WASHINGTON - Aid from US sports continued to flow for earthquake-ravaged Haiti on Friday, with boxing promoter Top Rank pledging a share of ticket sales to relief efforts.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum said the company would donate one dollar from every ticket it sells through the end of the year to aid for Haiti.
The plan will start with a featherweight card at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, where a turnout of about 5,000 is expected.
"For a fight like this, it might be a few thousand, but for March 13 it could be 40 or 50,000," Arum said.
On March 13, Filipino hero Manny Pacquiao takes on US-based Ghanian Joshua Clottey at the billion-dollar Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.
The facility, home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, is being configured for 40,000 fans, but can seat more depending on demand.
Arum said he wasn't sure how many tickets will be sold the rest of the year because there is no accurate way to predict how many shows will be put together, who will headline the shows and where they will take place.
"Hopefully, other promoters will join us," he said.
Boxing has been affected by the quake that rocked Haiti on January 12. The official death toll as of Friday was put at more than 110,000.
'One Team 4 Haiti'
Welterweight world titlist Andre Berto, who was born in Miami to Haitian parents and represented Haiti in the 2004 Olympics, has pulled out of a fight against Shane Mosley next week as his family deals with the crisis.
"I have seen the pain in my parents' eyes as they attempt to understand what has happened to our homeland and recognize a place they once called home," he said.
Players unions for four US pro leagues launched a campaign to support the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund.
The "One Team 4 Haiti" project will urge fans to text the word "team" to 20222, donating 10 dollars for US fans and five dollars for Canadian ones.
All the funds will go to relief efforts, the campaign said Friday.
"Since the earthquake hit their country, the Haitian people, including friends and family of mine, have been through so much devastation," said Georges Laraque, an NHL Players Association member who recently played for Montreal. "NHLPA members, together with the members of the NFLPA, MLBPA and the NBPA, hope that we can make a meaningful contribution and encourage sports fans across North America to join us in helping Haiti."
Major league baseball player Magglio Ordonez donated 100,000 dollars to the American Red Cross on Friday and his Detroit Tigers teammate Miguel Cabrera gave 90,000 dollars to Project Medishare for Haiti. The Tigers added 10,000 dollars. The NFL's San Diego Padres and their foundation gave 25,000 dollars to UNICEF.
Lakers donate to quake victims
Spanish basketball star Pau Gasol was one of 10 players that donated 1,000 dollars to the quake victims for every point they scored in their NBA games on Friday night.
Gasol finished with 20 points in the Lakers' 115-105 win which means he will donate 20,000 dollars to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
"I think it is important to be able to contribute," Gasol said. "There are so many tragedies going on in the world and we have got to acknowledge how lucky we are. So we decided to do that with the Clinton foundation."
The other players taking part in the aid effort comprise rookie of the year Derrick Rose, Atlanta all-star Joe Johnson, rookie Tyreke Evans and Spencer Hawes of Sacramento, Wizards players Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller, Pacers guard Mike Dunleavy Jr, Celtics centre Kendrick Perkins and Thunder guard Russell Westbrook. All the players are clients of the Wasserman Media Group.
Speaking at halftime of the Lakers game, former president Bill Clinton said the need is great.
"[The situation in Haiti] is awful," said Clinton in announcing the programme. "There is no way to put a nice spin on it. But I have confidence the people of Haiti that they can get through this.
"I think their spirit is great."
The 10 players in action Friday will combine with 37 other Wasserman NBA clients to donate a minimum of 500,000 dollars to the fund.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
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This is a very great fight.. I will watch out for this..
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