King prepares St. Louis for its time in boxing spotlight

ST. LOUIS -- Don King was in town Tuesday to prepare St. Louis for something unusual: a world championship boxing match.

"The spirit of St. Louis is alive and kicking," King said. "St. Louis has been resurrected today. We are coming here to demonstrate America at its best."

King dominated a news conference that lasted more than one hour with a cockeyed, rambling oratory that touched on St. Louis history, world wars and whatever else popped into his head. He called Cory Spinks, who will defend his IBF, WBA and WBC welterweight championships in the Feb. 5 event, a hometown hero.

Spinks is the son of Leon and the nephew of Michael, both heavyweight champions who moved away from St. Louis when they achieved boxing success. Cory Spinks, who intends to stay in St. Louis, has been training in town since November for the fight.

"The new generation chooses St. Louis," King said. "No matter what you do to tantalize him, to induce him, to bribe him, to tempt him, he says 'Get thee behind me, Satan.'

"If he can continue to win, he will continue to be ingrained indelibly in the sands of time in St. Louis."

Spinks, 34-2 with 11 knockouts, will face Zab Judah, of Brooklyn, N.Y., in a rematch of their April 10 fight in Las Vegas. Spinks and manager Kevin Cunningham pressed for St. Louis, which will host its first major boxing event in more than 40 years.

"It's like a dream come true, fighting in my hometown," Spinks said.

Both fighters spoke at a podium just in front of the ring at the Savvis Center. To start the news conference they emerged, King between them, in a cloud of dry ice.

King said he's working on bringing a another fight to St. Louis in early March -- a heavyweight title fight between Andrew Golota and Lamon Brewster.