PRESS RELEASE: For several decades, New York, Los Angeles and, of course, Las Vegas have been the principal sites for many of the highest profile world championship events, drawing sellout crowds and attracting celebrities in the world of sports and entertainment.

 

As a matter of fact, such destinations have been known to utilize championship boxing as a vehicle to put their cities on the world map.

 

And while they all claim the reputation as the “Mecca of Boxing,” Hall of Fame promoter Dan Goossen, of Goossen Tutor Promotions, plans to bring big time championship boxing to “Paradise,” when he promotes the first-ever televised professional boxing event of this magnitude on the eastern Caribbean vacation resort Island of St. Lucia on Friday, November 16, 2007.

 

Billed as “Showtime in Paradise,” the event will originate from the Beausejour Cricket Ground, situated on the outskirts of the tourist resort area of Rodney Bay on the island's northeast coast, and will showcase a number of talented world-rated fighters out of the Goossen Tutor boxing stable.  Showtime Network’s “ShoBox: The New Generation” will televise the historic event of professional boxing on the picturesque tropical island.

 

“St. Lucia is definitely one of the most beautiful places in the world,” observed Goossen, who has toured the globe numerous times in his 25 years as a boxing promoter.  “The island is a popular destination for the happiest of couples, and now its leaders are adding an exciting spectator sport which will generate unparallel electricity and increased worldwide visibility showcasing the beautiful and natural charm of the country. 

 

“It’s a tremendous thrill to not only promote an exciting boxing event for Showtime and a worldwide audience, but to utilize our promotional skills and experience to bolster the island of St. Lucia – “Simply Beautiful” as it is commonly referred – to the rest of the world.  I’m deeply grateful to the St. Lucia Tourist Board for this opportunity,” Goossen concluded.

 

Among the principals involved in the discussions with Goossen to bring world class professional boxing to St. Lucia were Allen Chastanet, Minister of Tourism; Laurie Barnard, Chairman of the St. Lucia Tourist Board; Maria Fowell, Director of Tourism and Joseph “Reds” Perreira, President of the St. Lucia Amateur Boxing Association (SLABA).

 

“We will be opening several new resorts later this year like Cotton Bay, Landings and Discovery,” explained Chastanet.  “Our goal is to remove the perception of St. Lucia as only a romantic destination and create a more exciting, lively vacation paradise.  We feel that providing an entertainment vehicle like professional boxing will be a key element in our promotional campaign.

 

“In addition, Chastanet continued, “the presence of these world class professionals will benefit the island’s amateur boxing program by providing the opportunity for our young boxers to interact and learn from them.”

 

Though the November 16 show is the only scheduled event to date in St. Lucia, Goossen and the Tourism executives have put in a three-year plan that will culminate in a world championship bout in November 2009.

 

“Having experienced the beauty of this magnificent island and untapped market for major professional sports, it is our mission to produce a tremendously successful boxing series befitting a “Simply Beautiful” island such as St. Lucia,” Goossen said. 

 

Announcements regarding the main fighter participants, travel, hotel and ticket packages, plus reserved recreational activities such as golf, hiking, sightseeing, fishing, snorkeling, and all other water activities will be shortly forthcoming.