12,000 tickets sell in 30 hours!

Press Release: Main Events, Top Rank, Bally’s Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City and Boardwalk Hall knew it was a big event, but no one could imagine the tickets would sell as fast as they did. At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 9, Ken Condon, president of Bally’s Atlantic City announced there was not a single ticket available for sale. “We expected there to be a high demand for tickets,” said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events.  “But we never thought it would sell as quickly as a Springsteen concert.”  Duva was referring to Jersey's ‘other’ icon, Bruce Springsteen, whose performances sell out regularly.

Tickets went on sale Friday, April 8, at 11:00 a.m.  Gatti fans began to show up at midnight Thursday and by the time the tickets windows opened there were over 150 buyers waiting.  The fans at through a cold, rainy Atlantic City night in beach chairs on the boardwalk wrapped in a blanket.

The $1,000 ringside tickets were sold out by the time the third in line Gatti fan reached the ticket window.  However, he did get one of the best pair at $750.  “I was hoping to get ringside tickets,” said the overwhelmed fan.  “I figured since I was third in line there would still be some left.  I watch Gatti fight all of the time but this will be the first time I get to see him box in person.  I got these two great seats and I’m going to take my girlfriend.”

Boxing fans continued to stream off the boardwalk, through the doors to the box office window throughout the day. Gatti-Mayweather was officially sold out Saturday afternoon.

Arturo “Thunder” Gatti will put his WBC Super Lightweight Championship on the line on June 25, 2005, when he challenges boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter, WBC #1 ranked contender Floyd Mayweather, Jr. The epic super lightweight championship showdown—“Thunder & Lightning”—promoted by Main Events and Top Rank and jointly hosted by Caesars Atlantic City and Bally’s Atlantic City, will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. HBO Pay-Per-View will broadcast the bout live, beginning at 9pm ET/6pm PT