By Dawn Bryant, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Nov. 21--Boxing is coming to the beach, giving the newly formed Sports Council its first major victory.
Explosive Sports of Atlanta will bring a series of fights to the Crown Reef Resort and Conference Center starting Dec. 9. Others are scheduled for Jan. 13, March 3, May 10 and June 16, said Gary Wilson, president of Explosive Sports.
December's main, eight-round event will feature U.S. Boxing Association Heavyweight Champ Don Steele and Giles Knox.
January's event will feature Antonio Tarver, '96 Olympic medalist, and Christy Martin.
'Fight Night at the Beach' is the first triumph for the Myrtle Beach Sports Council, which formed in April to attract events and fans' dollars, especially during the off-season.
Locals don't know how much of an economic boost the bouts will bring, but they welcome television exposure. The May and June fights will air on ESPN and pay-per-view, Wilson said.
'Certainly it should bring more attention to the area,' the council's John Reyelt said. 'We're psyched.'
Youth tournaments, lacrosse, archery and even bridge clubs are possibilities the council is pursuing, he said. At least six groups are expected next year. The council also is trying to bring in interns and hire a staff, Reyelt said.
'People are starting to look at Myrtle Beach. It will eventually build up,' he said.
Explosive Sports has arranged events in its hometown of Atlanta and in the Carolinas. Myrtle Beach lured the company with its reputation as an entertainment spot, said Wilson, who was a lifeguard here in the 1970s.
'It is a great place for diversity and variety,' he said. 'I think it is going to work really well.'
Tickets, from $30 general admission to $100 premium, will go on sale two weeks before each boxing event at the Crown Reef.
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(c) 2001, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
