World title fight to top boxing card aiming to break 85-year attendance world record

A WBO flyweight title fight between Anthony Olascuaga and Andy Dominguez is set to headline an ambitious event that aims to break boxing’s long-standing attendance record.

The current Guinness World Record for a live boxing audience was set in August 1941 when 135,132 spectators turned up to watch Tony Zale knock out Billy Pryor at Milwaukee’s Juneau Park.

Now, almost 85 years to the day, on July 11 at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza, Ed Pereira’s iVB Promotions and Sampson Lekcowicz’s Sampson Boxing will aim to smash that number.

Like Zale vs Pryor, the event will be free to enter for the public.

A press conference will be held on Thursday to formally announce the show, which is being streamed on YouTube.

“This will be a show like the boxing world has never seen before,” said Pereira.

“An event built for this city and its communities.

“San Francisco has always been a city that stands for something special, and on July 11, it will stand at the centre of the boxing world.”

Lekowicz added: “Ed has a vision for this sport that I believe in completely.

“When he came to me with this event, I saw immediately what it could be – something the boxing world has never seen.

“Together, we are going to give San Francisco and the world a night they will never forget.

“This is not just a fight card, this is a statement.

AFP

“I have spent my whole career backing things other people walked away from and every time I have been proved right. This will be no different.”

Olascuaga (12-1) had his breakout moment in April 2023 when he stepped in on less than two weeks’ notice to face then-WBA and WBC light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji in only his sixth fight.

He was subsequently stopped in the ninth round, but he saw his stock rise significantly for the heart shown in defeat.

Two bouts later, he knocked out Riku Kano to claim the vacant WBO flyweight title – a belt he has now defended five times.

Dominguez (13-1) suffered the sole defeat of his career to Puerto Rican Olympian Yankiel Rivera Figueroa in February 2024, but he has since bounced back to win three on the bounce.

Also on the card is a middleweight clash between Vito Mielnicki Jr. and Gerardo Luis Vergara, the return of super featherweight world title challenger Charly Suarez against Manuel Avila and a battle of the unbeaten heavyweights between Gurgen Hovhannisyan and Uila Mau’u.

Boxing schedule

For all the upcoming fights and results this year, check out talkSPORT.com’s  boxing schedule.