Axiata Arena: Venue of the Pacquiao-Matthysse title fight
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 28 Apr 2018
The Putra Indoor Stadium re-christened Axiata Arena will be the venue of the Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthysse World Boxing Association welterweight championship encounter scheduled July 15 in Malaysia?s Capital City of Kuala Lumpur.
Inaugurated in 2008, the Putra Indoor Stadium is one of several sports facilities in the National Sports Complex which includes the main stadium, Bukit Jalil National Stadium, National Hockey Stadium, National Squash Centre, National Aquatic Centre and a Seri Putra Hall
The arena has 13,000 upholstered seats and 3,000 retractable seats, built to accommodate different sports events like boxing, badminton, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, judo, handball, wrestling, gymnastics and football. The stadium is also fully customized for concerts and seminars during both day and night due to its opaque roof.
The stadium hosted the 2009 ASEAN Para Games. It was also the main venue for the gymnastics competitions in the Kuala Lumpur 1998 Commonwealth Games as well as site for sport and entertainment events such as World Equestrian games, Disney's on Ice and more.
Putra Indoor Stadium hosted the Hari Merdeka celebrations in 2010. In relation with the then on-going Ramadan season. It was also the first time that the Hari Merdeka celebration was held indoors attended by no less than the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, the Prime Minister of Malaysia and also Cabinet members.
Putra Stadium acquired its corporate name Axiata Arena as part of efforts to build a Malaysian sporting nation in partnership between Axiata Group Berhad and Perbadanan Stadium Malaysia (PSM). Axiata Arena is designed to become the landmark for the redevelopment of Bukit Jalil Sports Complex which will be known as KL Sports City (KLSC) when completed in July.
Axiata Arena was the main hub of various sporting events in the 29th SEA Games and 9th ASEAN Para Games last year.
MSC is responsible for maintenance of the stadium while other upgrades will be under the purview of Axiata as stated by a clause in the agreement.
When completed, the stadium will be on the same par as Staples Centre in Los Angeles, 02 Arena in London and Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai as a world class sporting and entertainment venue.
oOo
As publicized, the Pacquiao-Matthysse showdown is in celebration of the 43rd anniversary of the 15-round Muhammad Ali-Joe Bugner world heavyweight title encounter held in 1975 also in Kula Lumpur.
Incidentally, this year also marks the 43rd year when Ali fought and successfully defended his crown against ?Smokin? Joe Frazier, in a 15-round bloody fight called ?Thrilla In Manila? for reason that it was held in the country?s Capital City of Manila.
Except for Pacquiao himself mentioning in passing the Thrilla in Manila, his welcome address during the Manila leg of the two-city promotional tour to hype his fight with the Argentine belt-owner, no one seems to remember the momentous event.
It was, in fact, after the announcement of Ali?s unanimous decision win over Bugner that international promoter Don King announced, too, the Ali-Frazier ?Fight of the Century? matchup.
Before the fight, ?The Greatest? announced it will be his last fight only to change his mind following his impressive victory.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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