Vol. 4, No. 11, November 2007
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Fight of the Year
Pavlik-Taylor bout recalls Atlantic City’s glory days
That was never more evident than in Kelly Pavlik’s magical come-from-behind victory over Jermain Taylor at Boardwalk Hall September 29. Almost certain to lose on points, Pavlik suddenly knocked out the previously undefeated middleweight champion.
It was one of the most dramatic turnarounds in Atlantic City’s fight history, and it altered the landscapes of boxing and HBO. The fight lasted seven rounds and produced a soap-opera twist. Let’s examine seven scenarios and how major players were affected, in As The Ring Turns.
ROUND ONE
Gaming in general. The Atlantic City casino industry loves a downtown special event, drawing more than 10,000 fans. Pavlik-Taylor produced a strong revenue weekend, bolstered by more than 5,000 Youngstown, Ohio fans who drove here to back Pavlik. His sudden turnaround ensured another trip for them and a future lucrative weekend for the city. Eastern Ohio suddenly advanced beyond secondary market status. It approaches prime-market identity for major events. Perhaps the Atlantic 10 will cross-promote to find boxing fans who love basketball for the March 2008 tournament here.
Implication: Had Pavlik lost—a probability throughout the bout—this would have been a one-time special event. Now he figures to return. For the industry, millions turned on the momentum shift.
ROUND TWO
Bally’s, Trump and Caesars. Midtown establishments prosper handsomely from Boardwalk Hall events. Customers spill into their properties first. They obtain substantial revenue increase for a small investment. Bally’s bankrolled this event and took the initial risk, but outgoing chief executive Ken Condon figured the attendance would essentially cover the site fee for staging the event. He was right. It became a financial knockout.
Condon believes Pavlik, a well-spoken, humble personality, could trigger revenue results similar to Arturo Gatti. That Jersey City financial pied piper retired this summer after waging nine blockbuster events here in five years.
“Kelly is very similar to Arturo,” Condon observes. “He spent the whole evening after the fight at Bally’s signing autographs. He was very appreciative of his fan base. Kelly is somebody the people can rally around.”
I mplication: More than other properties, midtown casinos may have another big score handed to them.
ROUND THREE
Condon. The face of Atlantic City boxing sent shock waves through the industry by announcing his intention to step down at the end of the year. Condon, the first-ever Atlantic City casino host, worked his way up through the marketing/public-relations door to become a highly respected casino president. He purchased, by one account, 18 of the last 19 major boxing events in Atlantic City. Promoters, networks and the boxing commission all enjoyed Bally’s annual July and January blowouts. The January special event always boosted revenues during a dry period.
Long faces around ringside coincided with his coming departure. Shortly afterward, however, Condon indicated he plans to stay around boxing.
“I’m not looking at it as my last fight,” Condon says. “I want to somehow or other stay involved, not turn my back. I feel I owe it to boxing fans who have supported our events so well over the years. The word ‘retirement’ is not in my vocabulary. I’m 52 and have been going six, seven days a week for the last 30 years. I want to chill out, take some trips with my wife and then see what happens.”
Condon did not rule out being a chief executive once again, or even serving as a consultant. At this life juncture, he has the luxury of choice.
Implication: For boxing fans, that’s like hearing about negotiations for another year of their favorite series.
ROUND FOUR
Home Box Office. The network loves to develop new stars. Taylor, though likeable, had been less than exciting in his last four bouts. Pavlik was the draw in this bout, giving HBO an unexpected interest in the outcome. Pavlik scored the storybook knockout, expressed all the right humility afterwards and has become a hot item. Implication: He gave the network at least another year to showcase a new face. ROUND FIVE Jermain Taylor. The pride of Little Rock, Arkansas ended Bernard Hopkins’ record of 20 middleweight title defenses. Then he beat Hopkins again, gained a draw against Winky Wright and scored a controversial decision over Cory Spinks. Each win resembled a successful number being rolled on a craps table. Each victory brought an increased purse for the next fight.
Implication: Pavlik delivered him a seven-out, cutting short the increase in paydays. The seven-out metaphor eventually hits every fighter, but hopefully the individual has prospered. Taylor maximized his hot roll and left the table with a substantial amount of chips.
ROUND SIX
Kelly Pavlik. His victory was the stuff of dreams. He was down in round 2, and two punches away from being knocked out. Pavlik was fortunate to have a patient referee in Steve Smoger, who allowed him to keep fighting. Many referees would have stopped the fight in the second round. “That’s absolutely true,” Smoger says. “But those punches never came.” Pavlik regained focus and overcame a substantial deficit in beating Taylor. He would not have won a decision, making the big turnaround more gratifying.
Implication: Suddenly, his paydays will rocket. The longer he stays on the roll, the richer he will become. The rally from near-certain defeat to victory will probably make a millionaire.
ROUND SEVEN
The future. Condon expressed hope that Las Vegas-based Top Rank Inc. will continue developing East Coast fighters and ensure more events like this.
Borgata beams a ray of sunshine to boxing fans November 17. It hosts HBO’s After Dark series with Joan Guzman facing Humberto Soto for the WBO super featherweight championship. Borgata certainly has the deep pockets that Bally’s has flashed over the past several years. It became the first property to host a major midtown bout with Bernard Hopkins’ June 2006 event against Antonio Tarver. Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya became the prime force behind Borgata’s involvement in boxing.
Now come the questions. Will Borgata perceive a power vacuum in Atlantic City and pursue future events? Will the Harrah’s merger process force Atlantic City to pass on some other mega-bouts? How soon will Pavlik return here? Will Atlantic City suffer a boxing slump, only to reach a new Pinnacle in 2011?
The decision-makers have a lot to uncover. Writers are preparing their scripts. Stay tuned to As The Ring Turns.
