TATE’S FIGHT BITE
BRISSY PULLS BOUT MONEY
THE Gold Coast is still a contender for Jeff Horn-Manny Pacquiao II, with Mayor Tom Tate prepared to seek council financial backing to get it here.
Brisbane’s Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has decided to pull his council’s funding for the blockbuster rematch until Pacquiao officially signs up for it.
The decision has caught the fight’s promoters Duco Events by surprise and is seen as a blow to Brisbane’s prospects for hosting the bout. It could play into the Gold Coast’s favour where Robina’s Cbus Super Stadium has been booked by Duco as a back-up.
In the wake of Mayor Quirk’s decision, Cr Tate told the Bulletin last night: “I still get the sense the promoter is shadow-boxing with Brisbane City Council for a better stadium deal but if we are genuinely in the mix, I’d be more than willing to seek council financial support to get the rematch here.”
Cr Quirk said he was disappointed that organisers had not secured the Filipino for a November rematch and that venues such as the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne had been talked about.
“I need to know we definitely have a fighter coming from the Philippines to fight Brisbane’s world champion Jeff Horn and I need to know that fighter is Manny Pacquiao,” he said. “I’m not going to shadow box the fight promoters.
“We don’t know at this time and I’m withdrawing any financial support until Manny fronts up and tells us his intentions.”
It is understood the council put in about $1.7 million to the first Battle of Brisbane in July.