PHILADELPHIA ADDS THIRD OLYMPIC RELATED EVENT AS USA BOXING BATTLES PUERTO RICO AT LIACOURAS CENTER AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ON APRIL 26

(Philadelphia, PA --- March 4, 2008) National Teams from the United States and Puerto Rico will convene in the boxing Mecca of Philadelphia for an Olympic-style boxing dual at the Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University on Saturday, April 26 at 7 p.m. “U.S.A. vs. Puerto Rico: World Dual Boxing” will feature top boxers from both teams for an international event, as the two nations prepare for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Tickets at $17, $22, $47, and $67 are on sale now at ComcastTIX.com, 1-800-298-4200, the Liacouras Center Box Office, or select ACME locations.

The World Dual Boxing marks the third Olympic related affair for the City of Philadelphia in 2008. Global Spectrum, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment firm Comcast-Spectacor, worked closely with the City of Philadelphia in securing two 2008 Olympic related events for facilities they operate in Philadelphia. In addition to U.S.A. vs. Puerto Rico at the Liacouras Center, Global Spectrum's flagship arena, the Wachovia Center, will host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Gymnastics from June 19-22, 2008. Philadelphia was also the host to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Table Tennis at Drexel University from January 10-13.

“The U.S. National Team has had a strong rivalry with Puerto Rico for years,” said USA Boxing CEO Jim Millman. “This event will preview many of the top contenders in Beijing, and promises to be a night of outstanding competition.”

“These type of high profile events put our venues in the national and international spotlight,” said Global Spectrum Chief Operating Officer John Page. “By continuing to lure these Olympic-type events, we, along with the City of Philadelphia, are putting ourselves in a terrific position to possibly host an Olympics.”

“An international event like the US vs Puerto Rico dual will help to raise Philadelphia’s profile as a premier Olympic sports town and further solidify our reputation as a world-class city,” said Joseph M. Torsella, co-chairman, Philadelphia Olympic & International Sports Project, an initiative of the Philadelphia Sports Congress. “Combined with Table Tennis and Gymnastics Olympic Trials, this event adds to the number of athletes whose Road to Beijing will go through Philadelphia.”

The competition at the Liacouras Center will showcase many of future Olympians who will vie for Gold when the Olympic Games start on 8/8/08. The Philadelphia event will feature two-time Olympian and 2007 World Champion Rau’shee Warren of Cincinnati, Ohio, who will represent the United States in Beijing as the first US Boxer since Davey Lee Armstrong in 1976 to compete in two Olympic Games.

The pride of Puerto Rico and Pan American Games gold medalist, McWilliams Arroyo will represent his country in Beijing and will battle the U.S. in the world dual event in Philadelphia. Arroyo defeated Warren in a previous bout at the light flyweight division and both have moved up to the flyweight division for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The United States is enjoying a resurgence in amateur boxing, and is currently ranked second in the world based upon their finish at the 2007 World Championships in Chicago, Ill. Puerto Rico and the United States last faced off in head-to-head dual action in May 2004, as the two nations battled prior to the 2004 Olympic Games.

For information on Philadelphia’s citywide celebration for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Gymnastics and the yearlong celebration around the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, visit www.PhiladelphiaTrials2008.com.

USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

The Philadelphia Sports Congress (PSC), a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, www.PhiladelphiaUSA.travel seeks to attract major sporting events and conventions to the Philadelphia area. The Sports Congress, working in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia, the city’s professional teams and universities, has attracted many events to the city and is currently working on bids for future sporting events. The Philadelphia Sports Congress operates the Army/Navy Game on behalf of the City of Philadelphia.

Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com), managers of the Liacouras Center at Temple University and the Wachovia Complex, is the fastest growing firm in the public assembly facility management field with more than 70 facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The Philadelphia-based company is part of one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies, Comcast-Spectacor, which also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association, the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League, Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, a regional sports programming network, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, and Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company and 3601 Creative Group, a full-service in-house advertising agency. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.

CONTACTS:
USA Boxing - Julie Goldsticker; 719-866-2304 work or 719-330-4072 cell
Global Spectrum - Eric Nemeth; 215-389-9553 work or 856-296-3614 cell


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