
John Daly was a British film producer.-Personal life:John Daly was born in South East London, a part of London which was badly bombed and damaged in World War II. He attended a Roman Catholic school. Daly was father to Jenny, Michael, Julian, and Timothy...
, a Los Angeles-based Londoner, in June 1994, who asked him to provide boxers for the event. American boxing promoter Bob Arum
Bob Arum
Robert "Bob" Arum is the founder and CEO of Top Rank, a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas. He also worked for the US Attorney's Office for the southern district of New York in the tax division....
was providing Tommy Morrison
Tommy Morrison
Tommy David Morrison is an American heavyweight boxer and a former World Boxing Organization champion. He lost only three out of a total of 52 professional fights. Morrison's nickname, "The Duke," is based on disputed claims that he is a grandnephew of Hollywood star John Wayne...
and Barry Hearn would provide Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide is a British boxer of Nigerian heritage from Norwich currently fighting in the cruiserweight class...
and Steve Collins
Steve Collins
Stephen Collins, more commonly known as Steve Collins, is a former professional boxer. Known as the "The Celtic Warrior", Collins is the former WBO middleweight and super middleweight champion....
. Mickey Duff
Mickey Duff
Mickey Duff born 7 June 1929 in Krakow, Poland is a former British boxer, manager and promoter.Born Monek Prager in Krakow, Poland. His rabbi father saw the rise of the German Nazi party, so the family parents emigrated to England in the late 1930s.Having turned professional as a boxer illegally...
and Jarvis Astaire provided Frank Bruno
Frank Bruno
Franklin Roy Bruno MBE is an English former boxer whose career highlight was winning the WBC Heavyweight championship in 1995. Altogether, he won 40 of his 45 contests...
for a non-title fight with Ray Mercer
Ray Mercer
"Merciless" Ray Mercer is an American professional boxer, former Olympic Gold Medalist and WBO heavyweight title holder who resides in Fayetteville, North Carolina...
, as well as Billy Schwer for the IBF lightweight title challenge against Rafael Ruelas.
The four-fight High Noon show at the Hong Kong Stadium was offered as pay-per-view with a cash flow estimated at US$2.3 million, expected from the American public.
Cancellation
Barry Hearn withdrew his boxers, Herbie Hide and Steve Collins, when their purse guarantees were not in place by the deadline of 5.30pm local time on Saturday. Bob Arum was the event's nominal promoter but refused to come up with the cash to save it. Daly tried to raise the money which, according to Arum, was around US$2m.When the local bankers whom Daly thought had agreed to salvage the show refused to advance him a further US$771,000 against anticipated revenue from ticket sales and American pay-per-view subscriptions at US$25 each, Daly had no choice. He claimed that the boxers' purses were Arum's responsibility, which Arum did not agree with.
Daly had spent at least US$800,000 of his own money into it. 'My end of the deal was kept,' Daly argued. "I had to arrange the stadium, air fares and all the pre-fight promotional expenses, which I did, but the purses were not part of my obligation."
The 2,000-odd fight fans in Hong Kong who bought tickets, some worth a couple of thousand dollars, have yet to receive refunds a year later.
Responses
Frank Bruno said: 'I feel very let down by Bob Arum and the promoters. They were supposed to be top professionals, the creme de la creme. I thought they were the business, but to be quite honest they've been unprofessional, totally unprofessional.""To cancel a promotion just like that without consulting anyone is very serious. A lot of money has been going into this. Top Rank are big promoters and they should have dug deep in their pockets - they've made enough money out of fighters over the years."
"It's tough for all the fighters, and for the people who worked five days a week to afford to come over here and support us. It's disgusting. It's staggering."
Mickey Duff, who plans to sue Arum and Top Rank
Top Rank Boxing
Top Rank, Inc. is a Las Vegas based boxing promotion company founded by Jabir Herbert Muhammad and Bob Arum, which was incorporated in 1973. Since its founding, the company has promoted several world class fighters, such as Muhammad Ali, JI Penalver, Oscar De La Hoya, Roberto Durán, Joe Frazier,...
on behalf of Bruno and Billy Schwer said: 'What kind of promoters are these? I've been in the business 45 years and I've never cancelled a show just because I was going to lose money. I'd rather cut my throat than do that.
Barry Hearn said, "But to be honest I was very pleased with myself in Hong Kong. I stood my ground. How many others would have?"