Singapore welcomes return of big fight night

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - World championship boxing returned to Singapore after a 17-year absence at the weekend and the success of the event was a testament to the determination of promoter John Leung to rejuvenate the sport in the city-state.

Dondon Sultan of the Philippines outpointed Eddie Delic of Australia on Saturday to lift the vacant World Boxing Foundation (WBF) welterweight crown, capping an entertaining evening of action that could become a regular feature on the island's sporting calendar.

The fight was hastily arranged and had no sponsorship or live television coverage but Leung was delighted that a sellout crowd of more than 1,000 crammed into the makeshift arena at the Suntec Convention Center and created an atmosphere worthy of a world title fight.

Singapore was known as Asia's "Mecca of Boxing" in the 1940s and 50s but the sport's local decline left the island without a professional pugilist for almost 40 years.

With two local fighters -- one making his debut -- on the undercard and rave reviews from WBF president Mike Croucher, the packed crowd and the Singapore media, Leung's tentative first step into the world of boxing promotion could prove to be a masterstroke.

"There has always been a heritage of professional and amateur boxing in Singapore but the sport went underground in the 1960s because of the Entertainments Act at the time," Leung told Reuters.

REAL GAP

"But there's a real gap in the market now for Singapore as an entertainment hub for the region and as the island develops in this area boxing is an integral part of the package."

Born in Manchester of Hong Kong Chinese parents, Leung moved to Asia to discover his roots and from working in marketing in the entertainment industry to joining his Singapore-born wife's events organizing company full-time this year. His decision to bring boxing to Singapore was a gamble he was prepared to take.

"Gamble" is very much the buzzword in the Singapore these days as the country prepares for the opening of two casinos in 2009 and Leung knows that they represent huge potential for further promotions.

"To me it's not just about Singapore, it's about the region. However, Singapore does have the potential to become the Monte Carlo of the area," Leung added.

"I am not saying it should be like Las Vegas...it will be a cleaner, safer place to be and I hope professional boxers from all over the world will come and grace these shores.

"The facilities and infrastructure are brilliant and the fiscal regulations are great as well."

IDEAL PLACE

Leung said that despite Singapore's stringent rules and regulations he had opted to organize his first event here as it was an ideal place to counter any negativity surrounding the sport regarding corruption.

"We were only given permission in September to do this, so it was difficult," Leung added.

"Finding a venue was tough as well as it's difficult to secure a downtown arena that can hold a lot of people.

"We also decided that the public deserved to see it as it was, a world title fight, and opted against making it a corporate event, requiring a bigger audience.

"The lack of branding is rather refreshing."

With the backing of the Sports Council of Singapore, Leung hopes to gain sponsors and live television coverage for future events.

Saturday's initial foray was well received. The mix of expatriates and locals attending were treated to some high-class boxing that often had them roaring on their feet and moved Croucher to remark it was the best night of boxing he had witnessed as WBF president.

Leung would one day love to bring Asia's leading boxer, Filipino super featherweight Manny Pacquaio, to Singapore to top the bill.

"I would put it on as a pay-per-view on a Sunday afternoon, so we could satisfy the U.S. market yet make it available for the Philippines," he said.

"We would fill the indoor stadium without a shadow of a doubt -- it would be a huge event, exactly the sort of thing we are aiming to achieve."