Monday, it was announced that the Sept. 19 bout between Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquezwill be shown in more than 170 theaters nationwide (suggested price: $12.50 to $15) in addition to HBO-Pay Per-View ($49.95).
“The young audience, they don’t want to stay at home. They don’t want to go to a bar,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, who struck the arrangement with National CineMedia’s Fathom and insists this move will not hurt pay-per-view sales. “This is going to open up the sport of boxing to a new and young audience.”
Trailers will begin running for four weeks leading up to the bout. The entire card, which is shaping up to be one of the year’s best, will be shown from MGM Grand in Las Vegas. That includes a rematch between featherweight titlist Chris John and Rocky Juarez; former lineal welterweight champion Zab Judah vs. Antonio Diaz; former lightweight world title challenger Michael Katsidis vs. Vicente Escobedo.
Although Schaefer said the last fight shown via broad closed circuit in the U.S. was Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran II in 1980, Oscar De La Hoya‘s first bout vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, promoted by Top Rank Inc. in 1996, was exclusively shown in theaters — not pay-per-view. Leonard’s superfight with Marvelous Marvin Hagler in 1987 was on closed circuit as well, but in the ’80s those fights occurred on Monday nights. Putting Mayweather-Marquez on closed circuit on a Saturday night, however, is unique.
“We’re clearly expecting this to be trememdously successful,” said Dan Diamond, vice present of Fathom, who anticipates. “I’m already gearing up conversations for the next one.”
Theater tickets can be purchased at fathomevents.com.
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