05.09.04 – Former World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council unified welterweight champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga, who was arrested in Managua, Nicaragua, on suspicion of rape and freed on Friday, attended a heavyweight championship fight at Mandalay Bay tonight with his promoter Don King.
Mayorga, who is scheduled to appear in a highly anticipated middleweight clash with three-time world champion Felix “Tito” Trinidad in Madison Square Garden in New York on Oct. 2, arrived at the Mandalay Bay Events Center with King just after 7 p.m. in time to witness Undisputed Middleweight Champion Cory “The Next Generation” Spinks successfully defend his titles against former world champion Miguel Angel Gonzalez as well as “Relentless” Lamon Brewster’s successful first defense of his World Boxing Organization heavyweight title.
When asked about the charge in his native country, Mayorga said, “I was set up and that’s all I am going to say.”
He also denied quotes attributed to him in Managua stating that he thought his fight with Trinidad had been suspended. “I never said that,” Mayorga said. “I am going to sleep in the ring and wait for Trinidad. I will knock him out.”
Mayorga said there was little disruption to his training for one of the biggest fights of the year.
“I was only detained for three hours and lost only one day of training.”
King said his fighter will appear as scheduled.
“The judge in Nicaragua let him leave that country to fight in America, and that’s what we plan to do.”
Legendary champion Felix “Tito” Trinidad, returning to the ring after a two year layoff, is “Back with a Vengeance” when he meets the exciting former WBA/WBC welterweight champion Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga in New York’s Madison Square Garden, The World’s Most Famous Arena on Saturday, October 2, 2004. This WBA International middleweight championship bout will be presented by Don King Productions in association with Madison Square Garden and be produced and distributed domestically by HBO Pay-Per-View and broadcast internationally and on closed circuit by KingVision.
Tickets, priced at $1,000, $700, $400, $250, $150 and $75, are on sale at the Garden box office and all TicketMaster locations or by calling TicketMaster at 212-307-7171, 201-507-8900, 631-888-9000, or 914-454-3388. TicketMaster purchases are subject to convenience charges.
The TRINIDAD-MAYORGA pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9pm ET/6pm PT on October 2nd, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to over 49 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For more event information, log on to www.HBOPPV.com.