By Jay C. Grelen, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
May 24--A dispute between boxing promoters has scuttled Myrtle Beach's chance at national exposure on a premium sports channel, at least for now.
Promoter Bobby Mitchell accepted $50,000 from the city of Myrtle Beach to bring in a June 7 double-header that ESPN would broadcast.
But the disagreement with former boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard prompted Leonard's company to move the fights to Arizona.
Mitchell, a Columbia promoter, has sued Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing for breach of contract.
'There's not going to be a fight,' said John Reyelt of the Myrtle Beach Area Sports Council.
'We're hoping that some dialogue ... will get things back on track.
We'll either have a fight or return the money, that's my goal.
'Bobby Mitchell gave our money to Sugar Ray Leonard Boxing. ...
Bobby Mitchell owes the city of Myrtle Beach $50,000.' Mitchell, who did not return calls to The Sun News, is under indictment in Nevada on charges that he fixed fights to enhance the career of boxer Richie Melito.
The indictment, handed down in August 2001, alleges that starting in March 1995, Mitchell, boxer Thomas Williams and unnamed others in professional boxing bribed other fighters to lose to Melito.
On Aug. 12, 2000, the indictment alleges, Williams took a dive in his fight with Melito 2 1/2 minutes into the first round.
The two counts in the indictment are conspiracy to commit sports bribery, and sports bribery and attempt to commit sports bribery.
It is not clear whether Mitchell's legal trouble played a part in the cancellation of the fight.
Local organizers are saying little about the dispute in fear that they might jeopardize the chance for a later fight.
'I'm hoping that I can have positive news after the week end,' Reyalt said Thursday.
The match was to have been held outdoors on Ocean Boulevard, beside Crown Reef Resort.
'It's all about marketing exposure,' said Wood Crosby, president of Jordan Properties, which manages Crown Reef.
'It's a golden opportunity.' The local promoters raised $50,000 from the city of Myrtle Beach, which used money from accommodations tax revenue.
They also raised at least $25,000 from private investors, Reyelt said.
During City Council discussion of the proposal in the spring, Mayor Mark McBride opposed the idea.
'We don't do boxing,' he said. 'I don't think it complements our image.' Reyalt still thinks the fight would be good for the area.
'That money was an investment in promotion and advertising ...,' he said. 'You can't buy that kind of advertising for those kinds of dollars.' But the city wants what it paid for.
'If the city's not going to [have] an event,' said city spokesman Mark Kruea, 'the city expects to get its money back.'
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(c) 2002, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
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