Tickets to Manny Pacquiao’s April 14 fight against Jorge Solis in San Antonio, Texas are selling like hot cakes.
According to Bob Arum, chairman of Top Rank Promotions, the coming fight between the world’s most exciting boxer and the undefeated Mexican is bound to be another blockbuster.
“Our opening weekend sales nearly grossed $500,000,” said Arum. “Not only is Manny Pacquiao boxing’s pound-for-pound most exciting fighter, he is becoming boxing’s pound-for-pound most popular superstar.”
Ticket sales for the 12-rounder at the Alamodome started at 10 a.m. Saturday. By the end of Sunday it has emerged as the second-biggest opening weekend for a boxing event ever in San Antonio.
It has surpassed sales for Oscar de la Hoya’s welterweight title defense against David Kamau in 1997, and Pacquiao’s sensational knockout of Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003.
Only the classic welterweight clash between Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chaves in 1993 had a bigger opening weekend. And it’s no surprise that Pacquiao is coming in second.
Pacquiao, primed up for his first fight under Top Rank, is scheduled to fly to Los Angeles next week to continue training for his coming fight, his first since he demolished Mexican legend Erik Morales last November.
Pacquiao has been training in his hometown in Gen. Santos City for two weeks, but has been busier with politics as he has seriously considered running for Congress in the May 14 elections.
Tickets for the Pacquiao-Solis bout, priced at $300, $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35, are being sold at the Alamodome Box Office or through www.ticketmaster.com.
Pacquiao and Morales recorded one of the best trilogies of all time, with their own showdown drawing over one million pay-per-view sales.
