An ambitious bid to bring one of world boxing's biggest title fights to Sydney has Australia emerging as a leading contender to host Tyson Fury's trilogy bout with Deontay Wilder on Boxing Day.
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Legendary boxing promoter Bob Arum has confirmed "friends in Australia" have Western Sydney Stadium in the running to host the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship bout on December 26 (Australian time).
The man behind the proposal is D&L Events promoter Dean Lonergan, who linked with Arum to lure Manny Pacquiao to Brisbane for his historic bout with Jeff Horn in 2017.
Lonergan believes Australia fits the bill amid promising signs crowds could be allowed back to sporting events in the coming months, with Arum's Top Rank promotion content to host shows in empty arenas from this week.
He has turned his focus to Sydney on Boxing Day to commemorate Jack Johnson's legendary win over Tommy Burns at Sydney Stadium on the same date in 1908.
"Firstly, COVID. It's unlikely the US this year is going to be open for crowds, and no sportsman wants to sit a whole year out waiting. What I suggested to Bob was, 'why don't you bring the fight down to Australia?'," Lonergan told The Canberra Times.
"The perfect date would be Boxing Day in Sydney. That's the date Jack Johnson beat Tommy Burns in 1908, in Rushcutters Bay in Sydney.
"In my opinion Jack Johnson is the most overlooked African-American athlete in terms of his significance, and with the Black Lives Matter movement, what a great celebration of his legacy to become the first major sporting African-American on the global scene.
"The answer is Bob's looking, and the reason is he doesn't think there are going to be crowds in America this year.
"Imagine coming down to Western Sydney Stadium in front of 40,000 people, it would be nothing short of sensational. Boxing Day would give you beautiful summer scenes which would be broadcast all over the world.
"That would go to 150 countries around the world, back into the US on prime time on Christmas night. It's the biggest TV audience of the year."
Arum has confirmed Macau is another option being explored for the bout, while the Las Vegas Raiders' new stadium is the ideal location should crowds be allowed back in the United States.
Six weeks ago Lonergan sent a proposal to Arum about the prospect of staging the heavyweight blockbuster in Sydney, which was soon met by one question.
"What guarantee can you give me crowds will be back?"
Lonergan concedes there can be no guarantee made at this stage but the ground being made by the NRL has provided hope Western Sydney Stadium could be fit to host the bout.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys led an ambitious plan to resume the NRL season on May 28 in a move which has been lauded as a resounding success.
His next goal is to bring crowds back to games, with small crowds confined to corporate boxes set to be allowed to attend matches from round five.
V'landys maintains a July 1 target for more fans to return in grandstand seating is a realistic goal, which has Lonergan hopeful of a packed house in Parramatta come late December.
"Because states have done such a great job of knocking COVID out, Australia is on track to be one of the first major countries to open first to full sporting crowds," Lonergan said.
"It's been led by Peter V'landys, he has done an amazing job as he looks to get crowds back.
"Wouldn't it be amazing if that led to a world title fight of global significance down here, and also a celebration of the Black Lives Matter movement with Jack Johnson being celebrated for his achievements, which I think is underdone in America."