Boxing: Takie Fights on June 3

LAS VEGAS--(BW SportsWire)--May 24, 2000-- Tickets for the June 3 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING fight card at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino -- The City of Entertainment, in Las Vegas, featuring International Boxing Federation (IBF) No. 1 heavyweight contender David Tua against Obed Sullivan, will go on sale Wednesday, May 24, at 5 p.m.

Tua, the United States Boxing Association (USBA) Heavyweight Champion/IBF Intercontinental Champion, continues his quest toward fighting for a world title when he defends his IBF crown against veteran slugger Sullivan in the main event of the SHOWTIME card that will be televised on the network beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT. In the co-feature, former IBF junior lightweight champion Roberto Garcia will move up in weight and tackle Ben Tackie in a 10-round lightweight special attraction.

Tickets priced at $75, $50 and $25 can be purchased through any MGM Grand ticket outlet and all Las Vegas TicketMaster locations (Smith's, Robinsons-May, Tower Records and select Odyssey/Wherehouse records). To charge by phone, please call TicketMaster at 702/474-4000.

Tua (35-1, 30 KOs), of Samoa, earned the bronze medal for New Zealand in the 1992 Olympic Games at Barcelona, Spain. The former World Boxing Council (WBC) International heavyweight champion has won eight consecutive bouts since suffering his lone setback to Ike Ibeabuchi in a close 12-round decision on June 7, 1997. In his last bout, Tua stopped Shane Sutcliffe in the second round on Oct. 23, 1999, at MGM Grand.

Sullivan (35-6-1, 25 KOs), of Gulfport, Mississippi, is a former IBF Intercontinental heavyweight champion. He captured the crown in just his 12th pro outing on June 17, 1995, over Curtis Shepard and made six successful title defenses in two years. Sullivan has won five out of his last six bouts, including a third-round technical knockout over Jeff Lally on April 1, 2000.

Garcia (32-1, 24 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., will be making his first start since being dethroned of his IBF junior lightweight title by Diego Corrales at MGM Grand on Oct. 23, 1999. Garcia captured the 130-pound title on March 13, 1998, with a 12-round decision over Harold Warren in Miami. In his first defense, he stopped Ramon Ledon in the fifth round on Oct. 24, 1998, in Atlantic City. Garcia successfully defended his crown for the second time by scoring a unanimous decision victory over former world champion John John Molina on Jan. 16, 1999, at MGM Grand.

Tackie (19-1, 11 KOs), of Accra, Ghana, is a former IBF Intercontinental and IBA Continental Americas lightweight champion. A skilled boxer, Tackie defeated Luis Leija on July 7, 1998, for the vacant IBF Intercontinental title. Tackie suffered his only loss at the hands of Gregorio ``Goyo'' Vargas for the vacant WBC Continental Americas lightweight championship on Jan. 16, 1999, at the MGM Grand. The Glendale, Calif., resident won a 10-round decision over Golden Johnson in his last fight on March 19, 2000, in Miami.

MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, ``The City of Entertainment,'' features 5,034 guest rooms and suites, a state-of-the-art gaming complex, world-class entertainment venues, the $100 million Conference Center for meetings/conventions, and recreational facilities centrally located on the Las Vegas Strip. For room availability and information about the MGM Grand, call 800/929-1111 or 702/891-7777 or log onto the World Wide Web at www.mgmgrand.com.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING's Steve Albert, ``Fight Doctor'' Ferdie Pacheco and former world champion Bobby Czyz will call the action from ringside, with Jim Gray serving as roving reporter. The executive producer of the SHOWTIME telecast is Jay Larkin, with David Dinkins Jr. producing and Bob Dunphy directing.

The fight card is promoted by America Presents in association with MGM Grand.