Spinks vs. Judah II Breaks Boxing Attendance Record

ST. LOUIS—History will be made on Saturday when a sold-out crowd of over 22,000 people will pack Savvis Center—the most people to ever witness a boxing match at an indoor arena other than a domed stadium—for Spinks vs. Judah II: Arch Rivals… Meet Me in St. Louis, which is being broadcast on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Promoter Don King, who has made a career of making and breaking incredible records, said this event will rank among his finest.

“I named this fight ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ and what a meeting it will be,” an ebullient King said after learning the event had sold out.  “I applaud St. Louisans for getting behind their hometown hero Cory Spinks and Zab Judah to make history.”

Savvis Center Senior Vice President and General Manager Dennis Petrullo has been delighted by the response to the event, especially with the loss of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues in his arena this year.

“Savvis Center would like to thank St. Louis for demonstrating that they support quality sporting events and have embraced this match in record numbers,” Petrullo said.

Don King Productions staff members contacted numerous boxing venues and historians of the sport this week in an effort to give historical perspective to Spinks vs. Judah II as it approached record-setting attendance numbers for a match in an indoor arena.

The research indicates Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden on March 8, 1971, held the record for paid attendance at an indoor arena at 20,455 while the record-holder for highest overall attendance at an indoor arena was Mike Tyson vs. Michaels Spinks with 21,785 at the Atlantic City Convention Center on June 28, 1988.

Paid attendance for Saturday’s match will be 20,655 and the overall capacity at the event will be 22,050. Official attendance figures, which could go even higher if additional seats are added, will be released after the event.

Cory Spinks vs. Zab Judah is on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005. In the co-feature, Owen “What The Heck” Beck faces Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett in a 12-round heavyweight elimination bout. SHOWTIME will televise the doubleheader at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).