BEACH READY TO RUMBLE
Boxing bigwig Lonergan says we shall host title fight on the sand
Boxing promoter Dean Lonergan wants to bring a world title fight to Surfers Paradise – complete with Meter Maids as ring girls.
A MAJOR boxing promoter wants to bring a world title fight to Surfers Paradise beach – complete with Meter Maids as ring girls.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is right behind the radical plan by Duco Events director and boxing promoter Dean Lonergan, telling him to present it to council for support.
Mr Lonergan, instrumental in bringing legend Manny Pacquaio to Brisbane to fight Jeff Horn this year, says he has measured Surfers beachfront and it is more than big enough.
Mr Lonergan said he would talk to authorities about supporting two Gold Coast options – a stadium bout or a beachfront fight night with a three-sided set-up showing off the ocean, beach and skyline.
“We are very serious about it. I don’t know that it has been done anywhere in the world,” he said. “I’ve been down and measured between the Surfers Esplanade and at high tide, there is about 80 metres.
“That is going to be plenty of room. I would love to talk to the Mayor about the possibility of doing something like that on the Gold Coast.”
Mayor Tate said the council would liaise with Gold Coast Tourism to gauge the likely audience, a starting point for any funding support.
“Let’s get ready to rumble. Dean – you’ve come to the right place. Put your proposal together and bring it to us for consideration,” Cr Tate said.
Mr Lonergan, an ex-Kiwi rugby league international, said he had priced open-air structures with three sides, leaving a backdrop view towards the beach and skyline.
“It’s got to be open-air so you can take in the beautiful sight that is the Coast.
“There is no point doing something on the beach and doing something really different if your main camera shot is not capturing amazing views of the background.”
Using Meter Maids as ring girls would be an “absolute must”. “If we are going to go on the beach, you couldn’t do it without them.”
Mr Lonergan said Gold Coast super middleweight Rohan Murdock had a threefight deal building up to a world title shot late next year. That would be the bout he would target for the beach.
Queensland Tourism Minster Kate Jones said veteran US boxing promoter Bob Arum, who helped bring Pacquiao to Brisbane, had told her Murdock was a great talent with a big future.
“It would be fantastic if Rohan Murdock could have the opportunity Jeff Horn had