Spinks fight is sellout, may break all-time indoor record

ST. LOUIS -- Cory Spinks' hometown fight has turned out to be a lot more of a drawing card than promoters envisioned.

Spinks' welterweight title rematch against Zab Judah on Saturday night is a sellout, with a total attendance of more than 22,000 expected. That makes for the largest total crowd at an indoor arena in the history of boxing, promoters said.

"That's the greatest thing any promoter could hope for," promoter Don King said at a news conference on Thursday. "If the light ain't shining in St. Louis, it ain't shining nowhere."

Paid attendance for Saturday's bout is expected to be 20,655, with an overall capacity of 22,050. Additional seats could be added, and official attendance figures will be released after the fight.

According to promoters, the record for the highest overall attendance at an indoor arena was Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks with 21,785 at the Atlantic City Convention Center on June 28, 1988. The record paid attendance was 20,455 for Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 8, 1971.

Dennis Petrullo, general manager of the Savvis Center, said he'd have been happy with a crowd of 14,000 or 15,000 considering St. Louis hasn't hosted a major fight in more than 40 years.

Spinks, son of former heavyweight champion Leon Spinks, grew up on St. Louis' rough north side and still lives in the area. Spinks and his trainer, Dennis Cunningham, have long wanted a fight in the city. Spinks wore a Redd Foxx T-shirt, honoring another St. Louis-born personality, at the news conference.

"It's just a blessing to finally come here and defend my title," Spinks said. "I'd like to thank Zab for coming here and taking this risk."

Spinks, who decisioned Judah in April in Las Vegas, said he'll win the battle of left-handers again. Spinks is 34-2 with 11 knockouts; Judah, who has won two fights since the loss to Spinks, is 32-2 with 23 knockouts and is a former junior welterweight champion.

"I'm not the champion for nothing. I'm not ready to lose my belt," Spinks said. "I've trained very hard and I'm ready to go in there and do my thing."

This came after some tough talk from Judah, who knocked down Spinks in the 12th and final round of the first meeting. In typical overstatement, King characterized Judah, of Brooklyn, N.Y., as an imposing invader along the likes of Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great and Darth Vadar.

"This is the Show-Me State and I'm coming to show you I am the best pound-for-pound fighter," Judah said. "When I'm at my 'A' game, there's nothing you can do to touch me or stop me.

"Cory, he had his reign. It's a new year and it's time for a change."

The fighters on the undercard, heavyweights Monte "Two Gunz" Barrett and Owen "What the Heck" Beck, were perhaps even more entertaining at Thursday's news conference. Barrett, 30-3 with 16 knockouts, is ranked No. 3 in the WBC; Beck is 24-0 with 18 knockouts.

"I'm going to let him live in the glory, because it's going to be his last," Barrett said. "I'm going to put Beck to sleep so we can go on to bigger and better things."

Barrett then yammered from the microphone in front of his seat on the dais while Beck had his turn at the podium.

"I'm not here to talk junk," Beck said. "I'm just going to break it down."