What Will the Big Fight Draw?

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 369, 1 June 1928, Page 10

What Will the Big Fight Draw?

Tex Rickard Expects Million Dollar Gate Just what the Tunney-Heeney fight will draw in New York city next July has been a source of much discussion. Tex Rickard thinks the fight will gross over a million and a-half dollars, but there are plenty of Doubting Thomases who are sceptical and figure it will never reach the million mark. Heeney, of course, is not rated as having much of a chance to win, says an American writer, and that will hurt his drawing power. On the other hand Tunncy has but little of the personality that has attached to such champions as Jack Dempsey and John L. Sullivan. THEY ALL GO TO NEW YORK But despite all that, it will not surprise m© to see a million-dollar house or thereabouts. Any place but New York, I would be afraid of such an estimate. But Gotham is differently constituted. There are enough visitors in New York city every day to boost the demand for tickets. It seems an oddity, but the man who goes to New York, either on business or simply by way of a visit, is willing to pay any price to see the attraction of the hour. San Franciscans, who wouldn’t stand for a ten-dollar touch for the same fight right here at home, will travel across the country and pay 40 dollars for the same show'. That’s why I am inclined to believe the fight will draw.